Celebrity Solstice - Silk Harvest

You've had a relaxing day onboard Celebrity Solstice. The Thai Herbal Poultice Massage started you thinking about the exotic lands of the Far East. As you lay in your lounge chair by the Solarium pool, you start to wonder if there is availability in the Silk Harvest Restaurant for dinner tonight. Wouldn't that be a great way to start your evening?

You decide to go to the restaurant instead of calling. The maitre d' tells you that he has an opening at 6:30 PM if you are willing to join a table with some other passengers. That sounds good to you, so you make the reservation.

Arriving at 6:30 PM, you are escorted to a long table that sits 12 people. Another couple are already sitting at the table so you introduce yourself and sit down next to them.

The waiter takes your drink order and says he'll be back in a few minutes to answer any questions about the menu. Two more people show up while waiting for the waiter to return.

Upon his return he explains the menu. There are four sections: Small Plates, Large Plates, Silk Harvest Sushi, and Desserts. You can order whatever you want from each section of the menu.

During our pre-inaugural sailing on Celebrity Solstice we had dinner in Silk Harvest one night. We had Wonton Soup, Lotus Chicken Wraps, and Chicken Spring Rolls from the Small Plates section of the menu.

All of those were delicious. I especially enjoyed the Lotus Chicken Wraps. The waiter brings a selection of sauces that you can use along with your meal.

We aren't big Sushi fans, so we just ordered Orange Chicken from the Large Plates menu. We had heard that it was one of the specialties, so we decided to give that a try. We weren't disappointed. It was excellent.


Of course, everyone's favorite part of the meal is the dessert. The waiter explained the dessert selections. They all sounded fabulous. We hadn't over-stuffed ourselves, so we decided to try two different selections. We ordered Carmalized Bananas with Coconut Ice Cream and Cheesecake Rainbow Roll which were crisp rice with various tropical fruits.

Besides the quality of the food, presentation and service are very important when dianing in a speicialty restaurant such as Silk Harvest. The dessert pictures will give you an idea about the food presentation. You'll have to take my word on the service which was excellent. For $20 per person, this was a fabulous dinner experience. It is well worth the extra charge. I know some people take issue with the charges for specialty restaurants. Think about the charge as an extra gratuity for great service and exceptional food and you'll agree it is worth it.

Celebrity Solstice - Solarium

One of the unique features on larger Celebrity ships is the Solarium which is an adults-only pool area. On the Millinneum class ships, there is a thalasotherapy pool, but Solstice Class ships do not have one.

The Solarium completes the Celebrity Solstice AquaSpa offerings. After working out in the fitness center, you can swim in this indoor lap pool. Relax in one of the hot tubs or lounge in one of the unique chairs that flank the pool while enjoying the dancing waterfalls.

During the day the Solarium is brightly lit by the sun shining through the domed glass ceiling. At night, the Solarium takes on a complely different mood with soft lighting accenting the dancing waters of the waterfalls.

Whether you want to relax or workout, the Solarium is an adult sanctionary from crowded areas of the ship. No matter if its sunny or rainy outside, the Solarium is the perfect location for some relaxation.

Celebrity Solstice - Glass Blowing

Celebrity Cruises and The Corning Musuem of Glass is proud to present another innovation at sea on Celebrity Solstice and the other Solstice Class ships. When they are done, there will be five cruise ships with live glass blowing demonstrations onboard. That takes traveling glass blowing to a new level.

After strolling through the lawn, rest your feet at the Hot Glass Show. There are several demonstrations throughout the day, so don't worry about having the show conflict with some other activity you want to do.

Besides the live show, there is a small museum onboard where you can read about the art of glass blowing. However, nothing beats seeing the hot glass show live. It is really a treat to see the show at night since the furnace really stands out with the dark sky.

There are also display cases showing the fruits of their labor from previous glass blowing demonstrations. If you are lucky enough, you might even be able to take one of these glass creations home with you. The only way you'll be able to do so is to have your raffle ticket number called in one of the drawings. There is no gift shop onboard that sells the glass creations. It's actually a shame because the artwork is fabulous.

We saw several demonstrations, but the most amazing one was at the 11 PM show. The glass blower starts with some molten glass from the furnace and rolls the hot glass over small bits of colored glass that has been put on the table. After that, it's back to the furnace to melt the glass that was added. This process continues layer after layer until a large amount of glass has been built up. The glass is shaped using various instruments and eventually scored so that it can be removed from the rod that has been holding it. It is hard to explain what happens next, so I've attached a video clip showing the finale.

We've seen glass blowing before, but never at this scale or under a unique setting like on a cruise ship. Celebrity and CMOG have certainly brought a new level of entertainment to the cruising public. Everyone really enjoyed the show - especially the children. On our cruise, there was one child that must have seen every show, because they even called him by name.

Also see my previous post From Grass to Glass.

Warning - You Could be Denied Boarding

The day you've been waiting for is finally here. You arrive at the Miami International Airport and meet

the Carnival Cruise Line representative who directs you to a waiting shuttle bus for the ride to the Port of Miami. The excitement builds; you are just minutes away from boarding the ship for a fabulous cruise to South America. At the door to the terminal, the guard checks your Carnival Fun Pass and photo identification and directs you to the check-in line. There aren't many people ahead of you, so this shouldn't take long you think. Finally, it's your turn. You present your paperwork and passport to the agent who begins checking you in. It won't be long now. 

The port agent is very jovial as he starts processing your embarkation. All of a sudden, his face becomes serious and he asks you to wait a minute. He goes over and talks to someone else and both of them return. The second agent, his supervisor, asks if you have a visa stamp for Brazil. You tell him no, that you didn't know you needed one and in fact, you weren't planning on disembarking the ship in Brazil so why do I need one. 

An eternity passes, and he says, "I'm sorry, without the Brazilian visa stamp in your passport, you are denied boarding". You plead with him, again saying that you don't plan to leave the ship. That doesn't matter he says, and explains that they are not allowed to board any passengers without the visa stamp. He says how sorry he is but there is nothing he can do. You ask if you can't purchase the visa when you get to Brazil and he tells you that is not possible. Walking away from the counter, you shake your head, you can't believe what just happened. This can't be possible. Unfortunately, this is not a dream; it did just happen to you and in fact several more passengers recently suffered the same fate at the Port of Miami.

Passengers Headed for South America Denied Boarding

That story has been in the trade press and prompted me to write this post. Hopefully, you are reading this before heading to Miami for a South America voyage and it's not too late for you.

Update: This could no longer happen for someone going to Brazil, but I've used Brazil for this story, because that was the circumstances around this recent incident (at the time of posting).

There are other countries that require a visa of passengers entering that country. Even if you do not plan to leave the ship when it arrives for a daylong stop in that country, you will not be permitted to board the ship if you have not obtained a visa for that country.

Don't let this happen to you

Next time you book a cruise, determine in advance whether you will need a particular visa for a country on the cruise ship’s itinerary. If one such country does require a visa, and does not honor a "group visa" issued by the cruise line (like St. Petersburg, Russia does), then be sure to obtain a visa for the visa-requiring country.

How do you know if one of the countries on your itinerary requires a visa? That's pretty simple to find out. Consult the Foreign Entry Requirementson the U.S. Department of State website. While you are on their website, also pay attention to the Latest Travel Alerts and Warnings.

The direct link for Brazil Information shows some other information which you also need to check. Besides providing the information about the visa requirements, there is information about potential vaccinations you may be required to obtain for entry. In particular, if you have traveled to certain countries within the last 90 days, you'll be required to get a Yellow Fever vaccination. For example, after visiting the Galapagos in Ecuador, I would have needed to get that vaccination to go to Brazil.

Traveler's Health Topics

You'll want to check Traveler's Health on the Centers for Disease Control website. Check for any warnings and also for information about health precautions and vaccinations. If vaccinations are required, discuss with your family doctor or a doctor that specializes in infectious diseases.

Obviously you'll not have to worry about water supply or food while on the cruise ship, but when you are in port, or if you extend your stay, you'll want to be aware of health safety. We had no problems in Quito before or after our cruise to Galapagos. We drank bottled water and not the tap water as was suggested. Following a few simple tips can make the difference between a good or bad cruise vacation.

Closing Thoughts

Ideally the cruise line and / or the travel agent that books your trip will supply you with information such as visa requirements and vaccinations. If they don't volunteer that information, you can ask them for advice, however the responsibility rests with you to check for yourself. Often information changes, and it is advisable to get the latest information directly from the country's website. I hope this warning prevents you from standing forlorn at an embarkation port, denied boarding because you didn't meet necessary requirements.

Celebrity Solstice - Aqua Spa

People cruise for many reasons. One or more of the following might be among your list of reasons for a cruise vacation. Heading up the list are: getting away from your daily routine, seeing new lands, meeting new people, celebrating a special occasion, and relaxing and pampering yourself. This column focuses on the last reason in this short list of reasons.

Celebrity Solstice has taken pampering and relaxation to a new level. For those of you that have entered a spa and never wanted to leave, consider booking in the new AquaSpa Class stateroom. These cabins are on the same deck as the spa's relaxation room.

Select spa elements such as mood lighting, music and ambient sound, and a special 5-head Hangsgrohe showerhead, are incoporated into the stateroom. In addition you'll have specialized access to spa amenities, such as the Persian Garden, the Spa Conceirge, and you'll have assigned seating in the Blu resataurant. AquaClass stateroom and Suite guests enjoy complimentary use of the Persian Garden.

I've included the AquaSpa menu here so that you can see the wide range of unique spa treatments on Solstice Class ships.

My favorite treatment is the Aroma Stone Therapy Massage. If you've never tried this, make sure you attend the AquaSpa open house when you embark the ship.

My husband tried one of the signature massages, the Thai Herbal Poultice Massage. He said it was very relaxing. With this treatment, you still have a full body massage but the therapist also uses pressure and pounding with the herbed filled poultice in addition to her hands. This is the first ship that we've seen this particular treatment. Click on the menu above to see the full range of spa services.

Men and women have a wide selection of beauty, wellness and fitness options to choose from. If you want to look your best for dinner some night, you can make an appointment in the salon.
Whether you are interested in organized fitness classes, individualized personal training, or simply following your usual routine while onboard the ship, you'll be able to do so in the beautiful surroundings while looking out at the ocean.

I'll talk about the Solarium in another post. That rounds out the AquaSpa offerings for those of you that want to relax, pamper yourself, or maintain your fitness routine.

Celebrity Solstice - Lawn Club

These pictures were taken onboard Celebrity Solstice. Do these pictures look strange to you? That is real grass - not artificial grass.

Celebrity Cruises and parent company Royal Caribbean International have always been known for innovation, but you might be thinking someone lost their marbles when they thought this one up. Celebrity Solstice is the first cruise ship, among any line, to have grass growing on the top deck.

When we were onboard Celebrity Solstice, it had just made its way across the Atlantic and was about to start sailing out of Fort Lauderdale, FL. One of the first things we did when we boarded the ship was to check out the lawn and the Lawn Club.

A section of the grass was roped off and the sign said "Lawn is Resting". The reason for that was that growing grass while crossing the Atlantic with blowing salt water and windy conditions proved to be a lot harder than one might imagine. The grass was showing wear already and the ship hadn't even had its maiden voyage. Steps were being taken to nurse the grass to health.

We played a game of croquet with fellow passengers. It had been a long time since we had played and the activity staff did a great job teaching us the rules and keeping score. Despite the ringer amongst us, we all had a great time.

Later this year the second Solstice Class ship, Equinox, will begin sailing. She too will have a Lawn Club. I don't ever want to hear people say there's nothing to do onboard a ship. With the introduction of lawn games, there should be something for everyone.

Will that be With or Without Air

Will that be With or Without Air? There is no right or wrong answer to this question. You do want to make an informed decision, however.

When clients call me to plan a cruise, one of the first questions I ask them is if this is cruise-only or cruise-with-air. More often than not, they aren't sure which way to go.

There are several factors that come into play when deciding whether to do cruise-only or purchase airfare in addition to the cruise. Let's take a closer look at this.

Where does the cruise depart from?
It is possible to sail from 23 U.S. ports. Depending on where you live, it might be easier and less expensive to drive to the homeport instead of flying there.

Is this a round-trip cruise?
If the cruise departs and retuns to the same port, and you can drive to that port easily, that still might be your first choice. Flying is also an option if the port isn't in driving distance. Since this is a round-trip cruise, you'll be able to make round-trip air accomodations either through the cruise line or on your own.

Is this a repositioning cruise?
If the cruise is a repositioning cruise (often also known as a Transatlantic depending on destination) that may complicate things a bit. If the embarkation port is your homeport, it still might make sense to drive to the port. You'll just have to make arrangements to pick up your car upon return from the port of disembarkation.

If the embarkation port is not your homeport, you'll have to fly to that destination. Depending on the final destination port of the cruise, you may or may not have to fly home from there. Either way, you are now no longer talking about round-trip airfare.

Is there a cruise line incentive?
Especially in this ecomony, the cruise line may offer an incentive for booking select cruises. European cruises are good examples of when you might see some incentive. The incentive could be reduced air, free air, or upgraded accomodations with air purchase. You'll want to compute the complete cost of your cruise with or without applying the incentive.

Which air is cheaper?
Let's face it, you want the best value for your money, but you may also want convenience. So the question about which air is cheaper (cruise line or independent arrangements) may not be so clear cut after all. One thing you need to keep in mind is that the cruise line is arranging flights as a convenience to you and bears no responsibility if the air carrier doesn't deliver on its implied promise to get you to your destination on time. You'll want to check the cruise contract carefully and understand your rights and coverages. Travel insurance is your best bet if you want peace of mind.

Another thing to keep in mind is that cruise lines typically purchase bulk seating as one-way tickets so that they can use them as needed. That will often impact the price of the ticket and make independent booking the cheaper price.

Do you want full control of your arrangements?
This may come as a shock to you, but you can still have control of airline and departure times even when booking your flights through the cruise line. Custom air is available from most cruise lines and may be subject to additional fees, but may be the best of both worlds for you.

If you have premier frequent flier status with an airline, you might want to factor that into your decision process. Depending on the length of your cruise, and whether there are formal nights, you might be bringing extra baggage which could have cost implications. You'll want to take advantage of any extra baggage allowances your status allows you.

Are transfers from airport to pier included?
A hidden cost that you may overlook is the price to get to/from the airport/pier. Often the cruise line air will include transfers. You also need to determine the cost of transfers if you make alternative arrangements. In some destinations, like Europe, transfers can be rather expensive if you need to arrange them on your own.

Are you confused - what to do?
As you can see, there are many factors that come into play when deciding the best transportation for your cruise. I've listed the majority of the considerations here but there may be others depending on the cruise and ports involved. It is best to seek advice when making this decision. Your cruise specialist will be familiar with the transportation options for your cruise vacation and offer advice. The decision will still be up to you.

One approach that you might consider is to book the cruise-with-air initially and then do your homework to see if alternate arrangements are better for you. Don't wait until the last minute to book your flights or your ship may sail without you.