Has anyone been on Millie in Alaska for 2022 season?

[kimberlydrzymala]

Greetings,

 

I apologize in advance if I am posting in the wrong place but I have been checking daily for any feedback on the current season for Millie in Alaska. Can anyone comment on how the cruise has been? Can anyone tell me if you left from Seward what time you were able to board the ship? We are going in August and I have been looking everyday for some feedback and I have seen little to none. Any information you can provide would be appreciated!

[Mangrove Snapper]

We were on Millennium for the 5/27 cruise (Vancouver to Seward) and it was great!  The weather was amazing. 

 

[Provence55always]

We were b2b Vancouver to Seward and Seward to Vancouver in May.  Fantastic cruise only 50% on board for both cruises. We left from Seward late…..because the last train arriving from Anchorage does not get in to Seaward until 5.30. We saw folks boarding from mid day when we were getting off to explore Seward. The crew onboard were amazingly helpful and friendly. The scenery, wildlife and gold rush history combined to make this cruise a most memorable one. 

[Purplsmurf]

2 minutes ago, Provence55always said:

We were b2b Vancouver to Seward and Seward to Vancouver in May.  Fantastic cruise only 50% on board for both cruises. We left from Seward late…..because the last train arriving from Anchorage does not get in to Seaward until 5.30. We saw folks boarding from mid day when we were getting off to explore Seward. The crew onboard were amazingly helpful and friendly. The scenery, wildlife and gold rush history combined to make this cruise a most memorable one. 

There must be 2 trains. We booked ours for next month and only had one option, 6:45 am

[Purplsmurf]

3 hours ago, kimberlydrzymala said:

Greetings,

 

I apologize in advance if I am posting in the wrong place but I have been checking daily for any feedback on the current season for Millie in Alaska. Can anyone comment on how the cruise has been? Can anyone tell me if you left from Seward what time you were able to board the ship? We are going in August and I have been looking everyday for some feedback and I have seen little to none. Any information you can provide would be appreciated!

We sail next month. We are taking the train from Anchorage which leaves at 6:45 am. We have a noon boarding time (it’s a 4+hour train ride). Noon was the earliest time offered 

[bigbenboys]

2 hours ago, kimberlydrzymala said:

Greetings,

 

I apologize in advance if I am posting in the wrong place but I have been checking daily for any feedback on the current season for Millie in Alaska. Can anyone comment on how the cruise has been? Can anyone tell me if you left from Seward what time you were able to board the ship? We are going in August and I have been looking everyday for some feedback and I have seen little to none. Any information you can provide would be appreciated!

We were on the June 3rd sailing out of Seward. We arrived 2 days early. We went to the Alaska SeaLife Center in the morning. Then caught the free town shuttle to the cruise terminal from outside the Alaska SeaLife Center. We got to the ship about 11:30. We dropped our luggage in one area outside. Then into the building. Check in was easy and we were on board by noon. We were in a suite so check in time did not apply. It was a great Alaska cruise. Some of the best weather we have had in Alaska. We had 1400 guest on board. I heard we had 14 guest that came down with covid. Mask were required in the theater and casino. Sunset photo from the cruise.

[Provence55always]

Yes, I believe there are two trains. Forgot to add to above post…..the weather was amazing and the Captain got us right up to the Hubbard glacier👌👌

[TravelsfromIN]

We will be on Millie July 15. We received email from Celebrity on June11 asking us to select a time for our “Health Check” which is also your boarding time. Options were 30 minute windows beginning at noon. Our cruise departs at 8pm. Safe Travels, Everyone!

[kimberlydrzymala]

Reading these replies is kicking my excitement into overdrive! I am happy to hear that things went well for those who have already traveled. I was curious about the check in time as I know the ship does not depart until 8:00 pm. We are arriving 2 days prior to the cruise and taking the train into Seward. I do hope things settle down with the airlines soon! 

[Suzanne123]

59 minutes ago, Provence55always said:

We were b2b Vancouver to Seward and Seward to Vancouver in May.  Fantastic cruise only 50% on board for both cruises. We left from Seward late…..because the last train arriving from Anchorage does not get in to Seaward until 5.30. We saw folks boarding from mid day when we were getting off to explore Seward. The crew onboard were amazingly helpful and friendly. The scenery, wildlife and gold rush history combined to make this cruise a most memorable one. 

We’re also doing a back to back.  Did you have Covid testing on board between cruises?  Did you have to get off the ship in Seward and check in again?  Thanks.

[Whinenowine]

1 hour ago, Purplsmurf said:

There must be 2 trains. We booked ours for next month and only had one option, 6:45 am

yah I think the 6:45am train is the regular one run by Alaska Railroad, while there is a Celebrity-specific charter train departing Anchorage at around 11am.

[CRUISINGCPA]

We are taking the early train from Anchorage but want to tour Seward.  Will we be able to drop off our luggage at the ship when we get off the train so we don't have to lug it around all day?

[Purplsmurf]

26 minutes ago, CRUISINGCPA said:

We are taking the early train from Anchorage but want to tour Seward.  Will we be able to drop off our luggage at the ship when we get off the train so we don't have to lug it around all day?

I asked this same question and am getting mixed answers. Some say yes and some no. I have also been told to drop the luggage and tour Seward before checking in, but then what do we do with our carry on luggage? Hopefully we will get an answer from someone who is sailing now or recently sailed 

[Purplsmurf]

1 hour ago, Whinenowine said:

yah I think the 6:45am train is the regular one run by Alaska Railroad, while there is a Celebrity-specific charter train departing Anchorage at around 11am.

Ahh! Had no idea there was a Celebrity charter train. How does one find out this information? 😂……that brings up a question now. Someone posted that once we are on the train, as long as we have our tags on it, that Celebrity will take our luggage right to the ship. I am now wondering if this is only for the Celebrity charter train and not the other. 🤔 

[bigbenboys]

19 minutes ago, Purplsmurf said:

Ahh! Had no idea there was a Celebrity charter train. How does one find out this information? 😂……that brings up a question now. Someone posted that once we are on the train, as long as we have our tags on it, that Celebrity will take our luggage right to the ship. I am now wondering if this is only for the Celebrity charter train and not the other. 🤔 

We rented a car and drove down to Seward. We did book Kenai Fjords National Park Glacier & Wildlife Cruise from Seward by Major Marine Tours our tour was at 11:30am. Major Marine Tours office was at the Harbor 360 Hotel Address: 1412 4th Ave. Seward, Alaska 99664. It is within walking distant from the train station. I would call your tour company and see if they would hold your luggage.

[Provence55always]

No COVID test in between cruise. We did not have to get off ship to check in again just met in OV and got our new SeaPass. Wonderful cruise but unfortunately did test positive for Covid when we got home. We were fortunate to have had our 2nd booster so just had a slight cough for 3 days…..in fact the jet lag was worse from our flight from Vancouver back to Ireland. 

[Whinenowine]

1 hour ago, Purplsmurf said:

Ahh! Had no idea there was a Celebrity charter train. How does one find out this information? 😂……that brings up a question now. Someone posted that once we are on the train, as long as we have our tags on it, that Celebrity will take our luggage right to the ship. I am now wondering if this is only for the Celebrity charter train and not the other. 🤔 

I didn't know either...until I called Celebrity about how to get from Anchorage to Seward.  But by that time it was too late...fully booked. The 6:45am is also fully booked on my 8/12 cruise date!   I think I recall that the charter train goes closer to the dock than the regular...but I could just be misremembering (since it's not going to matter for me!).  Going with the (even more) expensive route of a day tour from A to S.

[Whinenowine]

Oh no!!  Sounds like luckily there were no injuries...but I wonder what this means for those of us on Millie in July/August.

 

https://mustreadalaska.com/skagway-rockslide-takes-out-cruise-ship-dock/

 

[Purplsmurf]

1 hour ago, bigbenboys said:

We rented a car and drove down to Seward. We did book Kenai Fjords National Park Glacier & Wildlife Cruise from Seward by Major Marine Tours our tour was at 11:30am. Major Marine Tours office was at the Harbor 360 Hotel Address: 1412 4th Ave. Seward, Alaska 99664. It is within walking distant from the train station. I would call your tour company and see if they would hold your luggage.

I have no tour. We are taking the train from Anchorage the morning we sail and then plan on boarding the ship

[Purplsmurf]

59 minutes ago, Whinenowine said:

Oh no!!  Sounds like luckily there were no injuries...but I wonder what this means for those of us on Millie in July/August.

 

https://mustreadalaska.com/skagway-rockslide-takes-out-cruise-ship-dock/

 

Oh no! Could we potentially tender? Would be a bummer to have to miss the port, but at least nobody was injured…..hopefully 

[Northern Aurora]

Several comments from a frequent Celebrity cruiser who actually lives in Alaska…..

 

The Alaska Railroad runs a daily train from Anchorage to Seward in the summer.  This is the early morning arrival.  The departure is in the early evening.  It runs between the downtown RR station (not the Anchorage airport) and terminates at the Seward RR terminal.  

 

Whenever there is a ship in Seward there will be a cruise line chartered train which runs between the Anchorage airport and the Seward cruise terminal (think warehouse).  Seward is a small community so the distance from the cruise terminal and the Alaska RR terminal isn’t very far, but the cruise chartered train delivers directly to the cruise terminal.  The cruise line charters can only be booked through the cruise lines and appears in the shore excursions sections of the web sites.  Since the special rail runs can only be booked through the cruise lines information about them is not on the Alaska RR website.  Since there is no commercial air service between Anchorage and Seward the cruise line chartered rail runs are a real annoyance to residents of Seward who would love to book them in the summer when they are flying out on vacation or business.

 

For those disembarking in Seward most passengers will be off the ship very early as the cruise chartered train run is very popular.  We have delivered our luggage to the porters in Seward at 11 AM and directly boarded the ship.

 

And regarding the rock slide in Skagway I have read the Anchorage Daily News coverage and it appears that the slide debris will be cleared relatively quickly.  This has happened in the past.  And at least one ship will tender later this week but there are three docking options.  Only one was impacted by the slide.

 

 

[Purplsmurf]

We are sailing next month and I never saw anything about a Celebrity train that goes from Anchorage to Seward. Today is the first time I have heard of it. There is nothing in the shore excursions about it 🤷🏻‍♀️……glad we got on the early train

[bigbenboys]

3 hours ago, Purplsmurf said:

I have no tour. We are taking the train from Anchorage the morning we sail and then plan on boarding the ship

Check out Seward free shuttle bus route. I did see Red Taxi in Seward.