Royal Caribbean
This ship has elegant, understated decor in a semi-premium setting
The Ship. Celebrity Solstice is a sleek-looking ship, with two slim funnels. The vessel has a steeply sloping stern, which includes a mega-yacht-style ducktail platform above the propulsion pods, and is quite attractive. The ship’s name is positioned directly under the navigation bridge and not forward on the bows (for space reasons). An unusual feature is an outdoor grass area (Lawn Club); it’s open to all, so you can go putting, play croquet or bocce ball, or have a picnic on the grass, or walk barefoot.
Several pool and water-play areas are on Resort Deck; one within a glass-roofed solarium, a sports pool, a family pool, and a fun wet zone. The deck space around the two pools, however, isn’t large enough for the number of passengers carried.
The interior spaces are well designed, and the decor is elegant yet contemporary. Most of the entertainment rooms are positioned forward, with dining venues mostly located aft.
There’s a wine bar with a sommelier; a pre-dinner cocktail lounge that reflects the jazz age of the 1930s; a bar with the look of an ocean-going yacht; Quasar, a retro bar with large screens that create a nightly light show synchronized to music; and an observation lounge with a dance floor.
Celebrity’s signature Martini Bar has over 100 varieties of vodka, as well as Martinis. There’s also a small alcove called Crush with an ice-filled table where you can participate in caviar- and vodka-tasting, or host a private party. It’s noisy and congested, but can be a lot of fun.
A two-deck library is a delightful open-ended space, though books on the upper shelves are impossible to reach. The card room – located in the center of the ship, with no ocean-view windows to distract players – is open to noise from adjacent areas, so it’s useless as a serious card playing room. Fortunes Casino (non-smoking) has 16 gaming tables and 200 slot machines.
A Hot Glass Show, housed in an outdoor studio on the open deck as part of the Lawn Club and created in collaboration with Corning Museum of Glass, includes a novel glass-blowing show.
Public rooms include an Art Studio, for your artistic needs. Meanwhile The Alcoves are extra-cost ‘private’ Wi-Fi-equipped cabanas on deck ($149 per day on sea days and $99 on port days).
Passenger niggles include lack of usable drawer space in cabins; inadequate children’s facilities and staff during school holidays; congestion when you exit the showlounge; and noise in the lobby when the Martini Bar is busy.
Gratuities are automatically charged to your onboard account.
Accommodation. The accommodation is both practical and comfortable. There are numerous price grades, depending on size and location.
In non-suite-grade cabins there is little space between the bed and the wall, but all rooms include twin beds convertible to a queen- or king-size bed with premium bedding, sitting area, and vanity desk with hairdryer, but little drawer space. Although closets have good hanging space, other storage space is limited. Bathrooms have a shower enclosure, toilet, and tiny washbasin. A charge of $3.95 for room service applies between 11pm and 6am.
Note that cabins 1551–1597 on the port side and 1556–1602 on the starboard side on Penthouse Deck (Deck 11) suffer from ‘aircraft carrier’ syndrome because they are directly under the overhanging Resort Deck. They have little exposure to sun or light, so sunbathing is out of the question. Many thick supporting struts ruin the view from these cabins, which are otherwise pleasant enough.
Other accommodation grades are: Veranda; Family Veranda; Concierge; Ocean View; and Interior cabins (no view). Suite-grade categories are: Aqua; Sky; Celebrity; Royal; and Penthouse. Suites have much more space, plus larger balconies with good-quality sunloungers, and more personal amenities than standard cabins.
Dining. Grand Epernay, the principal dining room (included in the cruise price), is located towards the aft, and has ocean views on both sides. The design is contemporary; however, the almost-backless tub-style chairs are uncomfortable. At the forward end, a two-deck-high wine tower provides a fine talking point. The food is disappointing; the decreased quality all too obvious to repeat Celebrity passengers.
Suite occupants can dine in the exclusive setting of Luminae, a restaurant with tableside preparation of signature dishes, an eclectic menu, and a selection of over 400 wines.
Blu is a 130-seat specialty restaurant designated for occupants of Aqua-class cabins. The room has pleasing (but rather cold) blue decor. The ambience is cool.
Murano is an extra-cost, reservations-required venue offering high-quality traditional dining with a French flair and fine table settings.
The Tuscan Grille, an extra-cost, reservations-required venue, serves Kobe beef and premium quality steaks.
Silk Harvest is a Southeast Asian extra-cost dining venue serving unmemorable pan-Asian fusion cuisine.
Sushi on Five features extra-cost sushi and cooked items including noodle and hot pot dishes.
Café al Bacio & Gelateria, situated on one side of the main lobby, is a small coffeehouse serving Lavazza Italian coffee; lines quickly form at peak times.
Oceanview Café and Grill is the expansive, tray-less, casual self-serve buffet venue. It has a number of food islands rather than those awful straight buffet counters. The signage is reasonable, but condiments are hard to find.
The AquaSpa Café is for light, healthier options (solarium fare), but the selections need improvement.
Entertainment. The 1,115-seat Solstice Theatre, the main showlounge, stages custom-designed, circus-themed production shows. Meanwhile, colorful theme nights take place in the Observation Lounge. The 200-seat Celebrity Central hosts comedy, cooking demonstrations, enrichment lectures, and feature films. Quasar is a high-pulse, high-volume nightclub. An Entertainment Court showcases street performers. The Ensemble Lounge is a big-band-era cocktail lounge with live jazz.
Spa/Fitness. The large Canton Ranch SpaClub at Sea is laid out over two decks. A large fitness center includes kinesis (pulleys against gravity) workout equipment, plus all the familiar muscle-pumping cardio-vascular machinery. An extra-cost, unisex thermal suite features several steam and shower mist rooms with fragrances such as chamomile, eucalyptus, and mint, and a glacial ice fountain, plus a calming relaxation area with heated tiled beds, and an acupuncture center.