 Expert Review |  | | | | |
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Solstice is the first of a new class of five vessels to be launched through 2012, and on the first swing Celebrity has hit it out of the park. In many cases, a cruise line's "new class" often means just a larger, or slightly tweaked, version of a previous design. At 122,000 tons, Solstice has the size credentials, being the largest Celebrity ship ever launched, but there's much more to this vessel. Solstice has one of the best interior architecture designs we've ever seen, and passenger flow is excellent. While the ship's passenger-to-space ratio is standard for the industry, we never felt crowded and never experienced a single long line. On our completely full sailing the ship felt half-empty. Solstice is also an extremely easy ship to navigate, even for first-time cruisers. Everything is clustered: all the entertainment is forward; the food is aft; and -- insiders are quick to point out -- the money (casino, reception, shops) is in the middle. Even the specialty restaurants are all clustered on a single deck (Deck 5). Solstice's style blossoms from the root of its name, "sol," meaning "sun." Even the casino chips bear images of the sun, a different stylistic representation on each denomination. And the sun plays an important role for the ship, from powering the 216 solar panels that contribute -- although to a minor extent -- to the ship's electrical grid, to nurturing what is perhaps the most unique feature of this, or any other, ship: a full half-acre of lush living grass. Called the Lawn Club, this area features bocce courts, a putting course and the Hot Glass Show, where passengers can delight in seeing the creation of complex works of glass art from basic raw materials to the finished objects. Other "green" innovations include improvements in hull design and coatings, which boost fuel efficiency, and the use of eco-friendly refrigerants and lighting. | | |  top | | | | First Glimpse
Mark Your Calendars: Future Cruise Ship Orders In honor of the first day of summer (June 21) -- also known as summer solstice -- Celebrity revealed the most significant details to date about its new prototype Celebrity Solstice. The 122,000-ton, 2,850-passenger ship, intended to be the first in a class of four, is Celebrity's largest ever -- by a long shot. It officially debuts on December 14, 2008 (so it's still a year and a half away), with a series of seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruises out of its winter homeport in Ft. Lauderdale. Most of the specifics Celebrity unveiled relate to accommodations, which makes sense as it has been publicizing the fact that members of the Captain's Club (its past-passenger program) can start booking immediately. And so the cabin info was key -- it's rather difficult to book a stateroom category sight unseen. But whether you're a Celebrity veteran or a first-timer (sales open to all on July 5), the ship's design is intriguing at least as far as we can tell from the cruise line's Web site. Some highlights? Cabin decor gives a hint about overall design of all spaces, including public rooms and recreation areas, onboard. In this case staterooms are very sleek, contemporary, minimalist ... the very antithesis of fussy or busy. On the main page (scroll all the way down) there's a tantalizing peak of a handful of the ship's public areas -- and they do mirror the style of the cabins. Check out the renderings of Blu, a boutique restaurant, and the ship's solarium. Brand-new to Celebrity is a category of AquaClass cabins. These 192-square-ft. staterooms, with 53-square-ft. balconies, are aimed at passengers who want a spa-oriented cruise. Folks who reside in these cabins located on the Penthouse Deck, which we can only presume is in the AquaSpa neighborhood, get unlimited access to the AquaSpa relaxation room, the Persian Garden and Blu. Speaking of Blu, it's the only restaurant mentioned today and since it's paired with the ship's spa staterooms it's safe to say that it will feature healthful cuisine. Incidentally, timed with the departure of Michel Roux, the Michelin-starred chef who was a long time celebrity chef and consultant with Celebrity, the line has hired a new "Michel," so to speak. It's developed a relationship with Elizabeth Blau, who operates a Las Vegas-based restaurant consultancy. Blau's known for creating upscale eateries for high-end hotels; she's been involved in projects including Vegas' Bellagio (which has restaurants operated by Le Cirque's Sirio Maccioni and Prime's Jean-Georges Vongerichten), Miami's Setai and Cabo San Lucas' One & Only Palmilla. Suites onboard -- in this case in traditional Celebrity categories such as Penthouse, Royal, Celebrity and Sky -- naturally feature enhanced amenities and services. They'll all have a long list of butler-style extras, such as packing and unpacking; full menu meal service for breakfast, lunch and dinner; and free espresso and cappuccino. The Family Veranda stateroom is another "new" twist that will debut on Celebrity Solstice, measuring a pretty generous 753 square ft. (balconies range in size, from 53 to 105 square ft.). The bedroom is separate from the living room, which will be equipped with fold-out couches; there's also an extra alcove, just big enough for twin bunks. Conceivably, six people could manage easily here. However, what's a puzzle to us considering the current industry trend in family accommodations is that they're designing bathrooms with showers only. Younger kids especially prefer bathtubs. As well (and as Disney has discovered), a half bath is a particularly good idea in a family scenario. There's no half bath here. One of the boasts Celebrity had made when it originally announced the design of its Solstice-class ships was the fact that cabins would be larger than usual. Well, they definitely are a bit larger than those on Celebrity's Millennium class when comparing standard balcony staterooms (which at 170 square ft. are frankly pretty teeny-tiny for a cruise line at this level). But anyone expecting something bigger than industry standard will be disappointed; these standard staterooms are no bigger than those offered on new ships in fleets for Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean and Carnival. Fare-wise, how will this ship stack up against others in the fleet? Despite its rather pedantic itineraries (there are two seven-nighters; the first calls at St. Kitts, St. Maarten and San Juan, the second at San Juan, St. Maarten, Tortola and Labadee, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity's private beach in Haiti), they're pretty similar at this point. . Cruise Critic member Schplinky reports that he was quoted some fares for a February 1, 2009 sailing: an AquaSpa cabin was $1,600, ConciergeClass was $1,425 and a standard balcony was about $1,250. For a new ship, that's not too much of a premium; balcony cabins on Celebrity Millennium's Eastern Caribbean seven-nighters this winter are going for $1,149. --by Carolyn Spencer Brown, Editor | | | | top | | | | Public Rooms
The slogan for the ship is "food is at the aft end; entertainment is up front; and the money is in the middle." To that end, the restaurants are clustered aft of the atrium, and the Solstice Theatre (main show lounge) is fully forward. Between the main atrium and the Solstice Theatre is a mini-atrium, anchored at Deck 4's "Entertainment Court," the nexus for nighttime entertainment. Amidships, in between the dining and entertainment venues, are the casino, reception and a mind-boggling 19 boutiques and shops, covering every genre and price point. Show me the money! In another cluster, various landings for the main atrium's elevators have been expanded to accommodate the card room, library, a museum-like interactive environmental awareness experience called "Team Earth," and the Internet cafe. The 24-hour library is spectacular, extending vertically for two decks, with towering bookshelves extending the full height of the room. The Internet cafe is a typical onboard facility with plenty of dedicated laptops (augmenting the stem-to-stern Wi-Fi) and enrichment classes in various popular applications from Word to Photoshop. | | | | top | | | | Cabins
Solstice juxtaposes bright sunlit colors, windows and skylights above with warm browns, tans, golds and reds in the carpets, furniture and wood trim below to warm up what might have otherwise been a stark decor. This stylistic stamp is most evident in the ship's cabins. Our comfortable 194-square-ft. Deluxe Veranda cabin was carpeted in red and gold, with blond teak and walnut paneling and furniture. The couch and chairs were upholstered in cream leather, and the desk-cum-makeup table was topped with beige speckled marble. The balcony was, at 54 square ft., too small for anything more elaborate than sunbathing on one of the two webbed chaises or scenery watching. Between the two lounges was a teak-topped pedestal table. Our bathroom was a pleasant surprise. We liked the curved acrylic shower door (in lieu of the oft maligned shower curtain) in specific, and the spaciousness and contemporary styling of the room in general. The quality ceramic tiles in varying shades of light browns gave the impression that the bathroom was custom-decorated, rather than prefab, as it no doubt was. We also gave high marks for storage space. Our only real beefs: a wall-mounted shaving or makeup mirror would have been nice, and the quality of the bath tissue, which was single ply and rough to the touch, was poor. Bathroom products all come from the Elemis line, in keeping with modern "product placement" marketing. (Elemis is the spa operator for the ship.) Storage space was very good, with many nooks, crannies and cubbies to store stuff, in addition to the normal closet shelves and hanger bars. Other amenities are typical: robes, safes and refrigerator/mini-bars. Even in a stateroom studded with high-tech electronics, the mini-bar accounting is handled by ticking off items on a usage list (thankfully) rather than by one of those automatic refrigerator sensor thingies. The centerpiece of this room -- as well as those in all other categories -- is the large, LCD flat-screen television interfaced with a Mac mini computer, through which passengers can book reservations, services, and excursions; examine their accounts; check menus; and watch on-demand entertainment. The channel lineup includes everything from cartoons to classic TV to free movies (offered in two languages), a CBS sampler ("Eye on Celebrity"), cable travel, sports and news channels, ship information channels and multi-genre music channels. For those who left their laptops at home and still wish to access the Internet in-suite, they can do so using their stateroom's combination full keyboard and remote control. However, we found the system to be slow, clumsy and difficult to use, so if surfing the Web in your stateroom is a priority, bringing your own laptop still makes sense. As one might expect, the larger the cabin, the larger the screen. The minimum is 32 inches, increasing to 52 inches for the largest suites. At the minimum end, basic inside cabins measure from 183 to 200 square ft., and represent 10 percent of inventory. Of the 1,279 cabins with ocean views (including suites), 1,205 have balconies -- a whopping 85 percent of total inventory, oceanview and inside combined. At the opposite extreme are the two Penthouse Suites, measuring 1,291 square ft. with 389-square-ft. balconies featuring. These cabins offer floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors, separate living room/dining room, baby grand piano, full bar, sofa queen sleeper, two 52-inch LCD TV's (the one in the living room has surround sound), full passenger bath, and a master bath with a whirlpool tub, shower stall with dual shower heads, double washbasins and even a 26-inch LCD TV. The verandah has a second whirlpool and lounge seating. The 44 Sky Suites represent the bulk of the suite inventory. They measure 300 square ft. with 79-square-ft. verandahs accessed through floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors, and have two beds convertible to queen-size and bathrooms with a shower/tub combination and washbasin. The living room has a sofa queen sleeper, vanity and 40-inch LCD TV. One step down from the Sky Suites are the 130 Aqua Class staterooms. This is an entirely new class and concept of accommodations for Celebrity. The footprint of these cabins is identical to that of Concierge, Sunset Veranda and Deluxe Ocean View staterooms (192 square ft./53-square-ft. verandah). The difference is in privileges and amenities. Located on Deck 11 near the AquaSpa, these rooms include an expanded assemblage of spa-oriented cosmetics, gels and bath amenities; upgraded linens, including a selection from the "pillow menu"; Frette robes and slippers; complimentary bottled water; a daily carafe of flavor-infused iced tea; canapes; and access to an exclusive room service menu of salads, whole grains and healthy dining choices. The bathroom features a five-head Hansgrohe invigorating "shower tower." As mentioned earlier, AquaSpa passengers have their own specialty restaurant, Blu, and complimentary use of the AquaSpa Relaxation Room and Persian Garden (described later), a value of about $100 per passenger based on a seven-night cruise. Lastly, a "spa concierge" is available to assist in booking treatments, providing product information, and offering recommendations from the wellness library. Though there is no onboard concierge (other than the spa concierge), passengers in Concierge Class staterooms may avail themselves of concierge-type services (such as restaurant and private car reservations ashore) from the Passenger Relations department. This category has other perks as well: a full breakfast room service menu, nightly canap?s, and complimentary welcome aboard Champagne. Other Concierge Class upgrades are similar to aspects of AquaSpa cabins: Egyptian cotton oversized bath towels, Hansgrohe massaging showerhead and Frette robes. Shoeshine service is complimentary, as is use of a golf umbrella and binoculars. Priority treatment takes the form of priority check-in, luggage delivery, embarkation and debarkation. Families can take advantage of 121 connecting staterooms and four Family Ocean View Staterooms with verandahs. These rooms measure a massive 575 square ft. with one master bedroom plus a second bedroom (with a single twin bed) and sitting area with a sofa (convertible to trundle bed). Solstice has 30 state-of-the-art wheelchair-accessible staterooms, covering a wide range of categories from Inside to Sky Suite. Eighty percent (24) are outside, and 20 of the 30 accessible cabins have accessible balconies. All accessible staterooms have additional square footage over their non-accessible counterparts and have 32-inch-wide automatic doors with sitting-level key card slots. Most accessible staterooms feature five-foot turning radiuses. Bathrooms have roll-in showers, ramped thresholds, and lowered fixtures. A service animal relief box is available on request. Suites feature the services of a butler, who will, among other chores, assist in the moving of heavy luggage as well as packing and unpacking. | | | | top | | | | Entertainment
During the day Celebrity offers a number of choices for enrichment and entertainment. Those who can't bear the thought of disembarking without winning just one more luggage tag can compete in multiple games of trivia, game shows and the ever-popular Celebrity chestnut, "Battle of the Sexes." Passengers who would like to disembark with a bit more brain power than they came aboard with can attend educational programming ranging from computing lessons in the Internet cafe to lectures on a range of subjects. On our sailing, the two lecturers were a self-improvement specialist and a real-life crime scene investigator discussing forensic science. Celebrity Tastings, an annex to the art auction's main gallery, hosted samplings of wine and other libations, such as single malt and Irish whiskies, Port wine and rums. A dedicated wine tasting venue on Deck 4 called Cellar Masters offers a daily wine tasting in the afternoon or evening, featuring a different wine region each day and including in-depth discussions with knowledgeable sommeliers. Also, passengers can conduct do-it-yourself wine tastings 24 hours a day in Cellar Masters by purchasing a "wine card," inserting it in an automatic dispenser for a particular type of wine, and dispensing a measured one, two or four ounces into their glass. In the evenings, vodka and caviar tastings take place in Crush, adjacent to the Martini Bar. Crush's centerpiece is a table filled with shaved ice in the center. Arguably, the most unique enrichment experience is the "Hot Glass Show," where passengers can sit surrounded by the grass of the Lawn Club and watch a master from the Corning Museum of Glass practicing his or her art, with a second artist providing commentary. This goes light years beyond the demonstrations we're all used to seeing at the Murano glass factories. Then there are the standbys we all expect: art auctions, bingo, dance lessons and the like. One disappointment -- and this comes from someone who doesn't spend a lot of time in casinos -- is that the casino on Solstice is entirely too small for a 2,850-passenger ship and could use more gaming tables. At most, four blackjack tables would be open at any given time, and only one of those had a five-dollar minimum. A decent variety of musical performances -- on deck, in lounges or in the main showroom -- cover a variety of musical styles. These included a solo steel pan player, a classical string quartet, solo pianists, a jazz combo and big band stylings from the main show band. Solstice Theatre, the ship's main show lounge is an extremely well designed room with excellent sightlines and semicircular rows of comfortable theater seats, all with good views of the stage. There are no tables, but drink holders have been added to the armrests. Normally three production shows take place on a seven-night cruise; one of the shows is a Cirque du Soleil-inspired circus show, while the other two are standard revues with the star aerialists used like featured dancers. Other main show lounge performances included a singer, and welcome aboard and farewell shows. Shore excursions were handled efficiently and smoothly. We didn't find anything new or unique on our sailing, but we were, after all, on an Eastern Caribbean itinerary. Our offerings may not reflect the choices available on Solstice's European cruises. | | | | top | | | | Fitness and Recreation
Spa services are conducted by Elemis, Ltd. (a division of Steiner), and include a dizzying array of spa treatments including a variety of massage offerings from sports to New Age and everything in between. A standard 50-minute massage is $110, excluding bells, whistles and hot stones. Elemis also offers teeth whitening and acupuncture. The Persian Garden, a Millennium-Class idea expanded to Solstice and its future siblings, is central physically and conceptually to Celebrity's AquaSpa concept. The area includes a coed sauna and steam room, tropical rain shower and heated ocean-view relaxation chairs. The facility is available for free to AquaClass passengers and for $99 to all other passengers (based on a one-week cruise.) AquaSpa pools include a circular spa pool, a swim pool and two whirlpools in the Solarium. Though the AquaSpa pools are closed to children, the main pool area does include a family pool (shallow for youngsters), separated narrowly from the "Sports Pool" on one side and the "Wet Zone" on the other. The Wet Zone is a flat area with vertical fountain jets that fire at random; it's great fun for kids to play in, or for anyone wishing for a quick cool down. Together these three form Solstice's main pool area, accompanied by four hot tubs. A fully-stocked and staffed gym sports all the newest fitness machines, as well as a serpentine jogging track (eight laps to the mile). The nicest recreational area is the Lawn Club, and though Celebrity is careful to avoid excess wear and tear on the living grass, the ship's own backyard does feature a bocce court and a three-hole putting course. At the forward end of the ship, on Deck 15, is a basketball court. | | | | top | | | | Family
The forward area including the basketball court on Deck 15 is ground zero for kids aboard Solstice. The court is sandwiched between the two dedicated kids' areas: X-Club (for kids ages 12 - 17) on the port side and Fun Factory (for 3- to 11-year-olds) on the starboard side. The rooms are of about equal dimensions and are stocked to the rafters with age-appropriate gear. The teen area also features a soft drink "bar" with a popcorn machine. Also clustered with the kids' clubs is the video arcade. In addition to that room's complement of the latest bleep, beep and zap machines, kids also have access to Wii consoles and foosball and air hockey tables. The well-staffed youth program includes organized activities for five age groups, as follows: Shipmates, ages 3 - 5, and Cadets, ages 6 - 8, offer dinosaur hunts, Sponge Bob trivia, face painting and water games. Ensigns (9 - 11) are engaged in scavenger hunts, pool games, bingo, basketball and game shows. Teens are split up into two groups. Those in the 12 - 14 sector participate in "tweens" activities like pool Olympics, game shows and karaoke, and those in the 15 - 17 group, which have less structured schedules, have a prom party and a "Dancing with the Stars" event. In lieu of group babysitting, Solstice provides lunch, dinner and slumber parties for kids ages 3 to 11, so parents can lunch, sup and party at night sans kids. These "parties" go for $6 per child per hour. Individual in-cabin babysitting is available for one or two children 12 months or older for $8 per hour per child. Family accommodations include four family cabins and 121 connecting cabins, as mentioned above. | | | | top | | | | Fellow Passengers
The typical Celebrity passenger is mid-50's, traveling as a couple, sophisticated and appreciative of the better things in life. The majority are from the United States, but that balance, as well as the ratio of couples to families with kids may shift between the Caribbean and European seasons. | | | | top | | | | Dress Code
The two levels of dress on Solstice are smart casual and formal. Two formal nights take place on a seven-night cruise. A large percentage of men opt for the tuxedo route. | | | | top | | | | Gratuity
A gratuity of $11.50 per passenger per night is automatically charged to shipboard accounts. --by Steve Faber. San Francisco-based Faber is a longtime contributor to Cruise Critic whose work has also appeared in Cruise Travel and the Miami Herald. | | | | top | | | | | Expert reviews are provided by CruiseCritic.com, an award-winning cruise community. This objective information can help you choose just the right ship for your next cruise vacation. | |  | |
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