Day 4 of our 7-night Alaska cruise aboard the MSC Poesia brought us to Icy Strait Point, Alaska, and this ended up being one of the most memorable days of the entire cruise. We had a relaxed morning aboard the ship before heading ashore, with plenty of time to explore since we weren’t due back onboard until later in the evening.
Arriving at Icy Strait Point, Alaska for Day 4 of our MSC Poesia cruise.
Exploring Icy Strait Point
We started by making our way toward the historic cannery area, stopping to explore the shops, displays, and old equipment along the way. Even if shopping isn’t your thing, the cannery is worth walking through. There is a lot of history here, along with information about Alaska, salmon fishing, and the area’s past.
The historic cannery area at Icy Strait Point is filled with shops, displays, and information about the area’s fishing history.
Then came the biggest surprise of the day. As we stepped outside near the cannery, we spotted a large group of humpback whales incredibly close to shore. Several surfaced together, and before long people were following them along the beach as they made their way toward the MSC Poesia. We weren’t expecting anything like this, and it quickly became one of the best whale experiences we’ve ever had in Alaska.
One of the highlights of our day was watching a group of humpback whales incredibly close to shore at Icy Strait Point.
Mini Doughnuts & the Hoonah Sea Walk
After all that excitement, we stopped at Lil’ Gen’s Mini-Doughnuts and tried the salted caramel and snickerdoodle flavours. They were served warm and fresh, and the proceeds help support the local community, which made the stop even better.
We stopped at Lil’ Gen’s Mini-Doughnuts for some freshly made treats while exploring Icy Strait Point.
From there, we headed out along the Hoonah Veterans Memorial Sea Walk. It’s a beautiful waterfront walk even if you don’t plan on continuing all the way into Hoonah. We spotted a family of deer and enjoyed the scenery, but somehow the whales weren’t finished with us yet. A little later, we saw what appeared to be the same group of humpbacks coming back in the opposite direction, which had us hurrying along the shoreline trying to catch another look.
Nature Trail & Transporter Gondola
Later in the afternoon, we explored some of the trails near the ship and made our way through the rainforest toward Wilderness Landing. There are signs throughout the nature trail with information about the local environment and wildlife, including plenty of reminders that this is bear country.
We eventually reached the other cruise landing area and took the free Transporter Gondola back toward Ocean Landing. It’s a fun and easy way to travel between the two sides of Icy Strait Point, and by later in the afternoon the line was quite short.
Back Aboard the MSC Poesia
Back aboard the MSC Poesia, we cleaned up and headed to dinner at Il Palladio Restaurant before finishing the evening with the Total Divas production show in Teatro Carlo Felice. The show featured familiar music, lots of singing and dancing, colourful costumes, and plenty of energy from the performers.
We finished the evening with the colorful Total Divas production show in Teatro Carlo Felice aboard MSC Poesia.
Looking back, Icy Strait Point was one of those days where everything seemed to come together. We enjoyed the cannery, waterfront, trails, gondola, wildlife, and of course the incredible humpback whales right from shore. We went into the day expecting a relaxing visit to one of our favourite Alaska ports and ended up with one of the biggest highlights of the cruise.
Tomorrow, we’ll sail through Endicott Arm to view Dawes Glacier before making our way to Juneau for the afternoon.
Day 3 of our 7-night Alaska cruise aboard the MSC Poesia brought us to our first port of call, Ketchikan, Alaska. Ketchikan is known for its rain, but we ended up with an absolutely beautiful sunny day, which made it perfect for exploring on foot.
After breakfast and coffee aboard the ship, we headed ashore and spent most of the day simply walking around town. Ketchikan is one of our favorite Alaska cruise ports, and if you choose not to do an excursion, there is still so much to see within walking distance of the cruise docks.
We were docked close to downtown, making it easy to start exploring almost immediately. Several other ships were in port that day, including Anthem of the Seas and Queen Elizabeth, so Ketchikan was definitely busy.
One of our first stops was the Knob Hill Overlook, located above the tunnel near Front Street. There are quite a few stairs to reach it, but the views over the harbor, downtown Ketchikan, and the cruise ships make it worth the climb.
A beautiful sunny view over downtown Ketchikan with Anthem of the Seas docked along the waterfront.
From there, we continued walking through some of the streets above downtown before making our way toward the salmon ladder and Married Man’s Trail.
🐟 Salmon Ladder & Married Man’s Trail
The Ketchikan Salmon Ladder is an easy stop to add while exploring the area, especially during salmon season. We could see plenty of fish in the creek during our visit.
The salmon ladder in Ketchikan is a beautiful short walk from the downtown area and Creek Street.
From the salmon ladder, we followed Married Man’s Trail toward Creek Street. The trail and surrounding boardwalks were very busy that day, but it is a scenic walk and a fun way to approach one of Ketchikan’s most famous areas.
🏘️ Walking Creek Street
We always enjoy visiting Creek Street, and this visit didn’t disappoint. We walked along the wooden boardwalk, browsed some of the shops, and spent plenty of time looking down into the creek.
Exploring the historic Creek Street boardwalk during our day in Ketchikan, Alaska.
One of the fun things about Creek Street is that you never really know what you might see. During our visit we spotted lots of salmon and even watched a seal swimming around looking for an easy meal. We also saw a bald eagle later in the day.
The funicular up to Cape Fox Lodge was closed for maintenance during our visit, but there was still plenty to explore around Creek Street and the surrounding waterfront.
🌊 Walking the Ketchikan Waterfront
After Creek Street, we continued toward Thomas Basin and the viewing platform, walked along the waterfront, and then made our way back through downtown Ketchikan.
There are lots of signs throughout town explaining the local history, salmon, boats, and other parts of life in Ketchikan, which makes simply walking around a lot more interesting.
Eventually, we made our way back toward the ship and the large eagle sculpture near the tunnel, which was right around the area where the MSC Poesia was docked.
The large eagle sculpture near the tunnel was just a short walk from where the MSC Poesia docked in Ketchikan.
After a late lunch aboard the ship, we actually headed back into town again for another walk. This time we tackled one of the very steep hills above downtown before taking a more gradual route back toward the waterfront. It was a good way to get some exercise after lunch and enjoy a little more of Ketchikan before leaving port.
🌅 Back Aboard MSC Poesia
Sail away from Ketchikan was beautiful. The sunshine continued as we left the dock and sailed past the mountains, trees, islands, and other ships making their way out of port.
That evening, we enjoyed dinner at Il Palladio Restaurant before heading to Teatro Carlo Felice for the Mother Nature production show. The show featured plenty of dancing and acrobatics, with the aerial performances and other acrobatic acts being some of the highlights for us.
The Mother Nature production show aboard MSC Poesia featured impressive acrobatics, aerial performances, dancing, and dramatic stage effects.
Ketchikan ended up being a fantastic first port day of our Alaska cruise. We had great weather, spotted some wildlife, walked a lot of the downtown area, and once again remembered why this is one of our favorite Alaska cruise ports.
Next up, the MSC Poesia takes us to Icy Strait Point, Alaska.
Day 2 of our 7-night Alaska cruise aboard the MSC Poesia was our first full sea day as we continued north toward Alaska.
The morning actually started out beautiful. We had sunshine, fairly calm seas, and some great views outside. As the day went on, though, the ocean started getting a little rougher. The pool water was sloshing back and forth, and we even noticed seasickness bags appearing near some of the stairways.
We had plenty planned for the day, including breakfast in the main dining room, Alaska enrichment talks, some time relaxing around the ship, and of course Gala Night aboard MSC Poesia.
Watch our full Day 2 MSC Poesia Alaska cruise vlog here:
☕ Breakfast at Le Fontaine Restaurant
There were two main breakfast options that morning. The Villa Pompeiana Buffet was open from 6:00 until 11:00, while sit-down breakfast was available at Le Fontaine Restaurant from 7:30 until 9:30.
We decided to give Le Fontaine a try and arrived right around 7:30. It was already fairly busy, and by the time we left around 8:30 there was a lineup of people waiting to get in.
We asked for a table for two and ended up with a nice spot beside the window.
Some of the breakfast items we tried included the smoothie bowl with yogurt, banana, kiwi, and pineapple, steel-cut oatmeal, an omelette, French toast with bacon, and the All American Breakfast with eggs, bacon, sausage, and hash browns.
There were also pastries and plenty of coffee, so it was a nice relaxed way to start our first full sea day.
🐋 Learning More About Alaska
After breakfast, we grabbed our coffee mugs and headed to Teatro Carlo Felice for the morning’s Alaska enrichment presentation.
The first talk was called North to Alaska and covered a little bit of everything we might experience during the cruise, including whales, wildlife, forests, fish, culture, and the different areas we would be visiting.
We especially enjoyed the information about the whales. One of the whales shown during the presentation appeared to be the same well-known whale we had seen on a previous Alaska whale-watching excursion, which was pretty neat to see again.
One of the Alaska enrichment presentations aboard MSC Poesia helped us learn more about the ports, wildlife, excursions, and things to see during our cruise.
Right after that was the Cruise and Travel Show, which went through the different ports and some of the excursions that were still available.
If you’re sailing on the MSC Poesia and are interested in the excursions, it may be worth showing up a little early because they also handed out raffle tickets and gave away an excursion for each port during the presentation.
There were more Alaska presentations happening later in the day as well, including one called Glaciers, Volcanoes, and Wildlife, so there were plenty of opportunities to learn more about Alaska while we were at sea.
🌮 Lunch at the Villa Pompeiana Buffet
By lunchtime, we were ready to head back to the Villa Pompeiana Buffet.
There was a good selection of the usual buffet options, including burgers, hot dogs, fries, breads, deli meats, cheeses, and salads. We also found a Mexican station that looked pretty good, so that ended up being part of our lunch.
The weather had changed again by this point. It had been sunny, then cloudy, and suddenly the sunshine was back, although the ship was still rocking quite a bit.
After lunch, we figured we should probably walk some of it off.
🚶 Walking Around Deck 14
Above the main pool area on Deck 14, there is space that MSC lists as a power walking track.
It isn’t really marked like a traditional running track, and parts of it can occasionally be obstructed, but it is still a great area to walk around, get some steps in, and enjoy the views.
We spent some time walking around before deciding that the rest of the afternoon was going to be a little more relaxing.
🛁 Hot Tubs, Our Aft Balcony & Ice Cream
There were lots of activities happening around the ship that afternoon, but we decided to take things a little slower.
We headed to the hot tubs and ended up sitting there for about an hour while chatting with some other passengers. The hot tubs aren’t particularly large, so they fill up pretty quickly, but it was a really nice way to spend part of the afternoon.
After that, we came back to our cabin and spent some time sitting on our aft balcony.
We were really enjoying having that view from the back of the ship. The sun was shining and it was a great place to sit and watch the ocean, even though the seas were getting fairly rocky.
By this point, the motion of the ship was definitely becoming more noticeable, so some seasickness medication came in handy.
We also spent some time walking around the main public decks and discovered the soft-serve ice cream station outside the buffet. They had chocolate, vanilla, and swirl, with either waffle cones or cups.
Needless to say, that was a pretty good discovery.
✨ Getting Ready for Gala Night
That evening was Gala Night aboard the MSC Poesia, so we headed back to the cabin, got dressed up, and made our way to Il Palladio Restaurant on Deck 6.
One thing we noticed was that there was a really wide range of clothing around the ship.
We saw some men in suits, others wearing shirts and ties or collared shirts, and plenty of people dressed more casually. We even spotted one tuxedo. There were also some beautiful formal dresses, but you definitely didn’t have to dress extremely formal to take part in Gala Night.
It was really a mix of everything.
🥩 Gala Night Dinner at Il Palladio
Because we had the same assigned table every evening, we didn’t need to wait for anyone to seat us. We could simply walk into the dining room and head straight to our table.
There were quite a few tempting choices on the Gala Night menu.
For starters, we tried the lobster bisque, Alaska smoked salmon dip, and Caesar salad.
For our main courses, we both ordered the filet mignon with truffle-flavoured whipped potatoes, asparagus, and mushroom demi-glace.
We also ordered the Duo of Broiled Lobster Tail and Jumbo Shrimp to share. It came with asparagus and risotto and gave us a chance to try both the steak and seafood options from the Gala Night menu.
We ordered the Duo of Broiled Lobster Tail and Jumbo Shrimp to share during Gala Night at Il Palladio Restaurant.
For dessert, we tried the Royal Cake, a rich dark chocolate mousse with crunchy praline and vanilla anglaise, along with the classic Baked Alaska.
It turned out to be a really enjoyable Gala Night dinner and one of the meals we had been looking forward to trying.
🎭 Club Disco at Teatro Carlo Felice
After dinner, we headed back to Teatro Carlo Felice for the evening production show.
The show was called Club Disco, but the evening started with the captain and senior officers presentation.
For roughly the first 15 minutes, the cruise director introduced the captain and some of the senior officers, along with a few interesting facts about what goes on behind the scenes aboard the ship.
Then the Club Disco production started.
The Club Disco production show brought colourful costumes, singing, dancing, and acrobatics to Teatro Carlo Felice during Gala Night.
The show had a fun 1970s theme with lots of singing, dancing, colourful costumes, and some acrobatics mixed in.
One of our favourite parts involved a performer using a large ring on stage. There were a few moments during the performance that definitely got a reaction from the audience.
The Club Disco portion lasted around half an hour and made for a fun way to finish off Gala Night.
🎺 Big Band at Sea
We weren’t quite finished with the entertainment yet.
After leaving the theater, we headed toward the lounge at the back of Deck 7 where Big Band at Sea was performing again.
We had seen some of the musicians the night before, but this time there was also a vocalist performing with them.
Between the brass instruments, vocals, and classic big-band style, it was a really nice place to sit and enjoy some live music before calling it a night.
There was plenty of other entertainment happening around the ship as well, including a saxophone player performing in the atrium.
🚢 Final Thoughts on Day 2
Our first full sea day aboard the MSC Poesia ended up having a little bit of everything.
We learned more about Alaska during the enrichment talks, tried breakfast at Le Fontaine, spent some time walking around the ship, relaxed in the hot tubs, enjoyed our aft balcony, found some afternoon ice cream, and finished everything off with Gala Night, dinner, a production show, and live music.
It was a great sea day, but we were especially excited about what was coming next.
Day 3 would take us to our first Alaska port of the cruise, Ketchikan.
Our next Alaska adventure begins aboard the MSC Poesia! Join us for Day 1 of our 7-night Alaska cruise as we board the ship in Seattle, explore some of the public spaces, check out our aft balcony cabin, enjoy sail away, and experience our first evening onboard.
This sailing takes us to Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Victoria, and scenic cruising through Endicott Arm toward Dawes Glacier. But first, it was time to get settled in and start exploring the MSC Poesia.
After making our way through the Seattle cruise terminal, boarding went smoothly and we were excited to finally step aboard. We started exploring some of the ship’s public spaces, including the colorful atrium, Zebra Bar, theater, and upper decks.
One of our first stops was the Lido Deck pool area. There are two outdoor pools, several small elevated whirlpools, a kids splash area, a stage, and plenty of loungers. We had beautiful weather in Seattle, which made it a great place to start getting familiar with the ship.
Exploring the outdoor pools and elevated whirlpools on the MSC Poesia shortly after boarding in Seattle.
🍕 Lunch at the Villa Pompeiana Buffet
Once we had explored for a while, it was time for lunch at the Villa Pompeiana Buffet on Deck 13.
There was a wide selection to choose from, including pizza, pasta, roast beef, salads, curries, ramen, fruit, desserts, and plenty more. We also discovered outdoor seating at the back of the buffet with views over the aft of the ship.
That location turned out to be especially convenient because our cabin was only two decks below via the outdoor aft staircase.
🛏️ Our Aft Balcony Cabin 11250
Our home for the week was Aft Balcony Stateroom 11250 on Deck 11, located right at the back of the MSC Poesia. This was our first time staying in an aft-facing balcony cabin, so we were especially excited about the views we would get throughout our Alaska cruise.
The room itself was on the smaller side, but we found the layout comfortable and there was a good amount of storage throughout the cabin. It included a king-size bed that could be separated into twins, nightstands with drawers, a vanity with several charging options, a TV, mini bar, closet space, and a compact bathroom.
Of course, the highlight was the aft-facing balcony. It was angled and not particularly wide, but it gave us a completely different view from a traditional balcony on the side of the ship. We were really looking forward to sitting out there and watching the wake as we sailed toward Alaska.
Our aft balcony cabin, Stateroom 11250 on Deck 11, would be home for our 7-night Alaska cruise.
After settling into our cabin, it was time to head outside for sail away from Seattle. The weather was absolutely beautiful, with blue skies, sunshine, and great views as the MSC Poesia pulled away from the city and began the journey north toward Alaska.
The pool deck quickly came to life with music, dancing, and passengers gathering outside to celebrate the start of the cruise. Between the skyline views, the warm weather, and the energy around the ship, it was a fantastic way to begin our 7-night Alaska adventure.
The sail away party gets underway on the MSC Poesia as we begin our Alaska cruise from Seattle.
🍽️ Dinner at Il Palladio
For our first dinner onboard, we headed to Il Palladio Restaurant on Deck 6.
We were happy to have been assigned a table for two, and because we had the early 5:00 p.m. seating, the dining room was especially quiet that evening. It made for a relaxed start to the cruise before we headed out for the evening entertainment.
🎭 Welcome Aboard Show & Evening Entertainment
Our first night included the Welcome Aboard Show in the main theater. It was designed as a preview of the entertainment coming throughout the week, with singing, dancing, comedy, and other performances.
Afterward, we checked out Big Band at Sea, featuring a full live band with brass instruments and vocals. It was a relaxing way to finish a busy first day aboard the MSC Poesia.
The Welcome Aboard Show on MSC Poesia included a Big Band sampler, giving us a preview of some of the entertainment offered during the cruise.
⭐ A Great Start to Our MSC Poesia Alaska Cruise
Day 1 gave us a great introduction to the MSC Poesia. We explored the ship, enjoyed the pools and buffet, settled into our aft balcony cabin, experienced a beautiful sail away from Seattle, and finished the evening with dinner and live entertainment.
Next up is a full sea day as we continue north toward Alaska!
Our final day aboard the Celebrity Solstice had arrived! 🚢 After an incredible week exploring Alaska, Day 7 was a relaxing sea day as we sailed through the beautiful Inside Passage on our way back to Vancouver. Between incredible mountain scenery, ship spotting, whale sightings, entertainment, and one final dinner onboard, there was still plenty to enjoy on our last day.
🍳 Breakfast & Our Final Sea Day
We started the morning with breakfast in the Grand Epernay Restaurant before heading out to enjoy the ship. The weather was finally cooperating, so we spent some time playing ping pong, ship spotting, enjoying the views from the aft, browsing the shops, and grabbing some salted caramel gelato. It was a relaxing way to enjoy our final day aboard the Celebrity Solstice.
🚢 A little ship spotting during our final sea day aboard the Celebrity Solstice.
🐋 Inside Passage & Whale Spotting
As we sailed near the northern tip of Vancouver Island, we were lucky enough to spot a group of orcas right beside the ship! Later in the afternoon, while cruising through the beautiful Inside Passage, we also spotted a humpback whale with the mountains and islands surrounding us. Seeing both orcas and a humpback on our final day was an incredible surprise.
We also caught an afternoon performance from the dueling pianos and spent some time playing the complimentary games in The Parlor before heading back outside to enjoy more of the scenery.
🐋 Cruising through the beautiful Inside Passage, with a humpback whale making an appearance in the distance!
🎭 Our Final Evening Aboard Celebrity Solstice
Our final evening began with the Captain, Officers and Crew Farewell followed by Smoke & Ivories in the Solstice Theater. The production featured live music, singing, dancing, tap dancing, and acrobatics, and it was a fantastic show to finish our week onboard.
We then headed to the Grand Epernay Restaurant for one final dinner, where the chef’s special was filet mignon with shrimp. We also shared the braised beef short rib before finishing with the apple tart and crème brûlée. 🍽️
🍽️ One final dinner in the Grand Epernay Restaurant, filet mignon topped with shrimp.
📽️ Watch Our Celebrity Solstice Day 7 Vlog
Come along for our complete final day aboard the Celebrity Solstice as we cruise the Inside Passage, spot whales, enjoy the entertainment, and wrap up our 7-night Alaska adventure.
After seven nights aboard, we came away really impressed with the Celebrity Solstice. We found the ship calm, classy, and sophisticated, and despite its age, it felt clean, modern, and well maintained. From Hubbard Glacier and our Alaska ports to the incredible wildlife and Inside Passage scenery, it was a fantastic week aboard the Celebrity Solstice.
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Our sixth day aboard the Celebrity Solstice brought us to our final Alaska port, Ketchikan, after a relaxing morning at sea. We spent the morning whale spotting from the ship, relaxing in the hot tubs, and enjoying lunch in the Grand Epernay Restaurant before arriving in port. Even with a rainy forecast, we were excited for another day of exploring Alaska! 🚢🌲
🎥 Watch Our Celebrity Solstice Day 6 Vlog
Join us as we spend Day 6 of our Celebrity Solstice Alaska cruise in Ketchikan, take the Lighthouse Totems & Eagles Excursion, and return to the ship for Evening Chic night and complimentary lobster tail.
Lighthouse Totems & Eagles Excursion
After arriving in Ketchikan, we met our tour group at the Liquid Sunshine Gauge in downtown Ketchikan, where Lighthouse Excursions picked us up and shuttled us over to Ward Cove for the Lighthouse Totems & Eagles Excursion. If you’re looking for a smaller, more personal excursion, this was a fantastic option. Our knowledgeable guides shared stories about the local history, Native culture, and wildlife while we cruised the scenic waterways around Ketchikan.
The Lighthouse Excursions boat ready to take us on the Lighthouse Totems & Eagles Excursion in Ketchikan, Alaska.
One of the highlights of the tour was spotting numerous bald eagles throughout the excursion. We also enjoyed views of Guard Island Lighthouse, Totem Bight State Historical Park from the water, beautiful coastal scenery, and an Alaska-inspired snack sampler while learning more about life in southeast Alaska. Even though the weather was wet, it didn’t take away from the experience, and the scenery had that classic misty Alaska atmosphere.
Two bald eagles perched on a navigation marker during our Lighthouse Totems & Eagles Excursion near Ketchikan.
Evening Chic & Complimentary Lobster Tail
Back aboard the Celebrity Solstice, it was time for our second Evening Chic night. Before dinner, we enjoyed a fantastic performance by guest entertainer Hayden Smith in the Solstice Theater.
Dinner in the Grand Epernay Restaurant featured one of the highlights many Celebrity Cruises guests look forward to, complimentary lobster tail served during Evening Chic night. It was another wonderful meal and the perfect way to end our final Alaska port day before enjoying the Shine the Night celebration and dueling pianos later in the evening. 🦞✨
Complimentary lobster tail with rice and broccoli served during Evening Chic night in the Grand Epernay Restaurant aboard the Celebrity Solstice.
Our final Alaska port was another memorable day aboard the Celebrity Solstice. From relaxing at sea and exploring Ketchikan to spotting bald eagles and enjoying another fantastic evening onboard, Day 6 offered a wonderful mix of Alaska adventure and life aboard the ship. Next up is our final sea day before returning to Vancouver.
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Day 5 of our Celebrity Solstice Alaska cruise brought us to Juneau, Alaska, where we headed out on an unforgettable whale watching excursion with Juneau Tours. Despite a rainy start to the day, we were rewarded with incredible wildlife sightings, including humpback whales and even orcas, making this one of the highlights of our Alaska cruise. After our excursion, we explored downtown Juneau before another fantastic evening aboard the Celebrity Solstice.
Our morning began with a short walk from the Celebrity Solstice to meet Juneau Tours for our whale watching excursion. After a narrated bus ride to the harbor, we boarded our boat and headed out in search of Alaska’s incredible marine wildlife.
Although the weather started out rainy, it didn’t take long before we were rewarded with amazing sightings of humpback whales. Even more exciting, we were fortunate enough to spot orcas, something the crew explained is relatively uncommon. Having knowledgeable guides and a naturalist onboard made the experience even more memorable as they shared fascinating information about the whales and the local ecosystem.
Our Juneau whale watching excursion with Juneau Tours gave us unforgettable views of humpback whales and even orcas.
🚤 Exploring Downtown Juneau
After warming up with a late lunch back aboard the Celebrity Solstice, we returned to downtown Juneau to explore the waterfront, browse souvenir shops, and enjoy the lively atmosphere around the cruise port. With several cruise ships in port, the streets were busy with visitors enjoying everything Juneau has to offer.
From local fudge shops and Alaska-themed souvenirs to scenic waterfront views, it was a relaxing way to spend the afternoon before heading back to the ship.
After our whale watching excursion, we spent the afternoon exploring the shops and waterfront in downtown Juneau.
🍽️ Another Great Evening Aboard Celebrity Solstice
Back aboard the Celebrity Solstice, we enjoyed another entertaining evening beginning with a fantastic performance by guest entertainer Alexa Jayne in the Solstice Theater. Dinner in the Grand Epernay Restaurant followed, where we enjoyed another delicious meal while taking in beautiful evening views as the ship sailed away from Juneau.
With another wonderful day behind us, we looked ahead to our next destination, Ketchikan, and another exciting Alaska adventure.
Dinner in the Grand Epernay Restaurant was another highlight of our day aboard the Celebrity Solstice.
🌊 Another Memorable Day in Alaska
Our visit to Juneau combined incredible wildlife, beautiful scenery, and another relaxing evening aboard the Celebrity Solstice. Seeing both humpback whales and orcas made this one of the most memorable days of our Alaska cruise, and we couldn’t wait to continue our adventure in Ketchikan.
Day 4 of our Celebrity Solstice Alaska cruise brought one of the highlights of our entire Alaska adventure, Hubbard Glacier. We spent the morning cruising through misty waters before the skies cleared to reveal one of Alaska’s most spectacular glaciers. From relaxing with coffee and enjoying clam chowder in a bread bowl while taking in the views to another fantastic evening of entertainment and dining, it was an unforgettable day aboard the Celebrity Solstice.
The day began early as we entered Yakutat Bay on our way to Hubbard Glacier. Although the morning started with fog and mist, the weather gradually cleared, revealing incredible glacier views. The Celebrity Solstice spent nearly two hours slowly rotating so everyone onboard could enjoy different perspectives of the glacier. It was another reminder that no two glacier visits are ever exactly the same.
The fog gradually cleared to reveal the breathtaking Hubbard Glacier as Celebrity Solstice spent nearly two hours enjoying this incredible Alaska destination.
🎭 Broken Strings in the Solstice Theater
After a relaxing afternoon aboard the ship, we headed to the Solstice Theater for Broken Strings, one of our favorite production shows of the cruise. The high-energy performance featured live music, talented singers and dancers, incredible acrobatics, and an impressive stage set inspired by a lively country bar. It was a fantastic evening of entertainment and one we would definitely recommend.
Broken Strings featured live music, talented performers, and incredible acrobatics during another outstanding evening aboard Celebrity Solstice.
🐌 Dinner at the Grand Epernay Restaurant
Dinner was another highlight of the evening. We enjoyed appetizers including Celebrity’s signature escargot, followed by delicious entrées and one of our favorite desserts, the crème brûlée. Dining by the window while glaciers and snow-capped mountains passed by outside made for a memorable end to another amazing day in Alaska.
Celebrity’s signature escargot is available every evening in the Grand Epernay Restaurant and quickly became one of our favorite appetizers.
🌊 Another Incredible Day in Alaska
Hubbard Glacier is always one of the highlights of an Alaska cruise, and this visit certainly didn’t disappoint. Between the spectacular glacier scenery, great entertainment, outstanding dining, and time spent relaxing aboard the Celebrity Solstice, Day 4 was another unforgettable chapter of our Alaska adventure. Next up, we’re heading to Juneau for an exciting whale watching excursion.
One of the highlights of our Celebrity Solstice Alaska cruise was visiting Icy Strait Point, one of Alaska’s most unique cruise destinations. During Day 3 of our 7-night Alaska cruise, we enjoyed a relaxing morning aboard the Celebrity Solstice before heading ashore to explore everything Icy Strait Point has to offer, including the scenic nature trail, the historic cannery, and the beautiful waterfront community of Hoonah.
One of the best ways to reach the historic cannery area is by taking the Nature Trail. This scenic forest path winds through the rainforest and offers a peaceful walk surrounded by towering trees before arriving at the shops, museum, and restaurants.
The scenic Nature Trail is a beautiful way to walk between the main cruise area and the historic Hoonah Cannery at Icy Strait Point.
Exploring the Historic Cannery & Museum
The historic cannery is one of the highlights of Icy Strait Point. We spent time exploring the museum, browsing the unique shops, and learning more about the area’s rich fishing history while enjoying the beautiful waterfront setting.
Exploring the historic Hoonah Cannery and Museum at Icy Strait Point, one of the highlights of our Celebrity Solstice Alaska cruise.
Walking to Hoonah
Rather than taking the shuttle, we chose to walk the scenic Veterans Memorial Sea Walk to the nearby community of Hoonah. The walk is approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) each way and follows the shoreline, offering beautiful ocean views and a relaxing way to experience the area beyond the cruise port. It ended up being one of our favorite parts of the afternoon.
Walking the scenic Veterans Memorial Sea Walk, a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) walk each way between Icy Strait Point and Hoonah, Alaska.
Highlights from Day 3
🚢 Breakfast in the Grand Epernay Restaurant
🚁 Captain’s Club visit to the Celebrity Solstice helipad
🌲 Walking the Nature Trail
🏛️ Exploring the Historic Cannery & Museum
🚶 Walking the Veterans Memorial Sea Walk to Hoonah
🚠 Riding the complimentary Transporter Gondola
🎩 Magic Show in the Solstice Theater
🍽️ Dinner in the Grand Epernay Restaurant
🎻 Candlelight Concert in the Sky Lounge
Whether you’re planning a Celebrity Solstice Alaska cruise, researching Icy Strait Point, or looking for ideas on what to do while you’re in port, we hope this vlog gives you a great look at one of Alaska’s most memorable cruise destinations.
A relaxing sea day aboard the Celebrity Solstice gave us the perfect opportunity to slow down and enjoy more of the ship while sailing toward Alaska. From a delicious breakfast in the Grand Epernay Restaurant to informative Alaska presentations, fantastic entertainment, and another wonderful dinner, Day 2 was packed with memorable experiences.
We started the morning with breakfast in the Grand Epernay Restaurant, where we were seated at a table for two along the railing overlooking the lower level of the beautiful two-story dining room. It was a relaxing place to enjoy breakfast while taking in the elegant décor and impressive chandelier centerpiece.
One of the highlights was the freshly made custom omelets, cooked to order with your choice of ingredients. Along with waffles, Eggs Benedict, bacon, sausage, fresh pastries, and excellent coffee, it was a delicious way to begin our Alaska sea day aboard the Celebrity Solstice.
Freshly prepared custom omelets were one of the highlights of breakfast in the Grand Epernay Restaurant aboard Celebrity Solstice.
🌲 Learning More About Alaska
One of the best parts of a sea day is taking advantage of the onboard activities. Throughout the morning we attended several Alaska presentations, including destination talks and an informative presentation about Southeast Alaska and the Tongass National Rainforest. These sessions were a great way to learn more about the places we’d soon be visiting while picking up interesting facts about Alaska’s wildlife, forests, and history.
One of the informative Alaska presentations offered aboard the Celebrity Solstice during our relaxing sea day.
🎭 Evening Chic & Rockumentary
The evening brought our first Evening Chic night aboard the Celebrity Solstice. After taking a few photos around the ship, we headed to the Solstice Theater for Rockumentary, one of our favorite production shows of the cruise. Featuring talented singers, dancers, aerial performers, live music, and impressive stage effects, it was an energetic performance that had the audience singing along to classic rock hits.
We finished the evening with another delicious dinner in the Grand Epernay Restaurant before stopping by the Silent Disco and checking out the lively entertainment happening throughout the ship.
Rockumentary combined live music, incredible vocals, aerial performances, and stunning production effects during Evening Chic night aboard Celebrity Solstice.
🌊 A Great Sea Day at Sea
Sea days are a wonderful chance to experience everything a cruise ship has to offer, and Day 2 aboard the Celebrity Solstice certainly delivered. Great food, engaging Alaska presentations, outstanding entertainment, and plenty of time to relax made for another memorable day as we continued our journey toward Icy Strait Point.
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