Northern Aurora

While we are also Zenith if our OP is an Elite or Elite+ member of the Captain's Club their list of Captain's Club benefits left in their stateroom on embarkation day will list (albeit in very small print) deadlines for submitting laundry.

I think it means that you are a new Celebrity cruiser or what they call "new to brand." If I am correct both of the sea pass cards should have them.

I am late to the discussion, but am curious as to which communities you will be visiting. And I love your reference to "Seward's Folly" -- that has been so debunked by historians but we just can't get rid of it. Like the myth of Betsy Ross sewing the first US flag. In Anchorage the best part of the Anchorage Museum is the Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center. The artifacts are on loan (long-term) from the Smithsonian and it is so well curated. Part of the Anchorage Museum is undergoing an exhibit update and redesign. It used an outdated time line concept and was badly designed. I don't know the status of the redesign but these projects always take more time than anticipated. So many Alaska communities have small museums operated by the local historical society. The Seward Museum is operated by the Resurrection Bay Historical Society. And while not technically a museum Seward also has the SeaLife Center. Ketchikan has the Tongass Historical Museum and the Totem Heritage Center. The Southeast Alaska Discovery Center is mentioned in post #4. In Juneau you will find the State Museum. The Sealaska Heritage Institute has also been mentioned; the cultural exhibits are well curated, and the gift shop is my "to go" place for earrings. The Juneau-Douglas Museum is another one of those small museums operated by a historical society. Availability to visit the Wickersham State Historical Site is always sketchy as the state never has developed a good plan to operate it; I have been inside and if it is open it is worth the walk. For those visiting Sitka the shuttle buses from the dock deliver folks to the Harrigan Centennial Center. Inside the HCC the Sitka Historical Society operates a small museum. Diagonally across the street is the Russian Bishop's House; it is well worth it to visit the second floor. The Sheldon Jackson Museum is actually part of the Alaska State Museum. The museum was owned by the Sheldon Jackson College (a small Presbyterian affiliated college) which is now defunct but when trying to fund the college the museum collection was going to be sold; the state of Alaska had the foresight to buy the building and contents. It is well worth visiting and is located along the road to the Sitka National Historical Park. The SNHP has a great visitor's center. Skagway has one of the units of the Klondike Goldrush National Historical Park. The National Park Service now has ownership of approximately 20 buildings and several are operated as museums. There is also the Skagway Museum which is operated by the municipality.

We board the Edge on October 30th for a B2B2B. All of the legs are in a Sky Suite. Trying to keep an open mind.

Folks who like a bacon, egg and hashbrowns breakfast don't like it. But folks who prefer a lighter breakfast enjoy it. The Captain's Club host/hostess is generally present, so if you have any issues this is a good venue to contact host/hostess.

Oops -- forgot to answer that Major Marine is an easy walk from the Seward cruise terminal. The cruise terminal (think warehouse) is one side of the small boat harbor and Major Marine check-in counter is in the lobby of the Marine 360 hotel. Major Marine purchased the Marine 360 property a number of years ago. It was originally a Holiday Inn Express.

A number of years ago we did a day trip out of Seward on Kenai Fjords. At least at that time Kenai Fjords didn't assign tables and we had a family select tables on both sides of the vessel. This family group was not large enough to need two tables. They could have used one table. This was just table hogging pure and simple. Major Marine assigns tables. It is so nice to have "your" table where you leave your day packs, jackets and so forth. No one table hogs. There is also a generous amount of space on outer decks so people wander around on the outer decks. You are not mandated to sit at your assigned table.

We stayed in stateroom 6132 on the Millennium two times -- once prior to be "Hoppenized" and once since then. I believe it is now categorized as an Aqua Sky Suite. We did find the new desk chair awkward, but found the overall storage just fine. I am not an over packer but am not a minimalist either. We also don't travel with a number of magnets. The second time we were in 6132 it was on a cold weather cruise, and the two stools had folded extra blankets on them. We actually used one of the stools under the desk and placed the desk chair along a wall. We have a set of B2B cruises next spring in an Aqua Sky Suite. Again, it is a stateroom we have been in before and love the location. Also like the spare footage. I doubt we will use the "aqua" features.

Actually, given our experience in Sydney (the last being in March/April 2023 while on a B2B2B2B with all turnaround days in Sydney plus prior turnaround days in Sydney when on prior cruises through the years) all B2B passengers in Sydney will be off the prior to 10 AM. There is so much to see and do within easy walking distance from the OPT you will be fine.

Not only have we been Zenith members of the Captain's Club since 2016 we also travel in suites. Despite not receiving the mass mailed e-mail sent last Tuesday to Zenith members due to both private e-mails with Zenith friends and Cruise Critic I am well aware that Zeniths are now re-instated into Michael's Club/Retreat Lounge. While, since we book suites, the ban didn't directly impact us I am still happy that this long standing Zenith perk has been re-instated.

Sydney is interesting in that you will be required to physically leave the ship on the turnaround day. You will also go through Australian Border Force procedures once you return on turnaround day, and once back on board you will not be able to leave the ship. But there are a number of interesting attractions very close to the Overseas Passenger Terminal so this is a great city to spend a turnaround day.

Jim: Neither my husband nor Ilistened to the webinar for the simple reason the that we never received any sort of notification. None. Zero. Zilch. Ne-Dada. The woman i spoke with today (I have her name) was very polite but couldn't tell me why didn't receive that September 26th e-mail. And we hit Zenith in 2016 so that e-mail should be in their "system." I asked her for our e-mail on file and the e-mail address she repeated me was correct. We have had the same e-mail address since e-mail was "invented." While the number of Zeniths has significantly increased since 2016 it is not as if there are are a million.

Our first cruise was on the Mercury. After about 12 hours onboard we realized cruises could become addicting. Our favorite ship was the Century. We were only on her for 6 cruises, but thought that the ship was so elegant and classy. Just loved the Crystal Room. In 2019 we were on a B2B2B in the Mediterranean and while sitting on our balcony we saw ship in port. Could make out the painted over "X." Goggled the ship name and it was the old Century.

We are two Zeniths who did not receive the September 26 e-mail. From reading comments on this thread we apparently were not the only ones. Yesterday was a very busy day so I had to wait until today to call the Zenith Concierge phone number. The concierge checked our e-mail address and they certainly have our correct e-mail address. It is an e-mail address we have had since e-mail was introduced. She again asked if I had checked our spam and junk folders; I certainly did so and that September 26 e-mail was not there. She has no idea as to why we didn't receive it and also told me that she had fielded several reports from other Zeniths that they didn't receive it either. She stated she would report it and also sent me the content of the e-mail. We received the November 2020 e-mail notification that Zeniths would be restricted from Michael's Club/Retreat Lounge. We've received e-mails about itinerary changes in a set of spring Japan cruises and more recently an e-mail as to how passports will be collected at a Jordon port call. Really don't need that September 26 e-mail as every cruise we have done since the resumption of passenger operations has been in suites and all booked going forward are also in suites. It is just so annoying that they can't get their act together.

Our OP will also have the Spa Cafe available (most items no additional charge) and the Mast Grill. Treats at the Cafe al Bacio are complimentary. I wonder what our OP has read which suggests that activities would be restricted in an Ocean View stateroom. Folks in an Ocean View stateroom attend the same production shows, same Beyond the Podium presentations, same trivia and so forth as anyone else.

Did your group book this with a travel agent? Was this a group rate through a travel agent?

We have done the small vessel excursion in Endicott Arm to the face of Dawes Glacier. We tendered off the cruise ship early in the morning and were ahead of the ship as the cruise ship and small vessel made their way to Dawes. The small vessel was able to get very close to Dawes -- so close that when the massive calving produced displacement waves our little vessel rocked and rolled. Our small vessel took an alternate route to Juneau going up Ford's Terror (he was a person -- just goggle) along a very narrow fjord to visit some waterfalls and other lovely scenery. We re-joined the cruise ship just as they were finishing docking in Juneau. If folks are interested in this type of excursion they do indeed totally book very early.

Another option is the Bay View Pub.

Wow -- an additional $7,000 for three nights is outrageous. Prices here may be high but not that high. Look at Salmon Berry Travel and Tours. They do transfers from Anchorage to Whittier. Highly rated company.

For years I never received any marketing e-mails. I made a number of phone calls, talked to concierges while on the ship and so forth. Kept signing up for the marketing e-mails, but never received them. Then for a year or so I received them, only to now never receive a thing. While we do receive express notifications regarding itinerary changes, when we don't receive one of these letters to Zeniths I wonder what else we are not receiving. Say "hi" to C. for me.

A big "thank you" to those who posted their letter regarding the reinstatement of Zeniths. This Zenith hasn't received a copy -- and no -- it didn't appear in the junk folder. Are we the only pair of Zeniths on this thread who didn't receive a copy? Given our time zone difference with the rest of the US I'll be on the phone tomorrow asking why.

Juneau has the Mendenhall Glacier which is reached by road. It is administered by the US Forest Service which had some issues last summer regarding the number of visitor passes issued to shuttle bus companies. Mendenhall has retreated (shrunk) so much it is a remnant of its former self. ISP is a port developed by the cruise industry; the community of Hoonah is about 1.5 miles away by road. But all of these communities have some sort of visitor guides which can be found by using google. In some Alaska small communities the visitor bureau and Chamber of Commerce are the same entity.

I also responded to our OP's other thread which he recently started. I also would not consider a cruise organized land tour. The amount of time you are considering for a tour is very short and Alaska is very large in size. In your other post you were considering a land tour starting in Fairbanks and a few days later boarding the ship in Whittier. A land tour such as that consists of a great amount of time sitting on your transport, whether it be motor coach or train. Another DIY option would be to rent a vehicle and head down to Seward for a day or two, and then drive over to Homer. Yet another would be to focus on the Wrangell -- St. Elias National Park and Preserve. Time to spend some time on google to find instructive websites.

Endicott Arm is a relatively narrow fjord with Dawes Glacier at the end. The issue for you is to consider how important seeing a large tidewater glacier is for your Alaskan experience and whether there are other glaciers on the itineraries you are considering.

Like @AKStafford I also live in Alaska. Both options A and B are simply terrible. On both of them you will be sitting on the transport (train or bus) for a substantial amount of time. With three or four nights before boarding the ship seriously consider a DIY independent land trip.