What a difference a renovation makes. After a $11 million facelift last year, Celebrity Solstice looked revitalised when we recently boarded her for a weekend cruise to nowhere. We picked the top 10 things we liked about one of Australia’s favourite cruise ship. The Solstice will homeport in Sydney for the next six months.
- The real grass lawn on the top deck. The grass looked fresh and healthy especially for a leisurely game of bowls.
- The new cabanas on the lawn. The alcove-style cabanas can be adjusted to face the sea or the indoor movie screen
- The new outdoor cinema on the lawn where you can watch a movie under the stars while sitting on real grass in the middle of the ocean
- Sushi on Five where you can have your fill of sashimi, sushi, udon and ramen bowls washed down with miso soup or Japanese beers and sakes.
- The Tuscan Grill with glass-fronted views of the sea offering homemade pasta, prime dry-aged steaks and great Italian wine.
- The first Tiffany & Co store at sea. Nothing like a little jewel gift-wrapped in Tiffany’s distinctive blue box will melt any woman’s heart. The boutique offers some of the brand’s exclusive designs at tax-free prices.
- Silent discos where guests are handed headphones and they can pick their choice of music to silently dance to. A cool way of dancing into the night at the Sky Lounge without the noise. However, some dancers did burst into song.
- The Persian Garden at the Canyon Ranch Spa Club which has a heated solarium pool surrounded by a green wall and waterfalls.
- Mindful Dreams body and face massage to help induce sleep. The new wellness treatment uses organic lavender and chamomile oil to help circulation. The face massage uses pressure points and also includes a head massage. It’s a holistic approach to mindful sleep on land and at sea.
- Both the Grand Epernay Restaurant and Oceanview Café looked refreshed and inviting. But because Solstice is a big ship with 2800 passengers, there are queues. So if you want your poached eggs, hit the buffet early.
