Northern Aurora

As someone who lives in Alaska I also am interested in this "Alaska Destination Pocket Guide." Somehow I really wonder if it is worth the $32 price. Hope someone who purchased one posts.

@bjworm: The production showtimes are very standard across the Celebrity fleet.

We have done this excursion off of the Celebrity Solstice in June 2022. An Allen Marine vessel picked us up from the Solstice about 7 AM. Essentially it was a tender operation but we didn't use the Solstice tenders. The two level Allen Marine vessel was able to sail much closer to the glacier than the Solstice could. We had an excellent naturalist on board who knew when to talk, and also when to be quiet and let folks take in the scenery and experience. We took a different route back to Juneau than the Solstice, diverting into Fords' Terror (google it). The Solstice was just completing their docking procedures in Juneau as the Allen Marine vessel approached the Solstice and we walked from the Allan Marine vessel onto the Solstice. We were directly reunited with the Solstice. It will be a long day, but you will be able to schedule another excursion/activity.

Just a comment from someone who lives in Alaska -- I have never seen a set of nesting dolls which were made in Alaska. The ones I have seen have been imported from Russia.

Actually I was left with the impression from your post #3 that you are opposed to taking a fee based shuttle into Valdez. Your complaint needs to be made directly to your cruise line. Believe me -- as someone who lives in Alaska -- the "powers that be" in Valdez will not be quaking in their boots because a NCL cruiser says they will not take the shuttle into Valdez but remain on the ship. Valdez has a number of solid non cruise ship based jobs and the "powers that be" are not interested in folks who will leave the ship to purchase made overseas shot glasses.

We use our Zenith laundry perk every two or three days. We've always had blouses, shirts and pants returned on hangers. And we've never made a specific request to have them returned on hangers. Possibly just lucky?

This is SO true. There is no way anyone who understands risk management could ever allow folks to simply walk through an industrial port where oil tankers being bing loaded. And for those who are not residents of Alaska please understand that folks who worry about such things view the Alaska pipeline as a potential terrorist target.

We have both embarked and disembarked in Seward. We are also Zenith members of Celebrity's Captain's Club program so have done numerous B2B turnaround days. Celebrity's turnaround day procedures ensure that it is very easy for B2B passengers to spend the day off the ship. I suspect they prefer that B2B passengers are off the ship. You will be free to leave the ship for the day. You will be issued a transit pass before you leave the ship which will allow you to bypass the usual boarding lines (although Celebrity now has such a streamlined boarding process that lines are minimal). Celebrity frequently has meetings for B2B passengers, but there may be so few B2B passengers for this cruise they may not. But you will receive a detailed instruction letter. You will be able to leave as soon as disembarking passengers are free to do so. Many will be leaving at 7 AM-ish. You will indeed have sufficient time in port to explore. Seward is a popular port for the staff and crew as the bulk of the passengers will be off early morning and the ship doesn't leave until early evening. So the staff and crew have hours off. You will find them shopping at the local Safeway for snacks and sundry items. The Seward cruise terminal (think "warehouse") is located beside the small boat harbor. The town is located on the other side of the small boat harbor. Seward is a community where Alaskans go for instate recreation, and has a much more "authentic Alaska" feeling to it than some of the cruise ship ports in SE Alaska. No Diamonds International, and the folks you encounter in the shops generally live in the community. If you are interested in a Kenai Fjords boat excursion our favorite vendor is Major Marine. Their check in desk is located in the Harbor 360 Hotel which you will see from the ship across the small boat harbor. Other options for the day would include the SeaLife Center or a visit to Exit Glacier. Seward also has interesting shops and nice restaurants.

The bar where the Exxon Valdez Captain Hazelwood was observed drinking the night before the accident was the Pipeline Club which was located in Valdez (not Cordova). I think it is no longer in business but someone else may know. Cordova is some distance from Valdez and is not accessible by road. Takes several hours (my recollection is about six hours) for an Alaska Marine Highway ferry to transit between Valdez and Cordova.

The OP didn't mention their stateroom category. If they are booked in a Suite then Luminae will be open for lunch on embarkation day.

Stan and his wife Mary Helen have both passed (if my memory is correct about Mary Helen) but the company has kept the family name. It is a very high quality operation and we have done a number of trips with them through the years. Excellent every time. Despite the business operating in Valdez they lived in North Pole, Alaska which is about 12 miles from Fairbanks. The Stephens' actually had an interesting history related to the Exxon Valdez oil spill. For those not in the "know" the oil tanker Exxon Valdez hit the incredibly well marked Bligh Reef in 1989. Massive oil spill. The Wall Street Journal did a three day (I am thinking three days not two) article in the early 1990s about public relations disasters. One of the public relations disasters highlighted/dissected was how the Exxon Valdez oil spill has handled. The Stephens' were highlighted as Wackenhut Security was caught going through their personal trash. Another Alaskan who had her trash "sorted" by Wackenhut was the quilt designer Riki Ott (out of Cordova) who is a marine biologist when not designing quilts. Riki's patterns are sold throughout Alaska including at the lovely Skagway quilt shop the Rush'an Tailor. And for those who have never read my posts you probably now realize that I am full of totally useless tacts about Alaska!

@aheisl: Valdez, like Seward, is a community where Alaskans go for instate recreation. Somehow, as someone who has been there a number of times, I don't think that local businesses are dependent or excited about cruise ship passengers. It is a very different community, with a very different economy, from the routine cruise ship ports located in SE Alaska. The town itself was devastated in the 1964 earthquake and was subsequently moved. A few of the old buildings were moved to the new site, but the town has a very clean vibe to it with wide streets. The residential neighborhoods have wide spaces which look like they were designed to be playgrounds but they are the snow dumps as the community receives simply massive amounts of snow every few years. A friend lives in Valdez, and apparently the years they receive those massive snow falls one of their major problems are dogs on roofs! There is a very nice museum. Also consider a Stan Stephens boat charter or visit Worthington Glacier if NCL is offering an excursion. And to return to whether you will be able to walk into town a consideration may be whether the Trans Alaska Pipeline System is in the process of filling an oil tanker. Valdez is the terminus of the oil pipeline.

Valdez does not have many cruise ship calls. The downtown area near the small boat harbor would not be suitable for a cruise ship. I believe the container terminal is the "normal" area for cruise ships to dock. Depending on the closeness to the Valdez Marine Terminal simply walking into town may not be allowed.

We love the Cedarbrook Lodge. They offer shuttle service to SEATAC. Definitely not the typical "airport hotel." Wonderful restaurant and landscaped grounds.

Just to add a few comments to the response from @Ducky_01 -- The tea at Cafe al Bacio is Tea Forte. There will be a variety of teas at the Ocean View Cafe including both caffeinated and decaf. Brands vary depending on where the ship is sailing on the globe. The Ocean View will have one hot beverage station open 24 hours a day for coffee and tea, but the particular station which is open will rotate. My husband wakes early and often is in the Ocean View between 5 - 5:30 AM. He has to walk around to find the open station.

Technically contents in the mini bar are not covered by either the Premium or Classic beverage packages. But very often the Butler will tell their folks to help themselves the canned sodas and beer. They will often also ask if you like the bottled ice teas and if so will stock them for you as well. We have never asked for a pitcher of juice. And the soft drinks in the mini-bar will be in cans. Actually, the soft drinks will be in cans all across the ship.

While I don't have major food allergies I am allergic to cinnamon. The butler will not be the point of contact in Luminae regarding your serious food allergies. But be sure to let him/her know to not surprise you with shrimp cocktail delivered to your suite. My experience is that Luminae waiters consistently ask about food allergies. Also we prefer to be seated in the same section of Luminae so we will be served by the same head waiter and his/her assistant. The head waiter and assistant will very quickly learn your list of "haves and have nots." The restaurant host and the maitre'd will ensure that this happens. While the menu in Luminae may seem limited your head waiter can arrange for items such as a tossed salad. While on the M- and S-class ships it is easy for your waiter to serve items off the MDR menu in Luminae, on the E-class ships this will most likely not happen. But you will definitely have options. Reservations are not taken in Luminae.

I've never noticed cases of soda, but it really was rather cute to see this. Tagged luggage is starting to be delivered outside of the staterooms, and lo and behold -- there is this flat of water which had been bought at a Costco or some other warehouse type store with its own luggage tag.

The Denali Princess Lodge is located outside of the park entrance in an area referred to as "Glitter Gulch." It is an assortment of lodges, restaurants and gift stores strung along the George Park's Highway. So there will be some other meal options than what is offered in the Princess complex. In the past there has been a business in the Denali area which offered limited rental vehicles. Goggle to Denali visitor's bureau/chamber of commerce to try to find the company name. It is not a national car rental company. Also check the Denali National Park website. Shuttle buses into the park are limited in terms of how far they can drive into the park due to the issues with the Pretty Rocks area. The DNP website will also provide info on visitor center hours and tours of the dog kennels (the park rangers use dog teams in the winter to patrol the park). The McKinley View Princess is in an isolated area. It is off the Parks highway up an incline. There are no restaurants off the property within walking distance. The closest community is Talkeetna which is about a 45 minute drive away (assuming no road construction issues). In the past there has been a shuttle (for a fee) offered from the lodge into Talkeetna. Some posters have stated that they were not charged a fee for the shuttle if they were on a cruise tour.

I never have taken beverages on myself (we always have a beverage package) but pre-covid I remember walking down a corridor on embarkation day. Luggage was starting to be delivered. And there was a case/flat of bottled water (wrapped in plastic) with a luggage tag on it which had been delivered to the stateroom. The water was in a cardboard flat with heavy plastic wrapping around the bottles. We purchase flats like that at our local Costco.

We were actually on the Millennium pre-covid when there was a group of thirty (yes -- 30) in Suites and traveling together. And not all of the group spoke English. In that case they were on their own for breakfast and sea day lunches, but the Maitre'd did seat them together in two seatings (an early and a late) during dinner. The group determined which 16 would arrive early and which 14 would arrive for the second seating. They were seated along the long wall with the banquette type sofa. It actually meant that there were more window seating for those who wanted windows. As already mentioned immediately speak to the Maitre'd as to how he or she wants to handle a group of ten.

@Ken the cruiser is currently on the Eclipse in an Aqua stateroom. I believe he is posting Blu menus on his blog. If so that will provide an idea of how the various dishes are organized.

As someone who lives in Alaska I really doubt there will be many flowers in full or even partial bloom in May in Juneau. Hopefully someone will post a photo which proves me wrong, but .....

We left the ship on April 19, 2023. As mentioned by @cruisestitch there are no revolutions plans in the near future. The significant time the cruise industry was in global suspension of operations has paced a hold on future cosmetic upgrades.

My experience has been, even pre-covid, that the availability and brands are very hit and miss. But let your butler and the Retreat head bartender know that your DW is interested in the bottled ice teas and they will do the best they can to accommodate her. And she also should try the Tea Forte iced tea at the Cafe al Bacio.