Ballard67

So we completed our cruise here on the 5th of September on board the Celebrity solstice. This was our

first cruise,maybe or maybe not our last. This cruise was a wedding gift by my wonderful wife's parents.

We just had to pay for our gratuities ,shore excursions and spending money. I thought i would write review

right from the beginning. I read so many reviews, oppions input,some/ a lot i agree with some i did not,

all i appreciated there input. It was a great insight to cruising and a typ of travel i have not experienced

before. My thoughts on cruising before was just what i seen on TV and through reading. I have to admit i had

a pre judge opinion that cruising was for the well off, the upper half to say. What i read a lot on the critic

boards did not help my therior. Kind of the saying "look down there nose" at other travelers.

So there will be more on that, some new ways to travel. Thats what a review is for right LOL

So our cruise and about us, like I said it was our(Me 46, Bill, my wife Jaime 41), we where in cabin 6432. My wife's parents

Larry and Linda, my wonderful In laws both 65, both just retired, this will be there second cruise. They did

a cruise on the westerdam some years ago to Alaska. So They where down the hall 6422. So history, how

our cruise came to be LOL. Like I said my In laws just retired from there company that they both work at.

So they revived a retirement gift from a catalog. Well one of there choices was a cruise. They chose that thinking

that they where going to get the cruise for both of them. Well come to find out there company sent them

vouchers for two cruises,meaning two separate cruises. Well me and my wife where just about to get married and

they thought it would be neat to give us one of the cruises, and thought it would be fun all together. Well

of course me and my wife where ecstatic, we had never been on a cruise, and we where so excited. What a wonderful

thing to do for us.

Our cruise was from August the 29th to the 5th of September leaving Seattle with stops at Ketchican,Juno, Skagway

and Victoria. Trip through Tracy fjord on our day In Juno.

Along the way i can answer any questions you might have, this will be fun. I over explain, so i hope you will have fun

reading about our trip.

Thank you, that would be great :D

does the mosquito problem happen further south like Ketchikan?

So we are heading out in less then 48 hours on the Solstice,so excited so ready. BUT it comes at the start of Collage football season, my team University of Washington (Go Dawgs) play Sat night in Hawai,you think there is anyway to catch the game on board?. That go's the same for the defending Super Bowl champions Seattle Seahawks play on the night before we return to Seattle. Now we might be able to catch it in a Pub there In Victoria?, but be great to see it on Board.

Parking is pricey in and around Seattle. Downtown Seattle hotels even charge their own guests $25-$30 a day to park.

 

Google 'park and stay seatac' to find sites such as this one:

 

http://www.seattlesouthside.com/packages-and-promotions/category/5-park-stay-and-fly?li=16

 

The Sleep Inn gets great reviews on the West Coast Departures forum. They used to have a park and stay option, plus they partner with Seattle Express for a shuttle to the pier.

 

Or consider parking at Smith Cove Parking for $140 a week. MAkes life much easier ... you can stay at a budget place outside Seattle the night before and be on your way post-cruise immediately.

unless you get a deal through your YA/cruise line there(Smith cove) charging 170.00 for the stay(the 7 days). The most popular Is shuttle express,matter of fact its the one we are taking in a couple days on our cruise.

We just started packing this past weekend for our Alaskan cruise and it was like a crime scene!! Clothes spread out everywhere, and various piles. Pants, shorts, sweatshirts, all seasons were represented.

 

We are not light packers to begin with, but this cruise might kill us.

 

Or, at the very least, break my back! LOL.

LOL well at least yours is lay out, i am still on the boards talking about it LOL, we leave Friday and I am still looking at my suit case :)

Or anyone from the Pacific Northwest. :D

yep if there is going to be anytime i am in the out side pool it will be on our departure day. As a kid i use to go swimming in the puget sound. Now days i need a bit warmer, but not much.

when you have done the tours, did you have anytime before or after the tours to spend any time in the city's?, and what do you say is a good time to be back on the ship with out trying to be the first on board or running after the boat getting back on LOL. Something else came to mind. So you arrange a tour, and the boat has to tender, and so getting a shore makes you late. Or the boat gets delay docking,how does that work with the tours?

Is there anything i need tp bring to get on the tours?, how will we know where to go,does the boat make arragments before you get off. We are going through celebrity and the tours where bought through them.

We went ahead and bought a few tours one in Ketchikan, Juno and Victoria. The one In Ketchikan is the Misty fojrds & wilderness explorer, has anyone done this??, good bad. The same with Skagway Alaska gold rush highlight tour. The one In Victoria is the city and harbor tour,with Hippo. Just a little info

If you are driving, and if you can drive to whole foods,save a few dollars(whole foods$$$) just a mile north of that Is a Safeway grocery store. If you are just thinking of a couple bottles, there is a Hot dog stand just out side the port Bldg. We just bhought two six pac of Bottel 16oz coke zero(for me), bottles of vitamin water for my wife and a case of water, the small bottles. The whole beverage cost(non alcoholic drinks) on the boats is such a rip off. It seems the cruise industry just don't want to make a profit but gouge you at the same time

So just got some Instant tea bag typ reg coffee. Is it worth bringing, compare to the boats reg coffee?

Ok folks inside 5 days!, i have yet to start packing, i am afraid when i start packing i wont be able to quit. I love to draw out trips,savor every moment LOL. The wife just came up with a great idea, a small vinyl bag for my hot sauce, i am spicy hot sauce lover, to take to the buffets and off the ship for meals,wow i love that lady!!:). I have wore mainly shorts this past summer.been looking at the temps up in Alaska and it looks like its going to be on the cool side mid highs 50's to mid 40's low and rain. I think i am going to stick with my shorts for the most part.

Thanks for the idea....I'm going to Canada in October...brrrrrrrrr. Hot chocolate and Nestles International coffee on the packing list! I always bring an insulated mug for hot and cold beverages.

But I usually only pack a banana or PB & J, pepperoni/cheese crackers for the plane or bus ride. I like to be hungry when I get on the ship so I can head straight for the buffet.

And....When I sail Carnival I always carry on the one bottle of wine they allow per person.

So I was thinking of brining a Hot pot for hot water for instant coffee, i hered you can not bring one?, if so is getting hot water early in the morining pretty easy.

We also upgraded our cameras, well new one for me,umm boniculars??, we have to find a pair. The photo copies of pass ports, i have a enhanced ID and my wife has pass port, so ya we can make copies of both and put it in a file, good idea. Where also getting drinks,soda Juice I am also thinking coffee Starbucks instant. for our cabin, i think we are getting those on Wednesday.Can you bring a hot pot?, for hot water

I haven't done the hippo tour but I was at ogden point cruise terminal last Saturday and the hippo bus was in the parking lot right where you come out of the building, picking up folks. this might have been for a ship-sponsored tour.

 

if you booked on your own I believe you need to go to Belleville street. there will be a (user pay) shuttle available from your cruise line to the inner harbour. Belleville is the street the provincial legislature is on.

 

even if it takes half an hour there and back (it won't) and the 90 minute tour, you should be okay time-wise.

 

I'd email the hippo people and see if others have pre-booked. perhaps they'll come to the terminal to get you.

Thanks:D, ya our tour is through celebrity. That would be great if they pick up at the Boat.

Due to a terrible accident my husband won't be able to walk long distances at the time of our cruise. I booked the handicapped room and challenge someone to question our use of it. He can hop with a walker right now and hopefully will be able to walk with it when we go however, he may not need it at all for short walks so I am sure the haters, doubters, angry people will think what they think. His wheel chair is a tall back that reclines that we may or may not bring with up, it truly depends on where he is at.

 

People who are negative, unhappy people are going to be what they are going to be, we chose happiness and make the effort to live a positive life despite challenges.

 

Jessica:p

Your fine:D:D, people will think what they want. I wont need the wheel chair except for longer walks, and for taking alot of breaks. Better to have it then not, and then stuck. Our room was already pre paid and could not change, but that's OK, i can walk into the room and around the room if need be.

So we just reserved, through Juno tours a bus only transportation(Bus) to and back to Mendenhal glacier. So we will be on the Solstice and porting at about 1:30pm. We reserved a 2:30 spot, giving us time to get to the Bus. So a couple quick questions for you veterans of cruises.

*After docking about how long does it take to get from the on board the boat to the the pick up area for the buses, usually.

Along with that question, when Celebrity says a 1:30, is that pretty right on or is that just avg time?.

* How far is It from the port/off the Boat to the Bus area?, i might be in a wheel chair, at the very least it will be a long walk, i have read some ports offer shuttles, is this true In Juno?.

* Any help full info to get around Mendenhal Glacier

Well there was just one express pass offered, has my wife as the primary and it includes me. We did get our luggage tags in the mail Yaaaa. Its Inside 10 days now, so excited, the only bummer is my back. I was dignosed with three herniated disk couple months ago and I am restricted to how much i can walk. Its already had us cancel one of our exruision in Jeno.. We optied for a trolly ride to Mendenhal glacier. I am getting drug up(LOL) so i hope I i will be able to walk a bit more then I am now.

Sounds like you had a great trip. We will be first time cruisers, and on the Solstice next Friday, so excited. I love reading about your time, i have been looking for recent reviews.

We will be eating at the Buffet alot, did you have a chance to try it?. I might be wrong but on the rail ride you where back by 430?, starting at 1230, that seem it went pretty quick. Did you have any time to look around or would of had time to look around Skagway?

Love to hear any advice for first time on a cruise.

I don't think i get sea sick??, not quite sure. I do know one way i get sick is rides that have a film or 3-d film with it, i wonder if its the same feeling??. Now roller coasters, flying i am fine with,LOL I know. My wife not sure, her parents have did a Alaska cruise so i think they will be OK. I just want to prep all i can

Don't they offer a free one??, or i should say a complementry one when you get on board?. I am on Solstice leaving next Friday for Alaska. I thought i herd a general tour, maybe not a full scale, but more like a "FYI" tour.

Absolutely nothing......

Well that's OK to, but you just can not ever have enough Chocolate!!.

The visitor center has a ramp, plus an elevator, the Photo Point trail is all sidewalk. the Nugget Falls trail is not really accessible with a wheelchair, gravel. The "bear" overlook is accessible but the not by the visitor center.

 

Another issue is your transportation, I have not seen wheelchair lifts on the shuttle buses. The city buses have ramps, but drop off is over a mile away.

 

If you can walk on the bus, they can accommodate wheelchair storage on the shuttle buses.

 

Ship tours would likely have more options with wheelchair lifts.

so is both the shuttles and the buses a mile from stop?

Oh I am going to put our snacks In zip lock bags, there wont be any confusion. I don't know about fruit??, maybe dried fruit.