Celebrity Solstice - NZ review

Just back from NZ cruise. This was our first Celebrity cruise, although we have been on many cruises I the past, To start with our bags were left on the pier in Sydney in the pouring rain before the ship departed. Almost everything was wet inside. This happened to many people. They did launder some pieces, but one tee-shirt was stretched out. I had wet clothes hanging all over the room. All our papers were soaked as well.

Because of the bad weather we did not get to sit on our balcony until near the end of the trip. I was under the impression that this was a non-smoking ship, but it appears the one smoking area was right below our balcony on the lower deck. We had to come in due to the cigar smoke. I spoke to customer relations the next day and the said our travel agent should have been aware of this, but they would switch our room if we desired. I have a card from them showing where everything was on the ship, and it did not indicate this smoking area. As we were at the end of the trip, we did not want to pack everything to move. They indicated this was our only recourse. How can they design a smoking area below a balcony room? They said they just change rooms if people complain. This was unacceptable to me.

There were also too many sea days, and for a ship this size we were amazed there was no bridge program. There were 5 tables open to a noisy atrium for "games" and you had to make your own card games. Five tables for 2800 passengers was ridiculous. If you found a game, there was no table to play at.

We took an expensive excursion to Queenstown, which was very good, except for the lunch the last day. It was a terrible buffet, and we ate very little. I barely made it off the bus before I was sick, and I was sick all night. They said they would report this to the shore excursion people, but again no compensation.

My recommendation would be to take a road trip in NZ rather than a cruise, and we would not use Celebrity again.

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cruiseph

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Didn't you just post this on the Celebrity board as well? Does it really belong on a ports of call board? Shouldn't it be under member reveiws?

Just back from NZ cruise. This was our first Celebrity cruise, although we have been on many cruises I the past, To start with our bags were left on the pier in Sydney in the pouring rain before the ship departed. Almost everything was wet inside. This happened to many people. They did launder some pieces, but one tee-shirt was stretched out. I had wet clothes hanging all over the room. All our papers were soaked as well.

 

Because of the bad weather we did not get to sit on our balcony until near the end of the trip. I was under the impression that this was a non-smoking ship, but it appears the one smoking area was right below our balcony on the lower deck. We had to come in due to the cigar smoke. I spoke to customer relations the next day and the said our travel agent should have been aware of this, but they would switch our room if we desired. I have a card from them showing where everything was on the ship, and it did not indicate this smoking area. As we were at the end of the trip, we did not want to pack everything to move. They indicated this was our only recourse. How can they design a smoking area below a balcony room? They said they just change rooms if people complain. This was unacceptable to me.

 

There were also too many sea days, and for a ship this size we were amazed there was no bridge program. There were 5 tables open to a noisy atrium for "games" and you had to make your own card games. Five tables for 2800 passengers was ridiculous. If you found a game, there was no table to play at.

 

We took an expensive excursion to Queenstown, which was very good, except for the lunch the last day. It was a terrible buffet, and we ate very little. I barely made it off the bus before I was sick, and I was sick all night. They said they would report this to the shore excursion people, but again no compensation.

 

My recommendation would be to take a road trip in NZ rather than a cruise, and we would not use Celebrity again.

I do have some sympathy for the run of unfortunate circumstance during your cruise. Bags left in the rain of a pier? I agree, the management of the baggage handling staff should have made an effort to minimize any water damage to the bags. I have seen temporary tents set up in other ports for other lines to protect bags from the weather.

However, any sentence that begins with "I was under the impression that" almost universally leads on to a protestation that the "impression" was erroneous. Celebrity's on-board smoking policy is clearly explained on their website. Summed up: no smoking anywhere inside the ships and designated smoking areas outside. Again, a run of bad luck to have the outdoor smoking area underneath your balcony. Perhaps your travel agent dropped the ball to not have researched this issue carefully, since it is so important to you.

But really, what remedy other than changing rooms could be fair? Smokers are smoking exactly where they are allowed to by policy. Did you expect the hotel director to move them someplace else? Where they would have inconvenienced someone else?

You lost me when you complained there were too many sea days. Did you not even check the daily itinerary before you booked the cruise? This one is entirely on you.

Organized games of bridge are vanishing from cruising. Lines that used to supply a bridge teacher/director on every cruise have either cut back or eliminated the program. As far as I know, Crystal is only cruise line to provide bridge instruction and organized play on every cruise. You might give them a look. Seabourn, Oceania, Cunard, Silversea and Regent have organized bridge on some cruises. There may be others.

Sorry about the bad food on an excursion. Were other people ill from the food? Or just you?

My husband and I have cruised to/around New Zealand several times and had a marvelous experience each time. I do agree that New Zealand is worth a dedicated land trip for those who wish to explore more of the islands. That's simply a matter of personal choice.

Sorry that Celebrity disappointed you overall. Perhaps you are better off to seek a more perfect cruise line.

Just back from NZ cruise. This was our first Celebrity cruise, although we have been on many cruises I the past,

 

Who have you cruised with before?

It is normally 2 sea days to NZ how many was your trip but you would think you would know this before you go?

No good with wet luggage pretty slack on the baggage handlers efforts

As said before you were offered another cabin because of the smoke issues pretty fair I would say as long as it is the same category (not sure what else you want them to do) not there fault you could not be bothered to move so couldn't have been to much of a problem

But maybe do a bit more research next time

Too many sea days? Solstice does 12 night one way from Syd to Auckland via either Melb or Hobart. So you would have had a sea day between Syd and Melb/Hobart, then 2 before the sounds, then only 1/2 more from memory (more port days than sea days!). You/your travel agent would have been well aware of the itinerary before you booked. Re smoking, it wouldnt have taken much to reseach this or move rooms as offered. If you really like bridge, why not put a notice on the board at guest relations seeking others who do too?

To start with our bags were left on the pier in Sydney in the pouring rain before the ship departed. Almost everything was wet inside. This happened to many people

This is appalling. Surely they should have told you to pack into suitable luggage that can deal with all weathers or at the very least provided you with plastic packing cubes to keep you things dry (the same thing happens all the time on flights)

I was under the impression that this was a non-smoking ship, but it appears the one smoking area was right below our balcony on the lower deck. We had to come in due to the cigar smoke. I spoke to customer relations the next day and the said our travel agent should have been aware of this, but they would switch our room if we desired

Sadly lacking, surely they should have just removed to smoking verandah under someone else's balcony. How dare they suggest a solution and ask you to move.

There were also too many sea days,

i do feel sorry for you on the buffet and getting ill front but it could easily have been from another passenger and not the buffet. Did you confine yourself to your cabin for the next 48 hours?

This is appalling. Surely they should have told you to pack into suitable luggage that can deal with all weathers or at the very least provided you with plastic packing cubes to keep you things dry (the same thing happens all the time on flights)

 

 

 

Sadly lacking, surely they should have just removed to smoking verandah under someone else's balcony. How dare they suggest a solution and ask you to move.

 

once again a huge failure by celebrity surely they could have organised an island between Australia and New Zealand for your convenience, and transplanted some cities into coastal NZ and Aus or at the very least retrofitted turbo boosters and jet engines to the ship. Huge failure.

 

i do feel sorry for you on the buffet and getting ill front but it could easily have been from another passenger and not the buffet. Did you confine yourself to your cabin for the next 48 hours?

:):):)

Great responses.

The only thing I'd add is:

How can they design a smoking area below a balcony room?

Actually, when designed, all the balconies permitted smoking, so there was no issue with the design.

This is appalling. Surely they should have told you to pack into suitable luggage that can deal with all weathers or at the very least provided you with plastic packing cubes to keep you things dry (the same thing happens all the time on flights)

 

 

 

Sadly lacking, surely they should have just removed to smoking verandah under someone else's balcony. How dare they suggest a solution and ask you to move.

 

once again a huge failure by celebrity surely they could have organised an island between Australia and New Zealand for your convenience, and transplanted some cities into coastal NZ and Aus or at the very least retrofitted turbo boosters and jet engines to the ship. Huge failure.

 

i do feel sorry for you on the buffet and getting ill front but it could easily have been from another passenger and not the buffet. Did you confine yourself to your cabin for the next 48 hours?

Do you have to be so sarcastic ?? Just because you don't agree with OP doesn't mean you have to be so unpleasant.

Do you have to be so sarcastic ?? Just because you don't agree with OP doesn't mean you have to be so unpleasant.

Beg to differ who was being unpleasant (OP) maybe??????

It's all good Chester,,,,

too long being an Aussie and a satiric humour :roll eyes:

Sarah,

the OP clearly hasn't travelled a lot (wet bags are not unusual anywhere in the world) I can't think of too many airports that have a totally undercover loading system, and given the down pours we have had it would take milliseconds for bags to be soaked

The distances in Aus and NZ are huge. I'd like a $ for the number of people who ask about doing a day trip to NZ from Aus. Or plan to drive from Cairns to Melbourne in a day (1780 miles or close to 3000KM) they then get upset when told they can't do it.

Cruise itineraries are the first thing anyone looks at and the number of sea days is clearly there. To say too many sea days is the fault of the OP.

They have hand sanitisers everywhere on ships because gastro bugs spread quickly…. the only way to shut them down is isolation….

Generally food poisoning is short lived. OP hasn't said time of day off the bus… but once stomach contents are emptied if it was immediate poisoning and within an hour or so then usually you should be fine. A gastro bug OTOH will last around 12 hours….

"Generally food poisoning is short lived. OP hasn't said time of day off the bus… but once stomach contents are emptied if it was immediate poisoning and within an hour or so then usually you should be fine. A gastro bug OTOH will last around 12 hours…."

What do you think "food poisoning" is??? It IS a "gastro bug". Literally. And they certainly can last longer than 12 hours.....sometimes as long as 2-3 days. In tens of thousands of cases every year in Australia, they even require hospitalization (the number is several hundreds of thousands in the US).

(I pulled out the Australia stat just because of the topic of this thread.)

Nevertheless, I agree that a road trip is a great way to see New Zealand -- a gorgeous country and I would love to go back one day.

Calliope,

Generally here food poisoning is referred to as an outbreak from a particular restaurant or food outlet, e.g. in 2011, 2241 people officially had food poisoning.

The ANU study was an extrapolation using all bacterial illnesses. Of course those could have been via food transmission. Most of us here just call them a gastro bug.

I agree most gastrointestinal/bacterial disease is food borne, and most of it is from poor home and personal hygiene. Is it food poisoning? Maybe? is it normal human to human transmission, definitely.

Depends on your POV

Calliope,

 

Generally here food poisoning is referred to as an outbreak from a particular restaurant or food outlet, e.g. in 2011, 2241 people officially had food poisoning.

 

The ANU study was an extrapolation using all bacterial illnesses. Of course those could have been via food transmission. Most of us here just call them a gastro bug.

 

I agree most gastrointestinal/bacterial disease is food borne, and most of it is from poor home and personal hygiene. Is it food poisoning? Maybe? is it normal human to human transmission, definitely.

 

Depends on your POV

Regardless of your point of view, food poisoning isn't something to be pooh-poohed at or minimized, as it can be very, very serious. It's often not just a few hours of diarrhea, and yes, it has led to hospitalizations and deaths (and I'm happy to pull up the reports to prove it if you want me to.....the CDC keeps track in the US, and a quick look, for instance, shows in 2012, over 300 people were hospitalized due to food poisoning from eating in homes/restaurants/receptions etc).

There's nothing normal about it.

I would think food poisoning involves a great deal of poo Pooing

I think often things get lost in translation… even in English/Canadian/American/Australian/and even the stuff across the detch

I never said it could be laughed off or considered/not considered as life threatening… you read that into something that wasn't there. I said cross infection from human to human was normal…. if not how does a disease like Ebola or aids spread?

On our first cruise many moons ago a mother advised her daughter NOT to eat the bacon as it was raw…(UM???) i.e. soft english style

I'm also confused cos your figures say 100s thousand peeps in US each year in one post then 300 in another…

Now I am really baffled

"I'm also confused cos your figures say 100s thousand peeps in US each year in one post then 300 in another…

Now I am really baffled"

As you requested I included simply the ones that could be DIRECTLY linked to CONSUMPTION, not simply those sickened by handling infected food or from contact with those sickened by consumption.

Yes, you pretty much said food poisoning isn't a big deal........You saidis usually food poisoning is "short lived" and "but once stomach contents are emptied if it was immediate poisoning and within an hour or so then usually you should be fine" -- and I pointed out that your statement is more often than not untrue. In fact, some food poisoning effects don't even appear for 12-48 hours after consumption of the problematic food - even though the food itself has long left the stomach.

(Now that I think about it, in reality, most food poisoning effects don't happen until after the food has left the stomach and made it into the intestinal tract, which is where virtually all of the absorption happens.)

Sounds from some of these post that there are Celebrity reps responding to forums. Hope others are helped by these comments. I would have liked to see this before I booked my trip.

So Who do you think are the Celeb reps?

Definitely not me…

We took an expensive excursion to Queenstown, which was very good, except for the lunch the last day. It was a terrible buffet, and we ate very little. I barely made it off the bus before I was sick, and I was sick all night. They said they would report this to the shore excursion people, but again no compensation.

No responsible physician would make a diagnosis of "food poisoning" based on the scanty information provided. No causal relationship between "terrible buffet" and "sickness" within a few hours can be determined with any degree of certainly without much more data and investigation. Did you report your condition immediately to the ship's doctor? What did he/she say? Who else consumed the same food? Your spouse? Who else became ill? Anyone, anyone? Bueller?

Here's my take on the entire picture. Sometimes a cruise can just be an unfortunate perfect storm of "stuff happens." However, when a complainant mixes what may be legitimate concerns with "too many sea days", credibility, IMO, suffers to the point of extinction.

For the record, I am not the rep of Celebrity or any other cruise line.

So Who do you think are the Celeb reps?

 

Definitely not me…

Come on who is the Celeb rep :rolleyes:

Not me :D

Come on who is the Celeb rep :rolleyes:

 

Not me :D

He must have meant it as a compliment for me for knowing that the balconies were designed when smoking was permitted. :D

Not me either though.

I was on this sailing of the Celebrity Solstice. On the day we boarded the Solstice, it was pouring down rain. We dropped our luggage with the porters who then put them under cover in the tents. Many people had wet luggage, including us. I spoke to a Celebrity rep, and they took our wet clothing, and laundered for us free of charge.

As for too many sea days, how else does one get from Australia to NZ by way of cruise ship?? As someone else mentioned, OP must not have looked at the ship itinerary.

And the weather?? We had plenty of rain, and colder weather than anticipated, but it did not impact our cruise holiday. We were in a fantastic country on a beautiful ship. Never heard of someone having a terrible cruise because they couldn't play bridge!! :D :D. We also went on the Rhapsody of the Seas 2/17/15 cruise, and on day 3&4 had total rain as we sailed through Cyclone Maria. It certainly did not ruin our cruise.

Balcony cabin above the smoking area . . . if it bothered the OP that much, they should have went to the desk after the first day or 2 and asked to be moved.

Sounds like cruising is not a good fit for the OP. Wishing I was back on the Solstice in the rain, with the cool weather, rather than all the snow and cold weather here in NE Ohio!!

We are on the Soltice in Sept in room 1068. The catalogue doesn't show the smoking area. My hubby is a smoker but I'm not. Any idea if this room is near the smoking area?

Just back from NZ cruise. This was our first Celebrity cruise, although we have been on many cruises I the past, To start with our bags were left on the pier in Sydney in the pouring rain before the ship departed. Almost everything was wet inside. This happened to many people. They did launder some pieces, but one tee-shirt was stretched out. I had wet clothes hanging all over the room. All our papers were soaked as well.

 

Because of the bad weather we did not get to sit on our balcony until near the end of the trip. I was under the impression that this was a non-smoking ship, but it appears the one smoking area was right below our balcony on the lower deck. We had to come in due to the cigar smoke. I spoke to customer relations the next day and the said our travel agent should have been aware of this, but they would switch our room if we desired. I have a card from them showing where everything was on the ship, and it did not indicate this smoking area. As we were at the end of the trip, we did not want to pack everything to move. They indicated this was our only recourse. How can they design a smoking area below a balcony room? They said they just change rooms if people complain. This was unacceptable to me.

 

There were also too many sea days, and for a ship this size we were amazed there was no bridge program. There were 5 tables open to a noisy atrium for "games" and you had to make your own card games. Five tables for 2800 passengers was ridiculous. If you found a game, there was no table to play at.

 

We took an expensive excursion to Queenstown, which was very good, except for the lunch the last day. It was a terrible buffet, and we ate very little. I barely made it off the bus before I was sick, and I was sick all night. They said they would report this to the shore excursion people, but again no compensation.

 

My recommendation would be to take a road trip in NZ rather than a cruise, and we would not use Celebrity again.

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cruiseph

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Thanks for your less than encouraging review of your Solstice cruise. If you decide to do a land tour of New Zealand, do not use APT. We had an extremely bad experience with them following the Christchurch earthquake in February, 2011.