waverleycruiser

SHIP: Solstice

CABIN #: 1112

DECK #: 10

CLASS: CS

AREA: Mid Ship

BED NEAR: Separate, on left hand side of cabin

QUIET?: Very.

BALCONY VIEW: Unobstructed, on hump. Great views

BALCONY SIZE: Good - double size with table, two chairs plus rattan lounger

WIND A PROBLEM?: No more than normal but wind noise on high seas day could possibly be a problem for anyone sleeping in sitting area but no wind noise heard when in the separate bedroom

SOOT A PROBLEM?: None noticed

PROBLEMS/COMMENTS: Good cabin and no noise from atrium or anywhere else. Very creaky in high seas but managed to stick bits of card in offending bits of the panels which helped enormously. Beware the door stop in the bedroom. Stubbed my toe on first morning and thereafter covered it (the door stop!) with a shoe. Also needs a hook or wedge for walk in wardrobe to keep door open so take your own wedge.

Glad you asked this question. As a very late newcomer to iPad, I hadn't realised there was a difference. Going to have to get an adapter now. :rolleyes:

 

If your cashmere jumpers can tolerate being washed in hot water and dried in a hot dryer, the answer is yes. I suspect they cannot. You could have them dry cleaned.

 

I have never had any laundry come back on hangers unless I paid the per piece price. What you send out in a bag comes back in the same bag. Usually somewhat wrinkled.

 

Linda

 

Thanks Linda. Think we'll save the cashmere wash for home. Might just have to buy another before we go to keep me going. Oh dear, how sad - such a shame!!

Glad to hear that! Anyone know if dresses, tops and knitwear come on hangers too and could I trust my cashmere jumpers with the laundry team? Thanks[/QUOTE]

 

Just to clarify my question - I'm not suggesting theft, just will they be kind to the knitwear!

Our shirts and pants came back on hangars!

Glad to hear that! Anyone know if dresses, tops and knitwear come on hangers too and could I trust my cashmere jumpers with the laundry team? Thanks

This is a very interesting comment. For a recent cruise, I received the TA copy of the invoice by mistake. TA's could not possibly be giving OBC some posters claim without cruise line participation. The agency would be out of business. I can't wait to see comments on this information.

That ties in with what my TA told me - that some TAs may advertise OBC as if it were being supplied by them but it was in fact a cruise line offer. Perhaps some TAs are better negotiators with Celebrity?

This is a very interesting comment. For a recent cruise, I received the TA copy of the invoice by mistake. TA's could not possibly be giving OBC some posters claim without cruise line participation. The agency would be out of business. I can't wait to see comments on this information.

Deleted due to hijacking by predictive text. Grrrr!

TA buys the OBC as if they were buying any other Bon Voyage gift in some cases. If they have a group booking, one of the included perks may be OBC and people think it is from the TA, but is actually from the cruise line.

Thanks for the reply. I think that if we cruise again, we will shop around the TAs and try to play them off each other!

Interesting to hear yet again of "TA provided OBC". Having read of this on many posting on CC, I asked my own TA If there was any OBC she could offer us on our not too cheap trip and her reply was that she'd never heard of such a thing and in any case there was no facility for her to access our celebrity account to apply any such discount. Perhaps this is not done in the UK? Anyone else in UK managed to wangle some OBC from their TA?

I've asked this question before but got no replies but as its relevant to this thread, I'll pop the question again which is: is there a plan showing crew doors/server points etc? Like everyone else, we choose our cabin very carefully and we'd like it to be an informed choice. I feel for the folks who've paid out for their holiday to have it marred by constant banging doors and crew noise.

Good morning, your TA needs to email you a "PAID IN FULL" invoice.

When using a Travel Agent, that is the one who needs to give you

paperwork. You won't seen anything from Celebrity.

Thanks for the reminder. We paid our trip in full at our TA office two weeks ago. They said funds would have to clear our account, then their own account before it would officially show as paid in full. (In this day and age, why do we have to wait for 'funds to clear!) TA said they'd then issue a final invoice and e docs then we could get our heads together to plan and book the trips, book restaurants and spa treatments all of which we have done ourselves - months ago! Not heard a dickie bird from them since. Not sure why we involve a TA. Next time I think we'll deal direct with Celebrity or use a UK based US agent. Sorry to hi-jack the OP's thread.

Here's PDF of just pillow page.

Thanks - much appreciated

I realize the JPG is difficult to read.

Thanks for taking the trouble to post this info. I am struggling to read the pillow menu but can make out the 'hypo allergenic' option in the middle of the three options. Could you tell me briefly what the other two options are? Thanks. (Like another poster, feather pillow are just a no-no for me)

I happened to have worked with infection control in a hospital for a number of years and the big push is towards proper hand hygiene. Hand washing is the most effective means of hand hygiene as the germs are washed away....the soap doesn't have to kill it.

I agree. Sad to say I saw a lady come out a the toilet cubicle, by-pass the wash hand basins, grabbed the door handle and exited. This was in a hospital!!

Can you recall if the taps in the cloakrooms on Celebrity have sensors/have paddle type handles or are just twist and turn? Twist and turn are not hygienic at all and I always use issue to turn them off (after having washed my hands) and to touch the door handle.

I doubt that you will be close enough, as the Solstice isn't due in til probably 5 or 6am. It is possible that you get outside the harbour (Sydney heads) much earlier but probably not like the 9 hours required and even then I doubt you will see them.

Thanks for the help anyway.

No and yes.

You will miss the fireworks as they happen on the 25th but you will dock at the OPT. The solstice is my favourite ship, enjoy.:D

Thanks for the quick reply and glad to hear we'll still berth at the OPT. After I sent the post, I remembered I could check berthing calendars with another website and that confirms what you say. Phew! I realied the party is the day before but just wondered if we might just be close enough to Sydney to catch the fireworks. Have fun all the folks who will be on board.

All the details on Cruise Critic today: http://www.cruisecritic.com.au/news/news.cfm?ID=6462

 

Cabins still available for all cruises arriving into Sydney on 25 November. Who's going??

We are arriving on the Celebrity Solstice on 26th, sailing in from Taz. Do you think we may see the fireworks and do you know if Solstice will still berth at Circular Quays, between the bridge and the Opera House? I do hope so as that's going to be one of the many highlights of our trip!

any idea how long they'll be on board for? Our 14th November cruise has mysteriously disappeared from the website......

OK - found the answer on a certain search engine. Their trip is 21st October to 2nd November

I was just reviewing some shore excursions for this cruise and noticed certain excursions were for Abraham-Hicks and I googled to find out that this is a large group on our cruise. We had no idea and since this is a B2B and airfare is already paid for, we are concerned.

Has anyone had this kind of experience prior with a large group such as this? I am very disappointed and a possibility we can still cancel before final payment.

Suggestions?

any idea how long they'll be on board for? Our 14th November cruise has mysteriously disappeared from the website......

One should be careful when following the news media. Istanbul remains a terrific city for tourists (one of our favorite in the world) and like most large cities does have its problems. But seldom does this impact on tourists or the main tourist areas. As a matter of fact, we just (2 days ago) were at a party with 2 Gay Gentleman (very old friends) who just returned from 2 weeks in Turkey. They actually were in Istanbul for the Gay Pride "event" and had a great time....despite some interference by local authorities.

 

And one needs to also be careful with geography. Most of the serious problems in Turkey are happening in the far Southeast (near Syria) which has about as much impact on Istanbul as violence on the Texas border (with Mexico) has on New York City.

 

Hank

Well said Hank, Tessikur ederim......

Thanks to you and "waverleycruiser" for your responses. That's about what I had concluded. I had forgotten about the complimentary dinners. Thanks for the reminder.

 

Quesion: Both of you said we got two complimentary dinners. Since this is a seven day cruise, I think we only get one complimentary dinner. Hope I'm wrong.

 

I suspect we may do the premium beverage for the wines.

 

Wife will love the idea that she has lots of OBC to spend.

Think that sadly you are right and that you may only have one SD freebie. Our trip is 12 nights and was basing my comment on that. Think I need to have a word with my travel agent as I've not been offered any OBC or any other perks. Well done you getting a good deal!

First, thanks for the wonderful review. We're booked in a CS on Silhouette in Nov 16. It will be our first Celebrity cruise. We have a ton of OBC and the 1-2-3 package. I was considering buying a specialty package and a premium beverage upgrade.

 

Pretty clear that you think Luminae is a superior option but considering that this will be our first Celebrity cruise and have never visited any of the specialty restaurants, would you still recommend just dining in Luminae?

 

Second question, do you see a big need to upgrade to a premium beverage package?

 

Most of the OBC is refundable from our TA.

We are in a CS later in the year and thanks to all the feedback from other posters, we've come to the conclusion its not worth upgrading pre cruise. You will have 2 complimentary Specialty Restaurant bookings anyway and, with the Michaels Club complimentary drinks and your basic alcohol package you are pretty well covered. If you are big fancy cocktail drinkers then perhaps you could ugrade part way through the cruise, using up your OBC or just pay for it on the nose as you go. Happy days!

Thank you so much for the suggestions of asking the steward for a top sheet or a light blanket on the bed. I never thought of that, which makes me feel a little stupid. :o

 

No matter what ship I am on the cabin temperatures fluctuate and I go from hot to cool to cold and back to hot again all night. I'd like to blame it on my age but it doesn't happen to me at home, so I don't know what to blame it on. Having a top sheet would help so much.

Hey Margie - when/if you do have a 'tropical moment' try folding a sheet up and putting it into the fridge half an hour before bed. Its bliss having the coolness on a sweltering night. (I'm not joking, I did do this!)

We booked in the UK, with a TA, 15 months in advance. A special offer subsequently came out and I was able to get the new 'perks' but only after Celebrity re-calculated the fare, I suppose the equivalent of cancelling and re-booking. Overall it was better value to pay the extra on the cruise and take the perks (free grats, classic drinks and $300 OBC). All this was done while our normal TA account handler was on holiday and her colleague dealt with it for us but when our account handler came back, she said normally Celebrity wouldn't consider doing what we'd done. Hey Ho!

Thanks everyone - more or less what I expected. Usually sea days, usually not the first or last night! Just trying to judge when to book the hairdresser - very important stuff, don't you know!

Maggie