NCL Jewel v. Celebrity Solstice

[marc b]

Trying to decide between Romance Suite on the Jewel versus Sky Suite on Solstice. Perks look pretty similar, but looks as if NCL treats suite guests better, but Celebrity seems a bit more upscale. We have cruised both lines (non-suite), but have not been on either line in years. Thoughts or advice appreciated !!

[Rochesterboatingdotcom]

Been on both, but not in a Suite. Solstice is a beautiful ship, but we had more fun on Jewel. The grass is pretty on the Solstice, but really a big waste of space. Very hard to find a table in the buffet and all but impossible to eat outside. No such problem on Jewel. We found the food to be about the same on each, variety of Specialty restaurants better on Jewel. We thought the shows were better on Jewel and the casino was definitely better on Jewel. Freestyle dining a real big plus for Jewel, we got stuck at a really bad table on Solstice and they would not move us. On the plus side for Solstice was the fantastic Martini bar and bartenders, check them out on YouTube.

Good luck with whatever ship you choose, both are good and we enojoyed each of them.

[marc b]

Appreciate the feedback and very helpful - we have been doing RCCL and Princess the past few years, but are trying to do something extra special this year. We booked Celebrity Princess at the last minute last year, and they upgraded us to a suite. Hate to say it, but now hard to go back.....

[SuiteTraveler]

I've cruised both. Celebrity is more upscale and has better food than NCL in the main dining room I would suggest that you let the itinerary make your decision. If it is identical, the Solstice was debuted in 2008. The Jewel debuted in 2005 and has not yet been refurbished. That said, last year, I cruised on the sister ship Jade which debuted in 2006 in a Courtyard Villa and it was still very, very nice. But I was very unimpressed by the Garden Cafe buffet - which was only so-so - and wildly overcrowded the one morning we ate there. IMO, the Garden Cafe needs to be seriously redecorated. I liked Le Bistro, hated the Italian, never ate at the Asian restaurants (we were in Europe and it felt out of place.) The Cagney's steakhouse was good and eating breakfast and lunch in Cagneys with the rest of the suite guests was great! I would not want to have to deal with the Garden Cafe buffet on a daily basis.

 

NCL, I would cruise in a Penthouse or above ONLY. The difference between NCL Penthouse and above and other ships is that you have a butler and concierge and you can be in the Courtyard Area, if you are in a Villa - which other ships don't have.

 

But looking at the current Jewel itinerary - St Thomas, St. Martin, - The Oasis of the Sea - RCCL's newest ship - is the largest ship in the world and currently doing the same itinerary. We were on that ship in March and it is absolutely awesome and a completely different experience - more like being at an on-land resort, except you are at sea with 17 different restaurants - I loved Vintages, 150 Central Park, Izumi, Chops and Giovanni's table, the Solarium (all specialty restaurants) and tons of entertainment venues. Although there can be up to 6,000 passengers on the ship, it feels less crowded than many smaller ships. The entertainment is great, including a full length version of the Broadway musical "Hairspray." They have some very unique and interesting suites, including 2 story loft suites, Aqua Theater Suites, and a great concierge lounge with nightly cocktails and hors d'ouerves for suite guests.

 

IMO, between Solstice and Jewel doing the Caribbean, I would probably choose the Solstice because it is newer, the food is likely better and Aquaspa is wonderful - the best spa at sea, IMO. But between Solstice and Oasis of the Seas, I would choose Oasis of the Seas - it is even newer and absolutely awesome - when we got off the Oasis, we wanted to go back immediately for more. There is so much to do on this ship you cannot do it all in a week. The food on Oasis in the specialty restaurants is all prepared by different chefs and it shows - the restaurants are much more like visiting land-based 4 and 5 star restaurants! I think it will be tough for any other ship to outdo the Oasis!

[CruisinMaterial]

I've been on both ships as well. The Solstice's first charter cruise and I've been on the Jewel for 25 days total over the last three years.

 

The Solstice has a more wide open space concept than the Norwegian Jewel. I've never stayed in a suite in either one of them, however, I can tell you about the perks of suite passengers onboard the Jewel since I befriended a few of pax who had those cabins on the previous cruises.

 

The concept of the private Garden Villa is a really nice one and I love it up there. It's very secluded from the rest of the passengers and a relaxing and quiet place to enjoy your sea day away from the hustle and bustle of the pool deck. The Solstice really doesn't have a separate area for their suite passengers to go to.

 

I know the concierge onboard the Jewel and he's a wonderful man, actually both that have been aboard the Jewel are. If there's any one huge reason to recommend the Jewel over the Solstice is the Hotel Director on the Norwegian Jewel (John O'Hara) is just phenomenal. Any problems that he can fix he does and with great speed. He's a wonderful man who understands customer service and I've been treated the BEST out of any cruise I've taken when he's aboard and I'm on the Norwegian Jewel. She's my favorite ship in the NCL fleet because of him and how he treats the crew. If the crew is happy the guests are happy because happiness spreads! He's got the right concept and knows how to run a ship!

 

As for the Solstice, she's a pretty ship. As another poster mentioned the grass is a HUGE waste of space. Her open concept Promenade areas give you the sense of space but I've found the service on the Jewel to be so much better and that's what it boils down to for me.

 

PS See my past cruising history in my signature... the Jewel is INCREDIBLE! :D

[mafig]

I'm reading this post and suddenly it dawned on me ... I've been on both!

 

But not in a suite.

 

I'd pick Solstice only because she's newer and the food is better. Nothing against Jewel (she's the only ship I've been on twice, so I must like her).

[Rochesterboatingdotcom]

I've been on both ships as well. The Solstice's first charter cruise :D

 

You must have been on the Atlantis charter last year - we were on the cruise the week after, found 2 really nice Atlantis duffel bags under our bed, still in the wrappers!

[CruisinMaterial]

You must have been on the Atlantis charter last year - we were on the cruise the week after, found 2 really nice Atlantis duffel bags under our bed, still in the wrappers!

 

You'd better believe I'm talking the Atlantis Charter. I gave my duffel bag to the stateroom stewards. I have four of them already and they just collect dust until I use one for a carry-on for the next cruise. They get free advertising for a carry-on but NCL gets my free advertising for the shore excursions with the back pack I use.

 

Did you keep the duffel bags? I am sure the bars by the pool were still there (they brought them on the previous week for the deck parties). :)

[Rochesterboatingdotcom]

Did you keep the duffel bags? I am sure the bars by the pool were still there (they brought them on the previous week for the deck parties). :)

 

Of course we kept them! :)

 

All the trappings from the charter were gone when we arrived, you would have never known it had taken place unless someone told you.

[CruisinMaterial]

Well we left the ship in pristine order for the most part. Sometimes rogue thing get left behind... like glitter... that always makes a mess!! :D

[mskskier]

I got the norovirus on the Jewel on March 30, would not travel on that ship again if you paid me.

[ce2000]

I have been on both, I much prefer the Celebrity Solstice over the NCL Jewel. The food is so much better on the Solstice. The Solstice is the best cruise that I have ever experienced.

[DCT61]

We were in a sky suite on the SOLSTICE a couple years back. Our sky suite was located on the RESORT DECK, which is the deck below the Oceanview Cafe (the ships buffet). We had a little bit of a problem with noise (although muffled) in our cabin due to the constant walking above us. The floors in the cafe are tile and whenever a dishcart was wheeled out to one of the serving islands, you would hear the thump thump thump of the wheels hitting the grout lines. This was done SEVERAL times throughout the day and early in the morning.

It wasnt enough to spoil the room for us...but it was a constant presence. Also be aware the cafe above overhangs the balconies of these cabins with steel bracing struts at practically every balcony partition. One of the aft (more expensive) sky suites may be better...they are however, open to views from above and below.

The Solstice is a beautiful ship...the decor is a little modern. The pool area is very small for the amount of passengers the ship holds, and can fill up FAST. I must admit...I didnt "get" the lawn area of the top deck. It seemed a horrible waste of much needed deck space.

 

I dont think you could go wrong with either ship. They are two different cruiselines and the experience you take away from each can be very different.

 

I will say though, the suite experience on NCL has (FOR US) far outweighed the experience on CELEBRITY.

[marc b]

The info is very helpful, and I appreciate the responses. It isn't making the decision any easier, but can't complain about having to make this type of decision. I think the suite experience on NCL will be better, but overall Celebrity experience sounds more upscale. I do fear "the kids factor" on NCL. They are advertising the heck out of Nick at Sea, bring kids for $ 99, etc. We don't have children, and don't mind them in general, but the more kids, the higher the odds of issues with them......

[Rochesterboatingdotcom]

If you travel when school is in session, the kid factor should not be that bad.

[cbreeze]

I did a back to back on the Solstice with my husband then the Jewel with my sisters in February. The Solstice was a gorgeous ship and was perfect for a quiet relaxing vacation with my husband. We had an interior room which was the largest and nicest of any ship we've been on so I can only imagine the suites! I felt the layout and decor of the Jewel wasn't as nice and the buffet area is very crowded. BUT the Jewel was definitely more fun and I found the food to be better. The Solstice's food was prettier but some of the desserts were blah. The service on both ships were both excellent. I loved freestyle dining on the Jewel and although they have added it to Celebrity it was fairly new in February and wasn't working smoothly so we stuck to traditional dining.

 

For future cruises we will choose celebrity if we want a quiet more upscale experience but will most likely stick with NCL. I had more fun on the Jewel!