Solstice Review- South Pacific March 2015

[Aza1972]

This was our first time sailing with Celebrity. Previous sailings with P&O, Princess and MSC.

 

We arrived at Sydney Overseas Passenger Terminal around 1145am and joined a short line to drop off our bags then joining the line for check-in which was very effortless and straight forward. The total time from when we first arrived until we were handed our welcome champagne upon boarding would have been no more than 40 minutes.

 

First impression upon boarding was WOW. The staff were all smiles and you could not help but feel more than welcome. The ship seemed so fresh and had this hard to describe, but pleasant smell.

 

We proceeded to the traditional buffet whilst our room was being readied. The Oceanview Cafe is full of natural light and is very open. The array of food and colour was amazing. We were lucky enough to find an outside table so we had the most amazing view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House. The view in itself was priceless and the food enhanced this even further. It was the perfect start to what was to be a perfect cruise.

 

Around 2pm it was announced that our rooms were ready so we made our way down to 8531 which was a Sunset Aft Balcony. It was here that we met our room steward Roman from the Ukraine. He was the most lovely and helpful gentleman. Every time we went out the door or returned to the room there he would appear asking if he could do anything to make our cruise more enjoyable. The room itself was very nice. Not huge in size but spacious enough and the aft balcony was great. The bathroom was a good size, the tv a modern flat screen and the bed comfortable. The only one small issue we had was that it was rather warm and you could not control the temperature.

 

We spent sailaway standing on beautiful lawns near the Sunset bar with the most amazing backdrop of the sun setting over the bridge. It was heaven. We then retreated to our balcony where we enjoyed a bottle of Moet and freshly delivered cheese platter as we sailed out of the heads.

 

We awoke on day 2 so relaxed after a wonderful nights sleep to blue skies and blue waters. There is something about the ocean that makes you sleep like a baby.

 

Days 2 and 3 were spent at sea so it provided us with a great chance to explore the Solstice further. As usual we kicked off with breakfast where we left things off the night before.....at the buffet. The quality of breakfast was high and there was something for everyone. Bacon, eggs, sausages, baked beans, waffles, pancakes, cereals, bread, yogurts and the list goes on and on and on.

 

One of the most beautiful spots on the Solstice is the Sky Lounge located at the front of the ship. Of a day it provides a quiet spot to sit and stare out at the water, join in on games like putting challenges and trivia and then kick back and listen to music of a night. In the eyes of little Mr B (18 months) it awesome place to have a run around and also had these cool swivel chairs which were like Disney's tea cup ride.

 

Seeing Mr B was asleep at lunch we made the most of the opportunity to have a rare sit down meal in the main dining room. Wow how beautiful it is .I cannot remember exactly which dishes we had but I can tell you that they were all good. I know to start we had deep fried mozzarella sticks, calamari and carrot gazpacho soup. For mains we had a pan seared turkey breast that was sooooooo tender and a steak. Dessert a beautiful creme brulee and gelato. The service was excellent.

 

Being such a beautiful day we decided to spend the afternoon at the lawn club. Celebrity has done a great job of creating this unique experience. To be able to take your shoes off and walk on top of beautiful green soft grass whilst looking out over the ocean is so relaxing. Mr B also loved the open space of the lawn club and not to mention stealing the bocce balls from people who were having a nice peaceful game (he just could not understand why they would not share ha ha).

 

That evening we had a booking at Silk Harvest and this is where the real food porn began. Priced at $35pp it is simply not to be missed. The design of the restaurant is lovely with a real Asian look and feel. The view was also super impressive. I was wowed by the service right from the start and then the food began. My words probably come nowhere near to doing it justice so hopefully some pictures might. The stand out dish was the Tom Yum soup. They bring you a little cast iron bowl filled with veggies and chilli and then the liquid comes in a cast iron pourer (like the little milk ones). We also had beef and chicken satay skewers, pot stickers (dumplings), pad thai, pepper steak and to finish off a rice pudding type dish and a sorbet platter that was placed on little shortbread like biscuits. It was so tangy and fresh and the perfect way to end such a meal

 

 

Day 3 again was at sea. We started things off by having breakfast delivered to our room. Again I cannot fault this at all. Not only was our order delivered on time but each morning we would be called to say it was on its way and then called each day after breakfast to ask if everything was ok with our meal.

 

Unfortunately Little Mr B was not old enough for the kids club on Celebrity but each day we could take him to a supervised play area. They had a nice range of toys for him to play with and became part of his daily ritual. The kids club areas were really bright and colourful and the staff we encountered were lovely. We also found an arcade room (more for me than Mr B) which had your typical games you would find in timezone as well as an air hockey table. Up on the top deck at the front of the ship is a sports court where you can place basketball or soccer. It became another fav spot for the young fella and the view was also pretty damn special.

 

The following morning we awoke to the site of the Isle of Pines from out room. I was at awe at the beauty of the place. As we had no tours booked and it was tendering to shore we took our time and avoided the rush and went over after lunch. It was also St Patrick's Day and a chance to be a little silly to be sure, to be sure. The beach is right next to where you tender so we had a swim on the most beautiful beach and took in the stunning view. They have a few little shops where you can buy souvenirs like t-shrts etc.. We took the last tender back to the ship and were most impressed with the ice water waiting for us as we boarded and ice cold face towels. Nice touch Celebrity.

 

That evening we decided to take advantage of the in-room babysitting service. We were a little unsure how it would go with little Mr B but could not have asked for more. It does come at a cost of $19 per hour but they send two people to your room and they were lovely and assured us they would find us if needed....as it turned out Mr B slept the whole 3 hours. We took in our one and only show in the Solstice Theatre which was the popular Elton John show Elton Jack. Wow he was so good. He not only looked like him but sounded like him. What I enjoyed most was he had both the young and old up on their feet dancing away and the highlight for me was an older lady, probably in her 70's. standing up and partying like a rock star. In fact all the older crowd (I am probably that to some people) were so much fun.

 

Next stop was Noumea. It was pretty much like I had heard from others. you sail into a container port and you are bused downtown which is literally 750m away. Again, no shore tours for us so we did the popular thing and went to the Casino Supermarket opposite where you get off the bus and bought ourselves some VERY PUNGENT French cheese. We also bought some beautiful French baguettes but had those confiscated upon boarding the ship and made to feel like we were one of the Bali Nine (too soon ?). Funny thing is we took our cheese, cold meats and everything else onboard. I guess security wanted baguettes for lunch. We spent the rest of our day eating our cheese, minus baguettes on our balcony and watching a beautiful sunset as we left for Lifou

 

Day 5 we awoke to the beautiful site if the island of Lifou. We again enjoyed room service and I decided to make use of the gym. I hate cardio but the Solstice made going to the gym far more enjoyable. It was the first cruise where I actually made a reasonable effort and stuck to my guns and went 6 out of 8 days. Up until then my record was 18 minutes total for the whole cruise; The gym is located at the front of the ship and has beautiful views. It is stocked with new start of the art equipment with around 20 treadmills, 6 bikes, 10 cross trainers, 2 rowers and a great variety of weight machines. They also conduct several classes throughout the cruise at a cost of around $11. Some of the classes included pilates, boot camp and spin. So if you are a gym junkie or like me just feel a little guilt when eating so much then you will be catered for.

 

After leaving Lifou we set sail for our return to Sydney in 2 and a half days. We made the most out of yes you guessed it, eating some more but also looking around the ships some more. The duty free store whilst small was greatly priced. I purchased 2x1ltr bottles of Grey Goose Vodka for US$60. Absolut was 2 for 30. They also had ciggies which I was told were a great price. The gift shop onboard was ok but I found it a little lacking. They ship also had other shopping stores where you could purchase jewelry, make up, handbags and camera equipment etc,

 

 

I had the chance to have a chat with the head chef of the Oceanview Cafe at lunch as his was asking how everything was. He was so stoked when I told him it was sensational and part of the reason we will return was his food. He said the key is the passion of his staff. I looked up and they were all joking and smiling. Not only did he seem genuine he kept me talking for another 10 minutes and then again on another day. you could see he loved what he did. Whilst in the buffet we also saw the Captain come in and grab a bite. No airs or graces. No special service. Just a man who likes to mix with the people. I like that touch.

 

It was our last Formal Night so we got dressed up and ate in the Tuscan Grill. Again the food was top notch and the view of the ships wake made it amazing. We started our meal with Calamari Fritti and Raviolli with wild mushroom truffle sauce. We then enjoyed a thick and rich Tuscan Onion Soup and traditional Minestrone. Our pasta dish was a beautiful spaghetti bolognaise followed by mains of Veal Chop and NY Strip steak. To finish our awesome meal we had yet another creme brulee that was outstanding and a chocolate fondue melting pot with a variety of fruits.The charge for the Tuscan Grill was $45pp but again it was well worth it..

 

We retired early this night and were chuffed with our towel animal and chocolates from Roman.

 

Continuing on the food theme the following day we decided to stay on the ship rather than go ashore and try out Bistro on Five which is a little cafe style place which you pay $7pp for as many crepes as you like. Yet again the food was amazing. We started off with a pumpkin as well as chicken noodle soup followed by three different crepes and ended with three amazing desserts (such pigs). Bistro on Five is well and truly worth the additional charge and not to be missed.

 

Another surprising addition is afternoon tea served daily in the buffet. So for all of you that had not eaten enough you can indulge in things such as fresh cucumber sandwiches, lovely cakes and pastries and my all time favourite........scones with jam and cream

 

The rest of the day was a bit of a blur as I think I was suffering a food coma

 

The last day at sea was raining so we stayed in doors and ate and shopped. I also made some donations to staff wages via Fortunes Casino. Whilst the casino was nice with close to 300 slots and several tables it was wound very tight like most cruise ship casinos.That evening the chefs in the Oceanview saved the best for last and had an amazing chocolate fountain and many sweet temptations.

 

We thoroughly loved every moment on the Solstice. Embarkation was simple, our room was beautiful, our stateroom attendant could not possible do any more for us, the food in the Oceanview Cafe high quality, specialty restaurants like Silk Harvest, Tuscan Grill and Bistro on Five were worth every additional cent. The classic beverage package was great and served our needs the entire cruise. All staff from bar staff, waiters, room attendants, guest relations and senior officers were the best I have encountered.

 

We highly recommend this company for nearly all demographics. Yes you will pay a little more than some other cruiselines but if you want that little bit more luxury and know that all your meals are first class then it is worth it.

 

Overall I would rate the whole experience as 9.5 out of 10

[GUT2407]

Thanks for that.

[CCC's]

Thank you for your lovely Review. I felt as though I was with you through the whole trip. I am so glad you enjoyed your holiday and your Review has made me very keen to go on our cruise on the Solstice this November.

[portofrome]

Thanks for your review.

[jzad]

What a great, upbeat review. A pleasant surprise for sure! Can't wait to sail solstice next year!

[suncityga]

We board the Solstice in Sydney on April 3rd for 29 days. So glad that you enjoyed the ship and thank you for the excellent review!

[AZNative2000]

Thanks for taking the time to write your review. We board Solstice for our first Celebrity cruise next week and we now look forward to it even more (didn't think that was possible) than before.:)

 

Cheers!

Edited March 24, 2015 by AZNative2000

[maggie.1008]

Great review. Can`t wait to board the Solstice for the 4th time in September.

[vulcan1971]

Thank you for taking time to share your wonderful experience. Gives more excitement to my 18 days on the Solstice in FEB 2016.

[hotlipss]

This was our first time sailing with Celebrity. Previous sailings with P&O, Princess and MSC.

 

We arrived at Sydney Overseas Passenger Terminal around 1145am and joined a short line to drop off our bags then joining the line for check-in which was very effortless and straight forward. The total time from when we first arrived until we were handed our welcome champagne upon boarding would have been no more than 40 minutes.

 

First impression upon boarding was WOW. The staff were all smiles and you could not help but feel more than welcome. The ship seemed so fresh and had this hard to describe, but pleasant smell.

 

We proceeded to the traditional buffet whilst our room was being readied. The Oceanview Cafe is full of natural light and is very open. The array of food and colour was amazing. We were lucky enough to find an outside table so we had the most amazing view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House. The view in itself was priceless and the food enhanced this even further. It was the perfect start to what was to be a perfect cruise.

 

Around 2pm it was announced that our rooms were ready so we made our way down to 8531 which was a Sunset Aft Balcony. It was here that we met our room steward Roman from the Ukraine. He was the most lovely and helpful gentleman. Every time we went out the door or returned to the room there he would appear asking if he could do anything to make our cruise more enjoyable. The room itself was very nice. Not huge in size but spacious enough and the aft balcony was great. The bathroom was a good size, the tv a modern flat screen and the bed comfortable. The only one small issue we had was that it was rather warm and you could not control the temperature.

 

We spent sailaway standing on beautiful lawns near the Sunset bar with the most amazing backdrop of the sun setting over the bridge. It was heaven. We then retreated to our balcony where we enjoyed a bottle of Moet and freshly delivered cheese platter as we sailed out of the heads.

 

We awoke on day 2 so relaxed after a wonderful nights sleep to blue skies and blue waters. There is something about the ocean that makes you sleep like a baby.

 

Days 2 and 3 were spent at sea so it provided us with a great chance to explore the Solstice further. As usual we kicked off with breakfast where we left things off the night before.....at the buffet. The quality of breakfast was high and there was something for everyone. Bacon, eggs, sausages, baked beans, waffles, pancakes, cereals, bread, yogurts and the list goes on and on and on.

 

One of the most beautiful spots on the Solstice is the Sky Lounge located at the front of the ship. Of a day it provides a quiet spot to sit and stare out at the water, join in on games like putting challenges and trivia and then kick back and listen to music of a night. In the eyes of little Mr B (18 months) it awesome place to have a run around and also had these cool swivel chairs which were like Disney's tea cup ride.

 

Seeing Mr B was asleep at lunch we made the most of the opportunity to have a rare sit down meal in the main dining room. Wow how beautiful it is .I cannot remember exactly which dishes we had but I can tell you that they were all good. I know to start we had deep fried mozzarella sticks, calamari and carrot gazpacho soup. For mains we had a pan seared turkey breast that was sooooooo tender and a steak. Dessert a beautiful creme brulee and gelato. The service was excellent.

 

Being such a beautiful day we decided to spend the afternoon at the lawn club. Celebrity has done a great job of creating this unique experience. To be able to take your shoes off and walk on top of beautiful green soft grass whilst looking out over the ocean is so relaxing. Mr B also loved the open space of the lawn club and not to mention stealing the bocce balls from people who were having a nice peaceful game (he just could not understand why they would not share ha ha).

 

That evening we had a booking at Silk Harvest and this is where the real food porn began. Priced at $35pp it is simply not to be missed. The design of the restaurant is lovely with a real Asian look and feel. The view was also super impressive. I was wowed by the service right from the start and then the food began. My words probably come nowhere near to doing it justice so hopefully some pictures might. The stand out dish was the Tom Yum soup. They bring you a little cast iron bowl filled with veggies and chilli and then the liquid comes in a cast iron pourer (like the little milk ones). We also had beef and chicken satay skewers, pot stickers (dumplings), pad thai, pepper steak and to finish off a rice pudding type dish and a sorbet platter that was placed on little shortbread like biscuits. It was so tangy and fresh and the perfect way to end such a meal

 

 

Day 3 again was at sea. We started things off by having breakfast delivered to our room. Again I cannot fault this at all. Not only was our order delivered on time but each morning we would be called to say it was on its way and then called each day after breakfast to ask if everything was ok with our meal.

 

Unfortunately Little Mr B was not old enough for the kids club on Celebrity but each day we could take him to a supervised play area. They had a nice range of toys for him to play with and became part of his daily ritual. The kids club areas were really bright and colourful and the staff we encountered were lovely. We also found an arcade room (more for me than Mr B) which had your typical games you would find in timezone as well as an air hockey table. Up on the top deck at the front of the ship is a sports court where you can place basketball or soccer. It became another fav spot for the young fella and the view was also pretty damn special.

 

The following morning we awoke to the site of the Isle of Pines from out room. I was at awe at the beauty of the place. As we had no tours booked and it was tendering to shore we took our time and avoided the rush and went over after lunch. It was also St Patrick's Day and a chance to be a little silly to be sure, to be sure. The beach is right next to where you tender so we had a swim on the most beautiful beach and took in the stunning view. They have a few little shops where you can buy souvenirs like t-shrts etc.. We took the last tender back to the ship and were most impressed with the ice water waiting for us as we boarded and ice cold face towels. Nice touch Celebrity.

 

That evening we decided to take advantage of the in-room babysitting service. We were a little unsure how it would go with little Mr B but could not have asked for more. It does come at a cost of $19 per hour but they send two people to your room and they were lovely and assured us they would find us if needed....as it turned out Mr B slept the whole 3 hours. We took in our one and only show in the Solstice Theatre which was the popular Elton John show Elton Jack. Wow he was so good. He not only looked like him but sounded like him. What I enjoyed most was he had both the young and old up on their feet dancing away and the highlight for me was an older lady, probably in her 70's. standing up and partying like a rock star. In fact all the older crowd (I am probably that to some people) were so much fun.

 

Next stop was Noumea. It was pretty much like I had heard from others. you sail into a container port and you are bused downtown which is literally 750m away. Again, no shore tours for us so we did the popular thing and went to the Casino Supermarket opposite where you get off the bus and bought ourselves some VERY PUNGENT French cheese. We also bought some beautiful French baguettes but had those confiscated upon boarding the ship and made to feel like we were one of the Bali Nine (too soon ?). Funny thing is we took our cheese, cold meats and everything else onboard. I guess security wanted baguettes for lunch. We spent the rest of our day eating our cheese, minus baguettes on our balcony and watching a beautiful sunset as we left for Lifou

 

Day 5 we awoke to the beautiful site if the island of Lifou. We again enjoyed room service and I decided to make use of the gym. I hate cardio but the Solstice made going to the gym far more enjoyable. It was the first cruise where I actually made a reasonable effort and stuck to my guns and went 6 out of 8 days. Up until then my record was 18 minutes total for the whole cruise; The gym is located at the front of the ship and has beautiful views. It is stocked with new start of the art equipment with around 20 treadmills, 6 bikes, 10 cross trainers, 2 rowers and a great variety of weight machines. They also conduct several classes throughout the cruise at a cost of around $11. Some of the classes included pilates, boot camp and spin. So if you are a gym junkie or like me just feel a little guilt when eating so much then you will be catered for.

 

After leaving Lifou we set sail for our return to Sydney in 2 and a half days. We made the most out of yes you guessed it, eating some more but also looking around the ships some more. The duty free store whilst small was greatly priced. I purchased 2x1ltr bottles of Grey Goose Vodka for US$60. Absolut was 2 for 30. They also had ciggies which I was told were a great price. The gift shop onboard was ok but I found it a little lacking. They ship also had other shopping stores where you could purchase jewelry, make up, handbags and camera equipment etc,

 

 

I had the chance to have a chat with the head chef of the Oceanview Cafe at lunch as his was asking how everything was. He was so stoked when I told him it was sensational and part of the reason we will return was his food. He said the key is the passion of his staff. I looked up and they were all joking and smiling. Not only did he seem genuine he kept me talking for another 10 minutes and then again on another day. you could see he loved what he did. Whilst in the buffet we also saw the Captain come in and grab a bite. No airs or graces. No special service. Just a man who likes to mix with the people. I like that touch.

 

It was our last Formal Night so we got dressed up and ate in the Tuscan Grill. Again the food was top notch and the view of the ships wake made it amazing. We started our meal with Calamari Fritti and Raviolli with wild mushroom truffle sauce. We then enjoyed a thick and rich Tuscan Onion Soup and traditional Minestrone. Our pasta dish was a beautiful spaghetti bolognaise followed by mains of Veal Chop and NY Strip steak. To finish our awesome meal we had yet another creme brulee that was outstanding and a chocolate fondue melting pot with a variety of fruits.The charge for the Tuscan Grill was $45pp but again it was well worth it..

 

We retired early this night and were chuffed with our towel animal and chocolates from Roman.

 

Continuing on the food theme the following day we decided to stay on the ship rather than go ashore and try out Bistro on Five which is a little cafe style place which you pay $7pp for as many crepes as you like. Yet again the food was amazing. We started off with a pumpkin as well as chicken noodle soup followed by three different crepes and ended with three amazing desserts (such pigs). Bistro on Five is well and truly worth the additional charge and not to be missed.

 

Another surprising addition is afternoon tea served daily in the buffet. So for all of you that had not eaten enough you can indulge in things such as fresh cucumber sandwiches, lovely cakes and pastries and my all time favourite........scones with jam and cream

 

The rest of the day was a bit of a blur as I think I was suffering a food coma

 

The last day at sea was raining so we stayed in doors and ate and shopped. I also made some donations to staff wages via Fortunes Casino. Whilst the casino was nice with close to 300 slots and several tables it was wound very tight like most cruise ship casinos.That evening the chefs in the Oceanview saved the best for last and had an amazing chocolate fountain and many sweet temptations.

 

We thoroughly loved every moment on the Solstice. Embarkation was simple, our room was beautiful, our stateroom attendant could not possible do any more for us, the food in the Oceanview Cafe high quality, specialty restaurants like Silk Harvest, Tuscan Grill and Bistro on Five were worth every additional cent. The classic beverage package was great and served our needs the entire cruise. All staff from bar staff, waiters, room attendants, guest relations and senior officers were the best I have encountered.

 

We highly recommend this company for nearly all demographics. Yes you will pay a little more than some other cruiselines but if you want that little bit more luxury and know that all your meals are first class then it is worth it.

 

Overall I would rate the whole experience as 9.5 out of 10

 

Do you know if the 3 resturant package was available to buy on the ship?If so how much?Thanks for any info

[vulcan1971]

Do you know if the 3 resturant package was available to buy on the ship?If so how much?Thanks for any info

 

This information is easily available and found on the Celebrity website. here is the link for specialty dining packages.

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard-celebrity/cruise-specialty-dining-packages#top

[TeaBag]

Thank you so much for your very positive review. I was interested in your comment that afternoon tea was served in the buffet area. I had read on here that it was changed to the Aqua Spa cafe area in the Solarium. Glad it's back in the buffet. Those scones are awesome.

[mtn_couple]

Fantastic review. I miss Solstice and am counting the days until next year when we board again

[Beanb41]

Do you know if the 3 resturant package was available to buy on the ship?If so how much?Thanks for any info

 

We were on the earlier B2B cruise and yes the 3 restaurant package is available for $US99. We partook of this package and will again use this package in March 2016 when we do our next cruise.

[fairbasa]

I was on this cruise also (one of the people playing bocce who your cute child stole balls from). It wasn't like it was a serious game or something! :)

 

Having booked a 4 dinner package on Silhouette last year I wanted to book the 3 dinner package for this cruise but online the only option available was a 5 dinner package. I didn't want 5 dinners so decided to wait until on board to book.

 

On board I went to Murano on the first day to book the 3 dinner package when the staff member there advised there were no packages available to buy on board, the only one had been the 5 dinner package available exclusively online. I was quite disappointed. I don't know why this cruise was different, but it perhaps could have been to do with the fact the specialty restaurants were basically sold out every night throughout the cruise?

 

Hope they continue to offer packages in the future because at full price it's too much once you've done them before.

[Hows the Serenity]

Thank you, loved your review we will sail for the first time with Celebrity on the Solstice to Hawaii in April 2017..........such a long way off.......:(

[Aza1972]

The fruit scones with jam and cream were perfect. As was the petite cakes and finger sandwiches. In fact everything was amazing on this cruise.

[Skip111]

we would like to know from someone how Celeberty goes about giving us our passports back to get off the ship in St.Petersburg or any other port that requires a passport if you are going on a private tour and not a ships tour ?

[Shake]

Solstice staff and ship is wonderful. Our Nov. Australia and New Zealand 2014 cruise could not have been better. :D

[fairbasa]

we would like to know from someone how Celeberty goes about giving us our passports back to get off the ship in St.Petersburg or any other port that requires a passport if you are going on a private tour and not a ships tour ?

 

Celebrity never take possession of your passports, you just show them at Checkin and to immigration officials, but they remain in your custody (as they should) the whole time throughout the cruise.

[Skip111]

Celebrity never take possession of your passports, you just show them at Checkin and to immigration officials, but they remain in your custody (as they should) the whole time throughout the cruise.

 

On our last 2 B2B cruises with Celebrity in South American and Australia they took up our passports during boarding and gave them back the day before the end of the cruise almost a month later ! !

[curtdesilets]

Thanks for the wonderful review, and to those that followed up with comments of their own. We are SO READY to board Solstice in a couple of months.

[Beanb41]

I was on this cruise also (one of the people playing bocce who your cute child stole balls from). It wasn't like it was a serious game or something! :)

 

Having booked a 4 dinner package on Silhouette last year I wanted to book the 3 dinner package for this cruise but online the only option available was a 5 dinner package. I didn't want 5 dinners so decided to wait until on board to book.

 

On board I went to Murano on the first day to book the 3 dinner package when the staff member there advised there were no packages available to buy on board, the only one had been the 5 dinner package available exclusively online. I was quite disappointed. I don't know why this cruise was different, but it perhaps could have been to do with the fact the specialty restaurants were basically sold out every night throughout the cruise?

 

Hope they continue to offer packages in the future because at full price it's too much once you've done them before.

 

As usual with the Celebrity website nothing is guaranteed. For our cruise next year on the Solstice there are no 4 dinner packages available only 3 and 5 but when I go to link the package against my booking it crashes. Typically bloody incompetence. Booking online is $10 cheaper than on board as well.

I am going to get my TA to do the booking instead and have the cost levied against my onboard credit. That's what they get paid the big commission bucks for

[hammo]

Great review and we second just about all you said - we were just down the hall from you it seems but without a little Mr B.onboard.

Agree on the dining at Silk Harvest and Tuscan Grill - we went twice to both , could have gone again and enjoyed them just as much as you did . Thought the entertainment was the best we have had on a Celebrity Cruise. Cheers:D

[hammo]

As usual with the Celebrity website nothing is guaranteed. For our cruise next year on the Solstice there are no 4 dinner packages available only 3 and 5 but when I go to link the package against my booking it crashes. Typically bloody incompetence. Booking online is $10 cheaper than on board as well.

I am going to get my TA to do the booking instead and have the cost levied against my onboard credit. That's what they get paid the big commission bucks for

 

We had a 5 night dinner package on this cruise :)but on our Reflection Cruise in September we cannot book ANY Dining Packages :( , yet on our Norway Cruise on Equinox April 2016 we can already book a 3 nightdinner package :. I emailed Celebrity and they just said they were not offering any on the Sept cruise.:confused:Oh Well :cool: