Live: Dec 22 2023 Solstice 12 Night Thailand & Vietnam Holiday Cruise!

[NMTraveller]

12 hours ago, mahdnc said:

Yes, it resembled a movie about escaping an East Bloc country during the Cold War. Papers and multiple checkpoints. 

It was probably due to the previous cruisers. 😂

 

[alyssamma]

First, let me say thank you to @mahdnc and everyone else who has contributed to this thread. I'm taking this cruise next year, so love the details. That being said, I have 2 specific questions I was hoping someone could answer...

 

1) We are actually doing a S2S. It looks like (from Google Maps) that the cruise port handles 2 ships that are docked basically side by side. In other words, leaving one ship to check into the other should be easy and not require transportation or anything like that. We are leaving the Solstice and boarding the Millennium.

 

2) How early can we check in our bags? We are hoping to check them early and then do some exploring.

 

Again, thanks so much for the live blog.

[CarolCough]

Thanks so much for the update, we are taking this cruise in reverse from HK in January. My husband and I live in the UK but I have an Irish passport so if there's a different line for travellers who need to produce a Vietnamese visa I imagine we'll be separated. Have a great cruise! 

[Miaminice]

8 hours ago, ela123 said:

Looking forward to following along. Was there a different line if you don’t need a Vietnam visa 

yes, there was a separate line for people who don’t need visa. We have German passports and require no visa for Vietnam or Thailand. 

Except for one short wait, embarkation was a breeze for us. We basically walked right through. 

 

 

[mahdnc]

2 hours ago, alyssamma said:

First, let me say thank you to @mahdnc and everyone else who has contributed to this thread. I'm taking this cruise next year, so love the details. That being said, I have 2 specific questions I was hoping someone could answer...

 

1) We are actually doing a S2S. It looks like (from Google Maps) that the cruise port handles 2 ships that are docked basically side by side. In other words, leaving one ship to check into the other should be easy and not require transportation or anything like that. We are leaving the Solstice and boarding the Millennium.

 

2) How early can we check in our bags? We are hoping to check them early and then do some exploring.

 

Again, thanks so much for the live blog.

Wow. That’ll be a nice trip. 

You are correct about the convenience of getting from one ship to the other at the Singapore cruise pier. No transport needed. 
 

I don’t know the answer about how early you can drop off your bags, but the next time I talk to Guest Relations I will ask the question.  They may be aware of a special arrangement for lucky passengers like you.  Can you give me the exact date that this is happening?  However strictly judging from what I saw yesterday when we arrived at 11 am (which was the earliest check-in time slot available) and looking at the number of passengers already in front of us, I’d say you could have dropped off your bags at least as early as 10:30 am. 

 

For what it is worth, here is a view of the main cruise terminal floor as seen from the mezzanine.  First photo is looking left, second photo is looking straight ahead, and third photo is looking right.  The back of the terminal in the second photo is the main front entrance.

 

In this photo, the unmanned check in stations I believe would be used for the other cruise ship:

 

In this photo, you can see the personnel and baggage scanners:

 

In this photo, the check in stations at the bottom of the white wall on the right half of the photo was for Solstice.  This is where our Vietnam visas were checked:

Edited December 23, 2023 by mahdnc

[alyssamma]

52 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

Can you give me the exact date that this is happening?

Again, thank you so much for the info. This will be 12/21/2024...

[dlh015]

Well, David, as I posted earlier, we missed Singapore...but you have renewed my planning for going there. DW was in total agreement...especially after all the great pics...lol. 

 

It may not be a cruise, but we are sure going to try to stay at that Marriot! But then again, it may be a cruise.

 

Can't thank you enough...

 

-David  (no mistake, that is my name, too...)

 

ETA: Not to mention my DW, whom I call the Orchid Lady, has a vast collection of orchids...can't tell you how many shelves, etc, indoors and out I have built!!

Edited December 23, 2023 by dlh015

[educated palate]

12 hours ago, mahdnc said:

By my count, half of the people on our roll call made he sailaway gathering (Oceanview Bar, Deck 1414 aft) which was pretty good. 

 

Although I did not get a chance to talk to her much, it was good to see @educated palate again (we met her during our Constellation TA in Oct 2022).  I also got to meet @Miaminice and his wife, Birgit for the first time.

 

We were scheduled to leave Singapore at 6pm but we actually left around 6:30pm.  When we left, we did so under partly sunny skies..  After looking at Marina Bay Sands from one direction (from our hotel), it was interesting to see the other side of MBS from the pier.

 

Although Solstice was alone at the pier when she arrived at 6am this morning, Genting's Dream was parked next to her by the time we sailed away.

 

 

 

 

Great to see you again and to meet so many members.

[mahdnc]

The ship rocked and rolled quite a bit last night.  I felt like I was back on Xpedition.  It woke my wife up.  It didn't bother me at all although my dad accidentally called me at 1:30 am from the USA so that woke me up.

 

The seas were still moving us around a lot this morning.

 

Blu view:

 

Balcony view:

 

No view:

Edited December 23, 2023 by mahdnc

[TeaBag]

We are really enjoying your great live review, mahdnc.  The pictures are wonderful.  I could never get enough of Singapore even though we have been there many times.

We plan a similar cruise (just booked today) in May 2025.  Ours is Singapore to Kobe.  I just have to see Danang and Halong Bay.

We stayed one time in the Tang Plaza Marriott and it happened to be our anniversary.  We came back to our room one day and they had placed two little 8" stuffed monkeys with their arms around each other on our bed.  So cute.  We still have them on our dresser.

Bon Voyage!

[mahdnc]

2 hours ago, dlh015 said:

Well, David, as I posted earlier, we missed Singapore...but you have renewed my planning for going there. DW was in total agreement...especially after all the great pics...lol. 

 

It may not be a cruise, but we are sure going to try to stay at that Marriot! But then again, it may be a cruise.

 

Can't thank you enough...

 

-David  (no mistake, that is my name, too...)

 

ETA: Not to mention my DW, whom I call the Orchid Lady, has a vast collection of orchids...can't tell you how many shelves, etc, indoors and out I have built!!

 

Well, I think Orchid Lady would be sufficiently impressed with the exhibit.  It may inspire her to have you build more shelves and perhaps a cool greenhouse to house them all.

 

[mahdnc]

 

Here is the ship's itinerary that was published in yesterday's Celebrity Today (embarkation day). 

 

Normally for this 12 night itinerary, the three Evening Chic nights would fall on Sea Day #1, Sea Day #2, and the second Ha Long Bay day.  However the Christmas and New Years holiday has re-scheduled the EC nights to be on Christmas Eve, Sea Day 2, and New Year's Eve.

 

Singapore and Hong Kong are in the same time zone whereas the ports in Thailand and Vietnam are one hour behind.  So predictably the ship set our clocks back an hour last night after we left Singapore and we will lose an hour on the night that we leave Ha Long Bay.

 

We have two tender ports--one tomorrow at the island of Ko Samui and the other at Nha Trang.  Although our speedboat shorex was cancelled at Ko Samui for tomorrow because of expected high winds, there is no indication yet that the entire port (tender) will be skipped.  The Shore Excursion agent that I talked to said that Ko Samui was missed 2 sailings ago because of high winds.

 

Edited December 23, 2023 by mahdnc

[mahdnc]

Here is:

Celebrity Today for Day 1

Celebrity Today for Day 2 (today)

Celebrity Today folder

[mahdnc]

 

The above instructions were in our stateroom after we boarded.  The funny thing is that by the time you read it, you will have already surrendered your passport to Celebrity.

 

Here is some very important Immigration + General Information that we received in our stateroom.  Some notes of interest:

 

1. If you did not have a Vietnam visa when you boarded.  Celebrity will apply for one on your behalf but it cost $25.  There is no guarantee that it will be approved and if approved, there is no guarantee that it will be done in time for you to get off at the first Vietnamese port.  The only thing guaranteed is that you will pay $25 win, lose, or draw.

2. Guests who have independent plans to stay ashore overnight in Bangkok or Ha Long Bay need to bring a copy of their passport with them.  You do not need it if you are doing the overnight through Celebrity although this is not what this other document pictured at the top of this post says.  Requests for copies of your passport have to be made to Guest Relations no later than 9 pm the night before the ship arrives at port.  For us, we plan on staying in Bangkok on our own, but we ended up booking the overnight Ha Long Bay cruise through Celebrity.

 

3. During our second sea day--the one that directly precedes the 4 Vietnamese ports, we will receive a Vietnamese Landing Card (delivered to our stateroom).  The landing card is to be in our possession when we get off the ship in each Vietnamese port.  It will be stamped by immigration at the first port and inspected by a Vietnamese officer at every port thereafter.

 

4. When we arrive at our first port in Vietnam (Phu My), immigration officers will board Solstice and review the passports and visas of all the passengers.  It is possible that they will find errors.  Affected passengers will be notified in advance, but it is possible we will find out on the gangway when we try to get off the ship.

 

5. Passports are returned to us on Sea Day #3, the day before the cruise ends.  We will be receiving instructions later on exactly what time and where to retrieve them.

 

6. There are additional instructions for passengers who plan on doing overland tours that require exiting Vietnam or Thailand (e.g. Angkor Wat) as well as passengers who plan on getting off the ship before Solstice arrives at Hong Kong.

 

All of the above explains why Guest Relations has been so crowded and busy...

Edited December 23, 2023 by mahdnc

[mahdnc]

A few views around the Grand Foyer:

 

 

 

The gingerbread houses that are usually occupying the back stairway in the Grand Foyer are not there this year.  Instead the stairway has been kept open and the gingerbread houses are displayed in other locations around the Grand Foyer. 

Edited December 23, 2023 by mahdnc

[mahdnc]

12 hours ago, jules27556 said:

  There is nothing better than a MAHDNC name tag!

Although Covid kept me from the TA in October 2022,

I put my name tag to excellent use on the Silhouette TA  April 2023!

Following along on your Live Report!

 

Thank you so much David and Marcia!

 

 

Thank you, Julie.  Marcia and I wish for you and your mom a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  And may Ohio State have better luck next year!

[mahdnc]

Solstice's house band for this sailing is The Cardinals.  They were not on Solstice the last time we were on her (Jan 2020) but they have been on other Celebrity ships.  The play a nice mixture of rock and roll songs.  People were dancing in the Grand Foyer and there were many folks at the rail in the atrium decks above.

 

 

 

[billc23]

9 hours ago, mahdnc said:

 

The above instructions were in our stateroom after we boarded.  The funny thing is that by the time you read it, you will have already surrendered your passport to Celebrity.

 

Here is some very important Immigration + General Information that we received in our stateroom.  Some notes of interest:

 

Thank you so much for the detailed information!

[jules27556]

8 hours ago, mahdnc said:

 

Thank you, Julie.  Marcia and I wish for you and your mom a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  And may Ohio State have better luck next year!

Recruiting has gone very well.  Still holding our breath for Marvin Harrison Jr and Treyvon Henderson to decide if they will return or go NFL Draft. 

 

Much Joy to you both as you celebrate the Holidays aboard the Solstice! 

 

Julie

[CarolCough]

8 minutes ago, billc23 said:

Thank you so much for the detailed information!

Yes, this is so interesting, thanks for sharing. I did wonder what would happen to the passengers who didn't get a Vietnamese visa. I almost forgot myself, as I live in the UK but have an Irish passport. It seems that they would still be allowed on the ship but would only be able to get off if their visa came back on time. 

[Texed]

Thanks for the posts and pictures.  😊

[mahdnc]

Out of our 16 Celebrity Cruises so far this is the first time that we are not eating in the Main Dining Room for dinner as we are also first time AquaClass passengers.  This means we are having a Blu Christmas.

 

 

We have only eaten in Blu twice.  I think I am still partial to the MDR dining experience which puts me in the minority as far as this forum is concerned.  But that opinion could change by the time the cruise is over.  On the other hand, my wife definitely favors Blu as she likes the smaller venue and the quiet that comes with it.  More importantly she likes the menu better whereas I have ordered at least one item off the MDR menu for both meals so far.  I figured that my wife would like Blu and that was the main reason that I decided to put in for a move up bid from our V1 cabin.

 

 

On the other hand, I find the service in Blu to be much more attentive than what the service in the MDR has become today.  Because we have always had fixed seating (except for our Galapagos cruise last month), I am not accustom to watching the waiters change a table while I am eating.  They are remarkably and quietly efficient at it.  We have been eating at Blu at approximately 7 pm on both evenings and I have been pleasantly surprised that there is no line to get a seat and no waiting either to get a table for 2.  In fact Blu's dining room seems to be only half full or less.  I also think that Blu doesn't really have a bad seat location-wise in the dining room whereas that is not true for the MDR.

 

[hcat]

10 hours ago, mahdnc said:

 

Well, I think Orchid Lady would be sufficiently impressed with the exhibit.  It may inspire her to have you build more shelves and perhaps a cool greenhouse to house them all.

 

Amazing!

in Fl we are near a place called Selby Gardens,( Sarasota)  World famous for Orchid cultivation and display.. but this is truy exceptional...huge!

[mahdnc]

Tomorrow (Christmas Eve) we stop at Ko Samui which is a resort island in the Gulf of Thailand.  It will be my first time in Thailand as my wife has been to this country on business some 25 years ago.

 

My wife and I are certified divers and originally I was planning on independently booking a dive trip with a local outfitter. However after studying it for a while, it appeared difficult to make that work schedule-wise and logistic-wise partly because Ko Samui is one of our two tender ports.  So the next best thing is snorkeling and I had booked a snorkel trip through Celebrity that was cancelled yesterday because of anticipated high waves at the marine park that we were supposed to visit.  So this morning, I booked a Celebrity tour to see elephants tomorrow.  So we will see elephants--on an island

 

The seas are much more calm now than they were this morning and any concerns about missing the port entirely due to weather conditions have gone away.

 

Good night from Solstice.

[villauk]

9 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

Tomorrow (Christmas Eve) we stop at Ko Samui which is a resort island in the Gulf of Thailand.  It will be my first time in Thailand as my wife has been to this country on business some 25 years ago.

 

My wife and I are certified divers and originally I was planning on independently booking a dive trip with a local outfitter. However after studying it for a while, it appeared difficult to make that work schedule-wise and logistic-wise partly because Ko Samui is one of our two tender ports.  So the next best thing is snorkeling and I had booked a snorkel trip through Celebrity that was cancelled yesterday because of anticipated high waves at the marine park that we were supposed to visit.  So this morning, I booked a Celebrity tour to see elephants tomorrow.  So we will see elephants--on an island

 

The seas are much more calm now than they were this morning and any concerns about missing the port entirely due to weather conditions have gone away.

 

Good night from Solstice.

 

Your experiences are so similar to ours. We usually cruise with our children so dine in the MDR, but next March we have decided to try Aqua for Blu for the first time without them. We also did this itinerary over Christmas and took the elephant tour in Ko Samui. You’ve not booked Japan as your next cruise, have you 🤣?