Northern Aurora

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.

NCL uses Ward Cove which is about 7 miles outside of Ketchikan. If you take a shuttle into Ketchikan our favorite restaurant is Annabelle's.

We have done the Canada/New England itinerary on Celebrity four times. Once we did it as two legs of a B2B2B. That year Celebrity did three of these itineraries, and we were on the last two. Definitely was more foliage on the last cruise than the cruise before. And we were told by staff that the first of those three Canada/New England itineraries that year had virtually no foliage change. While prime foliage is hard to predict I wonder if the dates our OP will be cruising may be on the early side for prime colors. In Quebec the ships do not always dock downtown beside Lower Town. Once we were docked at the farther docks (below the Plains of Abraham) and a shuttle was used to move folks to the Lower Town location. These itineraries have interesting ports which are easy to DIY. For example, we have done the Casco Bay mail ferry twice when in Portland. And Ollie's Trolley is fun in Bar Harbor.

I am late to the discussion, but if I interpret the above post correctly our OP is committed to a cruise line sponsored cruise tour. But I wonder if they understand how much of the single road into Denali is closed. Just a thought -- if our OP is committed to the cruise tour can they switch to one of the Princess cruise tours to the Wrangell -- St. Elias National Park and Preserve option?

I rarely look at signatures and suspect I am not alone in ignoring them. Since the Reflection is a S-class ship, as is the Eclipse, check the Cafe al Bacio.

I am curious regarding which ship the OP will be cruising. We were B2B2B2B on the Eclipse this spring and there were glasses of the bubbly on a tray on the counter of Cafe al Bacio. Folks were free to take one. It was the equivalent of the boarding bubbly.

Alaska Airlines flight from Reno to Seattle (SEATAC). Then continue on with a Horizon (Alaska Air subsidiary) to Vancouver. Or spend a day to two in Seattle and take either the train or a motor coach to Vancouver.

I also suggest the Hanger on the Wharf. There is enough variety to satisfy adults and kiddos.

I have not seen a main show at 7:30 PM with a repeat at 9:30 PM for at least 15 years. And that includes a number of sailings in Europe.

The evening shows are generally at 7 PM and 9 PM. The 9 PM is a repeat of the earlier show. Reservations are not needed, and in fact, cannot be made.

The last time we did a single cruise was in 2016 when he were treated to our Zenith cruise. We do B2B, B2B2B and an occasional B2B2B2B. We have never had a room steward tell us that "deadlines don't apply if you are on a B2B..."

My husband also would not wear tennis/athletic shoes while in Murano. In the evening, on non evening chic nights, he wears a nice pair of black Sketchers slip-ons. He has some issues with periodic plantar fasciitis and these work well for him. On chic nights he wears a suit and dress shoes.

She needs to look for Quasar (sp?). She also may enjoy the Sky Lounge in the evenings.

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.