Solstice Experience

[naples007]

Just returned from Dec 14-21st sailing. I had traveled on the Mill. several years back and mostly traveled with Crystal and Regent since then. But friends wanted to travel on the new Celebrity Ship, and I thought I would give it a try. First of all the ship is great, nice layout and very spacious. The rooms are average size nothing fancy but adequate, the mattress has a pillow top added to it. Its truly not a real pillow top mattress. The room ceiling creeked all night long on the rough sea days, was very annoying, I was booked in Conceriege class.

The food in the Main Dining room was sup par, the two fish dinners grouper/ red snapper were awful.. Almost to the point of not edible to me. The Lobster was rock lobster which is very rubbery and came with one shrimp and one scallop in a risotto drenched in butter.

Overall I would have to say it was similiar to dining at a regular restaurant with fancy decorated plates. Our server was awful and didnt even say thank you when I gave him his tip on the last night.

The Oceanview Cafe, was monsterous and no trays, so you had to carry plate by plate and then go get your beverage and come back to a cold meal. I didn't care for the atomsphere at all. Felt like a mess hall in College.

The fitness center is great, lots of equipment and no problem getting on a machine.

The pool was always crowded and I'm not a sun worshiper since I live in Florida anyways.

Silk Harvest was a good experience, food quality was good but not outstanding, similiar to a PF Chang restaurant.

Room Service for breakfast was always on time and was good to eat out on the veranda.

Huge Casino and always very busy.

Shows were ok, the Main one normally on the 2nd night is the best, the rest you could skip.

Shopping on board was fine, nothing fancy, just average souveniers, at stateside prices.

The Martini Bar was probably the best place to hang out, great martinis and very strong but what do you expect at 10.00 a pop.

Overall and taking everything into account I would rate it a C+

Would I return to Celebrity- Not a chance, actually I was ready to get off after 7days when traveling on a Mass Market Ship.

I will pay the extra to travel on Regent/Crystal in the future to have an luxury travel experience.

[amanda blake]

Just returned from Dec 14-21st sailing. I had traveled on the Mill. several years back and mostly traveled with Crystal and Regent since then. But friends wanted to travel on the new Celebrity Ship, and I thought I would give it a try. First of all the ship is great, nice layout and very spacious. The rooms are average size nothing fancy but adequate, the mattress has a pillow top added to it. Its truly not a real pillow top mattress. The room ceiling creeked all night long on the rough sea days, was very annoying, I was booked in Conceriege class.

The food in the Main Dining room was sup par, the two fish dinners grouper/ red snapper were awful.. Almost to the point of not edible to me. The Lobster was rock lobster which is very rubbery and came with one shrimp and one scallop in a risotto drenched in butter.

Overall I would have to say it was similiar to dining at a regular restaurant with fancy decorated plates. Our server was awful and didnt even say thank you when I gave him his tip on the last night.

The Oceanview Cafe, was monsterous and no trays, so you had to carry plate by plate and then go get your beverage and come back to a cold meal. I didn't care for the atomsphere at all. Felt like a mess hall in College.

The fitness center is great, lots of equipment and no problem getting on a machine.

The pool was always crowded and I'm not a sun worshiper since I live in Florida anyways.

Silk Harvest was a good experience, food quality was good but not outstanding, similiar to a PF Chang restaurant.

Room Service for breakfast was always on time and was good to eat out on the veranda.

Huge Casino and always very busy.

Shows were ok, the Main one normally on the 2nd night is the best, the rest you could skip.

Shopping on board was fine, nothing fancy, just average souveniers, at stateside prices.

The Martini Bar was probably the best place to hang out, great martinis and very strong but what do you expect at 10.00 a pop.

Overall and taking everything into account I would rate it a C+

Would I return to Celebrity- Not a chance, actually I was ready to get off after 7days when traveling on a Mass Market Ship.

I will pay the extra to travel on Regent/Crystal in the future to have an luxury travel experience.

 

 

thank you for a realistic review....

 

we are booked on the solstice for feb and really are not expecting anything more than you have said....but a new ship is always interesting...and looking forward to getting away from snow and ice...relaxing on a beach....enjoying a balcony... a mid winter break...that is all it is...

 

but hey food...it has been rare that we have enjoyed meals on a celebrity ship..have done 22 cruises....with the exception of the Millenium last year...food was amazing...have no idea why it was that good, when just 6 months earlier on the Constellation it was not edible in the main dining room and very poor in the buffet...

[Andy]

Hi Naples !

 

Sorry to hear you did not enjoy your Cruise, though I must say that I find most mainstream lines impossible to compare to Regent or Crystal, which you mentioned. I certainly can relate to a bad Cruise, but Regent or Crystal vs Celebrity isnt comparing Apples to Apples.

 

I agree with one of your comments about the Oceanview. We liked the food very much, and didnt have a problem with the decor.... but I do wish that Celebrity will bring back the trays, and more assistance from the waitstaff. They seemed to be very overwhelmed on our sailing, and their assistance was sorely missed.

 

Have you considered looking at Azamara ? They may be a better fit for you. I sincerely hope your next Cruise will be more enjoyable !

[Lovesublime40]

Just returned from Dec 14-21st sailing. I had traveled on the Mill. several years back and mostly traveled with Crystal and Regent since then. But friends wanted to travel on the new Celebrity Ship, and I thought I would give it a try. First of all the ship is great, nice layout and very spacious. The rooms are average size nothing fancy but adequate, the mattress has a pillow top added to it. Its truly not a real pillow top mattress. The room ceiling creeked all night long on the rough sea days, was very annoying, I was booked in Conceriege class.

The food in the Main Dining room was sup par, the two fish dinners grouper/ red snapper were awful.. Almost to the point of not edible to me. The Lobster was rock lobster which is very rubbery and came with one shrimp and one scallop in a risotto drenched in butter.

Overall I would have to say it was similiar to dining at a regular restaurant with fancy decorated plates. Our server was awful and didnt even say thank you when I gave him his tip on the last night.

The Oceanview Cafe, was monsterous and no trays, so you had to carry plate by plate and then go get your beverage and come back to a cold meal. I didn't care for the atomsphere at all. Felt like a mess hall in College.

The fitness center is great, lots of equipment and no problem getting on a machine.

The pool was always crowded and I'm not a sun worshiper since I live in Florida anyways.

Silk Harvest was a good experience, food quality was good but not outstanding, similiar to a PF Chang restaurant.

Room Service for breakfast was always on time and was good to eat out on the veranda.

Huge Casino and always very busy.

Shows were ok, the Main one normally on the 2nd night is the best, the rest you could skip.

Shopping on board was fine, nothing fancy, just average souveniers, at stateside prices.

The Martini Bar was probably the best place to hang out, great martinis and very strong but what do you expect at 10.00 a pop.

Overall and taking everything into account I would rate it a C+

Would I return to Celebrity- Not a chance, actually I was ready to get off after 7days when traveling on a Mass Market Ship.

I will pay the extra to travel on Regent/Crystal in the future to have an luxury travel experience.

I too was on this sailing and agree with all of the above points. They definitely have a few things to work out especially in the oceanview Cafe. loved the martini bar and the 1st night the noise on the room was UNBEARABLE. Creaking and thumping all night-I was grateful my husband brought earplugs for us.

[eroller]

I think it's a little ridiculous to compare Celebrity with Regent/Crystal or any luxury line. If you were expecting anything comparable then you are living a pipe dream. For starters how about putting your expectations in line with what you paid. I'm willing to guess the cruise on SOLSTICE was about 1/3 the cost of Crystal and Regent. Personally I think Crystal is overrated as you still have to pay for drinks and gratuities, there are still two sittings for dinner, and the ships are large (1000+ pax) with cabins that are not much better than Celebrity. Just my opinion.

 

Personally I have sailed a few times on Silversea and I love the experience, but I don't expect the same from Celebrity. As Host Andy said it's apples to oranges.

 

This being said, for what I paid for SOLSTICE I think I got a lot of bang for my buck. For one thing the ship itself has stunning public spaces that can hold their own against anything Crystal or Regent can offer. Food and service is pretty good too ... again in line with what I paid. Overall I think Celebrity and the SOLSTICE offer a great value.

 

Ernie

[Lovesublime40]

Agreed, tThe ship is absolutely stunning. My understanding (and I am a very inexperienced cruiser) is that Celebrity was among the "high-end" (but not luxury) lines. Comparisons aside, do the reviewers issues with the ship (creaky rooms, mayhem buffet) exist among other cruiselines as well? Princess, RC, etc? Just looking for feedback should we decide to do another cruise. We did get a very good price and we loved the ship but I dont think staterooms where people are expected to sleep should creak and go bump in the night, no matter what you pay. This is a brand new ship and from the looks of things no expense was spared in its construction.

[eroller]

Agreed, tThe ship is absolutely stunning. My understanding (and I am a very inexperienced cruiser) is that Celebrity was among the "high-end" (but not luxury) lines. Comparisons aside, do the reviewers issues with the ship (creaky rooms, mayhem buffet) exist among other cruiselines as well? Princess, RC, etc? Just looking for feedback should we decide to do another cruise. We did get a very good price and we loved the ship but I dont think staterooms where people are expected to sleep should creak and go bump in the night, no matter what you pay. This is a brand new ship and from the looks of things no expense was spared in its construction.

 

 

No ship or cruise line is perfect .... regardless of what anyone tries to tell you. Lousy buffets, crappy service, ugly decor, obnoxious passengers, tiny cabins, etc. etc. all exist on just about every cruise line. The fact is, no two cruises are the same even on the same ship. A lot of variables change from one cruise to the next (ie: crew, passengers, staff, weather, sea conditions, entertainers, the chef, etc). All these variables add up to the overall experience.

 

The bottom line is regardless of the cruise line, you are on a moving mechanical object that floats so it's not going to be like a hotel. For me that is a major part of the appeal. Hotels are so boring.

 

You mentioned the buffet. Honestly I think it's one of the best laid out buffets on any ship I have sailed. Once you figure out where everything is you rarely have to wait in a line. On some ships there is just a single long buffet line (one on each side) and you have to wait in an endless line regardless if you want several buffet items or just one that happens to be in the middle of the line. Having food stations is really a great idea. Eventually it will run like a smooth oiled machine but remember it's only the first month of service.

 

As for the creaking, I remember how much creaking there was on CROWN PRINCESS back in 1990 when the ship was first introduced. It was pretty bad. Eventually as things settled on the ship the creaking subsided ... but remember there is always going to be some creaking because the ship is moving. Even the 40 year old QE2 creaked quite a bit in rough weather, but it was a wonderful creak that let you know you were on a ship. Personally I would rather have the creaking over paper thin walls. I've been on ships were you could literally have a conversation with your neighbors in the next cabin right through the wall!

 

So every ship is a little different and every ship will have it's quirks.

 

Ernie

[ellbon]

Ernie

 

Crown Princess 1990??? It must be old as i was on the new one. foos ok, food bland and cold. but a very quiet cabin. i get a mini suite there but even the small cabins have good storage.

so now I am waiting for 12 days to see how bad storage is in AQ. But i am looking forward to dinner.. I jsut will not have the fake lobster.

[Germancruiser]

What´s wrong with " creaking" on board a ship- well some seem to forget that they are on board a ship- in the high seas. I love that noise and never slept better than on a cruise. I even love a bit of a Rock n Rollin! ,

Greetings ( and wink wink to Robin....)

Michael

[eroller]

Ernie

 

Crown Princess 1990??? It must be old as i was on the new one. foos ok, food bland and cold. but a very quiet cabin. i get a mini suite there but even the small cabins have good storage.

so now I am waiting for 12 days to see how bad storage is in AQ. But i am looking forward to dinner.. I jsut will not have the fake lobster.

 

I sailed on the 1990 Crown Princess and the newest one just last year. I was also in a mini-suite on Crown Princess. The ship was a big yawn compared to Solstice Of course it's not fair to compare a mini-suite with a standard size cabin on Solstice. Fact is standard cabins (and bathrooms) are far superior to their counterparts on Princess which are quite small by modern standards.

 

You will love Blu! I'm booking AQ next time just so I can dine in Blu every night.

 

Ernie

[oldstuff]

I must concur with the original poster. As I mentioned in another thread, my voyage on the Solstice this past December 7-14 sounds very much like theirs.

 

The Oceanview was a mess, plain and simple. And, yes, I have seen other cruise ships handle the masses with finesse. Case in point- I dined alone one morning, since there are no trays I had to go back for my coffee, when I returned to my table someone had already taken away my plate and silverware - not to mention that I had to scavenge for that particular set of flatware! It was VERY annoying!

 

Secondly, the creaking and banging wasn't just related to the ship's movements. My cabin was so loud with the noise that after calling customer service from day one and getting nowhere I finally investigated myself and found out that the pantry for Quasar was directly above my room. The sound of ice machines, rolling carts, dropping items - what a "peaceful" night's sleep that was. Yes, Celebrity credited my account for $500. But, no, it truly didn't make up for the lack of relaxation.

 

Enough said.

[tom_uk]

Secondly, the creaking and banging wasn't just related to the ship's movements. My cabin was so loud with the noise that after calling customer service from day one and getting nowhere I finally investigated myself and found out that the pantry for Quasar was directly above my room. The sound of ice machines, rolling carts, dropping items - what a "peaceful" night's sleep that was.

 

It alway surprises that so many cruise lines so often put their most expensive cabins right under the lido decks, where there is likely to be some external noise. We always book a mid-range cabin, either OV or balcony. That we have other cabins above us, cabins to either side, and cabins or fresh air below us - makes for a quiet cruise, albeit not luxurious.

[Fogtownrog]

No ship or cruise line is perfect .... regardless of what anyone tries to tell you. Lousy buffets, crappy service, ugly decor, obnoxious passengers, tiny cabins, etc. etc. all exist on just about every cruise line. The fact is, no two cruises are the same even on the same ship. A lot of variables change from one cruise to the next (ie: crew, passengers, staff, weather, sea conditions, entertainers, the chef, etc). All these variables add up to the overall experience.

 

The bottom line is regardless of the cruise line, you are on a moving mechanical object that floats so it's not going to be like a hotel. For me that is a major part of the appeal. Hotels are so boring.

 

You mentioned the buffet. Honestly I think it's one of the best laid out buffets on any ship I have sailed. Once you figure out where everything is you rarely have to wait in a line. On some ships there is just a single long buffet line (one on each side) and you have to wait in an endless line regardless if you want several buffet items or just one that happens to be in the middle of the line. Having food stations is really a great idea. Eventually it will run like a smooth oiled machine but remember it's only the first month of service.

 

As for the creaking, I remember how much creaking there was on CROWN PRINCESS back in 1990 when the ship was first introduced. It was pretty bad. Eventually as things settled on the ship the creaking subsided ... but remember there is always going to be some creaking because the ship is moving. Even the 40 year old QE2 creaked quite a bit in rough weather, but it was a wonderful creak that let you know you were on a ship. Personally I would rather have the creaking over paper thin walls. I've been on ships were you could literally have a conversation with your neighbors in the next cabin right through the wall!

 

So every ship is a little different and every ship will have it's quirks.

 

Ernie

Thank you Ernie! Well said, and in a much more polite manner in which I would have said it. Kudos!

[GeriatricNurse]

No ship or cruise line is perfect .... regardless of what anyone tries to tell you. Lousy buffets, crappy service, ugly decor, obnoxious passengers, tiny cabins, etc. etc. all exist on just about every cruise line. The fact is, no two cruises are the same even on the same ship. A lot of variables change from one cruise to the next (ie: crew, passengers, staff, weather, sea conditions, entertainers, the chef, etc). All these variables add up to the overall experience.

 

The bottom line is regardless of the cruise line, you are on a moving mechanical object that floats so it's not going to be like a hotel. For me that is a major part of the appeal. Hotels are so boring.

 

You mentioned the buffet. Honestly I think it's one of the best laid out buffets on any ship I have sailed. Once you figure out where everything is you rarely have to wait in a line. On some ships there is just a single long buffet line (one on each side) and you have to wait in an endless line regardless if you want several buffet items or just one that happens to be in the middle of the line. Having food stations is really a great idea. Eventually it will run like a smooth oiled machine but remember it's only the first month of service.

 

As for the creaking, I remember how much creaking there was on CROWN PRINCESS back in 1990 when the ship was first introduced. It was pretty bad. Eventually as things settled on the ship the creaking subsided ... but remember there is always going to be some creaking because the ship is moving. Even the 40 year old QE2 creaked quite a bit in rough weather, but it was a wonderful creak that let you know you were on a ship. Personally I would rather have the creaking over paper thin walls. I've been on ships were you could literally have a conversation with your neighbors in the next cabin right through the wall!

 

So every ship is a little different and every ship will have it's quirks.

 

Ernie

 

 

Except HAL!!!

[GeriatricNurse]

No ship or cruise line is perfect .... regardless of what anyone tries to tell you. Lousy buffets, crappy service, ugly decor, obnoxious passengers, tiny cabins, etc. etc. all exist on just about every cruise line. The fact is, no two cruises are the same even on the same ship. A lot of variables change from one cruise to the next (ie: crew, passengers, staff, weather, sea conditions, entertainers, the chef, etc). All these variables add up to the overall experience.

 

The bottom line is regardless of the cruise line, you are on a moving mechanical object that floats so it's not going to be like a hotel. For me that is a major part of the appeal. Hotels are so boring.

 

You mentioned the buffet. Honestly I think it's one of the best laid out buffets on any ship I have sailed. Once you figure out where everything is you rarely have to wait in a line. On some ships there is just a single long buffet line (one on each side) and you have to wait in an endless line regardless if you want several buffet items or just one that happens to be in the middle of the line. Having food stations is really a great idea. Eventually it will run like a smooth oiled machine but remember it's only the first month of service.

 

As for the creaking, I remember how much creaking there was on CROWN PRINCESS back in 1990 when the ship was first introduced. It was pretty bad. Eventually as things settled on the ship the creaking subsided ... but remember there is always going to be some creaking because the ship is moving. Even the 40 year old QE2 creaked quite a bit in rough weather, but it was a wonderful creak that let you know you were on a ship. Personally I would rather have the creaking over paper thin walls. I've been on ships were you could literally have a conversation with your neighbors in the next cabin right through the wall!

 

So every ship is a little different and every ship will have it's quirks.

 

Ernie

 

 

 

And NO trays on which to place your bowls, plates, cup/saucers, glassware, cutlery, etc., requiring numerous return trips to the buffet while risking having your food items going cold or being removed by a server!!!

What a MESS!!!

[JudyOh]

What cruiselines still have trays in the buffet? Have recently been on RCI, Princess and NCL and none of them had trays for some time now. Have never found it to be a problem.

[RealDeal]

JudyOh: I was on Princess (Sapphire) in November & there were trays.

[ellbon]

I have been on 12 Princess cruise and have have seen a tray. I hate trays. i take my silverware and my plate and eat. if i need more or somethign else i go get a new plate. By leaving my water bottle or drink on hte table it is still there and the table.

 

I can tell by reading many people are not use to large ships.

 

Another silly complaint is the cup holder in the theatre. I rarely use mine in a movie. I find it to easy to kock it over. On Princess they have a tray tabel like a plane and it works great. When i finish my drink I leave it on the floor.

 

People it is a new ship learn to deal.

[helenp2]

And NO trays on which to place your bowls, plates, cup/saucers, glassware, cutlery, etc., requiring numerous return trips to the buffet while risking having your food items going cold or being removed by a server!!!

 

What a MESS!!!

 

 

 

 

Not only does HAL have trays - there is always someone there to carry your tray for you if you would like. Also, they generally have servers walking with a pot of hot coffee to serve you. We have sailed on just about every line from Silverseas (loved them), Regent (hated them), to all of the others. Dollar for dollar it would be hard to beat HAL. Their cabins for starters are much larger than their competitors, and their beds are THE BEST at sea. So, while I'm sure the Solstice is a very beautiful ship with lovely public space, the thoughts of an uncomfortable cabin with bad bedding are the deal breaker for us.

[amanda blake]

there have always been trays...have done 22 cruises with celebrity..last one in oct on summit to the med....so the no trays deal must be new...how do you carry, soup, salad, entre and untensils at the same time?..or do you go for one item at a time?

 

could take a long time just to have lunch....

[seasearider]

Not only does HAL have trays - there is always someone there to carry your tray for you if you would like. Also, they generally have servers walking with a pot of hot coffee to serve you. We have sailed on just about every line from Silverseas (loved them), Regent (hated them), to all of the others. Dollar for dollar it would be hard to beat HAL. Their cabins for starters are much larger than their competitors, and their beds are THE BEST at sea. So, while I'm sure the Solstice is a very beautiful ship with lovely public space, the thoughts of an uncomfortable cabin with bad bedding are the deal breaker for us.

 

Bad bedding, not in the room we stayed in. If you haven't sailed on Solstice, how can you give an opinion on it. Enjoy HAL and until you have some hands on experience with Celebrity, please spare us of the Hal rah rah.

[harkinmr]

Agreed, tThe ship is absolutely stunning. My understanding (and I am a very inexperienced cruiser) is that Celebrity was among the "high-end" (but not luxury) lines. Comparisons aside, do the reviewers issues with the ship (creaky rooms, mayhem buffet) exist among other cruiselines as well? Princess, RC, etc? Just looking for feedback should we decide to do another cruise. We did get a very good price and we loved the ship but I dont think staterooms where people are expected to sleep should creak and go bump in the night, no matter what you pay. This is a brand new ship and from the looks of things no expense was spared in its construction.

 

I sailed on the Sapphire Princess in October and the stateroom creaked like you can't imagine! Not sure what causes one to creak and another not.

[Lovesublime40]

And NO trays on which to place your bowls, plates, cup/saucers, glassware, cutlery, etc., requiring numerous return trips to the buffet while risking having your food items going cold or being removed by a server!!!

 

What a MESS!!!

I think I may know why they decided against trays. Many colleges have elected to go trayless because it eliminates waste. Wasted space because they need to be stored, wasted water, because they need to be washed, and wasted food, because when people have more space to carry food they tend to take everything they think they want to eat, as opposed to what they will actually eat in one sitting. So while I can agree with the above logic, it is extremely irritating when youre on vacation and want to sit down to a relaxing meal. I actually saw someone remove the silverware from the silverware tray and use it to carry his food! What I think they should do if theyre not going to get trays is adopt a more restaurant-style buffet. Have the people removing the old places clean the table and then put clean flatware and napkins on the table. And maybe even bring people coffee if asked. There were several elderly passengers who I am sure would have appreciated the assistance.

[Lovesublime40]

I sailed on the Sapphire Princess in October and the stateroom creaked like you can't imagine! Not sure what causes one to creak and another not.

I dont know but I was at my wits' end by 3am. At first I thought it was the people in the room above but when it didnt stop I realized it was the room itself! Luckily it subsided by the 2nd night and I could sleep without the earplugs. I dont know what normal ship-creaking sounds like, but this was creak, creeaaak, thump, weeeeeeee-thump thump, THOK-squeak-ba-DUM-pop creeeeeeeeaaaaaak..repeat.

[eroller]

Except HAL!!!

 

 

 

Without question HAL is one of my least favorite cruise lines. My last sailing on the line was OOSTERDAM last year. I keep getting drawn in by the HAL promise of a younger demographic and I keep coming away disappointed. It's not just that the ship shuts down at 10:30pm, it's the promise of a "premium" product but I just don't see it. Take the sun loungers for instance. The back deck of OOSTERDAM is pretty much the only place to lay out in the sun, and they use these very cheap plastic loungers (same that Carnival uses) with no pads that are covered with soot marks. Not very premium IMO. I didn't like the midship covered pool because it reminded me of a YMCA but with a much older crowd .... more like a nursing home atmosphere. The ship itself has decor that reminds me of the 70's (burnt orange carpet and smoked glass mirrors) and is border line Carnival tacky. Why the senior crowd that loves HAL so much thinks the decor is tasteful is beyond me?

 

All this being said, I still had a great time because I'm on a cruise and it sure beats being at home. I will return to HAL, but probably not for 25 years when I'm in my 60's. I'm just glad we have such a variety of lines that there is something for everyone. HAL is just not for me and I found the experience very overrated. Other people love it and that is fine. What I did not do was run to the HAL message board and make posts putting down the line. I wrote about it here because HAL was brought up and I'm here to tell you the grass is not always greener!

 

Ernie