Solstice To Golden Princess

[OzKiwiJJ]

Worked it out nicely.:D

 

I was quite close with the plane fares, overestimated the hotel, and didn't think of transfers. Still, not bad.

 

Mind you, I just got back from a trip to Melbourne so had a fair idea of the current prices. ;)

Edited July 8, 2015 by OzKiwiJJ

[judatt]

Just thought I'd try and add to the conversation. Please take these comments as "for what they are worth" which is probably not much - just my opinion.

 

First thing I'd say we have been fortunate to cruise out of local ports that we could drive to on a couple of occasions and it is great. We drove to the port and stayed in a hotel that offered parking and got up the next morning and got on the ship and then when we got off the ship the shuttle took us back to the hotel and we were headed home by mid morning. We really enjoyed this option so I can see where this would be something the OP would want to do.

 

We have been on several cruises - elite with Celebrity so we are definitely somewhat prejudiced towards this line. We haven't been on the Solstice but we have been on the Equinox (a sister ship) and we loved sailing on her. We've been on Royal Caribbean a couple of times, Carnival a couple of times and NCL once. We recently took our first cruise on Princess on the Crown Princess out of Long Beach.

 

Would we cruise again on Princess - in a word yes. However, it would not be our line of choice. I've learned over the years you don't make life long decisions on one experience but we did feel like Princess was a step down from either RCCL or Celebrity. It would be very similar to Carnival and we enjoyed both of our cruises on Carnival.

 

We had dining issues all week - we booked at the last minute and so were stuck with anytime dining. Went on the first afternoon to talk with Maitre'D and was assured we would be placed at a table for regular dining. First night went to dining room and were placed at a large table and waited 45 minutes for the next guests to come and over an hour to place our order and almost 2 hours to get any food. The rest of the cruise we had a table for 2 even though we had asked for a large table. All those logistical issues were troubling but we did book last minute and expected some issues - main issue was the slowness and quality of the food.

 

We felt like the entertainment was a step down from Celebrity/RCCL. We actually enjoyed Carnivals entertainment when we were on those cruises. And as much as we didn't really like NCL we thought their entertainment was probably the best we have been on - that cruise was over 20 years ago so things in general have changed. We just felt like Princess shows were short and not of the same quality as the other lines we had experienced.

 

Embarkation was fine but disembarkation was horrible on Princess. Once again, not a deal breaker but it was almost 11 before we got off the ship.

 

All in all, we enjoy cruising and haven't found a line we will rule out completely. Our preference is Celebrity/RCCL but we'd certainly go on other lines.

 

Trust this helps.

[maggie.1008]

The Solstice is my favorite ship and I will be on her for the 4th time next week.:) I have also sailed on the Golden and enjoyed very much. I like that Princess will let you combine many offers and perks. I also like that you can board and go straight to your cabin. I prefer a small dining room so Princess is better than the large MDR on X. For the last few years we have booked Aqua or a suite in order to avoid the noise and chaos of X MDR. The Princess mini suites are not as nice as X sky suites but they are less money. I think the food and buffet are better on X. I would always choose X first but they offer so little on the West Coast that I now cruise on Princess a few times each year. You will enjoy the Golden.

[Cuizer2]

Hi Folks

 

We have just canceled our third cruise on Solstice in favor of Golden Princess

 

Some background we are located in Melbourne Australia and are a party of three Myself and My Wife Jean and her mother Elsie

 

Jean and I have made two cruises on Solstice (both 12 day trips to New Zealand) in the last two years and before that a 10 day pacific island cruise on board Rhapsody of the Seas all of which we enjoyed greatly.

 

We were booked to a 12 night pacific islands and Fiji cruise on Solstice on the 20th March 2016 but have canceled in favor of a 14 night cruise on Golden Princess leaving Melbourne on the 8th March 2016

 

Ports: Melbourne, Australia | Mare, New Caledonia | Mystery Island, Vanuatu | Vila, Vanuatu | Champagne Bay, Vanuatu | Wala, Vanuatu | Luganville, Vanuatu | Melbourne, Australia

 

There are eight sea days on this cruise which for us is a big plus

 

However this is not the main reason for the change in our plans, let me explain.

 

1 The Solstice leaves from Sydney so airfares and a hotel on the nigh prior to sailing add up to approx $1500

2 The Balcony Stateroom on the Solstice is very nice but not quite as large as the mini suite on Golden Princess

3 Possible the most important consideration for us, we find that the "class" system that has crept into Celebrity over the last year or two has made them a bit less of a perfect fit for us , we did not like not having access to Micheals club as this was the only place that had any classical music on our cruises

 

We did not like the reserving of blocks of seats in the theater and other places including the sky lounge for private functions and felt to some extent the ship was divided into "classes" and was becoming more so with the advent of luminea as the suite restaurant (this is not a major turn off but shall we say a niggling annoyance ) and it would not prevent us from sailing on Celebrity in the future

 

However given the choice of sailing for our "Home Port" with its $ savings on airfares and given a cruise that takes us to a number of smaller low key ports that interest us we think its worth taking the plunge and risking a new cruise line for us

 

From what we can see we rather like the decor on the Golden Princess and the range of dining venues

 

So will we be back on board Solstice with our tails between our legs or will we be happy with Princess??

 

 

Best Regards

 

John

 

Celebrity is owned by Royal Caribbean and the former CEO of Celebrity is now the CEO of Royal Caribbean. The changes you describe with Celebrity are now appearing on Royal Caribbean. I feel the same way about Royal Caribbean as you do about Celebrity.

 

As to your switch to Princess, I have taken a couple of Princess cruises and would like to take more. I believe that you will enjoy your cruise on Princess and if you do cruise on Celebrity again, you will do so with your head (and tail) held high.

 

In addition, I have also taken two cruises with NCL and while my next cruise is with Royal Caribbean, the one after that is with NCL. I have not cruised with NCL since 2008. My 2008 cruise on NCL was through the Panama Canal and my next cruise on NCL (in 2017) will also include the Panama Canal.

 

Hopefully in the next few years the changes that are coming will be well established and then, I'll either continue to try different lines (I have cruised on five different lines and can think of at least three others I would like to try) or I'll find a favorite that I can cruise with.

[MicCanberra]

Personally, I think people should cruise the itinerary they prefer rather than just picking a cruise that they have loyalty status with, if things are the same then go with the preferred line.:D

[Cindy]

 

 

So will we see more of a "Ship within a Ship" concepts being introduced??

 

Or will the "One Class" cruise ship remain the normal

 

What you you think ??

 

 

Best Regards

 

John

 

I believe the "ship within a ship" concept is the wave of the future. Just look at NCL's Haven or MSC's Yacht Club -- I think we'll see more and more services and perks being offered to those in top suites in the next few years.

 

There are plenty of people out there who can afford the premium lines but prefer a big ship with all the activities and entertainment it offers. Don't think the cruise lines aren't aware of what those customers expect and want. I think we'll see a lot of cruise lines making changes to entice/keep their suite cruisers. They know if they don't their competitor will!