6andy6

BUT the free city tourist bus will be charging $5 for adults ( free for kids) from August/September 2013 following the recent city council budget decision......

Coffee makes my day...that's way I don't have instant out of a freeze dried pack I've brought on board.

Just go and buy one at the cafe...

...and as another matter. If your not already aware you cannot 'just' take bags off the ship (small little backpacks and handbags obviously an exception) without permission.

On our Solstice cruise, in both New Zealand and Australia there were explicit instructions that any luggage being taken off had to be cleared via Guest Relations with local Customs and Immigration.

I am not aware of the complete reasons but it could range from drug and food checks to ensuring you were not bringing in 'commercially saleable' goods and trying to get around duties and taxes to even being illegal immigrants trying to jump ship.

TBH , in answer to your other question I am not immediately aware of any 'longer' term luggage storage apart from the airport and railway station left luggage which is usually, due to pricing, not more than a few hours to a day or two.

Of course, looking at the other side of all this.

The Aussie dollar drops to much it will be a moot point about the influx of US cruise ships.....while a good portion of the passengers are from North America, it is rounded out by quiet afewaustralias otherwise most ships would likely be sailing at 60% full.

So if the Aussie dollar drops to much....and costs go up. Bye bye local cruise boom (I'm not talking about P&O or Carnival who use A$ on board).

Hallelujah!

Never quite understood why the pound was as high as it is....the country makes nothing having decimated most of its industry and sold its taxpayer built enterprises to people that proceeded to rip the heart of them all for 30 pieces of silver. Even the speculation is built on nothing more than organised gambling....:p

But seriously, I can understand the US currency being high. The US is such a powerhouse of consumption, and it is kept afloat by its love of all things military...in fact much of its industry depends on defence spending and contracts. Never understood the pound.......

Yes, even though the official language is french in Noumea, it is still very easy to get around, they do have someone who can speak english in the information centre. :D

New Caledonia is a french overseas territory for those that don't know..in the same way as Tahiti is with a big european (french) population (Noumea is the capital). About 3 hours from Australia and between Australia and Fiji.

Still have vivid memories of visiting several years ago and watching a squad of uber fit French Foreign legion (or their equivilant of marines) training along the beach carry heavy napsacks running through the sand. I'm sure some of the girls would have loved it...they were topless. :rolleyes::p

We live in Florida and are taking a Celebrity Solstice cruise from Sydney to Auckland. We will be taking a land tour first to Cairns, Ayers Rock, Alice Springs and Sydney. After the cruise we will fly home from Auckland.

 

I think it would be better to break up the flights by stopping for a night in LAX each way. My husband thinks it wouldn't be worth the hassle of going to a hotel with all the luggage and then back the next day.

 

We will be traveling with a group of 10 and we are all young seniors. What would you recommend?

I am of the opposite opinion. Sorry folk I think some of you are mad to say 'push thro'. At what point do you give your poor body's rest......

I do the same whether travelling to the US or Europe. To Europe, which can be from 20 hours to 24, I will fly to Singapore ( 7hrs) , stay in a hotel so my body gets a full nights sleep in a horizontal position then a 13-14 hr flight onto Europe ( ideally around 10am) so fooling the body it's flying during its natural daytime cycle. As for the US, I would never think of flying from Australia thro to the East Coast in one flight - same concept - 13-14 flight - land west coast break rest/sleep- flight next morning onwards for 4-5 hours to east coast.

Helps body adjustment, sanity, your not getting home driving around doing chores that first day light headed (so therefore some of you are saying you drive your autos not having 100% faculties - sleep deprivation IS the equivalent of driving under the influence of alcohol in reaction time and concentration).

Nope..ease into a flight..break it up into its parts...arrive very much less jet lagged.

That was an OLD/ERRONEOUS version of a copy/paste. Deck 8 was wrong. Here is the corrected version.

 

Resort Deck: 2105, 2109, 2106, 2110

Penthouse Deck: 1547, 1552, 1601, 1605, 1606, 1610

Sky Deck: 1075, 1044, 1231, 1243, 1247, 1108, 1120, 1124

Panorama Deck: 9155, 9192, 9209, 9215, 9237, 9241, 9266, 9270, 9292, 9296

Vista Deck: 8197, 8160, 8257, 8253, 8279, 8283, 8226, 8230, 8252, 8256

Sunrise Deck: 7159, 7206, 7215, 7219, 7241, 7245, 7260, 7264, 7286, 7290

Continental Deck: 6155, 6156, 6209, 6215, 6237, 6241, 6210, 6214, 6236, 6240

Even this is incorrect so check a deck plan. Missing is our cabin on Vista - 8228- which is between 8226 and 8230. 8228 balcony is bigger than 8226 and smaller than 8230.

Don't shoot the messenger. The OP is only making a comment about about the music being so loud. I agree that the acoustics when the band is playing on Deck 3 on the S-class ships is very lousy.

 

Since when can't someone here on Cruise Critic post their comments about Celebrity whether they be negative or positive.

There is a difference between a legitimate critism of a line (music is taste so is it legitimate?.....must like complaining about a choice of curtains) and being absolute anal about things and 'oh, how the line have changed and not r the better sob sob sob' which appears the mantra more and more. What thy r saying is its not necessarily worse....it's moved THEM out of their stationary comfort zone.

I mean I have even heard complaints from weather, to boring ports.....for gods sake....Celebrity don't control weather, nor do they instruct you that 'you must book this cruise'. I'm sorry but people are getting pathetic in their complaints ...another one I read.....room attendant came to room 3 or 4 times a day (gasp) but no, they didn't put out a do not disturb sign....and no doubt if he hadn't come to turn own bed, empty bins, fill ice bucket etc we would have then heard complaints about the poor service.

Maybe a timely reminder for everyone (and those that don't knw).

 

Don't forget the sticky thread at the top of the Celebrity forum where people post their opinions of various cabins. Do a search on there before asking here as you may have your answer sitting there waiting for you already.

 

For example I have posted my views of hump slant 8228 which I thought was great and had no viewing issues (as long as you wanted to see straight out, forward or down). Have even posted some pics of it.

 

Not everyone posts pics tho.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=911018&page=95

Ignore my post..dunno how that happened but it wasn't the thread I had intended to post it in. :confused:

Maybe a timely reminder for everyone (and those that don't knw).

Don't forget the sticky thread at the top of the Celebrity forum where people post their opinions of various cabins. Do a search on there before asking here as you may have your answer sitting there waiting for you already.

For example I have posted my views of hump slant 8228 which I thought was great and had no viewing issues (as long as you wanted to see straight out, forward or down). Have even posted some pics of it.

Not everyone posts pics tho.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showt...911018&page=95

Maybe a timely reminder for everyone (and those that don't knw).

Don't forget the sticky thread at the top of the Celebrity forum where people post their opinions of various cabins. Do a search on there before asking here as you may have your answer sitting there waiting for you already.

For example I have posted my views of hump slant 8228 which I thought was great and had no viewing issues (as long as you wanted to see straight out, forward or down). Have even posted some pics of it.

Not everyone posts pics tho.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=911018&page=95

I am booked on the Solstice and am wondering where to stay in Sydney and about the tours? Should I make them over the net and trust the companies I see advertised. Can anyone give me any directions?:confused:

As Sutho said, you need to let us know what are YOUR priorities for location......and most importantly, budget. Sydney hotels have a reputation of having high rates but there are little tips out there that we can I've...but it's no good if what we say is out of your price range.

What hump balconies to avoid?

 

There are quite a few inconveniently located balconies on the hump.

They are affected by the proximity of lifeboats (decks 6 and 7), or the overhang and the upper deck (decks 11-12 ; deck 12 on the Reflection).

Positive factors are proximity to the sea and balcony size.

This is a principle that works for both sides of the hump and both sides of the ship.

 

Red color - avoid

Yellow - I would likely not recommend for my friends

Green - best options on this ship

 

Examples are based on the Celebrity Sihouette.

Find your actual hump cabin number on your S-Class ship deck plans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be continued....

It's funny at you show 8228 as a cabin you wouldn't recommend to friends.

I can think of no more inaccurate information (from our opinion in using it). We just got off Solstice and it was a great cabin. Depth to the balcony. You could look down at the sea ( no life boats underneath), out or down ( if standing at the rail) along the ship. Bed is by the window away from the door.

We liked it so much we booked the same cabin for next year.

BTW..still loving all the pics. Great reference guide.

Here's several pictures of food from just before the cruise (the night before) in Sydney and also the Cafe El Bacio cake display window and a Shrimp Platter which a friend ordered and had delivered to the cabin so we could sit on the balcony as we sailed out of Sydney Harbour.

Belgian beer battered fish and chips at the Heritage Bar and Grill in The Rocks, Sydney (Belgium Beer Cafe)

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Pot of Mussels cooked in cream and their own juices with diced bacon, onion and celery. First time I have eaten mussels.....I am a convert

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Cafe El Bacio cake window....all free!!!!

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Shrimp platter (as ordered by a friend through the Celebrity website

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SHIP: Celebrity Solstice

CABIN #: 8228

DECK #: Vista - Deck 8. Starboard side (Right hand).

CLASS: 1A - Deluxe Veranda on the slant of the hump facing forward (towards bridge/bow).

BED NEAR: Window

QUIET?: Very quiet.

BALCONY VIEW: Being on slant on hump - view looked either straight out or towards the bridge up the side of the ship (if standing at railing). If seated then view was really straight out.

BALCONY SIZE: Larger than normal standard balconies (probably at a guess by 50% at least).

WIND A PROBLEM?: No not normally. We did have a couple of windy days and it caught wind then (but so would most cabins) however, as it was a deeper balcony you could still sit outside and not feel much of the wind gusts unless you moved the chairs closer to the edge (unlike other cabins on the straight portions of the ship).

SOOT A PROBLEM?: Not a problem at all - never saw any.

PROBLEMS/COMMENTS: Cabin main vestible at entrance is larger than the normal cabins as the outside hallway at this point is angling in (changing direction slightly) as the 'hump' joins the rest of the ship. The cabin is about 2 cabins down from an entrance into the lift lobby with its open atrium - however it is controlled by sliding electronic doors and no noise escaped into cabin.

Also, stateroom attendants storeroom is just outside cabin - however this was only used in morning when making up cabins and maybe late afternoon. There was no noise from its use or door slamming - overall a very quiet cabin (sometimes the attendants cart would be parked in hallway opposite while they accessed the store room).

Would (and indeed have for next year) book this room in a heart beat.

Cabin looking towards balcony

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Cabin looking towards bathroom and door

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Balcony on an overcast Sydney day

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Balcony on a sunny day enjoying a scotch

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Picture of balcony location on ship. Deck 5 is where the lift boats are. Counting from 5, deck 6 is the first line of balconies. Cabin 8228 is on the slant 2 cabins from where the ship starts to slant in again and 3rd cabin of going from the right hand side from where the slant starts to go out (if that all makes sense. 8228 is the cabin directly underneath the people standing on the balcony above. NOTE: You also do not have a lifeboat directly underneath so when standing at the railings can see the water directly below. Picture taken at Melbourne (Australia's) Station Pier terminal.

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Entrance to cabin. You can just see a hinge of the storeroom on bottom left of picture. As said, did not hear any loud noises nor slamming of doors. Only seemed to be used when rooms being made up and never at night so no sleep disturbed (a sign of this is we have rebooked the same cabin for next year so that shows how little annoyance it was. You can also see how the changing direction of the hallway creates a bigger vestibule (good for room service trays and bags). It also pushes the passing foot traffic that bit further away and hence I think quietens the room further.

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It was a strange cruise in many ways, with so many back to back guests (over a quarter) plus a large group booking of another 250 guests, it was not as friendly a cruise as we have enjoyed in the past. Interesting comment..as we were on the 4th March sailing...the first time we have sailed Celebrity...and we found the guests extremely friendly and would strike up a conversation by and large very easily....we met many couples at either the bars (mainly the Sunset Bar or the Lawn) or at meals or watching the dancing in the atrium and had great and interesting conversations often with people much older than us (we are in mid 40's).

 

 

*The level of music volume in the bars at night - no techno boom we endured on Eclipse. Also great use made of the Atrium with music filtering up to all floors on several nights. We particularly liked Sonic Wave duo and Les de Merle Jazz (though we are not usually fans of jazz). It was lovely to see so many people dancing before and after dinner. Totally agree..we are not dancers but it was fun to see people dancing. And either for a few singers in the atrium, I would not characterise any background music as loud (and I hate loud music)

*Silk Harvest, we have never been here before despite having the opportunity on other ships - why not, it's so so good! Once again agree...the number of times I've heard people critise Silk Harvest is strange as we found the food excellent.....we often eat in chinese restaurants at home so have a comparision and half our friends are native born chinese so often eat at their places. The food, with a western twist, was up to par with what our firends cook in flavour and texture. I just put it down to very picky people.

*The Lawn - there was a real buzz up there, lots going on either on an organised or informal basis. This coupled with a great team at the Sunset Bar made this a favourite spot. Once again agree...it was our favourite bar at sail away and it was lovely to take ones shoes off and walk on real grass.

 

The less good

 

*There was a general service inconsistency, you could have great service at Al Bacio (lovely Ukrainian staff) or Martini Bars many days and then awful service on others, seemed to be issues with staffing numbers and training/ language skills We too loved the Ukrainian girls at Cafe Al Bacio.

*Some staff had attitude issues, we saw that most at Guest Relations Yup...total agree. Although generally good there was one total ingrate there that on the occasion we had 2 issues on one day...the only issues the entire cruise...said to my partner 'Oh this your second complaint for today ' in a condescending manner. Lucky it wasn't me..I would have jumped the counter.

. No problem, we discovered the Passport Bar, a venue we have not tried before and really loved it Ahh the only bar we DID have issues with...I think the bar tender forgot there actually were other passengers on the ship and kept looking after his favourite few.

*Entertainment - I accept we were in Australia so they were using Oz entertainers (not we suspect to appeal to guests as was being punted by the CD every night but as a cost saving measure) but only one group the Aussie Boys Really???? They were one of the few shows or groups I walked out on....talk about cliche and embarrassing. I couldn't stand it and if THAT was the standard of entertainment on other Celebrity ships I might have had another opinion of the ship was of the standard we have enjoyed before on Celebrity. Others were average at best. Really??? Apart from the above and the Magician (magicians are for kids partys I'm sorry...not adult entertainment) we found the award winning pianist good, The Solstices own entertainment singers and dancer good as was the house band, as was the singer and band that played in the Ensemble lounge of an evening and a female singer from Australia One was unacceptable and we did highlight this onboard - We were shocked to see a magician select a nine year old from the audience to go up on stage and then perform a card trick involving pulling down his fly and getting cards from there - accepted he told her to turn away when he did it but we feel that crossed a line that should not happen. There needed to be more recognition of the international balance of the guests in the entertainment line up. Really? I'm guessing most entertainers on a Alaskan or Carribean cruise are from the area as would the Europe cruises...that expectation is really stretching things. I have been on no ship where they fly entertainers out for 3 days at a time half way around the world unless it is the likes of a Cunard. Most of those entertainers got on at one port and got off a few ports later.The cruise director, also from Australia Ian Cresswell was adequate but is not of the calibre of others on Celebrity and needs to be much more genuine and engaging and less into spin Must admit we liked him..but we have no comparison for Celebrity this being our first cruise with them

* Although Milos gave reasonable naturalist talks he was not on a par with naturalists elsewhere on Celebrity like Brent Nixon or the reef pilot who really was so enlightening Not sure why Milos was on....my experiences of him would be dead wood.

*Murano - not sure we will go again on a Solstice class ship, we were there the week before the price rise and whilst the food was acceptable, the service was very much on the basis, I have a script, I follow it, I ask you a question, you give me feedback, I ignore. Maybe because we only went once this cruise and we were surrounded by many repeaters and two large quite lively tables of back to back guests who had been several times (and were offered menu choices not offered to us) it just took the shine off. See we loved Murano and have not be on before so had no preconcieved ideas or 'connections' to the staff. The wait were entertaining and always chatted to us as did the Maitre de. Service was exemplary. And the food was lovely.... We loved it and the staff so much we went back for lunch.

 

*Ships officers - invisible. Accept the Captain had a tricky medivac to handle and also was going on leave mid cruise, but you never saw people like the Hotel Director or F and B manager watching over things (something we have always seen on other ships) and most surprising of all officers would sit next table to you at lunch or walk by you in corridors and not acknowledge your existence. Saw plenty of officers wandering around and they always, particularly in the evening would stop and ask if you were enjoying yourself. Did not see the captain but then I am of the sort that he is the captain, he isn't their for our entertainment nor is he the door bitch at some nightclub. Just as I don't expect interaction from the captain of my plane. I assume he has a job to do and thats guide the ship and be in charge..not make balloons into animals for my enjoyment.This tone filtered down to the staff and too many were either automatons just doing their job with plastic smiles and not listening to what guests were actually saying or worse still too many examples of staff arguing amongst themselves. Once again say no arguing..not saying it didn't go on with your cruise but either I went around blind or their attitude changed.

 

.

In a nutshell, for a first time Celebrity cruiser with no point of comparison, we loved the ship, the staff and the cruise. But then the ship reminded me a lot of hip hotels we always stay at on land (think Kimpton or W hotels) which is our style. Food was good..no complaints and no regrets ordering anything (ok one exception...what is it about cruise ships catering to the land of lard and hamburgers of all delicious kinds (The US) that I have yet to be on a ship that caters for said population (by and large) that can cook a decent hamburger...even here in Australia we have great local fish and chip shops that can prepare 'one with the lot'

We enjoyed the overall experience we have already booked another cruise with Celebrity for next year.....now if you mentioned NCL... LOL...

Sometimes (and this is not directed at the OP), we spend our time searching for perfection when it doesn't exist....even in our our insignificant little lives (as up ourselves as some of us can get) and we get picky about pithy things. Was it the perfect cruise...no, one or two issues raised their heads but we drew them to Celebrities attention and they were acted upon and came back up trumps but then I have not flown the perfect business class, not eaten in the perfect restaurant, I have been to resorts people have raved about and not particularly liked it. Thats life and when they are hundreds of millions starving perspective needs to be looked at before one decides something is bad..... :)

Have had the premium non alcohol package before but with the Classic Alcohol package on offer is it really worth it??

I mean drinks and spirits up to $8 - while there were a few beers (of which I'm not really a beer drinker) there wasn't from memory many alco drinks under $8 (most cocktails kicked in around $8.95ish and pretty much any glass of wine I drank or looked at kicked in over $8.50).

Or is my memory failing me already (I was only off the Solstice last week).:rolleyes:

Of course this package most importantly does not apply to anyone else around the world from what I've read of the conditions. Way to go Celebrity in expanding your markets.....

Yes it is within walking distance. Might take you about 15 minutes. Alternatively there is a bus that you can get on near the port that will drop you near a cross street that the tower is on. The bus costs about 50cents ( not a misprint - 50 cents )

I don't know the bus number or name but it just did a circuit around the inner city.

 

Hope that helps.

Bus leaves from near the cruise terminal ( about a 300 metre walk) on or near the bottom of Queen street.

You can use route 005 (Monday to Friday only caught on Custom House west rd) or 030 (caught on Queen st near cnr of Quay st). But really although up a slight hill would be no more than 15-20 minute walk from pier (at most).

http://www.maxx.co.nz/media/39371/cg_central%20guide_sep%202011%20web.pdf

Where are or were the Grand United Order of Oddfellows?

 

http://museumvictoria.com.au/collections/themes/2784/grand-united-order-of-oddfellows

Bit of a brief history here.

We still have organsiations here...IOOF - Independent Order of Oddfellows - they operate one of our larger investment and investment advice companies in the country. Also Australian Unity is born out of a similar organisation and is now one of our largest private health insurers - basically they began as mutual and self help societies plus also having a social aspect ( much like the Masonic Lodges and the Masons which also operate large hospitals and retirement villages in this country)

Possibly some sad news for you ILuvCruising in light of your recent trip to tasmania where you hired a car and drove to Port Arthur.

Southern Australia (the states of Victoria, tasmania and South Australia) have been having a heat wave the last couple of days with temperatures up around the high 30's and low 40's degrees (around 105 degrees fahrenheit).

Well today bush fires hit the Tasman Peninsula hard particularly around the township of Dunalley which you would have gone through (it sits at the head of the Peninsula) - early reports show up to 65 buildings destroyed including the local school, homes and a petrol station.

More in these papers (one a Melbourne paper and one a Hobart paper).

http://www.theage.com.au/environment/weather/bushfires-gut-tasmanian-town-20130104-2c8j1.html

http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2013/01/04/369647_tasmania-news.html

Just goes to show, how things can change overnight and particularly Australia, while people enjoy good weather and heat it can also bring tragic results in the blink of an eye. :(

I am not familiar with the prices of Baileys so I don't know whether this is a good deal.

 

Shipboard currency is US Dollars.

 

Slightly better price can be had in Melbourne airport ( on a single bottle). At the duty free shop there a bottle of Baileys is AUD$29. A current rates that is S$37 and US$30. So the ship price is similar...remembering that if you buy on the ship it has to be packed into your checked luggage if you fly out elsewhere and not in hand luggage. If bought at the airport you can take it on in hand luggage as its after security.

The line to enter the MDR (Deck 3) for lunch! Busy, busy.

 

I hope that was a 'one off' line as if it was like that all the time quite frankly that is pretty p*ss poor (as we say down here). I have never been on a ship where their was a queue to go to lunch/dinner/breakfast with allocated seats....

I seriously thought this thread was a joke when I read the title. Unbelievable.

Yes so did I.

People still play bridge? Is this a perculiarly US game these days cos I don't see it as being big in the UK or Australia.