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I just realized I hadn’t posted anything about the amenities and activities on the ship, save a short blog about bar hopping one night. So, here’s a rundown of some of the things I saw and did while on board the Celebrity Solstice.
Accommodations
My cabin was beautiful and very comfortable:
Crew
My cabin steward, Anselmo, and his assistant, Arfa, did an excellent job taking care of me! I was greeted every morning with a smile and a “Good morning! What are you doing today?” They would ask if there was anything I needed. We would have a nice chat and I’d be on my way. When I was cabin-bound the last three days of the cruise due to illness, Anselmo called my room to ask if I needed anything!
Food
The food in the main restaurant was usually pretty good. I would give them an average rating of three out of five stars. Everything here (except drinks) was included in the price of the cruise. Chefs were traded off from port to port so there was plenty of variety in style of food over the course of the cruise. Sometimes the chef for the night would be brought table to table and introduced to the guests. On Top Chef Night, the menu featured recipes from the Bravo TV show.
The one thing that disappointed me (and why I give them three stars instead of 4) was the lack of seafood (specifically, shellfish). There was a shrimp cocktail appetizer available every night. Other than that, there were some entrees that “featured” shellfish, but it was really just a couple bites of crab or lobster as part of a larger dish. Not what I would expect on a cruise.
On the plus side, you could order multiple entrees and desserts if you wanted or if you didn’t like a dish, just ask for something different – no problem. While I did not order multiple desserts at a meal, I did enjoy one dessert every night of the cruise!
On one of the upper decks there was a huge cafeteria-style cafe that offered a wide variety of food all day long. There were 15 or so stations with different options, like Mexican, Stir Fry, Deli, Fruit & Cheese, Desserts and an Entree of the day. This was also included in the cruise price, and was great for breakfast and lunch. I never ate dinner here, but dinner was offered. Water and coffee were included from a self-serve area. Water here was by the glass from a fountain. If you ordered from any of the wait staff that wandered the area you would receive bottled water and would be charged. Coffee served at the table was also charged, however, you could order juice from a wait person and that was included. Confusing.
There was a small cafe just outside the spa and adjacent to the indoor pool. The cafe featured prepared-ahead small dish salads of all different types that were very nice. You could just grab one as you walked by on your way to the pool.
I ordered room service a couple times when I wasn’t feeling well, and later discovered that room service burgers come from the grill adjacent to the outdoor pool. While the burgers are just so-so, I tried a hot dog one day and it was pretty good. (Yes, that’s mayo on my dog. I blame my mother.) The fries, however, were fantastic! They were nice and crispy on the outside and had just the right amount of salt cooked right into them!
There were three other restaurant options, but they were additional cost, so I did not try them.
Wine & Cheese
There was a wine & cheese event one afternoon on the lawn accompanied by live music. Fruit and cheese plates were complementary. Wine was charged to your on board account.
Entertainment
One night on the pool deck there was a surprise guest.
There were shows every night in the theater. One evening featured a musician playing Queen on an electric violin!
Corning Glass
There was a glass blowing demonstration on the upper deck.
Oktoberfest
My trip coincided with Oktoberfest, so we had a celebration for that. The bartender in one of the pics below was the drink server assigned to my table in the main dining room.
Other Activities
Many activities were available daily including shopping deals, trivia, bocce ball competitions, casino challenges and art shows. A spa, fitness center and several hot tubs offered additional options for whiling away your time at sea. There were places to sit quietly and meditate or read. And let’s not forget napping by the pool! There really was no excuse for boredom!
New Friends
One of my favorite parts of the cruise was meeting these lovely folks – Tatiana and Max, from Melbourne, AU! Tatiana is the Concert Master and Principle Violinist for the Melbourne Opera! We had dinner together every night. Tatiana also guided me through my first casino experience, and I tagged along with both of them for one of the island excursions.
Someone recently asked me if I would ever do another cruise. Maybe. I prefer the freedom of seeing sites on a timing that I decide rather than on someone else’s schedule. When you’re on a ship, you’ve got to see location x on day y, and you have a block of time in which to do it. But. A cruise allows you to potentially visit several different locations that you might not be able to fit into a land-based trip. And being on the water is such a beautiful, calming experience! Maybe I would do it again. In a bit.
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Mel Erickson: Writer, Traveler, Observer, Occasional Deep Thinker 