Nice first cruise
Celebrity Solstice Cruise Review to Alaska - Inside Passage
7 Night Alaska Tracy Arm Fjord (Seattle Roundtrip)
Sail date: June 17, 2016
Ship: Celebrity Solstice
Cabin type: Balcony
Cabin number: 8255
Traveled as: Family (older children)
Reviewed: 8 years ago
Review summary
This was our first cruise, and we did not know what to expect. The ship itself was great, just the right size for beginners with really polite and attentive crew.
We had a veranda cabin on Deck 8, and our cabin was adequate for 3 of us. It was not huge, but well appointed with lots of storage. The bed was comfortable, and everything was kept very clean. The carpet was a bit worn, but who cares when you are in Alaska. Loved our cabin attendants.
The food was ok, but nothing super to write home about. We had 5 dinners in Grand Epernay, tried Tuscan Grill once, and Ocean View once for dinner. We had most of our breakfasts and lunches in Ocean View too. The food quality was good, with a lot of variety to choose from, but the taste was hit and miss. Some dishes were too salty, but most dishes were too bland. Most desserts had great eye appeal, yet lacked taste - which was really disappointing.
Service was a bit slow in the MDR. A lunch should not last 2 hrs. And finding seating during peak times was a bit painful in Ocean View. Room service for breakfast was convenient on shore days.
Beverage package was very handy too. Bottled water to take to our cabin and on shore was much appreciated. Wine selection during dinner was ok, but cocktails had only a trace amount of alcohol in them.
We took few excursions with the cruise line to utilize our on board credit. Maybe we did not pick the right ones, but we were not too impressed, especially in Ketchikan. Our guide kept pointing out things like the library or bank in the " highlights" tour. Nothing substantial about the town was mentioned, which was dissapointing. And in Juneau for Mt. Roberts Tramway: the tram up runs until 9 pm, but everything other than the gift shop closes about 6:30 pm. We had saved that for the last, which turned out to be another disappointment to go up there and find stuff closed. I wish that it was mentioned on the tickets.
The highlight of our trip were the wonderful Nature Talks given by Brent Nixon. Very educating, entertaining and thought provoking.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Onboard Activities
Entertainment
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
Ship tip
If there are 3 or more people in your party, during peak times find a table first, and take turns getting your food. We have seen masses of people circulating around with plates in their hands. Especially during peak lunch hours it takes some time to find seating.
Ports of call
Cruise Tracy Arm Fjord, Alaska