My husband and I would like to book an Alaska cruise in Sept. I've been looking at the Celebrity website and I'm limited to the Mercury & Infinity as we want round trip air. Which ship would be best and port or starboard? We've been on the Mercury in 2001. I know both ships have been refurbished. We just got back from a Solstice cruise and I'm afraid I'll be disappointed in the older ships. Thanks!
Both ships will offer you a good experience but, while Mercury has been my favorite ship, I have read that she may be showing some signs of her age. If you can bite the bullet and book a S1 suite on Mercury you will have a great place for glacier and scenery watching.
Infinity is newer and has more enclosed viewing areas.
Since Celebrity does not cruise Glacier Bay it won't be a major issue on which side of the ship you book. I would probably book the starboard side but when viewing Hubbard glacier the ship will be turned 360 degrees so each side will get a good view of the glacier.
I hope some of this information helped and I know others will be able to give you more up to date information.
No matter what you will have a wonderful cruise. I have sailed Alaska two times, once on Mercury, and had a wonderful time seeing this beautiful place.
Take care,
Mike
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I cruise the Celebrity Millennium to Southeast Asia.
"There is a great difference between being well traveled and just having been to many places." ~Me
Personally I like the itinerary the Mercury is taking over the Infinity. Mercury goes to Hubbard Glacier and Infinity to Tracy Arm. Hubbard's awsome. Mercury is Vancouver and Infinity is Seattle. And while Seattle is easier I prefer Vancouver. Scenery is just a tad better from Vancouver.
My husband and I would like to book an Alaska cruise in Sept. I've been looking at the Celebrity website and I'm limited to the Mercury & Infinity as we want round trip air. Which ship would be best and port or starboard? We've been on the Mercury in 2001. I know both ships have been refurbished. We just got back from a Solstice cruise and I'm afraid I'll be disappointed in the older ships. Thanks!
My husband and I would like to book an Alaska cruise in Sept. I've been looking at the Celebrity website and I'm limited to the Mercury & Infinity as we want round trip air. Which ship would be best and port or starboard? We've been on the Mercury in 2001. I know both ships have been refurbished. We just got back from a Solstice cruise and I'm afraid I'll be disappointed in the older ships. Thanks!
I don't understand why "round trip air" is a factor in this. Most of the major airlines treat an "open jaw" itineraries that originates and terminates in the same city as a "round trip" for fare purposes. IOW, flying from your home airport to Vancouver and returning to your home airport from Anchorage is typically the same as a round trip.
The problem with the "inside passage" itineraries is that you never get to see any of the main part of Alaska. Their cruises never make it past the "panhandle" ("inside passage") region. Anchorage is a really neat city -- well worth a visit!
We have cruised to Alaska on the Mercury and it was a wonderfull cruise.
TM
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CRUISES
Century 4/1998
Mercury 4/2000+4/2006+7/2007
Sensation 4/2002
Infinity 4/2003
Summit 4/2004+4/2005
Carnival Liberty New Year's Eve 2007
Liberty of the Seas 5/2008+11/2009
Solstice 4/2009
Oasis 4/2010
Allure 1/16/ 2011
Equinox 4/11/2011
I just got off a Millennium cruise from Vancouver to Alaska - we took the bus from Seward to Anchorage and then flew back to Vancouver. All four of us agreed that we'd have preferred the round trip boat ride to cruising one way. The ports we landed in were ok, but unless you are quite rich and can do excursions in each place (or love jewelry shopping), it seemed we were there too long. We preferred to sightsee from the ship (sea days) and we seemed to do most of our cruising at night, and were parked during the day.
The tour bus to Anchorage took 3 hours and having gotten up at 5:30am to be in the muster station by 6:30am, we were just beat and it made for a very long travel day. The scenery was pretty cool, but I think I may have been more awake to see it if we had flown in to Anchorage and cruised down.
Bottom line - one way cruise equals a lot of time in port, and a two way cruise equals more sea time. All protected water however so it is not a problem for seasickness.
My husband and I would like to book an Alaska cruise in Sept. I've been looking at the Celebrity website and I'm limited to the Mercury & Infinity as we want round trip air. Which ship would be best and port or starboard? We've been on the Mercury in 2001. I know both ships have been refurbished. We just got back from a Solstice cruise and I'm afraid I'll be disappointed in the older ships. Thanks!
Mercury is the best cruise ship. Dominant one is always number one. Already traveled in mercury, go for new cruise ship. Looking different,feel happy.
I just got off a Millennium cruise from Vancouver to Alaska - we took the bus from Seward to Anchorage and then flew back to Vancouver. All four of us agreed that we'd have preferred the round trip boat ride to cruising one way. The ports we landed in were ok, but unless you are quite rich and can do excursions in each place (or love jewelry shopping), it seemed we were there too long. We preferred to sightsee from the ship (sea days) and we seemed to do most of our cruising at night, and were parked during the day.
The tour bus to Anchorage took 3 hours and having gotten up at 5:30am to be in the muster station by 6:30am, we were just beat and it made for a very long travel day. The scenery was pretty cool, but I think I may have been more awake to see it if we had flown in to Anchorage and cruised down.
Bottom line - one way cruise equals a lot of time in port, and a two way cruise equals more sea time. All protected water however so it is not a problem for seasickness.
Actually, the time spent in port is pretty similar on both itineraries. The difference is that the "round trip" cruise transits from Seattle or Vancouver to the "panhandle" on both transit days whereas the "one way" cruise does that route on one transit day and transits from the "panhandle" to Seward on the other.
Alaska Cruise-Mercury or Infinity
Alaska Cruise-Mercury or Infinity
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