What is special about S-Class ships?

[GeorgeL]

I have cruised on every ship of Celebrity's fleet except the new S-Class ships. I am curious as to what cruisers who have cruised both types of ships find special/unique and simply very nice about the new S-class which the other ships lack?

[Mr_Cruise]

I have cruised on every ship of Celebrity's fleet except the new S-Class ships. I am curious as to what cruisers who have cruised both types of ships find special/unique and simply very nice about the new S-class which the other ships lack?

 

Everything.

 

It's really tough to narrow down a specific list, but a few things that come to mind include: the lawn club (real grass on the top deck that is actually well used), the state of the art theatre and stage (one of the best set ups on any ship), the modern / chic bars, the overall feel of the entire ship and her art... it's pretty much better in most every way.

[Gracie115]

yup...I agree....everything...EXCEPT the Specialty Restaurants, Normandie, Olympic, et all are better on "M" Class...but for every day dining..."S" class has EVERYONE beat with Blu!

[teajak]

yup...I agree....everything...EXCEPT the Specialty Restaurants, Normandie, Olympic, et all are better on "M" Class...but for every day dining..."S" class has EVERYONE beat with Blu!

My answer: Everything except the entertainment.

 

Hey Gracie they dropped the price on the Solstice for 8/29 to $699. for a CC2.

My DH had a bad accident with the golf cart, tore up his arm, 3 broken ribs, he is ok now, this happened 7/8. I really think he needs to recuperate resting on this fantastic ship,don't you agree?;)

[Cruisenouvelle]

To me, Solstice (and I'm sure her S-sisters) has a sleeker, cleaner, European feel to it, if that makes sense. Also lots of art, in all types of media- a lot like strolling through a gallery. Really a special class of ship.

[royalcruz]

Murano and Ensemble Lounge and the most comfortable pool lounge chairs!

[Gracie115]

My answer: Everything except the entertainment.

 

Hey Gracie they dropped the price on the Solstice for 8/29 to $699. for a CC2.

My DH had a bad accident with the golf cart, tore up his arm, 3 broken ribs, he is ok now, this happened 7/8. I really think he needs to recuperate resting on this fantastic ship,don't you agree?;)

 

ABSOLUTELY...nothing like a Celebrity cruise to make him feel even better!! Book it!!

[Gracie115]

My answer: Everything except the entertainment.

 

Hey Gracie they dropped the price on the Solstice for 8/29 to $699. for a CC2.

My DH had a bad accident with the golf cart, tore up his arm, 3 broken ribs, he is ok now, this happened 7/8. I really think he needs to recuperate resting on this fantastic ship,don't you agree?;)

 

 

wow and that's a great price if I didn't have work issue I'D be going with you!!!

[jt1120]

No offense, but you're kidding, right? The Solstice class is the most beautiful class of ships we have ever sailed in our 21 cruises. Everything was thought out, well designed, and exudes quality. If I had the choice between any other ship and a Solstice class for a cruise, there would be no discussion, regardless of price.

[rwb]

I've been on more than 40 Celebrity cruises, and was predisposed to dislike the S-class ships based purely on their size. (Other lines' megaships feel overcrowded to me.) But the Summit and Equinox pleasantly surprised me. They're well designed to maintain a less crowded feel, something they accomplish way better than their RCCL counterparts. They're noticeably larger than the M-class but don't "feel" larger. And the cafe design is the best I've seen in large ships.

 

For me, the smaller ships are still preferable for exotic or very lengthy itineraries. But the S-class is an excellent design for Caribbean cruises and the 7-10 day cruise where you may have a limited amount of time on board and want teh kind of variety those ships bring.

[LeftcoastBC]

they are "specially" too big :( but other than that a great experience.

[chessbriar]

they are "specially" too big :( but other than that a great experience.

Too big? And you are booked on even a larger ship with far more people.

 

Please explain why you feel this way and why you choose to go on even larger ships

[LeftcoastBC]

Too big? And you are booked on even a larger ship with far more people.

 

Please explain why you feel this way and why you choose to go on even larger ships

 

The Solstice was just that much too big for our usual bookings and enjoyment. Not saying it wasn't a great ship just too big.

 

We have since booked & sailed the Mariner of course and although it was bigger full of kids and families (Ours went too and that was the reason for the booking) we found it to be easier to get around. Elevators, although the Mariner also only has two banks also seemed to get us to where we needed to be position wise easier and quicker. The Mariner is much wider and that could be the main difference. The Solstice is about 20 feet longer.

Our cabins on each ship were about the same position aft from the aft back so it was a good comparison.

M class is just fine and usually our choice but miss the Zenith and Horizon even more. Really Enjoyed the Mercury and looking forward to Ak. on the Century if it makes it over here next year.

[Gracie115]

The Solstice was just that much too big for our usual bookings and enjoyment. Not saying it wasn't a great ship just too big.

 

We have since booked & sailed the Mariner of course and although it was bigger full of kids and families (Ours went too and that was the reason for the booking) we found it to be easier to get around. Elevators, although the Mariner also only has two banks also seemed to get us to where we needed to be position wise easier and quicker. The Mariner is much wider and that could be the main difference. The Solstice is about 20 feet longer.

Our cabins on each ship were about the same position aft from the aft back so it was a good comparison.

M class is just fine and usually our choice but miss the Zenith and Horizon even more. Really Enjoyed the Mercury and looking forward to Ak. on the Century if it makes it over here next year.

 

 

Couldn't disagree more with your Mariner/Solstice comparison. Have been on Mariner twice when she was on the east coast, Solstice just this past January. SO MUCH classier a ship in my opinion. I guess if you are just choosing for the benefits of the children maybe Mariner wins but I can't think of anything other than that that's better. We LOVED Solstice. The artwork, the normal everyday food, let alone what Blu/Tuscan Grill/Bistro of 5 have to offer just out does everything on Mariner. We love Chops but the MDR on Royal long ago ceased to be anything but VERY average. I don't mean to sound defensive as I realize we all have our own tastes and obviously we enjoyed the Mariner, we went on her twice but if they were sitting next to each other and someone said "pick one" to cruise on the Solstice would win each and every time....:)

[LeftcoastBC]

Couldn't disagree more with your Mariner/Solstice comparison. Have been on Mariner twice when she was on the east coast, Solstice just this past January. SO MUCH classier a ship in my opinion. I guess if you are just choosing for the benefits of the children maybe Mariner wins but I can't think of anything other than that that's better. We LOVED Solstice. The artwork, the normal everyday food, let alone what Blu/Tuscan Grill/Bistro of 5 have to offer just out does everything on Mariner. We love Chops but the MDR on Royal long ago ceased to be anything but VERY average. I don't mean to sound defensive as I realize we all have our own tastes and obviously we enjoyed the Mariner, we went on her twice but if they were sitting next to each other and someone said "pick one" to cruise on the Solstice would win each and every time....:)

 

I'm only talking about size and movement of passengers. You can not compare the ships beyond that. ONes RCL.... Ones X :)

Now you can compare staff however and they were both great.

[GeorgeL]

No offense, but you're kidding, right? The Solstice class is the most beautiful class of ships we have ever sailed in our 21 cruises. Everything was thought out, well designed, and exudes quality. If I had the choice between any other ship and a Solstice class for a cruise, there would be no discussion, regardless of price.

 

No, I was not kidding at all. As I mentioned in my original post, I had never cruised on the S-Class ships. I saw them mentioned in many posts and simply wanted to know what others who have experienced this class of ships would consider to be very nice or special about them. I have not cruised since March, taking land vacations overseas instead but I was looking ahead to see which ship I would like to cruise next and the S-Class ships are still an unknown to me.

I think you misunderstood my question which was not meant to question the special nature of the ships but was simply meant to find out what made them special.

[Gracie115]

I'm only talking about size and movement of passengers. You can not compare the ships beyond that. ONes RCL.... Ones X :)

Now you can compare staff however and they were both great.

 

 

Yes we always find Royal staff to be very friendly...probably the biggest reason we took the 2nd Mariner cruise....

 

Prefer the Radiance class on Royal though, the Jewel specifically, but were truly "wowed" by the Solstice...but I'm basically happy on ANY ship!!! :D

[teajak]

I am also happy on any ship, the Mariner is not my favorite simply because it is so enclosed. There is something so special about the Solstice, never feels crowded, so much open space, great little nooks and cranies, amazing food, best escargot ever so we had it every night.Fantastic art gallery and finally the no smoking in the public rooms. Can't wait to try the Equinox in Jan. Almost forgot, the amazing crew and Captain.

[Gracie115]

I am also happy on any ship, the Mariner is not my favorite simply because it is so enclosed. There is something so special about the Solstice, never feels crowded, so much open space, great little nooks and cranies, amazing food, best escargot ever so we had it every night.Fantastic art gallery and finally the no smoking in the public rooms. Can't wait to try the Equinox in Jan. Almost forgot, the amazing crew and Captain.

 

 

Agree, agree, agree!!! Teajak!What happened to that quick 8/29 cruise you thought about yesterday????:)

[hgc24]

I was an avid HAL fan until I went on the Solstice. Beautiful layout, very classy, great bars--martini ice bar, molecular bar, enough chairs that you don't have to get up at 9am to get a seat at the pool, quiet solarium, many private quiet areas, and wonderful crew. Our room (veranda) was spacious and nicely laid out. No complaints.;)

[teajak]

Agree, agree, agree!!! Teajak!What happened to that quick 8/29 cruise you thought about yesterday????:)

Were booked, cabin 1075. CC2,oversize balcony came to $1601 for both. Too good to pass, of course I can rationalize anyting.;)

[JeffCoud]

I had mixed feelings about the Solstice actually, which I know is a bit of a contrarian view here. I missed having the Main Dining Room in the back of the ship with the big picture windows. Plus they used battery powered candles, not cool! (Plus I think X's cuts of meat have gone down hill a bit over the years...) It is a very sleek and chic decor-wise, but I felt designed to chisel more money out of you.

 

The whole back of the 5th floor is the "for pay" restaurants, you know, back where the main dining room used to be. So the gorgeous views we used to get for "free" are no more. I found no reason to even go back that far on the 5th floor like ever, so totally wasted space on the ship for my purposes. I don't like the green grass lawn thing, total waste of space. I did like the rattan loungers way up on the Solstice deck forward, that was a nice area. I found the cabins ok, nice looking boutique-hotel-ish and all, but quite lacking in storage space. Its almost like they forgot to design storage. Not a huge fan of the plastic door on the shower either. Felt like Scotty was going to beam me up any moment! lol....

 

That being said, did I have a good time on the Solstice -- of course I did! I loved the Martini bar and really its a nice looking ship, but a departure design wise I think for Celebrity -- much like RCCL's Serenade of the Seas' design I thought (aka, with no aft stairs or elevator). I think I like the M and C class ships better actually!

 

Ok you can shoot me now, lol....but I've been on the Century (x2), Galaxy (x2), Mercury (x3), Millennium (x3), Summit (x2), the Horizon, and the Solstice, so by no means new to X, and it is still my favorite cruise line, although I like HAL as well.

 

Jeff

[Gracie115]

Were booked, cabin 1075. CC2,oversize balcony came to $1601 for both. Too good to pass, of course I can rationalize anyting.;)

 

 

Wonderful..have a great cruise...will think of you as I am sitting at my desk wishing I was onboard with you!! Eat a serving or two of escargot for me!!:D:D

[Gracie115]

I had mixed feelings about the Solstice actually, which I know is a bit of a contrarian view here. I missed having the Main Dining Room in the back of the ship with the big picture windows. Plus they used battery powered candles, not cool! (Plus I think X's cuts of meat have gone down hill a bit over the years...) It is a very sleek and chic decor-wise, but I felt designed to chisel more money out of you.

 

The whole back of the 5th floor is the "for pay" restaurants, you know, back where the main dining room used to be. So the gorgeous views we used to get for "free" are no more. I found no reason to even go back that far on the 5th floor like ever, so totally wasted space on the ship for my purposes. I don't like the green grass lawn thing, total waste of space. I did like the rattan loungers way up on the Solstice deck forward, that was a nice area. I found the cabins ok, nice looking boutique-hotel-ish and all, but quite lacking in storage space. Its almost like they forgot to design storage. Not a huge fan of the plastic door on the shower either. Felt like Scotty was going to beam me up any moment! lol....

 

That being said, did I have a good time on the Solstice -- of course I did! I loved the Martini bar and really its a nice looking ship, but a departure design wise I think for Celebrity -- much like RCCL's Serenade of the Seas' design I thought (aka, with no aft stairs or elevator). I think I like the M and C class ships better actually!

 

Ok you can shoot me now, lol....but I've been on the Century (x2), Galaxy (x2), Mercury (x3), Millennium (x3), Summit (x2), the Horizon, and the Solstice, so by no means new to X, and it is still my favorite cruise line, although I like HAL as well.

 

Jeff

 

 

WOuldn't think of shooting you....we loved Solstice, but also love the "M" class! To each his own and we think the "M" class specialty restaurants are far superior to Murano's on the "S" class!!

[teajak]

I had mixed feelings about the Solstice actually, which I know is a bit of a contrarian view here. I missed having the Main Dining Room in the back of the ship with the big picture windows. Plus they used battery powered candles, not cool! (Plus I think X's cuts of meat have gone down hill a bit over the years...) It is a very sleek and chic decor-wise, but I felt designed to chisel more money out of you.

 

The whole back of the 5th floor is the "for pay" restaurants, you know, back where the main dining room used to be. So the gorgeous views we used to get for "free" are no more. I found no reason to even go back that far on the 5th floor like ever, so totally wasted space on the ship for my purposes. I don't like the green grass lawn thing, total waste of space. I did like the rattan loungers way up on the Solstice deck forward, that was a nice area. I found the cabins ok, nice looking boutique-hotel-ish and all, but quite lacking in storage space. Its almost like they forgot to design storage. Not a huge fan of the plastic door on the shower either. Felt like Scotty was going to beam me up any moment! lol....

 

That being said, did I have a good time on the Solstice -- of course I did! I loved the Martini bar and really its a nice looking ship, but a departure design wise I think for Celebrity -- much like RCCL's Serenade of the Seas' design I thought (aka, with no aft stairs or elevator). I think I like the M and C class ships better actually!

 

Ok you can shoot me now, lol....but I've been on the Century (x2), Galaxy (x2), Mercury (x3), Millennium (x3), Summit (x2), the Horizon, and the Solstice, so by no means new to X, and it is still my favorite cruise line, although I like HAL as well.

 

Jeff

No shooting from me. We don't like Blu and Gracie loves it but we are still CC friends:D. Wasn'the Horizon a great ship, I miss her going out of Tampa.:(