Just home from Century to Alaska (May 19 sailing)

Just got in from our cruise and wow, what an incredible time we had! This was our first time to Vancouver and first time to Alaska and it was love at first sight for both destinations! We really lucked out with some fantastic weather. With the exception of our stop in Ketchikan, every day was sunny and fairly warm (in Juneau it actually got up to about 70 degrees - we came back from our trip to Tracy Arm/Sawyer Glacier a little sun kissed!) Anyway, I'm hoping to do a review with pics but it'll all depend on how crazy the rest of my week is. In the meantime, if anyone has any questions feel free to ask away! I also wanted to say a big thanks to everyone here for answering my pre-cruise questions and for all the info that is shared on here in general. Cruise Critic is always an integral part of our vacation planning and everyone's help is always very much appreciated!

Just got in from our cruise and wow, what an incredible time we had! This was our first time to Vancouver and first time to Alaska and it was love at first sight for both destinations! We really lucked out with some fantastic weather. With the exception of our stop in Ketchikan, every day was sunny and fairly warm (in Juneau it actually got up to about 70 degrees - we came back from our trip to Tracy Arm/Sawyer Glacier a little sun kissed!) Anyway, I'm hoping to do a review with pics but it'll all depend on how crazy the rest of my week is. In the meantime, if anyone has any questions feel free to ask away! I also wanted to say a big thanks to everyone here for answering my pre-cruise questions and for all the info that is shared on here in general. Cruise Critic is always an integral part of our vacation planning and everyone's help is always very much appreciated!

Hi Ginnyfyr,

Thank you for sharing your insights. I'm glad that you had a great time on Century. We look forward to your review. Welcome Home !

Glad to hear you had a great cruise! We just booked the Century for June 16th today. It will be our 3rd time on Century this year and we are excited to see Alaska. I look forward to your review.

So glad to hear that you had a great time on your Century Alaska cruise. I'm really looking forward to reading your review. Would love to know what you thought of the ship (good or bad shape), food, entertainment (what type of production shows or other entertainment acts), the itinerary. Was there Zumba offered on the Century? Any handy tips for each port? This will be our first Celebrity and Alaska cruise so I am excited to learn as much as I can to really enjoy this experience. Thank you in advance for your help in answering questions.

I look forward to reading your review we are on the 16 June sailing after doing a weeks flydrive first.

Was there a special offer on the drinks package as being from the UK we did not get 1-2-3 offer here.

So glad to hear that you had a great time on your Century Alaska cruise. I'm really looking forward to reading your review. Would love to know what you thought of the ship (good or bad shape), food, entertainment (what type of production shows or other entertainment acts), the itinerary. Was there Zumba offered on the Century? Any handy tips for each port? This will be our first Celebrity and Alaska cruise so I am excited to learn as much as I can to really enjoy this experience. Thank you in advance for your help in answering questions.

I thought the ship was in fine shape - didn't see any obviously worn carpeting, etc, throughout the ship. Sure, some of the styling of draperies/furniture was a little dated, but everything seemed to be well kept.

We only ate in the buffet four times (lunch X 2, late night snack one night, breakfast this morning) and we didn't love it on any of our visits. Never had breakfast in the grand restaurant but our lunches and dinners there were lovely (though I would advise you to avoid the rib-eye steak....I feel like I've had lunch meat that was thicker!) I wasn't impressed with the menu for Murano prior to boarding so I didn't think we'd go there at all, but we ended up having two dinners there plus lunch on our Hubbard Glacier day - it ended up being one of our favourite dining venues! Service was wonderful and the food was outstanding every time; it was well worth the money. We got room service breakfast most days and our butler (we were in a sky suite) always called us from outside our room to tell us he had our food; that was a nice touch (vs scrambling to throw on a robe or pajamas after hearing a knock at the door!) Room service breakfast was always delicious and plentiful (even when I only said to bring bacon or fruit for one, we always had enough for three!) though the one time we ordered late night snacks (BLT & a burger) the food was just meh.

We were pleasantly surprised by the entertainment! Our only other Celebrity experience was on the Summit last September and we felt like the shows on that ship were definitely geared toward an older crowd. On this cruise, I think we went to at least 5 out of 7 evening shows and they were all good. They had a comedian (Steve Coulette? Not sure if the last name is right) who was awesome - he performed two nights. Thomas John, a comedic juggler, also performed two nights; he wasn't my favourite but he was still okay. The dancing/singing type shows aren't really our cup of tea but the ones we saw were still alright. We definitely felt that we were more active/involved in the daytime activities on this trip vs previous cruises. Our onboard naturalist, Cliff Lerner, was awesome and we went out of our way to attend his lectures each day. He really gave us some great info on the geography/biology/history of Alaska and totally enhanced our visit thanks to that info.

YES, Zumba was offered! I'm not sure if you had to pay for it but they had at least one class each day in the theatre on deck 7 (I'm pretty sure there were 2 classes each day but I know there was one for sure!)

If I think of any handy port tips for you, I will certainly share them....but, a day of travel + time differences literally just caught up with me and I'm about to fall over from sleepyness :eek: Stay tuned, lol - I'm sure I'll think of more stuff after a good night's sleep!

Welcome home and glad you had a nice time.

Keith

Welcome back and thanks for sharing your experience. :)

We also booked a SS, 1239. which one were you in?

I am pleased to hear about the naturalist, they can really make a difference in how you experience each port.

I hope you get some rest and thanks for starting this thread :)

We also booked a SS, 1239. which one were you in?

I am pleased to hear about the naturalist, they can really make a difference in how you experience each port.

I hope you get some rest and thanks for starting this thread :)

We were in 1207, which I think is one of the older sky suites but you'd never know it by looking at it. Everything was really well maintained, clean, etc. My only complaint about our particular room was that there was only one electrical outlet for the whole room! It wasn't a huge issue since the only things we ever needed to plug in was my hairdryer, flat iron, and camera battery charger, but I could see it being an issue if you have lots of stuff that needs charging. Not sure if this issue was only in our cabin or if all the rooms have limited outlets!

We were in 1207, which I think is one of the older sky suites but you'd never know it by looking at it. Everything was really well maintained, clean, etc. My only complaint about our particular room was that there was only one electrical outlet for the whole room! It wasn't a huge issue since the only things we ever needed to plug in was my hairdryer, flat iron, and camera battery charger, but I could see it being an issue if you have lots of stuff that needs charging. Not sure if this issue was only in our cabin or if all the rooms have limited outlets!

Flat Iron !!!!, What did most people wear on Formal nights ?

We were in 1207, which I think is one of the older sky suites but you'd never know it by looking at it. Everything was really well maintained, clean, etc. My only complaint about our particular room was that there was only one electrical outlet for the whole room! It wasn't a huge issue since the only things we ever needed to plug in was my hairdryer, flat iron, and camera battery charger, but I could see it being an issue if you have lots of stuff that needs charging. Not sure if this issue was only in our cabin or if all the rooms have limited outlets!

We were in 1210 to Hawaii, I also noticed the lack of electrical outlets. Not a big deal but when I wanted to used the hairdryer at the same time something was charging it was frustrating! The concierge cabins on Century have more outlets.

"We were in 1207, which I think is one of the older sky suites"

Are some of the S1's on deck 12 newer than others? If so, does any one know at what number the new suites begin?

Last ime we were on the Century was prior to the 2006 remodel. I recall being able to look down onto the suites from the upper pool deck and thought what a strange design. I assumed that was changed with the remodel. Then I just read on another recent Century thread the suites on 12 have smaller uncovered balconies. I was concerned for our June 23 sailing since were in Suite 1231 and have been assured by both our TA and Captain's Club rep that we have a large covered balcony. At this point, it is what it is...just want to be prepared

Flat Iron !!!!, What did most people wear on Formal nights ?

Flat iron for my hair, not a clothes iron! lol As with most cruises, I saw everything from tuxes and ball gowns to dress pants + sports jacket for men and slacks & a nice top or cocktail dress for ladies.

"We were in 1207, which I think is one of the older sky suites"

 

Are some of the S1's on deck 12 newer than others? If so, does any one know at what number the new suites begin?

 

Last ime we were on the Century was prior to the 2006 remodel. I recall being able to look down onto the suites from the upper pool deck and thought what a strange design. I assumed that was changed with the remodel. Then I just read on another recent Century thread the suites on 12 have smaller uncovered balconies. I was concerned for our June 23 sailing since were in Suite 1231 and have been assured by both our TA and Captain's Club rep that we have a large covered balcony. At this point, it is what it is...just want to be prepared

Some are definitely newer as I believe about half were added at the last dry dock; hopefully someone can confirm that. As for our balcony, about 1/3 was uncovered so the majority was covered. It was plenty spacious for us - we had a square table and two chairs plus two loungers and another small table in between them - plus room to move about!

We were in 1210 to Hawaii, I also noticed the lack of electrical outlets. Not a big deal but when I wanted to used the hairdryer at the same time ething was charging it was frustrating! The concierge cabins on Century have more outlets.

We were on Century May 12 - 19. Sky Suite 1206 and friends in 1208. Balcony was quite roomy, 2 chairs, table, two lounge chairs and small table between and plenty of room. It was partly covered, and still quite comfortable even when lightly raining. As to the electric plugs, I find that no cruise ships have enough. I bought a small travel power strip (either from Travel Smith or Magellan.) It has 3 plugs and a usb plug to charge multiple devices. It's very handy in Europe, too. Problem solved.

We had a great time - do the zip line in Icy Strait, don't miss it. A real adventure. We chose the flight over the glaciers in Juneau and loved it. Ate a massive crab leg at a place called Tracy's Crab Shack I think and although it was $24 it was big enough for 2 people. I would skip the Red Dog Saloon. Service was terrible. We did luck into a tour of the Alaskan Brewery, though, that the men loved.

We ate at the Murano one night and it was spectacular. We ate in buffet and MDR rest of meals except one room service breakfast. Wonderful food, impeccable service. No complaints at all about celebrity. Cannot say the same for some of the guests of different national backgrounds. Some of their customs and manners seem quite rude to us. Oh, well. We did make some lovely new friends at our MDR table. I guess that makes up for the others. :D

We were on Century May 12 - 19. Sky Suite 1206 and friends in 1208. Balcony was quite roomy, 2 chairs, table, two lounge chairs and small table between and plenty of room. It was partly covered, and still quite comfortable even when lightly raining. As to the electric plugs, I find that no cruise ships have enough. I bought a small travel power strip (either from Travel Smith or Magellan.) It has 3 plugs and a usb plug to charge multiple devices. It's very handy in Europe, too. Problem solved.

 

We had a great time - do the zip line in Icy Strait, don't miss it. A real adventure. We chose the flight over the glaciers in Juneau and loved it. Ate a massive crab leg at a place called Tracy's Crab Shack I think and although it was $24 it was big enough for 2 people. I would skip the Red Dog Saloon. Service was terrible. We did luck into a tour of the Alaskan Brewery, though, that the men loved.

 

We ate at the Murano one night and it was spectacular. We ate in buffet and MDR rest of meals except one room service breakfast. Wonderful food, impeccable service. No complaints at all about celebrity. Cannot say the same for some of the guests of different national backgrounds. Some of their customs and manners seem quite rude to us. Oh, well. We did make some lovely new friends at our MDR table. I guess that makes up for the others. :D

This was the first time in all of our cruises (I think this was #8 for us) that I've ever wished I had a power strip. Two electrical sockets is usually sufficient for us but working with one was a bit of a stretch!

The zip line in Icy Strait did look pretty amazing - glad to hear it's a good time (I'm not a fan of heights so that one wasn't even a consideration, lol). We did a whale watching tour in Icy Strait that was pretty good. We caught glimpses of probably 5 humpbacks and we might have seen a bear on shore on one of the islands but we were really far away so it was hard to say for sure. In Juneau we had originally planned the dog sled puppy camp excursion thru the ship but cancelled in favour of a trip to Tracy Arm/Sawyer Glacier with Allen Marine (booked thru ship). This was absolutely the highlight of our vacation as we were able to get right up to about a 1/2 mile from the glacier. We saw a ton of wildlife on this trip as well - would highly recommend. My husband pigged out on king crab at Icy Strait but Tracy's Crab Shack was also recommended to us in Juneau. We ended up going to the Twisted Fish restaurant (right near where the ship docks, on the waterfront) as they had a larger menu to choose from. Service was a little bit slow but the food was outstanding.

So glad to hear that the cruise went well.

Cant wait to hear about the Tracy Arm expedition, we are on the same one in August. Did you see wildlife? Looking forward to your review!!! :)

oh, and which nights were formal nights? thanks!!

Cant wait to hear about the Tracy Arm expedition, we are on the same one in August. Did you see wildlife? Looking forward to your review!!! :)

 

oh, and which nights were formal nights? thanks!!

Formal nights were Monday (sea day) and Thursday (Juneau). As we lucked out with a beautiful, sunny, 70 degree day in Juneau, we decided to skip formal night and dine at a local restaurant (Twisted Fish - very good!) so we could make the most of our day in Juneau.

The Tracy Arm trip was so incredible...I'm so glad we decided to go. I had wanted to book the excursion from the get-go, but was swayed by some posters in the Alaska forum who advised we might not be able to get up to the glacier so early in the season. We had booked the dog sled puppy camp excursion instead, but when our on-board naturalist mentioned he was doing the trip and it was the first time it was offered this season, we jumped at the chance to give it a shot. We figured at the very least, we might get to see some cool wildlife even if we couldn't get close to the glacier. Our expectations were exceeded X 1000! On the way to the glacier we spotted 2 humpback whales, had a sea lion swimming alongside our boat, and came upon a bunch of bald eagles chillin out on icebergs - one of which appeared to have just snagged itself a crab out of the water! Once inside Tracy Arm we saw another humpback - I knew it was something special when even our guide was blown away and said he'd never seen a humpback in there! Closer to the glacier we saw a few seals floating on ice chunks, but once we actually got closer we came upon hundreds of them laying right by the glacier! It was totally breathtaking to see so many of them in their natural habitat, and then that big beautiful glacier behind them...it was almost too much to process at once. Our visit was capped off with some pretty cool calving which was so incredible to witness. We also stopped at north sawyer glacier which didn't have any wildlife around it but was equally stunning. We spent probably 20 minutes there before heading back to Juneau. Lunch was provided (turkey wrap, bottled water, apple, homemade cookies & a bag of chips - you could also buy beer, wine, or soft drinks). On our way back we had another sea lion come along for a swim and saw a few more bald eagles. To say this was the highlight of our trip is the understatement of the year, lol. It was worth every penny of the $224 a person cost - I would've happily paid twice that given the experience we had!

I'm having a heck of a time getting my photos to load & store properly on both Google+ and Facebook but am hopeful that it'll be sorted out by the weekend so I can start sharing some of them on here!

Welcome home, glad to hear you had a wonderful time.

I am also very interested in the Tracy Arm excursion --- is this the one run by Allen Marine? Was there a lot of viewing space on the boat? Or, did you have to jockey to get a good place to view?

In Icy Strait, how was the tendering situation? Was there crowd control (tickets) or did everyone rush down to the tendering level at once?

Many thanks for your replies.

Looking forward to your pictures.

Formal nights were Monday (sea day) and Thursday (Juneau). As we lucked out with a beautiful, sunny, 70 degree day in Juneau, we decided to skip formal night and dine at a local restaurant (Twisted Fish - very good!) so we could make the most of our day in Juneau.

 

The Tracy Arm trip was so incredible...I'm so glad we decided to go. I had wanted to book the excursion from the get-go, but was swayed by some posters in the Alaska forum who advised we might not be able to get up to the glacier so early in the season. We had booked the dog sled puppy camp excursion instead, but when our on-board naturalist mentioned he was doing the trip and it was the first time it was offered this season, we jumped at the chance to give it a shot. We figured at the very least, we might get to see some cool wildlife even if we couldn't get close to the glacier. Our expectations were exceeded X 1000! On the way to the glacier we spotted 2 humpback whales, had a sea lion swimming alongside our boat, and came upon a bunch of bald eagles chillin out on icebergs - one of which appeared to have just snagged itself a crab out of the water! Once inside Tracy Arm we saw another humpback - I knew it was something special when even our guide was blown away and said he'd never seen a humpback in there! Closer to the glacier we saw a few seals floating on ice chunks, but once we actually got closer we came upon hundreds of them laying right by the glacier! It was totally breathtaking to see so many of them in their natural habitat, and then that big beautiful glacier behind them...it was almost too much to process at once. Our visit was capped off with some pretty cool calving which was so incredible to witness. We also stopped at north sawyer glacier which didn't have any wildlife around it but was equally stunning. We spent probably 20 minutes there before heading back to Juneau. Lunch was provided (turkey wrap, bottled water, apple, homemade cookies & a bag of chips - you could also buy beer, wine, or soft drinks). On our way back we had another sea lion come along for a swim and saw a few more bald eagles. To say this was the highlight of our trip is the understatement of the year, lol. It was worth every penny of the $224 a person cost - I would've happily paid twice that given the experience we had!

 

I'm having a heck of a time getting my photos to load & store properly on both Google+ and Facebook but am hopeful that it'll be sorted out by the weekend so I can start sharing some of them on here!

thANKS for the GREAT review, I am sooo excited!! cant wait to do this!! :D

Welcome home, glad to hear you had a wonderful time.

 

I am also very interested in the Tracy Arm excursion --- is this the one run by Allen Marine? Was there a lot of viewing space on the boat? Or, did you have to jockey to get a good place to view?

 

In Icy Strait, how was the tendering situation? Was there crowd control (tickets) or did everyone rush down to the tendering level at once?

 

Many thanks for your replies.

 

Looking forward to your pictures.

I booked our TRACY ARM tour with our cruise ship Celbrity Century, it stated it is only available on certain cruiselines??? so not sure if you can book this or not if you are on Royal Caribbean? here is an email to ask : tracyarm@allenmarine.com

I booked our TRACY ARM tour with our cruise ship Celbrity Century, it stated it is only available on certain cruiselines??? so not sure if you can book this or not if you are on Royal Caribbean? here is an email to ask : tracyarm@allenmarine.com

I know that I can't book it with RCI, I was just wondering if the excursion was through Allen Marine. We are considering the Century for a future cruise.

Welcome home, glad to hear you had a wonderful time.

 

I am also very interested in the Tracy Arm excursion --- is this the one run by Allen Marine? Was there a lot of viewing space on the boat? Or, did you have to jockey to get a good place to view?

 

In Icy Strait, how was the tendering situation? Was there crowd control (tickets) or did everyone rush down to the tendering level at once?

 

Many thanks for your replies.

 

Looking forward to your pictures.

Yes, the Tracy Arm excursion offered through Celebrity was via Allen Marine. They were fantastic; our guide was personable, knowledgable, and professional. There was plenty of viewing space both inside and outside the boat. I'm only 5 ft 4 and never felt like I didn't have a great view.

I should also mention that while the majority of people on this excursion had booked through Celebrity, we did have two families who had booked through Allen Marine on their own (not cruise ship passengers - they were just visiting Alaska on their own), so it's possible you could end up mixed in with a cruise ship tour if it's not offered through your cruise line.

Tendering was no problem at all. The actual tender to shore was only about a 2 minute ride! I was expecting longer. Our ship ran tenders from both sides of the ship so it didn't seem crowded or busy at all. We docked at 2:30 and we had a 3 pm whale watching excursion booked so we were among the first groups to get off the ship, but as I said, since they were running tenders from both sides it wasn't an issue at all (keep in mind, the Century is a smaller ship so if you're going on something bigger it could be a different situation!)