Latest Glimpse of Solstice...here!

[Lois R]

I am wondering if there is any room to have the beds as twins. I can't see how. Thoughts anyone?

 

Hi dmk:) I will let you know upon returning home on Nov 16th.

I am sharing a cabin with a friend for 2 nights and will be

asking our cabin attendant to separate them.

[Mysticks1]

I also haven't seen any trays in the video, just the oversized plates as someone else mentioned.

[Metsluvr40]

There are trays in the buffet, and the water fountains are dancing, and the Persian Gardens look verrrry nice (overlooking the ocean) and the ship is just WAITING for us to go onboard to have an absolutely grand time!!!! I absotively agree with you hylasgirl, stuff to be happy about is cool!:)

 

 

Thank you, something positive......I am not a very experienced cruiser. I have been on two cruises in my life (45 years) and the last one was RC. It was an older ship with rough seas and you felt every wave. I have really looked forward to this cruise and opened my mind to cruising with my young adult sons and my parents, after having a very bad experience about 7 years ago. I came to this website to meet people that have cruised and gain some tips as well as possibly be able to connect with people who are on my particular cruise on the Solstice-11/23/2008. I cannot believe that people who have been so blessed to have the ability and opportunity to experience this many cruises and different ships, can hone in on the smallest, most insignificant aspect. It seems as if you cannot make people happy and that you all couldn't wait for pics,(which I looked forward to enthusiastically) as an opportunity be negative and critical. This seems to be a pattern in everyday life as well as in cruise critique....I find this more and more in many aspects of my daily life. For goodness sake, open up, approach this boat with an non-judgemental eye and let those of us who would like to remain positive about our expensive trip.....live in delusion and remain in the moment. Apparently, all of the trips that everyone has had the opportunity to experience, hasn't improved anyone's disposition...... they always say that "youth is wasted on the young".. well maybe positive opportunity is wasted on the morosely negative... At least take the trip before you blow the boat out of the water.....:confused:

[elena7seas]

Hi dmk:) I will let you know upon returning home on Nov 16th.

I am sharing a cabin with a friend for 2 nights and will be

asking our cabin attendant to separate them.

 

Hi Lois:

 

Could you please take a picture of the beds made up separately?

 

Did you get your digital camera yet? You will love it!:)

[elena7seas]

I haven't seen anyone comment about the over-the-bed storage yet. I am 5'1" tall....the only way I could use that storage is if I climbed on the bed, which is not something I'm likely to do. I wonder how tall you have to be, in order to use that storage with any degree of convenience?

[Daphna101]

I recieved my Cafepress shirts.

The spaggetti strap for me is fine, but the imprinted logo on Franks polo is placed lower than it should be, kind of starts at the 3rd button instead of higher. I hope they respond in time to have it redone.

 

I have been looking into St. Maarteen all day. It seems there is nothing else to do there except beach, nudist beaches and nothing else. I know lots of us live in Florida and we have beach all the time. can anyone advise on anything else to do there? What are your plans?

 

The more I look into St. Kitts, the train around the island really priovides great scenery. Has anyone been on it?

 

Hugs

Daph

[C 2 C]

I have been looking into St. Maarten all day. It seems there is nothing else to do there except beach, nudist beaches and nothing else. I know lots of us live in Florida and we have beach all the time. can anyone advise on anything else to do there? What are your plans?

 

Daph

 

We stayed on the island for a week about a decade ago.. We drove around the island (45 minutes if you slow down for the speed bumps), ruined a pair of shoes walking out on a coral reef looking for shells, toured a fort on the French side, shopped for some jewelry, won some money at the casino, got burned to a crisp (just purple) under a parasol while reading. Every time we go back, (yearly) Joanne goes to the casino, I go to the cheap internet... and go looking for jewelry, and a great camera .. but I stay out of the sun.

 

It's the place to shop, sip some of your favorite... :D

[molly361]

Does anyone have the link to the video? I found one a few pages back but it would not come up Thanks!!

[patchit]

I have been looking into St. Maarteen all day. It seems there is nothing else to do there except beach, nudist beaches and nothing else. I know lots of us live in Florida and we have beach all the time. can anyone advise on anything else to do there? What are your plans?

 

Shop

[gkm]

.

 

The more I look into St. Kitts, the train around the island really priovides great scenery. Has anyone been on it?

Daph

 

Bob and I have done that excursion and we were not impressed. The only scenery we saw was sugar cane and goats. The train broke down on the excursion after ours and the end of the tour was in the middle of nowhere where we had to just stand around and wait for our busses to come and pick us up in the hot sun. (They were late).

 

This year, we may not even get off of our beautiful ship.:D

 

Garry

[hcat]

I agree that the configuration of the cabin leaves much to be desired. I just cannot imagine two adults trying to squueze between the sofa/bed and the closets while trying to dress. I just looks really cramped. I am also concerned that on longer cruises hanging space will be insufficient as well.

 

I agree the placement of the tv is awkward. If I am going to watch tv in my cabin most likely it will be from bed. Perhaps it has a hidden pivot hinge we are not aware of?

 

Also those bedside tables are dreadfully small. The phone covers the one completely. I usually have my travel alarm, a book, my glasses and a cup of water there. Does not seem there would be room for all of that. Why are there are no drawers in the nightstands? - I will miss those - great catch all for bar reciepts, daily programs, misc items. Also for friends traveling together the separation between beds will be minimal.

 

All in it seems that the cabins are very cramped. The furnishings and materials used are lovely, the bathrooms are large and spacious and very well laid out, though I wish the shower doors were frosted instead of clear. Again think of traveling with a friend and trying to get ready for dinner, unless you want to see them in their birthday suit it will make dual use of the bathroom impossible.

 

The balconies look heavenly - nice and deep, two adjustable chairs w/ footstools and a nice dining height table - WELL DONE! Some may lament that half of the divider is frosted glass, but I think it will be just fine.

 

The rest of the ship seems so well designed and gorgeously decorated, it really will be a shame if the cabins fail to hit the mark. For all the hype surrounding their design I have to admit they are rather a let down.

 

BTW - perusing the RCCL site it seems the Oasis of the Seas will use the same configuration as well.

 

From the u tube video the space by the lounge seat, built in & small table looks even tighter--the people in the video--thinner than I am-- can't get by..& seems there's no place to tuck the table away. If cabins are suppposed to be bigger on this ship, I can't see why they seem so tight in all the pics & the video...the rooms remind me of dorms...

 

also from looking at the video, as I posted elsewhere--the fountains at the outdoor pool are where poeple usually pull their loungers to sunbathe & where the dancing is done to the band & they have activities.... I hope the sprays are not turned on all the time.... the rest of the ship looks interesting--esp the theater-- but for me when in the Caribbean, it's all about the pool deck!

[hcat]

Does anyone have the link to the video? I found one a few pages back but it would not come up Thanks!!

 

[FinelyCruising]

St Maarten. Shop. Definately Shop.

 

St Kitts....the cruise line may still be doing a Catamaran Sail and Snorkel to Nevis. That was a nice day. Hot. Very Hot in the sun, so plan for that.

[Sandie]

We did the St. Kitts Train Excursion and really enjoyed it. My husband is a train enthusiast, so he was interested in the engine and how the train operated and was restored. We sat on the upper deck which was covered but not air conditioned - the heat (Feb.) was not a problem. The lower deck is air conditioned, but you cannot see quite as much. The people on the train were so very thoughtful and kind. Children attending the schools along the train route came out to wave to all of the passengers. The route only provides scenery on one side of the island, so do not depend on the train ride for a complete tour. We did this on our second time on the island and had seen the fort, etc. - which is great, before.

There is a very nice market area near where the ship docks. There is some very nice hand crafted jewelry that the ladies make that is inexpensive and attractive. I have one black onyx necklace with small gold beads that I enjoy wearing and people often ask about. It cost $10.00.

[hollydog]

I haven't seen anyone comment about the over-the-bed storage yet. I am 5'1" tall....the only way I could use that storage is if I climbed on the bed, which is not something I'm likely to do. I wonder how tall you have to be, in order to use that storage with any degree of convenience?

Over-the-bed?? (Like in the ceiling?) I thought it was under the bed! I, too, am a bit height-challenged, so mine would probably remain empty. However, I'm not too worried, since with each cruise, I pack less and less. If it weren't for formal nights, hubby and I could each be fine with a carry-on. Guess we'll have to wait for comments about storage from those on the early cruises. I am so looking forward to hearing all about :D"my":D gorgeous new ship!!

[jt1120]

I happen to have been an advocate of this ship and was one of the first to book it sight unseen! Not sure how many can say that, so right now I am a qualified paying customer. And I am also not at all bothered to say I do not like one of the public rooms.

 

Finely, thousands of people have booked the ship sight unseen. The finished product has only been out for a couple of weeks, so for the last 14 months, people have been booking the ship without seeing it. I booked my cruise the very first day it was open, and that was only from ONE postcard from Celebrity. THAT is sight unseen, don't you think?

[C 2 C]

Finely, I booked my cruise the very first day it was open, and that was only from ONE postcard from Celebrity. THAT is sight unseen, don't you think?

 

Not if you looked at the postcard...:D

[wolfganghowell]

I booked day one sight unseen, no postcard. ;) And so far, I have no complaints. I will take any criticisms and compliments for what they are worth, once people have been on the ship and experienced it as it meant to be - at sea and with passengers.

 

I will say I'm disappointed they don't have a webcam or a blog so we can track her progress as she makes her way to us. :(

[Tigrou]

Bob and I have done that excursion and we were not impressed. The only scenery we saw was sugar cane and goats.

 

Sorry, can't resist.

This reminds me of an episode of Fawlty Towers where Basil asks the guests, what did you expect to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Hordes of wilderbeest on the plains of the Serengeti ... etc etc.

 

I lived on St Kitts many years ago and there wasn't much to see other than sugar cane and goats! ;)

[bob278]

I guess we didn't have realistic expectations. We thought there would be some views of the mountains(hills), maybe the beaches from a distance, possibly some tropical vegetation (OK, sugarcane is tropical) and general scenery of island life. What we got was close up sugar cane that blocked almost all views on one side most of the time, a lot of goats and chickens and a few spots of homes/buildings. It was different and interesting, but it never really changed and grew old after a very little while.

 

Almost every island we have been to had beautiful scenery and St. Kitts was pretty, too. But we didn't see what we thought we would after seeing the island from the ship. But many people enjoyed it and I wouldn't ever tell people not to try something that sounds interesting. It just didn't impress us.

 

The rain didn't help and the lack of organization at the end really put a damper on it. The next group of people for the tour were waiting by the side of the road for the train and we had to wait there for pick-up. We could not understand why the buses that brought them couldn't wait for us. We ended up standing around for about 15 minutes and it was the middle of nowhere.

[excitedofharpenden]

Sorry, can't resist.

This reminds me of an episode of Fawlty Towers where Basil asks the guests, what did you expect to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Hordes of wilderbeest on the plains of the Serengeti ... etc etc.

 

No Hanging Gardens of Babylon either, but we did get a sea view and it was indeed between the land and the sky;)

 

Call me easily pleased, but I quite enjoyed the "Goat Tour". It was a pretty rickety old train, but then it was the one they used in working days gone by. It wasn't a great day weather wise and that did temper the views a bit.

 

 

There was an awful lot sugar cane and goats though.........

 

Phil

[FinelyCruising]

Phil - I don't see one goat in this picture. Not one. :D

[excitedofharpenden]

Phil - I don't see one goat in this picture. Not one. :D

Cheryl, those St Kitts goats are very camera shy;) Thought there was one in another photo, but on closer inspection I think it was a dawg:D

 

Phil

[gkm]

Phil, they weren't too shy for me!:D

 

Also, here's a picture of the railroad.

 

Garry

[excitedofharpenden]

Phil, they weren't too shy for me!:D

Good shot Garry. Must have been the face(s I was pulling):D

 

Phil