celebrity eclipse alaska cruise itinerary

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Celebrity Eclipse

Cruise line Celebrity Cruises

• Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades, Florida)
• Cape Liberty Bayonne (New Jersey)
• Amsterdam (Netherlands North Holland)
• Buenos Aires (Argentina)

Celebrity Eclipse current position

Celebrity Eclipse current location is at South America East Coast (coordinates -11.85217 S / -37.08079 W) cruising at speed of 17.8 kn (33 km/h | 20 mph) en route to Bridgetown. The AIS position was reported 59 minutes ago.

Current itinerary of Celebrity Eclipse

Celebrity Eclipse current cruise is 14 days, one-way from Rio de Janeiro to New York . Prices start from USD 586 (double occupancy rates). The itinerary starts on 27 Apr, 2024 and ends on 11 May, 2024 .

Specifications of Celebrity Eclipse

•   Itineraries
•   Review
•   Wiki

Celebrity Eclipse Itineraries

Celebrity eclipse review, review of celebrity eclipse.

The 2010-built Celebrity Eclipse cruise ship is the 3rd of the Solstice-class Celebrity Cruise boats, together with Equinox , Silhouette , Solstice , Reflection . Celebrity Cruises Eclipse ship was scheduled for "Celebrity Revolution" drydock refurbishment on April 1, 2020.

The vessel (IMO number 9404314) is currently Malta- flagged (MMSI 249666000) and registered in Valletta .

History - construction and ownership

Celebrity Cruises was founded in 1988 as the Greece-based Chandris Line (cruise shipping operations between 1974-1996). In 1997, Royal Caribbean International (RCI) merged with "Celebrity Cruises Ltd" to become "Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd" (RCCL). The "X" on ship funnels is the Greek letter chi (standing for "Chandris"). Common features of Celebrity Cruises ships include aft located glass-walled dining rooms, signature alternate dining venues, bars and lounges, spacious Atrium lobby areas, a large number of balcony staterooms, large sundecks with swimming pools, The Retreat (adults-only sundeck with full-size swimming pool, Jacuzzi, cabanas, poolside full bar service). Rooftop Terrace (top-deck outdoor lounge-restaurant-cinema), large Spa (with Thermal Suites), premium retail shops selling top-brand merchandise.

The 2900-passenger ship Celebrity Eclipse is the 3rd Solstice-class vessel, preceded by Celebrity Equinox and Celebrity Solstice, considered to be the most environment-friendly in the world, with a photovoltaic system, optimized hull design, efficient lighting system, and hull coatings - innovations, which save 30% more energy. Celebrity Eclipse went into dry dock in April 2015 and came out in May with new features: the Cellar Masters wine bar became the Gastrobar, serving 40 and even more craft beers. Passengers are now able to order drink and food on iPads. A frozen drink bar, the Slush, was added to the pool area. The American-style casino became more British with twelve British-themed slot machines. Eclipse also boasts a private photo studio.

Decks and Cabins

Celebrity Eclipse staterooms (1425 total, in 30 grades) include 66x Suites, 1145 Balconies, 70x Oceanviews, 140x Inside cabins. Most staterooms are sized 195 ft2 / 18 m2. Around 85% of all passenger accommodations have a private step-out balcony. Most balconies are sized 55 ft2 / 5 m2. Wheelchair-accessible cabins are 30. The largest are the Penthouse Suites (1290 ft2 / 120 m2 with terrace sized 390 ft2 / 36 m2).

The boat has 15 decks , of which 14 are passenger-accessible and 8 with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

There are various restaurants to choose from. The multiple dining events include the Moonlight Sonata (MDR), BLU (offering exclusive dining to guests in Aqua Class), Cafe al Bacio, Oceanview Cafe, Mast Grill, the Continental, Murano and Tuscan Grille. The Qsine, a new specialty dining venue, was also introduced on Celebrity Eclipse. It offers remarkable and famous dishes from around the world.

Follows the complete list of Celebrity Eclipse restaurants and food bars.

• Murano (78-seats specialty restaurant, reservations only; with French cuisine, Five Senses tasting menu, Champagne High Tea Time; with Demonstration Kitchen for live cooking shows; also features the Wine Cellar annex)
• Moonlight Sonata Restaurant (1,402-seat aft Dining Room, with open seating Breakfast 8:00-9:30 a.m., Lunch 12:00-1:30 p.m., Afternoon Tea 4:00-5:00 p.m., and two fixed Dinner seatings - at 6 pm and 8:30 pm or My Time Dining)
• Bistro on Five (68-seat creperie all-you-can-eat restaurant; offers lunch and dinner with table-side service)
• Qsine (72-seat dinner only specialty restaurant, reservations recommended, open 6:00 - 10:00 p.m.)
• Blu (130-seat AquaClass passengers only restaurant, reservations required; also serves Suite guests upon availability)
• AquaSpa Cafe (48-seat complimentary Solarium and Spa bar, self-service; offers healthy food choices for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner)
• Oceanview Cafe & Bar (768-seat indoor/outdoor self-service buffet restaurant, complimentary; open between 6:30 a.m. - 1:00 a.m. for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner, with a variety of food stations)
• Tuscan Grille (130-seat specialty seafood/steakhouse restaurant; reservations-only)
• Mast Bar (alfresco burger bar, poolside; offers complimentary lunch).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Celebrity Eclipse hosts the Celebrity iLounge, a hip, modern Internet cafe providing passengers with Internet connectivity, inspiring classes, and new tech gadgets. Fresh green grass on the top deck's Lawn Club and fantastic pampering services in AquaSpa will make you love the ship forever. The Solarium and AquaSpa form an adults-only area for relaxation. The Lawn Club sundeck, with its real grass, cut every day, is where activities, such as giant Jenga, boules and mini-golfing, are held. Live music is available at almost all hours of the day and well into the evening, and the stage shows are unforgettable. Bars are good and are designed for any taste. For example, the Molecular Bar has very good cocktails.

Follows the complete list of Celebrity Eclipse lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• Eclipse Theatre (1,115-seat show lounge for grand musical and show productions; hosts daily trivia games, bingo, classes, movies)
• Eclipse Atrium “Grand Foyer” (3-deck open floor area with live music entertainment); Boulevard Shops (seven Atrium duty-free shops and boutiques); Galleria Boutiques (ten duty-free shops); Sun & Sea Shop; The Lawn Club Shop
• Passport Bar (Atrium Lobby Bar with live entertainment)
• The Entertainment Court (live performances, dance parties)
• Quasar Disco & Nightclub
• Celebrity Central (200-seat show lounge for movies, musical performances, comedy shows; also hosts classes and games)
• Michael’s Club (piano bar); Martini Bar; Crush Bar (with a 12-seat table filled with ice cubes in the middle); Galleria Tastings (food and wine tastings, fashion shows, art auctions); Molecular Bar; Ensemble Lounge
• Photo Gallery & Shop
• Eclipse Fortunes Casino
• Celebrity iLounge (24-hour Internet computers room; sells Apple computers; classes available)
• Team Earth (eco-awareness club)
• Game On (Card Room)
• Relaxation Lounge
• Sky Observation Lounge & Nightclub
• Cafe Al Bacio & Gelateria (54-seat a la carte specialty coffee, patisserie, ice cream; with the Gelateria - Italian Gelato ice cream bar)
• Cellar Masters (24-hour Wine Bar; features an Enomatic wine tasting system; provides Sommelier consultations in the evenings)
• Art Gallery; Library
• Acupuncture at Sea; Elmis Shop (Spa products); Aquaspa & Fitness complex with Persian Garden (Thermal Suite - rain shower, steam room, sauna, heated loungers), Therapy and Treatment Rooms, Hair & Beauty Salon, Solarium (adults area) and Aquaspa Cafe (spa bar)
• Fitness Center (with separate Aerobics area)
• Solarium Pool area (with adults-only Thalassotherapy Pool and seawater lap pool; 2 Whirlpools)
• Pool Bar; Sports Pool;
• Family Pool;
• Wet Zone (kids & teens water play area)
• The Hot Glass Show (live glass-blowing show; “The Corning Museum of Glass”)
• Sunset Bar (alfresco bar, selling fine cigars)
• Patio on the Lawn (relaxation area); The Lawn Club (real green grass relaxation area)
• Kids clubs by age (Fun Factory 3-11 yo, Shipmates 3-5 yo, Cadets 6-8 yo, Ensigns 9-11 yo, with supervised age-appropriate activities, like arts-crafts, themed parties, games, movies, toys, interactive games, scavenger hunts)
• X-Club (teen-only disco and lounge area); Video Games Arcade
• Tennis Tables, Shuffleboard; Power Walking/Jogging Track; Multi-sports outdoor court; 3-hole Mini Golf putting, Lawn Bowling, Bocce, Croquet; Sun Deck area.

In 2023, Celebrity introduced pickleball playing (at the sports courts) fleetwide. The sports facilities are complimentary, including the pickleball equipment (net, paddles, balls) but operated with separate scheduled playing times for adults and families (with kids older than 6).

Pickleball Court's locations vary by ship class - on EDGE ships is at the Rooftop Garden (Deck 15), on SOLSTICE ships is on the Sports Deck (Deck 15), on MILLENNIUM ships - at the Multi-Sports Court (Deck 12).

Itineraries

Celebrity Eclipse itinerary program is based on Southern Caribbean cruises with departures from Miami Florida . Eclipse also operates in Europe on the Canary Islands and Baltic Sea sailings from Southampton , with Transatlantic repositioning crossings.

Celebrity Cruises Eclipse ship was the first large liner homeported in Dublin Ireland . The roundtrip program (May through June 2018) started on April 29 with a 10-day inaugural cruise to ports in Ireland and Iceland (Belfast, Reykjavik, Akureyri, Lerwick / Shetland Island, Cobh-Cork). Also from Dublin were visited Norwegian Fjords - 8-day itinerary to Bergen, Skjolden, Geiranger, Alesund, and Lerwick).

Due to the Coronavirus crisis, the Celebrity ship Eclipse was paused for 2+ years (March 2020 thru April 2022), restarting operations on April 26, 2022 (11-day Hawaii from Vancouver to Honolulu). The boat's inaugural Australia and New Zealand season was rescheduled from 2021-Q1 (ending on April 4th) to winter 2022-2023 (October-April). Between September 2022 and April 2023, Eclipse is homeported in Sydney NSW and Auckland NZ for 5- to 13-night itineraries themed as "Five Star Getaways, "Sun and Beach Escapes", "Food and Wine Classics". Season 2022 featured longer port stays (8 pm departures from Melbourne, Brisbane QLD, Lyttelton-Christchurch NZ, Papeete Tahiti, Lahaina Maui Hawaii), maiden for the fleet port ( Port Arthur Tasmania ), South Pacific Islands hoppers, seasonal Transpacific ship relocation itineraries (RepositionCruises.com) between Hawaii and Australia (Honolulu-Sydney).

Celebrity Eclipse is deployed in South America for 4 months (December 2023 thru April 2024) visiting a total of 16 destinations and offering a 14-night "Antarctica" and a 12-night "Argentina & Patagonia" itineraries. Call ports include Valparaiso-Santiago (Chile) ,  Buenos Aires (Argentina) ,  Montevideo (Uruguay) ,  Antarctic Peninsula . Signature land tours offer visits to Chile's Osorno Volcano (from  Puerto Montt ), Argentina’s Playa El Doradillo (from  Puerto Madryn ), as well as Peru's Cusco and Machu Picchu (from Callao ) during the 16-night repositioning voyage from the USA (Los Angeles) to Chile which includes 2 overnights in  Callao-Lima (Peru) .

Celebrity Eclipse - user reviews and comments

Photos of celebrity eclipse.

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Other Celebrity Cruises cruise ships

• Celebrity Apex
• Celebrity Ascent
• Celebrity Beyond
• Celebrity Constellation
• Celebrity Edge
• Celebrity Equinox
• Celebrity Flora
• Celebrity Infinity
• Celebrity Millennium
• Celebrity Reflection
• Celebrity Silhouette
• Celebrity Solstice
• Celebrity Summit
• Celebrity Xcel
• Celebrity Xpedition
• Celebrity Xploration

Celebrity Eclipse Wiki

Celebrity Cruises Eclipse ship was launched on February 28, 2010. The liner belongs to the company's Solstice-class vessels, with sisterships Equinox , Reflection , Silhouette , Solstice . Eclipse was built by Meyer Werft at Papenburg Shipyard (Germany) .

As newbuilds , Solstice-class liners were among the most environment-friendly marine vessels ever constructed. The Eclipse ship has an efficient hull design coated with light-emitting diodes and an innovative photovoltaic system. This way, the boat's energy-saving increases ~30% compared to a similar-class passenger vessel. Solstice-class also featured the fleet's first new cabin types and categories (ConciergeClass, AquaClass). Around 85% of all passenger staterooms have private step-out balconies.

The ship's namesakes are the two Scenic Yacht Cruises' superyachts Scenic Eclipse (2019) and Scenic Eclipse II (2023).

Traveling Canucks

Canada Family Travel Blog

Everything you need to know about an Alaska cruise on Celebrity Eclipse

01/29/2024 By Traveling Canucks 37 Comments Categories: Alaska British Columbia North America Travel Stories Travel Tips Trip Ideas United States

Alaska cruise on the Celebrity Eclipse cruise ship

There’s a lot to consider when booking an Alaska cruise vacation. The cruise ship you choose can make or break your experience, so it’s wise to do your research. We had trouble finding content about the Celebrity Eclipse cruise ship, so this post will address the questions we had prior to booking. 

This cruise departs from Vancouver and sails north to the magnificent Hubbard Glacier in Alaska (pictured above), the largest tidewater glacier in North America. It’s a 7 night Alaska cruise that includes visits to Icy Strait Point , Juneau and Ketchikan before returning to Vancouver . 

This is a very long blog post with lots of photos from our time aboard the Celebrity Eclipse cruise ship. Use the table of contents below to skip ahead to a specific topic of interest.

• Watch our video about the Celebrity Eclipse here . 

Before we get started, we feel it’s important to let you know that we did NOT work with Celebrity Cruises and we did NOT receive any perks or compensation. Not even free wifi. 

Alaska Cruise on the Celebrity Eclipse

Table of Contents

Celebrity Eclipse Veranda Stateroom 

Before we take you a tour of the Celebrity Eclipse, let’s begin with an overview of our veranda stateroom. Veranda means covered balcony (I did not know this prior to booking). Our stateroom was located on the 6th floor of the ship, starboard side near the stern.

The room number is 6242, in case you’re researching the Celebrity Eclipse deck plan . 

The balcony stateroom is cozy and comfortable. It comes with a queen sized bed and a couch that converts to a single bed. The couch in the stateroom has a trundle bed underneath. Scroll down to see photos.

Some staterooms have a bunk bed set-up, where the top bunk folds up during the day. We prefer the trundle bed over the bunk bed system. We were nervous about our boys falling from the top bunk if the ship ran into a big swell. The trundle bed works well for us.

Bathroom in the veranda stateroom is quite spacious.

We’ve been on a few cruise ships and this bathroom is the biggest. The shower is quite large and roomy. Hot water is always available. Standard toiletries are included and replenished every day (soap, shampoo and lotion). A hair dryer is also included in the bathroom.

Staterooms have a mini-fridge.

The mini fridge is stocked with typical mini-bar items, like beer, spirits and soda. These items have an additional charge that is automatically added to your stateroom bill. 

It’s nice having a mini-fridge in the room. Our youngest boy has a dairy allergy, so we bring rice milk and vegan butter when we travel. 

Housekeeping service happens twice per day.

Rooms are cleaned and replenished in the morning, typically when you go for breakfast. And again in the evening, typically when you’re at dinner.

If you have special requirements, let your housekeeper know on your first day. They can’t help you if they don’t know what you need.

The television in your stateroom is interactive.

You can view room charges and order room service directly on the television. It also has on-demand movies and shows which is a nice feature. We’ve been on cruises where the television channels are not available while at sea, which doesn’t really help. In the evenings, our boys would watch a movie while we sat on the balcony with a glass of wine. It’s a nice way to end the day.

See video footage from our stateroom here . 

We stayed in room 6242. We circled the room in red on the deck plan image above.

Bathroom in the veranda stateroom on the Celebrity Eclipse cruise ship.

Travel tips for Alaska Cruise vacation

• Bring a multi-plug USB charger. The room only has a few power outlets, including a European outlet, but no USB ports. We always bring this wall charger because we have several devices that need charging at the same time. 
• You can bring wine with you. Guests are allowed to bring 2 bottles of wine per stateroom. We packed one bottle of wine in our carry on bag. You have to claim this after you pass through security. 
• Don’t double tip – check your bill before signing. Gratuities are often automatically added to your bill when purchasing alcohol. Don’t tip twice! Look at your bill and ask the bartender if gratuities are built into the price. 
• Ask for the high quality bathrobes. Staterooms come with two bathrobes that are small and thin. Ask your housekeeper for the better quality robes. You’ll be glad you did because they are much softer and warmer. They are ideal for walking to and from the pools. Remember, you’re in Alaska, not the Caribbean.
• Room service is available – use it! Staterooms do NOT come with coffee or tea. If you like coffee or tea in the morning, and you don’t want to wander around the ship before your morning shower, take advantage of this included service. 
• Use packing cubes for your clothes.  If you’re not already using packing cubes , we highly recommend. Especially if you’re traveling with kids. We use these packing cubes – see photo above. They keep your clothes organized and store easily in overhead compartments.
• Bring clothes that do not wrinkle easily. Staterooms do NOT come with an iron or ironing board. 
• Don’t forget to switch your cellphone to airplane mode. The ship will cross international boundaries while at sea. Prevent unexpected data roaming charges by switching your phone to airplane mode. 

Is it worth getting the balcony on a cruise?

Yes. The balcony on a cruise ship is a must, in our opinion. It’s nice to have the additional space and fresh air, especially when sharing a room with two young boys. 

We enjoy spending our mornings on the private balcony. Watching the beautiful landscapes pass by while breathing the fresh sea breeze is a highlight from our Alaska cruise.

There’s a high probability you will see whales and dolphins on an Alaskan cruise. We witnessed at least a dozen whales and dolphins from our stateroom veranda. Scroll down to see some of the photos.

Before having kids, we went on a cruise and stayed in an inside cabin with no window or balcony. While we did save money on the room (inside cabins are less expensive), it was not ideal. I cannot imagine sharing an inside stateroom with kids. It would feel far too claustrophobic for my liking.

In the evening, the trundle bed is pulled out from under the couch. Each boy has their own single bed. 

Watch our Alaska Cruise video tour of Celebrity Eclipse here . 

Obstructed views in Celebrity Eclipse Cabins

Our veranda stateroom is classified as having an obstructed view. We paid less for this room, so we were concerned about how much of our view would actually be obstructed. Sometimes cruise lines will call these rooms with restricted views.

We did not mind the obstructed views from our stateroom on the Celebrity Eclipse.

I can see why Celebrity Cruises reduces the cost for these staterooms. You do have a bright orange safety boat in front of your room, which is a bit of an eye sore.

However, we were able to clearly see the passing landscapes. Most of our time on the cabin balcony was spent either reading or leaning on the railings, watching the scenery. When you stand up and lean on the railings, you no longer have the orange safety boats in view.

As you can see in the above photo, the obstructed views on our balcony is limited. We could clearly see the Hubbard Glacier from our balcony. However, the top of the safety boats is visible. 

Search for the best Celebrity Cruises deals here . 

The above photo was taken from our balcony. This is room 6242 on the 6th floor.

Is there room service on the cruise ship?

Yes. Room service on the cruise is included.

Staterooms on the Celebrity Eclipse do not come with individual coffee makers or kettles. Because of this, you cannot make coffee or tea in your stateroom. This is common on most cruise ships.

We like to have lazy mornings and let our boys sleep in when we’re on vacation. They typically stay up later, so we prefer to take it slow and let the morning dictate our pace. Because of this, we order room service every morning while on a cruise.

Room service is complimentary on the Celebrity Eclipse from 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Room service is available 24 hours a day, however late night room service has an additional charge.

No tipping or gratuities are required at the time of ordering or receiving your room service. However, if you’d like to leave a tip, you can either give a cash tip or add gratuity to room service staff. You do not need to sign anything when the food arrives. It’s a very easy process. 

There are 3 ways to order room service on the Celebrity Eclipse:

• order items directly on the interactive television in your stateroom
• complete the room service card that is in your room and hang it on your door before you go to sleep
• call room service from your stateroom

Every morning we ordered a large pot of coffee (see photo above), orange juice, fresh pastries, cereal for our boys (Frosted Flakes, Special K and Corn Flakes), bacon and scrambled eggs, fresh fruit and milk. Almond milk is also available, which was great for us because our youngest boy has a dairy allergy. 

The time of delivery varies. However, our order typically arrived at 7:30 AM.

Amenities on Celebrity Eclipse

The Celebrity Eclipse cruise ship has a lot of amenities and activities to keep guests entertained while at sea. The ship has multiple outdoor pools, an adult only pool, hot tubs, spa, fitness center, arcade, teen club, kids club, outdoor basketball court, bars and lounges, grand theatre, retail shops, casino and a grass lawn on the rooftop observation deck. 

Public areas on the main decks of Celebrity Eclipse:

• Deck 3 – Moonlight Sonata Restaurant, Passport Bar, Eclipse Theatre, Grand Foyer, and Luminae.
• Main Deck 4 – Moonlight Sonata Restaurant (upper section), Cellar Masters, Quasar (Night Club), Fortunes Casino, Martini Bar & Crush, Eclipse Theatre, and Shops on the Boulevard.
• Main Deck 5 – Specialty restaurants – Blu, Murano, Tuscan Grille, Le Petit Chef at Qsine, Sushi on Five, Café al Bacio and Gelateria, as well as Ensemble Lounge, Michael’s Club, Art Gallery and Eclipse Theatre (upper section).
• Deck 12 – Outdoor pools and hot tubs, Canyon Ranch Spa, Canyon Ranch Fitness, Spa Café, Persian Garden and Solarium.
• Deck 14 – Sky Observation Lounge, Mast Grill, Oceanview Café, and Pool & Mast Bars.
• Outdoor / Deck 15 – Fun Factory (kids club), XClub (teenagers club), ShipMates (children aged 3 to 5), The Lawn Club, Hot Glass Class, Sunset Bar, and Outdoor basketball court.

See the Celebrity Eclipse Deck Plan here .

Our boys enjoy playing soccer and basketball on the outdoor court on deck 15

The above photo gives you an idea of the different levels on the cruise ship. Glass elevators offer views of each floor as it travels up and down the ship. It’s amazing how big this ship is. 

This is the Eclipse Sky Lounge. We enjoyed this space and spent a lot of time here.

Hot tubs and pools on the Celebrity Eclipse

In total, the Celebrity Eclipse has six hot tubs and three pools.

The outdoor section, pictured below, has two outdoor pools and four hot tubs. The cruise ship also has an enclosed section with a large pool and two additional hot tubs (pictured above). This area is for adults only, but families are allowed to use it between 4:00 to 6:00 PM each day. 

The pools use fresh water, not salt water. We’ve been on cruise ships that use salt water in the pools, which was a shock to the system the first time you jump in. 

Towels are provided at each pool, so you don’t need to pack a towel. Do not use the towels provided in your stateroom for the pool. 

See the Celebrity Eclipse pools and hot tubs here . 

Outdoor hot tubs and pools on Celebrity Eclipse 

The outdoor pools on Celebrity Eclipse are mostly used by kids. Most adults, including ourselves, prefer to use the outdoor hot tubs instead. 

When the ship is at sea, the outdoor hot tubs are very busy. During peak hours, some hot tubs have up to 12 people in them.

There are plenty of lounger chairs available at the pools. Even though we had great weather on our Alaska cruise, it’s still a little chilly outside. Because of this, the outdoor spaces are mostly empty. It’s breezy when the ship is out at sea, so the pool is not the main attraction, like on Caribbean cruises. 

The above photo was taken in the morning, which is why the pools and loungers are empty. 

If you time it right, you can get the outdoor hot tub all to yourself. Braydon approves. 

The outdoor pools are quite refreshing . That’s my positive spin on the pools being very cold.  

The hot tubs are a nice temperature for kids. Not too hot.

Life jackets are available at the pools

The ship provides life jackets for people who cannot swim. This is a nice feature. We wish we had known this prior to boarding the cruise ship because our youngest boy, Connor, is still learning to swim.

We bring his life jacket vest so he can enjoy the pool. However, it’s bulky and takes up a lot of room in our luggage. Knowing that the ship provides life jackets, we would have left his life jacket at home.

Adult only pool on Celebrity Eclipse

The ship has an enclosed pool and lounge area, which is a nice feature for an Alaskan cruise. Even in the summer, Alaska weather is cool and it rains often. Having an indoor space that is heated and protected from the rain is very nice. We spent time in this Solarium every day. 

Although this space is Adults Only for most of the day, families are allowed to use the pool between 4:00 and 6:00 PM. This is the biggest and nicest pool on the cruise ship, so our boys enjoyed swimming here. 

That said, it’s not advertised that family time is between 4:00-6:00 PM each day.

Therefore, we still got a few stink eyes from uninformed guests who thought we were breaking the rules. It would be nice for staff to inform guests with signage, so that families don’t feel awkward. 

Watch our video tour of the Celebrity Eclipse here . 

Pool inside the Solarium on the Celebrity Eclipse.

Our boys enjoyed the family swim time in the Solarium.

Outdoor seating on the Alaska cruise 

The Eclipse has a lot of outdoor seating for guests to enjoy the passing landscapes. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot a few humpback whales breaching in the distance.

It can get chilly and windy on the upper decks, especially in the evenings. It’s best to bring sweaters and jackets with you. Blankets are also provided.

Many of the outdoor seating areas have glass walls to protect you from the wind. 

Views of the upper deck on the cruise ship. This was captured when the ship passed through the Inside Passage on the way to Juneau, Alaska.

Comfortable chairs on a lower deck. The city in the backdrop is Ketchikan, Alaska . 

Outdoor grass field on the cruise ship

One of the unique features on the Celebrity Eclipse is the grass field on the 15th floor observation deck. They call it the Lawn Club . Our boys loved running and rolling on this well groomed grass field.

Guests are provided complimentary bocce balls to play on the grass field. It’s not every day you get to play bocce ball on top of a cruise ship while it sails between icebergs and fjords. 

Notice what we are wearing in the above photo. Even though we took this Alaska cruise in the middle of August, it can get cold on the outdoor decks. Pack accordingly.

The grass field is also a great place to witness humpback whales breaching.

Fortune Casino on the Celebrity Eclipse

Like most mega-cruise ships, the Celerity Eclipse has a full casino. Fortunes Casino has all of the standard games and tables one would expect, including craps, roulette, blackjack, poker and a lot of loud, bright slot machines. 

We’re not big gamblers but we did play some roulette one evening. It only took us about 20 minutes to burn through our $50 budget.

The house always wins when we play!

Fortunes Casino hours of operation will vary. Generally, casinos open when the cruise ship enters international waters. The casino closes when the cruise ship is in port. 

For Alaska cruises, the age limit to play in the casino is 21+ years old. Kids are not allowed in the casino but it’s fine to walk through the casino. You are not allowed to play games with kids sitting beside you.

Read the Celebrity Cruises Casino FAQ’s page here .

Eclipse Theater and entertainment

Every evening there is live entertainment and performances on the cruise ship. These shows are included, so you do not need to pay extra to attend.

Performances are different each night. Acts range from acrobats to comedians to magicians.

Shows are about an hour long. There are two shows each night. The first one typically starts around 7:00 PM, for guests who are dining at the early seating. The later show typically starts around 9:00 PM.

Seating is on a first come, first serve basis. The Eclipse Theatre is three stories tall, so it’s quite big and there are plenty of seats available. That said, some shows were completely full, so it’s best to arrive 15 minutes before showtime. 

It’s recommended that guests follow the Smart Casual or Evening Chic dress code in the Eclipse Theater for evening performances.

Read the Celebrity cruise ship dress code here .

Live acrobat performance at Eclipse Theatre. 

Celebrity Eclipse Restaurants

There are several restaurants on the Celebrity Eclipse. The main dining area, pictured above, is the Moonlight Sonata Restaurant . It’s a two floor restaurant located on floors 3 and 4. We dined at the Moonlight Sonata every evening and found the food, service and atmosphere quite enjoyable. 

Options for the main dining room are ‘Open Seating’ or ‘Set Seating’. 

The upper section is for guests who have Open Seating (It may also be called ‘Select Dining’). The lower section is for guests who have Set Seating. There are two set dining times – 6:00 PM and 8:30 PM.

The seating times coincide with the nightly entertainment in the Eclipse Theatre. If you dine at 6:00 PM you can watch the 9:00 PM show. If you dine at 8:30 PM you can watch the 7:00 PM show before going to the dining room.

We chose the flexible ‘Open Seating’ option.

This meant we could arrive at the restaurant at any time. With kids, it’s sometimes difficult to make a set time, so we preferred to have the flexible option. 

The downside to Open Seating is that it’s first come, first serve. So, you may have to wait a while to get a table. To avoid long wait times, you can make a reservation each day by calling the maître d. 

We arrived at the restaurant around 6:30 PM each night. We rarely waited more then 10 minutes. In fact, most times we were seated right away. However, when we left the restaurant, at around 8:00 PM, there was always a long line. It’s a gamble. 

The advantage to Set Seating is that you don’t have to wait for your table. You’re seated right away and you get the same table and same wait staff each night. This gives you familiarity with your dining experience.

You may be required to chose your seating option when you book your Alaska cruise. 

Menu at the Main Dining Restaurant

The menu for the main dining restaurant rotates every day. However, there are a few items that remain consistent – see the timeless entrees on the sample menu above.

The menu has gluten free, vegetarian, no sugar added, and lactose free options. 

Dining on the cruise ship is all inclusive, except for alcoholic beverages.

This means you can order whatever you want off the menu. Typically you would order one appetizer, entree and desert.

However, if you’re having a hard time deciding, you can order multiple items. We typically ordered 2 or 3 appetizers each at dinner. And, if you’re feeling bold, you can also order multiple entrees. 

Scroll down to see photos of the food served in the main dining room. As you’ll see, the restaurant has a wide variety of cuisine, ranging from grilled salmon to prime rib to lobster, and everything in between. 

We were impressed with the food in the main restaurant. It’s not easy serving hundreds of people at the same the time, yet the food was consistently good.

Guests can also visit the main dining restaurant for breakfast and lunch.

Fun facts about Celebrity Cruises 

Below are some stats from a typical 7 day cruise:

• Pounds of beef = 25,545
• Pounds of chicken = 10,242
• Liters of milk = 96,540
• Fresh eggs = 15,200
• Pounds of fish = 22,652
• Pounds of fresh vegetables = 58,659
• Bottles of wine = 18,450
• Liters of beer = 35,000
• Chefs, Cooks and Cleaning staff = 250+ people
• Total Staff working in Dining and Food = 600+ people
• Average number of dishes served PER DAY = 16,000

We went on a kitchen tour of the Moonlight Sonata Restaurant and witnessed the well oiled machine that delivers over 2,800 meals between 6:00 PM and 10:00 PM EVERY evening.

Think about that for a moment. 2,800 meals in 4 hours! 

Sample menu of the starters. The menu changes every day, except the Timeless Starters .

Moonlight Sonata Restaurant

We took food photos of the dishes we ate at Moonlight Sonata Restaurant. As you can see, the restaurant offers a variety of appetizers, entrees and desserts.

We are impressed by the selection and quality of the food on this cruise ship. It exceeded our expectations.

Unfortunately, we did not take a photo of the menu each day, so I don’t have the formal names and ingredients of each of these dishes. I’ll let the photos do the talking.

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Watch the video tour of the Celebrity Eclipse cruise ship.

Hooray for dairy free ice cream! The ship provides a decent amount of dairy free options for Connor.

What is the dress code on Celebrity Eclipse?

The expectation for the Moonlight Sonata main dining restaurant is Smart Casual . 

Women should feel comfortable wearing a skirt, pants or jeans with a casual top. Men should feel comfortable wearing pants or jeans with a short sleeve sport shirt.

Basically, the expectation for Smart Casual is that you make an effort. 

There are two nights when the dress code in the dining restaurant is Evening Chic , which is Celebrity Cruises’ term for Formal Night . This is when guests are encouraged to wear a tuxedo or formal gown.

On formal evenings, women should feel comfortable wearing a cocktail dress, or skirt, pants or designer jeans with an elegant top. Men should feel comfortable wearing dress pants or designer jeans with a dress shirt, button-down shirt or sweater. Sport coat or blazer is optional.

It’s important to note that T-shirts, swimsuits, robes, bare feet, tank tops, baseball caps and pool wear are not allowed in the main restaurant or specialty restaurants. Shorts and flip-flops are not allowed in the evening hours. 

Kids are fine wearing collared shirts and jeans at the restaurants.

Is there a kids menu in the dining restaurant?

Yes. The main restaurant has a kids menu. 

The menu offers standard kids menu items, including mini margarita pizza, mac and cheese, grilled cheese sandwich, spaghetti bolognese (or plain), cheeseburger with fries, and/or filet mignon with mashed potatoes. 

Kids have a few options for appetizers, too. Our boys typically ordered the raw veggies with hummus (pictured above). Braydon also loved the escargots and ordered them a few times.

For dessert, kids can choose between PB&J sundae, ice cream, chocolate mousse, chocolate chip cookies and milk, and fruit. Kids can also order from the adult’s menu.

Do you need to tip on a cruise ship?

Yes, the expectation is that you will tip the wait staff. However, you do NOT need to leave a gratuity each time you dine in the restaurant or grab a drink from the bar.

Every guest is charged a service fee per day. This service fee is meant to cover gratuities for all service staff, including dining staff, sommelier, bartenders, hosts, kitchen staff and housekeeping. 

There is a suggested minimum charge of $14.50 per day, per passenger, however, you can increase the gratuity if you enjoyed the service. You would do this when you settle your bill at the conclusion of the cruise (this would typically happen on the final night, before disembarkation).

If you wish to leave a cash gratuity with your servers, it’s recommended you do this at the end of the cruise.

Typically this would happen at your final dining experience. It’s wise to bring $US currency with you. Bring small bills because you likely will not find change.

We enjoyed the service in the Moonlight Sonata Restaurant, so we gave an additional gratuity to our head waiter, assistant waiter and sommelier. We put an additional $30 USD in an envelope and handed it directly to each of them (3 people in total). This is not required, but it’s much appreciated. 

Note – Gratuities are automatically added to your bill when purchasing alcohol at the bar. Don’t tip twice! Look at your bill and/or ask the bartender if gratuities are built into the price. 

Can you change the minimum gratuity charge?

Yes, you can change the minimum charge for gratuities. To change the amount, you need to go to Customer Service / Guest Relations on the ship and request the change.

It’s recommended to do this at the beginning of your cruise. Lines will get long during the day, so it’s best to do this early morning or late at night.

We decided to remove our kids from the daily minimum charge for gratuities. We only paid for two adults, which amounted to $29.00 USD per day in gratuities (total of $203 USD).

At the end of the cruise, we gave an additional $30 USD to our housekeeper. We handed him cash when we said goodbye on the morning disembarkation. 

Specialty restaurants on the Celebrity Eclipse

The Eclipse has specialty restaurants that offer unique dining experiences. These restaurants have an additional charge. Rates vary depending on the restaurant.

The specialty restaurants on the Celebrity Eclipse:

• Le Petit Chef At Qsine – experience the fusion of entertainment and French cuisine. 
• Sushi on Five – modern luxury take on traditional Japanese fare.
• Tuscan Gille – Italian ristorante and enoteca with a contemporary twist.
• Murano – Classic French dishes with a contemporary twist.
• Blu – inventive cuisine with an extensive list of sustainable and biodynamic wines.

We received one complimentary specialty dining experience.

I’m not sure if this is the standard, though. We were offered this specialty dining experience for the last night on the ship.

We may have been offered this specialty dinner because our parents were celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary (staff were aware of this milestone). Or, it may have been because the specialty restaurants had available seating that was unsold and they wanted to fill the room.

I’m not sure why, but it was a nice gesture and we enjoyed the experience. It was a fun change of pace from the main dining restaurant.

Note – we did not work with Celebrity Cruises, so this complimentary specialty dinner had nothing to do with our travel blog. In fact, Celebrity Cruises wouldn’t even provide us with free wifi to share our experience in real time.

Le Petit Chef At Qsine – 3D Dining

We decided to dine at Le Petit Chef At Qsine because it’s a unique dining experience. Celebrity Cruises describes it as ‘an immersive fusion of entertainment and dining like nothing you’ve ever experienced’. 

Celebrity Cruises was correct. We’ve never experienced a dining experience quite like this.

What makes Le Petit Chef different is that an animated 3D character appears on your plate and prepares each course before the real dish is served. 

The four course meal is created by Celebrity’s Michelin Star Chef. The menu rotates, so you can enjoy this evening multiple times during your sailing. 

In total, the dinning experience takes about 2.5 hours. Guests can choose between two seating times. We chose the early seating at 5:45 PM. The second seating is at 8:30 PM.

Our boys loved the experience. They even had a few LOL moments. There is a kids menu available, though the animated characters only create dishes that are included in the standard four course menu.

Here’s a video that explains the animated dining experience. 

The first course was a delicious tomato, arugula, prosciutto and shaved Parmesan cheese salad. You’ll notice the yellow and pink lines on the plate. It’s difficult to capture photos of this dining experience because the camera picks up the flickering animation.

The second course was a fantastic cheese ravioli dish. This was our favourite dish in the four course meal. At the end of the show, guests vote on their favourite dish. This dish was the winner.

The third course was steak and frites with a hollandaise sauce.

This dish was okay, but not great. It was my least favourite. You can substitute steak for chicken – see the first photo above. The chicken dish was better than the steak dish, in my opinion.

The fourth course was an interesting matcha-wasabi-white-chocolate-cake. I don’t remember the exact name. In the above photo, you can see the animation of the chef preparing this unique dessert.

It’s hard to see him, but the chef is on the boat, wearing a blue suit. Can you spot him? 

Above is a photo of the dessert served at Le Petit Chef. It was good, but not great. I’m not sure wasabi and matcha should be in a cake, but that might just be me.

All Inclusive Buffet on the Celebrity Eclipse

The Oceanview Cafe is where the all inclusive buffet is located. It’s open around the clock, however there are certain times when items are limited due to switching menus from breakfast to lunch, or lunch to dinner.

The buffet gets crazy busy at peak hours. It was difficult to find a table that fit our family of six. In fact, it was difficult to find a table for two people during peak hours. 

The food at the buffet was decent. However, the food in the main dining restaurant was much better. We only ate at the buffet for lunch or afternoon snacks (we ordered room service for breakfast).

The buffet in the Oceanview Cafe offers a wide variety of food, including a carving station, salad bar, variety of sandwiches, fresh pizza, international cuisine (which included Asian, Mexican and Indian cuisine), fresh pasta bar, cheese and fruit platters, ice cream and all kinds of sweet desserts. 

Here’s a list of restaurants and cafes on Celebrity Eclipse.

Above is a rare moment when the buffet lines were empty. This is not the norm. The buffet restaurant is consistently crowded, making it difficult to find a table during peak hours.

We preferred to eat from the menu at the main dining restaurant.

Above – Salmon Wellington served at the carving station in the Oceanview Cafe.

Cakes and pastries on display at the Oceanview Cafe.

Is the cruise alcohol package worth it?

Yes, we believe the alcohol package on the Celebrity Eclipse is worth the additional expense. Obviously, if you’re not a big drinker, skip the alcohol package.

Having the alcohol package allowed us to drink what we wanted, when we wanted. It was nice to have unlimited wine included at dinner, too. Instead of ordering single glasses of wine, our sommalier gave us full bottles of wine to enjoy. We preferred this.

What is the alcohol package all about?

Alcohol is NOT included in the cruise price. The price per drink on the ship is not cheap (a bottle of Stella is $10 USD). If you plan to have a few drinks in the afternoon and wine with dinner, you should consider purchasing an alcohol package. 

Basically, you pay one price to enjoy a variety of beverages on the cruise ship. Choices include wines-by-the-glass, beers, cocktails, spirits, premium coffees, bottled water, and soda. You can order beverages in the main dining restaurant, specialty restaurants, casual dining restaurants, and all bars and lounges.

Celebrity Cruises has a Standard Package, Classic Beverage Package or Premium Package.

We went with the Classic Package and felt it was good value for our needs. If you like top shelf liquor and/or wines, you may prefer the Premium Package.

The Classic Beverage Package starts at $59 per day

The Classic package allows you to choose from from a selection of beers, spirits, cocktails, liqueurs, frozen drinks and wines by the glass up to $9 per serving.

The images below show the wine and beer that’s included in the Classic Package.

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The Premium Package starts from $69 p/night

The Premium Package allows you to choose from all the classic package items PLUS specialty coffees & teas, craft & artisan beers, spirits, cocktails, frozen drinks, Coca Cola products, premium bottled water and wines by the glass up to $15 per serving.

Here’s the full list of alcohol beverages on the Celebrity Eclipse.

Bars and Night Clubs on the Celebrity Eclipse

The cruise ship has a lot of variety when it comes to bars, lounges and night clubs. 

We spent most of our adult time in the Sky Lounge. The views from the Sky Lounge are fantastic and it has fun trivia games happening throughout the day.

Below are a few photos of the various bars and lounges on the Celebrity Eclipse.

Above is the Ensemble Lounge. It has live music in the evenings. 

The Cellar Masters wine bar on the 4th floor. 

More seats and the bar inside Quasar nightclub.

The futuristic entrance and DJ booth at Quasar nightclub, located on the 4th Floor. 

Above is the ‘World Class Bar’, specializing in diverse cocktails and fancy drinks.

This is the bar inside the Sky Lounge.

A different section in the Sky Lounge. This is where the trivia games are played each day.

The above scene happened every day while on this Alaska cruise. We spotted several whales and dolphins from these comfy lounge chairs in the Sky Lounge.

Celebrity Eclipse Kids Club  

The Celebrity kids club is a great opportunity for your kids to meet new friends and have some parent-free fun on the ship. Our boys really enjoyed the kids club on the Celebrity Eclipse. Each morning we would drop them off at 9:30 AM and pick them up at 12:00 PM. 

The Kids Club has three groups, based on age: 

• Shipmates – for kids aged 3 to 5 years old
• Cadets – for kids aged 6 to 9 years old
• Captains – for kids aged 10 to 12 years old

It’s suggested that on the first day of the cruise, you visit the kids club to sign waivers and register your kids. For this particular Alaska cruise, the open house was from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM on the first day. It does not take long to complete the paperwork.

This is also a good time speak with staff to ask questions about the kids programs.

Can you move your child to a different kids group?

During the time of this Alaska cruise, our boys were aged 5 and 7 years old. Our youngest boy, Connor, was only one month away from turning 6 years old, which is the cut off for the Cadets group. He really wanted to be with his big brother and join the Cadets group.

The staff was firm with keeping kids in their proper age groups, but they did make an exception for him.

He had to spend the first day with the Shipmates group to make sure the Cadets group was an appropriate fit for him and the other Cadets. On day two, after the staff was able to assess him, Connor was able to join the Cadets group.

Most of the activities in the Kids Club are free.

The activities with extra charges are during lunch (12:00 PM to 2:00 PM) and dinner (5:00 PM to 7:00 PM). They also offer a slumber party from 10:00 PM to 1:00 AM. 

One question I had before joining this Alaska cruise was – will there be other kids on the ship? Or is this Celebrity Cruise more geared towards adults? The answer is Yes. There were a lot of kids and families on this cruise. And there are a lot of family friendly activities available on the ship.

Below is a photo of the kid activities on Celebrity Eclipse.

Braydon loved playing Xbox games in the Cadets kids room. We do not have a gaming console at home, so he was excited to play ‘big kid video games’.

He wanted to visit this kids room every day. It’s very possible (and probable) that he enjoyed playing in this room more than seeing the Hubbard Glacier!

Above is a photo of the Shipmates play area for children aged 3 to 5 years old.

Family Bingo on the cruise ship was a fun way to kill an hour. There is always something to keep the kids entertained while the ship was out at sea. 

Arcade on Celebrity Eclipse

The arcade on the Celebrity Eclipse is small but effective. There’s about a dozen games in the room, including air hockey and race car video games. Our boys enjoyed visiting this arcade in the evenings. 

There is an additional fee for each game. It costs about $1 USD per game, so it starts to add up. Games do not take coins or cash. You must use your room card to pay for each game.

If you look at the image below, you will see the Recharge Station. To pay for the games, you will need to add money to your room card via this machine. 

Note – we were double charged multiple times. The machines are unpredictable. It’s annoying because these games are not cheap. We wasted at least 30 minutes trying to rectify the overcharges with Guest Services.  

Connor loved this motorcycle game. It took him to a whole new level in video game play.

Whale watching on the Alaska Cruise

When we booked our Alaska cruise we weren’t sure if we’d see whales from the cruise ship deck. We contemplated a whale watching tour as a shore excursion, but, with a family of four, it wasn’t a budget friendly option.

Fortunately, we had plenty of opportunity to see humpback whales from the cruise ship.

The weather was perfect during our cruise, which made it much easier for whale spotting. The Pacific Ocean was so calm that we could see humpback whales miles away in the distance. We also witnessed several dolphins and porpoises from our cabin balcony. 

If you want to get up close to the whales, booking a whale watching tour is a good idea. You can book shore excursions directly on the cruise ship or you can book ahead of time with local tour operators.  

Here are a few Alaska whale watching tours:

• Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching and Mendenhall Glacier
• Whale Watching, Mendenhall Glacier and Tracy’s King Crab Shack Combo Tour
• Whale Watching & Wildlife Viewing Excursion
• Misty Fjords Seaplane Tour from Ketchikan
• Bering Sea Crab Fisherman’s Tour from Ketchikan

Travel tip – bring a pair of binoculars with you ( here’s a recommended model ). We contemplated purchasing binoculars at the cruise ship terminal in Vancouver but decided not to. In hindsight, we should have brought binoculars with us. Our neighbour let us borrow her binoculars and we were able to clearly see the humpbacks breaching.

This humpback whale surfaced right beside the cruise ship. It was incredible!

A humpback whale waves goodbye as it descends under water. See more photos here .

Professional photos on the cruise ship

Every evening professional photographers will have makeshift studios set up around the ship. Usually they are located near the restaurant and lounges. This is a great opportunity to take a family photo while every one is dressed nice. 

You don’t have to pay to get your photos taken, so there’s no harm in striking a pose.

We had our photos taken 2 or 3 times every evening, with different backdrops (see photos below). The backdrops change each day, as does your clothing, so it gives you a variety of photos to choose from.

Purchasing a photo package on the cruise ship

One way to remember your Alaska cruise is to buy a photo package. You can purchase the package before you board the ship or while you’re on the ship. 

When we purchased our cruise, Celebrity Cruises had a special where on-board credits were given to us. We opted to pre-purchase a photo package using these on-board credits.

We used $187 CAD of our cruise credits for the photo package. That gave us 12 professional images, which equals about $15 CAD for each image. To purchase photos on the ship it costs $25 USD per image. Purchasing your photos ahead of time will save you money.

There are two options for a photo package – digital copies or printed copies. We opted for the digital copies because we wanted the ability to print unlimited photos in different sizes. If you chose the original prints you would take the actual photos that are given to you on the ship.

How does the digital photo package work?

On the final day of our Alaska cruise, we sat down with someone who works in the photo gallery (pictured above). We looked at all the pictures and selected our favourite 12.

About 2 weeks after returning from the cruise we received an email to download our photos. We also have the option to purchase other photos, too. 

Compare prices for Alaska Cruises here .

The backdrops are cheesy, but it’s still fun to get family portraits.

Packing list for Alaska Cruise

Confused about what to pack for an Alaska cruise? There’s a lot to consider. Even though you are cruising to Alaska in the summer months, it can still get quite cold and windy. It also rains a lot in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, so you want to prepare for the worst weather and hope for the best.

Below is our recommended Alaska cruise packing list.

Alaska cruise packing list for men:.

• Warm, windproof and/or rainproof jacket 
• Sweater or hoodie
• Hat or toque 
• 2 x pairs of jeans
• 1 x dress pants for dinner and shows
• Belt for dress pants (ideally a reversible belt with two colours)
• 4 x collared shirts for dinners (2 x short sleeves)
• Nice sweater for dinners (in case it’s cold)
• Dress shoes for dinner and shows
• Blazer or sport coat (optional)
• 2 x shorts 
• 5 x comfortable T-shirts
• 1 x sweat pants for shore excursions 
• Running shoes for the fitness center
• 2 x workout clothing (shorts and t-shirts)
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Flip flops for the pool and hot tubs
• 7 x underwear and socks
• Swim suit for the hot tubs and pool
• Backpack for when you get off the ship and explore

Alaska Cruise packing list for women:

• 2 or 3 warm sweaters
• 1 pair of jeans
• 2 pairs of leggings
• 2 wrinkle free dresses
• 4 x blouses or nice shirts for dinners 
• Dress shoes/heels for dinner and shows
• 2 x shorts or skirts
• 5 x shirts for day wear
• 2 x workout clothing (shorts and shirts)
• Swim suit for the hot tubs and pool 

Alaska Cruise packing list for kids:

• Warm robe to wear at the outdoor pools (see photo above – this one is similar )
• 2 x swim suits each
• 2 x jeans / pants for dinners 
• 4 x collared shirts for dinners
• Nice pair of shoes for dinners
• Running shoes 
• Crocs or flip flops for the pool
• 4 x sweat pants / comfortable pants
• 5 x t-shirts each
• 2 x sweaters each
• 8 x underwear and socks each (1 per day with one back-up)
• Windproof, rainproof jacket
• Touque / warm hat for when you reach the glacier (it’s cold outside)
• Carry on luggage (get a sturdy one with 4 wheels, like this one )

Misc travel items we recommend:

• Travel first aid kit 
• Sunglasses, hats,  sun block / sunscreen
• Binoculars for whale watching from the cruise ship
• Children’s Tylenol and ibuprofen
• Night light or flash light (the rooms get very dark when blinds are closed)
• See sickness patches and/or wristbands (good to have in case of bad weather)
• Packing cubes to keep your clothes organized
• Dry bag for shore excursions (this came in handy for our sea kayaking excursion)
• Multi-plug USB charger
• Waterproof action Camera (we use GoPro Hero 11 )
• Camera with telephoto lens for wildlife watching (we currently use this camera )
• Tablets for kids entertainment ( our boys use this model because it’s inexpensive)
• Charging cables for your devices
• Extra memory cards for your camera (you will take lots of photos!)

A few Alaska cruise packing hacks:

• Don’t use an over-sized luggage. You need to slide the empty luggage under your bed. 
• Leave your hair dryer at home (staterooms come with a hair dryer)
• Umbrellas are provided in each stateroom
• Shampoo, soap and lotion are provided, no need to bring with you
• Robes and slippers are provide in each stateroom
• Life jackets are available at the pool – leave your kid’s life jacket/water wings at home 
• Stay organized – use  Packing cubes
• Rooms have limited power outlets and no USB – bring a multi-plug USB charger
• You can bring two bottles of wine with you

Don’t forget the most important travel items!

• Drivers license
• Credit cards
• Travel insurance
• Government documents or visas (if applicable)
• $US currency
• Don’t forget your medication 

Boarding the Cruise ship in Vancouver

The boarding process is organized and easy. The Vancouver cruise ship terminal can get quite busy, especially on the weekends, so it’s best to arrive early. 

There will be long lines for the embarkation process. Most of the cruise ships that port in Vancouver hold 2,000+ passengers. If two or three ships are departing the same evening, that’s a lot of congestion.

Note – long lines does not always mean long wait times.

The process moves at a good pace. It took us about 60 minutes from start to finish.

Cruise ships usually start boarding 4 or 5 hours before the scheduled departure time, typically around 12:oo PM. We started the check-in process at around 1:00 PM and were drinking a Corona on the ship by 2:00 PM.

Reminder – even though you depart from Vancouver , Canada you will enter the United States in Alaska. Depending on where you are from, you may need to have at least 6 months left on your passport before it expires. 

Celebrity Cruises Check in Process

First – drop off your luggage. There are signs and cruise staff that will point in the right direction.

Then proceed to the Celebrity Cruise check-in counter. You must have your travel documents, credit card, driver’s license and passports with you. You will have your photo taken.

A personalized photo id card is created for each person.

This is your boarding card and it is the most important item on the cruise. This boarding card is your room key and it is required to get on and off the cruise ship at the various ports.

Once you have checked in and you have your boarding card, head to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. This is the part of the process with the longest wait time. Make sure you enter the correct line. US and Canadian citizens are typically grouped together. International passports will have a different line. When in doubt, ask for help. 

Once your passports and travel documents have been cleared, follow the signs to passenger screening. Similar to airport security, you and your luggage pass through a screening gate. 

Follow the signs for your cruise line and make your way to the ship.

Depending on when you arrive, your stateroom may not be ready yet. We arrived around 2:00 PM and our room was ready. It’s best to check your room first. If your room is not ready, head to a restaurant or lounge and check back about 30-60 minutes later.

Here’s an overview of the boarding process at the Vancouver cruise ship terminal.

How does baggage work on Celebrity Cruises? 

Prior to your cruise, you need to register all passengers online with Celebrity Cruises.

You will be asked for your passport information and, once registered, Celebrity Cruises will provide you with check in documents and baggage tags. You need to print these documents at home and bring them with you when you check in at the cruise ship terminal.

Your baggage tags will be a specific colour. They will also have your room number on them.

You print off (in colour) as many copies as you need and attach them to your luggage with either tape or staples (see photo above – we stayed on the 6th floor at the back of the boat).

When you arrive at the cruise ship terminal, the first thing you do is drop off your luggage. Signs and cruise staff will point you in the right direction.

Your luggage will be checked (just like air travel) and porters will deliver it to your cabin. It may take a few hours for your luggage to arrive, so it’s wise to pack a day bag with important items.

When we arrived to our room later that afternoon, we found our luggage sitting outside the stateroom. This confused us. On previous cruises, our luggage was left inside the cabin, so I’m not sure if this is the norm for Celebrity Cruises? It may have been that the porter did not have access to our room?

Needless to say, we were not thrilled to have our luggage left in the hallway. 

Getting off the ship at Alaska ports

Getting off the cruise ship at Alaska ports is very easy. You must bring your boarding card and a piece of identification (driver’s license is fine).

You don’t need to bring your passport with you. It can be left in the safe in your stateroom. 

To get off the ship, you will head to the disembarkation floor. The disembarkation floor will be different depending on the port. On the Celebrity Eclipse it was either Floor 2, 3 or 4. 

Before you get off the ship, you will show your boarding card to cruise security. This lets cruise staff know who has left the ship. When you return to the ship, you present your boarding card again. Don’t lose your boarding card!

You will pass though a screening gate when your return to the ship. You cannot bring alcohol back on the ship. If you decide to purchase alcohol, you will need to check it with cruise staff and pick it up at the end of the cruise. It’s not worth the hassle. 

Don’t forget to bring US currency and a credit card with you.

Disembarkation from the cruise ship

We prefer to walk off the ship with our luggage. It saves time and the hassle of having to find your baggage at the port. If you have an early flight, Celebrity suggests you keep your luggage with you.

The other option is to pack your bags the night before and put them outside your room. Celebrity wants your luggage placed outside your cabin door by 10:00 PM. During the night, porters will pick up your luggage and take it off the ship in the morning.

There are typically long lines to get off the ship early in the morning.

If you don’t have a flight to catch, we suggest you enjoy one final breakfast at the buffet and then depart at your cabin’s normal debarkation time. This is typically between 9:00 and 10:00 AM.

Cruise staff need to prepare the ship for the next departure, so they want you out of your room by 8:30 AM and off the ship by 10:00 AM.

When is the best time for an Alaska Cruise?

Alaska Cruise season runs from May to September, when the weather is warm. The best time to take an Alaska cruise is July or August. This, of course, is also when you will pay the most money for your cruise. 

Because July and August are the best time to cruise to Alaska,they are also the busiest. You will want to book several months in advance to ensure you will get the cabin you want.

These cruises tend to sell out, so it’s not easy to find last minute deals on Alaska cruises .

Our Alaska cruise from Vancouver round trip departed on Sunday, August 11. We had very good weather and very calm seas. In fact, it was the calmest we’ve ever seen the Pacific Ocean.

We are happy we paid a more for an August departure because the weather was perfect.

Shoulder season, the months of May and September, provide the best Alaska cruise deals but it also means you are likely to experience more rain and colder temperatures. It’s a gamble.

Sometimes it pays off and the weather is great in May and September – but the odds are against you.

Regardless of when you decide to cruise Alaska, expect a few rainy days. Plan for cold evenings and windy afternoons on the outdoor observation decks.

What is the best Alaska Cruise?

We took our time researching the different Alaska cruise options. There are several cruise lines that sail to Alaska from Vancouver, so you’ve got options.

The other big cruise lines that sail from Vancouver to Alaska are Royal Caribbean , Princess Cruises , Holland America Line , Norwegian Cruise Lines and Disney Cruise Lines.

Prices for Alaska cruises are generally the same, so what you want to research is the actual cruise ship and its amenities, as well as the Alaska ports you want to visit.

Find the right ship and itinerary first, then start looking for deals.

Alaska Cruise Inside Passage

We decided to cruise the Alaska Inside Passage because we wanted an opportunity to see wildlife and the beautiful Alaskan landscapes. 

Inside passage cruises typically stop at Juneau, Ketchikan and either Icy Strait Point, Petersburg or Skagway. Most Alaska cruises will visit either the Hubbard Glacier , Glacier Bay National Park, Dawes Glacier and/or Endicott Arm Fjord Glacier.

Another option is to cruise from Vancouver to Anchorage one way.

You would then fly back to Vancouver or Seattle. Or, you can fly up to Anchorage first, spend a few days exploring the region, then cruise south to Vancouver. 

You can also take an Alaska cruise from Seattle, Washington or Victoria, British Columbia. 

Search and compare Alaska cruise prices here . 

About the Celebrity Eclipse

The Celebrity Eclipse is a Solstice-class cruise ship, operated by Celebrity Cruises. She is the sister ship of Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Equinox and Celebrity Silhouette. 

The ship began cruising in April 2010. It has an occupancy of 2,850 passengers.

Read Celebrity Eclipse reviews here .

Things to do in Vancouver before your Alaska Cruise

Vancouver is a beautiful city with lots of amazing things to see and do. You’ll want to spend time exploring this vibrant waterfront city. Plan to arrive two days before your cruise departure. Or, add a few days after you return to Vancouver. 

Here are a few posts about Vancouver

• 25 FREE Things to do in Vancouver
• 25 Awesome Day Trips from Vancouver
• The BEST road trip from Vancouver for first-timers

Vancouver travel tips and things to know

• Pick up & return  car rentals at Vancouver airport . Check out  RentalCars.com  for affordable options.
• Save time and money by riding the Skytrain from Vancouver International Airport to downtown Vancouver. It only takes 25 minutes. Learn  how to take the Vancouver Airport Skytrain .
• Bike sharing is an inexpensive way to get around Vancouver. Learn about Vancouver’s public bike share system  here .
• Check the  Vancouver weather forecast before you start your day. The weather in Vancouver can be unpredictable. Plan for rain in the winter months.
• If you like hard copy travel guides, grab a copy of Lonely Planet Vancouver .

Where to stay in Vancouver

There are plenty of  hotels in Vancouver  to choose from, ranging from upscale five star hotels to backpacker hostels and everything in between.

• Search for Vancouver hotels  here .
• If you’d like to stay near the cruise ship terminal, we recommend the Pan Pacific Vancouver , Fairmont Waterfront or Fairmont Pacific Rim . They are located within walking distance to the cruise ship.  
• Most of the popular Vancouver tourist attractions are located in the downtown area. Consider this when selecting where to stay in Vancouver.

Related posts about cruise ship travel

• Thinking about a European River Cruise? Here’s what you need to know.  
• Taking a Caribbean Cruise? Here’s what you need to know
• 15 Reasons you should visit Portugal’s River of Gold
• Things to do in St Lucia while on a Caribbean Cruise

Do you have questions about this Alaska Cruise?

Leave us a comment below. We’ll do our best to answer your questions.

Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links to products at no additional cost to you. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links. We thank you for your support!

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10/21/2019 at 8:55 am

WOW! I can’t believe how comprehensive this post is. Everything down to asking for better robes! I’ve been on two cruises in my life, both in the Caribbean, and unfortunately I got sick on both 🙁 Did you find sea sickness was a problem? I would absolutely love to do an Alaska Cruise – it’s on my bucket list! But I’m worried about getting sick. Hopefully I can handle it because it looks so great. The food looks amazing and I would love to spot whales from my balcony!

10/23/2019 at 11:26 am

Thank you. We hope you’ve found it helpful!

We lucked out with very calm seas. But, our oldest son does struggle with motion sickness, so we did come prepared.

We brought sea sickness wrist bands (apparently they help if you keep them on). They have a pressure point that apparently helps. We also brought non-drowsy ginger gravol which is also supposed to be good. Apparently the ginger aids in helping with motion sickness – and it’s non-drowsy so it doesn’t make you want to sleep and you can enjoy the ship!

Also, consider the timing. You’ll pay more, but go when the weather will likely be the best (July or August).

Good luck! You will love the scenery.

10/26/2019 at 6:29 pm

This is actually the most informative review I’ve ever read. Just what I was looking for!

11/15/2019 at 2:59 pm

Thank you Hailey. We are glad it was helpful.

11/10/2019 at 3:48 pm

This review is so informative. Thank you so much for sharing. We are going to book this exact trip over the next week or so. I’m just wondering would you recommend starboard or port side of the ship? I see you stayed starboard but just want to check to see if you think this is the best option?

Thanks, Amanda

11/15/2019 at 3:02 pm

Thanks! We are glad you found it helpful (and you will love it!).

While at the Hubbard Glacier the captain spun the ship in a circle so everyone had a view at some point. Sometimes we faced the ocean at the port, the other we faced the city. I don’t think it really matters on this cruise.

11/18/2019 at 4:48 am

Great Blog! Thanks for the info. Do you know what time is the latest you can board the ship, we are coming by Amtrak from Seattle the morning we leave and I am nervous about being there on time. I believe the train is set to come in at 11:45am and then we need to get to the terminal.

11/18/2019 at 1:02 pm

Hi Jeannine,

You should have no problem. The trip from the train to downtown is easy. Get on the skytrain at Main Street Station (next to the Amtrak train station), go to Waterfront Station (the last skytrain stop), and you are there. Shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes total time.

I believe we needed to be on the ship by 3 or 4 PM. It departed at about dinner time.

I hope this helps! Hope you have a great journey.

12/27/2019 at 9:16 am

Would you recommend this ship and cruise line for young adults? We will be traveling with a family group between the ages of 25 and 85.

01/06/2020 at 9:54 am

Yes, it would be find for young adults.

01/25/2020 at 2:45 am

Hello, wow your blog is so informative. How is the condition of the rooms and overall of the ship? It is modern, clean or needs refurbishment?

01/27/2020 at 11:05 am

There were a few areas of the ship that seemed a bit worn, but overall, they keep it in very good condition. We liked our room and found it to be very functional. It was also very clean. I wouldn’t hesitate to book this ship again.

02/10/2020 at 6:46 pm

Call me impressed. Great info. So happy I stumbled across it. We leave at the end of May 2020. This will be our second cruise. The first was a Caribbean cruise. It was okay but too many kids whose parents used the ship as their sitter. We have 12 grands of our own and I can’t get enough of them; but I believe our children would know where their kids are at every moment. Also, we are not beach people—who knew? From all I read in your superb writings, I am certain this experience will be much more to our liking. I love the breakfast room service idea. It’s just what we were hoping to do and your info was so helpful. Thank you so much for taking the time, which you surely love doing, to write this ever-so-thorough review and advice for this Celebrity Eclipse ship that we will board in just over three months. I cannot wait to read your Newsletter. Thanks again.

02/19/2020 at 1:06 am

Thank you for sharing what an amazingly awesome detailed account.! How did you guys spend your time during the longer stops at Icy Strait Point (8 Hours) and Juneau (12 hours) in lieu of the cost prohibitive optional excursions ? Were there guided walk in to the stopover towns? Or self walk with given maps ? Any must see in these towns? Many Thanks.

02/26/2020 at 10:11 am

Fantastic post! Thank you! Extremely helpful.

03/04/2020 at 5:18 pm

This review is so great! We currently have a Disney cruise booked for end of May 2021 but are looking at other lines to save money. We are intrigued with Celebrity. A few questions: do you think there will be enough kids on the May 31 sailing to make it fun for my son who will be 10 when we cruise. We also like having families on board to interact with. Do you see many families in late May? My son also wants to know more about the Xbox games in the kids club. Lol. Are they open to play with at any time? Does a park ranger or a naturalist come on board to talk about the glaciers? You described everything else really well. Thank you:)

12/05/2021 at 5:31 am

Thank you so much for taking your time ! You answer so much of my question. Do you do any of excursions ? If so what you recommend . Thank you

12/22/2021 at 11:33 am

Great Info. Thank you so much. Could you recommend a Wi-Fi package and also excursions?

11/04/2022 at 9:04 am

Thanks – glad you enjoyed the post. It’s difficult for me to provide recommendations for excursions without knowing what you like to do and what you’re looking for? We did the kayaking tour in Juneau and it was fun. Our parents did the crab feast dinner in Icy Straight, they said it was okay but not great. We did a bear watching tour in Ketchikan but didn’t see any bears. So it’s hit and miss.

04/12/2022 at 9:30 pm

Wow!! Fantastic post, thank you so much for all the good information and the photos and video. We are booked on Celebrity Eclipse to go on Alaska Cruise and it feels like I already know everything about the ship.

04/25/2022 at 9:18 am

Thanks Ken. You are going to have a great time! We can’t wait to see Alaska again.

Let us know if there’s anything we missed.

07/17/2022 at 4:24 pm

Great write-up! Learned alot, thank you! Sailing mid-august.

08/05/2022 at 6:38 pm

Amazing Blog! I have never read a blog with so much detail, I can’t think of anything you could have added. Thank you so much. This took a lot of time and effort. Thinking of Alaska August 2023 with our Grand Daughters, 8 and 11. We just got back from a Bermuda cruise with them and it was a wonderful experience. One none of us will ever forget. They were the best travellers.

11/04/2022 at 9:11 am

Thank you for the kind note. We appreciate the feedback.

11/04/2022 at 7:44 am

Would you say it’s worth $300pp to see Hubbard Glacier up close on an excursion or are you able to see it well enough from the ship. Taking this same cruise in July 2023. Want to get the most out of it.

11/04/2022 at 9:07 am

That’s a tough one. The ship does get close to the glacier, as you can see in the photos. BUT – if the weather is not great and there’s a lot of thick fog, the ship won’t get that close. I heard it sometimes doesn’t even enter the bay if the weather is bad. I’m not sure if the small boats go up close regardless of the weather? In my opinion, you are fine witnessing it from the cruise ship. But then again, I did not get up close, so I’m ignorant to what I missed.

01/25/2023 at 2:14 pm

So glad I found this blog! So many of my questions and/or concerns have been answered. We are traveling from Florida and are so looking forward to our Alaskan cruise on the Eclipse (June 2023). Thank you so much for all the valuable information!

04/09/2023 at 9:04 pm

Amazing blog. Really helpful! Did you book all your port excursions through Celebrity? How does it work exactly, as in what are the options, what type of excursions are offered at each port, how to book, the cost and such? If you have a Canadian passport it should be enough or we might need some other documents. I really appreciate any help you can provide.

05/08/2023 at 7:51 am

Hi, brilliant blog! So informative as we are due on this same cruise this September. One question, how long did the ship spend at the Hubbard Glacier? We were wanting to book into the ships spa that afternoon but don’t want to miss out on any sights, we were thinking around 16:30pm. Would be grateful for your input. Thank you

05/08/2023 at 9:51 am

We spend about an hour at the glacier, I believe. The ship slowly spins, so no matter what side of the ship you are on, you will face the glacier at some point. I believe we arrived at the glacier around 10 or 11 am. I recall having lunch in restaurant after visiting, so that gives a time stamp of late morning to early afternoon.

06/18/2023 at 3:23 am

hi just found your fantastic post, we have booked the alaska cruise august 13th, with our canadian friends, they tell me it will not be that cold, however we are coming in from warm brisbane australia, i am at a loss of what to pack daytime i think i am sorted it just nights, is it warm inside ship restaurants bars etc. no jackets required??? do i need waterproof boots, can’t say i will be hiking it will just general sightseeing. really appreciate your inside knowledge regards

06/19/2023 at 11:42 am

Hello! Thanks for stopping by. I’m glad you found this blog post helpful with your trip planning. You should plan for cool weather, but it should not be “cold”. It is warm inside the ship. It may be windy and chilly on the outside decks, so a sweater and/or jacket should be packed. Depending on what you do off the ship, you may want some warmer clothes. It will not be very warm outside, so you won’t need as many warm clothes.

06/29/2023 at 11:46 pm

Great content and suggestions!

A few questions:

Is there laundry service available? Pricey? What’s the temperature of the outdoor pools? Can we bring beer aboard at the. Commencement of our cruise (wine was mentioned) The mobile app makes no mention of printing baggage tags these days. Has this changed? What time do the normal bars close?

Thanks for the helpful info !

07/03/2023 at 11:31 am

Thanks for stopping by, Miguel. I’ll do my best to answer your questions: – yes, I believe there is laundry/dry cleaning service available. Yes, it is pricey. I recall having some shirts that were wrinkly and wanting them pressed, but it was too expensive for me (i don’t remember the exact price) – temp for outdoor pools is set to “refreshing”… read = cold. – not sure about the beer, I do not think so, but don’t quote me on that (I only remember wine being listed – no hard booze either) – this may have changed, though – not sure about printed bag tags. – we went with our kids, so I have no idea about the bars closing time (I was already sleeping by then, I’m sure)

07/21/2023 at 4:11 am

Thank you for ALL the information; I will be bookmarking this page to refer back to it!

One specific question: our family does the National Park Passport. We will be on the Eclipse in September and visiting Hubbard Glacier. Does a Park Ranger board the ship to provide additional information and/or stamp NP Passports?

07/21/2023 at 2:48 pm

Thank you so much – this blog is soooo helpful, we are travelling from Ireland (used to inclement weather) for the cruise departing Sept 3rd. Any weather or clothing tips please?

02/09/2024 at 7:29 am

Thank you for your time and effort in writing this to help other travellers like me! I’ve bookmarked this page as a reference for my travel. We’ve booked the Celerbrity Alaska cruise for this summer. I’m planning to book some shore excursions from other tour operators. I’m not sure at what time I have to reserve the tickets. Could you let me know how much time it would take for us to get out of the ship at a port? Thank you!

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• Celebrity Eclipse

Sophisticated in style and lively in ambiance, a luxurious Alaskan cruise ship for discerning travelers.

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Celebrity Eclipse Overview

The Celebrity Eclipse is an expansive luxury ship. Fitting the cruise line's focus on a premium cruising experience, the ship's onboard features include the intimate Celebrity Central performance venue and the Eclipse Theater, a 1,115-seat auditorium that hosts full-scale productions. Fortunes Casino, numerous upscale shops and boutiques, and an art gallery provide entertainment for a diverse array of passengers. The Eclipse is also known for the Lawn Club, a half-acre of live grass turf at the center of activities on its top deck.

• Cruise Line : Celebrity Cruises
• Dining: Anytime/flexible and traditional/set dining.
• Lower Berth Capacity: 2,850
• Crew: 1210 (crew ratio 2.3)
• Launched: 2010

Why pick this ship?

The Eclipse provides the onboard amenities of a large cruise ship, while providing a premium level service. It is perfect if you want to visit British Columbia before or after your Inside Passage Alaska cruise.

ATTAINABLE ADVENTURES FOR EVERY SEASON OF LIFE

An Unforgettable Alaskan Cruise With Celebrity Cruises

Share this post:.

A cruise to Alaska is a great way to see remote parts of the Pacific Northwest on an unforgettable adventure.

I’m sharing tips and what to expect for your first time on an Alaskan cruise with Celebrity Cruises.

*You can use the Table of Contents at the top of the article to go directly to a topic of interest.

This article is written in partnership with Celebrity Cruises . All opinions are my own. This article contains affiliate links.

Our boys are getting older and we wanted them to experience an adventure that they would remember for the rest of their lives

Our first cruise with Celebrity Cruises was to the Caribbean back in the early 2000s with my husband’s parents and it was great to share a new adventure on the Celebrity Eclipse cruise ship with our boys.

How Many Passengers Does the Celebrity Eclipse Hold?

Table of Contents

The Celebrity Eclipse has an occupancy of 2,852 cruise passengers.

When is the Cruise Season for an Alaskan Cruise with Celebrity Cruises?

The cruise season in Alaska is from May to October with the most popular cruises during the summer months.

What time is Sunset on an Alaskan Cruise?

The sunrise and sunset times can vary depending on the date of your cruise.

You can use this Alaska Daylight calculator to estimate the sunrise and sunset times during the dates of your Alaskan cruise.

During our cruise in June, the sunrises were around 4 AM, and the sunsets after 10 PM.

We also went through a few time changes during our cruise. Our bodies were on EST and continued to adjust during the course of the cruise.

*Make sure that use the blackout curtain if you have a room with a balcony to help you sleep in longer.

Our Alaska Cruise Itinerary on the Celebrity Eclipse

Our cruise to Alaska on the Celebrity Eclipse went to the following locations.

*Indicates cruise ports of call

• Day 1 – Vancouver, British Columbia *
• Day 2 – Inside Passage (cruising)
• Day 3 – Icy Strait Point, Alaska *
• Day 4 – Hubbard Glacier, Alaska ( cruising)
• Day 5 – Juneau, Alaska *
• Day 6 – Ketchikan, Alaska *
• Day 7 – Inside Passage (cruising)
• Day 8 – Vancouver, British Columbia *

Which Ships Go to Alaska From Celebrity Cruises?

The following cruise ships go to Alaska from Celebrity Cruises.

• Celebrity Millenium
• Celebrity Solstice
• Celebrity Eclipse
• Celebrity Edge *An edge class vessel / one of four of Celebrity’s outward-facing ships
• Celebrity Summit

Alaskan Cruise Itineraries to Choose From With Celebrity Cruises

The majority of Alaskan cruises with Celebrity Cruises are 6-7 nights.

• Dawes Glacier Cruises
• Hubbard Glacier Cruises
• One Way Alaska Cruises

We chose the Celebrity Eclipse as our cruise ship because the sail date worked with our vacation availability and the cruise ship had a round-trip itinerary out of Vancouver.

There are also Celebrity Cruises to Alaska that depart from Seattle, Washington.

*Celebrity currently doesn’t sail to Tracy Arm Fjord.

Alaska Cruisetours are available if you want to extend your trip to include Denali National Park.

Types of Staterooms on the Celebrity Eclipse

• The Retreat
• AquaClass Stateroom
• Concierge Class Stateroom
• Veranda Stateroom
• Ocean View Stateroom
• Inside Stateroom
• Accessible Staterooms

Tour of Our Veranda Stateroom on the Celebrity Eclipse

We stayed in the Veranda Stateroom during our cruise with our family of four.

The stateroom is 192 square feet and the veranda is 54 square feet.

The bathroom had a lot of storage with multiple drawers and shelves.

We packed a LOT of clothes because we visited San Juan Island in Washington State and explored Vancouver before our cruise.

Each of us had a carry-on, a large suitcase, and a backpack. It was good to keep one backpack out to use for excursions. We were able to condense the suitcases and store all of them underneath our bed.

Our clothes were stored in the closet, storage above the bed, and the drawers. My boys also had stacks of clothes next to their bed.

My boys slept on the bunk beds. They were in high school and college, each over 6 feet tall and both fit on the bed.

We decided that it was easier for the staff member to keep their bunkbed down all day instead of transforming it back into a couch each day.

We spent the majority of our time outside of our room. The only time things were a little trickier space-wise was with 4 adults getting dressed for dinner at the same time.

Our room had a safe and a stocked mini fridge next to the desk with a mirror.

It was nice to have access to a private balcony from our room throughout the day.

How to Create More Space in Your Stateroom

We had 4 adult-sized people in our room and there were a few things that we brought that helped give us a little more space.

We put the over-the-door shoe organizer facing outward on the bathroom door. This was a great place for us to keep extra toiletry items, phone accessories, gloves, glasses, and more.

The magnetic hooks on the wall were the perfect spot for our ball caps and light jackets, and for hanging up wet swimsuits and towels. The walls on cruise ships are made of metal so the magnetic hooks stick to the wall.

Our boys liked to sleep in the morning but we did still enjoy some mornings on the balcony with our coffee and pastries.

Explore the Cruise Ship at Your Leisure

The ship can be a bit overwhelming on your first day of the cruise but toward the end of your cruise, the ship will feel much smaller.

The Celebrity Cruises app is a great resource before and during your cruise. It can help you check in faster, you can chat with family within the app, check out the daily activities on the ship, book excursions, and more.

There are plenty of spaces throughout the ship that allow you to have more privacy. Half the fun is discovering your favorite spots.

Complimentary Dining Options on the Celebrity Eclipse

There are four options for complimentary dining on the Celebrity Eclipse.

• Oceanview Cafe – Global cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner – buffet-style (casual attire)
• Mast Cafe – Poolside cafe with burgers and fries (casual attire)
• The Spa Cafe – Breakfast and lunch serving healthy cuisine and fresh fruits (casual attire)
• Moonlight Sonata Restaurant- Global cuisine served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (smart casual attire) Dining times are between 6 PM and 9:30 PM.

Memorable Meals at Moonlight Sonata

Guests can enjoy a variety of delicious cuisine during their cruise including Alaskan seafood.

Our family spent every evening but one in the main dining room. We liked having the early time slot as our set dining time.

In the Moonlight Sonata Restaurant, the dining times are between 6 PM and 9:30 PM. There were always options on the menu that everyone gravitated toward. I tried to go with the chef’s picks as often as possible.

As our week progressed we looked forward to the staff as much as our meal.

And we always tried to save a little room for dessert no matter how full we were.

Specialty Restaurants on the Celebrity Eclipse

There are several options to choose from for specialty restaurants for an additional fee.

• La Petite Chef (Dinner)
• Murano ( Dinner)
• Tuscan Grille (Lunch and Dinner)
• Sushi on Five (Lunch and Dinner)

Exclusive Restaurants on the Celebrity Eclipse

• Blu – exclusively for AquaClass guests
• Luminae – exclusively for guests of The Retreat

An Animated Meal at Le Petit Chef

Le Petit Chef is a one-of-a-kind animated fusion of entertainment and food. Le Petit Chef will take you on a culinary adventure around the world with storytelling that comes to life.

It’s a dining experience like I’ve never experienced before that definitely made for a memorable meal.

The 3D animation is projected on the individual plate of each table in the room creating both a personalized and shared experience.

You’ll watch the animation on your table and then each course is brought to life with the same dish presented to you in real life by your server.

The menu that is choreographed for the 3D table animation for Le Petite was created by Celebrity’s own Michelin Star Chef.

Foodies of all ages will enjoy this culinary adventure. This is a very popular restaurant so you’ll want to make reservations in advance.

During the meal, you’ll want to take lots of photos and videos because it’s one of the most unique dining experiences in the world.

Bars and Lounges on the Celebrity Eclipse

There are plenty of bar and lounge options for enjoying your spirit of choice.

• Rendevous Lounge
• Martini Bar & Crush
• World Class Bar
• Cellar Masters
• Passport Bar
• Sky Observation Lounge
• Pool and Mast Bar
• The Retreat Lounge * Exclusive to guests of The Retreat

Drink Packages on the Celebrity Eclipse

If you plan on enjoying drinks throughout your cruise you may want to consider the drink package.

The additional cost can be a good value if you like a morning latte, a drink poolside, wine at dinner, or a cocktail during the show or as a nightcap.

There are several drink package options to choose from for an additional fee.

What do the Drink Packages Include?

Classic Drink Package – This package includes an assortment of liquors, wines for any palate, beers from light and crisp to dark and robust, plus alcoholic drinks up to $10. Wines by the bottle are discounted by 15%.

Premium Drink Package – Includes premium coffee, frozen cocktails by the pool, and wine by the glass at dinner. You can enjoy all of the spirits listed in their Classic Package, plus drinks up to $17. Wines by the bottle are discounted by 20%.

Non-Alcoholic Drink Package – Includes a wide selection of non-alcoholic refreshments and water.

Fun Things to Do on the Celebrity Eclipse

There is no shortage of things to do during your cruise on the Celebrity Eclipse.

You can swim, play basketball, shop, attend an art auction, listen to live music, watch a live show or a glassblowing demo, and more.

Kids have plenty of things to do with the Camp at Sea programs.

If you like to gamble, the Fortunes Casino is for ages 21 and up on Alaskan cruises. The casino is open when the ship is in international waters and closes when the ship is in port.

There are two pools on the ship, one outside pool with four hot tubs and an inside pool with two hot tubs.

We used the indoor pool area more when the temperatures outside were too windy or cold.

The adults-only large pool on Deck 12 in the solarium was a great option for guests who preferred to be out of the elements. (*During Alaskan Cruises the solarium and pool are open to guests of all ages.)

Walk on Real Grass

You can practice your putting or play bocce ball on The Lawn Club on the top deck.

Celebrity Cruises is the first and only cruise line to offer a 1/2 acre of real grass lawn at sea.

Evening Entertainment on the Celebrity Eclipse

We were really impressed with the variety of the shows each evening during our cruise on the Celebrity Eclipse.

My favorite evening entertainment incorporated aerial artists doing incredible feats to live music.

Select Your Top Shore Excursions in Advance

Shore Excursions can be a bit overwhelming because there are a lot of great options to choose from at each port. The excursions can add up quickly, especially for shore excursions for multiple people.

My personal opinion is that some excursions are once in a lifetime and worth the splurge. That was how I justified paying for my boys and me to go dog sledding on a Glacier via a helicopter ride .

I couldn’t replicate this experience at home and I also couldn’t replicate the time with my kids at their ages and seasons of life.

I knew that we wouldn’t realistically be back in Alaska as a family in the near future.

It’s much easier to add an excursion during your current cruise than to coordinate everyone’s schedules again to book another cruise to come back and do another excursion.

The more unique the experience, the more likely it will fill up quickly on your cruise ship.

Excursions can have less availability if there are other ships in port on the same day and time in the cruise industry. You can check if other cruise lines will be in port on the same day of your arrival here.

Also, keep in mind that many of the excursions are more expensive because many of the logistics are more extreme.

For example, the glacier that we went dog sledding on was only accessible by helicopter, and the sled dogs and their mushers stayed on the glacier during the entirety of the summer months.

Shore Excursions Can Get Cancelled Due to Weather

One of the risks of booking a more extreme shore excursion is that it can be weather permitting, and the weather can be unpredictable in Alaska.

I selected morning times for dog sledding because I thought that we could try again in the afternoon if the morning time was canceled due to weather.

The weather personally affected us for our shore excursion in Ketchikan. We were supposed to go on a hovercraft animal sightseeing excursion but it was cancelled that day due to rough seas that were unsafe.

If you book your excursion through the Celebrity Eclipse and it gets canceled, you can check with staff about availability for a new booking for another excursion.

We decided to pivot last minute and go to The Great American Lumberjack Show as a family instead.

Pro tip: If all of the lumberjack shows are booked up online, walk a few blocks to the ticket booth and check for openings. That’s how we got our tickets.

Booking Shore Excursions With Celebrity Cruises VS. Independently

One of the perks of booking a shore excursion with the cruise line is that you won’t be left behind if your excursion is delayed on your return to the ship.

If you’re late from an excursion that wasn’t booked through the cruise the expenses to catch up to the ship are on you. Celebrity Cruises can also keep track of your excursions in the app and your tickets are delivered to your room.

We did book our dog sledding excursion with Coastal Helicopters through Alaska Shore Excursions because the slots were filled through Celebrity. You can also check Viator for Alaska Shore Excursions.

Relax During the Sea Days on the Celebrity Eclipse

You can curl up with a good book at the library, take naps, eat… and then eat some more.

The “sea days” were great because we could do as much or as little as we wanted.

There are plenty of activities on the Celebrity Eclipse offered daily if you prefer to keep a full schedule.

Our evening meal time and the entertainment were the only two things we decided to plan our day around.

We preferred dining in the Moonlight Sonata restaurant in the evening and became quite attached to the staff. They provided excellent customer service and we enjoyed asking them questions about their home countries.

Days at sea are also the perfect day to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere at the spa or work off some calories at the fitness center. I can vouch that a massage at the spa is a great way to spend your afternoon.

What Types of Animals Could You See on an Alaskan Cruise?

• Bald eagles
• Humpback whales
• Black bears
• and many more

We saw several animals listed above from our cruise ship. My husband and I enjoyed learning from the naturalist on the ship who would point out whales and bald eagles along the way.

You’ll definitely want to bring binoculars and a nice camera lens with you.

Alaskan Cruise Port of Call Highlights on the Celebrity Eclipse

It’s important to pay close attention to arrival and departure times at each individual port. You may have time to check out additional stops on your list if they are within close proximity of the port.

Here are some of our cruise port highlights during our Alaskan cruise.

Highlights of Vancouver, British Columbia

We visited these locations in Vancouver before and after our Alaskan cruise.

• Stanley Park
• Capilano Suspension Bridge Park (there are free shuttles from the Port of Vancouver)
• Scenic drive to Whistler (we had a rental car)
• Gastown Steam Clock ( the clock shoots steam and whistles every quarter hour)
• Lynn Canyon Park/ Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge (free suspension bridge)

Highlights of Icy Strait Point, Alaska

• Whale watching tour
• Free Icy Strait gondola

Highlights of Hubbard Glacier

We lucked out and had perfect conditions that allowed our skilled captain to navigate a half mile up to Hubbard Glacier, the closest ships are allowed to go.

While we were gazing at the glaciers we were able to witness “calving” which is when giant chunks of the iceberg break off into the sea.

It sounds like a loud shotgun and then you see the ice break away and crumble into the sea. It was truly magnificent to witness and an experience that I will treasure for a long time.

This picture is for other parents reading this. The two kids in the hot tub and the only people on the pool deck during the glacier viewing time were mine.

Yes, they did spend time looking at the glacier but they didn’t share their parent’s enthusiasm to look at it for hours in awe. Once they had enough of the glacier they had the pool all to themselves

Highlights of Juneau, Alaska

• Helicopter Ride /Dog Sledding on a Glacier – There were two glacier options for dog sledding, Mendenhall Glacier or Herbert Glacier. We opted for Herbert Glacier for our adventure on the Juneau icefields.
• Self-guided tour of the Capital building – Did you know you can only get to Juneau by plane or by boat?
• Tracy’s King Crab Shack – for King Crab and King Crab bisque

Highlights of Ketchikan, Alaska aka “The Salmon Capital of the World”

Our original excursion was cancelled due to unsafe waters at sea so we pivoted last minute on shore. Instead, it was the perfect opportunity to check out The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show.

• The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show
• Totem Heritage Center
• Shopping and Scenic Views on Creek Street, The Old Redlight District

Highlights of Inside Passage (Cruising)

• Scenic views of Vancouver Island and British Columbia and a day of rest

The process for disembarking the Celebrity Eclipse went quickly without a long line because of our later departure time.

The end of the cruise is always the saddest time. But you can follow Captain Leo Palaiokrassas on Instagram if you want to keep up with the Celebrity Eclipse’s adventures.

What’s the Dress Code on the Celebrity Eclipse for An Alaskan Cruise?

Celebrity Cruises describes the dress attire onboard as “relaxed luxury.”

It can feel counterintuitive to pack winter clothes during the summer season, especially if you’re from an area that gets hot in the summer.

Normally I’m all about enjoying the summer weather in the summer, but an Alaskan cruise is truly a bucket list experience worth layering up for.

Daytime Attire on the Celebrity Eclipse

Shipboard attire during the day is casual. I would recommend packing a lot of clothing items that can be layered because the temperatures can vary quite a bit.

When we left the port of Vancouver it was in the 70s and we were in short sleeves and later changed into our swimsuits to lay out by the pool.

As we continued north the temperatures decreased by quite a bit as expected.

Long-sleeved shirts, sweatshirts, jeans, and leggings are comfortable for the day. I’d also recommend gym shoes and a light jacket or vest if you want to get some steps in on the deck.

The only time my boys wore shorts on the cruise was when they were going to the pool or the gym.

Poolside Attire on the Celebrity Eclipse

For your time at the pool make sure that you pack bathing suits with coverups , hats , sunglasses , T-shirts, and tank tops.

*Pool attire isn’t permitted in the theater, main dining, and specialty dining areas.

Smart Casual Attire on the Celebrity Eclipse

In the evening “Smart Casual” attire is required to dine in the main dining area, specialty dining, and the Celebrity Theatre.

“Smart Casual” attire is defined by Celebrity Cruises as “comfortable yet tasteful in a dress, skirt, long pants, or jeans, and stylish top or button-down.”

FYI – Shorts and flip-flops are NOT considered Smart Casual. 

My boys and husband wore a lot of golf style and collared shirts with khakis and I found myself wearing pants with nice tops rather than dresses for the majority of our cruise.

We packed our travel steamer because the rooms don’t have irons or ironing boards. There are laundry services, dry-cleaning, and pressing services available by staff for an additional fee.

Evening Chic Attire on the Celebrity Eclipse

Formal nights can be as formal as you want them to be but you’ll find that most guests don’t wear full suits or formal cocktail gowns.

There are 1-2 “formal nights” on each itinerary with an Evening Chic dress code.

What is Evening Chic Attire on the Celebrity Eclipse?

Celebrity Cruises defines “Evening Chic” as “dress to impress,” glamorous and sophisticated in your own way, with a cocktail dress, skirt, slacks, or designer jeans, an elegant dress top or blazer.

*The Daily program delivered to your stateroom will give you a heads-up for the correct attire each evening.

If you don’t want to participate in “Evening Chic” attire, Smart Casual attire is still acceptable for dining and the theater.

Shoreside Attire for an Alaskan Cruise on the Celebrity Eclipse

For shoreside adventures, you’ll definitely want to dress in layers and have comfortable shoes that you don’t mind getting wet.

For example, Ketchikan, Alaska is located in the Tongass National Forest, a temperate rainforest so you’ll want to be prepared with rain jackets, heavier coats, umbrellas, and ball caps.

It rained a good portion of our time in Ketchikan and Juneau. We also packed hiking boots and gym shoes for their versatility for shore excursions.

During our day to view the Hubbard Glacier my husband and I watched the ship approach the glacier from the helipad at the front of the ship for a few hours.

It was COLD but the views as we approached the glacier were definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

You’ll want to have a heavy waterproof jacket/coat , snow hat , gloves , and insulated pants that can be layered if you plan on spending time outside.

We didn’t pack snow pants and we were fine without them. When we went dog sledding on a glacier we were given shoe covers to put over our hiking boots.

If you struggle with motion sickness you may want to try this blisslets motion sickness band that doubles as an accessory. You can use the code “adventuremom” for 10% off.

Save on Your Airfare With Flights By Celebrity

We booked our flights through Celebrity Cruises and arrived a few days early to explore Vancouver and San Juan Island.

I compared airfare prices using Google Flights and found the lower prices with Flights by Celebrity.

I also liked that Flights by Celebrity had the lowest airfare guarantee for the price without booking fees and had protection to get us to the ship.

That meant if our flight was changed or canceled, they would help us find a seat on a new flight or even meet the ship at the next available port if needed.

We could also book our airfare in advance, with no money down, and earn airfare points.

Save on Your Hotel Room Before or After Your Cruise With Celebrity Cruises

Vancouver is the largest Canadian port, and hotels closest to the cruise port can fill up quickly. If you have a specific hotel in mind, make a reservation as far in advance as possible.

If your hotel preference of choice is booked closest to Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal, public transportation is easy to navigate in Vancouver.

Or you can compare prices on hotels near the port and vacation rentals using your discount site of choice. ( Hotels.com , Booking.com , Expedia , or Vrbo )

Ready to Book an Upcoming Cruise With Celebrity Cruises?

You can learn more about new bookings for the upcoming Alaska season with Celebrity Cruises here. Celebrity Cruises is owned by the Royal Caribbean group.

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Celebrity Eclipse Itineraries

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Adventure awaits in Alaska, Asia, and Australia on these Celebrity Eclipse itineraries.

Set out on an unforgettable journey with one of Celebrity Eclipse's® itineraries, which include sweeping journeys across the Bering Sea, voyages through Alaska’s Inside Passage, and sailings down New Zealand’s gorgeous fjords.

Dip your toes in the sand of exotic beaches in the islands of the South Pacific. Marvel at the colorful marine life that calls Australia’s Great Barrier Reef home. Get up close and personal with North America’s largest glacier, or set off on a blissful vacation to Hawaii’s lush, volcanic islands. 

While vacationing on one of Celebrity Eclipse’s itineraries, you’ll encounter breathtaking ocean vistas, enjoy stately accommodations, and experience one-of-a-kind service that will leave you feeling relaxed and reinvigorated by the end of your trip.

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Celebrity Cruises, Alaska Hubbard Glacier Cruise from Vancouver, 11 September, 2022

Cruising from: Vancouver, British Columbia ;

Departure Date: 11 September, 2022 ;

Cruise Line: Celebrity Cruises ;

Cruise Ship: Celebrity Eclipse ;

Duration: 11 days ;

Ports of Call: Vancouver, Inside Passage, Sitka, Hubbard Glacier, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait, Endicott Arm, Ketchikan, Inside Passage, Victoria, Vancouver ;

11-day Alaska cruise on board Celebrity Eclipse.

Day 0 vancouver, british columbia.

Vancouver is located in British Columbia, and is considered one of the most beautiful and livable cities in the world, with a thriving cultural scene, stunning natural surroundings, and a diverse and welcoming population....

Day 1 Inside Passage, Alaska

A cruise through the Inside Passage is an unforgettable experience that offers visitors the chance to witness some of the most stunning natural scenery in the world. This iconic waterway runs along the southeastern coast of Alaska and offers breathtaking views of towering mountains,...

Day 2 Sitka, Alaska

Sitka, Alaska is a popular departure port for many Alaskan cruises, offering visitors a chance to explore the Last Frontier's stunning natural beauty, rich history, and culture....

Day 3 Hubbard Glacier, Alaska

The Hubbard Glacier is one of the most impressive natural wonders in Alaska and a popular cruise destination for visitors on an Alaskan cruise. This massive glacier is the largest tidewater glacier in North America, stretching for 76 miles and towering more than 300 feet above the...

Day 4 Juneau, Alaska

Juneau is a popular cruise port for Alaska cruises, located on the Inside Passage of Alaska. It is the capital city of Alaska and the third largest city in the state. ...

Day 5 Skagway, Alaska

Skagway, located in the Upper Lynn Canal is a place in Alaska where the past lives on. The Port of Skagway is the northernmost ice-free, deep-water port in North America, and serves as a year-round transportation hub between Alaska, the Yukon Territory, Northern British Columbia, the Northwest...

Day 6 Icy Strait, Alaska

Icy Strait Point is a unique and remote destination in Alaska that offers visitors the chance to experience the authentic culture and natural beauty of the region. This former cannery town is located on the remote Chichagof Island, and is only accessible by boat or plane.

One of the...

Day 7 Endicott Arm, Alaska

Endicott Arm is a breathtaking fjord located in Southeast Alaska, and is a cruise destination that offers visitors the chance to experience the natural beauty and incredible wildlife of the region. This stunning fjord is known for its pristine glaciers, towering waterfalls, and abundant...

Day 8 Ketchikan, Alaska

An Alaskan cruise from Ketchikan is an unforgettable adventure that will take you through some of the most stunning natural landscapes in the world....

Day 9 Inside Passage, Alaska

Day 10 victoria, british columbia.

Victoria, British Columbia's capital, is an occasional Cruise Port during the Alaska cruise season, especially at the beginning or the end of the cruise season, when cruise lines have unique itineraries as they reposition their ships from the south to the north, or vice versa....

Day 11 Vancouver, British Columbia

Experience wildlife, wilderness, and native culture on this Alaska cruise with Celebrity Cruises. Visit Vancouver, Inside Passage, Sitka, Hubbard Glacier, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait, Endicott Arm, Ketchikan, Inside Passage, Victoria, Vancouver. Celebrity Eclipse leaving Vancouver, British Columbia, for 11 days from 11 September, 2022.

Alaska cruise from Vancouver September 2022

Please note that port orders, dates, and itinerary details, including content, are subject to change. Verify specific details for your chosen sailing date on the Celebrity Cruises website.

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Everyone saves 40% on every sailing and receives an added savings bonus of up to $200 per stateroom. Plus, on select sailings, 3rd and 4th guests sail for free.

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Sail to the Great Outdoors on a Luxury Cruise Ship to Alaska

Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure to one of America’s most spectacular destinations on one of our luxury Alaska cruise ships, and sail your way through the rugged wilderness of Alaska. During your journey on board, you’ll enjoy world-class cuisine, unrivaled service, breathtaking views, and limitless entertainment options. This is one vacation you won’t soon forget.

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Set sail to the Last Frontier on one of our award-winning ships to Alaska. Admire towering glaciers from up close. Spot migrating whales breaching next to the ship. And stop in stunning destinations, like Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Sitka, aboard one of our cruise ships to Alaska.

Make yourself at home on Celebrity Millennium, one of our newly revolutionized vessels. Our modernized ship features updated staterooms, innovative technology, and reimagined restaurants. Other elevated additions include modernized bathrooms, cashmere bedding, and a newly redesigned Spa. And enjoy The Retreat, our luxury vacation experience that includes exclusive access to The Retreat Sundeck and The Retreat Lounge, as well as a private restaurant, Luminae. 

All Celebrity cruise ships to Alaska include spacious stateroom accommodations. Soak in nature’s beauty from a breezy Veranda Stateroom or unwind after a day of exciting shore excursions in an expansive Oceanview Staterooms, where the big blue ocean will always be front and center. 

During your time on board, savor global-inspired cuisine at restaurants featuring menus crafted by a Michelin-starred chef. Watch thrilling music and dance performances in the Theatre. Seek serenity at the adults-only solarium. And cap off the night with a cocktail and live music at one of the many bars and lounges. 

Once you step aboard one of our Alaska cruise ships, we’ll make sure you won’t have to lift a finger.

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Celebrity Alaska Cruise: An Epic Trip On A Solstice-Class Ship

Cruise passengers have many choices when selecting an Alaskan itinerary. However, my Celebrity Alaska cruise on the Eclipse was the most memorable. Maybe it was because it was my first cruise.

Or maybe it was due to Celebrity’s amazing service, awesome food choices in the main dining room, and being in a new destination.

Celebrity Cruises have three ships cruising to Alaska; the Solstice from Seattle and the Eclipse and Millennium, both sailing from Vancouver, Canada.

The Solstice and Eclipse are both Solstice-class vessels which a passenger capacity of 2850. However, the Millennium, a smaller vessel carries up to 2170 guests.

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During a 7-day Celebrity cruise, you’ll see a tidewater glacier, immerse yourself in Alaskan history, and experience magnificent landscapes.

Also, when sailing on the Celebrity Millennium, passengers can add on a land tour to Denali National Park or a Cruisetour to the majestic Canadian Rockies. In 2024, the Millennium will be replaced by the Celebrity Summit cruise ship.

Celebrity Eclipse cruisers can extend their vacation with a Canadian Rockies tour.

For the 2024 Alaska cruise season, the Celebrity Edge will be offering itineraries from Seattle. It’s the first time an Edge-class vessel will sail in Alaskan waters. With an infinite veranda, you can welcome the outside indoors.

Choosing An Embarkation Port

Those living in the lower 49 states might choose Seattle as an embarkation port purely for convenience. However, when comparing Alaskan cruises from Vancouver and Seattle , there are some differences.

Passengers booked on the Celebrity Solstice will enjoy a 7-day roundtrip itinerary from Seattle. The itinerary includes one fjord, Dawes Glacier in Endicott Arm. Also, it consists of a stop in one Canadian port, Victoria , on Vancouver Island.

The Celebrity Millennium sails a 7-day one-way trip to and from Seward if choosing to cruise from Vancouver. Alternatively, the Eclipse offers a roundtrip itinerary, with both vessels cruising to Hubbard Glacier in Disenchantment Bay.

Cruising from Vancouver, you’ll spend your first day in the inside passage. Here, the waters are calmer and preferred for those who suffer from motion sickness.

It’s important to note Seward is 127 miles from the nearest airport in Anchorage, so passengers require transportation for the 2-1/2-hour journey.

The Millennium, also known as “Millie” to Celebrity’s loyal customer base, holds up to 2170 passengers with double occupancy. In 2019, Celebrity revolutionized the Millennium, adding touches from the Edge-class vessels.

Both the Solstice and Eclipse are bigger in size and primarily offer staterooms with verandas. However, if you’re cruising on a budget, you can enjoy the same itinerary, onboard dining options, and ports of call by booking an interior stateroom.

Since I reside in Vancouver, I usually opt for a roundtrip itinerary, although I have taken a back-to-back 14-day cruise to Alaska. For my first Celebrity cruise to Alaska, I chose a 7-day return cruise that visited Hubbard Glacier.

Embarkation Day With Celebrity

Leaving Vancouver, I boarded my vessel at the cruise port at Canada Place in downtown Vancouver. Seattle departures leave from Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91.

Celebrity Cruises has a loyal customer base, and it’s easy to see why. From the moment I stepped aboard the Eclipse, I felt special, with welcoming smiles, a red-carpet greeting, and a complimentary glass of champagne.

Celebrity vessels are timelessly elegant with a neutral color palette and a sophisticated décor.

While I may be biased because I reside in Vancouver, but cruising under the Lionsgate Bridge and bidding farewell to the city, is one of the best send-offs.

My Celebrity Alaska Cruise Itinerary

My Cruise in July stopped in Sitka, Alaska. However, some itineraries dock in Icy Strait Point or Skagway instead.

When choosing a sail date, I prefer one that provides an entire day in Juneau. Being Alaska’s capital city, Juneau offers the most significant and best selection of shore excursions.

If cruising from Seattle, the Solstice visits Endicott Arm early in the morning and docks in Juneau in the afternoon.

Since the Mt. Roberts Tramway operates until 6 pm, and the last shuttle back from Mendenhall Glacier leaves at 5:30 pm, there’s little time to enjoy Juneau when your vessel arrives at 1:30 pm.

However, the Millennium and Eclipse arrive at Juneau between 7 and 7:30 am and leave later in the evening. With twelve to fourteen hours in port, you can choose to do several excursions on the same day.

Selecting A Stateroom

When choosing a stateroom for your Alaskan cruise , opt for that veranda stateroom if your budget allows. On an Alaska cruise, passengers view much of the spectacular landscapes from the cruise ship.

Choosing a balcony cabin means the views of those rugged peaks and lush rainforests are steps away. Also, since Alaska season runs from May to September, it’s an ideal time to see whales, porpoises, and harbor seals along your route.

Whales are so common that I’ve seen plenty on EVERY one of my Alaska cruises. It’s a good idea to pack a pair of compact binoculars and look for the plumes of mist close to shore.

Should you be sailing northbound on the Celebrity Millennium, choose a veranda cabin on the starboard side. For southbound cruises, select the port side instead. By choosing a stateroom adjacent to the land, you’ll enjoy fantastic views all the way.

We enjoyed the modern look of our balcony stateroom and it had lots of storage. One of our favorite things to do was have morning tea outside while watching the stunning landscape.

There’s something so wonderful about listening to the sound of ice crunching against the ship’s side as it approaches Hubbard Glacier.

Packing For An Alaska Cruise

Regardless of which month you cruise, prepare for your Alaska cruise by packing layers. The weather can change quickly, and I’ve experienced a heatwave to bitterly cold temperatures.

Alaska cruises are less formal than other destinations, so don’t worry about the dress code. When selecting outfits, think warm over style.

Sweats and fleece layers work best, and choose waterproof items over water-repellent. A 7-day Celebrity cruise has two “Evening Chic” nights, which have replaced formal nights.

Women can select cocktail dresses or two-piece outfits for these nights, and men can wear pants with a shirt or sweater. If passengers want to dress in formal wear, by all means, do so.

Celebrity vessels don’t have self-serve laundry rooms. So, if you’re trying to minimize what you take, be prepared to pay for laundry services.

Celebrity Alaska Cruise Sea Days

The Eclipse and Solstice offer some unique features that are only available on Solstice-class ships. The Lawn Club (with natural grass) allows for lawn bowling, croquet, and picnics. Next to the Lawn Club, passengers can sign up to create a piece of blown glass at the Hot Glass Show.

Celebrity ships cruise along the inside passage, which offers calm seas and picturesque views of islands and forests for as far as the eyes can see.

However, once my ship cleared the tip of Vancouver Island, the waters became rough and caused a lot of seasickness. Whether you suffer from seasickness or not, be prepared by packing motion sickness patches .

If you’re worried about the weather, you don’t have to lounge by the outer pool area. All ships have solarium pools, so Alaska cruise-goers can enjoy a dip or a soak in one of the hot tubs, regardless of the weather outside.

One of my favorite places onboard was the eye-catching library. Two stories high with large windows looking out to the Lido, the space was always filled with natural sunlight.

There was no time for boredom on a sea day with a games room, Canyon Ranch Spa, and activities galore. Celebrity also offered many enrichment programs to learn about Alaska’s glaciers, wildlife, and landscape.

Since the sun didn’t set until 11 pm in the summer, I found myself busy, making use of the daylight hours. In ports, I usually stayed on shore until I was required to be back on the ship.

Bar and Dining Options

The larger Solstice-class ships have at least eight bars spread out across their decks. The Cellar Masters and Martini Bar are always popular spots in the evenings and on sea days. Alternatively, the Sunset Bar provides those soothing wake views at the ship’s aft.

Celebrity is known for its first-class dining and excellent food selections. If you book a suite class stateroom, Celebrity provides an exclusive dining venue called Luminae. Blu Restaurant is reserved for those in Aqua-class.

Beyond the complimentary dining options, you can choose to eat in specialty restaurants onboard. On the Millennium, you can choose from Qsine, Sushi on Five, and the Tuscan Grille.

The Solstice features Le Petit Chef dinner show at Silk Harvest, Tuscan Grille, Murano, and Sushi on Five. On the Eclipse, Qsine replaces the Silk Harvest, but in the same location.

If you want to try more than one specialty restaurant, purchasing a dining package on the Celebrity’s website before your cruise can save up to 40%. Additionally, Celebrity often offers discounts on first-night specialty dining.

For those who need a caffeine kick, Cafe al Bacio offers specialty coffees and teas.

What To Expect On A Celebrity Alaska Cruise

Alaska cruises are much different than itineraries in warmer destinations. The dress code is much more relaxed and you generally won’t see guests laying on the pool deck unless Alaska is experiencing a heat wave.

With cooler weather, you’ll want to take advantage of the solarium pool, Persian Garden, and Sky Observation Lounge (on Solstice-class), and Sky Lounge (on the Millennium).

If it’s your first trip to Alaska, expect some nights to feature Alaskan cuisine with salmon, crab, and other seafood.

The days are much longer in the summer, and it’s a wonderful opportunity to soak up the scenery, even late at night. Your ports of call may vary from mine.

Like most cruises I sail, I tend not to choose port excursions unless it’s something that sells out. Arriving in Sitka was no different. Instead, I pick up a tour in the port or explore the town on my own.

Sitka is a small town with under 9,000 residents. Seeing its large marina, it was apparent, the town’s primary source of income came from fishing. During my exploration of Sitka, I discovered it was established by the Russians, so many excursions excursion center around its town’s rich history.

I admired the totem poles at Sitka National Historical Park through the raindrops and learned more about Alaska’s past.

I discovered the St. Michael’s Cathedral in town, a gem of a building with an equally rich heritage. While far from a show-stopper outside, the Orthodox Catholic Church houses some unique religious artifacts inside the cathedral.

The Sheldon Jackson Museum and Sitka Historical Museum Sitka display fantastic totem poles, kayaks, and ceremonial items. At either museum, you’ll learn more about the Tlingit, Russians, and Americans who help shape this land.

Within walking distance of town, the Alaska Raptor Center allows you to see bald eagles and other birds of prey. The rehabilitation center heals injured birds and returns them to the wild.

Five miles out of town, the Fortress of the Bear sanctuary allows guests to see black bears and coastal brown bears. The sanctuary rescues injured and orphaned bears who would have otherwise perished in the wild.

If you prefer to take an excursion, there are plenty of tours in Sitka.

Cruising Hubbard Glacier

While the Celebrity ships don’t cruise to Glacier Bay National Park, they offer a great cruise to Hubbard Glacier (or Endicott Arm).

One of the highlights of the Celebrity cruise was Hubbard Glacier. Since the ship spent 4-1/2 hours in Disenchantment Bay, Celebrity provided a unique experience by putting on a magnificent brunch.

The Sky Observation Lounge on the Lido deck made the perfect place to watch the approach to Hubbard Glacier. As my ship left the Gulf of Alaska, I was surprised that the surrounding terrain was green.

But as the Eclipse neared Hubbard, the waters became dotted with icebergs, which grew larger the further we sailed. Once I sighted the glacier, I headed outside to witness its magnificence.

Nicknamed the “galloping glacier,” Hubbard continues to thicken and grow each year. Since most of Alaska’s glaciers are retreating, this is fantastic news.

Even though I had seen many glaciers, Hubbard’s size and color astounded me. At 7 miles wide and 350 visible feet above the water, I stood in awe of its beauty.

Since Hubbard is advancing, it provides cruise passengers with the best calving action. It was interesting to hear the thunderous sounds of the icefield cracking. Then, hundreds of people looked across the glacier, trying to capture that shot of the ice breaking away.

Sometimes the pieces were small; other times, they were as large as a house. If you want a front-row seat, consider booking the Glacier Explorer Excursion, which gets you close by boarding a smaller vessel.

After watching Hubbard for over an hour, I head downstairs to enjoy the Hubbard Day brunch. To this day, it’s still one of the most memorable meals I’ve enjoyed on a cruise ship.

During my Alaska cruise, I had one pre-booked excursion in Juneau, Alaska’s capital city. Not for the budget-minded, my tour with sled dogs on Herbert Glacier was the highlight of my vacation.

While it cost me over USD 500 per person, the three-hour excursion was thrilling and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Meeting a Coastal Helicopter representative at the cruise port, I was quickly shuttled to Juneau airport to get weighed and geared up in icefield boots and snow pants.

In no time at all, my helicopter was soaring over Juneau and heading to Herbert Icefield. The flight was picturesque, with stunning views of Mendenhall Glacier, Auke Bay, and the whole of Juneau.

Landing on Herbert Glacier, the Alaskan sled dogs were harnessed and ready for a run. They were barking and eager to go. When I was assigned a sled and went through a safety briefing, I was flying around the glacier, being pulled by an enthusiastic dog team.

While I wore a 3-in-1 jacket, gloves, hat, and scarf, the ride was much colder than anticipated, even in July. It just goes to show you can’t predict the weather in Alaska.

Once the ride portion of the tour was over, I had time to mingle with the huskies and ask questions of the handlers before the helicopter return flight. 

Once back in Juneau, I spent a few hours exploring the city, checking out the Red Dog Saloon, and enjoying some tasty seafood at a local restaurant.

The moment the Eclipse arrived in Ketchikan, I fell in love with this town. While much smaller than Juneau, its colorful buildings and charming hometown feel are the stuff featured on postcards.

Docking in downtown, I didn’t need transportation to get around. Instead, I enjoyed exploring Ketchikan on foot.

Close to the port, the Ketchikan liquid sunshine gauge made me smile. Living in Vancouver (where it rains a lot), I could relate to their sense of humor.

The sign notes that 1949 recorded the greatest amount of rainfall; a massive 202.5 inches! Nearby, the colorful Ketchikan welcome arch states, “Ketchikan is the salmon capital of the world.”

A cant-miss in Ketchikan, Creek Street provides a picturesque boardwalk stroll over Ketchikan Creek. Once a former red-light district, the historic area has been transformed into quaint boutiques, creekside cafes, and even has a unique museum, Doll’s House.

Like Sitka, Ketchikan has many totem poles. The best and most colorful poles sit outside the Cape Fox Lodge. Walk the Married Man’s Trail to reach them.

Brimming with history, the little town of Skagway developed out of the Klondike Gold Rush in the 1890s. While the prospectors are long gone, Skagway retains its quaintness, and its links to the past are evident throughout the town.

The White Pass railroad provides the most popular tour in town. Riding in vintage railcars, guests journey through the mountains once used by the prospectors.

You’ll learn about the perilous journey taken by people and pack horses to build the railroad and enjoy the breathtaking scenery of mountains and waterfalls.

Along the way, you’ll pass through tunnels, and over wooden trestles, for an unforgettable journey.

Alternatively, Skagway offers many activities, from hiking and zip lining to dog sledding and renting an electric bike to explore the area.

Icy Strait Point

Located on Chichagof Island, Icy Strait Point is Alaska’s newest port. This port differs from others in that there’s no real town at the dock. The dock was developed in a pristine area of natural beauty.

Top Icy Strait Point activities include whale watching, riding the ZipRider (the world’s largest zip line), or taking a Wilderness Tour to spot coastal brown bears.

If you’re seeking something budget-friendly, take the shuttle to Hoonah, scour the beaches for sea stars, and tour the cannery museum.

What I loved About My Alaska Cruise With Celebrity

• During my seven days with Celebrity, the service was first class, and the staff was attentive. 
• Since I’m Celiac, lactose-intolerant, and allergic to nuts, Celebrity cooked my meals separately so that I could remain healthy. The dining room staff always double-checked my meals before serving them.
• The indoor Solarium’s adults-only space was a fantastic place to hang out when the Alaska weather wasn’t cooperating. Even in July, the cruise experienced rain and cold weather.
• Its two-story light-filled library is a great place to read a book on a sea day.
• The entertainment options were varied, and there was something for everyone.
• Le Petit Chef at Qsine allows for a fun and entertaining dining experience (at an additional cost).
• The glass-blowing shows are fantastic to watch and participate in on sea days.
• The Hubbard Glacier brunch is beautifully presented, has a terrific selection, and is a fantastic treat.

Final Thoughts

Since I live in Vancouver, Alaska cruises are very accessible to me. Although I’ve cruised to Alaska half a dozen times, I’m eager to experience its beauty once again.

If you’re thinking of booking an Alaska cruise, it’s a destination like none other. With an untouched landscape of natural beauty and jaw-dropping glaciers, you’ll experience a one-of-a-kind vacation.

If you have the time and budget, consider the Alaska cruise tour for an extended stay in the great white north.

Happy travels ~ Karen

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Celebrity Eclipse Itinerary

Celebrity Cruises 2024 itineraries of the cruise ship Celebrity Eclipse with homeports and ports-of-call including dates and times. Find out where the ship is sailing and future vessel deployment at the exact date with arrival and departure times. The following monthly cruise ship calendar is updated frequently using the latest official itineraries released by Celebrity Cruises. You can also download a full year-round itinerary of the ship at the end of this page in a pdf format. This file is intended for the cruise ship crew, and their families back home to keep track of the ship’s itinerary.

Celebrity Eclipse Data

Double occupancy/max occupancy:  2852 / 3000 Crew:  1500 Year built:  2010 Tonnage:  122000 Length overall:  1040ft (317m) Beam:  121ft (37m) Flag:  Malta

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Download Celebrity Eclipse itinerary in PDF File for an entire year at the link below. 

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Celebrity Eclipse Itineraries

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Adventure awaits in Alaska, Asia, and Australia on these Celebrity Eclipse itineraries.

Set out on an unforgettable journey with one of Celebrity Eclipse's® itineraries, which include sweeping journeys across the Bering Sea, voyages through Alaska’s Inside Passage, and sailings down New Zealand’s gorgeous fjords.

Dip your toes in the sand of exotic beaches in the islands of the South Pacific. Marvel at the colorful marine life that calls Australia’s Great Barrier Reef home. Get up close and personal with North America’s largest glacier, or set off on a blissful vacation to Hawaii’s lush, volcanic islands. 

While vacationing on one of Celebrity Eclipse’s 2023, 2024 and beyond itineraries, you’ll encounter breathtaking ocean vistas, enjoy stately accommodations, and experience one-of-a-kind service that will leave you feeling relaxed and reinvigorated by the end of your trip.

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More From Forbes

9 bucket list luxury cruising destinations for 2024.

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Hilltop houses and Greek Orthodox church dwarfed by cruise ship anchored offshore, Gialos (aka ... [+] Yialos), Symi (aka Simi), Rhodes, Dodecanese Islands, South Aegean, Greece, Europe.

Cruise vacations are a wonderful way to visit multiple destinations in one trip and unpack only once. And while cruises may not give people multiple days in each destination, it acts as a sampler for people to discover new places that they may possibly want to return to later.

Top Luxury Cruise Destinations

Knowing when to visit and what to explore can help people make the right decision for which to cruise take. The Caribbean and Mexico are the most common cruise destinations that people may think of, there are plenty of other bucket list destinations worth exploring. Here are some of the most popular among them and some of the latest news in the cruise industry .

1. Mediterranean

Villefranche-sur-mer on the French Riviera in summer

From Spain to Turkey and everywhere in between, these are highly popular sailings that can book up quickly. The best time to travel is during the summer months when the most ships are sailing in the Mediterranean, but prepare for hot weather. Many cruise lines move their ships to the Caribbean during the winter months.

The Spanish coastline, French Riviera, Amalfi Coast, Greek islands and Turkish ports are some of the highlight destinations on these routes. Among the busiest departure ports for these cruises are Athens, Rome (Civitavecchia) and Barcelona, and some travelers like to extend their cruise with a pre- or post-cruise stay in these cities. Taking a cruise here is a great way to visit many countries in one trip.

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Ilma will sail its inaugural season in the Mediterranean.

Among the new ships in the region for this year is Silversea’s Silver Ray, the second in the Nova class for the line. The new Sun Princess from Princess Cruises started sailing the Med this year. The second yacht in the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is Ilma, which will start sailing in the Mediterranean later this year. Also new for the season is the National Geographic Day Tours sailings from Holland America that give travelers the change to sail with a National Geographic trained guide and explore ports with an expert.

MSC World Europa is the first Liquified Natural Gas-fueled ship in the company's fleet. The company ... [+] has a goal to achieve net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions for its entire fleet.

MSC Euribia and MSC World Europa are two of the most popular ships to sail in the region. The European-based company is especially appealing for travelers because its ships board new passengers every day unlike other cruises that start and end on a particular date. This schedule flexibility means travelers can choose which ports where they want to embark. Its ships have numerous specialty restaurants, engaging theater shows and family-friendly pool areas.

Another cruise line, SeaDream, operates differently than other companies by arriving in busy ports in the afternoon when most other cruise passengers are reboarding their ships. SeaDream then stays until midnight, or sometimes overnight, to give travelers the chance to explore without “people pollution.”

2. Australia and New Zealand

The famous Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge

These cruises showcase some of the top destinations down under. The best time to take a cruise is between December and February, which is summer in the Southern Hemisphere. The weather can be quite warm, but it is an ideal time to see major cities like Sydney and Auckland, explore the Great Barrier Reef or the Kimberley region on the Australian west coast. For those that want to extend their trip, they can visit major tourist sights like Ayers Rock in the center of the country and wine country regions in both countries.

The Kimberley region in Australia is a new destination for Seabourn.

New for the season is Seabourn Pursuit, which will sail the Kimberley region, the first time Seabourn visits the region. To honor the new itinerary, the cruise line named the Western Kimberley traditional land owners, the Wunambal Gaambera Aboriginal Corporation, as godparents of Seabourn Pursuit . Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, part of the Abercrombie & Kent brand, will sail around both countries this spring.

Oceania Cruises is known for its overnight stays in cities in the South Pacific including Melbourne and Bali in Indonesia .

Snow melts slowly from the mountains as spring approaches at the end of May in south-central Alaska

Glacier Bay National Park and the Hubbard Glacier are top sights on an Alaska cruise sailing, which is best during the spring and summer months when the temperatures are not frigid. Sailings typically take place between April and October. Holland America is a leader in this part of the world, but many cruise lines send their ships here for the dramatic scenery. This is one of those ideal trips for a multi-generational trip.

Edge is one of the newest ships in the cruise line's fleet.

New for the season is Celebrity Edge, a dramatic ship with a cantilevered bar and restaurant known as the Magic Carpet and attached to the side of the ships and can be lowered closer to sea level for an up-close look at stunning glaciers. Among the top news for Alaska’s cruise ports is a new cruise terminal in the state capital, Juneau, and a new 28-day sailing from Holland America. Don’t miss the new seasonal drink “Killer Whale Pale Ale,” which Holland America is launching this year on its Alaska sailings.

4. Antarctica

Cruises sail through the Lemaire Channel

Cruises are the most common way to visit Antarctica, and there are all kinds of ships of varying sizes and price points. These are typically not cheap trips, but it is one of the most bucket list trips you can take. The cruise season in Antarctica is between November and February, which is summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Don’t be fooled though, it will still be cold.

These sailings give passengers the chance to set foot on this remote continent amid massive glaciers and snow-covered mountains. Bird spotting and thousands of penguins are just some of the animal life people will see. Many travelers like to take the Arctic plunge when they jump into the frigid water for a brief second.

Scenic Eclipse II has its own helicopter.

Atlas Ocean just christened two Polar ships that will sail from Patagonia to Antarctica. Seabourn Venture is an expedition ship that was christened in Antarctica and is a great way to enjoy nature without giving up luxury. Don’t miss Scenic Eclipse II, which is an elegant yacht that comes equipped with a helicopter for birds eye views and a submarine for fisheye photo opps.

5. Panama Canal

The Panama Canal has cruise and cargo ships passing through.

Going through the locks of the Panama Canal gives travelers an up-close experience of this architectural marvel. Between November and April, taking a cruise around Central America and passing through the canal is ideal since temperatures are not as hot and humid as the summer. Some cruise lines move their ships between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans when they change destinations for the season. A popular itinerary is Viking’s Classic Panama Canal Passage, which sails from Fort Lauderdale through the canal and visits Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, Honduras and Panama.

A pair of Star Clippers ships

If you’ve done the Panama Canal cruise, consider a Suez Canal sailing, which explores the Greek Islands before crossing the canal to visit ports in Egypt. Guests can take an excursion to visit the Pyramids, which is a highlight of this itinerary. Star Clippers takes its majestic sailing ships with tall white masts on these trips. If you want a true sailing experience, Star Clippers is a great option.

An aerial view of the fishing boats in Zanzibar

Taking a cruise to ports along Africa’s coastline is a great way to visit multiple places without worrying about getting difficult visas for each country or finding a comfortable place to say. There are many different itineraries including around the southern tip to ports of South Africa, Namibia and Mozambique. Others visit remote islands like Madagascar, Mauritius, Zanzibar and the Seychelles.

Azamara Quest visits the west coast of Africa.

The best time to visit is in the spring and fall as this means temperatures are not as hot as summer and also when cruise lines make these itineraries as they move ships to different regions. One of the most exciting (and quick to sell out) sailings is along parts of the west coast of the continent visiting places like the Bissagos Island chain, Sao Tome and Principe, Benin, Senegal and Gambia. Many travelers like to tack on a safari before or after their sailing.

Azamara Quest and Norwegian Sky are two of the most popular cruise ships that make these sailings. Azamara is known for its itineraries that remain in ports until late in the evening or even overnight giving travelers more time in each destination. For the 2025-2026 cruise season, Oceania Cruises will add new overnight stays in Mauritius, too.

Holland America’s Nieuw Statendam

Spotting the Northern Lights or sailing through panoramic fjords is often best experienced by ship. Holland America’s Nieuw Statendam sails through the Nordic countries during the summer months, the best time to visit the region since temperatures are not as cold. The newly launched Queen Anne from Cunard, which takes its first sailing in May, will sail around the British Islands and make its way to Norway to explore the fjords.

Hurtigruten Expeditions, a Norwegian company, operates its own series of sailings all along the coastline. The cruise line got its start here operating ferry ships bringing mail, supplies and other goods to remote parts of the country. Many of them also carry passengers that want to experience a smaller ship that visits different towns while also sailing through the fjords.

A Viking cruise ship sailing through the Norwegian fjords.

Another Nordic brand famous for its river and cruise ships is Viking, which operates its luxury ships carrying just under 1,000 passengers on signature itineraries like “Viking Homeland.” Viking Vela is one of the ships to make this journey, and Viking sailings are all-inclusive with drinks, all meals at specialty restaurants and excursions making it a great way to visit this region.

8. The Galapagos Islands

Galapagos sea lions (Zalophus wollebaeki) are sunbathing in the last sunlight at the beach of ... [+] Espanola island, Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean. This species of sea lion is endemic at the Galapagos islands; In the background one of the typical tourist yachts is visible. Wildlife shot.

Sailing between these Ecuadorian islands is beautiful for the bird watching and animal spotting from the region’s famous tortoises, iguanas and penguins. Cruise ships in this region are limited in size by regulations to preserve the marine environment. Hurtigruten Santa Cruz II is one of the larger ships that operates several itineraries in the archipelago.

Celebrity Flora is based in the Galapagos Islands.

Among the most luxurious ships sailing the islands is Celebrity Flora, a purpose-built ship for the Galapagos with cabanas on its top deck, a marine biology exploration center and beautiful cabins with electronically controlled windows that allow cabins to feel larger.

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