Why all the Negative Solstice Reviews?

[Ray_Ray]

It seems most of the recent CC reviews on the Solstice are not very good. We are booked for the 4/25 sailing and I am starting to get a little concerned. Complaints about crowds, bad food, mediocre entertainment. If it was just one or two I would not be concerned but it seems to be a large number of negative reviews.

 

 

Ignore all the negative feedback on Solstice, she's a beautiful ship. Yes, she's a floating retirement home but you'll have a good time if you create your own good times after dinner. My review of our Solstice cruise is below, I hope you find it informative.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1139621&highlight=

[Gracie115]

Yes, she's a floating retirement home.quote]

 

 

Pretty harsh, fairly inaccurate and perhaps part of why some view the reviews as "negative"

 

No, she's not a big party ship.....but I'm not retired, far from it and we had close to our best, if not our best cruise ever on her.....OP try her for yourself and form your own opinions...doubt very much you will be disappointed

[RhondaPerr]

Hated the Solstice so much that while I was still on that ship last year, we booked for this year, same cabin etc... :) I am dreading my 2nd voyage on her so much that I am already part way packed and its 21 days away!

[Huddler]

Ignore all the negative feedback on Solstice, she's a beautiful ship. Yes, she's a floating retirement home but you'll have a good time if you create your own good times after dinner. My review of our Solstice cruise is below, I hope you find it informative.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1139621&highlight=

 

I had never sailed on HAL but had always heard folks say that they were "the morgue at Sea" because they had so many older passengers. Because of that, I put off booking a cruise on Holland for a number of years even though my Aunt had raved about them for years. Well, they had an intinerary that I REALLY wanted to go on and it was over New Years this year so I went ahead and booked it. We are in our mid 40's and had a GREAT time! And there was a good mix of pax from all age groups from young kids to elderly. And you know what? The ages of the other passengers didnt affect my cruise one bit. I could still find people in all the bars and the casino was hopping all night every night. Also, I REALLY dont care about the age, race, demographics of other pax as long as they treat me nice, then i am ok. This notion that older people will affect my vacation negatively is patently absurd. This stereotyping that some lines get for being a "floating nursing home" is unfair and typically wrong. Ive sailed several lines and all have been enjoyable with a good mix of passengers and lots to do. So, in short, I must say that I take bigoted reviews like yours with a grain of salt. But thanks anyway.

[teajak]

Now you know our secret, RayRay let the cat out of the bag.He states the Solstice is a floating retirement home.Maybe that is why we love being retired and getting old, all these perks. Aint life grand?

[Ma Bell]

The amusing thing is that Ray Ray will be there some day, if he's fortunate, and he'll discover he's still the same person he always was.

[Conanc]

These days you get what you pay for,

 

When I see people paying 400.00 for a window stateroom on a 7 night cruise, I am not sure what they expect??? Following these past few years all cruiselines have had quality issues due to the economy. Furthermore Many come to X with unrealistic expectations that Celebrity will deliver a way way better cruise then the lines they have come from. So when boarding most X ships many people have huge expectations due to X having great history and awards. This can cause a problem versus say when we book a cruise not on X we know that its not like Celebrity and tend to find many great things with realistic expectations.

 

I am not very worried with the reviews, when it comes to entertainment, Design, Style and activities Celebrity is trying a different approach and it will take a year or so to get it down and reap the rewards and following. Celebrity added select dinning because of the demand but even hat has people complaining, they add this they take away that to appeal to the customers needs, and sometimes had the opposite effects on others.

 

We look at every cruise as a new adventure, and life as something special. I will say though, when I hear people treating staff badly or acting like they are entitled to something unrealistic I have stepped in and made sure the staff member understand we realize they are doing a good job or reminded the rude passenger of what could be worse then waiting 3 minutes for a glass of wine :). In a contained environment you will always notice more people getting sick, partying hard not lack of, and sorry to say in a world of complainers.. this also.

 

You can also write of any review that gives Solstice less then 4 on Design and rooms, if someone scores this ship that low I am not sure what other ships they have sailed, but they will not like the Solstice if the design itself they find not tasteful.

 

Just cruise and enjoy it!

 

Well said!

[moondoggie]

We are two couples, mid to late fifties, who cruise at least once a year together. Three of us are still working, the fourth is retired for medical reasons. We are Elite on Celebrity, but have also tried other cruise lines (HAL is the only other line we consider now). We were on Solstice in January, and had a grand time. YOUY WILL TOO!

 

But on one cruise I got noro and was quarantined/ill for four days. On another cruise, DH cut his leg open and required stitches in one port. We have not always been able to dock or tender, due to bad weather.

 

HOWEVER, we always have a wonderful time, because we make an effort to meet people and not let the little things bother us. BE THANKFUL that you have the $$$, the time, and your health to be able to enjoy your cruise. We aren't big drinkers, gamblers, or complainers, and we plan on cruising until we aren't able to--HOPE THAT DAY DOESN'T COME FOR A LONG TIME!!!

[DocJohnB]

Now you know our secret, RayRay let the cat out of the bag.He states the Solstice is a floating retirement home.Maybe that is why we love being retired and getting old, all these perks. Aint life grand?

 

 

Took the words right out this old retiree's mouth. I love it (life), especially at this age with all the options I have available to me that guys like RayRay probably don't have.

[Cruisenouvelle]

Hated the Solstice so much that while I was still on that ship last year, we booked for this year, same cabin etc... :) I am dreading my 2nd voyage on her so much that I am already part way packed and its 21 days away!

 

:D:D:):) So sorry for the misery you'll soon be experiencing...NOT !!

Have a great cruise.

[cruie4ever]

We have 45 past cruises & are Elite level with Celebrity .Imo ,there are no better large cruise line ships sailing than the S class of Celebrity .The ambiance of the ships are fantastic.We found the best service with smiles & the food was fabulous on any ships

 

Don't let other's reviews distract you from having a cruise of a life time .So relax ,look forward to your cruise & most of all have fun.

[texkan]

I have read more positive than negative reviews. I feel that some people are unhappy

no matter what. I am thankful that I am able to take a cruise once a year. Looking forward to sailing Solstice in April.

[keela1eva2]

I too hated Solstice so much that when I returned on the 19th October 2009 I booked the following week on Equinox doing the T/A 19th April WHY Equinox! 14 nights is better than 10!! Also one way long haul is better!! than doing the return to UK flight! Loved everything about the Ship and like others I am an Elite member and the new perks are great.

 

6 Sea days at the beginning great as for me the Ship can be the destination and I only used or saw 1/4 of the Solstice now I have more time to use the wonderful facilities.

 

Sue

[The Anchor Banker]

Since the Solstice is a floating retirement home, I guess I'll have a great time....does it matter that I retired at 36 (for real)?

[denims]

It seems most of the recent CC reviews on the Solstice are not very good. We are booked for the 4/25 sailing and I am starting to get a little concerned. Complaints about crowds, bad food, mediocre entertainment. If it was just one or two I would not be concerned but it seems to be a large number of negative reviews.

 

Blueboro:

 

Come join us on the roll-call for your cruise on 4/25!!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1044560&page=5

[Onessa]

Ignore all the negative feedback on Solstice, she's a beautiful ship. Yes, she's a floating retirement home but you'll have a good time if you create your own good times after dinner. . . .

 

While I am having a bday at the end of the week - I'm still not OLD! We found plenty to do both before and after dinner -- to paraphrase my grandmother (with much poetic license also applied!) there are no boring Solstice cruises, but there may be a few boring Solstice cruisERs (J.K. Ray-Ray:D)

 

Personally, I'm thrilled with the entertainment and activities that the s-class ships offer. I'm happy that there are not smokey bars with music so loud I can't hear myself think. I don't miss limbo contests and wet t-shirt contests.

 

We were very happy with our recent Solistice cruise and found that there were SO many things to do that we did not have enough time to do everything that we wanted to do!

 

To the OP -- many of the squeaky wheels out there are accostomed to much smaller ships and perceive "more" people as crowds. But the ship is pretty well designed and rarely did I find anything crowded. I may not have been able to find a table in the buffet in the exact area I wanted to on all occassions and found the area outside the main shop to be a bit congested with all of the "special" tables out for sales.

 

As to compaints to it being "bland" -- there was style and public art work everywhere. Not all of the decor was to my taste -- MDR was not in a style I liked and I really felt that the space in the MDR was not necearily laid out in the best manner to really take advatange of its full assets (too many white walls breaking up the space)

 

But would any of this have made be downgrade my rating of the ship or my cruise -- no. It was a wonderful cruise and it is a lovely ship.

[USVI-4-me]

We spent 28 days (2 TA's) on Solstice, and I did find one thing to complain about -- one evening I had the gazpacho soup, and it was cold. :eek:

 

Later, I found out that's the way it was supposed to be. ;)

You gave me a good laugh. We're leaving 4/19 for 26 days on Equinox. I needed the reassurance.

-Maris (I'm almost ready to dig out the luggage.)

[rigldbrg]

Personally, I'm thrilled with the entertainment and activities that the s-class ships offer. I'm happy that there are not smokey bars with music so loud I can't hear myself think. I don't miss limbo contests and wet t-shirt contests.

Right on! I've enjoyed all three cruises that I've been on, but I would be sooo happy to never have to see another hairy chest contest, best legs, belly-flop contest, color wars, or whatever rediculous nonsense that happens to be going on.

[Conanc]

Right on! I've enjoyed all three cruises that I've been on, but I would be sooo happy to never have to see another hairy chest contest, best legs, belly-flop contest, color wars, or whatever rediculous nonsense that happens to be going on.

 

We like both Celebrity and Royal Caribbean but I have to agree with you. We don't participate in any of the contests or activities. We LOVED our cruise on the Solstice. It is a beautiful ship and we would sail on another S class ship in a heartbeat!!!

[rigldbrg]

We like both Celebrity and Royal Caribbean but I have to agree with you. We don't participate in any of the contests or activities. We LOVED our cruise on the Solstice. It is a beautiful ship and we would sail on another S class ship in a heartbeat!!!

 

Conanc, my wife and I are so excited about sailing the Solstice!

 

We have always considered ourselves as "equal opportunity cruisers." What I mean is, at this point we are less concerned about Gold, Platinum, or whatever rewards program cruise lines offer, and instead like the adventure of trying different ships/lines. While I don't anticipate that entirely changing, everything that I've read about Celebrity sounds like it fits me to a "T." This is particularly true of the Solstice class ships. In fact, I'm thinking Celebrity may become my "preferred cruise line."