Question for Australia/NZ on Solstice

[Kam55]

Planning on booking Aust/NZ with B2B of Pacific Islands. Does anybody have any info on port vs starboard particularly for views?

[Essiesmom]

I think you should ask this on the OZ/NZ board here, as the folks on that board sail those areas more than the rest of us.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/564-australia-new-zealand-cruisers/

[Philomath]

We did this itinerary a few years back (not the Pacific Islands part). If your direction is Australia to New Zealand, a port balcony will give you the best views of the South Island shore as you work your way around it and up to Auckland. The only caveat is while docked in Sydney, it was the starboard side that had the amazing view of the Opera House - not sure if that is subject to change. While you are sailing the sounds, both sides have great views but you're best off on the top deck anyway. It's a lovely cruise, enjoy!

[mahdnc]

When we were docked in Sydney on Jan 2 2018, Solstice's port side had the views of the Opera House.  

Edited January 26, 2019 by mahdnc

[scrapcreator]

For views of the Opera House and the Harbor Bridge, I recommend the Oceanview Bar or the Sunset Bar for Sail Away. Solstice was docked as posted above. 

 

We had a port side balcony with great views. But to be honest, we didn’t hear any complaints from the starboard side cruisers. 

[jelayne]

We have done AUstralia (circumnavigated) NZ and the Pacific islands.  We booked cabins 1674 & 1676- very aft with larger balconies. So those or any Sunset Veranda will allow you to see both Port & starboard side views.

[Northern Aurora]

We have twice cruised from Honolulu to Sydney (and then on to other destinations because they were B2B cruises) and once from San Diego to Sydney (and again, added another South Pacific cruise which returned us to Sydney).   Twice we were on the now departed Celebrity Century and once on the Solstice.  So we have docked in Sydney four times (remember, one cruise was San Diego to Sydney followed by a South Pacific which returned us to Sydney).  Each time both ships were docked such that the starboard side of the ship faced "the Rocks" and the port side faced the Opera House side of the harbor.

 

Going through French Polynesia I don't find that cabin location on port or starboard side is a factor.

[Sekhmet]

It might also be worth mentioning for Sydney that if it is just a port of call rather than the start/finish of a cruise, the ship may not be docked at all.  We will be aboard Celebrity Solstice calling at Sydney en route from Perth to Auckland in March, and are scheduled to be anchored at Athol Bay and tendered in.

[Diamond lover]

6 hours ago, Sekhmet said:

It might also be worth mentioning for Sydney that if it is just a port of call rather than the start/finish of a cruise, the ship may not be docked at all.  We will be aboard Celebrity Solstice calling at Sydney en route from Perth to Auckland in March, and are scheduled to be anchored at Athol Bay and tendered in.

 

I am on that cruise as well, and I did not know that!  Thanks for the info Sekhmet!

[capsplace]

On 1/26/2019 at 1:40 PM, jelayne said:

We have done AUstralia (circumnavigated) NZ and the Pacific islands.  We booked cabins 1674 & 1676- very aft with larger balconies. So those or any Sunset Veranda will allow you to see both Port & starboard side views.

We are similarly booked in these two cabins on a B2B.  How were the cabins themselves?