Home from solstice easter cruise

[4Grandcats]

This was our second Solstice Eastern Caribbean cruise - two years in a row.

 

Love the ship - plenty of storage space - comfy beds and great service.

 

The first day we met walking on deck Hotel Director Sue Richardson - after that, she always acknowledged us when we passed around the ship - very nice. Captain Gerry was personable, very fit and funny - and he sings! LIsa Richard the Cruise Director hails from broadway with Mama Mia - very cute, warm and welcoming.

 

Seas very rocky - almost like being on Deadliest Catch - without the crabs. We never were affected by it - except for walking. Weather perfect at sea and in ports.

 

Didn't care for the sponsored St. Martin tour - after a long ride through depressed areas we were dropped off at an expensive shopping area for 45 minutes. The driver was funny and informative - but I would never recommend this tour.

 

My favorite part of the cruise has always been the 'roaming entertainment'.

Love to happen upon a singer or acapella group. Female impressionist Karen Grainger was very good - loved her 'own' voice even better. Can't figure why Celebrity can't do a better job with their production shows - sometimes high school grade - but we went to all of them anyway.

We enjoyed the penny slots in the casino - some of them were hitting very well.

 

Loved the brunch buffet, Bistro on 5 and the Oceanview Cafe. If you book all three specialty restaurants - you get a discount! Great promotion. Murano was our favorite - Tuscan Grille was sooo filling - and we enjoyed Silk Harvest. You can order as much as you like there - I would have gotten more 'small' plates and more sushi if I went again, instead of two 'large' plates. The service in each is great.

 

The only real complaint I have is the bar service. Maybe it's because we don't drink much at home during the year and we were looking forward to some quiet cocktail time on board. 4 different outdoor bars didn't know it was happy hour when we went there - 2 for 1 drinks. Then we were told we couldn't order the specialty drink of the day. We went for the special drink - Pirate's something in the Passport Bar - Bartender said he didn't have the correct rum. Ordered something totally different - other people came in - he told them he could make it but it wouldn't have the right stuff. And my biggest disappointment was looking forward to the Tuscan Grille Signature Cocktail - they couldn't make it because they didn't have fresh strawberries (huh?)...no need to return to Ensemble Lounge after that. And with all the experience the bartenders have in the Martini Bar - why couldn't they fill the glasses up to the top - probably save a lot of liquor by stopping at that 1/2 inch mark - and their drinks cost more.

 

I know this sounds like a lot of complaints - but our good times outweigh the less-than-good times by 98%.

Cruising is safe, fun, enjoyable - you can lay in the sun all day or take part in lots of enrichment programs. A perfect vacation.

Solstice headed for Europe the Sunday we docked - wish we could have been stowaways!

[We're The Groupnors]

And with all the experience the bartenders have in the Martini Bar - why couldn't they fill the glasses up to the top - probably save a lot of liquor by stopping at that 1/2 inch mark - and their drinks cost more.

 

My husband is American and we get this complaint from his family all the time when they come to Toronto. We have travelled all over the world, and the only place I have every seen a martini glass filled to the top is in the US. In Canada you get a 2 oz. pour. I think bartenders in the US are so generous because of your low liquor costs.