Best Solstice Cabin for Viewing in NZ?

I know this has been addressed before, but I can not seem to find the info on the CC boards. Which side of the ship is best for viewing the fiords and the Sydney Opera House and bridge on the Aukland to Sydney cruise on the Solstice---port or starboard? I think I read that the ship backs into its berth in Sydney. Is that correct? I booked the cruise today, and I booked a 1A cat. room on the aft side of the hump, starboard side. There were no starboard forward hump rooms available. Should I change my room? My TA discouraged me from booking a hump room b/c of noise from connecting room and door space. Will I miss some great views if I can not see forward from my balcony? Is the port side better? I appreciate any help from any of you who have sailed this route. This is our first time to sail Celebrity and to visit "down under." Thank you!

It wont matter what side of the ship you are on doing the New Zealand Fiordland. At least in Milford Sound you will see it from either sides as the ships turns around and goes out the same way. In the other areas you are better off on the upper decks.

Sydney on one side you get the opera house and the other side the bridge. Should not matter too much really as the ship wont be there for long.

For the NZ Milford sound viewing, if your ship comes in early in the morning it has a magical quality as it gets lighter. From our experience on Royal Caribbean ships I agree, the ship does spin around and you get both sides, and the whole area seemed just as beautiful either side.

From the side of the ship in Sydney I would say that the view of the bridge is more of a view of the terminal. We were on Radiance of the Seas (Royal Caribbean) towards the front on the starboard side, and our friends were towards the Opera house, on the port side more towards the rear. Sydney is such a beautiful location, I would say that there is quite a difference if it is going to be your only trip. On sailing out the ship will have the starboard side towards the Opera House, so that then depends on the time of leaving. One of our trips left at about 10.30pm, so the lights of the city were pretty.

So I can't answer on the backing in or not for Solstice.

If you are on the Starboard side it is the right side.:)

I know this has been addressed before, but I can not seem to find the info on the CC boards. Which side of the ship is best for viewing the fiords and the Sydney Opera House and bridge on the Aukland to Sydney cruise on the Solstice---port or starboard? I think I read that the ship backs into its berth in Sydney. Is that correct? I booked the cruise today, and I booked a 1A cat. room on the aft side of the hump, starboard side. There were no starboard forward hump rooms available. Should I change my room? My TA discouraged me from booking a hump room b/c of noise from connecting room and door space. Will I miss some great views if I can not see forward from my balcony? Is the port side better? I appreciate any help from any of you who have sailed this route. This is our first time to sail Celebrity and to visit "down under." Thank you!

We have cruised NZ 3 times ( 2 x Diamond and 1 x Sun P) and we were on Solstice for 17 nights last February.

I honestly believe that it will not matter which side of ship you are on, you will not miss anything... even if you stay in your cabin.. but of course the best way to experience the intoxication of Milford sound is up on deck. I recommend the "lawn deck".

We had a rear facing hump cabin on Solstice (9296) and loved it. Huge balcony and never felt we were missing anything. Stay with what you have... we had no noise (the adjoining cabin arrangement on Solstice is unique, but not a problem).

You will love NZ

cheers

We have been on Solstice twice to NZ in the last 12 months. Both times we had a hump balcony, port side. Fantastic cabins and the best views in Sydney. We loved the depth of the balconies as we were always sheltered from wind or sun. The only time we heard any noise from next door was minimal. You will love it:D

We have been on Solstice twice to NZ in the last 12 months. Both times we had a hump balcony, port side. Fantastic cabins and the best views in Sydney. We loved the depth of the balconies as we were always sheltered from wind or sun. The only time we heard any noise from next door was minimal. You will love it:D

Was the front of the Solstice facing inland or out toward the bay when it was in its berth? Thank you for sharing your experience.

Thank you everyone for your input. I just want to be sure we get a good view of the Opera House from the ship when arriving in Sydney. Of course, we can always go to an upper deck. I will be back on the boards to ask about good tours of the Sydney area and Great Barrier Reef as my planning progresses.:D

We have an inside cabin on our Jan. 20 Solstice cruise, so we'll view the scenery from an outside deck. :D

I know this has been addressed before, but I can not seem to find the info on the CC boards. Which side of the ship is best for viewing the fiords and the Sydney Opera House and bridge on the Aukland to Sydney cruise on the Solstice---port or starboard? I think I read that the ship backs into its berth in Sydney. Is that correct? I booked the cruise today, and I booked a 1A cat. room on the aft side of the hump, starboard side. There were no starboard forward hump rooms available. Should I change my room? My TA discouraged me from booking a hump room b/c of noise from connecting room and door space. Will I miss some great views if I can not see forward from my balcony? Is the port side better? I appreciate any help from any of you who have sailed this route. This is our first time to sail Celebrity and to visit "down under." Thank you!

If you want to view the Opera House from your balcony as the ship sails into Sydney then you need to be on the port side. Once the Solstice passes the Opera House she will start to turn in preparation to back in to her berth. You will now get a great view of the bridge as she does so however once she has berthed at the terminal your view will be just that......the terminal building. If you are on the starboard side you will have a beautiful view of the Opera House.

As you sail from Auckland down the east coast of NZ, if you are on the port side you will have views of the open sea for most of the time. If you would prefer to have the coastline of NZ as your view then you need to be on the starboard side.

Almost all the ports you will visit have wonderful entrances so you will have great views from both sides of the ship.

It won't matter in the fiords as you will have views from both sides but if you want to see the coastline as you approach the fiords then you need to be on the starboard side.

As mentioned, the best place to be is on the open deck to view the spectacular scenery of NZ and your arrival into Sydney.

Cheers

Stu

If you want to view the Opera House from your balcony as the ship sails into Sydney then you need to be on the port side. Once the Solstice passes the Opera House she will start to turn in preparation to back in to her berth. You will now get a great view of the bridge as she does so however once she has berthed at the terminal your view will be just that......the terminal building. If you are on the starboard side you will have a beautiful view of the Opera House.

As you sail from Auckland down the east coast of NZ, if you are on the port side you will have views of the open sea for most of the time. If you would prefer to have the coastline of NZ as your view then you need to be on the starboard side.

Almost all the ports you will visit have wonderful entrances so you will have great views from both sides of the ship.

 

It won't matter in the fiords as you will have views from both sides but if you want to see the coastline as you approach the fiords then you need to be on the starboard side.

As mentioned, the best place to be is on the open deck to view the spectacular scenery of NZ and your arrival into Sydney.

 

Cheers

 

Stu

Agreed Stu, a well structured post. The top decks are best but if you want a balcony to watch from starboard is best in my opinion.:D

Linda, the most important thing about experience the sail into Sydney is, to get out of bed early. You can expect to sail through the 'heads' between 4.00 and 4.30am! It then takes around one hour to reach the Opera House and the bridge. To illustrate the timing:

Taken from starboard balcony (1120) at 05.22am (Dec 22, 2013)

Backing into Circular Quay (05.34am)

You may get there even earlier - this taken from port-side balcony (1255) at 04.51am (Nov 4, 2013)

As Stuartm rightly pointed out, on starboard you will have the NZ coastline to look at for a fair part of the cruise - sample below

Lovely pics, it is quite early and if the sun is coming up you can get some really beautiful sunrises over the opera house.:D

A very early arrival into Sydney. Port side on deck on QM2

And the best views of the Bridge when berthed. Also port side on deck.

But starboard has wonderful views of the Opera House.

Thank you for sharing such great pictures! I have a long year to wait before this trip, but I look forward to all the planning. Thanks to everyone for great advice and suggestions. I will keep my starboard cabin. :)

Lovely pics, it is quite early and if the sun is coming up you can get some really beautiful sunrises over the opera house.:D

Like this?

Celebrity Solstice, starboard (1016) - 05.43am Dec 9, 2012

I quite like this sunburst.

Like this?

Yes,:D

Or these. one is from April 2013 (no day light saving), the other is from October 2013 both about the same time in the morning.:D

Thanks to those for sharing the pictures, I'll be taking pictures soon for myself. We have a balcony cabin on the Solstice that I just can't wait to experience. We do like to go up on deck to get to see 360 degrees that you can't get from the balcony cabin. That way if there is something cool to see on the other side of the ship you just walk around and you are there. Don't want to miss anything.

Thanks to those for sharing the pictures, I'll be taking pictures soon for myself. We have a balcony cabin on the Solstice that I just can't wait to experience. We do like to go up on deck to get to see 360 degrees that you can't get from the balcony cabin. That way if there is something cool to see on the other side of the ship you just walk around and you are there. Don't want to miss anything.

That is right, if the balcony is on the wrong side of the view, I go up and look from there and then return when the ship spins around.:D

On Solstice to NZ last March we had a Concierge Balcony Cabin up on Sky deck, port side, forward, real forward, about 6 cabins back from bridge door. Good viewing of the sea, land and the officers on the bridge. When we we were docked in Sydney, we had an overnight, because Solstice reverses into the OPT, we were on bridge side, but that was fine, I am not an Opera House freak.

On Solstice to NZ last March we had a Concierge Balcony Cabin up on Sky deck, port side, forward, real forward, about 6 cabins back from bridge door. Good viewing of the sea, land and the officers on the bridge. When we we were docked in Sydney, we had an overnight, because Solstice reverses into the OPT, we were on bridge side, but that was fine, I am not an Opera House freak.

Good to know that about you Les. I like the house but am not a freak about it either.:D

I just completed the Solstice Syd-Auck that did the fjords. I booked the portside balcony on the backside of the bump. I asked 4 Celebrity crew members about staying in my cabin for Milford (you enter and turn around before exiting the same way you entered) All crew said, stay in your cabin as you wont miss anything. I had tons of camera equip so i thought great... But it was so untrue.

My advice - go up to the top of the ship on the bow (front) as you will get the best view and see what the naturalist is commenting. I missed the largest waterfall....so as we went through the other two sounds, i was on the bow with my gear.

Dont forget good binoculars and at least a 400mm (or better) lens.

I just completed the Solstice Syd-Auck that did the fjords. I booked the portside balcony on the backside of the bump. I asked 4 Celebrity crew members about staying in my cabin for Milford (you enter and turn around before exiting the same way you entered) All crew said, stay in your cabin as you wont miss anything. I had tons of camera equip so i thought great... But it was so untrue.

 

My advice - go up to the top of the ship on the bow (front) as you will get the best view and see what the naturalist is commenting. I missed the largest waterfall....so as we went through the other two sounds, i was on the bow with my gear.

 

Dont forget good binoculars and at least a 400mm (or better) lens.

I agree with you. Up front is the place to be. :)