Celebrity Solstice Review
Rating by category
Additional details
I have travelled extensively in the last 13 years. Have cruised 9 times with various ships from Mediterranean to Northern Europe, from Alaska to West Coast Winery cruise and four times at the Caribbeans. This is my first time with Celebrity. I've read many positive reviews about the Solstice and after this trip, she becomes my favorite. I've never had a cruise trip that I feel like thanking everyone I encountered during the sailing - I'm not a very outspoken person. But the experience at the Solstice is really impressive. All the staff seems so genuinely sincere and helpful.
Embarkment and Disembarkment:
I was completely speechless. I requested 9am disembarkment. I left the cabin at 9:10am and I was in the cab with all my luggages (two full size suitcases) at 9:20am!!! That was incredible! Comparing to my last cruise this year with the Grand Princess at the west coast, disembarkment was a total nightmare in vancouver. Over 3000 passengers were frantically searching for their missing luggages which were all mixed up at the dock. I took me over 2 hours at that trip compared to 10 mins at the Solstice. I can't help thanking everyone at the port. There were way more Solstice staff (2200 passengers) at the port than the Grand Princess (over 3000 passengers).
Cabin Review
Deluxe Veranda 1A
I've selected the 1A balcony at cabin 8253. It was at the hump with forward view. I love the oversized balcony. It's 8' wide by 10' deep on the shorter side, and 13' deep on the longer side. It's way bigger than any other balcony cabins I've had. Again comparing to the Grand Priness, I had a mini-suite but the balcony is not as big as the Solstice.
The cabin was very good sized and efficient layout. The sofa served as a wonderful bench for my 72 yr old mom to lay her suitcase. I guess most senior like to pack and unpack their luggages everyday like my mom. So we just leave it on the sofa and she can sit on the rest of the sofa and pack her stuff everyday.
The washroom was very modern and clean. Love the arched shower + doors. Lots of shelves and drawers for storage. The tray on the vanity was very useful to lay all my bottles & makeups. Nice touch.
The only small complaint about this cabin is the adjorning staff locker adjacent to the washroom. The locker door opens on the other side (close to 8255) but everyday we can hear the opening and closing of that door. The noise was so loud that we sometimes thought someone has opened our cabin door. Also we had multiple problems with our door key/lock. We complained to the guest relations multiple times, they fixed it but when we return to the cabin, the key doesn't work. After a while, we stop fixing it. Just ask the room steward to opening it for us. They're around all the time like phantoms!