Sailing with the group at Solstice
I am a travel agent, who accompanied a group of 44 people in a brand new celebrity coup in March 2009. Here is a review of the gradient of the ship.
Departure: a.. We arrived by bus station in Port Everglades, at 12:15. By 00:45, all passengers are checked at 44 and above board. Off very well with many windows open surgery so you do not there is virtually no line. At the entrance to the ship, and we were given a glass of champagne or a Mimosa.
Ship: (b). This ship is beautiful. It is elegant with soft tones, warm, rich color. Public places for most of that has been growing very well. We hope that the entertainment and pleasure ground, which was held in most places of entertainment and dining alternatives. Deserve to have a day of two floors.
It was a beautiful place, but there are a few chairs, some object column. In addition, there is no enough seats to accommodate all passengers who want to see the beginning. Through the exercise of the boat, we asked how many employees as passengers stage a decade and in 1600 with the full depth of the theater filled with people standing. While this seems more than half the passengers, and the reality of several hundred people stood to watch the screen was not feasible.
Complaints we ship only to the planning of the fact that there is no elevator again. That's a very long walk to the tourist rooms aft.
Showed new signs of wear and tear of the Garden Club. Although this is a new feature on the ship, it really wasted space. While there are some bocce, golf and croquet tournaments on the ship, when such activities are not sustainable, does not see any person involved in the sport itself. It can best be used and the space for additional seats to demonstrate hot glass or lounge chair, because they are always full of scum Sea basin area within a few days.
Cabin: We had inside cabin on deck 8-8188. It is very spacious cabin, on an equal footing by some balcony cabins we have experienced on other line. Bed in the middle of the room with plenty of room for a walk. Our luggage fit under the bed easily. There are two seats in the cabin, and a small table and a small table with two nightstands. The only problem that we never have enough of a drawer - only five small drawer next to my desk. He is also a small closet, but we have enough room to have clothing surprising comment. But we need a drawers and put a lot of clothes that we have in the Council of Ministers on the bed, which is rather difficult to reach.
The bathroom is also spacious with a glass door in the bathroom and lots of storage space. Bak somewhat uncomfortable when spraying water on the floor, on the dresser and washed. Bars in the bathroom to shave the extra large foot, but a little high for older women to get a foot on. We did not spend in the bathroom clothes line to hang wet bathing suits - It took two days to claim we have to dry depending on hooks.
We would like a flat-screen TV. But there are several different channels. In addition to CNN channels, two and two ESPN channels, there are many who can watch the channel and many ships. Thank God there are free movies on demand, because this is a life saver. This interactive feature is a bit complex to use. We have tried to access the Internet with a keyboard in the room, but the mouse is impossible to work and finally we use the internet cafe when you need to check e-mail.
Food: B eat breakfast, lunch, and we are the best days in a cafe in Oceanview. This is due to arrive buffet is very good, with the station holding the various items of relevance. Elimination of a long queue at the entrance to the cafe. There are regular line system for cooking eggs in the morning and hamburgers, steaks and sausages in the afternoon. Pancakes are very good, like a vegetable pizza. Ice cream selection changes every day, and very good. There is a daily selection of Asia for lunch and standards of different pasta and a lot of power.
What was found missing sandwiches. A station that cold cuts, tuna and others with bread, where you can make your own sandwich, but I enjoyed before paninni and small pre-made sandwiches on board other vessels.
We did not eat here one night and I'm very disappointed. Most stations are closed and what is available and again, pizza, pasta, steak before cooking and salads. On the other cruise lines, reflected on what night buffet is served in the dining room.
Grand Epernay dining room: We had four nights in the main dining room. We were at table 135. Our group of 44 to eat dinner together in the six tables and celebrities did a great job to set the table together.
Review of the Food and extremely subjective. He has traveled on a celebrity when he was Director of the Executive Office of Michel Roux, and then find food at that time who became extraordinary, we are disappointed with the quality of food on the ship. However, we do not starve, but it just was not happy as we would expect. On the first night, I had a very good grasp of sheep. I am also a big fan of fruit juices, cold, and very good. But the rest of the night, I found myself asking the steak is always available, and no interesting thought in particular. Believe me now - we're not starving, but we do not believe that there is something that I stood up enough for me on a list that looks interesting. Even if the candy and so forth.
We had dinner at one of the silk harvest. Food and service excellent. sushi is very good with some interesting choices. They bring a lot of dishes and all very good.
Also-eat restaurants in five believe that the food is very good here too and again, good service. One of us has been one of crepe and paninni and the server told us that we could order some items if you want, but we can not eat too much. We had a dessert crepe, which is also very good.
We eat sugar-free sugar Bacio Cafe and just as good as that at Gelateria gelato. However, after we found out that free ice cream at the buffet every day, we do not feel the need to pay for ice cream anymore.
Swimming pools: one - in the middle of the ship and found two swimming pools and family swimming pool and gym and extensive wetlands that do not run with four hot spring pools. In front and the coup was collected with two hot spring pools. In the days of the sea as an ordinary chair around the pool is always full of pigs, who left the chair of the item and never sit in a chair. Just once I'd like to see cruise lines with the courage to say in front of the pond to remove items after one hour of every person sitting in a chair. We found we enjoyed collecting coup - a little quiet because no one under age 16 and was allowed and closed it. They do not keep the room is too cold - one under a lot of towels air conditioning is too cold.
My wife made a date for a manicure at the salon on Thursday. Even if there are no nails, when I get to sit back and wait 10 minutes before it was carried. Manicure girl was not very good, because the conversation pleasant and decent manicure.
Cut really Entertainment: C. This is one area where I, as well as many others in our group, and feels like again. Celebrities do not have a business address anymore. Most of the shows are held every night on the main stage production of singers and dancers. Maybe because we live near New York City and often on Broadway, and I'm a little tired of this production appeared in the open sea. They were okay, nothing more. Performers are adequate but not great. I'm tired of seeing the same faces every night. Tonight in St. Martin, no event at all, just a movie (Iron Man, which I've seen in theaters last summer). Warmly recommend the coup, and Show. They have done very well - not as good as real circus presentation, but remember that these are the same kids who did not show up in production, and work very well.
S first exhibition took four oceans, the acapella group sang during the weekend in various parts of the ship. First quarter of the song and sing I winced, but then did some Frank Valley and chapters (4) and others, and the best. Broadway-style shows on the second night was fine, but again - because I go to Broadway shows all the time, so I compare and may not be.
Xylophonist typical night they had, we could not stay more than 10 minutes. This is a good man, but not good enough to appear before the 45 minute trip - he did not end. If you want to seek to please the masses more than 70 - Well, this is great entertainment. If they are looking for smaller passengers - and this will not be cut.
Cruise Director itself is also a little quieter. He jokes every night on stage. But he's not one of the bounce, and the people who praise you continually excited saying, we applaud, pay tribute. And good staff - kids in the game of golf and bocce tournament is as good as an assistant at the show, just got married.
I want to say that the orchestra was great. Played in the lobby a few times and really fantastic. I can hear presentations from each of them only - why not think that like?
Entertainment in the room - I like the music channels on TV, interactive and free movies on demand (which I want a larger selection), but regular TV channels and surprising. CNN does not appear on the air temperature of their homes or one of us went to the island. Cruise lines need major TV less. Two of the passengers in our group norovirus was captured and trapped in a room for 24 to 48 hours and nearly went insane from the terrible television. Options.
Services: will be split in three areas of service - Room Governors, and serves food and customer service desk.
Food Service: B in the Grand Epernay dining room on the first two nights of chaos. I've got a little better after the fourth night, and when we spoke with Maitre D 'and we're with a group of 44 people, spread across six tables with four different servers. Unlike the great work the group stay together. We were in the 123-135 three-deck table near the window.
Celebrities such as maids tend to wait for the full range of tables to be seated before accepting orders. On the first night, we sat for 15 minutes before we have a president and the waiter came to order more from us. Already ordered the other tables. We ordered drinks from others, and then came another woman for a drink. Why the two orders a drink? It took more than 20 minutes to get drinks for us (which lasted all night), even in the D-Maitre 'happened to speak with us at our table and asked how to serve and Ouklna that we had to wait over 15 minutes to drink and still can not come. And even HE can not find the person who took our drink order. After that, something that we are from another server and drinks to us in less than 10 minutes. If you want iced tea, so for someone else to take this system and we waited 15 minutes for it too. This service is not described in the dining room, which I do not even remember the name of our waitress. Throughout the trip, and food service room slowly, but did not get better that the last two nights of travel. It is not clear on the quality of service that previously had been in the celebrity.
I said that Maitre D «very good. We had some issues with birthdays and anniversaries, which should be delivered this will not happen. I spoke with the Maitre D 'and take care to ensure that they are celebrated.
We ate in the silk harvest and Bistro Five and service at each restaurant is excellent. Quality of service here is what brought me to a public vote for B.
Stewards room: We have a pandemic, adding rooms and good, not extraordinary. I noticed on the first day that the bathroom floor was dirty - there was hair in the corners of the earth. The remaining bathrooms are good, but the floor was dirty and run. We had a bottle of champagne in our room, came the snow during the first two days, but we are not open and never resurfaced the ice after the first two days.
Like what we do is that the room was not too distracting Host - rarely see him and he has done a decent by remaining clean. I have done to ask him to bring us bags of dry cleaning - not in our room and we usually use these services at least once on board a cruise ship.
Customer Service Office: d. Because we were on the head of the group, we have to use the customer service desk to request a few times. The people in the office is very friendly and concessions. I'm not seeing a group of people who do not look like the work they do. And each one of them trying to brush everything, and it seems that I was disturbing them.
Two of our group went to the ship, and Dr quarantine to their rooms for 24 to 48 hours. Ship, "said Dr., they can have free room service, free and pay-per-view movies, and soda for free during their quarantine period. They were told by various Room service - only one free soda, not to be what was on duty at dining room, etc., and called the customer service desk to be told what it was. We tried to get their answers, and also ignored.
They went out and when he came out of quarantine to the Office of Customer Service that really put off by rude customer service people if they ask for confidential information to remove the car so they can party and appropriate, because he is an agent of their room is only allowed in this room during the quarantine them. Representative offices. It will not be allowed to speak to anyone, but she and become angry. Only then will they allow in the end to speak with customer service excellence, which, as he sat with them and told them that they were given incorrect information from the service room, which should be allowed to get what they served at the restaurant, room and they need a drink of gas at no cost. They are suffering without justification for 48 hours due to misinformation and lack of help with customer service.
I would say service in the service areas of other ships - buffets, ice cream counters, and very good.
We also have to coordinate the activities for our group, which is pending; from a cocktail party we had to get our group stayed at the same time as they receive various numbers down. It was one of doing what must be done customer service.
Down: a. We woke up and ate breakfast in the dining room, then returned to the room and took the fight, we went to a place that we have a waiting room at 8:20. We were there only 20 minutes when called images. We found our luggage and immediately went to the bus, we had to transfer to the airport.
Overall Rating: B We enjoyed many cruises and so did our group. We do not like the ship and would recommend it. Customer service office to be continuously improved and they need to work together in the dining room, and it may be better with a little entertainment. But none of these deal breakers or prevent us from sailing on the solstice again.
She wondered why we have fireworks on the night of the torch? Guy Fawkes has heard stories, but do not really know what was on the verge of the story? November 5 - read on to find out the date on the night of the torch.
