Live from Solstice: ALASKA Dawes Glacier May 12-19, 2023 (First Sailing ex SEA)

[Ferry_Watcher]

@Fly and Sail, if Murano is offering the Napa Wine Lunch ($50 lunch, optional $35 wine pairing), I highly recommend it.

Also, if you want to have lunch at Sushi on 5 on your glacier day like we did (Pork Ramen after being outside in the cold - yum), make sure you have reservations.  They were turning many people away because they were fully booked.  We got one of the last tables at 1:45 PM, and of course it was worth the wait.

If you like whiskey based drinks, try the Zacapa Old Fashion and the Highlander at World Class Bar - so good.

[Fly and Sail]

Greetings from Ketchikan!

 

Another sunny day with 18 degrees Celsius. Even wearing the light jacket out was too warm today.

 

 

[JLMcruise]

On 5/13/2023 at 11:15 AM, Fly and Sail said:

Turned my $100 Blue Chip Club freeplay into cash this morning which will in turn be invested into crab legs in Juneau. 🦀

 

 

Wise investment!

[Fly and Sail]

38 minutes ago, JLMcruise said:

Wise investment!

Wasn’t nearly enough today. Wth is going on with these prices??

 

Will try again in Juneau.

[Fly and Sail]

Some big drunk guy was just caught by officers urinating on the carpet (and in his pants) on a guest floor next to the staircase. I wonder when an alcohol cutoff and further penalties will be exercised with such people. Disgusting!

[JLMcruise]

10 hours ago, Fly and Sail said:

Wasn’t nearly enough today. Wth is going on with these prices??

 

Will try again in Juneau.

Wow - I bit the "bullet" in Juneau last year at Tracy's as a belated B'day gift. I loved the crab bisque soup. 

[Sunshine Bob]

15 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

@Fly and Sail, if Murano is offering the Napa Wine Lunch ($50 lunch, optional $35 wine pairing), I highly recommend it.

Also, if you want to have lunch at Sushi on 5 on your glacier day like we did (Pork Ramen after being outside in the cold - yum), make sure you have reservations.  They were turning many people away because they were fully booked.  We got one of the last tables at 1:45 PM, and of course it was worth the wait.

If you like whiskey based drinks, try the Zacapa Old Fashion and the Highlander at World Class Bar - so good.

What day is the  Napa Wine Lunch and can you book before arriving onto the ship?

[Ferry_Watcher]

13 minutes ago, Sunshine Bob said:

What day is the  Napa Wine Lunch and can you book before arriving onto the ship?

 

On my cruise (May 3) I saw it listed in my Daily Planner on my Celebrity App - it was listed as Murano Lunch, and it was on a sea day.  When we got on board on embark day we went to the Restaurant Hospitality desk (deck 3 near Guest Relations on the Solstice), which was a temporary kiosk for folks to book dinner reservations.  We went there to book the Veuve Clicquot Champagne Dinner ($199 pp), and it was then that I found out that the Lunch in Murano listed was a Napa Wine Lunch event ($50 plus optional $35 wine pairings).

 

I will tell you that another specialty dinner, the  Chef's Dinner ($139 pp) was already completely booked by 11:30 AM that morning.  So if you are really interested in that dinner, try to get there ASAP.  The Napa Wine Lunch may not have been sought after as it was only listed as Lunch in Murano. 

[Sunshine Bob]

1 hour ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

 

On my cruise (May 3) I saw it listed in my Daily Planner on my Celebrity App - it was listed as Murano Lunch, and it was on a sea day.  When we got on board on embark day we went to the Restaurant Hospitality desk (deck 3 near Guest Relations on the Solstice), which was a temporary kiosk for folks to book dinner reservations.  We went there to book the Veuve Clicquot Champagne Dinner ($199 pp), and it was then that I found out that the Lunch in Murano listed was a Napa Wine Lunch event ($50 plus optional $35 wine pairings).

 

I will tell you that another specialty dinner, the  Chef's Dinner ($139 pp) was already completely booked by 11:30 AM that morning.  So if you are really interested in that dinner, try to get there ASAP.  The Napa Wine Lunch may not have been sought after as it was only listed as Lunch in Murano. 

Thanks for your reply , I will keep checking the app up to departure and investigate onboard assuming I am unable to book the Napa Wine Lunch before embarkation.

[Fly and Sail]

What a fantastic morning to visit the Dawes Glacier.

 

After all these times in Alaska I’ve never had today’s amount of Sun and Ice.

 

We were able to get really close to the glacier which is very unusual as well.

 

 

[Random Cruizer]

wow!

Edited May 15, 2023 by Random Cruizer
a

[chuckw]

We have been on many cruises.  Our dinner in Murano last night was one of the best ever.  Highly recommend anyone on Solstice book Murano.

[Majkman]

On 5/12/2023 at 4:24 PM, Fly and Sail said:

My Balcony looks like there was an accident at Home Depot. Paint and dirt splattered all over the place. 🤔

 

This is one of the AQ cabins with the large balconies.

Did you address that with your room steward?

 

[Fly and Sail]

1 hour ago, Majkman said:

Did you address that with your room steward?

 

And the Front Desk / Hotel Director. Unfortunately they had no other Aqua Class cabins available. None. And this is their Premium Veranda. Just unfortunate because it kinda sets the tone for the entire cruise and to find a trashed balcony like that… 

 

Same with the photographers, stunning landscape and even today during the glacier no photographer anywhere to take a picture. People were complaining everywhere and many including myself have a photo package included.

 

Not sure what their problem is. Apparently there is a ship management change at the moment.

 

The one huge star on this cruise has so far been BLU as the dishes and execution are pretty perfect. Taste is also much better than for example on the earlier Panama Canal or even last years Solstice sailing.

[Fly and Sail]

Nice day in Juneau, very warm again. Is this Alaska or Hawaii? ❄️🌴🐻🦀

 

I stood 30 min in line and then they told me they’re out of bisque. 🤬

[Tinknock50]

Would love to see your pics of Dawes Glacier at its closest point.

[eyecantwait]

Thanks so much for sharing all your great photos. Can't wait to go in August!

[Fly and Sail]

8 hours ago, Tinknock50 said:

Would love to see your pics of Dawes Glacier at its closest point.

 

That was pretty much it. If you want to go any closer you have to book the excursion on the small expedition boat which is rather expensive IIRC - or another excursion from Juneau.

[DaKahuna]

On 5/12/2023 at 12:56 PM, Fly and Sail said:

The day started at the Kimpton with what was described to me as a “small breakfast”. 😳

 

 

Getting your stomach pre-conditioned for the OVC I see.  🙂 

 

 

[Fly and Sail]

Interesting detail I just remember, the shuttle bus from the AJ Dock to Downtown Seattle was free this year. I remember that last year I paid something like $5-6 for it, and they only accepted cash.

 

And while we're talking about shuttle buses, we just arrived in Skagway and passengers are no longer allowed to leave the dock on foot. Shuttle buses (and with that substantial lineups) are mandatory due to the rockfall situation. What a drag.

 

Celebrity Today advertises Airport transfers by bus to SEA for $35/person. I remember I previously purchased a bus ticket upon arrival in the terminal and no way was that $35 or I'd have taken an Uber.

[Fly and Sail]

5 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

Getting your stomach pre-conditioned for the OVC I see.  🙂 

 

 

OVC isn't exactly great on this sailing, compared to what we had on Millennium both lunch and also Dinner is pretty poor.

[DaKahuna]

On 5/14/2023 at 5:42 PM, Ferry_Watcher said:

If you like whiskey based drinks, try the Zacapa Old Fashion and the Highlander at World Class Bar - so good.

 

I do not think you are going to find Zacapa on Celebrity much longer, if you manage to find it now. In talking with the Beverage Manager on Millennium it seems that Ron Zacapa is not one of the rums carried by their new distributor.   Bumbu was used on my Millennium cruise and it turned out to be an acceptable substitute.  

 

[DaKahuna]

4 minutes ago, Fly and Sail said:

 

OVC isn't exactly great on this sailing, compared to what we had on Millennium both lunch and also Dinner is pretty poor.

 

Sorry to hear that.  We only had one lunch in the OVC on Millennium, not counting the occasional slice of pizza and bowls of 'take back to the room' ice cream.   It was good and the variety of choices for lunch were excellent. 

 

My only complaint regarding the OVC was that it took forever to get drink service.  

 

Keep in mind that Luggage Valet is in place in Seattle, or at least it was for our Quantum of the Seas sailing last year.  That is a great convenience and since we were in a suite and had free bags on United it did not cost us anything. 

 

 

[mahdnc]

You are getting fantastic weather, @Fly and Sail.

[Fly and Sail]

8 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

Keep in mind that Luggage Valet is in place in Seattle, or at least it was for our Quantum of the Seas sailing last year.  That is a great convenience and since we were in a suite and had free bags on United it did not cost us anything. 

 

 

 

I have a flight on Japan Airlines at 1:30 pm to Tokyo and a connection to Bangkok, won't be checking any baggage and rather carry on as I'll try to get them to allow me a stopover in Tokyo for the weekend. Baggage would just complicate things. 😉