The Lawn Club features real grass -- a first at sea. Coming up with just the right blend of varietals to stand up in heat, salt and robust passenger traffic was a major challenge; test beds were planted in Miami and on Celebrity Galaxy. Fain and Hanrahan were among those who took field trips to Austria and the Netherlands to visit sod farms. The result? It's bigger than I expected (though not huge) and really adds a soft touch to outdoor spaces. It's a hit.
Note the circus-like tents; these offer shady spots. Off to the right -- which you can't really see here -- is another Solstice first: its glassblowing studio. The bocce court is to the left of the smokestack. This whole area is pretty close to the back of the ship -- beyond the bocce court (and on the other side of the stack) is what's going to be a fantastic bar at the aft.
Celebrity's job posting for a groundskeeper inspired a lot of merriment on Cruise Critic -- and the position has been filled. Mike Schubert, who literally just arrived, worked as a groundskeeper at a Fairfield, Texas golf course. What appeals to him about the job, he says, is that "it's like putting your foot on the moon. No one has ever done this before." Note: Behind Schubert is the glassblowing area....
