Celebrity Solstice Aft Alaska, Cabin 6311

[spazzyjanet]

Hello,

 

We are Royal Caribbean vets taking our first Celebrity Cruise to Alaska this summer.  I booked this cruise on impulse.  I have 4 cancer (only 41), and am trying to get as many of my "bucket list" items out of the way as possible.  We finally went to Hawaii (land adventure) in October and Alaska is next on the list.

 

To start with, we decided to splurge on two excursions- the railway with private dining car in Skagway, and the Bi-Plane and Lodge adventure in Juneau.

 

The descriptions sound marvelous.  Are these good picks?

 

Our cabin is an aft cabin, deck 6 and was the last one that I could find on this sailing.  Did we make a good choice?  We know that we are missing out on the concierge and suite benefits.  Is that going to make or break this trip?  I can't imagine what we would use a butler for anyway, but are the restaurants and private lounges really worth giving up the aft cabin and all of the extra money?

 

Are there any other tips from Celebrity insiders on how we can make the most of this cruise (which will be my last cruise and probably last vacation ever)?  Are there any other special tours or experiences that we can't miss out on?

[Cruise Raider]

First, just want to say sorry to hear about your cancer diagnosis.  You are making the most of it, though and Alaska is probably the itinerary I would choose to go on if I were in your shoes.  We are planning our 13th cruise up in Alaska ... it is just that amazing!

I can't comment on the biplane in Juneau but, yes, the train ride ... excellent choice in Skagway.  

 

We simply love the aft facing cabins and have had one on the Solstice, as a matter of fact.  

The concierge cabins really don't provide you with much more than a regular veranda cabin ... so, I wouldn't worry about that.  You might have a better experience if you upgraded to an Aqua Class cabin, if you want to go midway between a veranda and a suite...price wise.  These cabins do provide you with some nice extras .... your own specialty dining room (Blu), entrance into the Persian Gardens and the Relaxation Lounge (right above the bridge ...so you see what the captain sees ... with nice comfy lounges).  Plus, the entire deck 11 only has staterooms for 2, so not many rowdy kids on this deck.  Sometimes, you can snag one for the same price as a concierge room and assuredly, they are nearly always a lot cheaper than a suite.  They have some aft facing ones on deck 11 as well ... best of both worlds.  I would shy away from the ones on deck 12, though, as they are under a public area ... only good if you are a very sound sleeper or noise doesn't bother you much.  

If you decide to stay in the regular veranda cabin, depending on your appetite, you may want to book yourself a specialty dinner package onboard.   

 

Bon voyage and enjoy your sailing!  

PS ... if you tend to get sea sick, it is worth noting that the middle of the ship on a lower deck is more stable than the forward and aft cabins.  Also, if you are taking this advice stay on deck 6 on the starboard side ... the smoking area is on deck 5 midship port side ... so you may have smoke wafting up onto your balcony in that location.  

With all that being said, the Solstice is a pretty stable ship but, just letting you know about a worst case scenario.  The waters can be a little rough up that way ... hoping for smooth sailing for you, though.  

 

PS ... take advantage of the luggage valet in Seattle if your flight meets the requirements.  It is a free service offered (the Port of Seattle picks up the costs).  You put your luggage out the night before disembarkation and you don't see it again until it is on the conveyor belt in your home airport.  It's GREAT!!  

 

Edited February 29, 2020 by Cruise Raider

[greydog]

1 hour ago, spazzyjanet said:

Hello,

Our cabin is an aft cabin, deck 6 and was the last one that I could find on this sailing.  Did we make a good choice?  

Are there any other tips from Celebrity insiders on how we can make the most of this cruise (which will be my last cruise and probably last vacation ever)?  Are there any other special tours or experiences that we can't miss out on?

Hi,

6311 should be fine, but keep checking website to switch if 6315 becomes available since a bit wider balcony.

 

About 6-7 weeks before sailing X posts the 'last minute' exciting deals and you can decide whether to 'buy up' to suite (with its special restaurant).  Otherwise, if foodies, visit the specialty restaurants for dinner.

 

Skagway has historic White Pass RR as big attraction there. 

 

If you're visiting Sawyer Glacier, they should be offering a small boat excursion that visits closer to the glacier than the big ship.

 

Juneau has easy access Mendenhall Glacier to visit and/or take the hillside tram from the dock halfway up Mt. Roberts for view and I think a Raptor center there.

 

In Icy Strait (Hoonah) they offer whale watching excursions and a nature tour seeking bears but not guaranteed.  I think Juneau has a transfer up river and everyone takes a small raft floating back in unspoiled river scenery.

GOOD LUCK  

[spazzyjanet]

Thank you for the tips so far.  Do the balconies get smaller the further up they are or is that an optical illusion?  Which specialty restaurant (s) are "can't miss?"

[Cruise Raider]

1 hour ago, spazzyjanet said:

Thank you for the tips so far.  Do the balconies get smaller the further up they are or is that an optical illusion?  Which specialty restaurant (s) are "can't miss?"

 

We were in 9307 and had no complaints about the size of the balcony ... not really sure if it they are all the same size or if the rooms are just set back further.  I know we could see down on the balconies below us (we don't look, though) and there were others that could look down upon out balcony ... but just at the railing really.  We just didn't notice anybody looking at anything other than the beautiful scenery.  

 

As for specialty restaurants, I love Murano.  It is french food with a focus on the wonderful cooking at your table and presentation of the food with a very romantic atmosphere.  I also loved Silk Harvest (pan Asian food) but, pretty sure that has been taken over by Le Petite Chef.  I've never tried it so can't speak to that.  Many people like the Tuscan Grill .... I'm not a huge fan of their food, though....it's mainly a steakhouse and I am not much of a meat eater.   They have other items, too ... still, it's just not my favorite.  But now, the view next to the window is just amazing.  However, it will be much of the same view you have if you end up booking 6311.  Still, my recommendation would be Murano but, if you buy a dining package, you can see for yourself which one would suit you the best.  

If you drink, I love that the Solstice held onto Cellar Masters, which is a wonderful wine bar.  On the Equinox, a sister ship to the Solstice, they replaced this with the Gastro Bar, more of a focus on craft beers.  While I like beer, I'd much rather have a nice glass of wine.  Also, the martini bar is always a huge hit ... very fun vibe!  

 

 

 

[cruising teacher80]

We were on the Solstice to Alaska last June and loved it.  If you are a fan of the show Deadliest Catch then I would recommend that excursion in Ketchikan.  You get to go on a Deadliest Catch boat and they feed the eagles so they dive into the water just a few feet in front of you. It was really awesome.  If you have any questions just ask- we also did the train ride in Skagway and whale watching in Juneau.

[spazzyjanet]

What tours in Victoria BC and Ketchikan require little to no exertion?  I honestly don't know how strong I will still be in August, and even booking this cruise is a big gamble... but one I choose to make in order to motivate me to still be healthy by then.

[CruiserMickey]

1 hour ago, spazzyjanet said:

What tours in Victoria BC and Ketchikan require little to no exertion?  I honestly don't know how strong I will still be in August, and even booking this cruise is a big gamble... but one I choose to make in order to motivate me to still be healthy by then.

 

I am so sorry to hear of your diagnosis. I hope you enjoy your Alaska cruise...the scenery is SPECTACULAR! 

 

In Ketchikan I would recommend the Lumberjack Show. It is good fun, not far from where the ship docks. Who doesn’t need a good laugh?

 

Also...I would recommend a pass to the Persian Garden. For me, there is nothing quite like watching whales breaching as I relax on the heated loungers (I have back problems).

 

I would also second the recommendation for Murano. It is a really romantic, special restaurant and the food is wonderful!

[Cruise Raider]

35 minutes ago, CruiserMickey said:

 

I am so sorry to hear of your diagnosis. I hope you enjoy your Alaska cruise...the scenery is SPECTACULAR! 

 

In Ketchikan I would recommend the Lumberjack Show. It is good fun, not far from where the ship docks. Who doesn’t need a good laugh?

 

Also...I would recommend a pass to the Persian Garden. For me, there is nothing quite like watching whales breaching as I relax on the heated loungers (I have back problems).

 

I would also second the recommendation for Murano. It is a really romantic, special restaurant and the food is wonderful!

 

I second the recommendation for the lumberjack show.  Some may say it is hoaky ... I thought it was a lot of fun.  And ... there is very little exertion required.  It is a couple of blocks to walk ... all flat and the rest is in bleacher type stands.   

 

If you are going to get a pass for the Persian Garden, I would once again recommend booking an Aqua Class room ... access is included the entire cruise.  

 

In Victoria, I would recommend a horse drawn carriage that goes in through Beacon Hill Park.  This park is open to the public and is smaller but is, IMO, as beautiful as Butchart Gardens and more natural.  It's close enough to the dock to make a nice horse drawn carriage ride a very enjoyable trip.  They might take you back through the middle of town so you can see the totem poles in front of the British Columbia Museum of Natural History (I think that's the name of it), the Empress Hotel, the oh so gorgeous Parliament Building on the way back to the ship.  We make this entire loop in a walk when we visit Victoria and boy, are our feeties ever tired by the time we get back to the ship.  But, a horse drawn carriage or pedicab might be something we consider in the future, as we are getting older.  

[Jeffjas]

Although we didn’t take Celebrity to Alaska, we did take the floatplane trip to the lodge in Juneau.  It was an absolute highlight and at least as good as the description.  The salmon they served was the best we ever had as its cooked outside over an open flame.  With the two takeoffs and landings in the plane there is so much to see and the pilot was a real pro.

[mpk]

Sorry to hear.

 

In Juneau, we went whale watching with Captain Jack a several years ago and had a grand 'ol time.  We saw orcas up close, whale tails fluking up in the air, and of course playful dolphins.  The company is now run by his son in law, and the company (Adventures in Alaska) has a 5 star rating with 430 reviews on Tripadvisor.  They limit the party to six or less on the boat, so no climbing over people to get a good look.  We observed a ship excursion with "too many" people on it, lol.

 

The other thing we enjoyed is hiking a glacier.  They make you wear spikes and a helmet, but if you are into that, it's fun.  For ship excursions, they helicopter you onto a glacier, so it is a bit pricey.  We did the hike in Anchorage, about a hour's drive east of the city.

 

One thing we did not do was dog sled mushing.  Must be fun, as I recall, this also involves a helicopter ride so pricey as well.

[spazzyjanet]

Thank you for the recommendation for Captain Jack, I will definitely look into that!

[GRBlizz]

Alaska is one destination where an aft-facing balcony is really, really special. I wouldn't trade that for any Aquaclass or other benefits on this itinerary. I can't advise on excursions because it has been a long time since we went, but my husband is in a wheelchair, and we did find two private boat tours for our 6-person family group that accommodated him just fine. Fishing out of Ketchikan and whale watching out of Juneau. If you like to fish, that was a lot of fun and we dined on the salmon we caught (and had shipped home) for quite awhile.

[spazzyjanet]

We had an AFT facing cabin once before on a prior cruise a long time ago and really loved it.  Thank you for affirming that was the right choice over a suite.  Now, if we could only justify the price of an aft-facing suite.... Unfortunately, those are all taken and are unlikely to become unavailable in the future.