Solstice Alaska Review...from July, 2013

[worldtrekker]

Solstice Review July 2013 – An Inexperienced Cruiser’s Guide to the Last Frontier

…Better late than never?

 

We headed out to Alaska a year ago on the Solstice. I had every intention of completing a trip report, but one thing after another…procrastination…and I did not post. However, as we began to look at another Alaska cruise in 2015, I remembered all of the reviewers who helped me plan. This board provided amazing tips as well as built the anticipation for our adventure and made the wait bearable. I hope I may do the same for someone else, and provide a bit of entertainment along the way. As this was a year ago, some of the information may be outdated, though I am fairly certain Alaska remains awesome.

 

So….we are off!

 

Introductions

 

Our adventure begins on the other side of the world, in New Zealand. We are a family of four U.S. citizens who have permanently relocated to the East side of the North Island over one year ago. We are truly living our dream.

 

 

However, despite advances in technology that allow us to keep in touch with friends and family overseas, there is nothing that takes the place of actual face-to-face encounters – for better or worse. Thus I began to plan an escapade that would take us back to the US for a visit.

 

As part of my work, I attend workshops and conferences a couple of times each year. This year, I was able to find a great conference on a cruise I have wanted to take for years - Alaska. Even better, it leaves out of Seattle – a place I absolutely love and where several of our friends live. Perfect!

 

Giddy with excitement, and perhaps a celebratory glass of wine, I called my Mom and asked if she wanted to join. (I actually asked my father as well, but he told me he would rather poke sticks in his eyes than go on a cruise, so…). She called her best friend in Seattle who was also keen to join. Even more perfect! I have traveled with these ladies before…good times were surely ahead.

[worldtrekker]

We were now a party of 6, made up of myself and my husband (in our 40’s), our two children, ages 9 and 12, my Mom a.k.a Tutu, age 73 (she likes people to know this) and her best friend Aunty Pat, who is younger than my Mom (she likes people to know this).

 

We are not experienced cruisers. Tutu and Aunty Pat have never cruised before. Our children and I have only been on one other cruise – the RCI Mariner of the Seas to the Mexican Riviera in 2010, which was a great experience. Mr. T is the most experienced in our crew with a grand total of two cruises, having been on a Princess cruise in the 1980’s as well as the Mariner. Thus, our story is told through the eyes of unseasoned cruisers.

 

We are on our way!

 

 

Edited September 25, 2014 by worldtrekker

[worldtrekker]

Pre-Cruise

 

 

I pondered whether to write a pre-cruise portion of the review. However, planning a trip is a means to anticipating the adventure and I found the threads on preparation and packing very helpful. I promise to get through it reasonably quickly so we can get to the good cruise stuff.

 

I imagine that several people on CC are, shall we say, meticulous with the planning. Not obsessive. I would never say that. (Mr. T, however, would). Once the decision was made to go on this cruise, I began furiously scouring the CC boards for tidbits on packing and ports, reading reviews, and fixating on photos of food. Mr. T expressed concern, as he was worried that the trip would not live up to my expectations.

 

“No worries”, I say, ”I still look upon our Ireland trip fondly.” “Really?” he says, “That trip was a little scary for me.” “It was not that bad,” I reply, “The scenery was amazing. Remember those castles? And that lamb stew in that little thatched-roof pub? And the Murphy’s on tap? Also, no one was seriously injured.” “Um, two of you ended up in the hospital – and one of you had surgery. I think that is pretty serious”. “Pfftt, no permanent damage. All I am saying is that it would take a lot for me not to enjoy a holiday. Although, that reminds me, I need to get trip insurance.” “Yeah…”

 

A couple of sites I found useful in the planning stages (besides cruise critic):

 

http://Http://www.cruiseportinsider.com

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com

 

I also found the following CC thread helpful for new cruiser tips. This is a very, very long thread and several of the tips did not apply, but I picked those that seemed appropriate.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1086757&highlight=tips

 

 

Choosing a cabin

 

This is a personal decision based on needs, wants and budget and I am by no means an expert. I knew we needed a cabin that would suit our family of four, I wanted a veranda and I hoped for a connecting room with Tutu and Aunty Pat.

 

Our TA suggested connecting rooms 9276/9278, which are class 1B veranda rooms on the hump. I noticed immediately that, while they connect, only one of them is suited for four passengers, which means you cannot pawn the children off on the relatives next door. I see what you did there, Celebrity…well done.

 

Our room had both the pull down berth and convertible sofa.

 

[worldtrekker]

Packing for Alaska

 

There are a lot of threads on packing for Alaska. Just search the CC Alaska boards using the search term “packing”. The main theme is layers.

 

I found this thread helpful:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1772763

 

We have lived in the Pacific Northwest and the mid-summer weather in Alaska is similar to a western Oregon or Washington late spring, though temperatures can reportedly vary between 30-80 F. We were lucky to have fantastic weather, averaging in the 60's with some days in the 70's. However, rain is likely at some point in the trip, regardless of the month. We all had warm waterproof or water-resistant jackets, but no rain or waterproof pants. We do not mind getting a little wet, having all lived in the Northwest. If you find those things a nuisance, then I would recommend waterproofing shoes and having proper raingear; that is, a waterproof, rather than water-resistant jacket. I was fine with trainers/athletic shoes or my low-heeled dress boots for all of our shore activities, including hiking.

 

Choosing Excursions

 

Our Itinerary

[worldtrekker]

This was even more difficult than choosing a cabin. Again, the Alaska CC boards were the place to start. There are several options in each port at every price point. We chose to do solo excursions as opposed to those booked through the cruise line. They were all amazing. I will put in more detail about our excursions as we go along.

 

This yahoo travel article was recommended by cruznliz regarding less expensive alternatives for shore excursions in Alaska:

http://news.yahoo.com/cruising-alaska-alternatives-pricey-excursions-170406459.html

 

In brief, we chose the following:

 

Ketchikan. In port 7am to 4 pm. Kayaking in Orcas Cove with Southeast Sea Kayaks from 8 am – noon. Self-guided walking tour in the afternoon.

 

http://www.experienceketchikan.com/support-files/ketchikan_maps_downtown.pdf

 

This was a great CC thread on Ketchican planning:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1800431&highlight=ketchikan

 

Juneau. Tendered. Port from 1:30 to 10pm. I knew we would be tendering in Juneau, so I kept that itinerary flexible, planning only to go to Mendenhall Glacier for a hike, then a toodle around town.

 

Skagway. Port 7 am to 6 pm. We rented a minivan (Minivan = Megafun!) from Avis and drove the Klondike Highway into Yukon Territory up to Emerald Lake. We used the Murray Guide – downloaded for $5. Passports are required for this activity.

 

Victoria, British Columbia. In port from 6 pm to 11:59 pm. Too short, but we had fun anyway doing a Ghost Tour.

 

http://www.discoverthepast.com/gwalks.htm

 

Well, that is a start. I'll keep going with the rest of the adventure soon.

Edited September 25, 2014 by worldtrekker
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[worldtrekker]

Seattle and Departure

 

Travel day! Woo hooooooo. I woke with trepidation, wondering what the weather would be today. Living at the edge of the world, we rely on very small planes to take us to the big city of Auckland. Granted, they are not as diminutive as an Alaskan flight-seeing plane, but smaller than my prior experience with commercial air travel. As they are very small, they are commonly affected by the weather. Meaning, if it is foggy or raining heavily, or, a nearby volcano is erupting, the planes are grounded. It is mid-winter in July, and the chances of grounding weather are fair. Also, I was working today, wrapping up a few bits before heading out. Fortunately, the weather was in our favor and we headed up to Auckland to catch our plane to the US.

 

27+ hours later, we arrived in Seattle.

 

I love Seattle. It is the perfect conglomerate of food, outdoor activities, art, coffee, music and geek culture set between Mt. Rainer and the sea. I have come here on previous occasions to visit family and friends. Unfortunately, we did not have a lot of time to spend doing my favorite Seattle things before leaving for Alaska. We had arrived late Wednesday night, with our ship departing Friday, and we had friends and family to see before then as well as shopping for last minute bits and bobs. We did leave time at the end of our trip to do Seattle some justice.

 

We arrived at Pier 91 Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at 11:30 am to start the embarkation process. I had heard that it goes faster if you arrive after 12:00, but we were excited and arrived early.

 

The pier is in an industrial area, and there are no hotels within walking distance, though I have read on CC that several downtown hotels offer a car service.

 

 

 

We were not quite certain of what to expect or where to go. Fortunately, Celebrity anticipates the newbie cruiser and there were signs to guide us along.

 

We had done the online check in and printed our luggage tags and xpress pass. I had checked Tutu in online as well. As a side note, our drink package (the classic package from the 1,2,3 Go promotion) did not show up on our reservation on the Celebrity website, though it did in our cruise documents. We upgraded on the ship to premium.

 

Just keep following the signs. Eventually, you will make it on board.

[worldtrekker]

I was going to add the dailies, but these provided by cruiser gw2fll are much more clear.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1852003&highlight=solstice+dailies

 

 

We received the complimentary flute of sparkling wine upon boarding. Please Celebrity, continue this practice! I do not mind that it is a cheap glass of sparkling wine. It is a lovely segue from land to sea and it helped to set the tone for the voyage.

 

Where to from here? So many places to explore and drinks to sample! Ahh, but first, lunch. Buffet or Bistro? Thank you again, Celebrity CC friends. You helped make that decision easy. Bistro it is.

 

After lunch, we decided to explore. I had read copious reviews of Solstice-class ships prior to boarding, though with the exception of a few peeks here and there, had deliberately avoided photo reviews of the Solstice herself. I wanted to discover her special nooks, crannies and watering holes first hand. She did not disappoint.

 

Shortly after lunch, we made it to the room. I cannot recall if the luggage was there at that point or not.

 

Seattle view from the veranda

 

We freshened up, then headed to the deck for our departure.

[mapleleaves]

for the benefit of other travellers .... where did you stay in Seattle and how did you get to the pier?

 

(And for MY benefit .... what do you do in NZ that you were able to immigrate there? )

[worldtrekker]

Day 2

 

 

This was a sea day. I do not recall the specifics, though I remember we only had one day of foggy weather toward the end of the trip. Otherwise, it was very clear and sunny. It was also very smooth with none of us getting queasy during the sail.

 

Day two was also formal night. For the inexperienced cruiser, especially one who reads the CC boards, nothing can be as frightening or intimidating as FORMAL NIGHT. Holy. Moly. The number of threads regarding this event is overwhelming. Should we rent a tux? Do we bring a suit? How much does this weigh in our suitcase? Will we offend onlookers so much that they will be unable to enjoy their food, causing indigestion amidst the muttered expletives?

 

On our RCI cruise, I fretted as well and ultimately coaxed him into renting a tux, to which he was only one of a handful of men wearing one. The other guy at our table was in a polo shirt and khakis on formal night (gasp! I KNOW). We were hesitant to rent again, though we did peruse the website. FYI, there is a suit with pastel accessories available to rent that he agreed to wear, but only if Miami Vice theme song was playing wherever he went. Tempting…

 

One last thing about formal night, then I promise no more lest I summon the guardians of the appropriate dress threads (probably too late). I find the idea of formal night so romantic. I remember my grandparents cruising in their 60’s back in the early 80’s. They had worked very hard their whole lives and were able to travel some after retiring. It was an amazing thing to see them dressed to the nines, in tux and gown, looking as though they had arrived. Sigh…

 

 

 

Our children had no interest in dining with us. Apparently, our dinner conversation sounds like "blah blah...politics...blah blah...health care...blah blah...organic broccoli...". They had made friends in Fun Factory and were keen to join them. Our daughter attended the second formal night, but for every other night, they would eat early in OceanView (buffet), then head to the Fun Factory to join the other kids and we got date night every night. Win win.

Edited September 25, 2014 by worldtrekker

[worldtrekker]

Day Three - Ketchikan

 

We had room service delivered to both rooms at 6:30 as we were to dock at 7 am with our first excursion scheduled for 8 am – Kayaking! Our trip was with Southeast Sea Kayaks in Orca Cove. This is a four-hour excursion that includes a boat trip to Orca Cove, 2 ½ hours of kayaking and a smoked salmon picnic lunch on the return boat to Ketchikan.

 

We were scheduled to dock at 7am and had arranged to meet at the big thermometer near the dock at 8 am.

 

 

They provide the foul weather gear i.e. rain pants, jacket and shoe covers. As such, they request you wear comfortable walking shoes, but not hiking boots, as they are too bulky to go under the shoe protectors. They also request you do not wear high heels, which makes me wonder why they had to specify.

 

We were geared up and ready to go at the marina. A scenic 30 minute boat ride took us to the "mothership" in Orca Cove, where we were outfitted for our first adventure.

 

 

[worldtrekker]

 

 

[worldtrekker]

We saw eagles, but no orcas that time of year. The guide was excellent, providing both history and wildlife information in the area. We learned about the hunting technique of the Bald Eagle and saw heaps of starfish - including this one bigger than our heads! The water was incredibly clear.

 

 

There were also wall drawings (a bit fuzzy).

 

 

We ended the trip with a smoked salmon nibbles. The smoked salmon is apparently canned just for this company - it was so good we bought 6 cans to take home and savored each one. My son still talks about it. Of note, each tour takes only 6 people, so it is very serene and secluded. Overall, an excellent experience and well worth the money.

 

Next up - Ketchikan part 2.

[worldtrekker]

for the benefit of other travellers .... where did you stay in Seattle and how did you get to the pier?

 

(And for MY benefit .... what do you do in NZ that you were able to immigrate there? )

 

Hi Mapleleaves :)

 

We stayed with our friend in Kirkland and used a shuttle service van to get to the pier. I am sorry, but I did not organize that part and cannot recall the company or the cost. It was very efficient, though and had room for all of our luggage.

 

I work in healthcare. Moving to NZ was an almost 2 year process as they have quite strict guidelines for immigration. We have now been here for over 2 years and have no intention of leaving :)

[EatSleepCruise]

The review is looking good! We just got off the Solstice earlier this month and started our full, day-by-day review here on CC as well. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2106806

 

We loved the ship and had a great cruise. I can't wait to read more about your family's adventures in Alaska!

 

Also, Brent Nixon is a rockstar! :D

[worldtrekker]

Thanks Eatsleepcruise! I read your trip report as well. It is such a fantastic voyage. And I absolutely agree about Brent Nixon. After the first lecture, we could not stop saying Alaxsxaq. He is very enthusiastic and charming off stage as well; you can certainly tell wildlife and conservation are his passions. My daughter and I met he and his wife while re-boarding from Juneau, and he took the time to encourage her pursuits of wildlife biology and vet medicine. I missed several of his live lectures, as I was attending lectures for my conference, however, I was excited to see they replay them in the cabin several times throughout the voyage. His whale watching narration was also excellent.

 

Ketchikan - the Town

 

After our morning adventure, we were pretty hungry. We were dropped off at the Marina, near the Alaska Fish Company. Rather than eat inside, we ordered from the window then went across to Fat Stan's to order drinks. The Alaska Fish Company will deliver food to the bar. I cannot recall what everyone had, but I had the smoked salmon chowder - and it was so very good. Fat Stan's has several local brews and good beer on tap, though I had scotch.

 

 

Edited September 26, 2014 by worldtrekker

[worldtrekker]

Ketchikan self-guided walking tour.

http://www.experienceketchikan.com/support-files/ketchikan_maps_downtown.pdf

 

I found Ketchikan to be charming and easy to explore. The shop keepers were very friendly. We sort of split apart as a group, each wandering until meeting back up at the Totem Heritage Center (site 17 on the map). Mr. T especially enjoyed chatting with the folks at Dolly's house about it's illicit past.

 

http://www.dollyshouse.com/home.html

 

 

 

 

 

It was sunny and pleasant in the 60's that day in mid July.

Edited September 27, 2014 by worldtrekker

[worldtrekker]

Day Four – Tracy Arm Cruising and Juneau

 

Mr. T and I woke just before 5am and watched the sunrise as we approached Tracy Arm.

 

 

 

 

After the sunrise, we woke the rest of our party and headed topside. We warmed up with some delicious rich hot chocolate, with a shot of Bailey's for the grown ups. We were scheduled to cruise Tracy Arm between 6-10 am. The weather and seas were perfect today and we were able to get very close. It was clear, but chilly. Temps started in the high 30's, I believe and warmed to the 40's during the cruise.

[worldtrekker]

 

 

 

 

We ducked inside to warm up - the view was still amazing.

 

[worldtrekker]

Juneau

 

This week the Solstice was scheduled to tender (they alternated between docking and tendering every other week). This could easily have been a sore spot for our cruise. I can see why it was for so many people, as they had excursions planned and the tendering was bottle-necked. I was prepared for chaos from what we had heard on the CC boards. We had planned to go to Mendenhall Glacier for a hike and the kids wanted to get their Junior Ranger badges at the park. Our goal was to get off by 4 or so.

 

I had contacted Evergreen Taxi via email prior to the cruise and found it was $35-40 each way by mini-van taxi. The Glacier Express Blue Bus is $16 round trip per person. The visitor’s center was open until 7:30 pm, but I had heard the blue and white buses to the glacier only run until 6pm. With 6 of us, the taxi was a little less than the bus, and we could be out there later than 6 pm and avoid the crowds. We had arranged to meet at the dock at 4:30 pm.

 

Our plan was to do the short walk to Nugget Falls if it was raining, and add on the East Glacier Trail (3.5 mile loop trail) if it was not. We all did the easy walk to Nugget Falls, then Mr. T and I did another trail, while Tutu, Aunty Pat and the kids worked on the Junior Ranger's booklet. FYI - the badges were not nearly as cool as other National Parks we have been to. Usually they get a patch that we sew onto a jacket - these were just plastic badges and certificates.

 

View of the glacier from the visitor's center.

 

Nugget Falls

 

View during our hike

 

 

Next Up Day 5 - Skagway and the Klondike Highway

[EatSleepCruise]

 

 

 

 

We ducked inside to warm up - the view was still amazing.

 

 

Looks like the weather for your trip was just like ours. Feel like temperatures around 35 degrees in the morning then warming up to almost 60 in the afternoon. We were also able to get close to the Sawyer glacier too. Here is a view from our balcony.

 

[worldtrekker]

Great shot! Nice.

 

I realized my photos are GIANT. Sorry CC folks. This is my first review and first time working with photobucket. I will resize so you do not have to see enormous photos of my head.

 

Anyway...on to Skagway.

 

Day 5 – Skagway

AKA Minivan Madness

 

Another 7 am arrival.

 

Today’s excursion was a trip along the Klondike Highway to Yukon Territory, Canada with our turnaround at Emerald Lake. We had rented a minivan from Avis, which ran $200 (with taxes and fees). Figure in gas for another $50 and snacks, another $50 and that was $300 for the 6 of us – or about $50 each. You can rent something smaller for less if you have fewer people. We had considered the train/bus option, but those would be more expensive per person, and this had the benefit of being able to stop at our leisure.

 

Avis opens at 8:00 am and is located within walking distance of the dock.

 

I went to stand in line and sent the crew off for bakery treats, sandwiches and snacks for the ride. We had the van before 9am and were ready to roll. The rest of the crew, however, was deep into breakfast, so we did not hit the road until almost 10 am. I was worried about the traffic, but it turned out to be fine. We still beat the tour buses to all the stops. YES!

 

Stickhouse in Skagway

 

Snowplow train

 

I had downloaded the Murray’s Guide to my iphone kindle for $5, which was invaluable. I read a tip, which had recommended going straight to Emerald Lake, then stopping for the sites on the way back to avoid the crowds, but we did not do that.

 

[worldtrekker]

Following our entry into Canada, we headed toward the town of Carcross and Caribou Crossing.

 

http://www.cariboucrossing.ca

 

I really enjoyed this place. Entrance into the museum, petting zoo and husky village is $8.50 for adults and $6.50 for children. We started with coffee and treats at Caribou Cafe, and finished up just as the first tour bus was arriving. Tutu and our daughter were eager to see the sled puppies. Really, who could resist?

 

Museum

 

 

Husky Village

 

Petting Zoo

[worldtrekker]

 

 

 

It was warm that day, so the sled dogs were feeling it. I believe it got higher than 70 as I remember being very warm in jeans. I wish I had worn shorts.

 

We continued on the Klondike highway toward Emerald Lake. We did not stop often for photos, but the scenery is beautiful the whole way.

 

Bove Island

[worldtrekker]

Emerald Lake

 

 

On the way back, we stopped at Carcross, where you can stamp your passport outside of Matthew Watson’s General Store. I stamped all of ours with a moose stamp.

 

 

We were feeling the effects of the early mornings and long days at this point, so we headed back to the ship. It was still warm and sunny, so we headed out to the pool deck to relax and enjoy some delicious burgers and cocktails prior to our departure.

 

After snacks, the kids went off to find their new friends at Fun Factory, while Tutu and Aunty Pat went to relax in the cabins. That left Mr. T and I alone for dinner that night. I was not very hungry, but I can always eat dessert, so we headed to the MDR for appetizers and cake. We ended up with a table for two near the window, which was lovely.

 

[gottagoacruzn]

Hey guys, great pictures!! Next yr I'm planning to go to Alaska, and will try getting to Carcross, have been to Skagway many times, but never to the Yukon, so...:) Usually go in Sept, as it is cold and wet, but I don't mind.

 

Virginia