LIVE FROM SOLSTICE INAUGURAL - Nov. 23 - From Your Cruise Critic Hosts

[jenZ]

Hi All

 

I will try to respond to the questions asked as best I can.

 

 

We did a tour with an outside company in St Kitts. It was wonderful and very informative. See the fort. It is a UNESCO site and wonderful. Wish we had more time there. Also saw many monkeys along the road. If you want details about our guide let me know. He is well educated and thorough.

 

.......................................................

 

 

Sue

 

Hi Sue,

 

Since you so kindly offered....

 

Please tell us about your tour guide... we are debating now what to do in St Kitts- 2 of our group want to go up the volcano, and 2 do not (2 haven't voted yet!). I know my hubby would love the fort, too. I would like to see the islands by water, and try to get to Nevis. Can we do it all!?! :D

 

Thank-you in advance!

Jen

sailing 12/7!

[hcat]

I would highly rec. the fort (great view & a very interesting place)---although we have not been to the volcano-- seems you could do both!

[renroc13]

Hi Sue,

 

Since you so kindly offered....

 

Please tell us about your tour guide... we are debating now what to do in St Kitts- 2 of our group want to go up the volcano, and 2 do not (2 haven't voted yet!). I know my hubby would love the fort, too. I would like to see the islands by water, and try to get to Nevis. Can we do it all!?! :D

 

Thank-you in advance!

Jen

sailing 12/7!

 

Here is the site...he was terrific and we all enjyed him. We were 5 couples that booked him on our own and met on the trip.

 

Sue

 

http://**********************/

[renroc13]

Grey's Island Excursions and St Kitts...do a search...I will try to post the address again but it was deleted last time:

http://**********************/

 

 

Oops web site did not post through

 

Sue

[pachecos]

Host Anne - You indicated you had taken pictures of the main dining room menus - do you have them to share?

 

Thanks!

[Ferrets]

Host Anne - You indicated you had taken pictures of the main dining room menus - do you have them to share?

 

Thanks!

 

Thanks for reminding me. I have all of the Grand Epernay menus. We asked our butler to get copies of the menus for us, so we could decide what evenings to go to specialty restaurants and what evening we wanted to have him serve dinner on our balcony. The only one that we don't have is the desert menu for the first evening.

 

You reminded me that I need to photograph them and add them to our 2nd sailing site. I'll try to find time tomorrow, to dig them out of our still partially packed bags and photograph them. I'll post a link to them here, when I get it done.

[tomatopa]

Did Host Anne ever post her pictures?

 

I may have missed them...

 

Thanks, Judy

[RJL58]

OK ~ we aren't live yet but I am on my way to Ft. Lauderdale. It's a perfect day here in South Florida. Sunny and 75 at the moment with a slight breeze. Just about 30 minutes from our arrival at the Hyatt Regency Pier 66. I'm already looking forward to getting close enough to see what ships are in Port Everglades today.

 

Host Andy, Host Joe and I are all sailing on the inaugural voyage of Solstice. We will do our best to check in here and share the excitement as Solstice does her first 7-day voyage.

 

As I was fortunate enough to sail on last weekend's Naming Ceremony cruise (thanks to Celebrity and the Captain's Club), I know we are going to enjoy every moment on this inaugural sailing. Two days just built the excitement to boarding tomorrow. I know many that are sailing just after us are equally excited. I can tell you that the crew on board is fantastic (only saw one or two service issues last week -- the Cafe al Bacio coffee bar was a bit chaotic) and the ship itself is stunning. She definitely feels a step above all the other Celebrity ships and I loved each of them.

 

Solstice docks at pier 18 in Port Everglades and if you are driving and arrive early enough, you can park in the surface lot adjacent to the ship. We parked here last year for our Constellation cruise and last weekend for the pre-inaugural. We plan to park there tomorrow as well. This lot is $15 per day. We plan to arrive tomorrow morning around 11:00 AM but I will be up early to walk to the causeway and take some photos of her (I don't think I'll be up early enough to see her pull in, though).

 

So stop by periodically and we'll update you as best we can.

 

Wish you were all sailing with us!

Hi Anne

It was so nice to meet you and Andy on Solstice, didnt we have a great time.........

Could you if possible send us the photo you took of me and Mom with Capt S at the Capt Club Party. Please send it to my e mail at richlodge@hotmail.com

Thanks for all your hard work you both did to make CC experience great on Solsitce. RICH and Barbs.

[crazy 4 cruising]

I'm curious what special inaugural "stuff" you received. Anne posted about the special ornament, but nothing else was mentioned. Thanks for posting.

[Lissee]

I am traveling on the Solsitce on 1/18/09

did anyone bring their laptops?? if yes where did you lock them up?? I have an mac airbook it is tiny any weighs nothing.any suggestions?

[C 2 C]

I am traveling on the Solsitce on 1/18/09

did anyone bring their laptops?? if yes where did you lock them up?? I have an mac airbook it is tiny any weighs nothing.any suggestions?

 

The safe is large enough to hold a laptop...

[DrKoob]

I am traveling on the Solsitce on 1/18/09

did anyone bring their laptops?? if yes where did you lock them up?? I have an mac airbook it is tiny any weighs nothing.any suggestions?

 

Taken my MacBook Pro on at least 6 X cruises. Always left it plugged in and sitting on the desk. Never had a problem. Wouldn't expect one. The old safes on the M-Class ships would not fit a laptop and to be honest between that the other electronics (iPods, iPhone, Nikon DSLR) and other stuff in the cabin, my Mac is probably the last thing they would take.

 

And as many times as I have seen this topic on the boards, I have never heard anyone say they ever had a laptop stolen from their cabin.

[Ferrets]

The safe is large enough to hold a laptop...

 

Only smaller laptops fit in the safe.

 

My 17 inch MacBook Pro, which has the smallest form-factor of any 17 inch laptop, would not fit in the safe. I think that the 15 inch MacBook Pro would fit in the safe, without any problem. However, I'm sure that "some" 15 inch PC laptops, with a larger form-factor would not fit.

 

Not to worry.

 

1) I have never heard of laptop theft being a problem on any of the higher end ships. I have no knowledge of the lower end ships.

 

2) Get a Notebook Lock.

 

 

Just about every laptop computer manufacturer now includes a security slot, for notebook locks. Also, there were several places in our suite where I could secure the cable from my notebook lock. In fact, with a 6 foot cable, I was able to lock my computer and put the computer in a drawer, out of site, too.

 

Hint: Don't waste money on the super-duper, whiz-bang, top of the line notebook locks. The basic locks are so good that if a thief comes prepared to subvert the basic locks, they will almost certainly be prepared to subvert the premium locks, as well. In fact, the weakest link is usually the strength or weakness of the fixture to which the cable is secured. A good basic lock retails for between $39 and $44.

 

For more info on Notebook Locks, check out this link.

 

Also, this works on other types of travels, where laptop theft is more of a problem.

[Conanc]

 

Regarding the topic of "oversized verandas", on deck 8, cabin 8230 is extra deep and cabin 8228 is extra wide. We have 8232 reserved for the Equinox TA next Nov. and so I was checking the verandas. Unfortunately we can't change to either of these cabins, as Celebrity has re-classified cabins,and I am now in a 1B (was 2A) Regarding the closet and drawer space, I do not think there is enough room for a 14 night cruise. There are 2 small and 3 larger drawers. I think the 2 storage cabinets above the beds are a waste. In the closet, there is 1 (or maybe 2) shelves under the safe. And,the side of the closet it with the safe has only 1 bar for hanging clothes since the safe is in the was of the other bar. There is however enough of a hanging area for long dresses and pants. I do think it is ok for 7 nights, but for 14, I'm a little concerned

 

 

GrannyNanny,

Do you have any pics of 8228? Any idea on how much wider the balcony is than a standard balcony? Thanks!