Northern Aurora

For those leaving the ship for a day on shore on turnaround day they will ring out with their leg 1 seapass card when leaving the ship and obtain a new seapass card from the pier coordinator. For those remaining on board they will meet the documentation officer at a designated location, ring out and once the ship has reached a zero count will use their new seapass cards to ring in.

I heard the same thing. We always have an I-Phone with us while on land and it is important to ensure that the phone which is actually in your possession is the number you have on file as an emergency contact. PS: We have the premium internet and are having no issues.

I am sensing some serious confusion between the regularly scheduled Alaska Railroad route between Anchorage and Seward, and the cruise chartered special runs. During the summer there will be a daily early morning train between Anchorage and Seward. This route leaves Anchorage from the ARR Anchorage terminal early in the morning and goes directly to the Seward RR terminal. It does not stop at the Anchorage airport either going or returning It is booked directly with the ARR. In the early evening it returns to Anchorage with another direct run from the Seward ARR terminal to the downtown ARR terminal. On ship days in Seward all of the cruise lines offer a special chartered rail trip between the Anchorage airport the Seward cruise ship terminal. This charter will be offered as an afternoon trip between the Anchorage airport and Seward cruise ship terminal, and as an early morning run for ships disembarking in Seward. This special charter can only be booked through the respective cruise line. So the options are booking directly from the ARR to/from the ARR Anchorage terminal and the ARR Seward thermal. Or booking with the cruise line for the Anchorage Airport to/from the Seward cruise terminal.

We subscribe electronically to the Washington Post. Today the Post re-published an article they originally published several years ago. Very interesting reading. Depending on the track Tampa may be in for a world of hurt. And I also wish those in Florida well.

This leg started on September 24th. Our first evening chic night was September 25th which was our first sea day. The second will be on September 29th which is the day after Cabo San Lucas. We are having time changes which is causing some confusion for passengers. The butlers (and I suspect stateroom attendants for those not in Suites) set the TV to an announcement regarding the time zone change, it is clearly noted in the Celebrity Today and, as I understand, is announced at evening show (we haven’t been going). Apparently a few folks missed their Puerto Vallarta shore excursions this morning. And today we had extra entertainment — pier runners. We were scheduled to leave at 4 PM but didn’t leave until 4:40 PM. A man and woman were dropped off at the port entrance by a taxi and sprinted to the ship. I was surprised we waited that long but with the time zone changes they may have cut some slack.

Jim: We did US immigration in Astoria, Oregon. Nothing has been done for Mexico (we are in Puerto Vallarta today). Gerry

I am posting from the Solstice. On the September 16th cruise we had Giuseppe. On September 24th we switched cruise directors to Kelly Rose..

We were on the Solstice for two weeks in June and boarded on September 16th for a B2B. This is an older ship with a dated color scheme, but the ship is extremely clean. Service was excellent last week and continues to excellent this week. I find the thresholds to the balcony and into the bathrooms to be standard height for a cruise ship and will be looking for the “problematic” ramps.

Thank you for the recommendation. We will leave the Solstice on October 1st and are still debating our options. And it was lovely to actually meet you las week.

Singapore Slings are listed on the bar menus post covid too. I am posting from a Celebrity ship and may have one tonight!

A great “thank you” to Don for this post. With the single road into Denali National Park closed at the Pretty Rocks area Wrangell — St. Elias is a great alternative. It is a very pretty area with wildlife viewing opportunities.

Our turnaround day was yesterday on the Solstice. At today’s welcome toast I asked another Zenith who boarded yesterday how the boarding process went as Celebrity has not been sailing out of LA in a number of years. That person didn’t have any issues boarding. The B2B process was one of the worst, if not THE worst, I have ever experienced. The Documentation Officer needs to do some work. Rumor on the ship is that his superiors were not happy. At the B2B meeting the Documentation Officer’s actual presentation was very clear and concise. He only had three questions about the process. But they didn’t deliver the transit passes to the staterooms so folks clustered around the front of Celebrity Central to receive their passes. That was a hint of what was to come. Folks not leaving the ship for the day were to meet in the Sky Lounge at 9:30 AM. We were there by 9:20 as were a number of others. There were 122 B2B passengers so not an unusual amount. We were just sitting in the Sky Lounge. At least coffee, tea and pastries were available. It was about 10:15 AM when we received our new seapass cards. The envelopes with the seapass cards didn’t seem to have been organized by number or alphabetized by last name. Some staff were walking around with a number of envelopes in their hands, walking up to folks sitting and asking their stateroom number. If they had your envelope you received it; if not they walked up to another group of chairs. We received our seapass cards when we did as the Captain’s Club concierge knows us and she brought our cards directly to us. The process of ringing out the passengers and achieving a zero count was done at the entrance of the Sky Lounge. After everyone received their cards we lined up and security scanned our cards and took new photos at the entrance of the Sky Lounge. We returned directly to our stateroom and it was after 11 AM. There were a number of folks working the room, so the amount of staff time wasted was substantial. And on a day when they could have been working on embarkation. Apologies have been issued. Since the Solstice departed at 4 PM we were asked to return to the ship by 2 PM. My impression is that few B2B passengers left the ship, but I’ve done the B2B process with many more B2B passengers and not experienced the disorganization.

I am indeed on the Solstice. Jim’s assessment is correct.

I am posting from the Solstice. We boarded on September 16th for a B2B. The current captain is Captain Theo Zakkas. We spent two weeks on the Solstice in June 2022 and he was on both weeks. I do not know when he is scheduled to leave. On the September 16th cruise Guiseppe (sp?) was our cruise director. As of today (September 24) Kelly Rose is now our new cruise director. We have sailed with her before, most notably when we were on a planned B2B2B2B in Australian, New Zealand and South Pacific waters. We had to leave the Solstice on March 20, 2020 when the Australian Border Force closed the borders. Kelly is a lovely woman. Seems to be very competent, and certainly is very personable. The hotel director is the very visible Deborah Poortier. She seems to be running a very well oiled hotel operation. So far I am impressed. Hope this helps.

Since we live a two hour drive (assuming no road construction delays) north of Denali we generally go at least once every summer. But with the road issues at Pretty Rocks we didn’t consider driving down this summer. Eielson Visitor’s Center is at mile 66. It is above the tree line so much easier to spot wildlife. Part of the issue with spotting wildlife is that much of the first section of the single road into DNP is that it is not above the tree line. In addition to the Kenai Peninsula also consider the Wrangell — St. Elias area. You could even visit Valdez.

This is the first time we have sailed with her, and I am impressed as well. Very visible. We are seeing her daily.

I am posting from the Solstice. We are B2B and this is turnaround day. On the first leg, an 8 night Pacific Coastal, I was told by one staff person that we had 2200 on board and another staff person thought the number was 2300. On the second leg, a 7 night Mexican itinerary, I have also heard two different numbers — 1200 or 1300. We are in a Suite for both legs, and Suites are fully booked.

We used Blu Diamond Tours out of Sydney several years ago. And they were excellent. I wonder if they could be of assistance.

Initially staff thought that we would have 20 Zeniths, but only 18 boarded. Several of us will continue on for the first Mexico itinerary. Actually no Zenith lunch but a lovely evening cocktail party at Cellar Masters. It was very enjoyable.

I am posting from the Solstice. Anchors will be raised shortly and we will leave Catalina Island. I don’t think you will have any major problems. In response to the pandemic Celebrity is streamlining the check—in process. For example, your seapass cards will be waiting for you in your mail slot outside the stateroom door..

Jim: Are you referring to the breakfast options in Michael’s club? If so the morning attendant has a small menu, you order and it is brought to you. It is not self-service. I checked two nights ago and both the MC bartender and the assistant bartender are scheduled to go on leave in November. Both were also in MC in June when we spent two weeks onboard, and both are excellent. I’ve seen folks go to the bar to watch the bartender mix their drinks as they state his version is one of the best they have ever had and want to see the brands of alcohol he is using. The current hotel Director is Deborah Poortier. She wasn’t on in June, and this is the first time I have met her. While I realize that many folks are interested in who the cruise director is I am more interested in the hotel director. My perception is that Deborah is running an excellent hotel operation. Gerry

When we were on the Solstice in 2016 there were more bar chairs, but as I posted yesterday (post #33) there are indeed four now. The Michael’s Club on the Solstice is staffed in the evenings with the head bartender (who is excellent) and an assistant bartender (who does more than pour wine and really can make mixed drinks). During the evening snack time yet another waitress is delivering the snack menu and taking snack orders. Not short staffed at all. While the decor is indeed dated, if folks enjoy a clean ship staffed by an upbeat happy crew they will enjoy the Solstice.

Coffee shops also offer internet with a minimal purchase.