Solstice: three weeks on board with a touch of HAL

[C 2 C]

Celebrity Cruising Solstice Style

 

How can one review possibly capture the essence of a ship as beautiful as Celebrity’s Solstice? After a year of anticipation and searching far and wide for any picture of Solstice’s interior and exterior, we finally had the good fortune to sail on this magnificent ship for 23 days. Celebrity’s new flagship is absolutely stunning and despite a few design compromises, I believe that most people will find a voyage on Solstice truly satisfying.

The satisfaction that one derives from a voyage on a cruise ship is determined by many factors. Flight delays, missed connections, and lost luggage always affect some travelers while those blessed with luck or the foresight to move close to a cruise port miss the rewards of finally having arrived with sanity intact. Some passengers will also have issues with embarkation. When we arrived for the inaugural voyage with our Express Pass in hand, our names were not in the computer and our boarding was delayed for half an hour while our information was added. Our luggage arrived at our cabin within three hours but one of our bags has succumbed again to someone’s abuse and will not survive another voyage.

Part of the joy of being a frequent Celebrity cruiser comes from the friendly faces that will greet you as a returning family member. From officers to waiters, bar servers to entertainers, the greetings are always warm and friendly as a result of shared voyages. We have found that the greetings by shipboard personnel on Celebrity have always been more consistent than on our HAL, Princess or RCL cruises. Celebrity should extend the training of land based staff to develop similar attitudes when dealing with passengers.

Some cruisers will sail in rough seas, under cloudy skies and be subjected to cooler than normal weather. Others will have smooth seas, calm breezes, a full moon, and perfect temperatures for walking on the decks and lying in sun or shade. One passenger, suffering from motion sickness, mentioned to us that she went to customer service no less, to complain that the seas were so rough because the captain was too young and inexperienced to find calmer waters on our way to Puerto Rico. There were many people who suffered on our November 23rd voyage but only time will tell whether Solstice’s motion was more excessive than any other large vessel during the severe winds to which we were subjected. Contrary to what some have posted, there were no issues with the stabilizers in any of our cruises. Solstice has a large bulbous nose and a sea level extension at the stern that reduces vibration and the size of the wake.

There are not enough superlatives to describe the beauty and elegance of the different components that make up Solstice. Imagine the car of your dreams (a guy thing here) perfect lines, finish, power and a price tag beyond sane longing. There are lounges that have the perfect match of colours, furniture and drapes (even I noticed the texture). The collection of art on board was totally different from past Celebrity offerings. There were pictures and art objects that were actually beautiful and gorgeous to gaze upon for extended periods of time. This ship is truly a cruise destination that can be appreciated without even landing in any port. If you are a cruiser that appreciates the beauty and elegance of ships, Solstice will satisfy the most jaded of tastes.

In evaluating our cruise experience I’ve tried to separate the ship from incidental events that could affect recollections of the cruise. Solstice is not the cause of the weather, flight arrangements, embarkation delays, luggage issues and the quality of personnel. Those are all issues that can affect our enjoyment apart from the ship itself. Distinct from the visual appeal of Solstice is the quality of life on board. The old adage “A way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” or Napoleon’s “an army marches on its stomach” truly applies to ship board life. I now come to the most subjective part of any cruise component. There were many praises and disappointments expressed by cruisers during our three week stay. From November 23 to the 30th, we enjoyed a table for two near the railing. The reason for our table choice is that we don’t bother with Celebrity desserts and seldom consume the coffee because the quality of both items is no longer worth waiting for. Although I’m a coffee drinker at home, Celebrity has turned me into a tea drinker. Celebrity’s coffee is inconsistent from one location to the next and my wife liked it in one location only. At one time we found dining on cruise ships a special event because of the range of food offerings and stimulation of taste buds. On Celebrity ships we have stopped appreciating mealtime as a social event. We now look forward to the pre and post dinner activities as more important than the mealtime. Just before our three week stay on Solstice, we cruised for a week on HAL’s Westerdam. It was our first HAL cruise in three years and we found that, unlike Celebrity, the food has greatly improved during that period. It could have been the result of a chef, a mountain of a man who obviously appreciates his role in life. Day after day the food choices and desserts were superior to any of the meals in the regular dining room on Solstice. The specialty restaurants on board were great. We had great company and menu selections in each of the restaurants on board. Our favorite for ambiance, comfort and food was Tuscany followed by Murano. Beyond saying that the food and service were great I cannot pass this subject without an editorial comment. If the main dining room food quality and choices and service were great and imaginative as in the past, there would be no need for specialty restaurants. When you pay the entry fee into the restaurants, whether it is $5, $20, $25 or $30 you have to realize that the amount is in addition to the food that you are not consuming but has already been paid for in the other dining venues as well as the tips that you are paying your regular servers. We enjoyed our meal in Silk Harvest and the tastes were varied. We don’t believe however that it is worth $20 pp more than the regular food offerings. I would gladly pay an extra $25 per day to my cruise ticket just to eat in Tuscany every day or to enjoy the quality of food as it used to be! In our second week we dined in Blu. There were several things that we enjoyed but we would not (and did not) pay a substantial premium for the AQ accommodations. In our third week on board we did not even book a designated table in the regular dining room and ate there only once. The Oceanside experience was different from other Celebrity ships. Although the traffic flow was better there are serious issues that must be addressed. In order to keep the area visually pleasing, the designers did not give clean up a top priority. There are no service areas for waiters to quickly clear tables. It seems service islands available on other ships are just too unsightly and dishes now accumulate on tables. Formerly passengers used trays for their food and now only plates are available. Waiters now cannot use passenger’s trays for moving large quantities of dishes and often they can only carry a few plates to the kitchen at a time. This to me is a major design flaw and passengers had a real difficulty finding clean tables complete with cutlery. The new setup is very labor intensive and inefficient. As a stopgap, folding tables were set up as work stations but they could only be used to stack dishes on serving trays limited in size with no way to store plate residue (the stuff people pile on their dishes but don’t consume.)

I’m a gazer: I like to sit at a window and just stare at the sea or scenery while I dine. Near the front port side of the Seaside café, the chairs are lower and most people can look out the window. In the rest of the café my eyes will look directly at the steel frame that holds the windows. In Blu the steel frame is belt high and windows were designed differently so that everyone can look out. The Grand Epernay restaurant is not at the back of the ship as on other Celebrity ships. To cut down on walking distance, the entrance is close to the central elevators and the kitchen is at the back. I really missed the view now available only in Blu and Tuscany!

ACCOMODATIONS: We stayed in four different cabins 1A-8228 on the hump, AQ-1625 port side behind the hump and C1-9382 a sunset veranda. On the naming ceremony we were in 9105 Port side near the front. The best cabins are on the hump, the worst are at the stern. Our sunset balcony had no protection against sun nor rain. Each port day welcomed us with strong rays directly on the balcony. If you like the sun, 9382 is a desirable cabin because the balcony is one third larger than neighbouring cabins. A major disadvantage of these aft cabins is distance. Sure we could use the exercise but if you travel to or from the Sky Lounge it’s a long way off. If you like Aft cabins, distance and the lack of shade makes all other Celebrity ships more desirable. The lack of an aft elevator is a serious issue and a poor compromise. Other than the colour scheme and newness, we prefer the cabin layout of other Celebrity ships better. The following points are individually minor and will not affect the enjoyment of your cruise. For people who travel for extended periods, these design compromises may become irritants.

The Closet: In my cynical view, I believe that Celebrity changed their dress code because there would not be enough room in the closets for guys to bring a jacket and dress slacks. The highly touted female design team did not include a token male to help in the cabin layout. I liked the clips to hang up ties and belts on other X ships. Accessibility to the rear of the closet is a major issue because of the obstructing sofa or bed configuration. The location of the safe, large enough to store a laptop, should be moved beneath the TV to make more closet space and prevent kneeling to enter the code.

The Sofa: Almost as hard as a rock and wasteful of space. I find no reason to have such a large area devoted to sitting for a two person cabin. The hard wooden edge and corners have a tendency to inflict frequent “ouches” to toes ankles and heels. I would have preferred a comfortable chair and more storage space.

The Counter: Two tiered and useless as a space to keep my laptop when used as a dressing table. It’s not as simple to just move items sideways from “my” desk to change its use to its primary objective for female use.

The Doors: In some configurations (adjoining cabins) opening the door will cause a crash with the bathroom door if left open. I would have liked a small vestibule or divider to separate an opening door from giving a full view of the cabin inside. If the door had been designed to open inward from the hallway, there would have been an additional three feet of space inside the cabin to allow a curtain divider for privacy. Some door locks require slamming of doors to engage the lock. That makes for a noisy corridor when returning in the evenings. Be careful that your door lock fully engages before retiring or leaving your cabin.

The Bathroom: The new design is visually appealing and larger than before. BUT:

The counter surface area is smaller. There is lots of storage space but you can’t unload a shaving kit or travel kit on the counter. I like to splash my face but the spout and handle will impact your face in painful ways. It is very difficult to control the flow of water using only one hand. I don’t know how often the ladies will make use of the foot rest while they shave their legs but the support handle inside the shower has a tendency to contact my elbow while I wash my hair. There is no longer a retractable clothes line for drying bathing suits or “delicates”. The shower stall itself will have to suffice. Certain people will find the “throne” area more confining than past configurations. My elbow frequently made contact with the edge of the shower and my knee was attacked by the drawer handle. I miss the hair drier formerly available in the bathroom. While ladies are accustomed to sit at the dressing table, getting a drier from its resting place, plugging it in and out is less convenient than formerly.

ICE Bucket: What a disaster; all style and no functionality! The bucket holds less ice than the old model and melts at a much faster rate. HAL has a marvelous design that allows for storing the tweezers inside the lid as a real space saver. There was no water pitcher provided in any of our cabins. In AQ however a pitcher of tea and bottled water is provided. With pressure the cabin steward will or might provide the pitcher.

Cabin Wall: I found that when our neighbours were watching TV, I was an unwilling audience. If your neighbours are having a verbal disagreement you will know. I don’t remember similar involuntary participation on other Celebrity ships.

None of these observations will have a serious impact on your cruise enjoyment but our conclusion is that traveling on other Celebrity ships these issues did not exist. The question then becomes whether a new carpet and colour scheme is more important than the convenience and functionality of the former design.

PUBLIC ROOMS: The Ensemble Lounge is simply stunning, a feast for the eyes and a popular destination for pre and post dinner listening. Others can evaluate the Martini Bar but we found the background music too loud and grating to our ears to enjoy the location. The door to Michael’s Club is open and music originating there will clash with the groups playing in the Ensemble Lounge. Don’t bother sitting in the area near the door. The Sky Lounge is open airy and the only real location for dancing. Captain’s Club gatherings and Officer’s Parties are held in this location. Be forewarned. Gatherings attract from 400 to 600 participants but there is seating for only 200. The Atrium is used for music groups as well but we did not like the location. The Passport Bar attracts the pre-dinner crowd on deck 3 and the different musical groups took turns playing here. There is a small dance floor here but the crowds around the bar made the dance floor the only traffic route available. The chairs, although beautiful, are suitable for people with long legs; others are required to lounge back in poor posture positions. There is no charm in a setting consisting of elevator access, stairs, and Customer Service desk and disorganized seating combinations. Michael’s Club has a very poor seating arrangement. The piano has been moved to a new location but chair groupings are awkward. This room is and will continue to suffer from passenger abuse. There are numerous scratches on the floor and tables. One of the bar stools was punched and has a hole in the rattan, a lamp was dumped on the floor in an “oops” moment and the arms on another chair has come unglued. Unlike other Celebrity ships there is no lounge suitable for trivia groupings. Michael’s Club was used most often but is totally inadequate for that role. Chairs always had to be rearranged to accommodate groups of 4 and several times chairs were dragged in from the Ensemble lounge. Afternoon Sunset trivia used the Oceanside Café or the Sunset Bar for gatherings. We also gathered in Celebrity Central where very limited seating was available or Quasar Nightclub with its hanging chairs totally unsuitable for groups competing. The lounges are individually stunning but the overall layout produces a mish mash of gathering places. Again we like the lounges aboard Century and M-Class better. One definite plus is the ability to travel from one end to the other without passing through the smoking zone of the casino. There is a hallway that totally bypasses the casino entrance. Incidentally it is a smoke-free zone!

ACTIVITIES: I posted about the lack of certain activities during our first cruise. Obviously someone was reading the boards because the activities that we like increased. Originally there was a “Starring You” trivia at 9:15 every morning. There were no prizes except for the team that accumulate the highest score over 4 sea days. The questions were tough and challenging and over the entire three cruises (12 tries) we never finished first. (congrats MaBell) The winning team had the honour of going on stage to accept their prize. Eventually TriBond was added but most of these we skipped because the questions were the same as they have been over the last 5+ years. There was a daily name that tune trivia as well but that is a skill I have never had. (I can name that tune in two and a half weeks) I have met people that can name tunes after two notes and get a perfect score every time.

MUSIC: Onboard Solstice there is only one dedicated dance floor. Unlike other Celebrity ships there is no daily dancing venue such as offered in the Rendezvous Lounge before and after dinner. Solstice has introduced Jazz as the music of choice. The party/dance band played infrequently in the Sky Lounge because their services were also required for deck performances during the day. The Solstice Quartet, half the ship’s orchestra, played in the Atrium on occasion prior to dinner. The Jazz Trio and a doodling instrumentalist played listening music for people who prefer jazz but dancing rhythms for people who prefer to dance was sorely lacking. Background music throughout the ship was designed to please ears attuned to volume and tastes much different than ours. The lack of dancing opportunities is a deal breaker for us. We would never have planned to stay for three cruises in a row as we did if we had known that Solstice would stray this far from former cruise experiences. The guitarist on board, Jeffery Ang was great, the pianist in Michael’s Club had a very high opinion of himself but his playing and singing were mediocre.

The LAWN: The highlight of Solstice’s uniqueness is attractive at first but a big wasteful money pit. On Nov. 14th we spoke at length with the executive in charge, met the doctor who picked the seed and formulated the “soil”, discussed maintenance issues and concluded that this area will be under utilized and will suffer the vagaries of salt and inclement weather and excessive wear in parts. We wish the money had been “invested” in a concierge lounge to keep the faithful and suite people happy as on competing lines.

 

CAPTAIN’S CLUB:

The Captain’s Club benefits have been reduced again by the penny pinchers at head office: Wine Flights in the Cova (because the contract with Cova is ending, no more Cova chocolates either) are no longer available at a 25% discount, Wine savings have been reduced from $10 off the second bottle purchased to 20% of the price of the second bottle and the $15 laundry coupon has evaporated: laundry special is now 29.95. The practice of allowing Elites the privilege of visiting the bridge on the first two voyages has been discontinued. There are just too many elites and an officer was required almost full time for the tour.

 

Without a doubt, we are glad that we have experienced Solstice in all its splendour. But just like a beautiful car (guys) or stylish shoes (ladies), Solstice is long on appearance but short on practicality. We’ve done it, bought the T-shirt and have no plans to come back. If the changes are implemented fleet wide: fewer activities, more jazz and less dancing, and uninspiring food we will pursue alternatives to X.

Life is made up of choices. We can cruise for the ports, we can cruise for the people, we can cruise for the food, we can cruise for the entertainment, and we can cruise for the accommodations. Celebrity no longer provides any incentive to return (other than life with Perry Grant on Constellation or Equinox next year)

Right after the naming ceremony we boarded HAL’s Westerdam from Nov. 16 th to the 23rd when we returned to Solstice. While Celebrity’s cabins cost us about $1,000 pp we were upgraded to a 400 square foot suite for a total cost of $900 pp. The more comfortable beds were large enough to throw a party, a concierge lounge provided free espresso and snacks, free laundry and dry cleaning and there were closets to satisfy a family and great food every day. We are now looking at any cruise line that rewards repeat cruisers and offers the possibility of upgrades. Regarding Celebrity, we will return to the practicality of the familiar M-class ships when the price is right.

For those who are thinking of booking Solstice: Do it! The advantages far outweigh minor irritants for short periods of time. My beef is with the direction that Celebrity has taken to appeal to new customers who never experienced a T-pool or met in the Rendezvous for nightly dancing. While I grew up, my parents complained about the music that I liked and I think I just graduated or got relegated to a cruise line dedicated to a more mature crowd.

[wolfganghowell]

Thank you so much for your observations. I would hope that the "X Execs" read your remarks and use them as very insightful guidelines.

 

While many of your negatives are not negative to me (we're not big dancers,don't participate in a lot of the daily activities) it is of value to so many X fans. I do find it surprising how X's Captains Club has faded while RCCL's Crown & Anchor is so strong. You would think they would pay attention to what their corporate sibling does as well as the competition.

 

It will be interesting to see the tweaking that goes on for Equinox and in turn Eclipse.

 

Can you share some of your observations on the pool deck and solarium venues?

[lallak1]

Thanks for the very thorough review. We are booked in AQ 1625 on the April 12 sailing. Can you advise how the room is set up, ie. is the bed near the entry door or near the balcony door? Thanks.

[C 2 C]

Rendezvous should read: Ensemble Lounge

[sddiver]

C2C

 

Thanks for the review. A number of us are debating the deck plan on Vista deck 8000 series. Given you stayed in 8228 maybe you can help clear up the confusion. Of the four cabins on that side of the hump 8228 appears to be the second of the four moving forward to aft. Was that the case?

 

Thanks

 

Rich

[C 2 C]

C2C

 

Thanks for the review. A number of us are debating the deck plan on Vista deck 8000 series. Given you stayed in 8228 maybe you can help clear up the confusion. Of the four cabins on that side of the hump 8228 appears to be the second of the four moving forward to aft. Was that the case?

 

Thanks

 

Rich

 

Yes and 8230 has a larger balcony... the one to pick. It was the best location of our choices... large balcony, close to the elevator.

[C 2 C]

Thanks for the very thorough review. We are booked in AQ 1625 on the April 12 sailing. Can you advise how the room is set up, ie. is the bed near the entry door or near the balcony door? Thanks.

 

The bed is closer to the closet.... and the door is difficult to close. Twice we returned to an unlocked door!

[C 2 C]

Can you share some of your observations on the pool deck and solarium venues?

 

We love to read and the solarium loungers do not have a cog to keep our backs in a more upright position. The chairs looked comfortable for napping however. The pool deck was used when we could not sit on our aft balcony due to excessive sunshine. The chairs are packed very close together but we used them only on port days when most people were ashore. I swim like a stone so avoid the water unless I'm showering or have a hull beneath me.

[hcat]

Well written, thoughtful, & honest review! Very helpful.....and from someone with credentials as a frequent "X" cruiser!

 

The glowing introduction quickly gives way to some real issues (menioned already by many) that may affect my becoming a true fan of this class ship.. All show & glow but lacking in other practical aspects..like trays in the dining room...soundproofing between cabins with someone else's TV behind your headboard....bad closet access, kneeling to get to the safe... (one wonders if cruise line execs actually stay on the ships, in real people staterooms?)

 

Like you , we expect to to enjoy our experiences in January (Carib) & in Sept (E. Medit).... but we will probably move back to the comforts of Mercury & M class (& Royal C.'s Radiance class) . They have good closets, lots of storage, accessible safes, nice staterooms, and great ship layouts with plenty of elevators for all. Just enough spaces to enjoy--beautiful pool decks & T pools of some sort..

 

But the newness is exciting & fun and we are still looking forward to our upcoming cruise !

[C 2 C]

Like you , we expect to to enjoy our experiences i.... but we will probably move back to the comforts of Mercury & M class (& Royal C.'s Radiance class) .

 

Kindred spirits for sure!

[Andy]

Hi Arno !

 

Thank you for your outstanding review and observations. It was great seeing you and your DW again, at the Naming & Inaugural sailings. I completely agree with everything you mentioned. I hope you will check out my review, as many of our observations are similiar. Your comments about the Oceanview Cafe, and the lack of trays, and your comments about the cabin bathrooms/couch/closet/counter/safe, needing improvement are spot on.

 

I truly hope that Michaels Club will be totally re-designed on future S-Class ships. While I thought it was beautiful, the layout was awful. Though I believe it's probably too late for Equinox. I wonder how Perry Grant would be able to perform in Michael's, if they keep it the same as on Solstice. I also agree that Tuscan Grille was incredible, and was my best meal on Solstice. I plan to eat there more than once, when I am on Equinox next year.

 

I couldnt agree more about the Lawn Club. I've never understood it since Day 1. Now that I have seen it in person, I feel that my concerns were warranted. I believe the space could be used for other concepts. One idea would be to improve the Hot Glass Show area (the Show was great), by adding more seating, and with better viewing. I wouldnt be disappointed if the Lawn came to an end.

 

As for the Concierge Club ? We've been asking for it for years. It is long overdue. Hopefully, Celebrity is giving it some consideration. They should add another level above Elite, and add the Concierge Club for this next level. I'm going to keep asking, until they give in, and make it happen !!!!! :)

 

Again, thank you for your wonderful report, and I hope we will meet again in 2009. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year !

[paradise08]

Hi Arno !

 

I couldn't agree more about the Lawn Club. I've never understood it since Day 1. Now that I have seen it in person, I feel that my concerns were warranted. I believe the space could be used for other concepts. One idea would be to improve the Hot Glass Show area (the Show was great), by adding more seating, and with better viewing. I wouldn't be disappointed if the Lawn came to an end.

 

We were on the 11/30 sailing and during the Hot Glass Show they talked about upgrades and changes for Equinox. They mentioned stadium type seating and less grass near the show. Not sure if that will be happen but at least they are looking at options for the future.

 

Cheers!

Donna

[C 2 C]

Hi Andy:

 

I hope you get some more restful moments in the coming year.

 

[Andy]

Hi Andy:

 

I hope you get some more restful moments in the coming year.

 

 

Hi Arno !

 

HA !!!!!!!!!! Please remind me never to lay in one of those chairs again :)

[ccletzgo]

Wow, what a great review. One I actually trust because it was so well rounded and the OP was on the ship for a good lenght of time to pay attention to a good amount of detail. Can you imagine a family of 4 in a quad cabin? holy cow.:eek:

 

 

 

Its fine that this is Solstice. I don't need to cruise on her, but, yes, I am worried about the direction of Celebrity. Solstice is awfull confusing.:confused:

Celebrity comes out with this huge ship, with so many quad cabins to attract more family's and young people, but it doesn't sound like there is alot there to keep them interested.

 

They are taking away the details that make Celebrity special.

 

YIKES! No Cova:(

[wolfganghowell]

Thank you so much for the solarium info - that is one of my fave things on sea days - to read in a quiet place and the solarium has always been a top choice. Seems like the Solstice deck might be another option for me.

[FinelyCruising]

Arno, Thank you for the very candid review. I appreciate it!:)

[gkm]

Arno, it was nice to sail with you and Joann again. I must admit, I agree with almost everything you said and we'll also probably concentrate on sailing on the M class and Radiance class in the future after our Equinox TA. (We'll definitely be missing you on that one!)

 

Garry

[signman]

Yes and 8230 has a larger balcony... the one to pick. It was the best location of our choices... large balcony, close to the elevator.

 

I have written many times about the apparent mislableling on the Deck 8 plans. Arno, if you can really tell me conclusively that 8230 had the largest balcony and that 8232 was actually on the flat side of the hump, with a regular sized balcony (it absolutely is ajoining with 8234 from the corridor), then the coloring on the deck plans for the different categories of cabins is correct. The error is that the cabins are actually one position aft of what is shown on the published plans.

[signman]

Thanks for the great review. Wish mine was as insightful. It was a pleasure to finally sail with you and Joanne, and I really enjoyed sharing a table at breakfast with you one morning. All the best to you and your family for the Holidays and New Year.

[FinelyCruising]

I have written many times about the apparent mislableling on the Deck 8 plans. Arno, if you can really tell me conclusively that 8230 had the largest balcony and that 8232 was actually on the flat side of the hump, with a regular sized balcony (it absolutely is ajoining with 8234 from the corridor), then the coloring on the deck plans for the different categories of cabins is correct. The error is that the cabins are actually one position aft of what is shown on the published plans.

 

Howard are you saying then that my 8252/8279 is actually not a flat balcony but the big angled one next to it on the deck plans that is numbered as something else? I am really confused....:o

[signman]

Howard are you saying then that my 8252/8279 is actually not a flat balcony but the big angled one next to it on the deck plans that is numbered as something else? I am really confused....:o

 

Yes, that is my conclusion. You would be on the angled portion going aft. The positives for these cabins would be that they have the largest balconies, and are less windy. They are correct as 1A's. Cabins on the flat of the hump are now 1B's.

[RodPat]

Arno, It was wonderful to meet you on our Nov. 30 cruise on Solstice which was something I was wanting to do for such a long time. I agree with quite a bit of what you had to say. The sofa is way too big for just two people and I think these cabins are meant for only two people. We found the closet space enough for the two of us but to think of another person in this cabin would be awlful. We were in 6231 on the hump and found the cabin and the view to be just fine. The balcony was more than big enough for two people but not like our favorite aft balconies on the M class ship. As far as the closet safe, I usually sat on the end of the couch and opened and closed it from there. The counter in the bathroom was smaller than we are used to but Rod kept his shaving kit on it and I kept my stuff in the closet with the glass doors next to the sink. The bridge tour just had Rod and I on it as the invites went out late and we just happened to look outside our door in time. We had a wonderful private tour of the bridge. All in all, we would go on Solstice again in a heartbeat. We truly enjoyed our week on her. Whenever asked about what we thought we gave what we thought was constructive critisim and always said we stilled enjoyed our stay. We only had one bad meal and after having many bad meals on Constellation a month before we thought our time on Solstice to be wonderful. So glad we got to say hello and let me tell everyone what a gentleman you are and you are a lucky son of a gun to be able to cruise so often. Here's looking to the next time we cruise with you and maybe we could spend more time with your wife and yourself.

 

Pat

[FinelyCruising]

Yes, that is my conclusion. You would be on the angled portion going aft. The positives for these cabins would be that they have the largest balconies, and are less windy. They are correct as 1A's. Cabins on the flat of the hump are now 1B's.

 

OK...I looked at Andreas's side of ship photos of the hump and there are ten flat hump balconies. What is the starting point for the cabin reference shift aftward so that I can follow what you are suggesting and provide a check back to your theory....

[signman]

OK...I looked at Andreas's side of ship photos of the hump and there are ten flat hump balconies. What is the starting point for the cabin reference shift aftward so that I can follow what you are suggesting and provide a check back to your theory....

 

I posted this on the thread with my review.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=17376802&postcount=14