A recent transpacific repositioning cruise was the perfect opportunity to experience Celebrity Cruises' Solstice, fresh off a major upgrade in drydock in Singapore. The Solstice, which launched in 2008 as the first of Celebrity's five Solstice-class ships, was also the first to undergo an upgrade as part of a $250 million refurbishment of the five ships.
Onboard, the changes start with the cabins: new carpets, curtains, bedding and upholstery. Additionally, 54 staterooms have been added, including four new categories for the ship: Panoramic Infinite Veranda Suites, two types of Panoramic Ocean View Suites and the Deluxe Panoramic Ocean View. The Solstice now boasts 1,479 cabins and will embark on a 110-day Grand Voyage in September.
Passengers will see plenty of changes in public areas, as well. Particularly impressive is the replacement of the former Lawn Club, which featured real grass, with the new Sunset Park concept. Essentially an expansion of the Sunset Bar area at the aft end of Deck 15 toward midship, Sunset Park includes an artificial turf lawn, cabanas, plenty of seating, a movie screen and the Sunset Park Cafe. (For anyone wondering about the artificial turf's quality, I heard one passenger ask if it was real grass and then bend down to touch it.)
Sunset Park serves as a multifunction space, and it was well used throughout the day. Activities from outdoor movies to yoga to tai chi are offered there, and they kept the space feeling busy.
I joined for the morning audio-guided meditation, where we were given headphones and encouraged to find a seat or spot on the floor to relax. It was an enjoyable way to start the day off and keep a good mindset.
The Sunset Park Cafe is a new food venue for breakfast and lunch and features a nice selection of premade items, such as wraps and salads. I tried some of the sweet treats there, along with a small charcuterie platter; I found it to be quite good.
The Sunset Park Cafe is a new food venue for breakfast and lunch and features a nice selection of premade items. Photo Credit: Paul J. Heney
New dining choices
Most of the restaurant changes to the Solstice are located at the aft end of Deck 5. Where Blu, Tuscan Grille and Le Petit Chef used to be, guests will now find Fine Cut Steakhouse, Trattoria Rosa and an expanded Blu. Fine Cut, found on the Edge-class ships, is new here on the Solstice, as is Trattoria Rosa, a new concept for Celebrity.
Fine Cut here has a bit more of a secluded feeling compared to the experience on the Celebrity Edge, where the restaurant is adjacent to the action-packed Grand Plaza. On the Solstice, Fine Cut brings along many of the same colors and inspirations; the barrel-like wooden forms around some of the tables on the Edge are reimagined here, with a similar dramatic form arching above the restaurant space near the entrance. I particularly enjoyed the filet mignon, the heirloom tomato salad with burrata, the signature crab cake and the ahi tuna tartare.
Trattoria Rosa features dishes representing Roman and Southern Italian cuisine. From the focaccia with whipped ricotta and fresh-made pastas to the drama of tiramisu and cannolis made tableside, the dinner experience was exceptional. Diners at our table were particularly impressed with the insalata di polpo, lasagna alla Bolognese and the tonnarelli alla carbonara.
The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner. Lunch presented a slightly different vibe and menu, with a selection of build-your-own pizzas and pasta dishes; the pizzas are eight slices and crispy, perfect to share with a small group. I found the service to be top-notch here, and the knowledgeable wait staff was happy to make recommendations.
The new Boulevard Lounge is a beautifully lit small theater area that seats 125 guests. It hosted everything from movies to dueling piano shows. I had fun watching the dueling pianos here, along with several game shows such as Pitfall, which included audience contestants.
The new Boulevard Lounge hosted everything from movies to dueling piano shows during the cruise. Photo Credit: Paul J. Heney
Directly outside the lounge is the Boulevard Bar and the adjacent space known as The Parlor, both of which are also new. The latter is a sports bar meets gaming lounge, with elevated bar food, a nice selection of beers and cocktails. The boozy version of the caramel milkshake was a winner here, and we had a blast playing Skee-Ball and Uno with oversize cards.
One evening, we watched an Australian rugby match between Sydney and Newcastle, with plenty of rowdy fans in attendance. The atmosphere was fantastic: I counted at least 16 screens, so there isn't a bad seat in the house.
Onboard entertainment has some additions, as well. "Rockumentary" is a high-energy live concert experience meant to re-create iconic rock performances from Joan Jett at CBGB to the Beatles at Shea Stadium. "Smoke and Ivories" is a piano-led exploration into the sounds of both the 1950s and today. It includes acrobatic performances and excellent vocal performances and had the whole audience moving.
"Smoke and Ivories" is a new Celebrity Cruises production featured on the Solstice. Photo Credit: Paul J. Heney
Raves from regulars
Guests I spoke with told me they loved the changes.
Carl Gibson and his husband, Ian Chapman, originally from the U.K. but now living in Brisbane, were on the Solstice for their 44th time. Gibson described the ship as their favorite and expressed that they had concerns about what the renovation might change.
"I think this renovation has been successful, because they've added some beautiful new spaces, like the Boulevard Lounge and The Parlor," Gibson said. "The center of gravity used to be the Martini Bar & Crush.
That center of gravity has now moved to The Parlor; when you were in the theater for a show, you'd come out and there was nothing, it was a dead zone. Now you come out into a beautiful, working, welcoming space."
Gibson said that Trattoria Rosa gets a 10 out of 10 from him and his husband.
"I think that's probably the best Italian meal we've had on a ship," he said.