Our first cruise on board Celebrity Solstice was back in 2014 for a seven
night Alaskan cruise. This time around, it was an easy decision to board the ship
again to explore the Pacific Islands on a 10 night Hawaiian cruise. Having sailed
with the cruise line a few times, we had reasonable expectations for the ship. I'm DB
from eatsleepcruise.com , and in our latest video, we share our Celebrity Solstice
ship scorecard review. For the most part, getting on and off a ship of this size
was well-organized. Embarkation in Honolulu was smooth and efficient. The
entire process took no more than 20 minutes. Tendering at the islands was
what we have come to expect from this process. Some rough seas did make it slow
at times, but the crew kept the process moving as best as they could under the
conditions. On the other hand, disembarkation was a bit of a
disappointment. The entire process was delayed over a half hour. When we finally
made it off the ship, we were greeted with hordes of other cruisers. Celebrity
Solstice houses three pools which is generous for a ship of its size. During
our days in Hawaii, there was adequate availability of loungers and room to
take a dip in one of the two outdoor pools. Once the weather turned a bit
cooler, the indoor Solarium was packed every day. Unless you woke up very early
in the morning, there was not a seat to be found. If you plan on cruising
Celebrity Solstice in Australia or Alaska, then the pool deck should
accommodate your need for sun, weather permitting. In our opinion, one thing that
has always set Celebrity Cruises apart from other cruise lines is service. When
cruising on any of the line's ships, we expect a greater attention to detail and
more personal service than some of the other larger, more contemporary cruise
lines. However, service on Celebrity Solstice was a bit mix during this
recent trip. Some staff did provide the service we expected, whereas others
seemed a bit indifferent or tired. Our stateroom attendant Jose was not the
most talkative staff member, but he always timed his daily cleanings
perfectly. The hard-working staff at Cafe al Bacio and the Martini Bar also
shined as they provided some of the friendliest and most attentive service
on the ship. We really enjoyed the chemistry between the cruise director
Lewis and Captain Tasos as well. They are by far the best we've had in a long time.
However, our waitstaff at dinner did not live up to our expectations. Given the
structure of the cruise, five port days in a row followed by five sea days in a
row, the cruise director Lewis and activities manager Kate did a good job
of offering a variety of activities. There were several matinees in the
theater featuring some of the very talented ship performers. We particularly
enjoyed performances by Lighthouse String Duo and Gilly and the Girl. Other
Celebrity Life activities included your typical trivia with various sessions
each day, bingo, officers versus passengers games, cooking demonstrations,
and more. The cruise also offered for-fee classes and seminars like food and wine
pairings, and hot glass classes. Additional presentations included the
beyond the podium talks featuring the very popular naturalist Brent Nixon.
On this 10 night cruise, we ate in the main dining room on eight occasions. One
surprising letdown was the food quality in the dining room. We both felt that the
food did not live up to Celebrity's typical standards. Having experienced the
same menu multiple times now, we were disappointed by many of our starters and
entree selections. Hopefully, this was just a fluke, as we typically love
the main dining room on Celebrity Cruises' ships. On the other hand, our two
dining experiences at the specialty restaurants were certainly up to the
cruise line's standards. On night 2, we dined at the Italian inspired Tuscan Grille. Our
experience was very similar to our first visit to this restaurant on Celebrity
Eclipse. Our starters were well prepared and our entrees, including the Princess'
chicken parm, were excellent. On night four, we dined at the Asian-inspired Silk
Harvest. Tasting a variety of small and large plates, we were fans of the tempura
shrimp, pad thai noodles, the orange chicken, and most of the other items we
sampled during our dinner. While not many ships in the fleet currently have this
restaurant, we would recommend dining here when cruising on Celebrity Solstice.
When it comes to casual daytime dining options,
you are a bit limited on the Solstice class. Of course, we knew this prior to
our trip. The Oceanview Cafe on Deck 14 offered a pretty standard breakfast
buffet along with a custom omelet station. The lunch buffet did not vary as
much as we expected which was a bit of a disappointment. Aside from the last day
of the cruise, the selection quality was average at best.
Another casual healthier option is the Aqua Spa Cafe located on Deck 12. This
venue is open for breakfast and lunch with light fare. Again, the highlight of
our cruise was Cafe al Bacio, which we visited multiple times a day for our
coffees and a few sweet treats. In the evenings, the cruise director and
activity staff hosted a variety of events. There were game shows like "Yes or No"
or "Family Feud" that featured fellow passengers. We highly recommend attending
or even participating as these short shows were fun to watch. Along with main
theater entertainment, there was also a variety of live music that occurred
throughout the ship as well as two DJs. You could also attend an improv comedy
show in Celebrity Central or watch a movie under the stars.
There are also some parties that took place on Celebrity Solstice in the grand
foyer, including two silent discos, the line's groove interactive party, and of
course a Hawaiian theme party night. While most events ended by 11:30 p.m., the
night club Quasar was usually open late.
Except for night one, there were two shows each evening in the main theater
occurring at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. The main theater entertainment included a
selection of production shows with our favorite being "Broken Strings". Additional
headliner acts included a piano prodigy, a comedian, and several guest vocalists which
were pretty typical of cruise ship entertainment. During our overnight in
Maui, a local group called Children of Hawaii performed to showcase music and
dancing from the region. The show was entertaining and felt very authentic. In
addition, the popular Liar's Club also occurred one evening the main
theater. This interactive and hilarious game show is not to be missed.
One of our favorite bars on Celebrity Cruises is the Martini Bar. This version on
Celebrity Solstice did not disappoint with well-made drinks, skillful
bartenders, and an equally engaged patronage during the trip. Many of the
other bars on Celebrity Solstice also offer signature drinks. The handcrafted
drinks at the World Class Bar were smooth and well-balanced, whereas the
signature drinks at the Sky Lounge offered some great alternatives to sip
during one of the themed events held there. Other options include the Sunset
Bar at the back of deck 15, the Cellar Masters wine bar, and the
relaxing Ensemble Lounge. All of these venues offer distinct drinks and a
unique atmosphere. Celebrity Solstice is scheduled for a major update as part of
the line's Revolutionary Project. We hope that the staterooms get some
attention as our balcony cabin, 7192, showed considerable signs of wear and tear.
Furniture and decor were dated and tired, and the outdoor patio furniture on our
balcony looked like it should have been replaced years ago. In comparison to
other balcony rooms, this room felt a bit more cramped than our cabin on Celebrity
Eclipse, though the bathroom and balcony we're roomier when compared to other
contemporary cruise lines. With some creative unpacking, there was just enough
storage for our 10 days worth clothes and gear. Perhaps it was the length of
the sailing or the itinerary, but the ship did not feel like it was sailing at
full capacity. This meant that there were virtually no
lines or waiting times at any of the venues. Getting to the shows 20 minutes
early gave you plenty of choices for seats. Even during peak buffet times,
tables became available quite quickly. Lines at the bars and coffee shop were
usually very short or non-existent. The tendering process was also handled
efficiently to minimize crowds. The only place we could feel the crowds was in
the Solarium during the chilly sea days. While five years have passed since we
last sailed on Celebrity Solstice, the ship still maintains many of the
signature features that make it a standout among the fleet. With well
themed bars and lounges, plentiful onboard activities and nightlife, and a
variety of main theater productions, there are certainly ways to keep
yourself entertained whether at sea or at port. For a ship of her age, the public
areas were well maintained, and the ship looked clean. Dining is usually one area
where Celebrity Cruises shines. Unfortunately, our dining experience on Celebrity Solstice
was not up to par with other previous experiences on ships in this fleet. Our
cabin too was another area that needed some TLC. We are sure that the cabins,
along with some of the other public areas, will be transformed as part of
the ship's 2021 revitalization. Celebrity Solstice regularly sails in Alaska and
Australia, and we definitely recommend the ship for either region as Celebrity
Solstice is the perfect backdrop to those ports of call. The ship offers
comfort and amenities that compliment the long days ashore
without being flashy or distracting. And while some areas of our trip did not
live up to our expectations, we would not hesitate to sail on a Solstice class
ship again in the near future. There you have it, that's our Celebrity Solstice
ship scorecard review. But of course, we'd love to hear from you. Let us know your
experience in sailing on this cruise ship in the comments below.
I'm DB from EatSleepCruise.com, and if you enjoyed this video, we'd really
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