Solstice LIVE (3/18) Suite Review w/ Kid: Mexican Riviera w/ Mini Me

[asnaleah]

Your review makes my heart happy! Enjoy every moment - even those moments when your confident daughter ditches you for new friends.

[cruzzzinma]

I echo what others have said. thank you for sharing your experiences! Enjoy your time with your daughter and revel in the confidence great parenting has given her to go with friends to kids club or wherever and leave you behind.

[GenerationX]

Doing my best to inspire the next generation of full formal dressers for evening chic night…

 

I even let her wear her first pair of proper kitten heels. 😍

 

[zitsky]

What are kitten heels?  Great trip report!

Edited March 21, 2023 by zitsky

[Laurab23]

5 minutes ago, GenerationX said:

Doing my best to inspire the next generation of full formal dressers for evening chic night…

 

I even let her wear her first pair of proper kitten heels. 😍

 

You both look lovely.

 

Laura

[Jim_Iain]

Love the matching dress.   You both look so CHIC!

[h20cruzer]

Loving your review as always. Your daughter is just adorable. My granddaughter is 13 now and would not be caught dead in a matching outfit. At least I have the memories of when she was my Minnie me. I see a bartender with a martini glass on his forehead, it wouldn’t happen to be Putra would it?? Can’t really see the face, but those frames look familiar.

My granddaughter is counting the days till our next cruise 21 to be exact. 
enjoy the rest of your cruise.

Norma

[momofmab]

Always love your cruise outfits (and Gen Z's matching ones!)  Do you have a designated closet at home, just for your cruise attire?  Where do you find all of the matching outfits?

[lilbrownie95]

I am enjoying your review and as others have said...I remember when our kids ditched us for the kids camps also. They have also remained good friends with the kids that they met on that cruise 15 years ago. Enjoy every minute with her. 

You both look very nice, I love your dresses. Enjoy!!

[GenerationX]

18 hours ago, GREG781 said:

Believe I was in the same Celebrity Suite in February - the plant is still doing great! Enjoy your cruise!

The first question I had for our stateroom attendant was whether we had to look after that plant and I was very relieved that the answer was no.

 

I’m great in our garden but when it comes to house plants I have a toxic thumb!

[GenerationX]

 

Ah…now THIS is more like it. THIS is the weather I spent all that money to cruise in.

 

As you can see this morning the clouds have opened and the temp has jumped into the low 70’s.

 

I was awakened this morning by the sound of paper crumbling.  It was my child wide awake and eating pillow chocolates at 7am. 

 

I was very confused by the volume of them that we got at turndown last night. Then Gen Z informed me that right before we left the cabin for dinner, she left our stateroom attendant “a note on the bed with just a small request” (which he left on the nightstand after fulfilling).  This kid is something else.

 

In other news from last night, Gen Z and I made a quick stop by the officers party in Michael’s Club. It was pretty packed and getting warm in there so we just had a quick chat with Mar the Retreat manager and our guest services manager and hotel director then went to Al Bacio to listen to live guitar in the foyer.

 

Once Luminae opened we headed to dinner which was not crowded at all right at 6pm.  We did a combo of ordering off of both the Luminae and MDR menus.  Gen Z had her shrimp cocktail to start and then some broiled salmon and French fries.  I had a Caesar salad and the lamb chops from the MDR and then we split the potato mezzaluna pasta from the Luminae menu.  No disappointments!

 

Service was very quick and since Gen Z wanted to skip dessert in favor of more lemon tarts from the Al Bacio dessert case, we were able to make the 7pm show in the theater.  

 

About Cheaza’s Whitney Houston tribute show…The first couple of songs I thought I wasn’t going to be very impressed by her singing but then her voice really warmed up and by the closing number (of course I Will Always Love You), Gen Z and I were thoroughly entertained.  I remember a while back Celebrity had another Whitney cover performer, I think her name was Ashley Amber? Who I think did a bit better show.  That said, I think it’s important to acknowledge that Ms. Cheaza’s voice is precisely 8,000,000% better than mine, so who am I to be critiquing her when my dogs start howling when I sing in the shower. 

 

After the show Gen Z begged for more camp at sea time for a robot obstacle course competition so I took her up and then I headed to MY camp at sea…the martini bar.

 

While I was sitting and sipping, I had an epiphany. Brace for martini-fueled brilliance folks. 

 

Me thinks I’ve stumbled upon a better revenue generation idea for Celebrity than charging for extra lobster…

 

What if, hear me out on this, what if, the technology for the emergency phone that camp at sea gives me could also be leveraged for profit.

 

Specifically, what I’m thinking of is a martini concierge service.  For an extra $500 per passenger plus 20% gratuity charge of course, and for a much higher price if you don’t already have the beverage package (I’m not accountant

[90 Day fans check in] someone else do the math) upon embarkation you get issued one of these bat phones and at any time and from any location on the ship, you can call and order a martini off of the martini bar menu for immediate delivery, perhaps with some accompanying caviar and/or premium canapé menu. Regardless of the martini bar’s hours. 

 

Maybe the bartender who shows up with your order even arrives with the drink still in the shaker and does a little flare juggling/shaking before pouring in the glass for your VIP entertainment.  By the pool after lunch and want a tropictini? Signed, sealed, delivered.  Enjoying sea day lunch in Luminae or sitting at a slot machine at the casino and thinking “man I could go for a French 75 martini right now”? Done.

 

Martini bar Doordash at sea.  

 

Take that Virgin Voyages. Y’all think you so cool, but do you have martinis on demand?

 

 You’re welcome, Ms. Luftoff-Perlow.

 

Ok, sorry I digress.  Anyway, today is a half sea day as we are scheduled to arrive in Cabo at noon.  At the show last night they announced that because we’re docked in Cabo through tomorrow, tenders to port will run through the night, but between midnight and 6am they will only run one tender per hour.  

 

I think Gen Z and I will hit the pool after breakfast for some sun (finally) and to watch sail into Cabo. Then this afternoon we have a whale watching excursion planned.  Tonight is the dinner Gen Z’s most been looking forward to: Le Petit Chef.  Wish us luck on spotting some humpbacks today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Essiesmom]

I believe you can do the remote ordering on Princess with the medallion and app.  I understand performance can be spotty…EM

[catgirl411]

27 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

I believe you can do the remote ordering on Princess with the medallion and app.  I understand performance can be spotty…EM

Yes, that’s true. I don’t think it is 24/7 though…nor does the person delivering it perform (lol). The service can be spotty though, depending on the wifi but lot’s of people use it.

[abbydancer2003]

29 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

I believe you can do the remote ordering on Princess with the medallion and app.  I understand performance can be spotty…EM

Correct. Works sometimes.

[Cruising89143]

2 hours ago, GenerationX said:

Ah…now THIS is more like it. THIS is the weather I spent all that money to cruise. 
 

 

 

 

 

{Rest snipped for space}. We both like the same great bartender.
 

[GenerationX]

Ok friends, I think my daughter just had the best morning of her life.

 

After breakfast we went to the pool deck with Gen Z’s vacay bestie (whose mom has given the ok for me to post pics of her) and her parents.  Within an hour the Cabo sun made it comfortable enough for me to get in the heated pool.

 

Mercy, a very sweet pool server from Kenya brought the girls virgin Miami Vices and a good stiff adult one for me and checked on us regularly.

 

About 11am cruise director Patrick started a poolside dance class that the girls got out of the pool to join which allowed me to take my eyes off Gen Z and look for some whales.  It didn’t take long to spot one and I’ve never seen Gen Z ditch a Pitbull song so fast.  

 

Gen Z is OBSESSED with whales. In fact, “whale” was her first word. Mention a whale in front of her and prepare for a 20 minute monologue about different species, their migratory patterns, hunting strategies, diets, and on and on and on.  She’s wanted to see a whale in the wild her whole short life.  Not an easy feat to accomplish when you’re raised 5 hours by plane from the nearest ocean with a whale it. When she saw that humpback breach the water and leap backwards into a wave she literally cried tears of joy.

 

The Disney Princesses could all have shown up on deck right then handing out free live ponies and my kid would not have moved from that rail.

 

She was even more excited when I reminded her that this afternoon we’ll be going out on a catamaran to see them closer up.

 

We grabbed a quick early lunch from the mast grill (because I had a better chance of winning six figures in the casino than I did of convincing Gen Z to turn her back on the ocean and go down to Luminae) then I had a work emergency pop up so we had to head back to the room so I could take care of it before our tour.

 

Gen Z’s sulking ended quickly though because when we got to the room she saw that Ronald had left her a plate of chocolate chip cookies AND there was another whale swimming right off our balcony.

 

I’m finishing up an email while Gen Z hangs out on the balcony with the binoculars plastered to her face.  Some day, Gen Z will look at me with a face streaked with tears of teen angst and claim that I don’t really love/care about her.  When she does, I will remind her of this trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cinderellen]

 "then I headed to MY camp at sea…the martini bar"

🤣🤣

[Beachlover1989]

Are you planning on a cruise to Alaska with her?  The most whales we've ever seen was in Alaska when the whales were bubble net feeding....again....and again....and again...The most incredible experience!!!!!

[hobo1937]

I have really been enjoying your review and photos. Since Gen Z loves whales you may want to get  her a book called "Humphrey the Lost Whale". It's available on Amazon in kindle and paperback. 

We lived in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1980's, when this took place, and  he captured the interest and hearts of a lot of residents. Amazing what what done to make sure there was a happy ending. 

 

 

 

[hcat]

23 hours ago, GenerationX said:

Doing my best to inspire the next generation of full formal dressers for evening chic night…

 

I even let her wear her first pair of proper kitten heels. 😍

 

 Two Lovely  Ladies....makes me re-live  great memories of raising our dtr.

.They grow up too soon but the love endures..a blessing!

[kwokpot]

8 hours ago, GenerationX said:

About Cheaza’s Whitney Houston tribute show…The first couple of songs I thought I wasn’t going to be very impressed by her singing but then her voice really warmed up and by the closing number (of course I Will Always Love You), Gen Z and I were thoroughly entertained.  I remember a while back Celebrity had another Whitney cover performer, I think her name was Ashley Amber? Who I think did a bit better show.  That said, I think it’s important to acknowledge that Ms. Cheaza’s voice is precisely 8,000,000% better than mine, so who am I to be critiquing her when my dogs start howling when I sing in the shower. 

I think it's her opening song choices since we had the same reaction when we saw her. 

[LisaLeone]

9 hours ago, GenerationX said:

 

 

9 hours ago, GenerationX said:

I was awakened this morning by the sound of paper crumbling.  It was my child wide awake and eating pillow chocolates at 7am. 

 

I was very confused by the volume of them that we got at turndown last night. Then Gen Z informed me that right before we left the cabin for dinner, she left our stateroom attendant “a note on the bed with just a small request” (which he left on the nightstand after fulfilling).  This kid is something else.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The fact Gen Z wrote please twice in the note certainly did the trick. She obviously inherited your negotiating skills! ❤

 

[SkystheLimit]

Have enjoyed following your travels in the past but this one particularly warms our hearts. The love for your daughter and for one another is truly rejuvenating to us.  

[cluso]

Maui whale season December-March.  The best month is February.  You can even see them from shore/balcony.  🐳🐳🐳

[abbydancer2003]

17 hours ago, hobo1937 said:

I have really been enjoying your review and photos. Since Gen Z loves whales you may want to get  her a book called "Humphrey the Lost Whale". It's available on Amazon in kindle and paperback. 

We lived in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1980's, when this took place, and  he captured the interest and hearts of a lot of residents. Amazing what what done to make sure there was a happy ending. 

 

 

 

I remember Humphrey.  It was an amazing rescue as I recall.