Passengers: 2,850
Best for: Culinary-minded couples
Sails: Alaska, Australia and New Zealand, Hawaii, the Pacific Coast, the South Pacific
At a Glance: Fresh from an $8.5 million refurbishment at the end of 2016, this 2,850-passenger vessel focuses on food, wine, and relaxation, either in the spa or on the ship’s real grass lawn.
Some Cabins Come With Perks
On the Celebrity Solstice, cabins range in size from 177-square-feet for an Ocean View, Stateroom (Inside Staterooms are slightly bigger, starting at 183-square-feet) to the 1,291-square-foot Penthouse Suite, which has a whirlpool on its veranda. Passengers in the Royal and Penthouse suites get a complimentary beverage package, unlimited specialty dining, and free WiFi. Some cabins come with other benefits. Splurge on one of the AquaClass spa staterooms and you’ll have exclusive access to Blu, the healthy-cuisine restaurant, and get unlimited time in the spa’s Persian Garden relaxation area. Suite passengers have their own lounge, Michael’s Club, to call their own, as well as their own restaurant, Luminae, which has a rotating “modern eclectic” menu with some of the best food on the ship: think roasted lamb loin with merguez sausage, marinated cucumbers, and herb yogurt, and Maine lobster tagliatelle with roasted artichokes, tomato and lemon confit.
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The Specialty Restaurants Are Inventive
Good food is a priority on Celebrity ships, and Solstice has so many for-fee restaurant options, you could spend a week at sea and never eat at the same place for dinner twice. Carnivores gravitate to Tuscan Grille, the Italian steakhouse. (The antipasti board and creamy burrata are musts, as are the frutti di mare rigatoni and the ribeye.) Sushi on Five serves up Kobe beef ramen sliders and hot pots, as well as sushi and sashimi. You’ll find pan-Asian options from orange chicken to pad Thai at Silk Harvest. For refined French food, make a reservation at Murano, where the cognac flambéed lobster is served tableside and the cheese course is stellar. If you want dinner al fresco, try the Taste of Film, a multicourse food-and-movie pairing at the Lawn Club with small plates inspired by a film that plays throughout dinner. Note for oenophiles: you’ll see a sommelier in almost every restaurant, and the wine lists are excellent—there are more than 400 choices onboard.
It Has a Top Chef Program
Bravo fans rejoice: as part of Celebrity’s partnership with Top Chef, passengers with culinary skills get a chance to face off against other guests during a Quickfire Challenge cooking competition. And on “Top Chef Night” in the main dining room, guests can geek out over dishes created by past chef-testants, such as Tiffany Derry’s roasted spiced pork tenderloin and Chris Crary’s ginger cake with salted caramel, puffed rice, cereal ice cream, and Thai foam.
There’s Plenty of Outdoor Space
There are two pools on the main pool deck, and an adults-only lap pool in the glassed-in Solarium. But the best place to soak in the sun may be the Lawn Club, half an acre of real grass on the top deck. Watch a glass-blowing demonstration put on by the Corning Museum of Glass, play croquet or bocce, spread out a blanket for a picnic, or book one of the chic cabanas in The Alcove.
The Spa Impresses
The ship’s Canyon RanchSpa Club has a small fitness room and a serenity-inducing relaxation area fronted by floor-to-ceiling windows. But the real reason to come is the deep list of treatments, everything from Ayurvedic body wraps to reiki to lymphatic massages. And then there are the Take Care of Your Selfie experiences—digital detox services curated by Randi Zuckerberg, such as a facial designed specifically to counteract the effects of too much screen time.
