Celebrity Solstice Inside tips

[juicy j]

Just back from our first ever cruise which was on the Solstice. Never did make it down to the adult pool area even though we were not traveling with kids. I kept meaning to though.

 

We enjoyed the coffee place on deck 5. Bacio, I think. We usually stopped by once a day for a mocha and pastry. We also liked the Sky Observation Lounge and spent a little time reading up there on sea days.

I made a point to go see Brent Nixon several times- very entertaining!

Also we enjoyed the galley tour but I like to see how things work.

 

For formal nights, I brought a black and white long "summer dress" but wore it with a necklace, nice earrings, and high heels. And it was fine for the evening. The dress rolled up nicely in my suitcase. DH doesn't own a tux and never will. He brought black slacks, blue dress shirt, blue tie, and borrowed a black jacket. He was fine too and we did not feel under dressed even at the captain's table. We are not dressy up people (we are two teachers) but we were glad we brought those things to enjoy the formal nights.

 

 

Thanks for the heads up!

Only 101 days to go! [emoji16][emoji568][emoji304]

[siwst852]

Wow thanks for all those great tips. I cut and pasted many of them to my agenda.

[DaisyGirl55]

We just returned on Friday from an Alasaka cruise on the Solstice. Some of my tips are specific to the Alaska itinerary, while others are more general:

 

* If you're interested in trying a specialty restaurant, they offered 50% off on the first night of the cruise. (We got a notice in our stateroom...unfortunately it was delivered AFTER we returned from dinner in the main dining room.) Also, they occasionally opened a specialty restaurant for lunch on sea days. On our cruise, Tuscan Grill was open for lunch during the Tracy Arm Fjord cruising day (since we arrived in Juneau after 1pm), Silk Harvest was open for lunch on our last sea day, and Murano was open for lunch on the day we visited Victoria (which was pretty much a sea day since we didn't arrive in port until 6pm). We didn't dine in any of the specialty restaurants this cruise, and I didn't see lunch prices listed...so I'm not sure if/how much of a discount they offer for lunch.

 

* When you have dinner in the main dining room, you can request to see the next day's menu. So if you're considering specialty dining but don't want to miss particular dishes in the MDR, you do have the option to preview the menu the night before.

 

* If you're sailing the Alaska itinerary, don't miss the the talks from the onboard naturalist, Brent Nixon -- they were outstanding. (He's a bit hyper, but it keeps his talks interesting...they're definitely not the dry lectures you might expect!) If you do miss them (they scheduled several of his talks at noon, and MDR lunch only runs 12-1:30), check the TV...I was able to catch a couple of his talks during a later airing (channel 5, I think).

 

* When cruising Tracy Arm Fjord, we found many of the open decks were mobbed with people. But the uppermost level (Solstice Deck) had far fewer people, and it's narrower...so we were able to easily dash back and forth and catch the views from either side of the ship.

 

* The Sunset Bar is a great place to take in the views, particularly at sail-away. Our roll call had an informal meet & mingle right after the muster drill, and we had amazing views of Seattle as we departed.

 

* If you have a beverage package, try all the bars to discover your favorite...each one has its own attractions. We were fortunate to have the Molecular Bar open during our last cruise, though it will soon be replaced by the World Class Bar. At either of those bars, they ONLY serve premium drinks...but other cocktails can be ordered from Cafe al Bacio around the corner (which many people don't realize, assuming they only serve coffee drinks). I had upgraded to premium while my husband stayed with the classic package; so while I was enjoying Molecular cocktails, he was able to get a Jack & Coke or Manhattan from Cafe al Bacio -- he ordered at the counter, but they brought it over to him at the bar when it was ready. The Passport Bar (across from Guest Relations) has a relaxed feel, and they offer free snack mix. The Martini Bar staff often make their drinks with "flair"...so you get some entertainment with your drinks. Sky lounge offers great views, even on rainy days. And check the "Daily Pour" on the back of "Celebrity Today" for the drink of the day; they have a footnote indicating which drinks are available on classic vs. premium.

 

* All of the pastries/cookies at Cafe al Bacio are complimentary. And their drink menu is much more extensive than just espresso, cafe latte, and cappuccino. As previously mentioned, they can do cocktails as well as coffee drinks with liqueur, and they also do a wide variety of teas (both hot and iced) plus a frappuccino-like "IGLU" drink that was delicious. :)

 

* Be sure to check out the "Hot Glass Show" near the lawn club. It was really interesting to watch them make glass pieces. It can get a bit chilly out on the open deck, but they provide fleece blankets. They also have a small "museum" around the corner from the glass studio (port side), which is worth a peek. (It's open 24 hours.)

 

* There's interesting artwork all over the ship, from the stairwells to the lounges. So be sure to explore the entire ship!

 

Those are all the tips I can think of off the top of my head. Enjoy your cruise!

 

~ Shay

 

Wow! This is awesome! I printed out your post so I would have it when I sail next year. Thank you! :):)

[Missymo]

Just got off the Solstice. Beautiful ship wonderful personnel. Been reading all the posts and agree with most. Restaurants: Enjoyed Silk Harvest. They changed their menu from last time we sailed on her. Meals were very good . Tuscan Grill, Unfortunately we ended up walking out 2 hours after we arrived without eating any dinner. Our waiter took our orders, took forever to be served, wrong food served and it was served cold. Very disappointed and ended up in buffet. Never went back. Ate remainder of our meals in Luminae since we were in a suite ,that restaurant is the best , excellent. Highly recommend.

[4 cruisers]

What bottled water is available on Solstice? We are in an S1 on Oct. 2nd from Honolulu to Sydney. I am particular about water (have experienced super swelling on vacations). Do the suites have free bottled water? I hope Celebrity allows water to be carried on so I can grab some in Hawaii before all those sea days!?

Thank you so much for your pictures and info! Did you try Murano?

[Missymo]

They have 2 brands of bottled water. Generic and Evion for premium. I had classic pkg and bottled generic water was great. No salt

Edited July 23, 2015 by Missymo

[bwaz]

Tuscan Grill, Unfortunately we ended up walking out 2 hours after we arrived without eating any dinner. Our waiter took our orders, took forever to be served, wrong food served and it was served cold. Very disappointed and ended up in buffet. Never went back. .

 

Well, shoot. We have a special anniversary dinner reserved ar Tuscan Grill next month. This is the first I have read of poor service there.

 

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[vacationjudy]

1) If you have a special occasion (Anniversary, Birthday), try the Murano. It is a great meal. The lobster Tails are divine, but anything you order in there is great.

 

2) Aqua Spa Café for breakfast or lunch. Very few people know about this area. Very quiet and nice.

 

3) Get up early to explore the ship and sea. It is my favorite time on board as very few people are around. On our recent trip to Alaska, a few of us were on the Solstice Deck looking for whales at about 630am. All of a sudden a super pod of Humpbacks appeared. One whale fully breached a couple 100 feet from the ship. I think 5 of us on the ship saw this amazing site. The rest were sleeping.

 

That's an excellent suggestion about early rising up on the Solstice Deck to see what's what. Thanks!

[vacationjudy]

Wow! This is awesome! I printed out your post so I would have it when I sail next year. Thank you! :):)

 

This is fantastic... thanks so much for posting these tips. I also printed them and told the group I'm traveling with about them. I sail on Aug 14, Who-hoo!!!

[josephml1]

excellent advice.

 

thanks for sharing!!!

[Escriteur]

Wow! This is awesome! I printed out your post so I would have it when I sail next year. Thank you! :):)

 

This is fantastic... thanks so much for posting these tips. I also printed them and told the group I'm traveling with about them. I sail on Aug 14, Who-hoo!!!

 

Thanks for the kind words, DaisyGirl55 and vacationjudy! I'm glad you found the tips to be helpful. :) I've been meaning to post a cruise review with more tips and photos, but I've been backed up with work...I'm hoping to get to it within the next week or two!

 

Best regards,

Shay

 

[calicakes]

How are the pools on Alaska cruises? I've only ever sailed Caribean on X and we spent a huge majority of sea days at the pool. I can't imagine it will be nice enough to hang outside in September. What about the indoor pool?

[calicakes]

We are booked for this excursion, boarding a catamaran from the Solstice at 10 AM and staying on it to join the ship in Juneau at 1:30 PM, Monday, August 3, 2015. Has anyone taken this excursion? would love to hear any details!

 

From what I have read, you have to get back on the ship and then get off again in Juneau. Was that true?

[Wastegirl]

The bar in the Casino area serves generous shots in their drinks. My DH and BIL both called it the 'double dip' bar because they could be assured of a good Jack and Coke or a double B&B. I preferred the Molecular Bar drinks, will miss them :(

 

Up next to the Sky lounge, just before the entry is two comfy chairs set behind a glass panel with a big window just in front of them. Nice spot to sit with a book and have a wonderful view.

 

Go up to the Sunset Bar at night, wonderful spot to sit - everyone else is partying or eating around the ship and it is very quiet with a fantastic view of the stars.

[woodyren]

As others have said many people do not try Aqua Spa Café. They make great smoothies and if you have the drinks package they are on the package.

They always have some different selections of fruit. Variety dependent on location. They have servings on small plates such as papaya, mango berries etc that are not available in the buffet. Just make sure you ask first as not everything is complimentary there.

 

The burgers are good at the mast grill.

 

Have an Affogato at Café Al Bachio.

 

Great ship.

[calicakes]

As others have said many people do not try Aqua Spa Café. They make great smoothies and if you have the drinks package they are on the package.

They always have some different selections of fruit. Variety dependent on location. They have servings on small plates such as papaya, mango berries etc that are not available in the buffet. Just make sure you ask first as not everything is complimentary there.

 

The burgers are good at the mast grill.

 

Have an Affogato at Café Al Bachio.

 

Great ship.

 

I've never had to pay for anything at Aqua Spa. What foods are not complimentary?

[mgatc]

We are booked for this excursion, boarding a catamaran from the Solstice at 10 AM and staying on it to join the ship in Juneau at 1:30 PM, Monday, August 3, 2015. Has anyone taken this excursion? would love to hear any details!

 

We did this a couple of years ago, and it was well worth it. We were able to get really close to the glacier and the crew said they had never seen as much calving of the glaciers as the one we were on. The trip to Juneau is pleasant and good scenery.

[Lois R]

I've never had to pay for anything at Aqua Spa. What foods are not complimentary?

 

They have smoothies and yogart parfaits.....they charge for both

of these items.

[NorbertsNiece]

Super thread..... boarding in 6 months..... can't get enough info!! Lol

[dun123das]

This ship is a waste of time All we heard before are cruise is how beautiful she was what a disappointment no wow factor at all.The buffet is a joke the lawn club is a waste of space the pools are nothing special.Just nothing special about this ship boring:eek:

 

I amo so sorry that you felt such a disappointment. We love the buffet, it is one of the best we have eaten at, that does include Silversea, Cunard, Azamara, P & O, MSC, Fred Olsen, Costa, Thomson, Cruise & Maritime, Celebrity etc, so what do I know! I don't do the Lawn Club but I do rate the service throughout the ship, which is how I choose to pay my money to do the next cruise I select. I hope you find something that does fulfil your expectations and hope you share your experiences on this forum.

[cyclone134]

Wow, some great tips so far .A few questions I have if anyone can assist : We are sailing on Celebrity Soltice from Sydney 26th Nov 2015 South Pacific cruise. Last cruise the currency on board was USD, does anyone know what currency we need to use on board this time.

Also What is the best currency to use for spending on the Ports in New Caledonia as research seems to indicate ATMs of course wont be plentiful, Euro or Francs?:)

[mtn_couple]

Wow, some great tips so far .A few questions I have if anyone can assist : We are sailing on Celebrity Soltice from Sydney 26th Nov 2015 South Pacific cruise. Last cruise the currency on board was USD, does anyone know what currency we need to use on board this time.

Also What is the best currency to use for spending on the Ports in New Caledonia as research seems to indicate ATMs of course wont be plentiful, Euro or Francs?:)

 

It will be $US on board. In New Caledonia it is French Pacific Francs, but we just used $AU small notes - they gladly accept them but don't give change, so take $5/$10 notes. You can also use your $AU credit card for larger purchases in Noumea.

[4 cruisers]

They have 2 brands of bottled water. Generic and Evion for premium. I had classic pkg and bottled generic water was great. No salt

 

 

Thank you, Missymo! Evian isn't my favorite for sure but good generic is okay. I might still try to get some aquafina in Maui before hitting the high seas! [emoji39]

[bwaz]

Thanks to all you helpful tipsters!. We just returned from our Alaska trip on Solstice. Hard to believe it is over. We loved the Aqua Spa Cafe.

 

One of our party who is a sports fan recommeded the casino bar if you need a sports bar fix. They had several tvs going with sporting events.

 

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[Beanb41]

Wow, some great tips so far .A few questions I have if anyone can assist : We are sailing on Celebrity Soltice from Sydney 26th Nov 2015 South Pacific cruise. Last cruise the currency on board was USD, does anyone know what currency we need to use on board this time.

Also What is the best currency to use for spending on the Ports in New Caledonia as research seems to indicate ATMs of course wont be plentiful, Euro or Francs?:)

 

The tour operators at the cruise terminal in Noumea plus the stall holders also take Australian dollars. There is a money exchange in the Cruise terminal and the Casino supermarket across the road from the cruise terminal has an ATM