To Ovation or to Solstice?

[tazza_0712]

That is the question.

 

My partner and I have two bookings for January 2017.

 

Celebrity Solstice departing Auckland for a 12 night New Zealand cruise to Sydney in a Royal Suite

 

RCI Ovation of the Seas departing Sydney for 14 nights round trip to New Zealand in a Sky Loft Suite

 

Solstice is marginally cheaper but we will need to fly to Auckland to start the cruise and will have a short stay there before, so cost will work out similarly.

 

Likewise, itineraries are basically the same so that's not really part of the consideration.

 

Some background, I'm a Diamond RCI member, my favourite ship/class is Radiance of the Seas. I haven't sailed Celebrity yet and have always wanted to and booked the Solstice cruise quite a while ago. When the Ovation sailings were announced I jumped on it and booked the Sky Loft.

 

Now that we're about to start 2016, we're going to have to start paying off the remaining balance but we need to pick just the one cruise! I admit it's a pretty great problem to have, but my partner and I are unsure of what to do.

 

I would appreciate anyone's advice, perhaps those that have sailed a Quantum Class and a Celebrity ship. What do you think would be the better experience, the better ship?

 

Thank you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Keith1010]

This is one that you might want to ask on the Celebrity and RCI boards as well.

 

Personally, I think both sounds wonderful. I have enjoyed the Royal Suites on Celebrity.

 

Happy Holidays.

 

Keith

[TrulyBlonde]

We recently came back from our Solstice cruise in a CS (penthouse deck) and thoroughly enjoyed it. The butler service was some of the best we have ever had. We typically cruise on smaller ships but having Michaels Club concierge, suite perks, etc. made it easy to get on and off in ports for tenders etc.

Also, being on a larger ship made that Tasman Sea crossing a non event with little motion.

We did take the land trip offered to Queenstown from Milford Sound. While it was wonderful seeing NZ from inland, we felt it was not well organized and the dinner on the lake cruise was therefore very late. We chose to not attend that dinner and eat at the hotel. Others that went said they did not serve dinner until 9:45 pm and did not return to hotel until close to 1 a.m. A very tiring day for many considering it started at 8 a.m. Take at your own risk.

I cannot compare the other ship, but ours was great and highly recommend it.

[SuiteTraveler]

Here is the main difference to me:

 

Quantum class is about spectacular entertainment and having lots of physical activities on the ship. You might see a high diving show, a Broadway show, an acrobatic show and much more.

 

Solstice is a quieter cruise. The MDR food is better and the suite experience is better. Solstice class, you hang out in the tea shop or by the pool during sea days. Entertainment is so-so and more traditional type cruise ship entertainment - young performers in pretty costumes, a stand up comic - that sort of thing. But it's just a quieter cruise overall. IMO, the buffet is better than RCCL's buffet. On Solstice class I liked the QSine specialty restaurant. We didn't try the steakhouse. found the food in Murano overly fussy and dated - like something from the 1990's.

 

On RCCL you don't get a butler, just an upgraded room service menu and a restaurant just for suite passengers. Dining on this cruise is more about going to specialty restaurants for sushi, Brazilian BBQ, Italian, Steak, tasting room, and so forth. You do need to make show and restaurant reservations in advance. I have mixed emotions about the lofts. I can just see myself forgetting something upstairs and having to go upstairs to get it and then back down and then realizing I forgot something else upstairs and around and around I'd go. The lofts have a double shower, no tub.

 

OK, so which do you pick? I think it depends on the type of cruise you are looking for. If you want a quiet more traditional cruise, then pick Celebrity. If you want an action packed cruise, then pick RCCL. Both cruise lines are good. I don't think one is better than the other as they are just such different experiences.

[Wastegirl]

I'd check how both ships will be docking/tendering. There has already been discussion on the difficulties the Ovation will be having docking in the NZ ports, whereas, except for Akoroa, the Solstice will dock fine at each port.

 

My trip to NZ was pretty port intensive so had less time to enjoy the ship, so are you paying for a ship experience when you are really getting a busy port experience. That is except for the Sounds - so also check the Ovation has plenty of outside viewing capacity for this portion of the trip.

 

Some of the NZ ports are not large and if heaps of people get off at the same time, will this impact on the enjoyment of the port.

 

I am on the Solstice for the second time in Feb 2017, doing NZ again (first time was with HAL). I think the Solstice will do a good job round NZ. I look at the Ovation and think, that is the type of cruise I would like to do if the shore experience is secondary and therefore have plenty of time to enjoy the ship's amenities.

[GUT2407]

Haven't been on either ship.

 

But for me it would be celebrity, over RCCL.

[boulders]

Ovation is a member of the Quantum class of ships. The other two ships in the class that are sailing, Quantum and Anthem, get terrible reviews. I think a previous poster is confused with the Oasis class - Quantum class doesn't have high diving, Oasis does.

 

I would go with (and I actually am!) Solstice.

[tazza_0712]

Thank you to everyone that has replied. I appreciate the feedback and additional info/opinions. I'm leaning towards Solstice. It sounds as though it might be more of what we're after.

 

Part of me thinks I'll be disappointed come January to not board Ovation though. ARGHHH decisions. Definitely first world problems but still, I want to make the right decision haha.

 

Thanks again everyone.

 

 

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