Celebrity Solstice

Year Built: 2008
Gross Tonnage: 122,000 tons
Passenger Capacity: 2,850
Crew Size: 999

From the most brilliant design and architectural minds of our time comes a class of ships that defy the imagination. Introducing Solstice Class, floating worlds of aesthetic and experiential perfection, where every detail is attended to and every guest is pampered. Solstice debuts in 2008, with three additional vessels to embark in subsequent years.

As you stroll among the expansive decks, you'll experience the rich color palettes illuminated by beautiful natural light, and revel in the extensive amenities - all delivered with the attentive service for which Celebrity Cruises is renowned. 

• Grand Epernay Main Dining Room - The magnificent and luxurious main dining room of Celebrity Solstice. With a two-story glass wine tower and dazzling chandeliers, this quintessential dining area has a decidedly Hollywood aura. Serving savory World & Continental cuisine, complete with Celebrity’s famed European-style service.
• Silk Harvest Restaurant - The Far East has never been so close. Experience an exotic fusion of traditional and creative cuisines with inspiration from Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, China and India. The ambiance is a harmonious balance of lively and serene, turning any itinerary into a culinary tour of the orient.
• Murano Restaurant - Dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows, gorgeous crystal, and exquisite china provide an elegant backdrop for this more magnificent specialty restaurant. A delectable blend of Classic and modern continental cuisine is freshly prepared in multi-course meals, as exquisite European-style service attends to your every need.
• Tuscan Grille Restaurant - This lively, contemporary steakhouse serves a succulent selection of pastas, seafood, steaks and salads. The atmosphere is graced with a hint Italy, making it both rustic and sophisticated, and the wine follows suit with a variety of the country's best. On days at sea, this popular restaurant is open for a delicious mid-morning brunch.
• Bistro Restaurant - Bistro cuisine at its simple best. Enjoy a succulent selection of sandwiches, salads, crepes and desserts in a casual, vibrant atmosphere.
• BLU Restaurant - A culinary delight your senses won't soon forget. Serving as the specialty dining restaurant for AquaClass guests, the menu features wonderful choices of fresh and delicious cuisine, to be enjoyed in an intimately relaxing atmosphere.
• Oceanview Cafe & Bar
• Aqua Spa Cafe
• Passport Bar - Escape to the comforting environment of the decidedly casual Passport Bar. Inspired by the relaxed living space of large, oceangoing yachts, the Passport bar is an ideal place to take a break, plan your next excursion, or share stories with others.
• Solstice theatre - The grand Solstice Theatre is the premier live performance venue aboard Celebrity Solstice. While accommodating a generous audience, it retains a comfortable, intimate atmosphere, bringing you production shows, beautiful musical arrangements, and sidesplitting comedy.
• Cellar Masters - Inspired by the vineyards of Napa Valley, Cellar Masters brings to life the experience of a global wine tour while you learn about and taste a large variety of wines from around the world. A welcoming and unique on board environment, you'll discover new wines, receive recommendations and enrich your knowledge of the world of wine.
• Quasar Night Club - Dance the night away in a vibrant nightclub designed for those ready to kick back and get down. Quasar is a modern nightclub like no other you will experience on the open seas. With a retro touch, it will feel like the perfect spot for adults of all ages, luring you in with its electrifying pulse.
• Fortunes Casino - Feeling lucky? Containing the ambiance of Monte Carlo and the energy of Las Vegas, Fortunes Casino is a perfect spot to participate in a game of chance or comfortably view all of the action at our 16 gaming tables.
• Martini Bar - With an atmosphere inspired by ice and snow, the enchanting frosted bar is the place to be in the heart of the "coolest" setting on the ship. An absolute must-visit for its hip and classy feel, swing by The Martini Bar and grab a drink before dinner or make a night of it. This bar has a vibe like no other, which makes it the perfect spot to chill out with friends all night long.
• Crush - An intriguing alcove off The Martini Bar, Crush is a cool, classy setting featuring an ice-filled table center. Chat the night away with an intimate group or a small party while experiencing exquisite Caviar and Vodka pairings.
• Cafe al Bacio - If only your local coffee shop had ocean views like these. Savor a cup of freshly brewed coffee or a delightful liqueur in this lively European style coffee house. Or treat yourself to the gelateria, where sumptuous, and gorgeous, Italian ices and gelatos are prepared afternoon and evening.
• Ensemble Lounge - Start your evening off right with a soothing backdrop of instrumental or vocal sounds and the palpable air of anticipation as you gather with newfound friends. The lounge is also a great place to drop in for a nightcap and plan your next fabulous evening aboard Celebrity Solstice.
• Michael's Club - With its air of privacy and intimacy, Michael's Club is a Celebrity signature staple and on Celebrity Solstice, it is just as elegant as the rest. Always a great place to begin or end your evening, Michael's Club provides a stimulating environment of jazz stylings and lavish refinement.
• Galleria Tastings - Unique to Celebrity Solstice and unique to the entire cruise experience, envelop all of your senses with enticing "tastes" of food, drink, fashion and art. An intriguing spot to take a break from the day and experience refined sophistication in a way you have never experienced before.
• Art Gallery - Refined culture at sea is what you will experience in our inspiring and thought-provoking Art Gallery on board. Stop in on your way to dinner and it just might spark up an enriching table conversation; swing by after dinner and have a touch of sophistication for dessert. You may even find yourself buying an irresistible one-of-a-kind souvenir to bring back from your trip.
• X Club - Younger cruisers can cut loose and kick back the way they want in our hip VIP area geared specifically for teens. From teen-oriented explorations to the dance club and coffee lounge designed with them in mind, X Club is sure to be a hit with all of our teenage guests.
• Fun Factory - Designed exclusively for our junior cruisers, Fun Factory is a place where magic happens. Children age 3-12 will thrive in this environment, which features Leapfrog Schoolhouse educational tools for knowledge and play.
• The Lawn Club - A freshly manicured lawn on the highest deck of Celebrity Solstice. Enjoy casual outdoor activities in a decidedly Country Club atmosphere, and let the grass between your toes take you places no cruise has gone before.
• Patio on the Lawn - Luxury adopts a casual, country club charm at the Patio on the Lawn. Overlooking the beautiful The Lawn Club, it's an ideal place to read the morning paper, your current novel, or enjoy a cup of gourmet coffee with friends.
• Sunset Bar - Located at Celebrity Solstice's highest point aft, the Sunset Bar provides breathtaking views of the length of the ship and the entire world around you. With its Country Club inspiration and relaxed atmosphere, you'll experience comfort from a point of view you've never before imagined.
• Wireless internet access throughout the ship

Celebrity Solstice is one of four ships in the new class. Average Stateroom size is 215 sq feet. 85% of the Staterooms have private veranda. Maiden Voyage December 14, 2008.

Queen Mary 2

Launched in 2004, the Queen Mary 2 was the first transatlantic ocean liner constructed since the Queen Elizabeth in 1969. It primarily plies a route between New York City and Southampton, United Kingdom, though occasionally travels to other ports. It is successor to the Queen Mary, now a hotel and museum berthed in Long Beach, California.

Facts

The QM2 is registered in Great Britain and displaces 151,400 gross tons. It measures 1,132 feet long, 131 feet wide and has a draft of 32 feet. It accommodates up to 2,620 passengers and a crew of 1,253, and has a speed of 28 knots. According to Cunard, the ship is 113 feet longer than the original Queen Mary, 147 longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall and only 117 feet shorter than the Empire State Building. Its whistle can be heard for about 10 miles.

Accommodations

The smallest suites on board are the Britannia cabins, with 159 square feet, with the inside versions being the least-expensive choice on the ship. Among the amenities available in all the ship's cabins are an interactive TV with film and music channels in different languages, direct-dial telephone and data port, refrigerator and safe, and sockets for both British and American appliances. The largest room is the Grand Duplex, sprawling over 2,249 square feet. It boasts complimentary in-room bar setup, butler service, personalized stationary, in-room Xbox, priority embarkation and disembarkation, evening canapes and a full flower arrangement.

Spaces

The ship's public areas are spaciously and elegantly designed but without the themes common in today's cruise ships. Depending on the accommodations, passengers dine in the Queens, Princess or Britannia grills (which are listed from most to least luxurious). Alternative spaces such as Todd English and the Commodore Club provide more intimate dining choices. Unusual on modern ships is the library, with 8,000 books that can be checked out. The five-story-high atrium has two curved stairs, as well as two glass-and-steel elevators. Some cabins with windows face this space.

Sailings

The bulk of its sailings are transatlantic, with cultural offerings that include acting workshops, jazz bands from Julliard, musical selections from the National Symphony Orchestra, lessons on stargazing from the Royal Astronomical Society, and lectures from explorers, former politicians, historians, scientists and novelists. However, its itineraries also include Norway, the United Kingdom, Spain, France and the Caribbean. Journeys can last from two nights from Southampton to Hamburg, to 108 nights around the world.

Allure of the Seas

The gross tonnage of the Allure of the Seas is 225,282 tonns, meaning that if you wanted to take a space cruise on the Allure of the Seas it would take more than 1,848 Saturn V rockets (the rocket that took man to the moon) to get you into orbit using 1,774,080,000 gallons of fuel in the process.

The total cost of the Allure of the Seas was $1.4 billion, thats as much as it cost to build Wembley stadium.

150 miles if pipework run through the ship - and thats not even counting the 3,330 miles of electrical cabling (thats the distance from New York to Lisbon) and 1000,000 lighting points that have all been rigged up.

The Allure of the Seas power planet generates enough electricty on average to power 44,000 homes or to light Blackpool illuminations for an extra 600 miles.

7.5 million man hours were spent building the Allure of the Seas, compared to the building of the Empire State building which took a mere 7 million man hours to construct.

How Big is the Allure of the Seas?

The Coliseum in rome stands 50m tall, whereas The Allure of the Seas from keel to funnel is 75m high.

7,500 is the horsepower of each of the four bow thrusters that manoeuvre the ship. Each of them has ten times the horsepower of Jenson Button’s formula 1 racing car.

Ice Ice Baby

50 tonnes of ice are produced onboard every day by special ice machines for 37 bars and more than 20 cafes and restaurants.

Ship Facts

• 60,000 is the number of napkins that guests are expected to use every cruise
• 50,000 pieces of cutlery are kept in the hotels dining room
• 600,000 litres of paint were used to decorate the ship
• 2,350,000 litres of water will be used by passengers and crew every day

32 Inches?

Is the size of the screen of the smallest television set onboard. Infact, every cabin (both staff and passengers) has a high definition set that you can use not only to watch films and programmes - but to book spa treatments and on-shore excursions.

To power the ship using only 12V car batteries you would require 17,000 of them per hour.