Will Solstice be done in time?

[paradise08]

I saw this on another thread. Recent pictures of the Solstice that someone took while visiting the ship yard in Germany. Oh my so much work to be done. I hope they will make the deadline. Does anyone have insight? I'm a bit worried after seeing all these photos of incomplete work. Sea trials start next weekend. WOW!

 

http://picasaweb.google.ch/brandis.org/CelebritySolsticeShipyardTour#

 

 

Cheers!

Donna

[chessbriar]

X was so certain she would be done, they moved up the innaugural 3 weeks.

 

Interior work can go on during sea trails and the transatlantic

 

Thanks for the great site. Love the interior photos

[chessbriar]

After looking at the photos, I'm not worried at all. She's got around 6 weeks until she sets sail for the states. Most of what needs done appears cosmetic. Lights, paneling, carpeting, and furniture. If there's a risk of things running late, they'll work around the clock

[CelebrityMan]

Hi,

 

I heartily agree with Rick..., it appears that most of the work appears to be the final "cosmetic" finish work. Finish work usually progresses at lightening speed compared to actual the build process.

 

If you enlarge the photos to full size, it appears that in many instances the floor covering is in place and merely given protection in the traffic areas.

 

It's looking magnificent!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CM

[paradise08]

Thanks for reassuring me! I can't wait to sail on the Solstice.

 

Cheers!

Donna

[ATLfuzzy]

I don't think it will be a problem. Compared to the Azamara inaugural, it's almost finished.

[fraidknot]

Grass takes time to grow... right? Will the Grass be there (and be usable) in time?

[chessbriar]

Grass takes time to grow... right? Will the Grass be there (and be usable) in time?

It's called sod. I'm sure it's growing somewhere and will be rolled out when the time is right

[hajekfam]

It's called sod. I'm sure it's growing somewhere and will be rolled out when the time is right

It might be good for the sod that the Solstice will be ready early. Can you imagine it crossing the icy cold Atlantic in Dec if the weather is below freezing - no green grass?

[wolfganghowell]

I can't remember which ship it was but I saw a Travel Channel show where RCCL was redoing a ship. It was AMAZING how fast it can come together. Solstice will be ready and they will get a TON done on the crossing.

[angelsbaby1]

I agree with the op's she is probably right on schedule. Builders make good bonuses for meeting or beating a deadline. We received an invitation to a pre inaugural sailing on Nov 14th and have been confirmed so..... we'll see. :D

[Schplinky]

I can't remember which ship it was but I saw a Travel Channel show where RCCL was redoing a ship. It was AMAZING how fast it can come together. Solstice will be ready and they will get a TON done on the crossing.

 

I was thinking the same thing. Even 24 hours before the ship accepts passengers, it can look like utter chaos.

 

I agree with the op's she is probably right on schedule. Builders make good bonuses for meeting or beating a deadline. We received an invitation to a pre inaugural sailing on Nov 14th and have been confirmed so..... we'll see. :D

 

 

Agreed. Also, Harri Kulovari (sp?), the VP of ship-builds, gets a big bonus if the ship is on time or early. I think all is well.

[Longboysfan]

Same here in the they will be ready.

The recent pictures showed just the paper on the carpet in the halls still.

That told me the rooms are ready to go.

The lounge areas may just need some panels put into place and lighting fixtures set up. But that is not a problem.

 

What I would wonder is that if there are some small glitches in the cabins on the two day cruise they will have time to fix before they go live......

 

I agree with the op's she is probably right on schedule. Builders make good bonuses for meeting or beating a deadline. We received an invitation to a pre inaugural sailing on Nov 14th and have been confirmed so..... we'll see. :D

 

Keep us posted if you hear anything from Celebrity.

Take lots of pictures and shoot a review in when you return.

We will all breathe a sigh of relief when we hear it from the ship.

[Schplinky]

 

What I would wonder is that if there are some small glitches in the cabins on the two day cruise they will have time to fix before they go live......

 

 

That two day cruise will not be the first time the cabins are slept in. Some are already being used to house workers, and they will also be used for the 3-5 press/travel agents cruises that are typical before a first ship in a new class is launched. We sailed on one of the preinaugural cruises on Liberty of the Seas. I believe there were 4 or 5 in total, in England, NY and Florida.

[Longboysfan]

That two day cruise will not be the first time the cabins are slept in. Some are already being used to house workers, and they will also be used for the 3-5 press/travel agents cruises that are typical before a first ship in a new class is launched. We sailed on one of the preinaugural cruises on Liberty of the Seas. I believe there were 4 or 5 in total, in England, NY and Florida.

 

Was there any work crews in the stateroom area?

Anything you found wrong with the room and reported it?

[Schplinky]

Was there any work crews in the stateroom area?

Anything you found wrong with the room and reported it?

 

No. All the rooms were completed, I believe. The only thing on the whole ship I can recall as not yet done (and remember, this was a week before the first revenue cruise) was that the men's sauna was not yet turned on, since it had not been inspected. Otherwise, the entire ship looked very new but was operating as though it had been at sea for a while.

[Schplinky]

It's important to note, if you're worried about rooms being done on time, that they are, except for the largest suites, built outside the ship and then just plugged into place. They are very unlikely to be deficient.

[ottawapuppy]

It's important to note, if you're worried about rooms being done on time, that they are, except for the largest suites, built outside the ship and then just plugged into place. They are very unlikely to be deficient.

 

In a TV special we saw about cruise ship building, they said the rooms are so complete, they are shipped with the pictures already on the walls. All they really have to do is flop the bed down and arrange the furniture and bedding.

 

Mike

[angelsbaby1]

Keep us posted if you hear anything from Celebrity.

Take lots of pictures and shoot a review in when you return.

We will all breathe a sigh of relief when we hear it from the ship.

 

 

Hi Longboysfan,

 

We will take every pic we can. We are looking forward to it soooo much. Being a ta I get to go on these pre inaugural sailings periodically but The Solstice is special to me, I can't remember being this excited about a ship in a while. Have a good one! AnitaMarie

[fraidknot]

It's called sod. I'm sure it's growing somewhere and will be rolled out when the time is right

 

Knowing a little about specialized golf course grass... Even Sod takes time to get settled and "take". I guess it would be fun if as they continue to build they show some images of the sod in place, or give info on how they plan to grow grass in the extreme conditions of salt water and massive temp. fluctuations. As I consider booking one of the early voyages, I just want to be sure the signiture feature is ready for me :D

[M&M CRUZERS]

Keep us posted if you hear anything from Celebrity.

Take lots of pictures and shoot a review in when you return.

We will all breathe a sigh of relief when we hear it from the ship.

 

 

Hi Longboysfan,

 

We will take every pic we can. We are looking forward to it soooo much. Being a ta I get to go on these pre inaugural sailings periodically but The Solstice is special to me, I can't remember being this excited about a ship in a while. Have a good one! AnitaMarie

 

My BIL (the TA) and SIL will be on the 2 nighter on the 14th, also. Geez, we have to wait til 12/7 but then we'll be onboard for 14 days!!!! They also got to do the Eurodam (HAL) this summer for 4 nights and were there for the christening, etc.

[chefconti]

I am very impressed (and excited) that the interior photos match the concept art/cgi images on the Solstice web site. This ship is going to be absolutely gorgeous!!!

 

3/15/09 Sailing

[forensic]

I saw this on another thread. Recent pictures of the Solstice that someone took while visiting the ship yard in Germany. Oh my so much work to be done. I hope they will make the deadline. Does anyone have insight? I'm a bit worried after seeing all these photos of incomplete work. Sea trials start next weekend. WOW!

 

http://picasaweb.google.ch/brandis.org/CelebritySolsticeShipyardTour#

 

 

Cheers!

Donna

 

 

Please, please, please do NOT take this personal but for Celebrity I hope the ship is NOT done on time. We were booked on the "ORIGINAL INAUGURAL" and had paid our cruise fare months and months and months in advance. Celebrity had our money all of that time and then changed the Inaugural date by three weeks. I only knew it by reading this board. It was 5 days later before I was notified by Celebrity AND I am a TA that handled my own reservation. We, of course, paid a premium for the privilege of sailing the inaugural - so when we were turned into a "nothing but a 3rd week cruise" we expected a partial refund on our cruise fare. OR at least a $200 OBC/per person. SOMETHING! We were told 'repeatedly' we would get nothing!

 

PLEASE do not get me wrong - when it comes to cruising we LOVE Celebrity, their ships, food , services, etc. BUT THEIR MANAGEMENT LEAVES A LOT TO BE DESIRED! There were quite a few of us that made many calls and talked to many people and we all got the same answer - politely they told us "tough". So we canceled.

 

I hope you have a great cruise - I know you will - and I really wish you the very, very best!

 

I just would not feel too bad if Celebrity lost a couple million:p

[Starry Nights]

Please, please, please do NOT take this personal but for Celebrity I hope the ship is NOT done on time. We were booked on the "ORIGINAL INAUGURAL" and had paid our cruise fare months and months and months in advance. Celebrity had our money all of that time and then changed the Inaugural date by three weeks. I only knew it by reading this board. It was 5 days later before I was notified by Celebrity AND I am a TA that handled my own reservation. We, of course, paid a premium for the privilege of sailing the inaugural - so when we were turned into a "nothing but a 3rd week cruise" we expected a partial refund on our cruise fare. OR at least a $200 OBC/per person. SOMETHING! We were told 'repeatedly' we would get nothing!

 

PLEASE do not get me wrong - when it comes to cruising we LOVE Celebrity, their ships, food , services, etc. BUT THEIR MANAGEMENT LEAVES A LOT TO BE DESIRED! There were quite a few of us that made many calls and talked to many people and we all got the same answer - politely they told us "tough". So we canceled.

 

I hope you have a great cruise - I know you will - and I really wish you the very, very best!

 

I just would not feel too bad if Celebrity lost a couple million:p

 

Friends of ours were booked on the original inaugural as well, and could not sail on the dates for the new inaugural, so they kept their booking and waited patiently, as they felt that prices would probably equalize before final payment.

 

The price for their cruise has now come down almost to the same prices that I am paying for the December 7th, 2008 cruise, which was a great bargain at the time it was first offered. Seniors pricing is now being offered for the December 14th cruise, although not for the December 7th cruise.

 

We are all looking forward with excitement to our cruises on the Solstice, and are very happy to see the pictures rolling out. Thank you Andreas and Marc!