Roll Call: Celebrity Solstice May 23, 2010

[RichardE954]

Yes, through the cruise line for the cooking class. Sounds like a lot of fun, and now even more with your recommendation.

 

Are you sure that is the correct link for Pez Quadro? It made no mention of that name, only Mahahual. And it said food was not included. One thing I like about the Maya Chan that Claudette is recommending is that there are only 40 people total. That seems like a nice manageable number and everything is included. Decisions, decisions!

[Schplinky]

These are good decisions!

 

It is the right link but there are three or four version of this excursion. I know it's the right link because I got it from the email from when we went there originally.

 

I was looking at cruise call and here's the count of ships in each port on our journey:

 

Port Everglades: 2 (us and Emerald Princess) which is very low - I guess some ships will have gone to Europe already.

In Grand Cayman, there will be 5 ships! Us; Carnival's Legend, Destiny and Valor; and Pacific Dream, which is owned by Croissieres de France.

In Cozumel, it's us and two Carnival ships (Legend and Imagination).

We're in Costa Maya alone so the beach bars will all be fairly empty (we were there on New Year's and it was still not all that crowded).

In Roaton, we're with Carnival Legend, but they'll be at their own dedicated port, which is actually really nice.

[Blazerboy]

Lee, it's late. GO TO BED!

 

Andrew

[Schplinky]

Only if you change you "nothing booked" thing to add Solstice!

 

How are you these days? I'm feeling a little over-worked and have been developing a tooth grinding issue. I am having a night guard by Friday. How sexy is that?

[Blazerboy]

Ooh, baby, talk dirty to me...;)

 

My life is cholesterol medicine, presription antacids, arch supports and bi-focals...the stuff of steamy dreams, I'm sure. I DID think that when I had to deal with these things, I wouldn't be working 14 hour days at work, but perusing my AARP brochures in a rocking chair on the front porch (sadly, they're already sending me notices to join:mad:. I'M NOT EVEN 48 YET!!!!) Totally understand the stress thing...hang in there...ten weeks.

 

Lee, I know you're younger than I, but being over 40 ain't for wimps.:eek:

 

Off to change my profile thingy.

 

A.

[Schplinky]

Andrew,

 

You're preaching to the choir!

 

I turn 44 the day before the cruise (or as I like to say, I'll celebrate the 22nd anniversary of my 22nd birthday). Come sit with us in the martini bar and I'll give you the "real" one from my sampler. We can discuss chipping in together to hire a nice pool boy to carry our bags and apply our spf during the trip.

[RichardE954]

We can discuss chipping in together to hire a nice pool boy to carry our bags and apply our spf during the trip.

 

Hey, can I get in on that action??? :D

[Schplinky]

Sure! You probably have better pool boys in Florida. All the ones here are pasty white by now.

[Blazerboy]

Well, Lee and Richard, I'll chip in, but since I'm as pasty as those Canadian Pool Boys, and need to stay that way...I just need one to fetch me more Viognier as I sit in the shade...

 

Andrew

[Schplinky]

Maybe instead of pool boys, we should devote our available funds to martinis. "Real" ones for Andrew and girlie ones for me. What about you, Richard?

[Blazerboy]

Yeah, that's another problem with being 'a certain age.' Used to be able to flirt and get free drinks from the bartender, or, at the least, be able to 'depend on the kindness of strangers.'

 

I guess I now fit into the 'looks like he can/should pick up the tab' category.

 

We've got that $200. OBC. Ed said it would go to whoever drank that much first. So it's a race between me at the Martini Bar and Ed at the pool drinking those hideous Mudslide things...But he does tan quite well. Maybe HE can be the pool boy.

 

Well, mine at any rate.;)

 

Andrew

[RichardE954]

Hmmm, pool boy or martini's, tough call! Why oh why can't I have both? I know! A pool boy to bring me my martini. Dry with olives for me, Michael will have his girly cosmo.

[Schplinky]

Sounds like Ed, Michael and I will have the girlie drinks.

 

Andrew, just as I was reading your email, Mike brought me a glass of... Viognier. I kid you not.

 

What a strange coincidence!!!

[Blazerboy]

Hmmm. 4:00 p.m. here, and no one offering ME one. Time to wander downstairs and see...

 

Richard, that's the problem with Ed; he wants to play the part of the pool boy, all the while being waited on hand and foot. Thank the Lord we don't carry cells or walkies on ships; elsewise he'd radio me in our stateroom to come turn the page on his book!:eek:

 

Lee, I can tell already that I adore Mike. Will he pop over here with a glass of wine for me?

 

Andrew

[Schplinky]

He will if you send a driver...

 

...or pilot

[Blazerboy]

What's he going to do with the driver? Same thing as the pool boy?

[Schplinky]

Oh Andrew, you know we're far too wholesome for that! :) Although, he does seem very distracted by a man in a uniform...

[RichardE954]

Do you think there will be an FOD on this cruise? Or do we need to plan our own?

[Schplinky]

I think there will be one. If not, we'll request it but seriously, when we were on Solstice last year, there was one nightly in the Galleria Tastings bar. We eventually abandoned the officiall FOD party (there was this horrible Canadian there!!! :) ) and chose to stage our own int he martini or wine bar.

[RichardE954]

I vote for the martini bar!

[bastien]

My partner and I are considering this sailing for our next vacation. We've been on several cruises, however, never on Celebrity.

 

We are in our early 30s from Toronto. One of our concerns is the amount of activities offered onboard. Our last experience was on HAL Eurodam which was a great ship, however, we noticed it was largely an older crowd and therefore not a tonne of activities in the evenings. We typically cruise with friends, however, this would be our first cruise alone. That said, it would be great meeting fun and interesting people ahead of time.

 

We should have a better idea next week.

 

So how many of you are there on this sailing then?

[Schplinky]

We find the Solstice class to be among the more active of the Celebrity ships and nothing like the snooze-fest that we found on HAL. I'm 43 and even so, I found HAL to be old and dull, with the average age being in the 70s. Nothing wrong with the age but the whole experience seemed to presume we were all going to bed at 9.

 

I think you'll find the crowd on Celebrity to be about 15-20 years younger, although still not many children.

[bastien]

Thanks for the info. Good to know. We aren't night owls per se but do enjoy some activity in the evenings - even if it's hanging out and chatting with new people.

 

A fellow Canadian! Great website by the way. Your photos of the Solstice are definitely making the decision easier for us.

 

It's more just coordination of work obligations issue at this point.

[RichardE954]

We've done Celebrity twice so far, and if you're looking for something to do after dinner at night, you're out of luck. Unless there is a show or something going on up on the pool deck. The bars seem to empty out after the late dinner seating.

[Schplinky]

Richard, you might find the martini bar to be different. We were sort of the last people to leave one night at about 2 in the morning. You know the bar staff is tired when the house music switches to Joni Mitchell! :) On the other hand, we found the Constellation to be a bit of a snooze. Wonder if it's the ship class?