Georgia Peaches heads to The Last Frontier…Seeking Answers…Will She Love Alaska? Live-May 31-June 7th…Teetering on The Edge

[Georgia_Peaches]

On 5/31/2024 at 8:23 AM, Ferry_Watcher said:

@Georgia_Peaches, I believe that you are sailing as a Retreat passenger.  There will be Pier-side Retreat Host outside the terminal when you arrive.  If they are already inside escorting other guests, just make yourself known at the Retreat priority entrance on the right side of the terminal building.  

The Ovation OTS will also be at Pier 91, but ignore that line and head over towards the Edge.

The embarkation process in this port was unlike any I’ve experienced!  The drop off line was a mass of cars, vans, busses criss crossing each other every which way. It took longer to snake our way to the curb that it took to get from our hotel to the port. 
 

Thank you for the info on the Retreat check in location. Very helpful!

[Georgia_Peaches]

18 hours ago, AbbyCruiser45 said:

That should do it! You’ll need to do that every time you post a batch of pictures, but it’s an easy fix. 

Thank you for this tip!  Works perfectly now! 😊

[Ferry_Watcher]

7 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

The embarkation process in this port was unlike any I’ve experienced!  The drop off line was a mass of cars, vans, busses criss crossing each other every which way. It took longer to snake our way to the curb that it took to get from our hotel to the port. 
 

Thank you for the info on the Retreat check in location. Very helpful!

 

Fridays are the busiest day at Pier 91 with the Ovation OTS, and Celebrity's Edge in port.  Yesterday we had 7,800 passengers embarking between the two ships.  I am guessing that by the peak of the cruise season will will see over 8K passengers on Fridays. 

 

The approach to the terminal has 3 lanes - commercial motorcoaches; taxis, and private cars/vans/chauffeured vehicles.   The ride share cars (Uber/Lyft) are suppose to drop off a short distance away, especially during peak times.  The car/van lane can get quite backed up. 

 

Happy you had great weather for your embark.  Looking forward to reading about the rest of your journey.

[cruisetonowhere10]

5 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Embarkation day didn’t disappoint. Edge is a nice ship in and IMO, she’s in great shape!  Had my first eclass ship experience not been on Ascent, I’d have no idea how different Edge’s layout is from the new ships. 
 

First, the martini bar is quite different in layout with the bar tucked to the far end of the space with limited seating around the bar itself. We enjoyed our embarkation cocktail here soon after we boarded. 

 

Next, we went to the Sunset bar…another of my favorite areas…but not as much on Edge. The space isn’t laid out the same as Ascent as it doesn’t have terraced seating and the bar area is not as enclosed. 
 

Our stateroom is awesome. We met both our room attendant and Butler early on and my preembarkation request of extra hangers were in place upon arrival. Our sparkling wine was already chilling and we have a lounger on the balcony. There is an umbrella in the closet and it’s a decent size… big enough for me and half of DH. 

I asked our room attendant if sleeping with the door open would impact rooms around us and he said no. So, in a cruising first, we slept with the door open!  It was amazing!  The room was chilly, as I was hoping, but there were extra blankets under the bed that our attendant set up for us at turn-down. Sleeping bliss!

 

We dined in Luminae for lunch. It was good! But the space itself is not my favorite layout compared to S class. We were seated at a 2 top. I had the view of Seattle and DH had a view of the wall. People were seated next to us but they were perpendicular to our table and the felt very close. But we enjoyed the meal…no pics but DH had the burger and I had the pasta. DH ordered a bourbon and peaches as per usual but this one was different in that it tasted like there was jalapeños in the drink…a spicy B & P?

 

After lunch we continued our exploration of the ship. The Retreat lounge is very nice. The indoor space isn’t as large as Ascent and there’s no bar. On Ascent there is a bar where this small sofa is located:

 

Last night we dined in Eden. This is our favorite restaurant on E class and last night’s meal was delicious. 
 

We didn't attend any shows last night but we did enjoy a live set in Eden prior to heading to the casino…which wasn’t open. 🙃 More on that later. Instead, we went bar hopping. This morning I remind myself that it isn’t necessary to try every drink on the menu in the first day!  The rule of the day is pace myself…and I will leave it at that 🤦‍♀️. 
 

The casino opened after 9 pm. The vibe was quiet and there were many games that were new to me…. Like the Mummy machine that I stumbled upon and played for several hours. It was generous and when I finally cashed out, I had almost enough on my ticket to cover more than half my cruise fare!!  
 

We are looking forward to a relaxing day at sea!

 

I will take note of the cocktail bar sampling as I could see DH and I making that faux pas as well.

[cruisetonowhere10]

4 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

 

Fridays are the busiest day at Pier 91 with the Ovation OTS, and Celebrity's Edge in port.  Yesterday we had 7,800 passengers embarking between the two ships.  I am guessing that by the peak of the cruise season will will see over 8K passengers on Fridays. 

 

The approach to the terminal has 3 lanes - commercial motorcoaches; taxis, and private cars/vans/chauffeured vehicles.   The ride share cars (Uber/Lyft) are suppose to drop off a short distance away, especially during peak times.  The car/van lane can get quite backed up. 

 

Happy you had great weather for your embark.  Looking forward to reading about the rest of your journey.

Does it make sense if using ride share to purposely have them drop you off a bit from the terminal (if you can manage your own luggage of course) and if so, what might work?  We will be there on a Friday in July so I’m expecting what you are speaking of to be a reality.

[Ferry_Watcher]

1 hour ago, cruisetonowhere10 said:

Does it make sense if using ride share to purposely have them drop you off a bit from the terminal (if you can manage your own luggage of course) and if so, what might work?  We will be there on a Friday in July so I’m expecting what you are speaking of to be a reality.

 

I think I understand what you are asking.  Due to congestion along the U shaped driveway in front of the terminal building, the Ride Share (Uber/Lyft) drivers are suppose to drop off passengers at an adjacent lot about a 7-10 minute walk from the terminal building.  If a ride share passenger is elderly, or has ADA needs, then the Uber/Lyft driver could drop the passengers along the drive area.

 

If you are worried about getting stuck in the congestion leading up to the driveway area in front of the terminal, then your best bet is to be dropped off at the RideShare lot and walk to the terminal building. 

 

The time of day you arrive is also a factor.  For Celebrity, the busiest times are between noon and 1:30 PM.  The Ovation tends to have an early morning rush, then a second one around 1 PM.  And, as always, it is best to have completely done your online check-in registration (credit card on file & emergency contact phone number listed).  Having that 100% completed, will get you thru the check-in process quicker.

[Georgia_Peaches]

Emmolo Sauv Blanc is $17 in the Martini bar but $22 in Luminae. I pointed out the discrepancy today at lunch when I was told there was going to be a $5 up charge. The nickel and diming of the “elevated” wines is annoying. 
 

 

[Stem to Stern]

27 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Emmolo Sauv Blanc is $17 in the Martini bar but $22 in Luminae.

Is this a nice wine?  
Irregardless the heart of the matter is you have already invested $5k in a 7-night cruise that includes premium drinks.

I’ll bet you had a Bourbon and Peaches instead. 😉

How much, pray tell, is Whispering Angel in Luminae?
This is one of my go to lunch wines.

Hydration is very important. 

[abbydancer2003]

1 hour ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Emmolo Sauv Blanc is $17 in the Martini bar but $22 in Luminae. I pointed out the discrepancy today at lunch when I was told there was going to be a $5 up charge. The nickel and diming of the “elevated” wines is annoying. 
 

 

 

I'd go to the Martini bar on the way to dinner and get it, just to make a point.

[Georgia_Peaches]

47 minutes ago, Stem to Stern said:

Is this a nice wine?  
Irregardless the heart of the matter is you have already invested $5k in a 7-night cruise that includes premium drinks.

I’ll bet you had a Bourbon and Peaches instead. 😉

How much, pray tell, is Whispering Angel in Luminae?
This is one of my go to lunch wines.

Hydration is very important. 

I consider it an ok sauv blanc. It’s produced by the Wagner family (Caymus) and runs about $20 + or - a bottle back home. Certainly the up charge wont break the bank… the inconsistency is puzzling. 
 

Im now on a recon mission for Whispering Angel… stay tuned!

Edited June 2 by Georgia_Peaches

[markeb]

1 hour ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

I consider it an ok sauv blanc. It’s produced by the Wagner family (Caymus) and runs about $20 + or - a bottle back home. Certainly the up charge wont break the bank… the inconsistency is puzzling. 
 

Im now on a recon mission for Whispering Angel… stay tuned!

Whispering Angel is on the Luminae menu on Summit. Don’t know if they actually have it. $17. 

[jelayne]

2 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Emmolo Sauv Blanc is $17 in the Martini bar but $22 in Luminae. I pointed out the discrepancy today at lunch when I was told there was going to be a $5 up charge. The nickel and diming of the “elevated” wines is annoying. 
 

 

The price discrepancies are annoying, but on the bright side it looks like Montaudon is back❗️, or that is an old menu.  None on the Edge for the TP in April.

[SerraG]

4 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Im now on a recon mission for Whispering Angel… stay tuned!

It’s on the menu in Eden. $17

 

 

[cruisetonowhere10]

12 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

 

I think I understand what you are asking.  Due to congestion along the U shaped driveway in front of the terminal building, the Ride Share (Uber/Lyft) drivers are suppose to drop off passengers at an adjacent lot about a 7-10 minute walk from the terminal building.  If a ride share passenger is elderly, or has ADA needs, then the Uber/Lyft driver could drop the passengers along the drive area.

 

If you are worried about getting stuck in the congestion leading up to the driveway area in front of the terminal, then your best bet is to be dropped off at the RideShare lot and walk to the terminal building. 

 

The time of day you arrive is also a factor.  For Celebrity, the busiest times are between noon and 1:30 PM.  The Ovation tends to have an early morning rush, then a second one around 1 PM.  And, as always, it is best to have completely done your online check-in registration (credit card on file & emergency contact phone number listed).  Having that 100% completed, will get you thru the check-in process quicker.

Thank you.  That was exactly what I was looking for.

[cruisebeachgirl703]

10 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Emmolo Sauv Blanc is $17 in the Martini bar but $22 in Luminae. I pointed out the discrepancy today at lunch when I was told there was going to be a $5 up charge. The nickel and diming of the “elevated” wines is annoying. 
 

 

Following along. What was the result of pointing out the price discrepancy? (was it sommelier or waiter?)

[mickeysgal]

On 5/29/2024 at 8:02 PM, Georgia_Peaches said:

As mentioned earlier, we will be getting an exceptionally early start in the morning!  I am looking forward to trying Alaska Airlines as they are apparently known for the fantastic in-flight meals.  Ordering opened 2 weeks prior to departure and included a pretty nice menu.  

 

Our plane is a Boeing 737-900.  Unlike Delta, our go-to airline, Alaska is a BYOD airline which meant I had to round up an extra tablet for DH...fortunately, our millennials had one to spare.  I made the flight reservations through Flights by Celebrity and took advantage of not having to pay until final payment was due.  The fare for first class was cheaper than Delta, by a lot...but was the same price as what was listed in FBC...so no savings on fare...just a later payment date.  Once booked, Alaska Air allowed me to log into their site and immediately pick our seats.  I picked the first row, left side..as per usual.  Finally, another nice perk with Alaska Air is they have a lounge in Seattle and first class ticket holders traveling over 2000 miles on a domestic flight, gain complementary access.  As it happens, ATL is 2120 miles from Seattle!  This will be nice because we have a late flight back home.

 

We are staying at The Arctic Club Hotel.  A historic, boutique hotel not far from all the tourist attractions like the Space Needle and the fish market.  We were able to reserve using Capital One points and have secured a King room for the cost of the resort fee.  Not bad!  As we arrive in Seattle at 9:30 in the morning, I am hopeful they will have a place for us to store our luggage while we explore the city.

 

One of my points of interest that I am hoping to see is Whidbey Island...there are several ways to get there, including car rental, but I'm not sure how feasible the trip will be.  Although I am a southern gal, I was born on Whidbey Island (Oak Harbor) where my dad was stationed all those years ago.  It may be that I will just have to wave as we pass the island on Friday afternoon.  I am open to suggestions on places to visit!

 

 

The Arctic Club hotel! We’ve stayed there. Lovely, lovely boutique hotel! 

[Georgia_Peaches]

1 hour ago, cruisebeachgirl703 said:

Following along. What was the result of pointing out the price discrepancy? (was it sommelier or waiter?)

It was the sommelier. He poured me a glass and didn’t up charge it. 
 

[Georgia_Peaches]

 

I just lost all my commentary…🤦‍♀️. 
 

Pulling into Ketchikan now. 
 

More to follow 

 

 

 

Edited June 2 by Georgia_Peaches

[cruisebeachgirl703]

 

Following along. What was the result of pointing out the price discrepancy? (was it sommelier or waiter?)

It was the sommelier. He poured me a glass and didn’t up charge it. 

 

Thanks. (It wouldn't let me reply to post.) Good info. Glad you spoke up.

[hcat]

23 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

 

I just lost all my commentary…🤦‍♀️. 
 

Pulling into Ketchikan now. 
 

More to follow 

 

 

 

great photos.  Our friends will board ECLIPSE in Vancouver( I believe)..later today.  This port is on their itin.

[Georgia_Peaches]

Note to self… post in small chunks in case something goes haywire!

 

We gained an hour last night so it’s currently 6 AM. Ketchikan is simply charming with very light rain and temps in the 40’s. Today I’ll be wearing my rain gear!

 

Yesterday was fun!  We caught a Beyond the Podium lecture, a bar show, and met up in the Retreat lounge with friends we made from a previous cruise. 
 

Later we watched a show in the main theater.. the cruise director said it was standing O material… I guess like food, entertainment is subjective. We thought the show was fine. 

[Georgia_Peaches]

 Water aerobics in full swing… but not much going on outside. 

Edited June 2 by Georgia_Peaches

[Georgia_Peaches]

Lunch was in Luminae. I had the petit filet and DH had the salmon. I liked mine better. 

 

For dinner, we dined in Tuscan. We find the MDR menus to be more varied and the Luminae menu didn’t appeal. Additionally, the MDR’s ambience is much more pleasing to us because we don’t feel packed in like sardines. 
 

The food was good and the service was excellent!  I had the lamb t bone and DH had the fish. We tried the duck breast but I’m not a fan of the leathery texture. The apps of baked Brie and scallops in a cream sauce (not how it’s named on the menu) were my favorite. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

[Georgia_Peaches]

Two interesting things occurred yesterday:

 

1.  Deal or No deal cards went on sale in the casino and the line was very long and slow moving. I wasn’t in line but I was playing at a slot machine in the thick of the line. It was interesting to hear people’s complaints about various things…in this case, the very slow moving line. The game must be a lot of fun..not sure I would have waited in that line. At one point there was a brief, yet hostile exchange between 2 passengers regarding possible line cutting. It was quickly resolved but not before a few choice words were exchanged. Celebrity may want to reconsider how they go about selling the Deal/No Deal cards. 
 

2. Evening chic is very casual. Those of you who are struggling with how to pack all your Alaska stuff AND chic attire, rest assured there’s nothing to fret about as it seems most anything goes. 
 

But regarding chic night, the other interesting thing occurred in the theater in the reserved section for Retreat guests. We were seated just behind this area at the high top bar (great for quick exits) and witnessed a lady become irate bc she wasn’t allowed to sit in the reserved section. She was loud and quite vocal in expressing her disgust with all the “able bodied people in that area taking space away from a little old lady…”. We offered our seats but she declined. And if that wasn’t enough, the show was standing room only with crowds of people standing behind us…carrying on full conversations… during the show!  It ceased a bit when I turned around and flashed my teacher grade stink eye in their direction. People never cease to amaze me…

[39august]

Love the "teacher stink eye".  It usually does have an effect.  Former teacher here.