Just Back from Solstice French Polynesia Cruise

[MicCanberra]

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

Fantastic, We are booked in for the whole day tour as well. I just hope we can tender and meet the tour on time. :D

[LibbyLee]

Hi....I'm on the transpacific cruise next April 2014 and wondered what the cost of Patricks tour is. Also is it a better tour with the lunch than the Reef Discovery tour with Christophe without the lunch?

[thamanrp]

Though I was not on the tour since it was full, someone from the roll call arranged it for:

 

$130 pp for the 3/4 Day Lagoon Excursion

$219 pp for the 4x4 Combo w/Lagoon & Lunch

 

We booked the tour on our own with Moana Adventure, which was nice, but it didn't go around the lagoon.

[ORV]

Though I was not on the tour since it was full, someone from the roll call arranged it for:

 

$130 pp for the 3/4 Day Lagoon Excursion

$219 pp for the 4x4 Combo w/Lagoon & Lunch

 

We booked the tour on our own with Moana Adventure, which was nice, but it didn't go around the lagoon.

 

The lunch with Patrick's tour is also at a private spot. Here is the view out towards Bora Bora from the picnic table area.

 

[MicCanberra]

 

Thanks, nice pic.:D

[thamanrp]

Thanks for the pic ORV. That was not on the day where the Solstice docked a few weeks ago was it? It was cloudy when we were in Bora Bora.

[ORV]

Thanks for the pic ORV. That was not on the day where the Solstice docked a few weeks ago was it? It was cloudy when we were in Bora Bora.

 

No, I was there last year in May on Oceania. Our second time there, everyone should go at least once.

[Kelani]

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.

 

We also were on this cruise & did the same Patrick's Tour. The cruise & all the ports were very good. The ship was great, food & service were good. Cruise staff was friendly & helpful. Patrick's Tour was very nice. We were on a small boat, we had 3 snorkel stops, I thought the stop with the StingRays was the best. Our guide Luciano was great, he knew all about the island.The Luau on a small island was more than we expected, great food, very delicious.

We did not get Noro. The ship went above board keeping the ship clean, every

staff member was cleaning, including singers & dancers !!

[vally6]

Hi....I'm on the transpacific cruise next April 2014 and wondered what the cost of Patricks tour is. Also is it a better tour with the lunch than the Reef Discovery tour with Christophe without the lunch?

hi we are going on this cruise to havent booked yet got price fron american site was 600 dollars cheaper for balcony unsure if to go with that or pay higher price have you booked yet

thanks vally6

[vally6]

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

hi we are doing that cruise next april did you stay in hawaii after cruise or fly staight home wondering cost of one way flight to sydney

thanks vally6

[MicCanberra]

hi we are going on this cruise to havent booked yet got price fron american site was 600 dollars cheaper for balcony unsure if to go with that or pay higher price have you booked yet

thanks vally6

 

hi we are doing that cruise next april did you stay in hawaii after cruise or fly staight home wondering cost of one way flight to sydney

thanks vally6

Hi, welcome to Cruise critic. We aware that the prices with a US site may not include the port taxes and fees, so may no tbe cheaper. You need to compare the end prices for true savings.

Enjoy the cruise.:D

[MicCanberra]

We also were on this cruise & did the same Patrick's Tour. The cruise & all the ports were very good. The ship was great, food & service were good. Cruise staff was friendly & helpful. Patrick's Tour was very nice. We were on a small boat, we had 3 snorkel stops, I thought the stop with the StingRays was the best. Our guide Luciano was great, he knew all about the island.The Luau on a small island was more than we expected, great food, very delicious.

We did not get Noro. The ship went above board keeping the ship clean, every

staff member was cleaning, including singers & dancers !!

Thanks for the review, glad you didn't get sick. I can't wait for this cruise and port next october.:D

[cruisinsusin]

hi we are doing that cruise next april did you stay in hawaii after cruise or fly staight home wondering cost of one way flight to sydney

thanks vally6

Hi vally6- we flew home the same day we disembarked in Honolulu- but home is US not Sydney. We did have to purchase one way from Ga. to Sydney and did that with Choice Air- we got the best price that way after monitoring all options

[vally6]

thanks for repl y did you have outside or balcony cabin

thanks vally6

[cruisinsusin]

thanks for repl y did you have outside or balcony cabin

thanks vally6

Hi again, we were in a balcony cabin- we really enjoy the private outdoor space!

[MicCanberra]

[quote name='cruisinsusin']Hi again, we were in a balcony cabin- we really enjoy the private outdoor space![/quote]
Cabins with balconies are our favourite as well.:D

[vally6]

hi we are going on the same cruise 2014 did you stay in hawaii we are looking for accomadation for a couple of days before we fly home to melb . also did you book your own flights home or through your agent . cant book yet as flights not available yet
thanks any imformation will be good
vall6

[couple from Hungary]

Hallo,

I am considering to book a cruise to French Polynesia/Hawaii, but I would have some question.
Could you please help me? My e-mail adress is: [EMAIL="maria.urban@t-online.hu"]maria.urban@t-online.hu[/EMAIL]

thank you in advance.

best wishes
Maria

[gilladj]

Doing the reverse itinerary this fall. I am curious about when formal nights were held. I absolutely cannot wait for this trip!:D

[cruisinsusin]

[quote name='gilladj']Doing the reverse itinerary this fall. I am curious about when formal nights were held. I absolutely cannot wait for this trip!:D[/quote]
Hi gilladj, there were 3 formal nights, all on sea days- day 2 april 9 (between Sydney and New Caledonia), day 8 ( we had 2 April 13's because of the dateline) april 14(4th night after New Caledonia and 2 nights before Tahiti) and day 16 Monday April 22 (2 nights before Lahaina).

[cruisinsusin]

[quote name='couple from Hungary']Hallo,

I am considering to book a cruise to French Polynesia/Hawaii, but I would have some question.
best wishes
Maria[/quote]

Hi Maria, would be happy to answer any questions

[Aussie Claire]

[quote name='vally6']hi we are going on the same cruise 2014 did you stay in hawaii we are looking for accomadation for a couple of days before we fly home to melb . also did you book your own flights home or through your agent . cant book yet as flights not available yet
thanks any imformation will be good
vall6[/quote]

I was also on this cruise, we stayed at the Holiday Inn Waikiki Beachcomber on Kalakaua Avenue, (centre of Waikiki) lovely clean and comfortable hotel.

I prefer to use a TA for International Flights, you can usually book 10 months in advance.

Be careful not to book an early excursion in Maui, we were delayed getting off there due to US Immigration arriving late and didn't have enough people to process over 4000 passsengers and crew.

[Swansforever]

My husband and I were also on this cruise. We stayed at the Outrigger Luana Waikiki. It was a very reasonable price and a great location - a very pleasant 10 minute stroll into the heart and noise of Waikiki. The rooms were huge with a kitchenette.
We flew Jetstar back as they are the only airline that flies directly into Melbourne. Tickets cost about $500 each but got more expensive as the time before the flight got shorter. I think we booked them about 4 to 5 months ahead.
Anne.

[Keith1010]

Thank you for posting.

Keith

[vally6]

thanks for reply about flights i will book as soon as they come available
vall6