Northern Aurora

I am presently on the Edge. We transited the Suez several days ago and we will be on the ship until it reaches Sydney. Passengers are reporting different experiences but the most difficult visa for us was Indonesia. At least some passengers onboard are still working on Indonesian as the Suite concierges are trying to assist. While we obtained ours before leaving home I have an email in my travel folder from a shoreside concierge outlining which visas needed to be obtained before boarding. In the Indonesian section the email states that (and I quote) “Ship can assist guests with this visa upon arrival. Once you are onboard, our staff can assist you/guests with obtaining the necessary visa; however, there is no guarantee that your visa will be secured by the time we arrive in port.”

I also am on this cruise. While I don’t want to jump into our poster’s thread I just wanted to comment on the time change situation. Really isn’t a stretch to call it a debacle. In addition to the time change notice in the embarkation Celebrity Today which Norwaylady has posted the supposed time change was also posted (heavy black arrow indicating a time zone change) on the complete itinerary also in the initial Celebrity Today. There were signs in elevators stating there would be a time zone change. Acquaintances were told by their waiter in Eden that there would be a change. Yesterday morning our Luminae waiter told he asked caught in this and go up an hour early; he though there was a time zone change. At 9:30 am they did a ship wide announcement to clarify the situation. And there is no time screen on the Edge phones. And since a number of folks, including us, are having phone issues I wonder if it would have been accurate.

I wonder if our OP is asking about the Eclipse sailings in August 2024. In August 2024 the Eclipse sails from Cape Liberty to Reykjavik and then sails back from Iceland to Boston. No ports in Ireland but the ship does stop in Greenland.

Use goggle to find the Temsco helicopter tour website. They do glacier landings to dog sled camps in both Juneau and Skagway.

Instead of Aqaba, Jordan we are going to Muscat, Oman instead.

We are presently in Rome preparing to board the Edge tomorrow for a Suez Canal transit. A port in Jordan has already been replaced. I don’t know if you are considering an itinerary with stops in early or late 2024 but doubt there will much presence in Israel anytime soon.

Surgie — the pier is definitely Canada Place. The Auberge is a very short walk to Canada Place and has suites (which include kitchenettes) which can be handy with kids if you plan to stay more than one night.

If my memory is correct our OP is traveling with a family group which includes children. With kids having a Pan Pacific bellman pick luggage from hotel rooms is a valuable service. Another convenient hotel is the Auberge.

For awhile shareholder OBC was not combinable, but that policy changed a number of years ago — well before the pandemic.

The Marriot Anchorage Downtown is another convenient option.

Our OP is considering two short cruises. Both cruises would mean seven nights onboard. While Celebrity helps in moving staterooms with such short legs it would be easier to be in the same stateroom for both.

Booking the B2B legs separately doesn't make a difference regarding the discount. But you will have to ask as the discount is not automatic.

I am not @canloan but I will also answer. My experience with Alaska cruises in May is that there are enough schools still in session that there will be fewer kiddos. But the ship will not be totally free of kids. Alaska seems to attract multi-generational families. You will see grandparents with their adult children and grandchildren on these itineraries. SE Alaska is a PNW rainforest. But there is definitely a greater chance of more rain in late August and September than in May or early June. And I find it amazing that some cruise lines are extending their Alaska season into October. I would only take an Alaska cruise in October if it was free, and then I would expect to stay on the ship during port calls and pack a sufficient amount of motion sickness meds.

Just some random comments from someone who lives in Alaska and has also done seven Alaska itineraries. We have done Vancouver to Seward (and the reverse), RTs out of Vancouver and also in 2021, when limited Alaska cruises were one allowed under the Alaska Tourism Recovery Act, were on a B2B RT out of Seattle. I am not aware of any Alaska itineraries embarking in Victoria, BC. Ones embarking in BC embark from Vancouver. Hubbard and Dawes Glaciers are massive tidewater glaciers. My geologist husband finds Hubbard particularly interesting as it is one of the few tidewater glaciers accessed by cruise ship which is advancing. And I also don't understand the fascination with Glacier Bay as all of those glaciers are retreating (noticeably melting). May is traditionally the drier summer month for South East Alaska. Alaska is a family destination, and there will be fewer families with small kiddos on board. The maximum hours of day light occurs on the Summer Solstice (June 21st). The RTs out of Seattle means more time at sea so not so much great scenery. While it may be convenient to fly into Seattle it is also very easy to move between Seattle and Vancouver. It is a quick flight. There is also regularly scheduled motor coach service. The Amtrak rail trip is scenic. Celebrity Alaska itineraries will have a naturalist onboard. They will have presentations and are often on deck looking for wildlife. If you are considering a land trip in addition to the cruise be aware that the single road into Denali National Park is closed approximately midway. It will not be opened until at least 2026. The road was built over some ice rich land which is now melting and sloughing off a mountainside.

Carol: Don't think that your trip may be your one and only to Australia and New Zealand. Our trip last spring was our eighth trip to Australia and I think our fifth to NZ. Later this month we plan to board the Edge to go through the Suez Canal and deliver the ship to Australia. Both of these countries are very interesting and we have done land trips in addition to cruises in both. In Sydney we generally stay at the Sir Stamford at Circular Quay. Love the hotel and its ambiance. But in March we decided to try something different just to try something different. We were at the Rydges Sydney Harbor. Reviews for the Rydges are all over the place. Our room was fine for three nights but the decor was a little dated. We had no issues with cleanliness or water pressure. We booked a rate with included hot breakfast and thought the breakfast was great. Very easy walk to the OPT and we also wheeled our luggage to the ship. While I think the Sir Stamford is nicer the Rydges was perfectly acceptable, and even a shorter walk to my husband's favorite Sydney pub -- the Lord Nelson Brewery and Hotel, which in addition to having interesting beer, has great pub food and a nicer restaurant too. When we leave a ship in Sydney we generally fly the next day. We usually have more OBC than we can use so we book the ship transfer to the international airport. We then walk across the street to the Rydges at the airport. It is literally "katty corner" to the end of the airport terminal. We are members of the Rydges loyalty program so purchase a delayed checkout. Again, we book a room with the hot breakfast. We fly to Honolulu the next day to spend a few days before the flights to home in Alaska. Just can't do the ten hour flight from Sydney to Honolulu and then add more flights home the same day.

Use goggle to find the website for Temsco Helicopters. They offer glacier trips out of both Juneau and Skagway.

I agree with @AKStafford. I also think this is a reference to the Huna Totem project. There have been some articles in the Anchorage Daily News.

How does one sail north out of Whittier? I am not aware of any of the few expedition ships who do the Northwest Passage sailing from Whittier.

Yes -- you leave the ship and can sightsee. You will not be dragging your luggage at all. When you return you will need to show your passports to ABF. We were in a suite for all legs of our B2B2B2B last spring. After the security screening of handbags and so forth we just walked back on board. We were on the Eclipse, which is a ship we have spent a significant amount of time onboard through the years. We didn't see the need to be escorted back onboard. The OPT is in an area of Sydney called "the Rocks." It is the oldest part of Sydney. It is full of historic buildings. Great restaurants and pubs. The iconic Opera House is just across from the OPT; it would be easy to go online to schedule Opera House tour. The famous Botanic Gardens are about a fifteen minute walk. The famous bridge is right there too. The Rocks Discovery Center (museum) is about a five minute walk from the OPT. The edgy Museum of Contemporary Art is across the street; their restaurant is being re-modeled, we don't know when the work is scheduled to be finished, but they have a great cafe on their top floor with views of the ship and famous bridge. Others will chime in with more suggestions.

We have done several turnaround days in Sydney. This past spring we were on a B2B2B2B series with all three turnaround days in Sydney. Since you are in the same stateroom for both cruises you do not pack your belongings. If you were changing staterooms you would need to pack the items in the drawers but not items on hangers. If you were changing staterooms you would not put your suitcases in the hallways the night before the turnaround day. Sydney is someone what unique in that B2B passengers must exit the ship until embarking passengers begin to board. You will need to have your passport with you as you will need to show it to Australian Border Force (ABF) before re-boarding. And once you have re-boarded you will not be able to leave the ship again. You will receive a "Transit Pass" which allows you to bypass the long lines in the terminal. You will show your transit pass and will be directed to a set of elevators. You proceed to the top floor and you will be reminded that once you show your passport to ABF you will not be allowed to leave the ship again. You show your passport to ABF officers, go through hand luggage screening and re-board. Celebrity uses the Overseas Passenger Terminal in Sydney. So convenient to so many attractions. Sydney is a great place to have your turnaround day.

From this question I suspect you have never done a B2B. If there is a B2B meeting (there generally is unless the number of B2B passengers is very small) that meeting will be held several days before the turnaround day. Instructions will be given in the succinct instruction letter regarding where folks remaining on board on turnaround day and those where who exit the ship will receive their new sea pass cards. Even those in the same stateroom for all legs will receive new sea pass cards. In some ports (Sydney, Australia comes to mind since this past spring we did a B2B2B2B with all turnarounds in Sydney, and all passengers had to exit the ship until embarking passengers started to board) B2B passengers will need to leave the ship; in other ports B2B passengers who do not elect to leave the ship will receive their new cards in either the cruise terminal or possibly an outside deck. Do not attempt to move your own luggage. The experience reported by @BytownMatt is an aberration. The process will be very smooth.

And did you ask? These discounts don't seem to be automatically applied. ASK. DEMAND. We have had them applied before final payment date.

We rarely book just a single leg. We book B2B, B2B2B and an occasional B2B2B2B. There is a small discount when booking B2B. It is a discount -- not OBC. The amount depends on the number of days in the leg. Frequently you need to ask for it. It seems that a number of travel agents are not aware of it. While it is convenient to stay in the same stateroom moving from one stateroom to another is not difficult. The move will be coordinated between the stateroom attendants. You would need to pack items in drawers but the stateroom attendants have bellman type trolleys they use to move items on hangers. And of course you are the person who moves items in the safe. B2B passengers are invited to the Concierge Class embarkation lunch. There usually is a B2B meeting before the turnaround day, and the B2B process will be explained there. You will receive a succinct instruction letter before the turnaround day which also explains the process. If you decide to leave the ship on turnaround day you will receive (with that succinct letter) a "Transit Pass" which allows you to bypass the lines of embarking passengers. Our OP doesn't indicate where the turnaround day will be; in some ports all passengers need to physically leave the ship until boarding passengers start to board. If you want the same stateroom and are unable to book it, just waitlist the desired stateroom.

K: When we were on the Eclipse last spring do you remember if there was an afternoon tea in the Ocean View? I am thinking there may not have been but didn't check either. But an afternoon tea certainly was available in Michael's Club/Retreat Lounge on the Eclipse. Interesting that this varies from ship to ship.

I realize that our OP didn't ask about downtown Ketchikan museums, but I just checked the summer hours for the Tongass Historical Museum and it appears they open at 8 AM. The SE Alaska Discovery Center also opens at 8 AM.