Solstice Mexican Riviera March 4th-11th...Finally...let the saga...ahem, I mean live review begin!

[Georgia_Peaches]

4 minutes ago, Sillyjilly said:

 I am also flying in for this cruise from Atlanta. Sticking with Delta. LOL

See you onboard!

Yay!!  I love it. See you at the martini bar!

 

[Stem to Stern]

I am already drawn in by your wonderful writing style.  Bon voyage!

[ptcflyer]

Going on the Solstice March 11 to March 18 from Atlanta.  We are on the opposite budget extreme.   Verandah Accessible Cabin.  Cruise Fare:   Blue Chip Club Offer - Just taxes:   $287.    Flying Southwest  ATL - LGB - ATL.   42,000 Miles  My Wife goes at no extra charge  with Companion Pass.   $22 taxes total.   No pre departure stay.   $100 RT Uber from LGB to Port to LGB.   $250 Discounted High Speed Internet.  Do not drink .... so no drink package.   $300 Tips budget.   All In:  $ 959.00      $68.50 Per Person Per day.        Blue Chip BONUS:  $100 free play in Casino.   Free drinks in Casino.   Free Digital Photo Package.      Just did this same cruise a few weeks ago... and the service was fabulous!   Food was very good.   Ship was 1/2 full.   Lost $700 in the Casino, but received a free Blue Chip offer that we redeemed for a 12 Day $5,500 Asia cruise for the fall on the Solstice.  

[Georgia_Peaches]

14 minutes ago, ptcflyer said:

Going on the Solstice March 11 to March 18 from Atlanta.  We are on the opposite budget extreme.   Verandah Accessible Cabin.  Cruise Fare:   Blue Chip Club Offer - Just taxes:   $287.    Flying Southwest  ATL - LGB - ATL.   42,000 Miles  My Wife goes at no extra charge  with Companion Pass.   $22 taxes total.   No pre departure stay.   $100 RT Uber from LGB to Port to LGB.   $250 Discounted High Speed Internet.  Do not drink .... so no drink package.   $300 Tips budget.   All In:  $ 959.00      $68.50 Per Person Per day.        Blue Chip BONUS:  $100 free play in Casino.   Free drinks in Casino.   Free Digital Photo Package.      Just did this same cruise a few weeks ago... and the service was fabulous!   Food was very good.   Ship was 1/2 full.   Lost $700 in the Casino, but received a free Blue Chip offer that we redeemed for a 12 Day $5,500 Asia cruise for the fall on the Solstice.  

I’m truly in awe. What a fabulous deal all the way around!  I’m eagerly awaiting the BCC offer to hit my inbox. While I do love the pampering of a suite, the thrill of a great deal is altogether another kind of sweet!

[Georgia_Peaches]

34 minutes ago, Stem to Stern said:

I am already drawn in by your wonderful writing style.  Bon voyage!

Thank you so much!  So glad to have you along. 😊. 

[Sillyjilly]

1 hour ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Yay!!  I love it. See you at the martini bar!

 

 

4 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Thank you so much!  So glad to have you along. 😊. 

You bet!

 

[Rtowncruiser]

We are on this cruise. We have been on the Solstice and all these ports many times. Cabo is a little intense as tour promoters will hail you as you walk along the marina. We usually just take advantage of the inexpensive massages you can get locally. (just check Tripadvisor) as we have pretty much done most of the activities in our younger years. Love Puerto Vallarta. The Malecon area is a must see if you are out and about on your own. You can take a bus for 10 pesos. (50 cents) or numerous taxis are available. Mazatlan you walk  the "Blue Line" to get you into the town. It's best to use cash for your purchases. Have fun!

 

[Celtic_Creation]

I need to second the referral for Whale Watch Cabo...we just got off a Solstice cruise and booked a whale watching excursion with the company.  It was amazing.  Not only did we see the regular tourist sites, but we were treated to amazing show of whales breaching and singing.  One whale came straight up out of the water...incredible. The marine biologist on board was excellent as well and all pictures that she took were sent to us at no charge.  Just a note, you need to do a leisurely stroll around the marina to get there.

[Georgia_Peaches]

6 minutes ago, Celtic_Creation said:

I need to second the referral for Whale Watch Cabo...we just got off a Solstice cruise and booked a whale watching excursion with the company.  It was amazing.  Not only did we see the regular tourist sites, but we were treated to amazing show of whales breaching and singing.  One whale came straight up out of the water...incredible. The marine biologist on board was excellent as well and all pictures that she took were sent to us at no charge.  Just a note, you need to do a leisurely stroll around the marina to get there.

I was hooked when I read pictures were included!  We went ahead and booked the tour and I'm very excited...but I'm not sure what to wear.  Was it windy and cool on the water?  The forecast for our day is 74 and partly sunny.  Is it a warm 74 or a cool 74 (with the wind).  I have planned on jeans but I'm a 55 y/o female who doesn't like to be hot.  Did I mention this cruise packing endeavor has been perplexing? 🤦‍♀️

[Georgia_Peaches]

Celebrity’s wonderful Shoreside Concierge…

 

Any cruise enthusiast will concur that part of the thrill of cruising is the preplanning of the trip.  The research into excursions, following of live reviews, and endless YouTube videos all add to the hype.  So imagine my glee when I received the welcome email from Celebrity Solstice Shoreside Concierge just over a month ago!  I’m pretty sure I yelped with surprise because I wasn’t expecting it to arrive quite so early.    Was I fully prepared to make my stateroom selections so soon before my cruise?  Why, yes I was! 

 

DH and I are pretty laid back sorta folks.  We don’t cause a fuss (though I can speak my mind when good and provoked) and much prefer the less is more sort of approach to most things in life.  With that said, I was quite aghast with myself after I read my initial list of requests.   I mean, we rarely drink beer on a cruise so why was I asking for Moretti?  Vitamin water?  Sounds exotic, but nope…don’t need it.  So after some pairing down and weeding out, I came up with the following list of requests:

 

Spirits:  Grey Goose and Glen Fiddich

Sparkling and still water

Orange and cranberry juice

Coke Zero and limes

 

I said no to extra hangers and special pillows but asked for a fan for the bedroom and cheese and crackers (no saltines) for an afternoon snack.

 

I also gave a list of restaurants we wanted to dine in along with desired times.

 

I fully expected a polite NO to the fan request but it hasn’t come yet.  In fact, within a few hours of my response email, I received an answer from shoreside indicating that my requests had been recorded and my dinner reservations were all set.

 

I guess the next test will be in how well shoreside and Solstice actually communicate with other in fulfilling these requests.  I’ll keep you posted…

Edited March 3, 2023 by Georgia_Peaches

[juanrod]

We are on the cruise as well booking last minute and and was assigned concierge since we booked veranda guaranteed but haven’t got an email yet from them .   @Jim_Iain great reviews made us want to book this when we finally were able to get time off at the same time.   Know the wardrobe concerns. Pants and jackets for a few days coming and going and shorts for the middle of the trip.  See you on board @Georgia_Peaches

[sbt518]

This is an itinerary I've never considered but now I am because even though you have not even boarded the ship yet, your review makes me want to go there! And I remember @Jim_Iain 's review also.

 

But I noticed there are no 2024 itineraries for the Mexican Riviera yet and we have our 2023 cruise coming up in 2 weeks.  Our fall vacation will be somewhere land based, maybe Scotland, which I know to be Iian's homeland but that and whisky and beautiful rolling hills are all I know about it so I'm excited to go.

 

EDIT to fix the spelling of whisky so as not to offend any Scots! 🤣

Edited March 3, 2023 by sbt518

[JintyGirl]

6 minutes ago, sbt518 said:

This is an itinerary I've never considered but now I am because even though you have not even boarded the ship yet, your review makes me want to go there! And I remember @Jim_Iain 's review also.

 

But I noticed there are no 2024 itineraries for the Mexican Riviera yet and we have our 2023 cruise coming up in 2 weeks.  Our fall vacation will be somewhere land based, maybe Scotland, which I know to be Iian's homeland but that and whiskey and beautiful rolling hills are all I know about it so I'm excited to go.

Before you come to Scotland, I should point out there’s no whiskey here, only whisky! We’re a bit precious about it 😊 You’ll offend some locals if you confuse the 2! Whisky from other countries has an “e” but never the proper stuff from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 PS I can’t stand it myself and don’t understand why folk drink it! 

[sbt518]

3 minutes ago, JintyGirl said:

Before you come to Scotland, I should point out there’s no whiskey here, only whisky! We’re a bit precious about it 😊 You’ll offend some locals if you confuse the 2! Whisky from other countries has an “e” but never the proper stuff from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 PS I can’t stand it myself and don’t understand why folk drink it! 

FIXED IT! I'm sure my New Yorker self will find some other way to offend the locals but I'll do my best not to. 😇

[Georgia_Peaches]

54 minutes ago, sbt518 said:

This is an itinerary I've never considered but now I am because even though you have not even boarded the ship yet, your review makes me want to go there! And I remember @Jim_Iain 's review also.

 

But I noticed there are no 2024 itineraries for the Mexican Riviera yet and we have our 2023 cruise coming up in 2 weeks.  Our fall vacation will be somewhere land based, maybe Scotland, which I know to be Iian's homeland but that and whisky and beautiful rolling hills are all I know about it so I'm excited to go.

 

EDIT to fix the spelling of whisky so as not to offend any Scots! 🤣

Thank you for the compliment!  My understanding is that Celebrity will not return to the Mexican Riviera after this season.  I think somewhere along the way I read the reason here on CC but can't seem to recall the specifics.  Perhaps it's a Solstice thing and Celebrity will replace her with another ship.  Scotland, on the other hand sounds wonderful and is definitely on my bucket list as my family also hail from her rolling green hills!

[Rtowncruiser]

1 hour ago, sbt518 said:

This is an itinerary I've never considered but now I am because even though you have not even boarded the ship yet, your review makes me want to go there! And I remember @Jim_Iain 's review also.

 

But I noticed there are no 2024 itineraries for the Mexican Riviera yet and we have our 2023 cruise coming up in 2 weeks.  Our fall vacation will be somewhere land based, maybe Scotland, which I know to be Iian's homeland but that and whisky and beautiful rolling hills are all I know about it so I'm excited to go.

 

EDIT to fix the spelling of whisky so as not to offend any Scots! 🤣

Celebrity will be gone from the West Coast (except for repositioning ) in 2024. It is just a fluke that the Solstice is here. Covid sidelined it's Asian itineraries and it parked itself in LA for the year. Sadly, it will be gone next year as it will pick up Asia again. To my knowledge, no other ship will be here in 2024.

 

Edited March 3, 2023 by Rtowncruiser

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

I was hooked when I read pictures were included!  We went ahead and booked the tour and I'm very excited...but I'm not sure what to wear.  Was it windy and cool on the water?  The forecast for our day is 74 and partly sunny.  Is it a warm 74 or a cool 74 (with the wind).  I have planned on jeans but I'm a 55 y/o female who doesn't like to be hot.  Did I mention this cruise packing endeavor has been perplexing? 🤦‍♀️

 

For us it was a perfect temperature and definitely not cold on the water.   I think I brought a windbreaker but never took it out of the backpack.  We met in the shade because sun was strong. 

Here’s how our guide was dressed. 

 

 

Edited March 3, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[hcat]

We enjoyed this itin (with a few other stops) awhile ago.  

 

Cabo:   great lunch and  jewelry  shopping. Nice area to walk around, hilly. I fell in love with a puppy that was hanging out and spent time seeing if we could adopt him (my dh humors me!) ..which we did but JUST for the day!

 

PV.. one of our fav ports.  Beautiful location..water...modern areas/ condos  but also lots of history/architecture...Plus the tour dropped some folks at  a Walmart on the way back to the ship  (water tee shirts, etc.) if I recall correctly.  Popular with crew and cruisers.

 

   We took a day long tour  including where the rich and famous used to play, and an extended Tequila tasting.( very smooth!) 

 

We just enjoyed taking in the city's outstanding vibe!

 

hope u enjoy it. all

[dlh015]

42 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

My understanding is that Celebrity will not return to the Mexican Riviera after this season

Darn! So much for my hopes of doing that cruise on X!

 

I'll just have to make do with your experiences I guess...lol...suppose I could reread Jim_lains excellent review...

[kwokpot]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

For us it was a perfect temperature and definitely not cold on the water.   I think I brought a windbreaker but never took it out of the backpack.  We met in the shade because sun was strong. 

Here’s how our guide was dressed. 

 

 

All three ports were perfect weather last week. Warm, not hot, not humid, just PERFECT. No jacket is needed. As i mentioned on my quick recap the ship is another story. The ship was always COLD. You need a hoodie or sweatshirt on at all times. The casino was the only place besides the solarium that one was comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt. I would guesstimate the inside temps aboard the Solstice to be around 64-68 degrees. 

Edited March 3, 2023 by kwokpot

[mcrcruiser]

We are looking forward to your posts 😀.We follow you March 11th & March 18th . 

[Georgia_Peaches]

Welp, vacation has officially begun!  Made it through Hartsfield-Jackson with relative ease despite an obvious spring break rush. DH and I are enjoying our preboard cocktail as we await our boarding time. Cheers everyone!  Catch ya’ll on the flip side. 🍸

[sdnich]

I hope you have an uneventful flight ! The weather is cold in Ca. but at least the rain and wind has stopped!!
Maybe we will meet at the martini bar !! 🥂🛳

[Georgia_Peaches]

Welllll, not so fast! Sitting on the plane with drink in hand, our trip has come to an abrupt halt.  And when I say abrupt, I mean everyone grab your stuff and get off the plane kind of halt.  It seems that the FAA has this pesky little requirement that each plane equip themselves with a pilot.  And our pilot has been diverted to Birmingham due to storms and wind in the area.  At this point it is unclear if we will get out tonight or not.  Just another reason why flying in ahead of time is always good practice.  Will keep you posted...

[FlorenceItaly]

16 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Welllll, not so fast! Sitting on the plane with drink in hand, our trip has come to an abrupt halt.  And when I say abrupt, I mean everyone grab your stuff and get off the plane kind of halt.  It seems that the FAA has this pesky little requirement that each plane equip themselves with a pilot.  And our pilot has been diverted to Birmingham due to storms and wind in the area.  At this point it is unclear if we will get out tonight or not.  Just another reason why flying in ahead of time is always good practice.  Will keep you posted...

Oh no!  Best wishes to you!