Celebrity Cruises Mercury Alaska Inside Passage Cruise
I sailed on the Celebrity Cruises Mercury Alaska Inside Passage Cruise 7 Nights Round Trip from Vancouver, BC. Date: July 13, 2007
Fri, Jul 13
Vancouver, British Columbia Depart 5:00 PM . We flew from JFK to SLC and then to Vancouver. There were long, long lines in customs -a t least 200 people ahead of us. Some people chose USA direct, where the cruise line takes you through, directly to the ship. In hindsight, if we had limited time to get to the ship, we should have chosen this method. It was glorious in Vancouver – nice and sunny, not too hot. We arrived at Canada Place by tai, waiting on a security line, US customs (we had only been in Canada about ½ hour, and then another line to check in. The whole procedure from getting off the plane and onto the Mercury took about 3 ½ hours!
Once onboard, an attendant took my carry
on and took us to our cabin, on the continental desk (bottom of the boat). The room, an outside cabin, was spacious, and well laid out. The bathroom, however, reeked of mold. We look around, thinking it was faulty caulking, but we could not see anything obvious. We thought of asking to change cabins since we had not yet unpacked. We instead asked at the guest relations desk to have our cabin thoroughly cleaned. While we were at dinner, it was doused with Clorox. It still reeked of mold.
I went to a cocktail party for a few minutes, and then went to the theater for a preview show. The 2 or 3 segment by the singers and dancers was good, much better than on the Millennium, so I have high hopes for the entertainment on other nights.
We had a wonderful table in the dinner room, directly in front of the Captain’s table.
Sat, Jul 14
Inside Passage (Cruising) Cruising
I woke up at 540 AM, to find out that breakfast did not start for quite some time, the pools don’t open to 8AM (I was hoping for an early morning lap before anyone could see me in my bathing suit). Instead, I walked the jogging track. 12 laps= 1 mile. There were many 20 or so people there, and the first whale of the trip was spotted on the side of the ship. A few minutes in the gym, and then breakfast, which was delicious and uncrowded at 730AM. I changed into my bathing suit, but the pool was too cold even for polar bears. I was the only one in the whirlpool. A few minutes freezing on deck afterward trying to read my book.
Seminar
lunch
tea
geography trivia.
Our first formal night. Waiter made recommendations, which were excellent.
Show was fabulous. Best I have seen on a cruise. Lots of Broadway tunes, and popular songs, done with dancing. Some of the moves were a bit awkward.
Sun, Jul 15 Juneau, Alaska Docked Arrive 1:00 PM Depart 10:00 PM
Track in the fog. What a wonderful sight when the mountains suddenly broke through the fog. Snow capped, pine tress, the works.
We sailed for several house glimpsing a glacier through a passage, and seeing small boats nearby. We reached Juneau, the capital on time and waiting for the announcement to disembark. Just outside the docking area are tour booths. We choose MGT who gave an AAA discount. I wanted just a transfer to the Glacier each way, but my husband choose a city tour as well. Funny commentary. We stopped at a beautiful log cabin church by the lake. Spectacular view. The vehicle was like an old city bus, but clean and comfortable. The weather was glorious. Everyone gasped with the first sight of the glacier. Awe inspiring!. Light blue, and massive. There are park rangers there to explain things. The visitors center costs more. We did not have time for it. The small gift shop charges no tax because it is a non profit. I bought some local wildflower seeds. It says they grow any where. We’ll see.
Our first real shopping opportunity in town found us carrying large bags of tee shirts, hats, and fleece vest back. We were too tired to eat in the main dining room, so we ate at the buffet (Italian), and then saw a movie in the cinema.
By the way, I was wearing layers, but in the brilliant sunshine, I required only a long sleeved cotton shirt and a hat.
http://www.traveljuneau.com/planner/attractions/results.cfm
Mon, Jul 16
Skagway, Alaska Docked Arrive 7:00 AM Depart 6:00 PM bus/train. We woke up to fog and rain. Really happy I bought the fleece in Juneau and had a poncho. The rain was rolling off the decks. The bonus was that we were so close to the shore on our Continental deck (lower level) cabin that we could see a sea otter frolicking on the shore just outside our cabin window.
Not much happening on board on a port day. The Jacuzzi and Thalassotheray pool were closed. I was a bit sorry that we had prebooked a trip independent of the trip (no refunds), because the weather was not conducive to a trip. I guess it was better than having booked a bike trip! The poring rain was lighter by lunchtime, when we boarding our train to the summit.
Booked Chilikoot Charters independent of the ship. http://www.chilkootcharters.com They picked us up at the dock and took us to the main station to board the White Pass. We had a private car just for our small group. We could move from right to left as the views changed. Lots of empty seats. The rain made the rivers and waterfalls very active. I can’t imagine how the gold miners ever survived life outside in this for months at a time! The bus ride back to town was uneventful. The town is colorful – both in the color of the buildings and the personalities of the eccentric locals. Since this excursion enters Canada, US and Canadian citizens must carry a passport or birth certificate with photo ID. Guests of other nationalities must bring their passport.
Tue, Jul 17
Hubbard Glacier (Cruising) Cruising Arrive 10:00 AM Depart 1:00 PM Arctic blue ice moaning and groaning. When you get to the glaciers, you’ll see calving (parts of the glaciers falling into the water) and can actually hear the glaciers move! We went right up to the face of the glacier, much closer than I ever thought we would.. The best view ( and the warmest) was from the treadmill in the gym- right at the front of the ship. We went outdoors as well to hear the naturalist on board do here commentary. There were seals nearby.. Later when exiting the bay, we was pairs of dolphins swimming towards the ship and jumping along the way.
Wed, Jul 18
Ketchikan, Alaska Tendered Arrive 1:00 PM Depart 8:30 PM You can also walk in the town on the well marked city walking trail. There are many totems in the town, in parts and elsewhere. The lumberjack show is good, not too hokey, or so we were told by some who attended. We chose to walk through the town and do a bit of shopping. There are good shops for buying native crafts here as well.
The weather was fabulous again. Some of the local kids were spending their afternoon jumping from the bridge into the – cold – water. In the same area, fisherman were catching large fish. Formal evening again. Good entertainment, too. http://www.visit-ketchikan.com/ThingstoDo/ToursandActivities/tabid/99/Default.aspx
Thu, Jul 19
Inside Passage (Cruising) Cruising. So many activities on board that it was hard to choose – a film, a cocktail party, talks and lectures, and more.
Fri, Jul 20
Vancouver, British Columbia Arrive 7:00 AM
Tips – the best tip I can give is to do as many of the activities as you can on the ship and at ports of call. Some people spend most of the cruise relaxing in their cabins or sitting pool side. Well, they can do that anywhere….
Each night you’ll be given a schedule for the next day’s activities. Pick out a couple of things and be sure to attend. Don’t miss the nightly entertainment—most of the shows are quite good. Get there early for the best seating.
When you’re in Glacier Bay, be sure to be outside on the front deck for most of it. Dress
warmly—even if it’s a nice day, while the ship is still moving you can feel quite chilly. You have a good opportunity to see wildlife (bears, eagles, etc.), so bring your binoculars and camera. When you get to the glaciers, you’ll see calving (parts of the glaciers falling into the water) and can actually HEAR the glaciers move!
What to bring: Layers – everything from shorts and tee shirts to long sleeved shifts and a fleece. If you forget something warm, you can always buy something there. My husband a I both bought winter jackets really cheaply. -available in all sizes and colors Before we boarded the ship in Vancouver, we had gotten these free coupon books at the port. They proved to be a great benefit – free gifts in most stores we would have gone to anyway – everything from Alaska hats to souvenir mugs and tee shirts with a purchase.
The Mercury is a mid sized ship, much more to my liking than the mammoth Millennium that I sailed on in May through the Mediterranean. No long lines anywhere. The staff were excellent, the cabins a good comfortable size, and the entertainment good and activities very varied. It lived up to Celebrity’s 4 star reputation.
Ellen McNulty is President of www.lynotttours.com Visit our sister sites: www.cruisetourplanners.com
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