BostonBud Posted August 6, 2008 #76 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Have any of you guys been on a Celebrity ship before? We've taken 2 Atlantis cruises but both have been on RCI Ships. I was wondering what the differences in the cruise lines there was considering its a chartered ship. Also, this ship is quite the "relaxing" vessel and Rich said that this cruise was going to be a big departure from the typical Jan Freedom cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davela2 Posted August 6, 2008 #77 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Hi Guys We're booked on this cruise too. We've done 2 January cruises in 2002 & 2005, and the March 2007 cruise. We splurged for a balcony cabin this time (always did "oceanview" cabins before). We are going with 5 friends from Ann Arbor, all booked in adjacent cabins on deck 6. Looking forward to it! I might have done the January cruise next year, but I'm tired of the same itinerary. Not so thrilled about Labadee on this cruise, but looking forward to DR & Curacao. Dave (& Dan) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BostonBud Posted August 12, 2008 #78 Share Posted August 12, 2008 I was over in the Celebrity forum and they had pictures of the Solstice float out. The ship looks amazing! March can't come quick enough. YOu can even check out the rooms to some extent from the balconies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emjsea Posted August 12, 2008 #79 Share Posted August 12, 2008 "Just" seven months to go...:o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BostonBud Posted August 28, 2008 #80 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Have any of you guys been on a Celebrity ship before? We've taken 2 Atlantis cruises but both have been on RCI Ships. I was wondering what the differences in the cruise lines there was considering its a chartered ship. Also, this ship is quite the "relaxing" vessel and Rich said that this cruise was going to be a big departure from the typical Jan Freedom cruise. HI again, I just wanted to repeat an earlier question I had since I hadn't heard of a reply yet. From some of the posts on CC, it seems that the Celebrity ships get quiet in the evening although I can't imagine that would happen on an Atlantis cruise. Again, I'm not expecting the Jan. cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schplinky Posted August 28, 2008 #81 Share Posted August 28, 2008 HI again, I just wanted to repeat an earlier question I had since I hadn't heard of a reply yet. From some of the posts on CC, it seems that the Celebrity ships get quiet in the evening although I can't imagine that would happen on an Atlantis cruise. Again, I'm not expecting the Jan. cruise. Hey Buddy, One of the differences we notice on Celebrity is that the lounges tend to be a bit smaller but a bit more plentiful. There are lots of themes going on and we find ourselves gravitating to the martini bar. They do a sampler of all their flavored martinis that is a lot of fun. I found that giving away my "real" martini from that sampler (of 6) was a great way to meet others. On our Century sailing, we wound up becoming friendly with a very nice gay couple from DC this way. Another thing Celebrity does well is health food. They have the Aqua Spa cafe which is a smaller casual dining area (usually near the spa) and they do very tasty things that are healthier than the main food. Speaking of food, I find that the Celebrity food is a bit more European (continental) than RCL, which is more of an American fusion. Many people like the Celebrity food better but I would say that it's more different than better. Celebrity tends to go for a space that is more refined looking than awe-inspiring, so you won't see atriums that run up through the ship for decks and decks, most likely. Obvioulsly, there's no Royal Promenade. We did like that there were three elevator banks on the Celebrity ships we've sailed. Cuts down on the walking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BostonBud Posted August 29, 2008 #82 Share Posted August 29, 2008 I've been reading your reviews as always and I get such a lift from your observations. I can't wait to hear what you have to say about the Solstice since you'll be going on it a month before us. Tell Mike I said hello! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schplinky Posted August 29, 2008 #83 Share Posted August 29, 2008 I've been reading your reviews as always and I get such a lift from your observations. I can't wait to hear what you have to say about the Solstice since you'll be going on it a month before us. Tell Mike I said hello! Will do. We leave in a few weeks on a ship you've sailed on: Adventure. Can hardly wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frquarterguy Posted October 1, 2008 #84 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Another installment payment has hit the credit cards..... only 5 months to go. :cool: The ship is looking great from the most recent pics. Can't wait..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BostonBud Posted October 2, 2008 #85 Share Posted October 2, 2008 I have a question for some of you. How soon do you book airfare to a port? It's 5 months till this cruise and I haven't booked anything yet. I was waiting because Jetblue didn't offer advance bookings (they do now). However, I'm noticing a huge increase in airfare that is ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woofie71 Posted October 3, 2008 #86 Share Posted October 3, 2008 I like to book early to get the flights and seats that I want. I booked FLL tickets for the Atlantis Solstice and RSVP Eurodam in June. I booked LAX tickets (for upcoming Atlantis Mexico) back in February. I also made my hotel reservations around the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philamike Posted October 3, 2008 Author #87 Share Posted October 3, 2008 I have a question for some of you. How soon do you book airfare to a port? My recommendation is to wait -- you're not going to see any deals right now. Airlines are still doing their fall specials, and have barely started offering winter deals. But FLL in March is a bit tricky -- the cruise is overlapping with the start of Spring Break season. Try to be as flexible as possible -- check flying into/out of Miami or West Palm Beach. Also try pricing two one-way trips on separate airlines. (For my last two cruises, which both left from Miami, I flew into Miami on US Airlines and out of FLL on AirTran -- turned out to be the cheapest option.) Also consider staying in Florida for an extra night at the end of the cruise -- a Sunday is typically a heavier travel day (and thus more expensive) than a Monday. The money you might save on a cheaper flight may easily cover the cost of a hotel room that night. My best advice is to price your options frequently (say, once a week). And if you catch a good deal, go ahead and book it. But you still have plenty of time to find something. - Mike :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BostonBud Posted October 6, 2008 #88 Share Posted October 6, 2008 after going on and seeing different airfares, I booked, however, I have noticed that when you do bookings, if you check on their websites a number of times, the airfare actually goes up for the same ticket. For example, I was looking for Bos to FLL and the inital price I found on Delta was 369.00. I did a couple of different dates, around the same time frame and the price was the same. That night I went to book and the price went up to $419, an increase of $50.00. I didn't think prices would be going down especially as the Spring Breakers start booking their trips and the colder air would be coming in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BostonBud Posted October 21, 2008 #89 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Does anyone know why the Solstice goes from "sold out" to not back to "sold out" on the Atlantis webpages? When it was not sold out it didn't look like any rooms were available (although there were waitlisted rooms). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hudcom Posted October 22, 2008 #90 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Hi everyone, I would imagine that The Solstice and all cruise ships are having quite a lot of cancellations for all of their cruises due to the economic situation. A friend of our had to cancel for this reason and he had one cabin booked all for himself. We have already booked our flights on JetBlue and are returning home on Sunday. The expense of an extra night, taxi rides, meals, etc., is not worth the price of the extra cost of a Sunday flight. I you plan to stay in Fort Lauderdale before the cruise, you should book a room soon. If you plan to stay in a gay establishment, they will probably require a three night stay. If you will only be there for one or two nights, you will have to book at a mainstream location. If you plan to check out the bar scene, then do not book a hotel at the airport as they are far from the bars and taxis are expensive from that location. Try to stay near Wilton Manors or somewhere near there. Go to nakedconcierge.com for useful information. Happy cruising to you all! Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRSNDC Posted October 23, 2008 #91 Share Posted October 23, 2008 Hey Guys, Do you know of anyone looking for space on this cruise? I have a Cat 2A (balcony) cabin and am looking for a roommate. $1599 plus port fees, etc. I'm 43, stable, independent and have been on 5 cruises with Atlantis. Email for more info. Thanks. -Chris (chrisdc65 at aol dot com) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRSNDC Posted November 9, 2008 #92 Share Posted November 9, 2008 Hey Guys, 4 months from now we'll be out to sea headed for Labadee! -Chris PS. I found a roommate :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gfromftlaud Posted November 13, 2008 #93 Share Posted November 13, 2008 A group of us from Ft Laud are going on a Solstice pre-inaugural cruise a week from tomorrow. Can't wait to get aboard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BostonBud Posted November 24, 2008 #94 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Wow, I keep counting the days. I was on the Atlantis Alumni site and see that they have a new site but I never got an email. Has everyone already gotten access to it? I sent them an email two weeks ago but haven't heard anything. they were supposedly going on the Solstice for a pre-cruise cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schplinky Posted November 24, 2008 #95 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Hi guys, We're going on a non-Atlantis sailing but I recalled this thread when I saw some excellent pictures of the ship and thought you'd want to see them. http://www.thepreismans.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCT61 Posted November 24, 2008 #96 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Hey Lee....GET BUSY on that second installment of your most recent blogcast!! I listen to them at work, and they help to pass the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schplinky Posted November 24, 2008 #97 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Funny you should say that. We just recorded it on Sunday. It should be posted soon. Have fun on Solstice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCT61 Posted November 25, 2008 #98 Share Posted November 25, 2008 Great...looking forward to hearing it. We'll keep the SOLSTICE clean for ya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davemspec Posted December 12, 2008 #99 Share Posted December 12, 2008 http://www.thepreismans.com/ Wow I think these photos are better than the renderings on the Celebrity website. What an awesome looking ship guys! Thanks for sharing the link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NauticalDan Posted December 15, 2008 #100 Share Posted December 15, 2008 The pictures look great. One question I have is though, if you consider that fountain at the front of the pool, there is hardly any room on the pool deck for a big T-dance. On http://www.atlantisevents.com/cruises_2009_solstice.aspx they have the following written: "And what about Atlantis’ famous parties? The vast open decks of Solstice offer a magnificent space for afternoon t-dances as the sunsets over the Caribbean. At night we’ll create a masterpiece of sound, lighting, and special effects to set the stage for our theme parties and a variety of musical styles. Starring three of the top gay DJs from around the world. Plus, Solstice’s intimate Quasar nightclub provides the perfect place for an alternative sound or late-night event." So it doesn't sound all that different than another Atlantis cruise. I'm pretty open to the idea of something more quiet or relaxed, but also enjoy the big parties too. I'd be disappointed if they didn't have them, but not so disappointed if they didn't have as many or make it the primary focus. Also, so many people who normally do the January cruise switched to the March this year. They are used to the big parties. Is the pool deck on Solstice capable of handling it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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