The Exclusive Retreat on Celebrity Solstice: Classic Elegance

Cruising in a suite in one of Celebrity Cruises‘ Retreats is an amazing experience, and The Retreat on Celebrity Solstice is no exception. You will be wined and dined, pampered like you have never been. Celebrity’s slogan on their webpage for the Solstice is “If only life on land was as good as life on Celebrity Solstice,” and we have to agree.

Staterooms On The Solstice

As an older ship, Celebrity Solstice has a smaller Retreat than one on an Edge-class ship, with fewer suites and fewer suite categories. Each suite level has various amenities that come with it, which we have addressed in a separate post.

Five categories of suites are available:

• Sky Suite: Studio, one bath, 300 square feet, veranda 79 square feet.
• Aqua Sky Suite: Studio, one bath, 300 square feet, veranda 79 square feet.
• Celebrity Suite: One bedroom, one bath, 394 square feet, veranda 105 square feet.
• Royal Suite: One bedroom, one bath, dining for six, large veranda, 590 square feet, veranda 153 square feet.
• Penthouse Suite: One bedroom, one and a half baths, large veranda, dining for eight, 1,291 square feet, veranda 389 square feet.

The furniture in the staterooms is a bit dated but is still in very good condition. The bathrooms are nice, with a spa shower and storage behind the two side mirrors, and the balconies usually include at least a chair with lounge extension and a table and two chairs. We stayed in a Sky Suite, which was quite lovely.

One drawback to the suites on Celebrity Solstice is that the electrical outlets are still in the Dark Ages before the technology boom. In the bedroom, there is only one set of outlets, which is at the desk/counter, and it only has two US outlets and one European outlet. Be sure to bring along a cruised-approved (i.e. no surge protection) power strip with USB ports.

All the suites on Celebrity Solstice have the minimum Retreat amenities such as bathrobes, slippers, umbrellas, and compact binoculars for your use during your stay.

More information about all of Celebrity Solstice’s suites can be found on their website.

Having fewer suites means fewer Retreat guests, which turns out to be nice when you go to dine at the suites restaurant, Luminae. There is almost never full, so there is hardly ever a line waiting to be seated, which is wonderful.

Luminae Restaurant

The Retreat Restaurant, Luminae, is an elegant yet welcoming venue that pampers you from the moment you walk in the door. You are warmly greeted by the hostess and maître d’, who ask for your suite number (usually only the first time; after that, they know you), and escort you to your table. Tables are set for from two to six guests and can accommodate larger groups when necessary. Each has a gorgeous fresh orchid in a vase, and some are next to floor-to-ceiling windows offering panoramic views. Those tables for two are our favorites.

Your Luminae team of a waiter, assistant waiter, and sommelier will quickly set you up with your choice of water as well as bread and butter, then take your drink order while you peruse the menu. Once you place your order at dinner, you will receive an amuse bouche before your meal, and they are always yummy.

Although the dinner menu changes each day, the breakfast and lunch menus remain the same, yet are broad enough to offer you sufficient choices during your cruise.

Dining at Luminae is fabulous. Two things you need to know are:

• There is a Classic menu that isn’t listed on the actual menu, which includes appetizers, entrees, and desserts that are available every night. Ask your waiter for details.
• You can order as many of the items on the menu as you want. My husband has happily tested this to its limits and eaten every bite.

The food is globally inspired, with wonderful twists on classic dishes that will delight you. We have always been pleased with the food at Luminae, and we have eaten there many, many times. On the few occasions when we have been underwhelmed or encountered a dish that included something we don’t care for, it was immediately whisked away and replaced with something better to our liking.

Our food recommendations at Luminae are:

• Breakfast: Classic Eggs Benedict or
• Lunch: Steak Frites or Luminae Burger
• Dinner: Prime Rib or Beef Short Ribs

Michael’s Club and Retreat Bar

As an unrevolutionized ship, the Solstice doesn’t have the Retreat Lounge and Retreat Bar. Instead, you are invited to enjoy Michael’s Club, a country-club-style lounge with its own bar.

Michael’s Club is furnished with sofas and club chairs in groupings that encourage conversation and meeting the other suite guests, which is wonderful. We found it to be quite welcoming and spent quite a bit of time there during our Solstice cruise, much more time than we ever spent in any of the Retreat Lounges.

Your concierge team is stationed at a desk as you enter Michael’s Club, and one of them is always there from 9:00 a.m. to about 8:00 p.m. Available to help you with any issues, answer any questions, or just chat, the concierges are a delight.

Also staffing Michael’s Club is a bartender and a waiter/waitress. After your first visit, they will know your preferences (even if you have a special signature drink), and will be happy to whip it up right away when you arrive.

Mid-afternoon of each day, the lounge is set up for afternoon tea, and gourmet bites are brought around for you to choose from. It is so nice!

Occasionally, special events or activities are held in Michael’s Club. One day we participated in a trivia contest proctored by the concierge for the suites guests, which was a lot of fun. We won second place and a nice Celebrity travel mug as a reward.

Overall, Michael’s Club was a nice surprise for us after experiencing the new Retreat Lounges, a wonderful place to come and drop into a comfy chair and have a cocktail and a fun chat with nice people.

Other Benefits of the Retreat

Of course, as a guest of The Retreat, you are entitled to all-inclusive perks such as:

• Premium beverage package
• Premium Wi-Fi package

But you will also receive the following benefits:

• Priority check-in
• Priority disembarkation
• Priority tendering in ports
• Concierge service
• Butler service
• Reserved theater seating on evening chic night
• Complimentary 24-hour in-suite dining
• Complimentary welcome bottle of champagne or sparkling wine
• Complimentary in-suite espresso and cappuccino
• Fresh fruit delivered upon request
• Little in-suite extras such as plush bathrobes and slippers
• and so much more!

A Whimsical Touch

One thing you will notice on Celebrity Solstice that is different from many of the other Celebrity ships is the presence of art glass displayed throughout the ship. These gorgeous pieces are the product of the Hollywood Hot Glass studio onboard, which offers classes in glass blowing. These are a definite must-do. We took one and had a blast.