What's the Deal with the Lawn?

[NancyIL]

It's not exactly a wide, wooden promenade, but there is a walking "track" area on the 14th floor of the Solstice-class ships. Below is one of my pictures to show how it looks and works.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 76,485 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

This is a view of the upper floor, 14th level above the main pool area on the Solstice-type ships. This illustrates how the space for walking can be a little narrow and congested during the middle of the afternoon as this area fills up with people enjoying the sun, etc. BUT, things are much easier and more open for your walking/laps earlier in the am, plus in the evenings.:

 

 

Thank you for the photo, Terry. I think I'd prefer a view-less promenade to those crowds! We'll be getting most of our exercise walking around in port, as we have only 2 sea days on our 12-night Med cruise.

[oldmovieguy]

On our last Eclipse cruise I saw the Lawn Maintainence guy sprinkling Grey Goose Vodka on the grass, when I asked him about it he explained that by doing this the grass came up half cut.

[TLCOhio]

Thank you for the photo, Terry. I think I'd prefer a view-less promenade to those crowds! We'll be getting most of our exercise walking around in port, as we have only 2 sea days on our 12-night Med cruise.

 

Agree, Nancy!! YES, in the many great, charming and wonderful ports of the Med, you do get lots of great exercise, see so much, have many interesting options, etc. Personally, I wish that the Solstice had a nice, wooden promenade, but they don't. I like many of the other options, including the Solarium, one of our favorite areas on this ship. Having such variety on the many ships and cruise lines, gives us nice potentials and many options. It's called customer choice!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 76,485 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[Ex-Airbalancer]

On our last Eclipse cruise I saw the Lawn Maintainence guy sprinkling Grey Goose Vodka on the grass, when I asked him about it he explained that by doing this the grass came up half cut.

 

:eek: LOL :D

[dwjoe]

I sailed on one of the Solstice's early voyages and at that time the lawn had some yellowish patches and the lawn's future was uncertain. I think Celebrity was still figuring out the best way to maintain it. The current lawn photos look great - lush, green, and inviting. Glad to see Celebrity found a way to make the lawn work. It's definitely a distinguishing feature from other ships.

[mikechass]

I haven't read this whole thread yet, but as a Canadian...I LOVED having real grass to walk on. When your grass is under 3 feet of snow it is nice.

We just did an Oasis cruise in January/February and the Central Park floor was by far our FAVOURITE place on the ship. I remember reading the same about that floor " why does anyone care about plants on a ship?" It was the best place we sat.

Looking forward to the Eclipse and all she has to offer next January.

[CLQ]

It's not exactly a wide, wooden promenade, but there is a walking "track" area on the 14th floor of the Solstice-class ships. Below is one of my pictures to show how it looks and works.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Yes, a good track indeed. We walked it every day, as we do on any ship we sail. At 6:30a.m., there is almost no one out there except other walkers/joggers. And, no lounge chairs to dodge.

[NukeIT]

Yes, a good track indeed. We walked it every day, as we do on any ship we sail. At 6:30a.m., there is almost no one out there except other walkers/joggers. And, no lounge chairs to dodge.

 

I am planning on running the track before breakfast every morning.... I don't mind treadmills, but hate having to short step my stride on them...

[TLCOhio]

Yes, a good track indeed. We walked it every day, as we do on any ship we sail. At 6:30 a.m., there is almost no one out there except other walkers/joggers. And, no lounge chairs to dodge.

 

Glad to know things worked out well. Except for the mid-day, peak, sea day periods, things were not too crowded on our sailing for earlier and later time period on this track. It's nice to have a variety of views as you are walking around the track.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 77,582 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[Miss SeaBee]

You can't be serious. This is an asinine comment.

Oh, when is Cruise Critic going to get a "like" button! :D

[Miss SeaBee]

I am far from 70, actually 45. I spent a lot of time on the lawn on Solstice. And I'm from NC and have a huge lawn myself. It's not just the grass that is appealing. It is the relative quiet and lack of crowds. I do not enjoy the pool scene at all, other than the solarium pool, and I enjoyed lying in the sun up on the lawn. Very peaceful, and the good wind up there on top kept it from getting too hot. I am looking into the Alcoves for our Reflection cruise next year.

[ghstudio]

I sailed on one of the Solstice's early voyages and at that time the lawn had some yellowish patches and the lawn's future was uncertain. I think Celebrity was still figuring out the best way to maintain it. The current lawn photos look great - lush, green, and inviting. Glad to see Celebrity found a way to make the lawn work. It's definitely a distinguishing feature from other ships.

 

They replace the lawns twice a year with new sod....

[miched]

Great place to get night crawlers for late night fishing off of the balcony. :D

 

Provdes a area for the crew to grow thier grass. :rolleyes:

 

Service dogs also enjoy it.

 

It is a novelty for people that live in a desert.

 

Can provide the greens for the salads.

 

 

.

[artvlay]

My opinion is that there must be number of better uses than a lawn. I am going to sea, not a stroll in the park.

[happy cruzer]

We liked the grass area too for lack of crowds, it was peaceful.

 

The Solarium and Pool area on sea days was very busy and crowded.

 

But doesn't that say something.... Maybe there just isn't enough space in the Solarium and pool area for a ship the size of the S class on sea days? Alot of the problem was the saving of loungers but even so during the middle of the day they could have used double the loungers in both areas even with the loungers place so close that they were touching.

[CathyCruises]

On our TA, the weather was pretty bad a couple of days, the 14th floor oitside was closed off many times and we had a huge flood in the Sky Lounge lobby that extended down to the 5th floor! The ingenious among us, not including DH and me, used the lower floors of cabins to walk since you CAN go all the way around--like 8, 9 and 10. I thought it was a great idea!!!

 

I can hear all the objections now, I am just mentioning it as an alternative!

[buchhalm]

That lawn looks like a cool thing to have...

Something differtent, and we are looking forward to experiencing it.

Hey, perhaps they should fill those tall urns with fresh herbs (or stick a few planter boxes along the sides) and the chefs of that BBQ restaurant could make a show of it to go and pluck some fresh rosemary for the steaks.

Or perhaps they could do a "topless tuesday" and award the "best chest" award....:p

[stereo]

Hi All--I am so sorry for the most of you (having to mingle with the elderly)--Will be on a TA in Dec.and since I expect to be over 80--I will reserve a chair to see the lawn and the ocean as I read a book on my nook android while you youngsters use the climbing wall --the wave pool and the ice skating rink-after the wet t-shirt pool party--and play marco polo--or am I going on the wrong cruise line --Will be using the so called jogging track before b-fast-while all of you will be spinning indoors on a workout bike

[LeftcoastBC]

Hi All--I am so sorry for the most of you (having to mingle with the elderly)--Will be on a TA in Dec.and since I expect to be over 80--I will reserve a chair to see the lawn and the ocean as I read a book on my nook android while you youngsters use the climbing wall --the wave pool and the ice skating rink-after the wet t-shirt pool party--and play marco polo--or am I going on the wrong cruise line --Will be using the so called jogging track before b-fast-while all of you will be spinning indoors on a workout bike

 

all them fancy things you mention are on a different cruise line....

BUT you certainly have the right idea lol

[maxsales]

The lawn is an attempt to make S-class different, to advertise something "unlike any other" or "the first at see".

Just marketing.

In fact this is an unprecedented waste of upper deck space "unlike anywhere else".

The lawn takes about 1/3 of the ship.

Result: crammed pool deck.

Another major design flaw of the S-cless - lack of promenade deck.

This is unacceptable.

 

The whole design caters for 70+ folks.

This is a modern floating IKEA-style hotel, not a ship.

 

 

I could not disagree more with these comments!!

[excitedofharpenden]

On our TA, the weather was pretty bad a couple of days, the 14th floor oitside was closed off many times and we had a huge flood in the Sky Lounge lobby that extended down to the 5th floor! The ingenious among us, not including DH and me, used the lower floors of cabins to walk since you CAN go all the way around--like 8, 9 and 10. I thought it was a great idea!!!

 

I can hear all the objections now, I am just mentioning it as an alternative!

It didn't get much better on the follow up cruise to Norway. Part of the canvas awning over the Lawn Club broke loose on the TA and once it happened and the wind at sea got underneath it there was no alternative but to close the area for safety reasons. It was going to be repaired once the ship was in the Med with better weather and parts becoming available in port.

 

The Lawn Club is my favourite area of the S-Class ships. As for the pool area, you can keep the bear pit. Not for me:o

 

Phil

[Nebr.cruiser]

Booo! I don't care one way or another about the lawn b/c I live in MT and it takes about 3 hours to mow my lawn behind the walking mower, and over an hour to mow on our riding mower. But I think I'm in the minority, and there are many people who are nostalgic for the feeling of grass between their toes and the smell of grass. Personally, the lawn is just fine with me and I am in my 50's. I don't spend any time there, but I also don't spend time in some other areas of the ship. On a 7 day cruise, there is so much to do, so little time!

 

Off topic (but I think the lawn area is a huge waste too--give us a promenade deck or a walking track that isn't conjested), but where are you in Montana? We have a son who lives outside of Butte.

 

I think when you live in the country with acres of lawn/trees, bushes the lawn on a ship is anti-climatic.

[MaxTexada]

The lawn is an attempt to make S-class different, to advertise something "unlike any other" or "the first at see".

Just marketing.

In fact this is an unprecedented waste of upper deck space "unlike anywhere else".

The lawn takes about 1/3 of the ship.

Result: crammed pool deck.

Another major design flaw of the S-cless - lack of promenade deck.

This is unacceptable.

 

We think it will be very cool to see some lawn, as we don't have a whole lot of it in midtown Manhattan. And we're several decades from 70. So any lawn-appreciators, come join us for a cocktail on the lawn.

[Christine Frances]

It's lovely sitting on the lawn with a glass of wine in the evening as well:D I just hope not too many people discover how nice it is!

[boogs]

My opinion is that there must be number of better uses than a lawn. I am going to sea, not a stroll in the park.

 

Seems like an ironic comment from someone who loves Royal Caribbean ships, which are more amusement park and mall than a cruise ship, with their rock climbing walls, flow riders, skating rinks, water slides, zip lines, miniature golf courses, Boardwalk, Promenade shopping malls, oh, and lest we forget, the Oasis class CENTRAL PARK area.

 

To paraphrase your comment: "I'm going to sea, not a ride at the amusement park".