Any Royal cruisers tried Celebrity Solstice class?

[ATLgirl15]

Love solstice class class! We've only been on one celebrity cruise compared to a dozen of Royal cruises. It's a different experience for sure. It's not a late night party crowd but there was always something going on. We loved dancing with the stripes, liars club, the wine and cheese picnic on the lawn. It's a quieter crowd but not boring. And the ship is so beautiful.

[Baron Barracuda]

Love solstice class class! We've only been on one celebrity cruise compared to a dozen of Royal cruises. It's a different experience for sure. It's not a late night party crowd but there was always something going on. We loved dancing with the stripes, liars club, the wine and cheese picnic on the lawn. It's a quieter crowd but not boring. And the ship is so beautiful.

 

Our favorite memory of our Eclipse sailings were the wine and cheese sailaway parties on the lawn. Two years ago they did them at most ports. Free cheese, blankets, pillows and a folk singer. Sooooo relaxing.

[nealstuber]

I've read that you can transfer deposits between the cruise lines, but I don''t know if your perks (OBC for booking on board) will transfer.

 

 

Thanks.

[FirstCruise2331]

We are longtime RCI cruisers who tried Celebrity Solstice last year to Alaska. Oh my gosh.... LOVED IT!!!! Beautiful ship, amazing food, and incredible service. The buffet was wonderful and they have an Eggs Benedict bar - not kidding! - phenomenal.

 

I looked it up and I see Equinox offers the Hot Glass Blowing show, which is incredible.

 

Yeah... I don't think there is anything we didn't love. Their no-indoor-smoking policy was the clincher - it was great to walk into the casino and not be overcome with smoke. ;) If you are at all sensitive as we are, it makes a huge difference.

 

The itinerary is wonderful and 11 nights is just nice. :)

 

Have fun if you decide to do it.

 

Thanks for the tips.. love the sound of an eggs benedict bar!

[FirstCruise2331]

Hi, We have sailed ALL of the Solstice class ships of Celebrity and absolutely love them. We are Celebrity Elite+ and know much more about Celebrity than about RCCL. Our least favorite is the Reflection and our favorite is Silhouette even though they are basically the same ship design.

 

If possible, sail AQUA class as you will have your own dining room BLU which has great food. We have not eaten in MDR in years so can't really speak for food there. Our favorite Specialty restaurant is Muranos but we also like Tuscan Grille.

 

We have also sailed in suites on 2 cruises on Celebrity with butler service and that was a great experience.

 

Glad to answer any specific questions you have if I know the answer. As has been reported entertainment is not so great but we would rather meet fellow cruisers over an adult beverage than go to a show. Have seen some excellent duos and trios in the lounges over the years.

 

Grace

 

Thanks, I think Aqua class is probably beyond our price point as our package needs TA flights from Ireland and hoping to tag on few night in Miami.

[FirstCruise2331]

Long time RCCL cruisers, we tried the Celebrity Eclipse and absolutley loved it. Not necessarily better just different and a good different!

 

Check out my picture review of her from a few years ago in my sugnature. :D

 

Thanks, different is good. Have had a quick look at your review and have bookmarked to go back and read tonight. I immediately thought Centrum from Enchantment when saw your photo! Looks a beautiful ship.

[FirstCruise2331]

Based on my experience on Celebrity Reflection, I can say Celebrity has better food, at least in the MDR (can't comment on specialty restaurants). Better selection of shops on board, and itineraries. Regular cabins are slightly larger. But Celebrity is boring, since it caters an older crowd, while RCI has the best entertainment in the industry.

 

The service and cleanliness on board Celebrity is exceptionally good, I found it comparable with five-stars or luxury hotels (e.g. Four Seasons Hotels).

 

Thanks for the comparisons. Love the itinary on this cruise and we love our food (always enjoyed MDR and speciality on RCI) so if MDR is better that's a real plus.

[FirstCruise2331]

My best friend and I (32yrs at the time) sailed on the eclipse as a girls getaway. Food was excellent. We didn't realize our sailing was a guest chef themed cruise.

 

Decor rooms shops etc were modern and classy.

 

Entertainment was great. We made the most of it; but found the crowd to be much older.

 

Def recommend booking an aqua class room. (Loved the Persian garden!)

 

It would be a great trip for a couple; def not for families (i'd recommend rccl).

 

Id go with celebrity if you want a laid back; quiet cruise

 

I'd stick with rccl if you want a bit of excitement and energy.

 

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Thanks for the insights. No kids so just myself, DW and another couple so sounds like a winner for us.

[FirstCruise2331]

My husband and I have been on the Equinox three times and on the Solstice once. (As an aside, we're going on our first Royal Caribbean cruise next week.) For later night adult beverages, the Martini Bar on Deck 4 will be the place to go. It's very social and lively.

 

Good to know, thanks. Enjoy your first RCI cruise!

[FirstCruise2331]

If our adult kids and/or grandkids are with us, RC for sure. For my wife and I (mid 50s) the two Solstice class sailings we've done (14 day Southern Caribbean and 7 day Alaska), we LOVED them both. Based on the criteria you're looking for, my guess is at the end of this 11 day sailing is that it will be one of your favorites and you'll want to be planning another.

 

John

 

Thanks John. Hopefully you're right! Our TA is emailing our formal quote tomorrow and hopefully book this week

[FirstCruise2331]

We've done the Eclipse 3 times and Equinox once. We love the Solstice class! I think it's great for a couple with no kids. The Martini Bar is our favorite late night venue and I don't recall it closing before midnight. We love both Quisine and Murano restaurants.

 

We now have a 4 year old son' date=' so our next cruise is on the Allure. While we will enjoy this cruise I am hoping to get back on a Solstice class ship when our son is older.[/quote']

 

Thanks Gretchen. Hope you have a great cruise on Allure

[FirstCruise2331]

Yes, Solstice class on Celebrity are really nice ships. We sailed Eclipse back in 2011.

 

Thanks.

[sleepless]

We just came back from sailing on the Solstice to Alaska. Our first Celebrity cruise. We have cruised several times on Royal Caribbean. We went to Alaska to celebrate DH's retirement from working as a HR Director for over 40 years.

 

While we both enjoyed the Solstice, we really prefer Royal Caribbean.

 

Solstice did have a middle age crowd. Not to many older people (over 70), not to many younger people with families. Maybe the 50-60 year range. Also, not a lot of scooters, and did not see any "walkers". Royal Caribbean has a much better mix of ages of people, from the young to the old.

 

Passengers not as friendly on Solstice. Staff not as friendly on Solstice. Officers not as friendly on Solstice.

 

I love the hot tubs on Royal Caribbean. I only went in one hot tub on Solstice, and only stayed in for a few minutes. Hot tub water was uncomfortably hot. The smell of chlorine (or other chemicals) was very strong. In fact the whole Solarium smelled of chemicals for the entire week). Hot felt very small. Just having 4 people in it felt overly crowded.

 

The Solstice was very quiet, and for Alaska, that was okay, as we spent a lot of time watching the changing landscape. Not a lot of evening activity in the bars. Music as lacking in the bars at night. And, bar service was lacking. Servers were not roaming asking if you wanted a drink. It was much quicker to leave your seat, and walk up to the bar, to ask for a drink. In fact, I think that was expected, as we watched others doing the same thing.

 

Food may have been a bit better on the Solstice, both in the main dining room, and in the buffet.

 

Karaoke is handled differently (and weirdly) on the Solstice. The words of songs are on a large screen. The participants are facing the screen, with their backs to the audience. In fact, there is very little audience. And while this event takes place in an open bar, servers to not walk around offering drinks. Participants consisted of 2 young ladies, and 1 middle age male singing various songs. Not the party atmosphere as on Royal ships.

 

Some positives on the Solstice, I loved their coffee shop. Table service is provided both with ordering and clean up. The Promenade Cafe on Royal Caribbean is self serve and self clean up. When entering the ship the first time, you are greeted with a glass of orange juice or champagne. Also when coming back from excursions, you were offered beverages immediately upon entering the ship.

 

I also noticed on the Solstice, that staff members talked in their native language frequently while in public places It was noticed several times in the buffet, in the hall ways, and even in places like the coffee shops while serving guests. I am not complaining, it is just an observation. I never noticed that on Royal ships.

 

The shows are great in the theater on both lines.

 

We had a wonderful cruise on the Solstice, but I think my line of choice is Royal Caribbean.

[FirstCruise2331]

We are long time Royal cruisers and we sailed on Solstice last year out of Sydney. As it was mostly Australians the nightlife was definitely not quiet. We sailed over Halloween and some of the costumes some wore were brilliant. The ship is lovely, a notch above Royal (in my opinion) in all aspects. Food excellent in all venues, we enjoyed Tuscan Grill. I especially enjoyed Cafe al Bacio where the coffee is included in the drinks package. We always went there for coffee and desert after dinner each night.

We are going on the Eclipse to the Fiords next year and expect that to be a little quieter. But we are going with an adult family group and are looking forward to showing them the ship.

I am sure you will love it.

 

Thanks Merly. I think from what you said a0nd other posters, we dont have anything to worry about and will love it.

[helen haywood]

We are Diamond level on Royal and Elite Plus on Celebrity. Love the Solstice Class ships! Extremely partial to the Corning Museum of Glass Shows which Solstice, Equinox and Eclipse have. So no Lawn Club Grill on those ships. Not to be confused with the Mast Grill which is the outside hamburger/hot dog venue which is there and a must do! I am partial to desserts and sometimes the MDR's offerings aren't interesting so we decamp to Cafe al Bachio for dessert. The coffee and tea drinks there are for a fee (covered by a beverage package) but the desserts et al in the display case are complimentary...meaning free...you do not have to purchase a beverage to get a treat. Sometimes we'll swing by in the morning and get a pastry to take back to the cabin...

 

And let's not forget Celebrity's ice cream, made on board, flavors change daily. Delicious!! The outdoor seating aft in the Oceanview Cafe. I love being able to eat outside looking at the wake. The Sunset Bar!!

[Ocean Dancer]

We did the Silhouette's maiden Caribbean voyage 12 day rt from Bayonne. The ship was amazing, the passengers not so much.

 

One club did stay open until late, but the music changed to "God knows what" at midnight. The club cleared out except for the 6 people who seemed to enjoy it. The bartenders cleared out too. I guess it was their way of playing Goodnight Sweetheart. Prior to that the club was crowded and hopping with motown, people dancing and buying drinks. Bad move on managements part. No free bev packages then.

 

Scooters everywhere blocking the hallways, They mentioned the average age was 78 on that cruise...The ones that get in the elevator before you get out, then give you the dirty look.. We sailed over Veterans Day and NOTHING was done. I love Royal's Vet get togethers.

 

I agree that the staff was not as nice, just did their jobs, nothing more.

 

The food was good and loved hanging out on the 7th floor lounge mid ship with the unusual chairs doing the morning puzzle. It was just down the hall from us and a quiet place to read etc.

[sleepless]

I did forget to mention, the Glass Show on the Solstice if wonderful, and the out door eating area behind the buffet is outstanding. DH and I had breakfast and lunch out there many days on our cruise to Alaska.

[davekathy]

Another 2 thumps up for Celebrity's S Class ships.

[FirstCruise2331]

I enjoyed our Eclipse cruise and thought the Solstice-class is beautiful, well-appointed, and just a classy overall experience. We went to two of the specialty restaurants, Tuscan Grill and Muranos, and thought they were both head and shoulders better than the specialty restaurants on RCI. Certainly food is subjective, but that was my opinion. We were not impressed with the food in the MDR.

 

We had no problem finding loungers at the pool, and there were many shady areas. Great design.

 

Where RCI shines is entertainment. We love RCI's entertainment, and just thought that the shows offered on Celebrity were mediocre at best. It was a 14-night cruise, and they were hard pressed to put on a really good show for that period of time. My DH described the evening atmosphere on Celebrity as "quiet."

 

As for dinners in RCI's MDRs, again subjective, but OK. Definitely not the quality it was years ago.

 

It's always nice to branch out and try something different. I'm sure you will enjoy cruising on Celebrity's Solstice-class. Just go in with an open mind and enjoy the experience.

 

Thanks Karen. We are always glass half full people on holidays. Shows not that important to us..like a bit of live music but the "big show" not our main priority. Excited about trying something new.

[FirstCruise2331]

The Solstice class on Celebrity is a great choice.

 

Not sure why people say there is nothing happening on Celebrity late night- bars and dance venues open til 2am...how much later do you want to go?

 

We find the overall atmosphere to be more refined...there are fewer announcements, no belly flops contests by the pool, no cheesy take-off-your-bra game show events in the theatre. One of the things we love the most is the live music and the nice bar venues. People tend to follow the dress code. Service is great too.

 

For food- be sure to go to Murano, Qsine (if you are in a group of 4 or more) and definitely Lawn Club Grill. The food is great. Tip: the buffet area has homemade, hard-scoop ice cream, FREE, all the time. Rotating flavors. It is FANTASTIC.

 

As far as entertainment...I have yet to see a even a 1/2way decent show on a cruise ship. To me they are all slightly cheesy, high-school caliber performances. Living in New York City really spoils you for entertainment anywhere else. I guess if you've never seen a show in NYC, Vegas, London, or any other big city, you might like it. ;) (Headed on Oasis class next, so we'll see if I feel differently about that)!

 

Thanks, 2am is plenty late! Was just worried as someone mentioned 10pm! Never went to belly flops or Quest so happy none of that. Delighted to hear about live music..give me a guy with a guitar singing songs in a bar and I'll be happy. Have seen Vegas shows..even they not my scene so not bothered if shows just mediocre. Thanks for tip about ice cream - sounds great!

Edited August 7, 2016 by FirstCruise2331

[FirstCruise2331]

I really enjoy the Solstice class ... especially the older ships in the class that still have the hot glass show. You'll find that Royal took their Quantum-class buffet layout pretty much straight from the layout on the Solstice class.

 

Buffet will look familiar to us so after Ovation! Not sure if the glass show on Equinox but will look out for it, thanks.

[helen haywood]

Equinox definitely has the hot glass show!

 

 

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[easyboy]

We just came back from sailing on the Solstice to Alaska. Our first Celebrity cruise. We have cruised several times on Royal Caribbean. We went to Alaska to celebrate DH's retirement from working as a HR Director for over 40 years.

 

While we both enjoyed the Solstice, we really prefer Royal Caribbean.

 

Solstice did have a middle age crowd. Not to many older people (over 70), not to many younger people with families. Maybe the 50-60 year range. Also, not a lot of scooters, and did not see any "walkers". Royal Caribbean has a much better mix of ages of people, from the young to the old.

 

Passengers not as friendly on Solstice. Staff not as friendly on Solstice. Officers not as friendly on Solstice.

 

I love the hot tubs on Royal Caribbean. I only went in one hot tub on Solstice, and only stayed in for a few minutes. Hot tub water was uncomfortably hot. The smell of chlorine (or other chemicals) was very strong. In fact the whole Solarium smelled of chemicals for the entire week). Hot felt very small. Just having 4 people in it felt overly crowded.

 

The Solstice was very quiet, and for Alaska, that was okay, as we spent a lot of time watching the changing landscape. Not a lot of evening activity in the bars. Music as lacking in the bars at night. And, bar service was lacking. Servers were not roaming asking if you wanted a drink. It was much quicker to leave your seat, and walk up to the bar, to ask for a drink. In fact, I think that was expected, as we watched others doing the same thing.

 

Food may have been a bit better on the Solstice, both in the main dining room, and in the buffet.

 

Karaoke is handled differently (and weirdly) on the Solstice. The words of songs are on a large screen. The participants are facing the screen, with their backs to the audience. In fact, there is very little audience. And while this event takes place in an open bar, servers to not walk around offering drinks. Participants consisted of 2 young ladies, and 1 middle age male singing various songs. Not the party atmosphere as on Royal ships.

 

Some positives on the Solstice, I loved their coffee shop. Table service is provided both with ordering and clean up. The Promenade Cafe on Royal Caribbean is self serve and self clean up. When entering the ship the first time, you are greeted with a glass of orange juice or champagne. Also when coming back from excursions, you were offered beverages immediately upon entering the ship.

 

I also noticed on the Solstice, that staff members talked in their native language frequently while in public places It was noticed several times in the buffet, in the hall ways, and even in places like the coffee shops while serving guests. I am not complaining, it is just an observation. I never noticed that on Royal ships.

 

The shows are great in the theater on both lines.

 

We had a wonderful cruise on the Solstice, but I think my line of choice is Royal Caribbean.

Thanks for your assessment.

[cruisechk]

We're (myself 36, DW 40) thinking of an 11 night Caribbean cruise (St Thomas, BVI, Antigua, Barbados, St Lucia, St Maarten) on Celebrity equinox. We've only previously sailed RC on Enchantment and Ovation and really enjoyed both.

 

 

 

We are not fussy eaters, like to relax by day at sea, explore ports and have few drinks by night ideally listening to a musician playing. Will take in a show but not be all and end all for us.

 

 

 

Just wondering if theres anything positive or negative people who have sailed the Celebrity solstice class could share from a royal comparison?

 

 

 

Thanks.

 

 

We love the solstice class ships. We always go aqua class as we like eating in Blu and going to the Persian garden. Celebrity is a step up from Royal. We are Diamond Plus and Elite on both lines.

 

 

 

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[Langley Cruisers]

Not sure if the glass show on Equinox but will look out for it, thanks.

 

Yes - I guess you missed my reply to you earlier - -

 

We are longtime RCI cruisers who tried Celebrity Solstice last year to Alaska. Oh my gosh.... LOVED IT!!!! Beautiful ship, amazing food, and incredible service. The buffet was wonderful and they have an Eggs Benedict bar - not kidding! - phenomenal.

 

I looked it up and I see Equinox offers the Hot Glass Blowing show, which is incredible.

 

Yeah... I don't think there is anything we didn't love. Their no-indoor-smoking policy was the clincher - it was great to walk into the casino and not be overcome with smoke. ;) If you are at all sensitive as we are, it makes a huge difference.

 

The itinerary is wonderful and 11 nights is just nice. :)

 

Have fun if you decide to do it.