Eclipse Revolutionized or not for Alaskan Cruise

[Kelownadon]

We are currently planning to do an Alaska cruise out of Vancouver, Canada. It looks like it will likely be on the Eclipse in September 2023. A couple of questions. First, has the Eclipse been revolutionized such that only suite guests get to sit in the forward lounges for unrestricted forward views as on the E class ships seeing as we will not be in a suite. Second, is there a preference for what side of the ship is best to have a balcony cabin on an Alaskan cruise. Of course any other comments would be greatly appreciated. 

[wrk2cruise]

Eclipse has not been Revolutionized and won't be before Sept.   Even if it were there are no changes to the forward facing lounges on S class ships.   The only change is the change of the very upper forward decks (15?) which has been historically under utilized on S class ships.

[cruisestitch]

47 minutes ago, Kelownadon said:

We are currently planning to do an Alaska cruise out of Vancouver, Canada. It looks like it will likely be on the Eclipse in September 2023. A couple of questions. First, has the Eclipse been revolutionized such that only suite guests get to sit in the forward lounges for unrestricted forward views as on the E class ships seeing as we will not be in a suite. Second, is there a preference for what side of the ship is best to have a balcony cabin on an Alaskan cruise. Of course any other comments would be greatly appreciated. 

S class ships and E class ships are configured very differently.  The sky lounge on the S class ships is open to all. It is a lovely forward facing venue.

 

As to which side to book in order to have the best balcony, it depends somewhat on the itineraries. What itinerary are you looking at?

[Kelownadon]

36 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

S class ships and E class ships are configured very differently.  The sky lounge on the S class ships is open to all. It is a lovely forward facing venue.

 

As to which side to book in order to have the best balcony, it depends somewhat on the itineraries. What itinerary are you looking at?

The itinerary is Vancouver to Sitka, then up to Hubbard Glacier, then back down to Juneau, then inside passages to Ketchikan, then back to Vancouver. 

[Northern Aurora]

Just a quick comment from someone who’s lives in Alaska — since this a RT out of Vancouver I don’t think it matters much.  

[Kelownadon]

3 minutes ago, Northern Aurora said:

Just a quick comment from someone who’s lives in Alaska — since this a RT out of Vancouver I don’t think it matters much.  

For what it’s worth, on the way up to Hubbard Glacier it is mostly outside open ocean and coming back it is mostly through inside passages. 

[Northern Aurora]

Just now, Kelownadon said:

For what it’s worth, on the way up to Hubbard Glacier it is mostly outside open ocean and coming back it is mostly through inside passages. 

I have actually done this run, and I really don’t think it matters much.  In the inside passage the ship is transiting between the mainland and the barrier islands.

[jelayne]

We found the aft facing cabins to have excellent 180 degree views and the ship buffers the wind.  

[Janedoe2012]

We had aft balcony (8th deck) on the Eclipse last August. Loved the views!  
The ship spins in a 360 in Hubbard Bay so you get a great view of the glacier and they also open up the Helipad deck for viewing.