The Solstice
is the first of the special class of Celebrity ships that are large, providing
a variety of amenities for the 2, 850 passengers. It is
beautifully appointed, with works of art throughout, and natural plants, even a
lawn on the fourteenth deck!
We were
fortunate to be on this beautiful ship close to Christmas, so it was decorated
for the season.
Flat Stanleys hanging around on the Solstice
Grand staircase decorated for Christmas
A live tree that is suspended between the glass sided elevators
Activities
abound. There is a featured hot glass show,
cooking demonstrations, guest speakers, dance lessons, fitness classes and a watercolour
class that I attended (I wasn't teaching on this cruise). Some activities,
such as wine tasting, have a cost attached, but there is so much to do, we didn’t
need to partake in the more costly offerings. Since this was a Trans Atlantic cruise, there
were many activities throughout the days at sea, but the weather was good, so
loafing around one of the pool areas was always an option.
Bocce on the lawn of the ship
Hot glass show
We liked to
start our day with breakfast in the dining room. It is nice to be served, rather than going to
the buffet, and there is less temptation to try a little bit of
everything. Some days we tried to walk
around the track on the fourteenth deck, but it was rather crowded with people
going to the grill, bar, glass show, or heading to play games on the grass. The well equipped gym was also an option for
fitness, and we actually went there a few times. We didn’t participate in the many spa
activities, as they were too costly for us, as was dining in the specialty
restaurants. The regular dining room was
great, and we had excellent table mates, so every dinner was enjoyable, both
the food and the company. Each night there was an excellent live show in the
theatre, and sometimes we went to one of the many bars for a drink and music
before retiring to our spacious, comfortable room.
One of John's hangouts
Ladies of the "fun" table - Connie, Beth, and Gail
The waiters had fun with us too
The days
flew by so quickly, it was hard to believe it when we reached Fort Lauderdale,
and we had to get off! We flew home the same day, and spent the next six days
catching up on laundry, visiting the kids, going to appointments, and preparing
for the next adventure, Florida and a Hawaii cruise.
