ALASKA CRUISE...Inside Passage!
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The Edge is Celebrity's largest class of ships. It can accommodate 2,918 passengers based on double occupancy, or up to 3,405 at maximum capacity. In comparison, Royal Caribbean's largest Icon Class would make the Edge feel more mid-size, with its ships accommodating approximately 5,610-7,600 passengers.
I've sailed with six other cruise brands previously, and this was our second Celebrity sailing and our first on an Edge Class ship. Celebrity is considered an upscale cruise brand, and we appreciated the status match with Royal Caribbean, since Royal Caribbean Group also owns Celebrity. Our Diamond Plus status with Royal Caribbean equates to Celebrity's Elite Plus level.
Our June sailing to Alaska was amazing! Our friends and we all booked suites, which included Butler service, access to the Retreat Lounge, the all-suite restaurant Luminae, a private sundeck and hot tub, premium Wi-Fi, and complimentary specialty dining and alcoholic beverages.
The food and service were exceptional. Our Butler was available throughout our stay, assisting us with changes to our dinner reservations, answering any questions we had, and occasionally surprising us with little treats delivered to our room.
We didn't dine in the main dining rooms (there are four, each featuring its own exclusive regional specialties) since we had access to Luminae as well as several specialty restaurants, including Fine Cut Steakhouse, Eden, Le Petit Chef, Raw on 5, Rooftop Garden Grill and Le Grand Bistro.
Venues...
* Magic Carpet ~ a cantilevered platform that moves vertically along the side of the ship, offering dining and other experiences at different levels
* Eden ~ a lush garden-inspired space for dining, cocktails and theatrical performances
* The Theatre ~ the ship's main entertainment venue and stage
* The Club ~ a space for daytime activities that transforms into a nightclub in the evening
* The Grand Plaza ~ a three-deck, centrally located space designed to resemble an Italian piazza, with specialty cafés, bars and gathering areas
There can be quite a difference in a ship's overall vibe and how its spaces are utilized depending on the itinerary. We found this to be especially true on our Alaska sailing.
Despite traveling toward the end of June, when most children are already on summer break, I recall seeing only a couple of families with children. The colder temperatures naturally draw people indoors, with fewer opportunities for outdoor activities, at least on the ship, which may explain why there weren't many kids aboard. The atmosphere was wonderfully quiet and relaxing.
We embarked from Seattle and made four port stops: Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Victoria, British Columbia. At each port, we did at least one excursion, although excursions in Alaska are considerably more expensive than those in the Caribbean.
In Ketchikan, the four of us hired a private tour guide who drove us around the area, including stops to see bears and bald eagles. In Juneau, we took a helicopter flight over the glaciers and went dog sledding. In Skagway, we boarded the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway for a scenic journey to the White Pass Summit.
The weather varied from port to port. Some mornings were foggy and drizzly, followed by bright sunshine later in the day, with temperatures generally hovering in the 60s. We came prepared with layers and down jackets, along with rain gear and waterproof boots for dog sledding.
We had a wonderful week of eating, drinking, sightseeing and pampering. It was truly a relaxing getaway, and a reminder that cruising can be just as enjoyable for the journey itself as it is for the destinations.
