Need help with choosing Celebrity for the first time

[YoPhilly]

I've cruised 10 times with Princess and once with Oceania. No comparison - we love Oceania so much that it's hard to go back to Princess. We like having no extra charges for the specialty restaurant or a decent cup of coffee or cappuccino. We also really like the no-formal-nights policy on Oceania.

 

With that said, we're looking at a 14-day Med cruise this fall and seriously considering the Celebrity Solstice, mainly due to the price difference between it and Oceania. They have very similar itineraries but a price difference of approx. $1000 per person - more than enough to cover our airfare. We've been to the Med several times, so we thought we should give Celebrity a try.

 

Since we've never cruised Celebrity before, I'd appreciate some insider tips and advice. For example:

 

1. Formal nights - We don't like formal dressing on a cruise. What dining options are available to us if we wear casual resort wear (such as trousers & dress shirt for husband, chic pants & top for wife)? Is that attire frowned upon in the main dining room and are we banished to the buffet for the evening?
   
2. Coffee - does Celebrity use coffee syrup like Princess, or real brewed coffee? Or do I have to buy a coffee card or beverage package just to get a decent cup of java. We don't drink sodas and don't want to waste $ on soda cards. What about real barrista cappuccino - is it available on the ship - and do they charge for it?
   
3. Room Service - Most days we like to have breakfast on our balcony but Princess only serves a continental breakfast for most categories. What about Celebrity - full breakfast menu for room service? Any hidden charges?
   
4. Does Celebrity hound you for photographs?
   
5. Menus - I can't imagine that Celebrity tops Oceania when it comes to food quality and preparation, but how would you compare it to Princess, which is more and more often just average.
   
6. Main Dining Room - How easy/difficult is it to get a table for two?
   
7. Specialty Dining - what are the additional charges for the specialty restaurants?
   
8. Laundry - Does the Solstice have self-service laundry facilities?
   
9. Tendering - Smooth and equitable - or pushy?
   
10. Smoking - What is the smoking policy on Solstice? If allowed, what deck areas should be avoided?
    
11. Last question - I'm a movie buff and love watches movies in a theater. Does Solstice show any movies in the theater?
    

Thanks for any and all comments, suggestions and comparisons.

[nps001]

I'll do my best to help with your questions. I have never sailed Princess but we have Spanish friends that just did the TA on Princess and did not like it at all. In fact, they commented about the "syrup coffee"

 

 

Formal nights - We don't like formal dressing on a cruise. What dining options are available to us if we wear casual resort wear (such as trousers & dress shirt for husband, chic pants & top for wife)? Is that attire frowned upon in the main dining room and are we banished to the buffet for the evening?

You will get conflicting reports as to whether or not this type of dress would be permitted in the MDR or if you would be turned away. There is a limited buffet (pasta, pizza, salad bar and a few entrees) available in the buffet area. Room service is also an option. And if youre in a suite, you can have the butler serve the meal on your balcony.

Coffee - does Celebrity use coffee syrup like Princess, or real brewed coffee?

While as in most ships, X uses industrial coffee machines, they are not the syrup type.

Or do I have to buy a coffee card or beverage package just to get a decent cup of java. We don't drink sodas and don't want to waste $ on soda cards. What about real barrista cappuccino - is it available on the ship - and do they charge for it? Yes, there is a coffee shop (Cova on some ships, Al Baccio on others). There is a charge for it. Depending on how many cups of coffee you drink you may want to consider a beverage package.

Room Service - Most days we like to have breakfast on our balcony but Princess only serves a continental breakfast for most categories. What about Celebrity - full breakfast menu for room service? Any hidden charges?

There is no charge for RS but we always provide a tip. I'm not sure what room types get what types of food. I know in suites are you able to get pretty much anything. I believe there was a post with the room service menus listed on here not too long ago.

Does Celebrity hound you for photographs?

Yes, they are at embarkation and at the ports. However, I have never felt hounded at all. If they come by at dinner and you don't want your pic taken, a simple "no thank you" has always worked and no pressure from the staff is returned.

Menus - I can't imagine that Celebrity tops Oceania when it comes to food quality and preparation, but how would you compare it to Princess, which is more and more often just average.

Again, I cant comment on this, not having sailed Princess. But our Spanish friends have sailed many lines and love the X food.

Main Dining Room - How easy/difficult is it to get a table for two?

Sorry...can't help here.

Specialty Dining - what are the additional charges for the specialty restaurants?

Most are $20. Murano is well worth is, and many trade publications mention X as having the best specialty restaurants at sea.

Laundry - Does the Solstice have self-service laundry facilities?

No

Tendering - Smooth and equitable - or pushy?

Not sure I understand your question, but have not had an issue with tenders.

Smoking - What is the smoking policy on Solstice? If allowed, what deck areas should be avoided?

Smoking is very restricted on X ships. No smoking in cabins or verandahs. There is basically no smoking allowed except one side of the pool deck, an area at the aft of the ship, and one side of the lounge on top. I've heard conflicting reports about smoking on one side of the promenade deck.

Last question - I'm a movie buff and love watches movies in a theater. Does Solstice show any movies in the theater?

Sorry..no idea.

[bye-seaya]

Six years ago, we had cruised on Celebrity for the first time then the following year we sailed on Princess.

I have to say IMO Celebrity won hands down in the following areas: service, food, cleanliness and finding intimate 'common areas' for a quiet cup of coffee or a fun before dinner drink.

We have been on 3 Celebrity cruises since (with our next Celebrity cruise coming up in April) and haven't looked back. Service was the biggie ... it is outstanding on Celebrity.

[Alsmez]

I've not yet sailed on X but I'll answer what I can from what I've learned on the boards:

 

Formal nights - We don't like formal dressing on a cruise. What dining options are available to us if we wear casual resort wear (such as trousers & dress shirt for husband, chic pants & top for wife)? Is that attire frowned upon in the main dining room and are we banished to the buffet for the evening?

 

From what I understand, the specialty restaurants are smart casual even on formal nights, so you could dine in any of them in addition to the buffet or room service.

 

 

Room Service - Most days we like to have breakfast on our balcony but Princess only serves a continental breakfast for most categories. What about Celebrity - full breakfast menu for room service? Any hidden charges?

 

Concierge Class and higher have a special room service menu, a copy of which should be easy to find on the board. It seems to include pretty much everything. However, some people say that you can get most anything you like in any category just by writing it in on the order form. No charge.

 

Specialty Dining - what are the additional charges for the specialty restaurants?

 

Qsine and Murano are $35, Tuscan Grille is $30, Silk Harvest is $25, Bistro on Five is $5, all per person.

 

Laundry - Does the Solstice have self-service laundry facilities?

 

No. The ship's laundry prices aren't terrible, though.

 

Smoking - What is the smoking policy on Solstice? If allowed, what deck areas should be avoided?

 

It's prohibited on balconies, in rooms, in the casino and in most public areas. I believe the few designated areas are all on the port side.

[kitty9]

Celebrity is more formal than other lines. Wearing just slacks and a shirt on formal night will put you in the vast minority and you might not be admitted into the dining room. I've personally seen passengers who were underdressed not admitted to the dining room.

 

The buffet is far from limited at night. Celebrity has changed their buffet to offer much more than they did in the past.

[YoPhilly]

Thanks for so many quick replies.

 

I often read raves about the service on Celebrity. Can you give me some specifics, such as what sets them apart from other lines?

 

Oh yes, one other very important question....What is their bedding like in the veranda cabins? Are the mattresses comfy? Duvet or bedspread? Quality linens?

 

I'd welcome any other comments or tips.

[kitkat9438]

Welcome to Celebrity! Our first cruise was on Princess and we fell in love with cruising. When we tried out the Summit in 2009, we fell in love with Celebrity. You will find most people on the Celebrity boards favor Celebrity over Princess. I'll try to answer some of your questions.

 

Since we've never cruised Celebrity before, I'd appreciate some insider tips and advice. For example:

 

1. Formal nights - We don't like formal dressing on a cruise. What dining options are available to us if we wear casual resort wear (such as trousers & dress shirt for husband, chic pants & top for wife)? Is that attire frowned upon in the main dining room and are we banished to the buffet for the evening? You will find that most people dress up for formal nights. You will see mainly suits for men, and a few tuxes and cocktail dresses and gowns and dressy black pants with tops for women. Nothing too casual. Just a note that on nonformal nights, Celebrity has changed their dress code to allow jeans in the dining room and we did see a lot of people wearing jeans in December. But definitely not on formal night.

2. Coffee - does Celebrity use coffee syrup like Princess, or real brewed coffee? Or do I have to buy a coffee card or beverage package just to get a decent cup of java. We don't drink sodas and don't want to waste $ on soda cards. What about real barrista cappuccino - is it available on the ship - and do they charge for it? Celebrity brews it's coffee, and the coffee on Solstice class is better than on the M class. However, if you want the specialty coffee like cappuccino you have to get it at Cafe Bacio and there is a charge for it. I have copied some of the prices for you from the beverage thread provided by JG51:

[ESPRESSO AND HOT CHOCOLATE:]

Ristretto or Espresso [half or single shot] 3.0

Espresso Doppio [double shot] 4.0

Espresso Macchiato [w. steamed milk] 3.0

Hot Chocolate 4.0

 

[ESPRESSO-BASED:]

Cappuccino 4.0

Caffe Latte 4.0

Caffe Americano 4.0

Caffe Mocha 4.0

White Chocolate Mocha 4.0

Caramel Macchiato 4.0

La Crème 5.0

Caffe Viennese 6.0

Espresso Ai Frutti Di Bosco 6.0

Espresso Crocante 6.0

Espresso Caraibico 6.0

Espresso Melba 6.0

Caffe Shakerato [iced] 5.0

Ice Bianco Espresso 5.0

Affogato [w choc syr over gelato] 5.0

Caffe Frappe w. Chocolate. Iglu 5.0

Caffe Frappe w. Vanilla Iglu 5.0

[For 0.5 more, add splash of almond, amaretto, caramel, cherry,

cinnamon, coconut, hazelnut, Irish crème, raspberry, vanilla]

 

You can get the following drinks for free: [bEVERAGES FOUND IN BUFFET (SELF-DISPENSED) AND IN RESTAURANTS/DINING ROOMS (SERVED FOR NO EXTRA CHARGE), BUT NOT NECESSARILY AVAILABLE ALL DAY:]

Water (tap)

Ice Tea

Tea (hot, self-made with a teabag)

Coffee (regular or decaffeinated)

Milk (whole or skim)

Lemonade

Fruit Punch

Passaguava (Passionfruit/Guava) Juice [at AquaSpa Cafe]

Juices (some available in MDR, but not in buffet): Orange, Pineapple, Grapefruit, Prune, Apple, Tomato, V-8

 

3. Room Service - Most days we like to have breakfast on our balcony but Princess only serves a continental breakfast for most categories. What about Celebrity - full breakfast menu for room service? Any hidden charges? No hidden charges. Everything is free. If you are in a Concierge Class or above stateroom you get an expanded room service breakfast menu that includes fresh squeezed juices and smoothies at no additional charge. You can sit out on your balcony and it's really nice.

 

4. Does Celebrity hound you for photographs? No. Definitely. There are no hard sells on Celebrity and no annoying loud speaker announcements.

 

5. Menus - I can't imagine that Celebrity tops Oceania when it comes to food quality and preparation, but how would you compare it to Princess, which is more and more often just average. Celebrity is tops when it comes to food. We find the food excellent and you have a wide variety of restaurants to choose from. My only drawback is that Princess has the evening buffet beat over Celebrity. They have a full buffet where Celebrity does not.

 

6. Main Dining Room - How easy/difficult is it to get a table for two? Very easy. Also, if you are in Aqua you are assigned Blu as your dining room and most of the tables are for two. Blu is the specialty restaurant strictly for Aqua class passengers. Some suite guests can dine here on a space available basis for an extra charge.

 

7. Specialty Dining - what are the additional charges for the specialty restaurants? I think most of the specialty restaurants charge $35 (with the exception of Bistro on Five and Silk Harvest), which in my opinion is well worth the extra $$

 

8. Laundry - Does the Solstice have self-service laundry facilities? No, but you will get a special midweek where you can have all your laundry that will fit in the Celebrity dry cleaning bag done for one price, I think around $25-$30. A pretty good deal. It takes a day to clean everything.

 

9. Tendering - Smooth and equitable - or pushy? Smooth

 

10. Smoking - What is the smoking policy on Solstice? If allowed, what deck areas should be avoided? Stay away from deck 6 port side as smoking is allowed here. Most of the ship is smoke free, including your stateroom, balcony and casino.

 

11. Last question - I'm a movie buff and love watches Yes you will find movies in the theatres and in your cabin there will be On demand movies for rent. Celebrity also offers a wide variety of entertainment including a cirque style show which is outstanding.

Bedding is very comfortable with Duvets. If you get concierge class or higher, you will also get a pillow menu to choose from a selection of feather, body pillows, or memory foam. You will also have nicer bedding, balcony furniture, towels and robes, fresh fruit in your cabin, champagne and daily canapes delivered around 4:00 p.m. You also get an extra cruise credit (2 instead of 1 or in your case 3 instead of 2 since you will be on a longer cruise). In December we tried out Aqua and loved it. You get free access to the Persian Gardens (think heated tile loungers on Princess) and relaxation room, free bottled water and tea, and best of all a spa shower which is awesome.

Although one of the great things about Celebrity is they now offer the beverage packages your can purchase, it is not necessary to buy one and you can pay as you go.

Cabin selection is key on the ship. There are a lot of cabins that are on the "hump" of the ship and have larger balconies. Here's a list of which cabins to look for:

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: 8199, 8162, 8255, 8259, 8281, 8285, 8228, 8232, 8254, 8258

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

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

 

Here's the expanded room service menu:

Concierge class menu:

Concierge Class Signature Dishes

___Granola Berry Parfait

___French Toast Finger with Marmalade Butter

___Baked Bananas

___Scrambled Eggs with Fresh Asparagus Spears

___Sunrise Fritata

___Russian Sevruga Caviar (30 gr. Jar) with

Traditional Trimmings - $44.50

Concierge Class Smoothies

___Mixed Fruit Smoothie

___Strawberry Smoothie

___Blueberry-Watermelon Smoothie

___Omega 3 Smoothie (prepared with Soy Milk)

Concierge Class Teasers

___Classic Champagne Cocktail - $5.50

___Mimosa - $5.50 ___Kir Royale - $5.50

___Bloody Mary - $3.45 ___Virgin Bloody Mary - $2.50

___Michel Roux Champagne, Half Bottle - $25.00

___Laurent Perrier Rose Brut, 750 ml. - $95.00

___Moët et Chandon Nectar Imperial, 750 ml - $72.00

Freshly Squeezed Juices

___Orange ___Grapefruit

___Pineapple ___carrot

Chilled Beverages

___Tomatoe ___Cranberry ___Apple

___Fresh Milk ___V-8 ___Prune

___Skim Milk

Fresh Fruits

___Honeydew ___Cantaloupe ___Banana

___Kiwi ___Pineapple ___Grapefruit

___Orange ___Mixed Fruits

Yogurts

___Plain ___Strawberry

___Blueberry ___Mixed Fruits

Cold Cereals

___Corn Flakes ___Raisin Bran ___Special K

___Oat Bran ___Total ___All Bran

Hot Cereals

___Oat Meal ___Grits

Eggs To Order

___Scrambled ___Fried ___Poached

___Boiled: __Minutes

Special Instructions: ________________________

_________________________________________

Omelets

___Plain ___Cheese ___Mushrooms

___Ham ___Fine Herbs ___Smoked Salmon

___Western ___Onion

Omelets can also be prepared with

___Egg beaters or ___Egg Whites (please check)

From The Griddle

___Bacon ___Link Sausage ___Ham

___Low-Fat Chicken Sausage ___Canadian Bacon

___Corned Beef hash ___Hash Brown Potatoes

Pancakes

___Plain ___Buckwheat

___Banana ___Blueberry

Served with maple Syrup

Pastries & Muffins

___Assorted Danish ___Croissant

___Blueberry Muffin ___Bran Muffin

From The Bakery – Assorted Bread & Rolls

___French Bread ___Plain Bagel

___Multi-Grain Bread ___Onion Bagel

___English Muffin ___egg Bagel

___Soft Rolls

Toast

___Whole Wheat Toast ___White Toast

___Rye Toast

Preserves & Spreads

___Strawberry ___Marmalade ___Lt Cream Cheese

___Blueberry ___Honey ___Salmon Spread

___Blackberry ___Butter

___Raspberry ___Margarine

COLD CUTS

___Salam ___Danish ham ___Black Forest Ham

___Smoked Salmon

Hot Beverages

___Coffee ___Decaffeinated Coffee

___Black Tea ___Earl Grey Tea

___Darjeeling Tea ___English Breakfast Tea

___Herbal Infusion (__Mint __Chamomile)

___Hot Chocolate ___Hot Milk

___Green Tea

Service Hours 6:00 Am To 11:00 Am

Service Time Requested _________

Guest Name _______________________________

Stateroom Number____________

__________________

 

You can find something to eat pretty much all day. Cafe Bacio has fresh pastries which are free in the morning. Ocean View cafe has a wonderful set up for breakfast and lunch items. At 4:00 p.m. you will find small sandwiches and desserts and at 5:30 p.m. out comes the sushi. There's a stir fry and pasta station available all day, as well as salads. By the pool you will find the grill which has hamburgers, hot dogs, nachos, wings, etc. The Aqua Spa cafe is located in the Solarium area, which is an adults only covered area that has a heated pool and two hot tubs.

Here's a wonderful website provided by Beyond ships with pictures of the Solstice, cabins, dining, etc.

http://www.beyondships.com/Celebrity-Solstice-Profile.html

 

Service. All of the crew does an outstanding job of making you feel special on Celebrity. When you walk down the hall, they will stop what they are doing and say hello and ask how you are doing. Your waiter will bend over backwards to make sure that everything is to your liking. We like to order extra items for the table and this is never a problem. Our waiter will grasp right away what we like and bring out items for us to try without us asking. If you order soda one night, it will be there waiting on you the following night. When you board the ship you are greeted with a glass of champagne or mimosa. When you return from port you are greeted at the gangway with a cool wet cloth. Just a lot of little extra touches.

Enjoy your cruise.

[YoPhilly]

Kathy, thanks for taking the time to provide so much information. We really appreciate how helpful Cruise Critics are!!

 

You've raised a couple of interesting points:

 

• I mentioned that we don't want to dress in formal wear for a cruise, so I know we can't sit in the MDR on formal nights. Does that also apply to the specialty restaurants? In other words, we'd like to know if the buffet is our only option on formal nights.
  
• Is there fixed (early or late) seating in the MDR with the same tablemates, or is it dine-when-and-with-whom-you-like?
  

Thanks for the menus, the cabin tips, the ship profile, and especially the tip about avoiding the deck 6 smoking area - very good to know.

 

If there's anything you want to add, I'm all ears! :)

[Orator]

Kathy, thanks for taking the time to provide so much information. We really appreciate how helpful Cruise Critics are!!

 

You've raised a couple of interesting points:

 

• I mentioned that we don't want to dress in formal wear for a cruise, so I know we can't sit in the MDR on formal nights. Does that also apply to the specialty restaurants? In other words, we'd like to know if the buffet is our only option on formal nights.
  
• Is there fixed (early or late) seating in the MDR with the same tablemates, or is it dine-when-and-with-whom-you-like?
  

Thanks for the menus, the cabin tips, the ship profile, and especially the tip about avoiding the deck 6 smoking area - very good to know.

 

If there's anything you want to add, I'm all ears! :)

 

The dress code applies to speciality restaurants. You could have a dinner delivered to your cabin if you like. Honestly, I've seen very spotty enforcement of the rules. Just dress appropriately (whatever that means).

 

The answer to your second question is "Yes" and "Yes". You can have traditional dining with a set table and time or you can choose "Select Dining" where you choose the time. You may have the same table each night, but not guaranteed.

[David V]

On Solstice it is deck 5, the life boat deck, that has the outdoor smoking area. It is just under the aft hump section of the ship.

 

Smart casual (for men slacks and a collared shirt) is the dress code for all of the specialty restaurants every night EXCEPT Blu, which I have heard follows the MDR dress code schedule.

 

I was very impressed with the range of breakfast items available in our standard veranda stateroom.

[Us Two]

Yo Philly. I just want to put my 2cents in re formal wear. I do not wear anything fussy, ;) a nice top and cocktail pants/ or nice skirt . We were on the Equinox in Nov and while we did see people in tux/ cocktail drees , they were in the minority. My husband wore dress pants and blazer( both of us found such drees easier to pack!) We did not feel out of place ever. So go ahead , dress smart and enjoy the formal nights.:p

[kitkat9438]

Kathy, thanks for taking the time to provide so much information. We really appreciate how helpful Cruise Critics are!!

 

You've raised a couple of interesting points:

 

• I mentioned that we don't want to dress in formal wear for a cruise, so I know we can't sit in the MDR on formal nights. Does that also apply to the specialty restaurants? In other words, we'd like to know if the buffet is our only option on formal nights.
  
• Is there fixed (early or late) seating in the MDR with the same tablemates, or is it dine-when-and-with-whom-you-like?
  

Thanks for the menus, the cabin tips, the ship profile, and especially the tip about avoiding the deck 6 smoking area - very good to know.

 

If there's anything you want to add, I'm all ears! :)

 

I think you probably could get away with what you are talking about wearing on formal night. Not everyone dresses up in gowns or tuxes, and you will see a wide range, with most people following the guidelines. If your husband is going to wear a jacket and pants and you wear dressy pants and top, it would probably be okay. It's certainly worth a try. I really like formal nights, especially the last one because they have the waiter parade where you cheer on your waiter and the baked alaska. I understand the dress code is supposed to be the same for the speciality restaurants as it is in the MDR, but it could have changed. Other than that, you can always have room service, pizza (open until 9:30), the pool grill (only open until 6:00) or the buffet area. There's also Bistro on 5 (open until 2:00 a.m.). It's a great place that charges $5 and you can get crepes of all kinds, breakfast, lunch or dessert, as well as panninis and great desserts. Make sure you find out when they have the "brunch". It will be on a sea day and it's a spectacular event with ice sulptures everywhere, carvings and a lot of great food. I almost missed out on it thinking they would have it both of our sea days and I was wrong. They only did it once during our 7 day cruise.

 

There are basically three ways to dine. 6:30 (early), 8:30 (late) or select (anytime). We prefer a set time (same table, same waiter) because you get to know your waiter and he gets to know you and what you like as well as any table mates you might have. Also, if you choose select dining, you have to prepay all of your gratuities.

 

Most of the main shows are at 7:00 and 9:00 with the exception of formal nights. At least on our cruise it was like that so we chose late dining at 8:30, even when we went to a specialty restaurant.

 

If smoking is a concern I would not get a cabin close to deck 5 or 6 on the port side of the ship. Stick with the starboard side and you shouldn't have any problems. There's also a "sticky" thread at the top of the Celebrity boards to search your cabin information on the Solstice (all Solstice class ships). Just do a search by whatever cabin you are looking at booking and see if anyone has made any comments on it. If you look, you will also find a great spreadsheet that has been prepared with all of the comments people have made.

 

You are welcome about the help. I've learned a lot from everyone here on cruise critic. It's a great place to get information. Don't hesitate to ask if you have anymore questions. If I don't know the answer someone on here will.

[terp4life]

From the Celebrity Website:

 

What is the dress code for the specialty restaurants?

Subject: Dress Code

 

The dress code in Celebrity's specialty dining restaurants is "Smart Casual and Above" for every night of the cruise, regardless of the evening dress code in the main restaurant.

 

I am new, so I have no idea how long this has been the case, but in my research this is the answer I found. I have read in previous threads on the subject that many passengers in the specialties do wear formal wear on formal nights. But, it is clearly state on the website that is not required.

 

Here is the link if you prefer:

http://www.celebritycruises.com/beforeyourcruise/faq/home.do;jsessionid=0000evwb0YXIPM_qyVa6VnOwKZv:12h3rnd1c?faqSubjectName=Dress+Code&faqId=2728&pagename=faq_answers

[dkjretired]

The dress code applies to speciality restaurants. You could have a dinner delivered to your cabin if you like. Honestly, I've seen very spotty enforcement of the rules. Just dress appropriately (whatever that means).

 

The answer to your second question is "Yes" and "Yes". You can have traditional dining with a set table and time or you can choose "Select Dining" where you choose the time. You may have the same table each night, but not guaranteed.

 

The dress code does not apply to specialty restaurants, it is smart casual in all specialties every night. That has been changed.

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/beforeyourcruise/faq/home.do;jsessionid=0000fX6IKZE_ark9uda_6Fzrdc3:12hdbcuh7?faqSubjectName=Dress+Code&faqId=2728&pagename=faq_answers

[kitkat9438]

Hey Don, they probably changed that when they started allowing jeans in the dining room? That's good to know you have alternatives just in case you don't want to dress up. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea even though we like to dress up since we don't get a chance to at home.

[dkjretired]

Hey Don, they probably changed that when they started allowing jeans in the dining room? That's good to know you have alternatives just in case you don't want to dress up. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea even though we like to dress up since we don't get a chance to at home.

 

It was about that time, they had two conflicting FAQ questions on their web site and the one stating they were the same as the MDR has now been removed. Numerous posters are reporting back that on board it is smart casual. Now all we have to do is have them remove the inconsistency they have on the dress code for Blu, but that is another story.

[Lsimon]

... I have read in previous threads on the subject that many passengers in the specialties do wear formal wear on formal nights. But, it is clearly state on the website that is not required. ...

 

The change in dress code at the specialty restaurants is a relatively new event, In the past they have been more formal and dressy than the main dining room, not less. My experiance is that they are still pretty dressy, at least at the Muranos type restaurant, with a lot of men wearing jackets on casual nights and formal on formal nights even if it is not required. It is a very elegant setting there.

[YoPhilly]

Yo Philly. I just want to put my 2cents in re formal wear. I do not wear anything fussy, ;) a nice top and cocktail pants/ or nice skirt . We were on the Equinox in Nov and while we did see people in tux/ cocktail drees , they were in the minority. My husband wore dress pants and blazer( both of us found such drees easier to pack!) We did not feel out of place ever. So go ahead , dress smart and enjoy the formal nights.:p

 

Good information. Thank you.

[YoPhilly]

Don't hesitate to ask if you have anymore questions. If I don't know the answer someone on here will.

 

Well....since you offered....;)

The Solstice itinerary we're considering has 3 sea days in the Mediterranean.

 

• What can you tell me about onboard activities and entertainment? Are there lectures or classes during the day?
  
• What about evening shows - what types of shows - comedians, productions, classical musicians, magician?
  
• How is the library on Solstice? Are there comfortable reading chairs?
  
• I see there is a "Lawn Club" on Solstice but I don't understand what is up there. Any info on this?
  
• Is there anything we should not miss? This is a very broad question - could be a special dish, lounge, restaurant, experience - anything at all.
  

Thanks again to all of you for your helpful advice. I asked my agent to hold a cabin for us....we're thisclose to committing. :)