I say what I can remember because we bought the premium drink package. And wow did Celebrity provide drinks, as it was the greatest binge of drinking I have ever participated in. But I remember almost everything. First off, if you buy a premium drink package, wowee do they come through. The Martini bar is worth every penny. The service is impeccable. The ship is mostly pristene. Kelly Rose (CD) is both sweet and a good manager. The food was good to great, with the exception of cakes, in the buffet, which were not.
That said, the buffet is quite enjoyable. A lot of cultural diversity, with good flavor profiles. The MDR got better each night, and it started out well. It wasn't perfect, but I would say the hits outweighed the misses 9-1. Don't miss prime rib night on night 7. Just, don't.
Embarkation was a breeze, debarkation a dream (10 minutes room to car.) Everyone without exception were smiling and friendly. Not one "face" or glare. Not so much as a frown. Our room steward was kind, thoughtful, and dependable, and the room itself was beautiful. The TV was large, situated in front of the bed, and HD. The bed was comfortable, internet did what we needed it to do, including stream, and overall we had a fantastic time.
For the most point, aside from decor, Celebrity closely tracks Princess in approach. Princess does their activites in daytime better, as the cruise activity staff was not very prepared, or personable, which is about the only flaw on this cruise. They were in no way rude, just lacked the familial connection a good Princess Cruise Director's staff creates. The rooms, while similar, still fell slightly behind Princess in bed quality and TV on demand options, but this is like comparing Marriott to Hilton.
Celebrity wins on food in the MDR as it was both more varied and better executed. The buffet was a clearer victory for Celebrity. However, lacking the overnight Piazza for a late night sandwich or mousse was noticed. Celebrity had more food availability gaps than Princess, especially overnight. That said, a robust-ish room service menu was free of service charge until 11 p.m. nightly.
One big thing to let everyone know about, is that Celebrity Central is an actual small theatre, and a nice one, that shows movies and acts as a second night venue for some performers, which were also univerally excellent.
I did not know that until night 7. Because some game shows are on deck 4 in the hallway, I thought that is where the rest of the performances were too. Celebrity would do well to explain that in the beginning.
As far as entertainment at night, as I said universally excellent. While it tracks closely with Princess in both offerings and quanitity, I found the Solstice theater to allow for a more immersive experience. There were fun silent discos, late night comedy, movies, and live music.
There was sadly, no karaoke or piano bar, although that last one seems to be fading into history on some lines I hear. Nevertheless, one had to try to be bored, or hungry, or thirsty, or aggravated. The ship is in great shape, though a bit dated, is still sparkling.
The big thing is if anyone looks for something to be mad about they will not disappoint themselves. You could find paint chips or worn carpet. Not sure why you would cruise to look for such things, but you could. However on this ship you have to try to find disappointment. if you go with a good mindset, you should experience 99 percent joy. But then again, we are talking about the sort of people who might go to Heaven and complain they need sunglasses.
If you are booked on Solstice, she is a beautiful girl, with a lot to offer, great people, a relaxed charming vibe, and a wonderful way to spend your days. If you are booked on Princess, you will have much the same experience, except they are quite a bit more full lately. But if you are a Celebrity first-timer, my prediction is that your experience will lead you to wanting to be a Celebrity multi-timer. Any questions, just ask!
Happy Cruising!