CELEBRITY SOLSTICE REVIEW by Debsta - 1 NIGHTER

[The_Big_M]

That's what I assumed was the case, however, it means that the $12 covered per drink in the premium drink package would not cover the cost of a cocktail then.

Being listed at $11.50 with 15% makes them $13.25 :(

I know that premium package holders only would pay the difference but it is a bit poor for Celebrity to advertise that the drink package as " In addition, you can enjoy our entire selection of Beers as well as Spirits, Cocktails and Wines by the Glass up to $12 per serving." if there are no cocktails that can be enjoyed!

 

Sorry, I was probably unclear. I meant that gratuities are always extra (you also pay extra 15% on the beverage package for gratuities) so when they refer to the price of the drinks possible in the package, it should only be the base price that is considered.

 

So if the drink is on the menu at $11.50 and this package allows up to $12 drinks, I'd expect it to be included.

 

You might want to post on the Celebrity board to double check, but I'd be surprised if they didn't permit it.

[The_Big_M]

Sorry, I was probably unclear. I meant that gratuities are always extra (you also pay extra 15% on the beverage package for gratuities) so when they refer to the price of the drinks possible in the package, it should only be the base price that is considered.

 

So if the drink is on the menu at $11.50 and this package allows up to $12 drinks, I'd expect it to be included.

 

You might want to post on the Celebrity board to double check, but I'd be surprised if they didn't permit it.

 

I searched through a thread when it was introduced and found this which confirms the above. i.e. the drink price referred to excludes gratuities. So $11.50 is just $11.50.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=32871752&postcount=141

[6andy6]

I searched through a thread when it was introduced and found this which confirms the above. i.e. the drink price referred to excludes gratuities. So $11.50 is just $11.50.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=32871752&postcount=141

 

My understanding is that the drink packages definitely include the gratuity. I remember when paying for it it stating so.

 

Edit: yes it did. Just checked my invoice. 15%. So it means to me that up to that price point I just order my drink and there is no additional charge for any gratuity added to my account.

[alibabacruisers]

Debsta,

 

I agree with rugbypopsie...you should review and make videos as a career...they were both great!

 

The Celebrity Solstice looks amazing! We have never been on Celebrity but have wanted to try and now you have provided the motivation! Love the idea of the grass on a ship. It looks like the layout of many of the areas is good too. I see what you meant about the bathroom mirror....huge! The pools were nice looking also. All of the different areas, from cafes, to bars, to casino (huge), to dining room, to restaurants and lobby, are very nicely decorated and I liked them. It seems like there are so many areas too.

 

I did not know they had these one night samplers. It is a good idea to see if you like it and I suppose it is great to not have all that luggage to think about for once.;)

 

How sad that they did not acknowledge your birthday! Happy Belated Birthday to you!

 

Thank you very much for your review and video!

 

Barbara

[Aussieflyer]

Thanks for the information on drink prices. We are considering a drink package so wanted to double check the inclusions. By the way on the departure morning the menu in Cafe Bacio showed coffee as $5.25 which did include the gratuity. Perhaps they have done this for cruises in Aust & NZ.

[tashoz]

Thanks Deb. Great review and photos. Glad you had a nice time. :)

[The_Big_M]

My understanding is that the drink packages definitely include the gratuity. I remember when paying for it it stating so.

 

Edit: yes it did. Just checked my invoice. 15%. So it means to me that up to that price point I just order my drink and there is no additional charge for any gratuity added to my account.

 

You need to pay for the gratuity when you order the drinks package, but the price quoted on the ordering page does not include the gratuity. It's only when you go to pay the total that gratuities are added on.

 

So you don't pay extra gratuities on the cruise for drinks (unless you want to), but the price they advertise them for doesn't include gratuities either - the same as the drinks themselves.

[Aussieflyer]

You need to pay for the gratuity when you order the drinks package, but the price quoted on the ordering page does not include the gratuity. It's only when you go to pay the total that gratuities are added on.

 

So you don't pay extra gratuities on the cruise for drinks (unless you want to), but the price they advertise them for doesn't include gratuities either - the same as the drinks themselves.

 

Thanks for the information but my query was not about purchasing a drink package - I know that 15% is added to the price on the webpage so that the total for the package when you come to pay for it includes this. My question was about drinks on board - the cost covered by the package (i.e. drinks up to $12) and whether this included the gratuity. The link to the thread with the information about the package being ex-gratuity was interesting.

[mikeyg0]

Thanks for the information but my query was not about purchasing a drink package - I know that 15% is added to the price on the webpage so that the total for the package when you come to pay for it includes this. My question was about drinks on board - the cost covered by the package (i.e. drinks up to $12) and whether this included the gratuity. The link to the thread with the information about the package being ex-gratuity was interesting.

 

I had the premium package and never had to sign for anything extra including all the martinis I had from the Martini Bar. Shame it was only a one night cruise.. looking forward to the 12 nighter in March when I'll be able to try them all :D

[Aussieflyer]

Thanks for the information Mikeyg0 - that's exactly what I was hoping to hear. We are doing the maths to see if it is worth while for our cruise next month. Based on what we have paid on previous cruises a package is looking like it might be the way to go - certainly we would be in the ball park cost wise and it would be good not to have a big bill at the end :)

[The_Big_M]

Thanks for the information but my query was not about purchasing a drink package - I know that 15% is added to the price on the webpage so that the total for the package when you come to pay for it includes this. My question was about drinks on board - the cost covered by the package (i.e. drinks up to $12) and whether this included the gratuity.

 

Yes, that was a reply to 6andy6.

[Aussieflyer]

Sorry Big_M, obviously got the wrong idea.

Thanks for the reply.

[casandbliz]

Very nice review!!

[socreader]

CELEBRITY SOLSTICE – 9 DECEMBER 2012 – 1 NIGHT

 

Video here >>>>

 

I’ve put my “running around like an energiser bunny happy snaps” together in a video taken from my little Sony TX10! Hehe (cool camera which is also waterproof to 5 metres for all those snorkelling or sitting in the hot tub on deck shots :D) Sadly no hot tubbing for this little 1 nighter though but I did get a shot inside the fully cranked up steam room haha. The music on the video is not my normal rock type - thought I’d class it up a bit haha

 

1 night is not enough to do any type of true comparison or review to what a longer voyage would be like. For me, I would jump on her again in a heartbeat for a longer trip, even after experiencing some of the inconveniences encountered on this. She’s stylish without stuffiness – something that had bugged me for a while and why I had balked at booking a Celebrity cruise......I really was concerned about stuffiness! I found the vast majority of staff incredibly friendly that I encountered, although the poor bar staffed were pushed to the max. Perhaps it’s because I engaged them in conversation with a smile or I’m just too laid back for my own good or I was one of the first ones on and not stressed out LOL..............? This touch with a champagne and/or orange juice on boarding. I don’t think you can really do a comparison on a one nighter for dinner staff. I know on every other cruise they usually take a night or two to warm up.

 

These very short cruises are ‘tasters’ where you have an incredible amount of people all wanting to do the same thing at the same time. I know many were disappointed at not getting the “full service”, particularly in the Aqua/Concierge staterooms (hell I had to scavenge for a bar of soap – I also had shampoo and conditioner only in the cabin – the next morning the cabin steward included body lotion and a shower cap for the next occupants – yes he made the room up before I had actually taken my bag out when I went to breakfast).

 

It was my birthday so I was “expecting” some sort of acknowledgement (something on the cabin door, cake in the dining room – I had booked set dining) – any small reminder it was a special day. There was none. I’m sure others would have booked to also celebrate a special occasion and may have also been let down with the expectation. I believe Celebrity have let everyone down in this regard. After all, you are trying out a ship to see what you would get, and the TA’s and media were also trying out the ship to see what their clients would get. But to be fair, these tasters are very new and I hope they will learn from the feedback I’m sure they will receive.

 

There is a ton of outside space and some wonderful nooks and crannies on this ship. I’m sure there are many secret places to be found! The indoor and outdoor pool areas are fabulous and large. The lawn areas are just amazing (nothing like the sweet smell of freshly mown grass as your walking along), and two levels of lovely aft bar areas. Inside there are many options to eat, drink, chill and enjoy. Some of the drinks they were making looked AMAZEBALLS in the specialty bars! The free ship’s coffee was the best I have ever tasted!!! You could actually drink it and not want to puke afterwards with the bitter aftertaste I have experienced on EVERY other cruise!

 

My inside cabin 3152 had a door that actually opened out into the corridor. The bathroom was large and could easily entertain two people at once (no get your minds out of the gutter....at the mirror I mean!) with lots of storage space and no shower curtain in sight! This inside cabin was an OK size and had a 2/3 seater lounge as well. I’m not sure if this is a fold-out bed type lounge or not or if it had drawers underneath (forgot to check) but there is not much hanging wardrobe space or drawers. If there were two people in the cabin on a normal length cruise I think storage may be an issue (especially if two women were travelling together LOL). On the desk there were 2 x US and 1 x European power point.

 

Muster for my cabin was held in an indoor area on Deck 4 outside of the nightclub. We were advised to proceed to Deck 5 where names WERE marked off and then moved on down the stairs to Deck 4. You were not required to bring a life jacket and they had 2 small video screens in this area to watch the safety briefing. Being a midget, I couldn’t see it but I could hear it and various crew did a lifejacket demonstration which everyone should have been able to see. The fire doors at each of end of this area were closed after everyone had arrived until the end of muster, so there was no escaping! LOL

 

Sailaway was just after 8 pm and it was very windy and cold! I spent most of the time in the aft area around the lawn club for sailaway but when I peeked at the pool area there weren’t many people there but there was a band playing. There was a little bump to the ocean that night which I hazard a guess was due to the gale force winds! As I had no clothes to hang up the coat hangers were banging away! But then I only slept in there for 3 hours by the time I got back to the cabin after the credit card debacle.

 

The ship was alive with wonderful Christmas decorations everywhere!

 

In the video there are two staterooms, my inside cabin 3152 and an Accessible Sky Suite with Verandah cabin 1236.

 

I have included some of the drinks menus, drink packages, the daily paper “Celebrity Today” (to give you an idea of what they presented for 1 night – they had events organised from boarding onwards), the Open Passages Program details (their future cruise letter/deposit program – yes I bought 2 hehe) and a few other bits and pieces of paperwork I picked up. Unfortunately some of these have come out blurry during the upload process to youtube.

 

I did miss a complete area of the ship being the aft of Deck 5 where the specialty restaurants are, inside the Hot Glass Show venue, the Library, The Card Room, Team Earth and the Celebrity iLounge, so if those things interest you they’re not on the video LOL

 

I didn’t even look in the shops (amazing!) LOL. The casino did what it was supposed to – paid for my cruise LOL

 

On the sampler we had The Aussie Boys who I had seen on another ship (God only knows which one, I can’t remember LOL) and they’re entertaining enough (I read they had been on the ship for the previous 5 days). The comedian was hilarious!

 

I had lunch in Bistro on Five which is their crepe restaurant (cover $5 pp) and you can have as much as you want The savoury crepes were yummo and the dessert crepes to die for, especially the banana and chocolate one....nom nom. I didn't eat in the buffet, but the food looked great and people that ate there said it was good. My particular dinner meal in the main dining room was very so so, but the others on my table were happy with theirs. I had a pasta dish and the pasta was over (or under?) cooked, but the shrimp garlic sauce was good. The smoked salmon entree still had large bones in it which put me right off! Poor choice by me, which was a shame.

 

I probably can’t answer any questions other than what I have written........ So many places, so little time. I had a birthday to celebrate!!!!! I couldn’t be everywhere and see everything! although I tried hehe

 

There is a pretty good blog here as well to give you more idea. http://beyondships.com/Celebrity-Solstice-Tour-1.html

 

Thanks for the info. We will be spending 4 weeks on the Solstice from Ensenada to Sydney in the Fall. Great to know what a good view we will have of the harbor.