Solstice - Comments from 1/4 Sailing

I sailed Celebrity’s newest ship, Solstice, on its 7th cruise the week of 1/4 - 1/11/09, and thought I would post not really a review, but just some comments about the experience. My comments focus on the parts of the cruise that matter to me; those things may not matter to you, so YMMV. To me, cruising at this point is a lot about the small details, so it may sound as if I’m nitpicking. Overall, the cruise was wonderful and I’ve sailed enough to not let any one (or two or three) things impact my vacation.

First a little about me for a point of reference – I’m 39, have spent 361 days at sea in the past 10 years, have sailed with 7 cruise lines (mostly RCI), and X twice before for a total of 28 days (14 days on Summit to the Southern Caribbean and 14 days on Infinity to Hawaii).

I usually select cruises based on the following criteria (in order) – itinerary, ship and price, but Solstice was booked purely to see the new ship, as both her itineraries are average at best. While I am a very active person, the purpose of this cruise was to relax and do as little as possible, so you won’t hear much about shore excursions or other adventures.

What I liked about my Cruise / Solstice / Celebrity (in no particular order)

> After spending a lot of time on ships I knew well, it was genuinely fun and exciting having a brand new ship to explore and learn.

> The inside of Solstice is beautiful, well-appointed and nicely designed. The public spaces are many and varied. It seemed there was always somewhere new to sit read, or have a drink, or whatever. I love how the public spaces flow into one another (like on Deck 4 with the Casino and shops).

> Every ship should have a non-smoking casino like Solstice.

> I had a balcony stateroom (6157) which was again, very nicely furnished and designed. The mid-ship location right by the forward elevators was convenient. I liked how the bed sits higher off the floor so luggage slides easily underneath.

> The larger bathroom has to be the nicest at sea for the category cabin (save perhaps Disney and their dual bathroom design). Plenty of room.

> I appreciated how at night the bathroom light default setting is a very dimmed glow so you can see in the middle of the night. Great attention to detail.

> I like how the panel on the stateroom phone is softly illuminated so you can easily see the time in at night if needed. Again, great attention to detail.

> The big flat screen TV is great and is mounted to it can be easily angled and viewed from both beds.

> The interactive TV rocks! Somebody finally invested in this and (almost) got it right. It’s intuitive and user-friendly.

> I appreciated the wide variety of free music and movies that can be accessed on-demand through the TV.

> Outdoor dining is one of my favorite things and I was glad to see the Oceanview Café offered it.

> The Sunset Bar is a great place to have a drink for sailaway or sunset (duh) – comfortable and inviting.

> I like how Celebrity Online is 1) laptops as opposed to desktops and 2) arranged in a classroom style – plenty of computers for lots of people.

> Various Food likes include the following:

- Sliced oranges at breakfast

- Spinach at the salad bar for lunch

- ICE CREAM. I loved the selection and quality

- Shrimp cocktail available nightly

- Select flavors of Vitamin Water available

> I thought the quality of the mixed alcoholic drinks was above average.

> I like how X invests in deck furniture – chairs and loungers of higher quality and different variety that are padded. They are comfortable and inviting.

> I think it’s smart how there are no waiter “scrape” stations in the Oceanview Café; instead the waiters take the dirty plates in the back and deal with them there. It saves room in the busy area. Similarly, there’s only a handful of wait stations in the MDR – makes life a bit harder for the waiters, but maximizes the space.

> The service was generally very good; the staff was friendly and helpful. My stateroom attendant was great

> I loved the gym. This is important to me as I spent at least an hour a day there. It’s a nice, big space with lots of very modern equipment, as you would expect on a brand new ship. I took a yoga class and it was well done – not just a money grab or glorified stretch class.

> The shore excursion in Tortola to the Baths at Virgin Gorda was great. Beautiful place and the trip made the most of a very short port of call.

> Other likes:

- Lack of announcements

- No need to “check out” pool towels

- Playing croquet on the Lawn

- How the elevator “lights up” when it arrives

- The live band at the pool was great

- No excessive hawking drinks / “bar service” on sea days

- The ship did carry the BCS Championship game and the NFL playoffs

What I disliked about my Cruise / Solstice / Celebrity (in no particular order)

> The dining room service was stunningly average. I could only recall one worse waiter in my experience. The waiter was competent; I just don’t think he gave a darn. My dinner order was incorrect 3 out of 7 days. He barely spoke to the table, and when he did, it seemed painful for him. He rarely greeted the table or explained the nightly selections. The service between courses was painfully slow. The only time he seemed to care was when the head waiter was around. When tablemates voiced needs, they were met with excuses rather than the typical willingness to get things resolved.

> The dining room food was average as well IMO. The quality was good and I have no complaints, but it wasn’t anything special and did not seem to be quite as good as I recalled from previous X cruises.

> The dining room décor strikes me as a 70s throwback and is destined to the outdated in 5 years. Think RCI Sovereign class before they were updated. Now, I don’t give a darn about how the place looks – I’ll still be happy to eat – but it just seems short-sighted to not go with something more classic and elegant.

> The pool is way too small for the ship, is easily crowded, and is overwhelmed by chair hogs. Now, you could really say this about most cruise ships, but I found it to be pronounced on Solstice. The main pool area gets completed congested on sea days to the point where you can’t move. Chairs are claimed in the early morning hours – and not just in prime locations. People resort to taking chairs and setting up shop in the most inconvenient of places. It’s a huge source of frustration for pax and I can see how it’s going to lead to arguments (or worse). If you get a chair, you can pretty well bet you will be butted right against your neighbor, and you can forget about trying to rotate your chair with the sun.

> The gym is easily crowded. Now I know most gyms are packed in the early am hours, especially early in the cruise, but it seemed extra busy on Solstice. I think part of the reason is that with the new year, people resolve to work out more (I know my home gym is busier in January / February for the same reason). I think another reason is that the gym is so nice and inviting that any schlubber who has ever picked up a dumbbell or stepped foot on a treadmill thinks they know what they’re doing and are going to get healthy in a week. People were standing in line waiting for 10+ minutes just to get on a treadmill. The free weight area is great, but too small. People end up working out on top of each other. Things did improve a little by the end of the cruise, but you really have to pack your patience with Solstice’s gym.

> In general, I didn’t feel Solstice handles people well in major areas – whether it’s the pool, the Oceanview Café, the gym. I often felt crowded on the ship – something I have not felt on larger ships with more people. I think the root cause is part design, and part learning curve for X.

> The Cruise Director tries way too hard. It was a little tragic how he repeatedly begs for applause for the entertainment act of the night, or the dining room staff.

> The entertainment is pretty pedestrian. But to be fair, I always feel this way and rarely go.

> As I mentioned the interactive TV is great, but it has some quirks and can freeze up. Plus, you can’t book specialty dining on it.

> Cabin storage capacity is pretty limited. I travel very light to begin with, and I found the closet had just enough room for my stuff. So I can see how people who love to bring everything they own run out of room fast. The storage bins above the bed are great, but I’m 6’3; I can see how someone shorter might struggle.

> Soot! I’m no expert, but Solstice sure does seem to puff a lot of smoke regularly out of her stacks. Then, on the morning of the last sea day, there was an incident where it snowed soot all over the pool deck, covering sunbathers, the chairs and deck, and getting in the pool. Some folks were in an uproar, and the staff seemed to react very slowly to clean it up, so the soot got tracked all over.

> Team Earth. I don’t get it. It’s like they had some deck space left over and didn’t know what to do with it, so they threw a big globe in the room and some ‘the earth is dying’ stuff on the walls and gave it a name.

> The Library. Nice public space, but very limited offerings. Note to X – call HAL or check out their Explorations space on how to do a library right.

> Captains Club is a big waste.

> I love a few cookies before bed. I found the cookies on Solstice to be tasteless. =(

> I thought it was challenging to get a snack in the evenings. The Oceanview Café is open, but the offerings are very limited compared to what I’m used to. I would not have minded paying the cover to go to Bistro on 5, but the menu is again a little limited (I never saw anyone in the place anyway).

> I was surprised at the lack of casual dining in the evening. Solstice offers it – but barely, with very limited selections.

> Rude pax who make demands. “Gimme this, gimme that.” That works when you’re 5, not 55.

> Rude pax who think the Solarium pool is their private lap pool.

> The Persian Gardens area really seemed to be under-developed. It’s so nice on the two M class ships I’ve sailed, but so plain and uncreative on Solstice.

> Along the same lines, the Aqua Spa Café seems much smaller and marginalized from it’s M class equivalent. I thought I’d use it often but never found anything appealing.

> What happened to 2pm sorbet at the pool?

> $20 for a photo??!??!?!?!?!?!?

> I’m ambivalent about the lack of a T pool. I totally get why people miss it, and I thought I would too, but as it turns out, I didn’t.

> Finally, the Lawn. I’m ambivalent about the Lawn. It initially struck me as something that was doomed from the start, and it may very well be. It takes up a lot of space that could be used for other things (read: pool). The Lawn was actually in pretty good shape; I expected something looking like an abused football field, but the grass is green with a few bare / rough patches. In the end, I get what X is trying to do, and there are times when the Lawn is nice, but I just don’t think it delivers enough for the majority of pax to warrant it.

Comparisons and Conclusions

I was dying to love Solstice. As mentioned, I’ve mostly sailed RCI, but haven’t really been to thrilled with recent cruises or where the product seems to be going. So I was all set to get on the X and Solstice bandwagon, kind of expecting a glorified Radiance class experience.

Well, as it turns out, Solstice is very nice, but just doesn’t deliver the “WOW” experience I was hoping for from this highly touted flagship, and I find myself preferring M class. I will be very surprised if they truly end up building all 5 planned ships in this class. If you’re used to sailing RCI, you can’t really directly liken Solstice to any RCI vessel.

Beyond that, the cruise confirms for me that X is nothing more than “Royal Caribbean Plus.” And I don’t mean that as a bad thing. But it’s not clear to me what the X product stands for or why it is unique - because they have some nicer fixtures and cloth towels in the bathroom? In my mind, there are only very minor differences between X and RCI, or for that matter, X, RCI, HAL and Princess – it’s all the same mass market, cookie cutter experience.

I find myself wondering what X was like before RCI. I have a feeling it was different, and that long-time X cruisers must yearn for the way things were before consolidations and budget cuts.

So would I sail Solstice again? Maybe. I think she’s best on a port intensive cruise (like the Med) that would help mask the crowding problems. So for the right itinerary and price, I’d consider it, but I’d be in no rush to hurry back and am more likely to consider M class first.

With that, I’m kind of left without ship. RCI is still a good experience, but feels a little “been there, done that.” I’m finding it hard it get too excited about my Oasis OTS cruise in a year, but maybe that will change. I may try HAL Eurodam and see what that’s all about, but I have a feeling it’s more of the same. So with all that in mind, I think it’s time to look at non-cruise vacations. It’s been a great 10 years, and I’m sure I will continue to sail every now and again, but not at the pace I once did. There are too many things to see and do. =)

I’d be happy to help with any questions, and will try to post some pictures later.

Outstanding, thoughtful review. THANK YOU so much for taking the time to share it.

A few things I forgot (I'm sure there will be more)...

> Itinerary was San Juan, St Maarten, Tortola and Labadee

> Ship was very stable - nice smooth ride

> I didn't experience any of the "creaking" that's been reported, or any of the bad smells.

> Weather was stellar the entire sailing.

Hey GMoney,

My wife and I were on the same cruise. I agree a lot with your thoughts.

We were in an Aqua Class Cabin. While the cabin was very nice, Blu was a huge dissapointment. We ate there the first two nights and that was it. We went to all three specialty dinning rooms and then the main dinning room for the last two nights. I would not spend the extra money for the Aqua Class Cabin again.

At first, I thought the new lifeboat drill was going to be great. We were in Michaels Club. We got there early and there were no seats (ok, no big deal) but after people poured into the little area it got very hot. The Celebrity Rep. was yelling everyone to "get closer together, so we could watch the movie". About half-way through the drill, people began to take off the life vests and she went crazy. I can not understate how hot and crowded it was.

I agree that the Aqua Spa Cafe seemed to be really scaled down.

One day at the pool we were covered in Soot. Pretty gross. I showed the bar server that my drink was full of soot and he did give me a replacement. He told me that this happens mainly in the afternoon on the port side of the ship. Who knows????

The Captians Club is a big waste. We used the laundry coupon and gambling coupon. RCI has a much better program. I thought that the Captain could have talked much longer at the CC Party. I know that everyone is cutting back on expenses, but could they have gotten any worse wine at the party?

Our Cabin was on deck 11. When leaving the Aft elevators and going down the port side hallway, to our cabin, about half the time we did smell a urine smell, in the hall.

I also agree, "mine, mine, mine" is ok for a 5 year old but not an adult. There seemed to be a lot of "mine, mine, mine" by many adults.

It is very nice to get as many towels as you would like at the pool. On my past RCI cruises, if you ask for two the attendent has made a big deal about it.

Mixed drinks are expensive, but mixed very well, with a lot to pick from.

Just my .02 cents. I really like the M-Class ships. I believe that X will get the problems worked out.

I was on this sailing as well and agree with much of Gmoney's assesment. I worked out in the gym in the afternoon, i.e. 12-3 and it was relatively empty. The pool scene was very congested and the soot caused a mess. As crowded as the pool seemed, I was surprised that the public areas in the evening did not seem congested excluding the casino.

On our past X cruises we primarily ate in the MDR, however I agree that the ambience and food quality has taken a turn for the worse. We ended up eating in specialty restuarants 4 nights. IMO the lighting (very bright) and loads of empty seats resulting from, I assume, the availability of other dining venues detracted from the dining experience.

Thanks for what I think is a well balanced review. That soot problem has been described before, particularly by passengers in the aft cabins (someone posted live from the ship on your cruise about it).

What did you do in San Juan? I am planning on a simple walking tour by myself as there was really not much I was interested in for the short time we are in port.

Hey GMoney,

 

My wife and I were on the same cruise. I agree a lot with your thoughts.

 

We were in an Aqua Class Cabin. While the cabin was very nice, Blu was a huge dissapointment. We ate there the first two nights and that was it. We went to all three specialty dinning rooms and then the main dinning room for the last two nights. I would not spend the extra money for the Aqua Class Cabin again.

This is really unfortunate, but I can see how it would be the case. I was originally going to sail AQ, then downgraded to a balcony and I was glad I did. There just doesn't seem to really be anything to AQ unless you live at the spa, and even then I'm not sure. But I didn't stay in it or eat in Blu so I thought I might have been missing something.

At first, I thought the new lifeboat drill was going to be great. We were in Michaels Club. We got there early and there were no seats (ok, no big deal) but after people poured into the little area it got very hot. The Celebrity Rep. was yelling everyone to "get closer together, so we could watch the movie". About half-way through the drill, people began to take off the life vests and she went crazy. I can not understate how hot and crowded it was.

Yes! I had a very similar experience but my muster was in the photo gallery area. People were packed in there and it got very hot. When the must drill dragged on and was bit delayed, the pax started to get very tested and vocal - some even started to just leave. The muster leaders tried to keep everyone together and in line, but it was a situation that could have gotten out of control easily. If that's how things go during practice, I can just imagine the chaos in a real emergency. :D

 

What did you do in San Juan? I am planning on a simple walking tour by myself as there was really not much I was interested in for the short time we are in port.

That's exactly what I did! :) I just got off and wandered around town, going up to El Morro and working my way back. It wasn't blazing hot and the walk provided some exercise. It's just a waste of stop IMO. Have fun on your cruise!

Thank you for posting this. We are considing Solstice; saw her in FLL when she was delivered as we were leaving on Emerald Princess. So maybe I should go with another Celebrity ship? I'm trying to try all the cruise lines! LOL I see I may need to lower my expectations if I go with Solstice.

I do agree RCI and Princess are very similar.

 

What did you do in San Juan? I am planning on a simple walking tour by myself as there was really not much I was interested in for the short time we are in port.

If you like a good mojito, try Tio Danny's. Found them when we stayed in Old San Juan pre-cruise. Plenty to see in that area while in San Juan.

ENJOY!

It's amazing how opinions vary. I also sailed on the 1/4 cruise and had the following observations.

> The dining room service was stunningly average. ---- In my case our waiter was outstanding and always got the order right. The survey will take care of that bad one.

> The dining room food was average as well IMO. ---- My DW and I sailed on the Millie in Aug 08 and the Solstice food was a great improvement over the Millie, back to 2005 Michel Roux levels, albeit less choice

The dining room décor strikes me as a 70s throwback and is destined to the outdated in 5 years. ------I didn't think I would like it from the CC photos here, but it was Miami chic which we thought was done very well. The art work is outstanding.

> The pool is way too small for the ship, is easily crowded, and is overwhelmed by chair hogs. ---Agreed, agreed and agreed they need to go to ticket system.

> The gym is easily crowded. ----Agreed

> In general, I didn’t feel Solstice handles people well in major areas – whether it’s the pool, the Oceanview Café, the gym. ----only on Tendering, on exiting the theatre and the post dinner crowds around the stores and casino did we feel like we were in a NYC subway

> The Cruise Director tries way too hard. It was a little tragic how he repeatedly begs for applause for the entertainment act of the night, or the dining room staff. ---Typical of all these CD's in my opinion, we chaulk it off to CD campiness.

> The entertainment is pretty pedestrian. ---Disagree, after seeing many shows on Broadway and Vegas, the Cirquestyle show was great and the perfomers was very good. Ghost was ok, not great>

As I mentioned the interactive TV is great, but it has some quirks and can freeze up. Plus, you can’t book specialty dining on it. Didn't watch it.

> Cabin storage capacity is pretty limited. I travel very light to begin with, and I found the closet had just enough room for my stuff. So I can see how people who love to bring everything they own run out of room fast. The storage bins above the bed are great, but I’m 6’3; I can see how someone shorter might struggle. ---Agree with over the bed storage. I too am 6'3" but we were able to unload two 26inchers, a stuffed beach bag and a carryon 20 incher stuffed to the gills without issue.

> Soot! I’m no expert, but Solstice sure does seem to puff a lot of smoke regularly out of her stacks. Then, on the morning of the last sea day, there was an incident where it snowed soot all over the pool deck, covering sunbathers, the chairs and deck, and getting in the pool. Some folks were in an uproar, and the staff seemed to react very slowly to clean it up, so the soot got tracked all over. ----- We had a aft veranda cabin and the soot was there on all days, plus in Labidee we were covered in diesel fumes from a dredging barge that was spewing carbon monoxide all over the ship. Many people had headaches.

> Team Earth. I don’t get it. It’s like they had some deck space left over and didn’t know what to do with it, so they threw a big globe in the room and some ‘the earth is dying’ stuff on the walls and gave it a name. --Actually never saw it , we thought it was a teen activity

> The Library. Nice public space, but very limited offerings. Note to X – call HAL or check out their Explorations space on how to do a library right. Agreed, we need more pax to leave their books

> Captains Club is a big waste. Except for the free drinks I agree.

> I was surprised at the lack of casual dining in the evening. Solstice offers it – but barely, with very limited selections. We only ate in the MDR or Specialty reastaurants which were great>

Rude pax who make demands. “Gimme this, gimme that.” That works when you’re 5, not 55. Agreed The mixture of pax is also changing, where rudeness is a way of life, then again I got the cabin for two grand.

> $20 for a photo??!??!?!?!?!?!?. And paying for crepes and $99 for playing bingo

Thanks for the rundown & comments & tips

.. We have surmised about the same from the other posts since Solstice started out --mixed rather than rave reviews! but we hope for improvements along the way. We sail on Jan 25th & again to the Med in Sept..so we'll report back...

How were the lines to reboard in the ports?

Funny how opinions can differ. I have posted my own review. We were on the same cruise. I agree with the Main Dinning room decor. I prefer more traditional. However, our waitstaff there was awesome. They couldn't have been better. Agund always described the dishes and made recomendations if we asked. He often brought us another dinner if he thought we weren't enjoying the one we had. The other couple we traveled with (who were first time cruisers) LOVED the food in Blu and only want to sail again if there is a Blu! We ate there once and enjoyed it. We had great service in both places.

Honestly, we were out midship on sea days and never saw soot. Was it aft?

We always found a deck chair and managed to have space around it even when we got up late. We never felt crowded.

But, I think I do prefer the M class ships as well.

As I posted, we somehow made use of the space we had in the cabin (there were 3 of us there including a 21 year old female with lots of stuff). And yes I am only 4'11" so hubby who is 6' used the space over the bed for his things. We missed the veranda light.

Agree on the shows. I'm not a fan, but as my daughter would say "it didn't suck".

I came off of Princess in November and the difference in service compared to X to me is startling.

I'm a sap for Celebrity. I've enjoyed each itinerary and each ship. I guess cruising beats a good day working. Being an oncology nurse somehow makes me appreciate life and I generally don't sweat the small stuff except people being unkind. Thanks for a great post with good and not so good listed.

Hope you find some vacation venue you love (Maui?!)

Maria

I will not be on the Solstice until March but I agree with GMoney that the big mass cruise lines are becoming more similar every year (61 cruises as of today). I sailed on X when it was first launched (Horizon, Zenith) and it really was a notch above other competitors, especially with regard to the Michel Roux cuisine. The good news is that with the bankruptcy of Renaissance Cruises we now have a good number of smaller ships (700 passengers) that try to offer a higher standard of cuisine and attempt to be more detail oriented. Those eight identical ships are now operated by Princess, Oceania and Azamara. Oceania was the trail blazer and they are very successful. I have sailed two Oceania cruises and they generally succeed in providing a more refined cruising experience with excellent cuisine and service without one having to splurge on the upper end luxury lines that are extremely expensive. Perhaps Celebrity realizes that since cruise ships have become so large that their Azamara subsidiary has a better chance of providing these qualities. These smaller ships do cost slightly more than the mass lines but if one is seeking a different kind of cruising experience, perhaps for some people it will mean saving for the higher cost of the smaller ship, sailing less but hopefully enjoying the experience more.

I will not be on the Solstice until March but I agree with GMoney that the big mass cruise lines are becoming more similar every year (61 cruises as of today). I sailed on X when it was first launched (Horizon, Zenith) and it really was a notch above other competitors, especially with regard to the Michel Roux cuisine. The good news is that with the bankruptcy of Renaissance Cruises we now have a good number of smaller ships (700 passengers) that try to offer a higher standard of cuisine and attempt to be more detail oriented. Those eight identical ships are now operated by Princess, Oceania and Azamara. Oceania was the trail blazer and they are very successful. I have sailed two Oceania cruises and they generally succeed in providing a more refined cruising experience with excellent cuisine and service without one having to splurge on the upper end luxury lines that are extremely expensive. Perhaps Celebrity realizes that since cruise ships have become so large that their Azamara subsidiary has a better chance of providing these qualities. These smaller ships do cost slightly more than the mass lines but if one is seeking a different kind of cruising experience, perhaps for some people it will mean saving for the higher cost of the smaller ship, sailing less but hopefully enjoying the experience more.

Great post - thanks for taking the time. I may try Oceania at some point.

I was also on Solstice 1-4-09, my 2nd trip on Celebrity. While it was a beautiful ship, there were no real innovations (grass & glass blowers??) I'm a diamond member in RC Crown & Anchor & think their program is much better for us past cruisers.

My waiter (Dindo & Bianca) & room steward (Joanne) were excellent! (rm 8247), as were the entertainment crew members. Thanks Mike from NY!

I did think that Solstice dropped the ball in their bar/entertainment facilities. Drinks were weak - (wondered if purposely made that way due to the few recent incidents of missing people on other lines?) But if I pay $10 for a martini, it should have a little kick. The bar staff did not seem as friendly as on RC ships. I am always so impressed when bar staff remember not only my drink, but my name - especially when there are over 2600 people. The bar staff on Solstice never seemed to make an effort to get to know us. The bar entertainment was generally quiet, unobtrusive music - no wow factor - several of the bars seemed empty every evening.

However,did think the food on Solstice (regular dining room) was terrific, much better than RC.

Looking forward to the next trip - Jewel of the Seas, transatlantic!!

TBN hubby here,

Noticed two negative comments about the Aqua Spa Cafe. Some of the problem may be poor communication.

On our 12/7 cruise, we too were disappointed initially. Then my wife asked and found out they have 4 grilled to order entrees every day. They were the same each day: Salmon, pork loin, chicken, and tuna with sides of grilled veggies These were available by ordering at the buffet and were ready in about 15 minutes. Although she did not ask on this cruise, she sometimes just asks for a plate of grilled veggies on the M-class ships. I suspect those would have been available on the Solstice, also.

Our lunches there were as good as those on the M-class (excellent,in other words), where there are usually only two hot entrees for the day in those Aqua Spa Cafes. When we were eating our grilled entrees we were frequently asked how we got them by the other folks there. Don't know why the fresh grilled entrees were such a super secret!

The bread selection was considerably less than on the M-class for our trip and the other items offered were different. Not bad but different.

I thought there should be a few more tables.

Yes, GMoney I am also a person without a ship. I don't know where to go from Solstice, will I ever go on X again? I am not sure.

Yes, GMoney I am also a person without a ship. I don't know where to go from Solstice, will I ever go on X again? I am not sure.

I was with Gmoney and on the last night of the cruise I was givin food poisoning from the mast grill. I was VERY sick and had to go to the hospital the next day. The ships pool deck was packed like no other ship I have ever been on. I would have rather been on Majesty of the Seas!

Im not sure if I will return to X...but I know Solstice is out of the question!!

> $20 for a photo??!??!?!?!?!?!?. And paying for crepes and $99 for playing bingo

$99 for bingo???? Could you please explain a bit more? Thanks.

My wife loves to play when on a cruise, but $99. Wow!:eek:

$99 for bingo????

We were on the 1-4-09 Solstice cruise. My wife played bingo for $29.

I was with Gmoney and on the last night of the cruise I was givin food poisoning from the mast grill. I was VERY sick and had to go to the hospital the next day. The ships pool deck was packed like no other ship I have ever been on. I would have rather been on Majesty of the Seas!

Im not sure if I will return to X...but I know Solstice is out of the question!!

I cruised on 12/7 and also got food poisoning from the Mast Grill. Fortunately just one session with the porcelain bowl fixed me up. I had a hamburger, for which the server reached under the counter, some fries and rings, and chili with chips and nacho cheese. Don't know which item was the culprit, but if I give it a try on same cruise next month, I will insist on freshly grilled items.

Did they quarantine you as a precaution. I was conflicted about what to do, as I knew it was something I ate, so did not make a report or complaint.

$99 for bingo???? Could you please explain a bit more? Thanks.

 

My wife loves to play when on a cruise, but $99. Wow!:eek:

I only attended the final big jackpot session. Here are the prices.

6 games on paper .............$39

36 games w/machine..........$69

72 games w/machine..........$99

Some people did pay only $29 due to fact they played 3 times previously. I was appalled at these prices, but ultimately 3 of us split the $99 package for the equivalent of 24 games for $33. Of course we would have had to split winnings 3 ways too.

We were on the 1-4-09 Solstice cruise. My wife played bingo for $29.

Thanks for the reply. Marcia will be happy.

By the way, from your avatar, it's easy to see who is the spoiled one in your household.;)

We were also on the 1/4 cruise. Just a couple of comments.

Our cabin was on deck 9 on the aft bump out. Something to note the bump out allowes for storage space for the steward rite out side your door. It can get noise. If you wait for open tender in Labadee expect a 2 hour wait. Crew and Staff nothing but good behaivor. Unfortunately not the same can be said for pax. (ok more than 2comments)

Questions?