We had eagerly anticipated our cruise on Celebrity's Solstice following our first Celebrity cruise on Century in late 2011 (Hawaii to Sydney). Solstice presents beautifully and we found everything immaculate although we did feel that it lacked some of the personality of the older Century.

We took advantage of the offered early embarkation which was quite streamlined and we found ourselves onboard by lunchtime, well ahead of our 8pm departure. Disembarkation was likewise very smooth and speedy.

It was our second New Zealand cruise, having cruised previously with Princess. As is our usual practice, we elected not to book shore excursions as we prefer to do our own thing which is very easy in NZ where the locals are so friendly and welcoming. Read more