We recently sailed on Celebrity Solstice; four of us/two couples. We each LOVED it. The ship is beautiful (incredible decor/art work, great layout and more). The staff, service was the highlight. The cabin steward was lovely, attentive, really on the ball and the stateroom was kept impeccably. The wait staff in the main dining room did everything they could to please us and were expert at remembering little things that meant a lot. The food was not great and as the trip came to a close, it got kind of worse. That is likely because all the food is loaded up at the beginning of the cruise (they don't pick up local anything at the ports) so many things just were not fresh towards the end. I would say that food was the biggest downside but didn't change our desire to go right back. The entertainment crew were fun and professional. The shows were a higher caliber than would have been expected. One thing we really liked unlike some other cruiselines is that there was no push to upsell you anything. We barely spent any extras on board and felt comfortable in doing so. The layout of the balcony cabins is quite ample with much more room for storage than one would expect. The bathroom was larger than on many ships, especially the shower so you could actually turn around or bend down. The other passengers met our needs, 30's-60's, upscale, not your boozing types. Not a lot of children and for those with children, this is not really the ship for you since it doesn't have a lot for children. The spa services were pricey but of high quality. We didn't try the specialty restaurants since there was a price supplement and since the chef was not great in the main dining room we didn't feel that spending more money for specialty restaurants would be a worthwhile investment. The pastry chef and team were outstanding. Embarkation and disembarkation were easy in ports and upon return. If you upgrade to Concierge class then even easier, especially onboarding and offboarding in U.S. which can take some time. We loved Celebrity Solstice and can't wait to go back on board anywhere it goes.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Food was abundant, perhaps not as abundant as cruising in the past, but available and there was a good selection, even for vegetarians, which two of us are. The spa cafe had healthy breakfasts and highly recommended. The dining room was lovely. The food was not great at all; very average and disappointing but not surprising for such a large ship. Early seating was a bit too early 6pm for days at port and wish it was 6:30. People dressed very well at night which made it feel special and upscale.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
The entertainment was better than expected and some of the staff entertainers were very talented and could be working on broadway. The entertainment crew were professional, fun, attentive. The entertainment was appropriate for the type of passengers and the featured entertainers were excellent. The theatre had really no bad seat -- get there early, though, if you want certain locations, people line up.
Children's Programs
1 out of 5
Not for kids -- very little for them and the playroom is nothing to write home about. If you want a child-friendly, give parents a break ship, this is not for you. There were only 14 children on board.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Cabin stewards and dining room waiters were EXCELLENT and did everything they could to make us feel at home and supported. They work extremely hard for little pay and deserve good tips. They all remembered little things which meant a lot and always with a smile. They all wanted us to have an excellent time and they were a highlight.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The public areas were in excellent condition - ship is only under 2 years old. The public restrooms were immaculate. Loved the fact that antibacterial lotions were available everywhere.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Staterooms were ample and layout was excellent. Our stateroom was on deck 9, had a nice sized balcony, the bed was comfortable, had flat screen tv, was maintained very well and the bathroom was reasonably sized, especially the shower which can be quite small on ships but not on Solstice. The storage in the main cabin and bathroom was surprisingly ample. Nighttime chocolates on pillow were looked forward to. Staff worked around our plans and supported all of our needs. It is difficult to pack and put suitcases out the night before so prepare accordingly.
Not much to write home about. It is really an artificial port. The main attraction is right at the port and we avoided it; crowded, noisy and hot. We rented a golf cart to tour on our own -- fun, but not much to see. Only one area of good beach (not great beach). If we were on a cruise that went to Costa Maya again, we would likely stay onboard.
We loved Roatan. Had a private driver. Went ziplining. Hung out with kaputchen monkeys (spelling?). Went to the MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACH; had a nice lunch; made a trip to a local orphanage and brought them some much-needed toys, school supplies and food.
Don't Miss: The West Bay Beaches and please remember you are visiting third world countries; consider bringing and delivering materials for local orphanages and schools; much needed and very appreciated.
Stingray Sandbar -- swim with people-friendly stingrays, hold them, feed them -- a don't miss experience. The coral reef snorkling is also good. We chartered a private boat which got us to locations before the madding crowd and made our time a bit more special but the tours to Stingray City are good options. Beach is also beautiful.
Loved Cozumel. We took advantage of knowing our way around so we went far away from all the cruisers to a resort we stayed at and were familiar with. Then we went shopping in town, had lunch, etc.
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