Just Back from Solstice French Polynesia Cruise

[cruisinsusin]

DH and I just returned from the April 8-25 Solstice cruise from Sydney to Honolulu and are trying to adjust to the "real world" of cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping and doing laundry.

This was our first time on S class ship ( multiple other Celebrity cruises on the M class). The ship was beautiful. Service was outstanding by both cabin and dining room staff (shout out to Moses, Xavier and Danillo!). We met with the future cruise consultant Yolandi once on the 1st full day of the cruise and she remembered us by name on the 18th day!

This was a cruise with many sea days so a truly relaxing vacation.

We found the food in the main dining room to be overall excellent with few misses. Room service coffee was pretty awful so we ended up going "out" for breakfast each am and did enjoy the elite perk of coffees and fresh squeezed OJ in the Tuscan grille area.

We did an independent excursion with Aquanature in New Caledonia,and enjoyed excellent snorkelling using day passes at the Tahiti Intercontinental and the Moorea Hilton resorts. Thanks to Murphy who arranged the great CC group excursion with Patrick in Bora Bora. swimming/snorkelling with reef sharks was quite an experience.

Getting off the ship in Maui was delayed but this was not a Celebrity issue but a US immigration delay ( we were told that there were flight delays in getting the officials into Maui) so keep that in mind if you try to plan any excursions independently here).

Noro reared its ugly head about midway thru the cruise but the staff bore the brunt of this, doing longer shifts with the "enhanced sanitation" and serving precautions.

We had a great time and felt that Celebrity delivered an excellent product!

I would be happy to answer any questions

[DrivesLikeMario]

Thank you so much for posting! I've been anxious to hear about your cruise and the Noro that is onboard and the cough that a lot of passengers have come down with. It makes getting on the ship nerve-wracking!

 

It was nice to hear your report and the GOOD stuff too! Was the tour with Patrick in Bora Bora the one that had the reef sharks? I def want to do that!

 

Thanks again!

[cruisinsusin]

Hi and you're welcome!

We did not get sick and did not know anyone who did altho we certainly saw the way the staff had to "step up" and increase their workload to prevent any further cases.

The trip in Bora Bora was with Patrick and the first stop was the sting rays and reef sharks- pretty amazing to be that close to the sharks circling around- there were five or 6 at a time in the vicinity!

[Starry Eyes]

Thanks for sharing.

We are boarding in San Diego next week. Like you, it will be our first on S class, and we are looking forward to it. Sure hope the noro has been extinguished by then.

Was the best free coffee in the elite breakfast then? How was the coffee in the MDR?

[KirkNC]

Welcome home, that's a great itinerary! Glad you avoided noro.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Hi and you're welcome!

We did not get sick and did not know anyone who did altho we certainly saw the way the staff had to "step up" and increase their workload to prevent any further cases.

The trip in Bora Bora was with Patrick and the first stop was the sting rays and reef sharks- pretty amazing to be that close to the sharks circling around- there were five or 6 at a time in the vicinity!

 

Thank you again for the information. We will definitely have to book that tour with him when we go next year.

 

So glad you didn't get Noro. It's got me a little freaked out this time - don't know why. Have never gotten it in 29 cruises, but am worried this time.

[Murphy]

So glad the tour with Patrick worked out for you! I've been worried and it's good to hear it went well! Welcome back!

[cruisinsusin]

Thanks for sharing.

We are boarding in San Diego next week. Like you, it will be our first on S class, and we are looking forward to it. Sure hope the noro has been extinguished by then.

Was the best free coffee in the elite breakfast then? How was the coffee in the MDR?

Hi- hope you enjoy your cruise as much as we did ours!

The coffee in the MDR was ok but definitely better in the elite breakfast.

[cruisinsusin]

So glad the tour with Patrick worked out for you! I've been worried and it's good to hear it went well! Welcome back!

Thanks- it was great fun. Missed you and hope all is well.

[MicCanberra]

Thanks for the review, glad you didn't get sick.

We will be doing this in reverse in October and are booked in for the Bora Bora tour with Patrick. Can you please tell me how the tour started? Was it onshore (needed a tender) or did Patrick meet straight at the ship? If it was a tender first, how was the tender with the time to meet the tour? Did you have to wait for stragglers? Was it stressful?

Thanks in advance:D

[Swansforever]

My husband and I were on the same cruise and tour with Patrick.

We had to tender over to get onto the big boat. Three people were late (one did not turn up at all) by about one hour but it didn't really matter as there was still plenty of time to do everything. So don't stress about getting there on time as they will wait. It was a wonderful tour. Swimming with the sharks and rays was so exciting. The snorkelling was also brilliant, although it is in quite deep water so for my first attempt at snorkelling I had to learn quickly.

There was a lot of norovirus and coughing on board. I got both! My husband didn't get either. Four out of 9 at our dinner table got norovirus. Another lady I spoke to said 18 out of 83 in her large group got it. So it was pretty prevalent. Not pleasant but it only lasts 24 hours and then you are off your food for the next couple of days. I can honestly say it didn't really affect my cruise - it was great anyway. So don't worry too much.

[MicCanberra]

My husband and I were on the same cruise and tour with Patrick.

We had to tender over to get onto the big boat. Three people were late (one did not turn up at all) by about one hour but it didn't really matter as there was still plenty of time to do everything. So don't stress about getting there on time as they will wait. It was a wonderful tour. Swimming with the sharks and rays was so exciting. The snorkelling was also brilliant, although it is in quite deep water so for my first attempt at snorkelling I had to learn quickly.

There was a lot of norovirus and coughing on board. I got both! My husband didn't get either. Four out of 9 at our dinner table got norovirus. Another lady I spoke to said 18 out of 83 in her large group got it. So it was pretty prevalent. Not pleasant but it only lasts 24 hours and then you are off your food for the next couple of days. I can honestly say it didn't really affect my cruise - it was great anyway. So don't worry too much.

Thanks for that information. I am glad the cruise was not ruined even though you got sick.:D

[Karin&Isaac]

Thanks for the review. We are doing this cruise next year. Could you tell me how the weather was in Sydney and during sea days?

Karin

[cruisinsusin]

The weather in Sydney was high 60s to mid 70s and sunny.

The first few days of the cruise were cool and windy, so windy that some of the outside activities were moved indoors. By the end of the 1st week, it was sunny and warm, about 80-82 degrees F, and stayed that way the rest of the cruise.

[cruisinsusin]

Thanks for the review, glad you didn't get sick.

We will be doing this in reverse in October and are booked in for the Bora Bora tour with Patrick. Can you please tell me how the tour started? Was it onshore (needed a tender) or did Patrick meet straight at the ship? If it was a tender first, how was the tender with the time to meet the tour? Did you have to wait for stragglers? Was it stressful?

Thanks in advance:D

Bora Bora is a tender port so we met up on shore after the tendering. As Swansforever said, there were a few stragglers so there was a short delay in getting started but we had plenty of time and it did not in anyway affect the enjoyment of our tour.

[MicCanberra]

The weather in Sydney was high 60s to mid 70s and sunny.

The first few days of the cruise were cool and windy, so windy that some of the outside activities were moved indoors. By the end of the 1st week, it was sunny and warm, about 80-82 degrees F, and stayed that way the rest of the cruise.

Lovely, can't wait.:D

[marci4tony]

Glad to hear you enjoyed this ship. My question - are suit jackets required for the dining rooms - Hubby is not a "tux" kinda guy, and a white shirt and tie would be fantastic. Dont want to pack a jacket, but can if its required!

 

Thanx!

[AZUDO]

I am also just back from this cruise. It was fantsastic and also applaud the staff, they were working 16 hour days. And yes patricks tour was probably the best tour I have ever done, highly recomended! I am now an X convert

[MicCanberra]

Bora Bora is a tender port so we met up on shore after the tendering. As Swansforever said, there were a few stragglers so there was a short delay in getting started but we had plenty of time and it did not in anyway affect the enjoyment of our tour.

Thanks for the information. It is always one of those hazards when organising a private tour when the cruise is tendered.:D

[MicCanberra]

I am also just back from this cruise. It was fantsastic and also applaud the staff, they were working 16 hour days. And yes patricks tour was probably the best tour I have ever done, highly recomended! I am now an X convert

Great news, I am glad you loved it so much, it makes me anticipate the tour and of course the whole cruise that much more.:D

[mellygrant]

I'm doing a similar cruise on Millennium in November. Just wondering how you organised the resort day passes, particularly in Moorea, and how much did they cost?

[Karin&Isaac]

The weather in Sydney was high 60s to mid 70s and sunny.

The first few days of the cruise were cool and windy, so windy that some of the outside activities were moved indoors. By the end of the 1st week, it was sunny and warm, about 80-82 degrees F, and stayed that way the rest of the cruise.

 

Thanks Cruisinsusin! That info will make packing so much easier. We are so excited about this cruise.

[cruisinsusin]

Glad to hear you enjoyed this ship. My question - are suit jackets required for the dining rooms - Hubby is not a "tux" kinda guy, and a white shirt and tie would be fantastic. Dont want to pack a jacket, but can if its required!

 

Thanx!

Hi marci4tony, there were some men with tuxes but the vast majority wore sports coats/suit coats on formal night. On smart casual nights, there were few coats- just nice shirts and Docker type pants.

[cruisinsusin]

I'm doing a similar cruise on Millennium in November. Just wondering how you organised the resort day passes, particularly in Moorea, and how much did they cost?

HI Mellygrant. We emailed both resorts in advance to make reservations altho it really wasnt needed at the Moorea Hilton. The Tahiti Intercontinental had 2 options based on restaurant choice. It was about $60 per person for the less expensive restaurant, which included meals for two, use of snorkel equipment, towels, use of the facilities, chairs and umbrellas. The Hilton on Moorea was about the same price, with the same package.

A cab was very easy to pick up at the Tahiti port and also at the IC. It was much more difficult finding transport on Moorea as the majority of the "real cabs" were already reserved by the ship's tours. If possible, arrange ahead of time for pick up at the pier and also at the hotel. The cab rides were $20 each way for both resorts.

The experiences at both were excellent. The facilities are gorgeous and the snorkelling quite good in both places.

I would be happy to answer any other questions

Susan

[Kana boy]

We were on this cruise too. It was awesome!!! Excellent staff and entertainment. What a great time! Yes Noro was there but the ship was very proactive and was constantly wiping down all touched surfaces everywhere even the elevators. Use the gel everywhere they offer it and be proactive yourselves about washing with soap and water often. Gel does not prevent noro but soap and water does. We stayed clear of it.

 

Patrick's tour is one of the best tours ever and not to be missed. We did the all day 4X4 and motorized outrigger to the same Motu as the 3/4 day group. We just met everyone there. The food was a full Tahitian dinner with Imu cooked pig and lobster on the grill and chicken and spinach and fresh fruits ect. Champagne freely poured and beer, soda, water ect. Bamboo plate holders with Banana leaf (I believe) dishes. We ate with our fingers sitting on picnic tables in the water. Delightful!!!! (Thanks to Susan for organizing our CC group for this) It was a sold out event. Patrick and his associates are very pleasant and entertaining. Well done all around.

 

You will have a fantastic cruise. I even sang in the Solstice Choir with 64 others and it was so much fun.

 

Enjoy

Aloha

Cheryl:D