Solstice - poor management organisation, communication, service: Celebrity Solstice Cruise Review by DmDnRcI
Celebrity Solstice
1
Celebrity Solstice -- 2 out of 6 rating. No organisation/communication on this ship.
They had norovirus on the ship on the Australian leg, but did not even advise the guests on board at the time.
Guest relations were not consistent with their information.
No passenger booklets/info in rooms
No drink menus until 2nd last day, so missed out on so many potentially nice drinks in bars and restaurant, and teas at cafe -- such a huge selection that I did not even know they had. Asked bar staff what I could have (my drinks package include non alcoholic drinks) -- they couldn't tell me.
No salt and pepper shakers until 2nd last day
No books in library
Few bar staff -- had to search for them/go to bar ourselves
Ship does not accept preloaded travel card for payment of account, and both ATM machines were out of order at end when we were all paying our accounts.
DAY 1
- Arrived embarkation 1130am -- no signs/verbal info -- just told to drop our bags More and go line up, which we did, for hours. No seating. Exhausted from long flight over and lack of sleep night before. Finally herded into the big warehouse, given a 100ml bottle of water and small packet of chips. Not enough seats inside for everyone. No communication. After another couple of hours, told to line up and board, took another hour.
- Got on board. Again no signs/information, only announcement that our rooms were not ready. A previous passenger said they were going to cafe on deck 14, so we followed them up. NO STAFF ADVISED US OF THIS.
- We did not get into our rooms until 630pm. No information booklet/leaflet/info in rooms. I phoned guest relations to ask for info -- they were evasive and said we could go to dining room. Luggage did not arrive in our rooms until 9pm!!
If staff had notified us of the delay/even a sign, we would have happily hired a car and looked around island.
DAY 2
- We had a car booked for the day. No information at pier/taxi rank -- had to get to airport for car ($30 each way). Told by care rentals that they do not go to pier. At the end of the day, we saw Thrifty shuttle bus to pier. We were told we had to be back on board at 4pm for safety talk. WHY DIDN'T THEY DO THAT WHEN WE WERE ALL SITTING AROUND ON DAY 1? We weren't sailing until midnight! Some people had booked night time shows and had to cancel.
MAUI -- tender from ship to shore -- took 4 hours to get off, so didn't get ashore until 12md, then had to be back on at 4. Some people lost money on pre-booked cars and tours.
The bottom of a glass of coke dropped off (faulty glass) at the restaurant when lifted, spilling coke and ice all over the table, plates and cutlery. The waiter covered it all with layers of serviettes and continued to serve our meals with the coke still on the cutlery and the tablecloth where I sat soaked, forcing me to sit on the corner -- this is 5 and a half star service????? We were finally moved after we refused to eat there, and offered a bottle of champagne.
We went past the lava flowing into the sea at 1030pm one night -- very spectacular, brochure had said it would be at midnight -- no announcement over PA system to inform people -- many very upset that they missed it. We had asked guest relations -- 2 different staff told 2 different times, but we were fortunate to have balcony suite to see it clearly.
Final day -- we were being transferred by bus from Ensenada to San Diego. Buses were told to be there at 3am, commenced boarding them at 5am, we were told we would be leaving at 810am, we didn't leave until 1130. So disorganised!! We were told it was a one and half hour drive to airport, took 4 hours. Many people missed their flights.
Highlights -- the Cafe coffee, food and friendly competent staff were great.
The Tuscan (Italian) restaurant food and staff were excellent, definately worth the extra $35 to eat there, the best scallops and lobster I have ever had, and the most amazing desserts.
I would not recommend Solstice to anyone. Less
Published 05/30/13
DmDnRcI
Member Since 2013
Overall Member Rating
Solstice - poor management organisation, communication, service
Sail Date:
April 2013
Destination: Hawaii
Embarkation: Honolulu
Destination: Hawaii
Embarkation: Honolulu
They had norovirus on the ship on the Australian leg, but did not even advise the guests on board at the time.
Guest relations were not consistent with their information.
No passenger booklets/info in rooms
No drink menus until 2nd last day, so missed out on so many potentially nice drinks in bars and restaurant, and teas at cafe -- such a huge selection that I did not even know they had. Asked bar staff what I could have (my drinks package include non alcoholic drinks) -- they couldn't tell me.
No salt and pepper shakers until 2nd last day
No books in library
Few bar staff -- had to search for them/go to bar ourselves
Ship does not accept preloaded travel card for payment of account, and both ATM machines were out of order at end when we were all paying our accounts.
DAY 1
- Arrived embarkation 1130am -- no signs/verbal info -- just told to drop our bags More and go line up, which we did, for hours. No seating. Exhausted from long flight over and lack of sleep night before. Finally herded into the big warehouse, given a 100ml bottle of water and small packet of chips. Not enough seats inside for everyone. No communication. After another couple of hours, told to line up and board, took another hour.
- Got on board. Again no signs/information, only announcement that our rooms were not ready. A previous passenger said they were going to cafe on deck 14, so we followed them up. NO STAFF ADVISED US OF THIS.
- We did not get into our rooms until 630pm. No information booklet/leaflet/info in rooms. I phoned guest relations to ask for info -- they were evasive and said we could go to dining room. Luggage did not arrive in our rooms until 9pm!!
If staff had notified us of the delay/even a sign, we would have happily hired a car and looked around island.
DAY 2
- We had a car booked for the day. No information at pier/taxi rank -- had to get to airport for car ($30 each way). Told by care rentals that they do not go to pier. At the end of the day, we saw Thrifty shuttle bus to pier. We were told we had to be back on board at 4pm for safety talk. WHY DIDN'T THEY DO THAT WHEN WE WERE ALL SITTING AROUND ON DAY 1? We weren't sailing until midnight! Some people had booked night time shows and had to cancel.
MAUI -- tender from ship to shore -- took 4 hours to get off, so didn't get ashore until 12md, then had to be back on at 4. Some people lost money on pre-booked cars and tours.
The bottom of a glass of coke dropped off (faulty glass) at the restaurant when lifted, spilling coke and ice all over the table, plates and cutlery. The waiter covered it all with layers of serviettes and continued to serve our meals with the coke still on the cutlery and the tablecloth where I sat soaked, forcing me to sit on the corner -- this is 5 and a half star service????? We were finally moved after we refused to eat there, and offered a bottle of champagne.
We went past the lava flowing into the sea at 1030pm one night -- very spectacular, brochure had said it would be at midnight -- no announcement over PA system to inform people -- many very upset that they missed it. We had asked guest relations -- 2 different staff told 2 different times, but we were fortunate to have balcony suite to see it clearly.
Final day -- we were being transferred by bus from Ensenada to San Diego. Buses were told to be there at 3am, commenced boarding them at 5am, we were told we would be leaving at 810am, we didn't leave until 1130. So disorganised!! We were told it was a one and half hour drive to airport, took 4 hours. Many people missed their flights.
Highlights -- the Cafe coffee, food and friendly competent staff were great.
The Tuscan (Italian) restaurant food and staff were excellent, definately worth the extra $35 to eat there, the best scallops and lobster I have ever had, and the most amazing desserts.
I would not recommend Solstice to anyone. Less
Published 05/30/13
Cabin review: C22142 Concierge Class
great views, very noisy in the middle of the night above us - cafe. nice rooms, comfortable bed
Read All Concierge Class (C2) Reviews >>Port and Shore Excursions
$30 taxi airport to ship. No information desks. Hop on hop off bus expensive and mainly goes from one shopping centre to another, wait up to half an hour for next bus. Doesnt go far. shops we went to were very expensive. Thrifty only car hire place with shuttle to ship, but no one told us that.
Read 506 Honolulu Reviews
DmDnRcI
Member Since 2013
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