Solstice Alaska Routing

[SeaDays]

We'd appreciate some assistance from anyone who has sailed one of the early cruises from Seattle. (We're scheduled for June 21st).

 

Celebrity's website map and the one on our confirmation both show the Solstice heading north in the Pacific like most cruises leaving from Seattle, but returning through the inside passage between Vancouver Island and the mainland of B.C.. We love this portion of the trip.

 

But another poster was kind enough to publish a set of daily programs, the first of which displayed a voyage map depicting the outside Pacific route in both directions.

 

Can anyone confirm their actual experience?

 

Thanks!

[luv2cruzuk]

We'd appreciate some assistance from anyone who has sailed one of the early cruises from Seattle. (We're scheduled for June 21st).

 

Celebrity's website map and the one on our confirmation both show the Solstice heading north in the Pacific like most cruises leaving from Seattle, but returning through the inside passage between Vancouver Island and the mainland of B.C.. We love this portion of the trip.

 

But another poster was kind enough to publish a set of daily programs, the first of which displayed a voyage map depicting the outside Pacific route in both directions.

 

Can anyone confirm their actual experience?

 

Thanks!

 

Hi,

 

We were on for her 1st cruise to Alaska a few weeks ago. On that occasion, the ship sailed both ways outside Pacific Route.

 

Regards,

 

David

[cruisingdelt]

We'd appreciate some assistance from anyone who has sailed one of the early cruises from Seattle. (We're scheduled for June 21st).

 

Celebrity's website map and the one on our confirmation both show the Solstice heading north in the Pacific like most cruises leaving from Seattle, but returning through the inside passage between Vancouver Island and the mainland of B.C.. We love this portion of the trip.

 

But another poster was kind enough to publish a set of daily programs, the first of which displayed a voyage map depicting the outside Pacific route in both directions.

 

Can anyone confirm their actual experience?

 

 

We are on the cruise with you! The official route is out into the PAcific both ways. The inside passage routs is outstanding but you need to travel from Vancouver. Here's to a great cruise in a few weeks!

[BBsails]

Slightly off topic, but this thread reminds me of our first =X= cruise in 2008 on the Millennium. We were so excited to sail through the inside passage, but there was a medical emergency aboard which required a passenger to be evacuated. Unfortunately, we reached the inside passage after dark. C'est la vie. A good excuse to sail to Alaska again!

 

...Then there were the three Mexico ports that we missed in 2009 due to the H1N1 (swine flu) virus when we were on the Infinity sailing through the Panama Canal. No H1N1 on the ship, but Mexico wouldn't let the passengers come ashore. Bummer.

[excitedofharpenden]

We'd appreciate some assistance from anyone who has sailed one of the early cruises from Seattle. (We're scheduled for June 21st).

 

Celebrity's website map and the one on our confirmation both show the Solstice heading north in the Pacific like most cruises leaving from Seattle, but returning through the inside passage between Vancouver Island and the mainland of B.C.. We love this portion of the trip.

 

But another poster was kind enough to publish a set of daily programs, the first of which displayed a voyage map depicting the outside Pacific route in both directions.

 

Can anyone confirm their actual experience?

 

Thanks!

The map on the Celebrity site is very misleading. It does indeed clearly show the route through the Inside Passage past Vancouver on the way back, but on a 7 day cruise out of Seattle there just isn't the time to do it and you need to get some speed on down the Pacific coast to get back in time.

 

Phil

[rosenc1c]

I've been tracking the solstice during the Alaska cruises at this website, and it's definitely been going through the Pacific both ways.

 

It won't let me insert link, but it's sea scanner dot com.

[BEAV]

As Phil posted, it's very misleading, but Celebrity even goes so far as listing a time period (6:30pm-10:30pm) as sailing through the Inside Passage. Notice the start of the "inside passage" cruising begins 30 minutes after departure from Skagway. You're actually sailing through the scenic Lynn Canal, which is a narrow body of water that I have to assume Celebrity considers as part of the Inside Passage. But on the map of the itinerary, they place the Inside Passage as much further south (just above Vancouver), which is more the "traditional" Inside Passage.

 

Date Port/City Activity Arrival Departure

Day 1 Seattle, Washington 5:00 PM

Day 2 At Sea

Day 3 Ketchikan, Alaska Docked 7:00 AM 4:00 PM

Day 4 Tracy Arm Fjord, Alaska Cruising 6:00 AM 10:00 AM

Day 4 Juneau, Alaska Docked 1:30 PM 10:00 PM

Day 5 Skagway, Alaska Docked 7:00 AM 6:00 PM

Day 5 Alaska Inside Passage Cruising 6:30 PM 10:30 PM

Day 6 At Sea

Day 7 Victoria, British Columbia Docked 6:00 PM 11:59 PM

Day 8 Seattle, Washington

[curtdesilets]

I think the problem here, although misleading, is that most of the Alaska cruises are indeed traveling in the Inside Passage. All of the stuff near and North of Ketchikan is considered "inside passage". The lower portion that goes East of Vancouver Island, is the BEST part of the inside Passage, but yes, most Seattle cruises do not go that route.

 

Regatta does, though, even from Seattle. :)

[BEAV]

 

Regatta does, though, even from Seattle. :)

 

Is that because Oceania does sailings longer than 7 days from Seattle?

[happy cruzer]

They list inside passage leaving Vancouver and returning for the Century Sept 15 cruise. I hope we get to enjoy it.

[BEAV]

They list inside passage leaving Vancouver and returning for the Century Sept 15 cruise. I hope we get to enjoy it.

 

The Century sailing from Vancouver does cruise the Inside Passage (alongside Vancouver Island), unlike the Solstice from Seattle.

[excitedofharpenden]

Regatta does, though, even from Seattle. :)

You had me looking at the Oceania website and from what I could see all of the Seattle roundtrips including the 10 nighters, although going out via the Inside Passage, return via the Pacific coast. Regatta's cruising speed is quite a bit less than Solstice so she'd really be pushing it. Interestingly at least the Oceania site clearly says "Outside Passage" on the return. Celebrity have been misquoting the route for some time and in view of the fact that it does make a big difference to the content of the last day at sea they really should get it right.

 

Phil

[SeaDays]

Thank you all for your replies, comments, and actual experience. Really helps.

 

Having been on AK cruises from both Seattle and Vancouver, I sort of expected the Pacific route since the extra distance would be hard to make up sailing inside.

 

It appears that the day-by-day schedule has indeed been changed to reflect "Alaska Inside Passage", indicating times as you folks have pointed out. (An earlier version did indicate an inside passage on the last full day). Now X has to change the misleading map.

[curtdesilets]

Is that because Oceania does sailings longer than 7 days from Seattle?

 

skips Victoria, therefore more time to traverse the slower Inside passage.

[curtdesilets]

You had me looking at the Oceania website and from what I could see all of the Seattle roundtrips including the 10 nighters, although going out via the Inside Passage, return via the Pacific coast. Regatta's cruising speed is quite a bit less than Solstice so she'd really be pushing it. Interestingly at least the Oceania site clearly says "Outside Passage" on the return. Celebrity have been misquoting the route for some time and in view of the fact that it does make a big difference to the content of the last day at sea they really should get it right.

 

Phil

 

 

Last year, we specifically chose Century out of Vancouver for just that reason. R/T from Vancouver is usually "double inside passage". The views are wonderful. I actually did a lot of mapping, as there is a section where there are pods of Orca frequently. Double inside passage is a plus.