Solstice - South Pacific - Sky Suite – Live Adventure (Trip Report)

[chrisaus]

Hi

 

Inspired by some wonderful live (and well not so live) trip reports on cruise critic I am going to have a crack and writing my own. We are sailing on the 20th March Solstice South Pacific Cruise in a Sky Suite.

 

I can’t promise how up to date I will stay – it may turn into a retrospective but I will try ☺

 

Background:

 

I booked this trip last year when I was on the Solstice cruising in Alaska. We were booked in a sky suite on the port side and this was when the 123 Go program was still available so we had gratuities, $300 on board credit and classic beverage package included. We got another $200 for booking on board and my agent added another $100 so we were high rolling in $600 of onboard credit –kaching kaching :P yes yes I know it will disappear before we can say premium beverage package upgrade but hey let me dream.

 

About 1 month before sailing cabin 1523 at the Aft opened up and our travel agent requested and had us moved there.

 

We live in Brisbane so the plan was to fly down to Sydney on the Friday night before the Sunday departure.

 

A bit about us – I’m a 31-year-old spring chicken travelling with my boyfriend (well actually my fiancé) – we have been together for 9 years. We have travelled all over the world together and have a love for wine, good food and travel. This is our second cruise together after cruising on explorer of the seas last year from London to Barcelona.

 

This is my 4th cruise – I have previously travelled on the Solstice in Alaska, as mentioned explorer in Europe, and most recently with my grandmother on the 14 days South America Santiago to Buenos Aires.

 

Anyhow on with the report….

[chrisaus]

Friday 18th March

 

I picked my bf from work at 3:30pm and arrived at the Brisbane Domestic airport about 15 minutes later. We had prebooked long term parking at the Brisbane airport for $155 for the 2 weeks, which was a pretty good deal for onsite parking.

 

Earlier in the day we had been notified by Virgin Australia to expect delays as Sydney was operating on 1 runway due to winds. We were on the 5pm flight, which boarded at about 5pm and once we were all onboard the captain advised we were going to have to wait for 25 minutes at the gate. I was in seat 3A on the side of the plane facing into the sun as I sat there slowly roasting I wondered why we has not just boarded later… I closed my window blind but the sassy virgin stewardess sensed that something was not right with her plane and made a bee line for me to lecture me on the safety risk of closing the blind (yes this was just after the captain said we were going to be waiting for 25 minutes…) I explained I would put it up as soon as we began to taxi but alas I think she must have been concerned at my lack of a tan and the shade was raised and I began to bake….

 

We eventually took off and made up a little time on the flight to Sydney. After picking up our bags we hummed pondered about if we should get a cab or train into the city. We had heard that we would need to purchase a Opal card for $10 each + train fare of about $15 so $25 each and a cab is about $50 so we would come out about even.

 

We exited the virgin terminal and the line for cabs was longer then a kebab shop at 2am in the morning on big Saturday night out so the cab plan was abandoned and we decided into the bowls of Sydney airport and were pleasantly surprised to find we could buy a single 1 way paper ticket for $15 to the city. We waited 6 minutes before the delights of clean and efficient (not) Sydney trains whipped us to central station in 15 minutes.

 

We stayed at Hotel 57 which was only 300m from the trainstation and was pleasant enough. Hot tip – don’t pay for a king rooms – its basically the same as any other room and the staff have no idea what the king room is meant to included. In fact talking to most staff there was like speaking to a automate phone answering system – if a question was not part of their usual range then you could see the clogs slow and I was worried they were going to need a reboot as there brain crashed. Big perks of the hotel were free breakfast, unlimited nespresso coffee and bottled water.

 

We had an awesome Friday night dinner at Queenies Jamaican restaurant. Wonderful and soulful Jamaican food. My first time eating Jamaican and I must say it was very similar to southern American food. The corn covered in coconut and spice was Devine! Its website is here.

 

 

We hit a cocktail bar named button up afterwards – think pirates of the Caribbean mixed with op shop chic and its spot on. Website here. A few penicillin cocktails rounded out a nice evening.

[chrisaus]

We woke up Saturday and so begun my search for a latte made on lactose free milk. In Brisbane all our coffee shops serve lactose free milk (Zymil or similar) but I tried 4 coffee shops in Sydney and it was soy or almond milk only - are we ahead of the times in Brisbane?

 

We stocked up on books at my favorite bookshop in Darlinghurst – appropriately called the bookshop http://www.thebookshop.com.au then did some shopping on oxford street and having lunch with friends in Surry Hills.

 

That night we split and I had dinner with 2 of my friends at an amazing restaurant in North Sydney – Annata http://annatasydney.com - I can highly recommend it! An amazing meal paired with wonderful wines. The menu on their website is out of date and I can recommend the buffalo mozzarella in radicchio and almond crumb – delicious! Many glasses of champagne and red wine were consumed which lead to me being a bit precious come 10am check out time on Sunday morning when my iphone woke me up from my boozy slumber!

 

 

 

[pumpkin 11]

Very jealous. Looks like you have done a lot of traveling, hope the cruise measures up and that you have a wonderful time!

[chrisaus]

Awoken from a boozy haze by my luckily preset iphone alarm we packed and checked out. Check out time was 10am and they advised that each extra hour would be $20 per hour. Ahh no I’m not going to pay that.

 

After checking out wondered around paddys market and got a new iphone screen protector and an extra duffle bag for a bargain ($10). We grabbed breakfast and then got an uber down to the overseas passenger terminal. I had never cruised from here before and unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) our uber drive preempted the amount we would be eating over the next 12 days and in the interest of our health felt we should carry our bags a few hundred meters, down some stairs and through some crowds – alas no 5 star uber review for you. On a boat for 12 days – we had not packed lightly!

 

 

We dropped our bag and checked in - a bit of que but the suite lines kept moving. Only long wait was for security.

 

Bag Drop:

 

Entry after bag drop:

 

One through the doors you go up escalators:

 

Divided into different check in areas:

 

I did not take any photos of the passport and immigration area which was next. Suites did not need to wait for a card to be called but entered a line to the very left for express.

 

Then we hit security:

 

Then we were onboard!

[chrisaus]

I’m limited to 6 photos per post so need to split this up!

 

Shortly after boarding, it was announced that our rooms were ready so we went to find 2153 and dump our carry on bags. I will write about our stateroom later. Here was our view:

 

 

We had lunch in Luminae and then did some exploring. What an indulgent way to start a cruise!

Menu:

Lobster:

Luminae signature burger cooked medium

Salmon Sashimi:

Edited March 22, 2016 by chrisaus

[chrisaus]

The helicopter deck sail away function was cancelled due to wet and windy Sydney weather so we watched sail away from our balcony, which turned out to be a wonderful view! I recorded it all on my go pro but the internet is so slow I cant upload from here on the boat.

 

Me recording on my go pro

 

 

After watching sail away we quickly got ready and attended the LGBTI function in the molecular bar. Was great to meet some other couples on the boat and make some new friends – I have never attended the LGBTI mixer before but will in future.

 

Can we just talk about the cocktails in the molecular bar – delicious but lethal! It a great menu and nice little spot but unfortunately the staff working there looked pained every time you ordered. It could be such a fun bar but the staff working there are such a downer that you want to leave after getting your drink. Its becoming a drive through cocktail station for us.

[chrisaus]

We hit Luminae for the second time in one day – dinner was splendid. Luminae is a real winner and I put it on par with any specialty restaurant. The staff there could not be any better and more accommodating. My BF was so impressed!

 

Some more food porn from dinner (forgot to get a photo of the menu sorry)

Fillet:

Duck:

Palate cleanser:

Almond cake:

Chocolate Tart:

 

 

Battling a hang over from the night before we were in bed at about 10pm and watched an episode of Great British Bake Off on my laptop (yes we are sometimes nanas) and rocked to sleep as the boat headed out to sea.

[SheriffJoe]

Great report an pics keep it up though I must remind you Aussies that I am NOT so patiently waiting on MY Solstice to return home to America VERY SOON so hurry up and get off of her and send her this way! :D

[Bagwhan]

Loving your review of the Sky Suite trip on Solly you are on now. We are booked in an SS (S2) cabin 2126 for a cruise out of Sydney (27 Nov), so keen to learn as much as I can. Some questions if I may,

1. the iPad/iPod docking station does it have the wider old iPhone connector or the newer lightening connector and or can it take both.... Otherwise I will bring my Bluetooth speaker.

2. Are there binoculars in the Sky suite and are they any good or are they cheap and nasty.?

3. Noting the weather on your departure (which I watched via Sydney Harbour web cam) is there an umbrella (golf or otherwise) in the suite?

4. Can you as suite guests dine at Blu? Without any hassle? Mind you Luminae sounds/ looks fantastic.

 

Great blog so far, keep it up and I hope you enjoy the cruise. Cheers John

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Bagwhan]

PS- really love the food and booze porn! Some sky suite pictures would be good as well........

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Davidc5412]

Shame about the Molecular bar staff

 

Our favorite bar on board and was looking forward to spending lots of time there in a couple of weeks

 

Hope its just first day blues

[Keith1010]

Great report.

 

Keith

[justfun111]

We will be on the Solstice on the 9th of April heading to Hawaii can't wait

[ruag8tr2]

Subscribing- Taking the trans-pacific on 4-26 and thoroughly enjoying the pictures in your review. :)

 

We will be on the Solstice on the 9th of April heading to Hawaii can't wait

[NorbertsNiece]

I got off as you got on.... did a great deal of waving from under an umbrella in torrential rain outside the Opera House as you were reversing out. I am soooo sad not to be on board and know you are going to have a blast.

 

 

 

My last bridge shot....

 

[KirkNC]

Thanks for your report.

[paulyb81]

Great report so far. Looking forward to future posts.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Texed]

Mr. Chrisaus,

 

Thanks for posting. :)

[Clarea]

Thanks for the review!

[starcyn]

[emoji18] Thanks for the review. We are from Chicagoland and We sail on Solstice April 9th for an 18 day Sydney to Hawaii!! So excited! My countdown counter started at 400, down to near days now! We have never taken such a long cruise and addition days at start to see Sydney. Look forward to your posts.

[FunCruiser56]

Just wondering if you have the beverage package and if the drinks in the molecular bar were included in the premium package, I didn't see m prices on the menu.

We will be sailing next month on the Solstice so thankyou for doing the review, sure helps to count the days ;)

Bev

[gizmodog]

We are from Chicagoland too, on the April 9 cruise, also in a sky suite so I am loving this post.

[mtn_couple]

Glad to see my favourite Tanned Russian is still in the Molecular Bar, it looks like some of the other cocktails have changed. Can't wait to be back on Solstice later this year. Enjoy your trip, look forward to reading the next instalment.

[Cassicruiser]

We get on next week Friday when you get off.

 

I followed along on Norbert's Niece's wonderful review - now following on yours. Have a blast, and keep the ship nice for us :D