Celebrity Solstice - the ship and about it

[Sutho]

I see that you did the Ocean River Road tour from the ship tours. I went to look at the excursion site and saw that it is ranked as Strenuous. Did you feel it was difficult or hard to do?? It surely doesn't sound like a lot of walking or climbing. Riding on a bus.

Your photos are awesome and it really looks like something we would want to do. Thanks for answering. Pat

 

Nothing strenuous about the trip. Its just a long time in a coach for some people. Take your own drinks and maybe even motion sickness tablets for the windy road area. The walking track at the lookouts are flat and easy.

[pattyj 1204]

Thanks again for the answer, I will be taking my "Bonine" with me and beverages. Maybe some snacks too. It still looks like a good tour. Enough time for photos is important to my husband.

[kimmyandsue7673]

what an amazing journey of photos, thank you so much, i spent an hour looking at them all, we are on solstice in october and now are even more excited yayayay:) have a great weekend kind regards kim

[MargoK]

Thanks again for the answer, I will be taking my "Bonine" with me and beverages. Maybe some snacks too. It still looks like a good tour. Enough time for photos is important to my husband.

 

Patty, just remember you will not be allowed to take food from the ship ashore at any New Zealand or Australia port. There is a very strict policy when entering via sea or air. Fines can be $200 or more if you are caught with food and it is not declared. Bottled water will be fine.

 

In Melbourne you have to line up put your bags on the ground and the Agriculture dog does a run past the bags! And the Ag guys and girls do not have a sense of humour!

[6andy6]

Patty, just remember you will not be allowed to take food from the ship ashore at any New Zealand or Australia port. There is a very strict policy when entering via sea or air. Fines can be $200 or more if you are caught with food and it is not declared. Bottled water will be fine.

 

In Melbourne you have to line up put your bags on the ground and the Agriculture dog does a run past the bags! And the Ag guys and girls do not have a sense of humour!

 

They also did it in New Zealand.....on our first stop in Dunedin they had a beagle.

[Aussieflyer]

They also did it in New Zealand.....on our first stop in Dunedin they had a beagle.

The bought the beagle on the ship and it ran up and down the queue as we waited to disembark.

On leaving the ship in Auckland we were "beagled" as well and I was astounded at the number of people who were pulled aside and asked to unpack their hand luggage. I saw quite a bit of food being confiscated.

[Sutho]

Its only bottled water and soft drinks allowed off the ship. In hindsight I wish I took my own drinks and purchased my own lunch on the Great Ocean Road tour. Relying on sandwiches with toppings I never eat was not a good idea and many passengers felt the same.

[Keith1010]

Thanks for taking the time to write the trip report and to share all of these photos. Well done.

 

Keith

[pattyj 1204]

Thanks for the snack warnings, I imagine they would be posted in the dailies too, but I'll know at the first stop that I'll buy some snacks. I bring packaged crackers with us on tours before and it wasn't a problem. But I always follow the rules... Don't want to be locked up abroad. I'd never live that down with my boys. LOL

[CountessOz]

Thank you for posting these pictures. I am sailing on her October 2014 and the pictures have helped me make up my mind.

[Luv2travel4FunNSun]

Appreciate the photos and the editing.

 

We love Celebrity for the Hollandaise Sauce on the Eggs Benedict...

Hope it has not changed.

 

***

Will be doing Solstice in New Zealand another cruise in OZ.

(ours skips Melbourne and goes to Tasmania.

 

Now I am trying to decide if I add Newcastle to my journey.

I have tons of time in Sydney.

Rented a place in Blue Mountains...

but I can shave off time easily enough.

I can get the Crowne by Holiday Inn.

Not sure about parking.

 

I am already doing Melbourne and Great Ocean Road by car.

I have four days down there.

 

Decisions, Decisions.

 

Thanks again.

 

Appreciate the photos.

Glad you had a marvelous time.

[Sutho]

Appreciate the photos and the editing.

 

We love Celebrity for the Hollandaise Sauce on the Eggs Benedict...

Hope it has not changed.

 

***

Will be doing Solstice in New Zealand another cruise in OZ.

(ours skips Melbourne and goes to Tasmania.

 

Now I am trying to decide if I add Newcastle to my journey.

I have tons of time in Sydney.

Rented a place in Blue Mountains...

but I can shave off time easily enough.

I can get the Crowne by Holiday Inn.

Not sure about parking.

 

I am already doing Melbourne and Great Ocean Road by car.

I have four days down there.

 

Decisions, Decisions.

 

Thanks again.

 

Appreciate the photos.

Glad you had a marvelous time.

 

The call you are doing in Hobart should be good. If you find my other post about Dawn Princess the same as this one I posted photos of my trip to Port Arthur from Hobart and that is something I would highly reccomend.

 

Newcastle is good to visit but not for long. It is a good place to get to the Hunter Valley Vineyards and in the city the only real points of interest would be the forts that were part of our defences in WWII. Its a good place to live being close to Sydney and away from the congestion of big city life but it lacks all the major facilities of Sydney and you are looking at almost 3 hours by train to get to Sydney opposed to half that time by car. The cruise ships mainly stop here for the Hunter Valley Vineyards and the also direct people to fort scratchley and the forshore area.

 

You will also like the great ocean road. I finally did it when I was on the Solstice cruise and all the Americans on that bus spoke so warmly of it and really enjoyed it. It was good to hear their comments from them and what they like to see. When I have cruised with British passengers they always seem to not get overly excited or proclaim how much they like seeing something.

 

There are some good stopping places along the way of the great ocean road if you have time and also helicopter flights from one of the tourist centres there.

[Luv2travel4FunNSun]

Thanks for the info on Hobart..will look up.

 

Thanks for the info on Newcastle.

 

Appreciate it.

 

Thanks a bunch.

[Sutho]

Thanks for the info on Hobart..will look up.

 

Thanks for the info on Newcastle.

 

Appreciate it.

 

Thanks a bunch.

 

Here is a link to my other thread with Port Arthur Photos http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1837929 I also stopped at a place in Tasmania called Richmond. If by any chance you decide a private tour it is worthwhile calling there on the way to or from Port Arthur. I am not sure how long your ship will be in Hobart for but there is a lot to do there. You will see the city from the ship but from my memory back when I first visited in 2005 I found I was more like any other city.

 

I am from Newcastle so any questions about it I can answer on here if you want.

 

Whatever you decide there will always be a lot of information on hand from a lot of people on these sites, and other social networking sites.

[bazzaw]

The words - adult, mature, sophisticated, relaxed - come to to mind after seeing your photos of the ship's decor . Can you get out onto those forward decks like you can on Oriana??

 

Barry

[Sutho]

You can only get to the forward decks at the top above the bridge on all levels. On one area you have to walk past the spa reception and through the gym to get out. All others you can get to the front balcony type decks via the upper decks. There is no wrap around promenade but you can do the walking/jogging track on the top.

[VK3DQ]

The words - adult, mature, sophisticated, relaxed - come to to mind after seeing your photos of the ship's decor

 

Barry

 

I hope so Barry, I'm sailing in Solstice in March next year, my only fear at the moment is the reported "loud music" which hopefully may be toned down a little by then, but I'm sure I'll enjoy the trip and have a few nooks and hiding places in mind

 

Best Regards

 

John

[Sutho]

I hope so Barry, I'm sailing in Solstice in March next year, my only fear at the moment is the reported "loud music" which hopefully may be toned down a little by then, but I'm sure I'll enjoy the trip and have a few nooks and hiding places in mind

 

Best Regards

 

John

 

No loud music from my memory. Some areas of the open decks did have background music but there was plenty of quiet places on that ship. I am not sure what peeople are complaining about but if you dont want to hear a band playing some music then dont go to the venue when they are advertised to be playing. It just proves you cant please everyone.

[VK3DQ]

No loud music from my memory. Some areas of the open decks did have background music but there was plenty of quiet places on that ship. I am not sure what peeople are complaining about but if you dont want to hear a band playing some music then dont go to the venue when they are advertised to be playing. It just proves you cant please everyone.

 

Yes indeed you cannot please everyone all of the time :p

 

I've just booked our airfares , Virgin came up with a deal that I could not resist , so we will be flying into Auckland on the 19th of march to catch the Solstice sailing on the 22nd March, should be a nice little relax before the cruise and perhaps a few nice meals down by the wharf

 

best regards

 

John

[MicCanberra]

I'm sailing in Solstice in March next year, my only fear at the moment is the reported "loud music" which hopefully may be toned down a little by then, but I'm sure I'll enjoy the trip and have a few nooks and hiding places in mind

 

Best Regards

 

John

Music taste is very subjective. On the solstice recently we found that the music in the Martini Bar was not great. It wasn't the volume but the content, It was very repetitive and modern but not in a good way, the majority of people were 30s plus in the martini bar, but even my son in his low 20s would not listen to that type of music.

[Aussie Claire]

Sutho, thank you for the gorgeous photo's, I did the 8th to 25th April tour to Hawaii, she is indeed a beautiful ship, 100% style, comfort and service.:)

[The_Big_M]

Music taste is very subjective.

 

That's the key. People who it's suited to are going to be comfortable with it, and not pay so much attention.

 

People who aren't are going to notice it more.

 

Just have to work out where you sit, then find somewhere else if it's not to your taste. :-)

[MicCanberra]

That's the key. People who it's suited to are going to be comfortable with it, and not pay so much attention.

 

People who aren't are going to notice it more.

 

Just have to work out where you sit, then find somewhere else if it's not to your taste. :-)

It wasn't that bad that we had to stop going there for afternoon /pre dinner or pre show drinks though. :D

[NSWP]

I found the music up top in the Sky Lounge noisy, they had a loud band playing every night. The lounge adjacent to the Cover Charge restaurants was nice, piano player of an evening.

 

As I have reported in my reviews, the ship was very good, just that the tucker was not up to scratch with heat, portion size, quality and presentation. I just think Celebrity over stated their culinary standard on Solstice last March when we were on her. Not 5 star, give it 4 star like Princess/P&O UK.

[Sutho]

I found the music up top in the Sky Lounge noisy, they had a loud band playing every night. The lounge adjacent to the Cover Charge restaurants was nice, piano player of an evening.

 

As I have reported in my reviews, the ship was very good, just that the tucker was not up to scratch with heat, portion size, quality and presentation. I just think Celebrity over stated their culinary standard on Solstice last March when we were on her. Not 5 star, give it 4 star like Princess/P&O UK.

 

I saw your comments regarding food and while I dont complain about it myself I did find it very similar to Princess and P&O. Hard to tell the difference and portion sizes have varied over the years. P&O still offer silver service on traditional dining which Celebrity do not offer. Makes it better when you can choose the amound or and selection of vegetables and potatos.

 

Though what I did like on Solstice was their Murano, Tuscan Grille and Bistro on Five. They were all outstanding to me.

 

Their buffet and deck grill was no different to any other ship.

 

Princess does better pizzas.

 

Either way I still prefer cruise ship food over my own cooking. It is still much better than the average McDonalds, Pizza Hut, fish and chip shop and leagues club food.