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Roll Call: Celebrity Solstice 3/8/09 (Atlantis Events)

philamike

By philamike,
in LGBTQIA+ Cruisers

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BostonBud

BostonBud

Posted
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Have any of you guys been on a Celebrity ship before? We've taken 2 Atlantis cruises but both have been on RCI Ships. I was wondering what the differences in the cruise lines there was considering its a chartered ship.

 

Also, this ship is quite the "relaxing" vessel and Rich said that this cruise was going to be a big departure from the typical Jan Freedom cruise.

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davela2

davela2

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Hi Guys

We're booked on this cruise too. We've done 2 January cruises in 2002 & 2005, and the March 2007 cruise. We splurged for a balcony cabin this time (always did "oceanview" cabins before). We are going with 5 friends from Ann Arbor, all booked in adjacent cabins on deck 6. Looking forward to it! I might have done the January cruise next year, but I'm tired of the same itinerary. Not so thrilled about Labadee on this cruise, but looking forward to DR & Curacao.

 

Dave (& Dan)

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BostonBud

BostonBud

Posted
Posted
Have any of you guys been on a Celebrity ship before? We've taken 2 Atlantis cruises but both have been on RCI Ships. I was wondering what the differences in the cruise lines there was considering its a chartered ship.

 

Also, this ship is quite the "relaxing" vessel and Rich said that this cruise was going to be a big departure from the typical Jan Freedom cruise.

HI again,

 

I just wanted to repeat an earlier question I had since I hadn't heard of a reply yet. From some of the posts on CC, it seems that the Celebrity ships get quiet in the evening although I can't imagine that would happen on an Atlantis cruise. Again, I'm not expecting the Jan. cruise.

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Schplinky

Schplinky

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HI again,

 

I just wanted to repeat an earlier question I had since I hadn't heard of a reply yet. From some of the posts on CC, it seems that the Celebrity ships get quiet in the evening although I can't imagine that would happen on an Atlantis cruise. Again, I'm not expecting the Jan. cruise.

 

Hey Buddy,

 

One of the differences we notice on Celebrity is that the lounges tend to be a bit smaller but a bit more plentiful. There are lots of themes going on and we find ourselves gravitating to the martini bar. They do a sampler of all their flavored martinis that is a lot of fun. I found that giving away my "real" martini from that sampler (of 6) was a great way to meet others. On our Century sailing, we wound up becoming friendly with a very nice gay couple from DC this way.

 

Another thing Celebrity does well is health food. They have the Aqua Spa cafe which is a smaller casual dining area (usually near the spa) and they do very tasty things that are healthier than the main food. Speaking of food, I find that the Celebrity food is a bit more European (continental) than RCL, which is more of an American fusion. Many people like the Celebrity food better but I would say that it's more different than better.

 

Celebrity tends to go for a space that is more refined looking than awe-inspiring, so you won't see atriums that run up through the ship for decks and decks, most likely. Obvioulsly, there's no Royal Promenade. We did like that there were three elevator banks on the Celebrity ships we've sailed. Cuts down on the walking.

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Schplinky

Schplinky

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I've been reading your reviews as always and I get such a lift from your observations.

 

I can't wait to hear what you have to say about the Solstice since you'll be going on it a month before us. Tell Mike I said hello!

 

Will do. We leave in a few weeks on a ship you've sailed on: Adventure. Can hardly wait.

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BostonBud

BostonBud

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I have a question for some of you. How soon do you book airfare to a port? It's 5 months till this cruise and I haven't booked anything yet. I was waiting because Jetblue didn't offer advance bookings (they do now). However, I'm noticing a huge increase in airfare that is ridiculous.

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woofie71

woofie71

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I like to book early to get the flights and seats that I want. I booked FLL tickets for the Atlantis Solstice and RSVP Eurodam in June. I booked LAX tickets (for upcoming Atlantis Mexico) back in February.

 

I also made my hotel reservations around the same time.

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philamike

philamike

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I have a question for some of you. How soon do you book airfare to a port?

 

My recommendation is to wait -- you're not going to see any deals right now. Airlines are still doing their fall specials, and have barely started offering winter deals.

 

But FLL in March is a bit tricky -- the cruise is overlapping with the start of Spring Break season. Try to be as flexible as possible -- check flying into/out of Miami or West Palm Beach. Also try pricing two one-way trips on separate airlines. (For my last two cruises, which both left from Miami, I flew into Miami on US Airlines and out of FLL on AirTran -- turned out to be the cheapest option.)

 

Also consider staying in Florida for an extra night at the end of the cruise -- a Sunday is typically a heavier travel day (and thus more expensive) than a Monday. The money you might save on a cheaper flight may easily cover the cost of a hotel room that night.

 

My best advice is to price your options frequently (say, once a week). And if you catch a good deal, go ahead and book it. But you still have plenty of time to find something.

 

- Mike :-)

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BostonBud

BostonBud

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after going on and seeing different airfares, I booked, however, I have noticed that when you do bookings, if you check on their websites a number of times, the airfare actually goes up for the same ticket. For example, I was looking for Bos to FLL and the inital price I found on Delta was 369.00. I did a couple of different dates, around the same time frame and the price was the same.

 

That night I went to book and the price went up to $419, an increase of $50.00.

 

I didn't think prices would be going down especially as the Spring Breakers start booking their trips and the colder air would be coming in.

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hudcom

hudcom

Posted
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Hi everyone,

 

I would imagine that The Solstice and all cruise ships are having quite a lot of cancellations for all of their cruises due to the economic situation. A friend of our had to cancel for this reason and he had one cabin booked all for himself.

 

We have already booked our flights on JetBlue and are returning home on Sunday. The expense of an extra night, taxi rides, meals, etc., is not worth the price of the extra cost of a Sunday flight.

 

I you plan to stay in Fort Lauderdale before the cruise, you should book a room soon. If you plan to stay in a gay establishment, they will probably require a three night stay. If you will only be there for one or two nights, you will have to book at a mainstream location.

 

If you plan to check out the bar scene, then do not book a hotel at the airport as they are far from the bars and taxis are expensive from that location. Try to stay near Wilton Manors or somewhere near there. Go to nakedconcierge.com for useful information.

 

Happy cruising to you all!

Bill

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CRSNDC

CRSNDC

Posted
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Hey Guys,

 

Do you know of anyone looking for space on this cruise? I have a Cat 2A (balcony) cabin and am looking for a roommate. $1599 plus port fees, etc. I'm 43, stable, independent and have been on 5 cruises with Atlantis. Email for more info. Thanks.

 

-Chris (chrisdc65 at aol dot com)

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BostonBud

BostonBud

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Wow, I keep counting the days. I was on the Atlantis Alumni site and see that they have a new site but I never got an email. Has everyone already gotten access to it? I sent them an email two weeks ago but haven't heard anything. they were supposedly going on the Solstice for a pre-cruise cruise.

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NauticalDan

NauticalDan

Posted
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The pictures look great.

 

One question I have is though, if you consider that fountain at the front of the pool, there is hardly any room on the pool deck for a big T-dance.

 

On http://www.atlantisevents.com/cruises_2009_solstice.aspx they have the following written:

"And what about Atlantis’ famous parties? The vast open decks of Solstice offer a magnificent space for afternoon t-dances as the sunsets over the Caribbean. At night we’ll create a masterpiece of sound, lighting, and special effects to set the stage for our theme parties and a variety of musical styles. Starring three of the top gay DJs from around the world. Plus, Solstice’s intimate Quasar nightclub provides the perfect place for an alternative sound or late-night event."

 

So it doesn't sound all that different than another Atlantis cruise. I'm pretty open to the idea of something more quiet or relaxed, but also enjoy the big parties too. I'd be disappointed if they didn't have them, but not so disappointed if they didn't have as many or make it the primary focus.

 

Also, so many people who normally do the January cruise switched to the March this year. They are used to the big parties.

 

Is the pool deck on Solstice capable of handling it?

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