Celebrity Solstice Review: Premium Cruising on a Freshly Refit Ship
Celebrity Solstice was the lead ship of Celebrity's Solstice class back in 2008, and she set the template for the line's modern, premium-but-approachable style. In early 2026 she came out of a major dry dock in Singapore as part of Celebrity's roughly 250 million dollar Revolution program, and that changes the story. This is no longer just a well-aged premium ship.
She picked up new restaurants, a reimagined Retreat suite enclave, an expanded AquaClass, about 54 new staterooms, and a redone top deck, which puts her much closer to the newer Edge-class ships in feel. The headline change for longtime fans is that her signature real-grass Lawn Club is gone, replaced by a turf space called Sunset Park. I tour ships like this on my channel, so this review walks the whole vessel and tells you what is worth your money and what is not.
QUICK TAKE
Celebrity Solstice is a strong buy in 2026. The roughly 250 million dollar Revolution refit in Singapore brought her up to date with new dining, 54 added suites, a reworked top deck, and a reimagined Retreat, the food is a real step above the mass-market lines, and the crowd skews grown-up and calm. Book AquaClass for access to Blu, watch the All Included pricing math after gratuities, and she is one of the better premium ships for Alaska, which she sails for the first time in summer 2026. The trade-off: she still has the 2008 bones, so do not expect Edge-class touches like the Magic Carpet or infinite verandas, and the famous real-grass Lawn Club is gone, replaced by the new turf Sunset Park.
Celebrity Solstice Full Ship Tour
Here is my full walkthrough if you would rather watch than read.
Key Facts on Celebrity Solstice
Cruise line
Celebrity Cruises (premium tier)
Ship class
Solstice class (lead ship)
Maiden voyage
2008
Last refurbished
Early 2026, part of Celebrity's roughly 250 million dollar Revolution refit program
Size
About 121,900 gross tons
Guest capacity
About 2,850 at double occupancy
Staterooms
About 1,479 after the refit, including added AquaClass and Concierge Class cabins
Decks
14 guest-accessible decks (Deck 2 through Deck 16)
Homeports
Seasonal. Recently Asia and Australia, with an Alaska season debuting summer 2026 plus West Coast and Pacific sailings. Confirm your exact voyage.
What Is New After the 2026 Celebrity Solstice Refurbishment
The Revolution refit added eight new experiences, and four of them were brand new to the entire Celebrity fleet when they debuted on Solstice. The headline changes:
Trattoria Rossa, a new Italian specialty restaurant serving Roman and Southern Italian cooking with pasta made in-house daily.
Fine Cut Steakhouse, with 30-day dry-aged steaks and fresh seafood, replacing the old steak concept.
Sunset Park, which replaced the old real-grass Lawn Club on the top deck. Celebrity swapped the live lawn for quality turf, cleared out the bulky alcoves, and added more seating, lawn games, private cabanas with attendants, daytime yoga, evening live music, and a bistro-style Sunset Park Cafe for breakfast and lunch.
The Parlor and Boulevard Lounge, new bar and entertainment spaces on Deck 4 outside the main theater, including a 125-seat lounge running piano singalongs, karaoke, and game shows, plus the neighboring Boulevard Bar and a gaming and sports area in The Parlor with billiards, darts, and live sports.
A fully reimagined Retreat with updated suites, a new sundeck and oversize hot tub, redesigned lounge and bar, and Daniel Boulud signature dishes in the private Luminae restaurant.
An expanded AquaClass with more spa-inspired cabins and a larger Blu restaurant, part of a refit that added about 54 new staterooms overall.
New main-theater productions including Smoke and Ivories and Rockumentary.
If you sailed Solstice before 2026, she is worth a fresh look. A lot of the dated corners are gone. The one change longtime fans mourn is the loss of the real grass, so if the live Lawn Club was the reason you loved this ship, know that Sunset Park is turf now.
Booking Tips for Celebrity Solstice: All Included Fares and Cabins
Celebrity sits in the premium tier, a clear notch above Royal Caribbean and Carnival, and the pricing reflects that. The experience usually does too: smaller crowds, a more grown-up vibe, and better food. Watch for Celebrity's "All Included" pricing, which bundles the Classic Drinks Package (covers drinks up to $12 each) and Basic Wi-Fi into the fare.
One important 2026 change: All Included no longer covers gratuities, so budget for crew appreciation separately, currently around $18 per person per day for most cabins and $19 for Concierge and AquaClass. Run the bundled fare against the cruise-only fare plus a drink package before you commit, because for a couple who drinks moderately the All Included math often wins. For a scenic itinerary like Alaska, a balcony or one of the AquaClass spa cabins is worth the upcharge for the view and the Blu access. If your budget reaches it, The Retreat is the suite-class enclave with Luminae, a private lounge and sundeck, and concierge service.
It is also worth joining Captain's Club, Celebrity's free loyalty program, before you sail, since points start counting from your first cruise. The tiers run Preview, Classic, Select, Elite, Elite Plus, and Zenith, and points are earned per night based on your stateroom category, so suites and AquaClass climb faster. Elite is the level most cruisers chase, since it unlocks perks like a daily happy hour, free laundry pressing, and a complimentary Persian Garden spa pass on a port day, which is a nice touch on Solstice. If you have status with Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor program, ask about the reciprocal status match, because it can jump you up a tier on Celebrity.
Things to Do on Celebrity Solstice: Walking the Ship
The top deck used to be defined by the Lawn Club, a half-acre of real grass at sea, and that was the ship's signature touch for years. The 2026 refit replaced the live lawn with Sunset Park, a turf space that trades the novelty of real grass for a lot more to actually do. Celebrity cleared the bulky alcoves, added seating, lawn games, private cabanas with attendants, and a bistro-style Sunset Park Cafe, and the area now runs morning yoga and daytime games before turning into a live-music and social space after sunset.
Whether that is an upgrade depends on what you wanted from it: more usable, less magical. The pool deck and the glass-walled Solarium are calm and adult-leaning, with the Solarium an indoor-outdoor quiet zone that is a lifesaver on a cool Alaska sea day. The design throughout reads clean and modern, more boutique resort than waterpark, and she is the right size to feel spacious without being overwhelming. This is not a thrill-ride ship, and that is the point.
Celebrity Solstice Entertainment and Bars
The biggest entertainment change from the refit is on Deck 4, just outside the main theater, where Celebrity built a cluster of new social rooms. The Boulevard Lounge is a 125-seat venue running piano singalongs, karaoke, game shows, and live sets, the neighboring Boulevard Bar handles cocktails, and The Parlor is a gaming and sports room with billiards, darts, big-screen live sports, and shareable plates. That fixes the old complaint that Solstice evenings ran thin once the show let out.
The main theater carries the production shows, with new ones including Smoke and Ivories and Rockumentary added in the refit, and the rest of the ship keeps Celebrity's grown-up staples: live music in the Sky Observation Lounge, the Martini Bar with its frozen-top counter and bartender flair, the Ensemble Lounge for jazz, and the World Class Bar for serious cocktails. Add trivia, enrichment talks, and the casino, and the schedule is full without feeling frantic. The crowd here wants a good cocktail and a band more than a foam party, and the bar lineup is built for that.
Dining on Celebrity Solstice: The Named Venues
Food is a big reason to sail Celebrity, and the refit only helped. The main dining room and the Oceanview Cafe buffet are a clear step up from the mass-market lines, and the included menus change nightly with a strong vegetarian and lighter-fare presence. On the specialty side, the standouts are Murano, the upscale French-inspired room with tableside preparations like Dover sole and a flambeed dessert, and it is the splurge dinner of the ship at roughly $65 per person.
The new Fine Cut Steakhouse Brings 30-day dry-aged steaks and seafood and runs around $60, replacing the old steak concept. Trattoria Rossa is the new Italian room serving Roman and Southern Italian cooking with pasta made in-house daily, and it is the better value of the specialty rooms at around $45. Sushi on Five Handles sushi and Japanese plates a la carte, which is the easy choice for a lighter night.
If you plan a few specialty nights, a dining package booked ahead saves money over paying per restaurant, and it is worth buying before you board when Celebrity runs pre-cruise sale pricing. AquaClass guests get access to the exclusive Blu Restaurant, clean, spa-inspired cooking served for breakfast and dinner, and the refit enlarged it to match the added AquaClass cabins. Blu access is one of the best perks in the whole cabin lineup, and it is a real reason to book AquaClass over a standard balcony.
Suite guests in The Retreat dine in the private Luminae, which now serves Daniel Boulud signature dishes. For casual bites, Cafe al Bacio handles espresso and pastries, and the pool grill covers daytime light meals.
Celebrity Solstice Deck Plan and Best Cabins
Pull up the Celebrity Solstice deck plan before you book. A few smart picks:
AquaClass cabins are the value sweet spot. You get spa-leaning rooms plus Blu, and after the refit there are more of them. Many sit on the upper decks near the spa.
Balconies midship on a higher deck give you the steadiest ride and quick access to the pool deck and Solarium.
The Retreat is the suite enclave with Luminae, the private lounge, and the new sundeck. This is the splurge for travelers who want a ship-within-a-ship.
Cabins to think twice about: rooms directly under the pool deck or the Oceanview Cafe buffet, where you will hear deck chairs dragging and the early breakfast setup, and aft cabins low in the ship if you are sensitive to engine vibration. Anything directly under the Sunset Park turf deck can pick up daytime foot traffic and the live-music sets in the evening.
Sweet-spot decks: the verandah cabins on Decks 9, 10, and 11 midship sit close to the elevators and the pool deck without being under anything noisy, and they hold the steadiest ride in any seas.
Celebrity Solstice reviews consistently praise the food, the Solarium, and the calm grown-up vibe, and her itinerary shifts by season, so confirm your ports and homeport before you fall in love with a sailing.
Embarkation and 2026 Itineraries for Celebrity Solstice
Solstice is a globe-trotter, so her homeport changes with the season and you should confirm yours before booking flights. In early 2026 she sailed Asia and the South Pacific, then she repositions for her first Alaska season in summer 2026, sailing scenic Inside Passage and Gulf of Alaska itineraries with the kind of glacier and fjord cruising the Solarium and Sunset Park were practically built for. Later in 2026 she begins a 110-night Grand Voyage on September 13 that loops Alaska, the South Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia before a New Year's Eve arrival in Hong Kong, so segments of that voyage may be sold individually.
For Alaska, Celebrity typically uses Seattle or Vancouver, both easy airport-to-pier transfers, and for the international sailings build in a recovery day for the long flights and time change. Whatever the route, the All Included fare and a balcony or AquaClass cabin are the combination I steer most Solstice clients toward.
Honest Pros and Cons of Celebrity Solstice
Pros: Excellent food across both included and specialty venues, a calm adult-leaning atmosphere, the glass-walled Solarium and the reworked Sunset Park top deck, a fresh 2026 refit with new dining and social rooms, and a strong Retreat for suite guests. Cons: Premium pricing that climbs once you add gratuities to an All Included fare, 2008 bones that lack the newest Edge-class features like the Magic Carpet and infinite verandas, the loss of the beloved real-grass Lawn Club, and an entertainment scene that, even after the refit, leans calm rather than nonstop, so it will feel thin to anyone who wants kid-focused thrills.
Who Should Book Celebrity Solstice?
Cruisers who want a more grown-up, refined experience with better food and smaller crowds, couples, and anyone doing Alaska or a West Coast and Pacific itinerary who wants to do it in style. For another Solstice-class sister with the same premium feel, see my Celebrity Reflection review, and if you have sailed Celebrity's newest Edge-class ships and want to compare, see my Celebrity Ascent guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Celebrity Solstice still have the Lawn Club? No. The 2026 Revolution refit replaced the real-grass Lawn Club with Sunset Park, a turf top-deck space with more seating, lawn games, private cabanas, a cafe, yoga, and evening live music. The novelty of real grass is gone, but there is more to actually do up there.
What new restaurants did the 2026 refit add to Celebrity Solstice? The two new specialty rooms are Trattoria Rossa for Roman and Southern Italian cooking and Fine Cut Steakhouse for dry-aged steaks and seafood. Sunset Park Cafe was also added for casual breakfast and lunch.
Is Celebrity Solstice good for Alaska? Yes. The refined vibe, the glass-walled Solarium for cool sea days, and AquaClass cabins make scenic sailing especially nice. She debuts an Alaska season in summer 2026.
What is the best cabin category on Celebrity Solstice? AquaClass is the value sweet spot for most couples, since it pairs spa-leaning rooms with access to the exclusive Blu restaurant. Midship verandah cabins on Decks 9 to 11 give the steadiest ride, and The Retreat is the splurge for a true ship-within-a-ship with Luminae and a private lounge and sundeck.
What is The Retreat on Celebrity Solstice? It is Celebrity's suite-class experience, reimagined in the 2026 refit, with the private Luminae restaurant, a redesigned lounge and bar, a new sundeck with an oversize hot tub, and concierge service.
Does Celebrity Solstice All Included cover gratuities? Not anymore. As of 2026 the All Included fare bundles the Classic Drinks Package and Basic Wi-Fi, but crew appreciation gratuities are charged separately, currently about $18 to $19 per person per day.
Final Thoughts on This Celebrity Solstice Review
Celebrity Solstice delivers premium cruising at a reasonable step up from the mass-market lines, and her 2026 refit gives her new dining, a better top deck, and a stronger Retreat. Look closely at the All Included math after gratuities, consider AquaClass for the Blu access, and she is a fantastic pick for Alaska and the West Coast.
