chef2die4

We celebrated a birthday and a milestone anniversary on the cruise we took on the Solstice in June. Birthday was remembered in Blu with cake and well-wishes, with NO reminders to staff or waitstaff.

Anniversary was noted on the reservation through Celebrity, on the reservation with Murano, and personally noted the morning OF the reservation with the Murano maitre'd. It was completely and utterly ignored. No mention. No invite. No cake. No nothing. Also, Murano got our dessert order completely wrong. (we will NOT be dining in Murano again, for any reason)

These are really minor issues, and will not stop us from sailing Celebrity again whenever we can do it. However, if you are counting on something and have not paid for the add-on, don't get your hopes up.

Other than the minor quibble with Murano, it was a GREAT cruise, and we will be happy to sail again!

When we sailed in June, we turned off all roaming data (including voice) on the advice of our Verizon sales rep. This prevented any connection to other than a Verizon tower.

We didn't have any phones while at sea, obviously. During the port calls (Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and Victoria, BC), reception was okay except for Skagway, where we had to stand outside buildings to get reception.

No extra charges on our bill.

SHIP: Solstice

CABIN #: 1660

DECK #: 11

CLASS: A2

AREA: Aft

BED NEAR: Balcony

QUIET?: Very. Some corridor noise, but our neighbors were quite inconsiderate (or hard of hearing).

BALCONY VIEW: Excellent.

BALCONY SIZE: roomy enough for two chairs, two footstools, and a small table.

WIND A PROBLEM?:No. The overhang above deck 12 was really nice; protection from the rain and some nice shade in the afternoons.

SOOT A PROBLEM?:What soot?

PROBLEMS/COMMENTS:Nice cabin. A bit of a walk from the elevators midships, and the corridor to the cabin was very narrow for my husband (who discovered that he gets mildly seasick), but I would definitely book it again.

Charisma Mojito. It was the pour of the day one day. I know that Peychaud's Bitters was in it, plus something else (brandy?). But it was extremely nice to have on the deck by the pool! :D

Leaving on the Solstice two weeks from Friday!

I refuse to read the complaint threads! We are going to enjoy 7 days of not cooking or cleaning up the kitchen, somebody else making the bed and cleaning the bathroom, and sightseeing in places we have never been!

If the eggs are overcooked, well, I didn't have to cook them. :DIf the drinks are slow, well, I didn't have to make them, and I don't have to wash the glasses.:D

If the music is too loud, well, another drink might make me not care...:D

If the brunch is gone, well, it's our first cruise, so we don't know what we are missing.

If the drink packages are different, well, see above.

If the elite perks are not what they used to be, see the note about the first cruise!

I can't breathe--too excited!!!! :D:D

I second showing all cabins available in a class--what if I don't WANT the deck you arbitrarily show me? Interactive deck plans during cabin selection (like on the Princess or Norwegian websites).

Thank you for this advice! DH and I are going on our first cruise, and I have been dogging these boards looking for information, reading all the threads, agonizing about beverage packages, wondering if specialty restaurants are worth it, choosing excursions, and flapping around.:rolleyes::eek:

I like being informed, but you are absolutely right--it's time to relax, and start looking forward to the trip!

Have a great week!

Is there a way that anyone knows of, without surfing the net for hours, if there is a group or theme sailing on our specific cruise?

I just saw a video from a ship which involved a large group with musicians, etc, on a different cruise line, and was wondering if Celebrity would let us know if something like that was going on for our sailing?

Does this question even make sense?...

It's taken us more than 20 years to finally book a cruise. We're the "we're not cruise people" type of people, or at least we were.

 

We leave for an Alaskan cruise in July, chosen, in part, by the wonderful help on this board. I am surprised at how much time is taken up in my day by the obsession that is now the cruise (or is it cruise that is now the obsession?). I check Cruise Critic, I google the Volendam, I look at Alaska information...

 

So my question is, how do I stop obsessing about the cruise? It's still more than 3 months away.

 

Or do I? :)

 

Any advice welcome.

I think you are me! I could have written this post, substituting June and Solstice. 10 weeks tomorrow....:D

We sail on our first ever cruise in June. Celebrating our silver wedding anniversary.

To say I'm excited to go is like saying War and Peace is just a short book.

I CAN'T BREATHE!!!!!:D:D:D:D:D:D

Have a wonderful cruise!

*impatiently waiting for June on the Solstice in Alaska*