Firsthand sneak peak at Solstice (Merger of Several Threads)

[pro-am]

As always, I got beat, sucks having a job..

 

Pls to enjoy the view...

 

Pro-AM:cool:

[Drew B]

Yes, that's what I meant. :D I thought they held them till the end of the second leg. Don't they have some way of knowing you're on a B2B?

 

I'm sure they do, but I guess they don't care. I haven't done a B2B yet, but dozens of people on several different lines all report receiving their liquor at the end of leg #1. :)

[TNVolTD]

Hello all. We are looking at trying the Solstice in '09. We have been fortunate to have an aft cabin on several prior M-Class sailings :D and have grown to love the aft. So, even if the balconies on Solstice aren't quite as large, we are looking at booking a Sunset Veranda cabin for our Solstice trip. However, I see that X also has some aft Concierge cabins and has now broken Concierge into C1 and C2 (all of the C1's appear to be aft). I also see that some sailings have SV priced higher and some have C1/C2 priced higher. I know we're all still guessing until the ship is in service, but is there any prevailing thought as to which is the "better" aft cabin category - SV or C1? :confused:

 

Thanks!

[Mike2131]

Hello all. We are looking at trying the Solstice in '09. We have been fortunate to have an aft cabin on several prior M-Class sailings :D and have grown to love the aft. So, even if the balconies on Solstice aren't quite as large, we are looking at booking a Sunset Veranda cabin for our Solstice trip. However, I see that X also has some aft Concierge cabins and has now broken Concierge into C1 and C2 (all of the C1's appear to be aft). I also see that some sailings have SV priced higher and some have C1/C2 priced higher. I know we're all still guessing until the ship is in service, but is there any prevailing thought as to which is the "better" aft cabin category - SV or C1? :confused:

 

Thanks!

 

CC and the new AQ will get double sailing credits. I am not sure about the SV since we did not investigate that category. In addition, CC carries some perks that may or may not be reflected in the SV cabins. If the price is about a wash (and you like the locations), the answer to those questions might make the choice more clear cut.

[emcee207]

We just rebooked from the cancelled 3/8/08 to the 2/1/08 cruise. Booked Cabin 9307 which is a C1 aft. I was wondering the same thing.

We have always wanted an aft cabin. Booked during the Captains Club special last year and happy we snagged one. I agree, don't think the Aft cabins have the bigger balconies like the M class but still looking forward to that view of the wake!

Again, we also are curious to the difference between C1 and SV.

Lois, what's up???? Heard from Bob and Carol?

[Lois R]

Hi,:) same ole, same ole;) work...gotta work to cruise!

 

I see Carol sometimes over on the Fashion Forum but haven't

been in touch otherwise.

[denb]

CC and the new AQ will get double sailing credits.

Where is that listed? I don't recall seeing it anywhere. Thanks!

 

* I found where the CC is listed as double credit, but not AQ.

[FinelyCruising]

Pro - Am I have been trying since last night and it looks like the link is not working. :(

[Mike2131]

Where is that listed? I don't recall seeing it anywhere. Thanks!

 

* I found where the CC is listed as double credit, but not AQ.

 

Before we booked a cabin in that class, I had our TA call Celebrity to make sure what seemed like it made sense was actually the fact. He emailed me with confirmation of the double sailing credit and we booked in AQ.

[cruise kitty]

If Celebrity were more technologically advanced, I was thinking, they could release our table in blu when we made a reservation at one of the other specialty restaurants. I doubt they will have that capacity but I'm sure there will be lots of people in non-AQ who would like to try it.

 

 

I've read that non AQ will be able to reserve open Blu tables for an evening, don't know if there will be a cover charge for non aq guests, Also, by the way things look, AQ cabins ( and Penthouse deck) will be all adult, as they are all double ocp. cabins, do you think this will carry over to the resturant..

[Schplinky]

I've read that non AQ will be able to reserve open Blu tables for an evening, don't know if there will be a cover charge for non aq guests, Also, by the way things look, AQ cabins ( and Penthouse deck) will be all adult, as they are all double ocp. cabins, do you think this will carry over to the resturant..

 

I don't know Celebrity as well but on most lines, children are not welcomed in the specialty room, although the cut-off age varies. Honestly, I don't think most families would want to go the specialty route since once you start multiplying the fees by 4 and 5, it would really add up. That said, there's a lot of money in the world so who knows? I hope they make the minimum age at least in the tweens.

[Drew B]

Also, by the way things look, AQ cabins ( and Penthouse deck) will be all adult, as they are all double ocp. cabins, do you think this will carry over to the resturant..

 

Have they said that these areas are adults-only or are you extrapolating simply based on double occupancy? If the latter, don't count on it. Adults sometimes travel with children in double-occupancy rooms. I'm travelling (not on Solstice) with a 3-year-old in a balcony in November while his mother travels with his 5-year-old sister across the hall.

[Schplinky]

Have they said that these areas are adults-only or are you extrapolating simply based on double occupancy? If the latter, don't count on it. Adults sometimes travel with children in double-occupancy rooms. I'm travelling (not on Solstice) with a 3-year-old in a balcony in November while his mother travels with his 5-year-old sister across the hall.

 

I think that in general, they will be kid-free but you're right, the reservation staff have said double occupancy only, not adults only.

[cruise kitty]

I am hoping that most parents will think that they do not want to pay extra for amenities ( the spa gardens & Blu) that their kids cannot use. This should keep the penthouse deck close to kid free.. ( not that I don't love kids ;) oh boy, they're gonna hunt me down and flame me, aren't they?

[Cruisininfinity]

Like a month or so ago the ship was on a show called really big things

and i just so happened to see it

IT LOOKS AMAZING!!!!

biggest ship that they've built and i can't wait to see it in real life!

[ellbon]

cruisekitty

 

we are on the same week on Solstice. I work with kids in my church and i picked AQ. quiet and peaceful and for the spa:D

[Schplinky]

I am hoping that most parents will think that they do not want to pay extra for amenities ( the spa gardens & Blu) that their kids cannot use. This should keep the penthouse deck close to kid free.. ( not that I don't love kids ;) oh boy, they're gonna hunt me down and flame me, aren't they?

 

Children are not normally admitted to the spa. I don't think you have to worry.

 

There's another thing working against families travelling in AQ. Some parents seem ok with putting their kids across the hall in an inside room while they are in a balcony. The age of children some people do this with astounds me regularly. They get around the Celebrity age requirements for cabins by registering one parent and one child in each room. I think that any set of parents who are ok with their kids being in a non-adjoining room have only themselves to blame for whatever mischief their kids get into. Anyway, one has to presume that the reason they do this is because they don't want to spend the same money on their kids room as they do on their own. This would not work in AQ world because if they did this, one kid and parent would be welcomed in Blu and one kid and parent would not. Therefore, for the whole family to come, in AQ they'd have to shell out the roughly $1600 for kids and parents alike. It seems unlikely to happen all that often.

[FinelyCruising]

Schplinky -In many houses there is a Master Bedroom for the mom and dad and the other bedrooms tend to be smaller and without its own bathroom even. Kids might actually be stepping up in some of the amenities an inside has to offer ;)

[Schplinky]

Schplinky -In many houses there is a Master Bedroom for the mom and dad and the other bedrooms tend to be smaller and without its own bathroom even. Kids might actually be stepping up in some of the amenities an inside has to offer ;)

 

Sure, but in most homes, the door to the kids' room exits into the hall of the home, not a public corridor on a ship. I was objecting to the lack of supervision some people are okay with (and the early age they admit to letting their kids be in a detached, non-adjoining room), not that they scrimp on their kids' rooms. I've read a lot of posts on the board where folks say "we told them we'd be out but would call the room at 11 to make sure they were there." I've been 14 (albeait a long time ago now). I would have been in the room at 11 to receive the call and then straight out again.

 

Still, the point here is that most parents traveling with kids will not be springing for the two-people-only-per-cabin that is the AQ, since they will have to pay the same fare for their kids as themselves, since AQ is balcony only.

[pro-am]

Sorry Gang...

 

We had a bad storm and I lost the pc hosting my site. All is recovered and fixed. Pls enjoy the images...

 

Click the link below in the signature for the images...

 

Pro-AM

[Sea Island Lady]

SOLSTICE will have both bedding arrangements in standard balcony cabins (and Aqua Class). Every other cabin will have a different arrangement of bedding. Half of the cabins will have the bed next to the glass sliding door with the sitting area in the interior of the cabin. The other half will have the bed in the interior of the cabin with the sitting area right next to the glass sliding door. The reason is because of the interlocking cabin design. There will be a small part of the cabin that protrudes into the adjacent cabin, and that part of the cabin is where the bed is located. Think of it as a repeating puzzle with two pieces that fit together. How you determine which cabins have which kind of bedding configuration is unknown, as Celebrity does not show it on their deck plans.

 

Ernie

I am really sorry to read this. :( We just booked the Solstice, after coming off the Century where we could barely get around the bed in our CC cabin.

 

We saw photos of the Solstice Deluxe Veranda cabins and liked the layout of having the bed near the veranda doors (like Carnival) thus giving more moving around room near the bathroom and closets.

 

Do you think that the cabins will be a bit wider on the Solstice and easier to get around the beds if the bed is near hallway (such as on Princess and RCCL)?

 

Other questions:

 

I have looked and seen no mention of a theater on the Solstice, nor are they mentioning it in the deckplans. There is a space shown on the plans.

 

Are bathrobes given to those that are not staying in a CC or higher category?

 

Does anyone know if we are allowed to request a certain waiter for dinner? We have learned that a past waiter on the Millie, will be on the Solstice and would love to have him. :)

 

Lastly, does the Captains Club offer certificate discounts for bookings? I don't remember seeing them. RCCL sends them out by email and in their magazines, every so often.

 

Thank you in advance! ;)

[SailAway78]

Here's the new shipyard update. I know Pro-Am will post it for us later so we can see all the pictures. Thanks again, Pro-Am.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bonnie

[FinelyCruising]

Good Question about the Theatre....there must be a reason why they are still holding out!

[eroller]

Good Question about the Theatre....there must be a reason why they are still holding out!

 

 

There will definitely be a large theatre at the front of the ship .... two or three levels. You can already see the empty space for it on the deck plan.

 

I'm sure when the theatre is announced, Celebrity will reveal the design features but also the entertainment lineup as well. Perhaps details of the new shows that will be featured in the theatre, or even some new type of entertainment we have yet to imagine?

 

Ernie

[eroller]

Good Question about the Theatre....there must be a reason why they are still holding out!

 

 

There will definitely be a large theatre at the front of the ship .... two or three levels. You can already see the empty space for it on the deck plan.

 

I'm sure when the theatre is announced, Celebrity will reveal the design features but also the entertainment lineup as well. Perhaps details of the new shows that will be featured in the theatre, or even some new type of entertainment we have yet to imagine?

 

Ernie