Having just disembarked from the Celebrity Solstice two weeks ago and also being a very loyal Celebrity customer since 1995, I feel that I am qualified to post some insights on this new class of Celebrity ships, which also will include the Equinox and the Eclipse.  I truly could not wait to cruise on the Solstice.  My many trips on Celebrity ships (the Zenith, the Century, the Galaxy, the Millennium) have been nothing but amazing in every aspect the level of service in the past on these ships were very close to 5-star, every meal, whether in the dining room or specialty restaurants, were amazing, the ships were beautiful and they were truly a wonderful cruising experience at a premium level.  I'm afraid this is not so on the Solstice and perhaps the other ships of this class.  I have already spoken with three representatives from this ship who have offered to send me vouchers to sail with them again.  The Solstice managed to do what no other Celebrity ship has ever done it made me want to get off, and stay off.   First, we have cruised both Concierge Class and Aqua Class.  Just about everything that they represent about Aqua Class is untrue.  I believe it is just a way to sell cabins that are completely undesirable.  What you may not realize is that these cabins are below the pool deck/spa/gym.  Under normal circumstances, I would never book a cabin underneath a public area.  You can hear everythingthe music, the people walking, the early morning cleaning of the pool area, the weights being dropped in the gym, etc., etc.  The aromatherapy in the rooms consist of a diffuser with reeds that you can get at any Bed, Bath and Beyond, the ambient sound is satellite radio that sometimes worked and sometimes did not (and every cabin has itit is not exclusive to Aqua Class)the rooms are not passenger-friendly and neither is the ship.  We were told that the adults-only solarium pool would be exclusive to Aqua Spa and other passengers would have to pay a fee to use this was not true any passenger on this ship can use this amenityon the first day there were even children diving and jumping into the solarium pool.  It was only after many passengers complained that finally Security became more available.  The Relaxation Room (again, we were told would be exclusive to Aqua Class), although beautiful, was just the waiting area for the Spa clients the Spa staff would constantly be coming in and calling names and talking to the clients this was not the "relaxation experience" we were hoping for and there are no gardens in the Persian Gardensit is a bare white & blue tiled room (the Celebrity colors) with heated tile beds, a sauna (with a foul-odor) and a steam room.  There are so many things wrong about the design of the ship that it would take a book to describe it all.  The wonderful service that this cruise line always prided itself on is a thing of the past.  All the little amenities that kept me coming back to Celebrity are no longer being offered and if this is the case, then I may as well go to other cruise lines.  The major, major difference is the food.  What use to be an amazing culinary experience under the direction of 5-Star Executive Chef Michel Roux, has, at best, turned into a very mediocre wedding hall experience under the direction of Elizabeth Blau & Associates.  The Specialty Restaurants are not any better they are just a way to empty your pockets even further.  And don't ever go into the Oceanview Cafethe passengers dubbed it "The Food Court"this area is so completely wrong.  People moved around with their plates and utensils in hand (there were no trays to be found since Celebrity has decided that this would make it too cafeteria-like), trying to go from food station to food station, like bad jugglers in a circus and then were unable to find seats to relieve them of their burden the overcrowding was an everyday occurrence.  Celebrity should be ashamed of themselves for putting their passengers in a very dangerous situation, trying to hold their food/utensils/drinks on a moving ship.  When I asked a representative about the lack of trays in the Cafe, her response to me was "Well, we made the plates bigger"????  Once you finally do find a seat, you will have to to get up 2, 3, 4 times to get things you could not carry all at once and then come back to a cold, even more unappetizing plate of food.  I believe that some of the overcrowding is due to the fact that the Cafe is no longer located on the pool deck.  Many passengers on previous sailings would just go get their food, put it on the trays that no longer exist and enjoy their meal poolside (there also use to be waitstaff waiting to help you take your tray to your seat or out to the poola service that is also not offered on the Solstice).  Because you are now required to walk down a staircase in order to get to the pool (all without the use of a tray), most passengers just opted to stay where they were, thereby overcrowding the Cafe.  Those passengers that I spoke with who have cruised with Celebrity in the past were extremely disappointed with these issues because we know what Celebrity was and is no more.  Those passengers cruising for the first time thought that this was the best cruise experience ever.  So I guess it is all relative.  On a positive note, the staff (including housekeeping, cabin attendants, waitstaff, guest relations, etc.) are still of the same excellence and after speaking with many of them, they also expressed their concerns about the numerous changes on the ship and the dissatisfaction of many of the passengers.  I'm hoping that Celebrity will leave this one bright light shining on their ships but I'm not confident. 

In closing, it deeply saddens me that I feel this way about Celebrity.  I am not sure that I will be cruising Celebrity again anytime soon since I know better and can't spend all my time at the Martini Bar to drown my Solstice sorrows.