Lawn games on Solstice

[illiniwahoo]

in 2012 we sailed on the Equinox and LOVED the lawn! They had two beanbag/cornhole games, as well as bocce and croquet set up at all times (or at least every time we wanted to play). They were unattended, and you could play when you wanted. We tend to be active people, we we typically played all of these games every day. We were looking forward to the same thing on the Equinox in April 2014. To our dismay, there was no beanbags - well, they did have a set, but it was only used one during the week on the pool deck for supervised games. When asked if we could use it, we were told no, it was only for the organized games, and this was the only one they were doing for the week. There was no croquet. The bocce on the lawn was also supposedly during supervised times only - which was about two hours on sea days only. Many times no one from the activities department showed up to host, so we were unable to play.

We are looking to sail on the Solstice in June in Alaska. Can someone how has recently sailed on the Solstice comment on the status of lawn games?

Thanks

[Sloop-JohnB]

Hi ILLINIWAHOO,

 

I will be watching this topic with interest...

 

Like yourself when we were on The Solstice in 2012 there were lots of options... Bocce Ball, Bean Bags, Croquet and even a small Putting Green... And all go as you please, no monitoring / organized only aspect

 

I know since the intro of the newer Ships (Silhouette & Reflection) Celebrity has been revamping the lawn area (Glass Blowing gone... Addition of the Cabannas / "Alcoves" and The Porch & The Lawn Grill, along with Picnics on the Lawn) I hope that all these EXTRA PAY features have not taken away / eliminated the free & basic fun things.

 

That would be very sad :(

 

Cheers!

Edited November 23, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[Adidas4fun]

cornhole?

[cruisead]

Corn Hole is the name of a game where you throw beanbags at a wooden platform that has a hole cut into it. The platform is set up at an angle and people take turns tossing the beanbags to the platform. In some places it's also called Tailgate.

[Turtles06]

Hi ILLINIWAHOO,

 

I will be watching this topic with interest...

 

Like yourself when we were on The Solstice in 2012 there were lots of options... Bocce Ball, Bean Bags, Croquet and even a small Putting Green... And all go as you please, no monitoring / organized only aspect

 

I know since the intro of the newer Ships (Silhouette & Reflection) Celebrity has been revamping the lawn area (Glass Blowing gone... Addition of the Cabannas / "Alcoves" and The Porch & The Lawn Grill, along with Picnics on the Lawn) I hope that all these EXTRA PAY features have not taken away / eliminated the free & basic fun things.

 

That would be very sad :(

 

Cheers!

 

We were just on the Silhouette TA, having previously sailed on the Eclipse. I loved the openness of the lawn on the Eclipse, and I think that the Alcoves have definitely detracted from that open feeling. (They are pretty much eyesores, imho.) In our two weeks aboard the Silhouette, I only saw the Alcoves used twice. (I never saw people in them, just some used towels and glasses.)

 

Plus, the whole lawn area (not the sides near the Sunset Bar) was chained off for the entire sailing. Once we started our sea days, I asked about this at Guest Relations; I never received a direct answer, but about a day later (and I do not believe in coincidence), a notice appeared in the Celebrity Today entitled "Even the Lawn Needs a Vacation," stating that "we will be performing some necessary maintenance to sections of the lawn" during this sailing. (The lawn looked perfect and I never saw anyone working on it when we were up on that deck. By contrast, when we were on the Eclipse and the lawn was temporarily closed for maintenance, a sign that maintenance was being done was put up.) We had gorgeous weather for the entire sailing; it is too bad the lawn was closed off. The hammocks and the oversized Adirondack chairs looked inviting.

 

Bocce balls were available some of the time on the side lawn areas near the Sunset Bar. The only time I personally saw the bean bag toss equipment was down on the pool deck. (There were also structured times noted in Celebrity Today for the lawn games.)

 

I will say that I'm in the group that is happy the hot glass show has been replaced by the Lawn Club Grill, and that the Porch has been added. They are both excellent dining options, and there are only so many times I want to see glass blown (just my personal opinion of course).

 

Note: the Silhouette TA was wonderful and not spoiled by the unavailability of most of the lawn (although it is a shame it was closed off).

[dkjretired]

cornhole?

 

Your not the only one.....Did a double take on that...

[Sloop-JohnB]

We were just on the Silhouette TA, having previously sailed on the Eclipse. I loved the openness of the lawn on the Eclipse, and I think that the Alcoves have definitely detracted from that open feeling. (They are pretty much eyesores, imho.) In our two weeks aboard the Silhouette, I only saw the Alcoves used twice. (I never saw people in them, just some used towels and glasses.)

 

Plus, the whole lawn area (not the sides near the Sunset Bar) was chained off for the entire sailing. Once we started our sea days, I asked about this at Guest Relations; I never received a direct answer, but about a day later (and I do not believe in coincidence), a notice appeared in the Celebrity Today entitled "Even the Lawn Needs a Vacation," stating that "we will be performing some necessary maintenance to sections of the lawn" during this sailing. (The lawn looked perfect and I never saw anyone working on it when we were up on that deck. By contrast, when we were on the Eclipse and the lawn was temporarily closed for maintenance, a sign that maintenance was being done was put up.) We had gorgeous weather for the entire sailing; it is too bad the lawn was closed off. The hammocks and the oversized Adirondack chairs looked inviting.

 

Bocce balls were available some of the time on the side lawn areas near the Sunset Bar. The only time I personally saw the bean bag toss equipment was down on the pool deck. (There were also structured times noted in Celebrity Today for the lawn games.)

 

I will say that I'm in the group that is happy the hot glass show has been replaced by the Lawn Club Grill, and that the Porch has been added. They are both excellent dining options, and there are only so many times I want to see glass blown (just my personal opinion of course).

 

Note: the Silhouette TA was wonderful and not spoiled by the unavailability of most of the lawn (although it is a shame it was closed off).

 

Thanks TURTLES06,

 

Lol @ "Even the lawn needs a vacation"

 

True.

 

Perhaps they were over-seeding or fertilizing ? That would explain why things seemed invisible, and also why the chains would be up.

 

We are looking at future plans, and although I love the Itineraries on the M-Class Ships... I do believe it is time to go back and enjoy another S-Class Ship (maybe Caribbean Winter 2015-16)

 

Thinking it would be nice to see one of the newer ones... Silhouette or Reflection and be able to check out the lawn deck changes for myself.

 

Like yourself, I do not think I am going to be too jazzed about the loss of Corning Glass Show (have been to Corning NY many times), or pleased with the addition of the Alcoves... I get it, money maker & all... But IMO a real waste of good public space

 

On the otherhand excited to see & try The Porch & The Lawn Club Grill.

 

Lol, and hopefully we can still get in some personal lawn time... We loved playing Bocce Ball, and just laying out on the grass (day or night)... Being on a lawn at sea still is a bit mind blowing

 

Thanks for the info,

 

Cheers!

Edited November 23, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[mtn_couple]

We were on Solstice a couple of weeks ago NZ/Australia itinerary. Advertised in the daily a few times were lawn games with a set time. It poured with rain one of the set times. Don't know if anyone went to the other times. Never saw any games or equipment set up or anyone playing on the lawn ever. Parts were roped off because the lawn was 'resting' at times.

[TravelerThom]

Corn Hole is the name of a game where you throw beanbags at a wooden platform that has a hole cut into it. The platform is set up at an angle and people take turns tossing the beanbags to the platform. In some places it's also called Tailgate.

Called Cornhole based originally on bags of corn which you attempted to get through a hole at the other end. I suspect that the commercial forms of the bags now contain something impervious to moisture; I would guess "plastic corn" or "plastic beans"

[TeaBag]

We were sitting watching the Bocce ball one day on the Silhouette TA and a crew member came along and was chatting with us. He told us that when the ship transitions from Europe to the Caribbean, they take up the whole lawn and resod it with grass that tolerates the Caribbean heat. Maybe that's what the "lawn maintenance" was referring to?

[csg0325]

We were on the 12/14 Silhouette sailing and were also disappointed the large portion of the lawn by the Alcoves was sectioned off. We just assumed it was off limits to us "regular" people and reserved for the Alcoves.

 

We very much enjoyed our Solstice and Eclipse sailings with the open lawn and without the obnoxious cabana structures. To the Alcoves I say "booooooooooo."

 

Also noticed, as others mentioned, that the lawn games were available for limited hours in the strips on either side of the bar. Thus, on a sea day we never got the chance to play.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[curtdesilets]

We were on the 12/14 Silhouette sailing and were also disappointed the large portion of the lawn by the Alcoves was sectioned off. We just assumed it was off limits to us "regular" people and reserved for the Alcoves.

 

We very much enjoyed our Solstice and Eclipse sailings with the open lawn and without the obnoxious cabana structures. To the Alcoves I say "booooooooooo."

 

Also noticed, as others mentioned, that the lawn games were available for limited hours in the strips on either side of the bar. Thus, on a sea day we never got the chance to play.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

It seems the originally intent of the lawn was to give passengers a sense of open space and freedom. Especially so since the S-class ships have no wrap around Promenade deck. If exclusive suites are now using that limited space, that sucks.

 

We were on the Equinox early in her Sea Life, and just loved the lawn. Seems that the Lawn Bowling and other games were available at all times. Walking on that lawn watching the sunset while cruising through the Greek Isles on a warm Summer night was quite memorable. :)

 

Alcoves need to go. Here is a short promo video of the Lawn Club by Celebrity Cruises, pre-alcove:

 

http://youtu.be/uLX1sUddLCA

Edited January 3, 2015 by curtdesilets
added video