Planning a cruise on the Celebrity Solstice and wondering what the ship is like before you sail? During our 7 night Alaska cruise, we spent plenty of time exploring the public spaces, restaurants, lounges, entertainment venues, and outdoor decks aboard this beautiful Celebrity Cruises ship.
Whether you’re trying to decide if the Celebrity Solstice is the right ship for you or simply want to become more familiar with the layout before embarkation day, this complete ship tour will show you many of the spaces you’ll encounter throughout your sailing.
The Celebrity Solstice has a more elegant and relaxed atmosphere than many modern cruise ships. While there are plenty of activities and entertainment options available, we found the ship to have a quieter, more laid back feel that catered primarily to adults and couples.
The beautiful Celebrity Solstice docked in Alaska.
One of the things we appreciated most was how easy the ship was to navigate. After just a day or two onboard, we felt very comfortable moving between decks and finding our way around the various venues.
The Lido Pool Area
Located on Deck 12, the Lido Pool area serves as one of the main gathering places aboard the Celebrity Solstice. This outdoor space features two swimming pools, several hot tubs, and plenty of lounge chairs for relaxing while enjoying ocean views.
Even on our Alaska sailing, we found guests enjoying the pools and hot tubs throughout the week. The layout also made it easy to move between the pool deck, the Mast Grill, and the Oceanview Cafe.
The Lido Pool area offers pools, hot tubs, and plenty of outdoor seating.
The Solstice Theater
Located toward the front of the ship, the Solstice Theater hosts many of the ship’s major entertainment events. Production shows, comedians, magicians, and other performers take the stage here throughout the cruise.
The theater itself is beautiful, with excellent sightlines and seating spread across multiple levels. We attended several performances during our sailing and found the venue comfortable and easy to navigate.
The Solstice Theater hosts many of the ship’s nightly entertainment events.
The Grand Foyer
The Grand Foyer quickly became one of our favorite spaces onboard. Spanning multiple decks, this impressive atrium serves as a central gathering place and creates a dramatic first impression when you enter.
Throughout the cruise, we found ourselves returning here again and again. Live music, entertainment, comfortable seating, and beautiful lighting all helped make it one of the ship’s most recognizable spaces.
The Grand Foyer is one of the most impressive public spaces aboard the Celebrity Solstice.
Beyond these featured areas, the ship also includes the adults only Solarium, Sunset Park, the Sky Observation Lounge, the casino, shopping areas, restaurants, bars, fitness facilities, and numerous smaller venues spread throughout the ship.
If you’re planning a Celebrity Solstice cruise, taking some time to become familiar with the ship before you board can help you make the most of your vacation.
🎥 Watch the full Celebrity Solstice Ship Tour here:
Related Celebrity Solstice Articles
If you’re planning a Celebrity Solstice Alaska cruise, you may also enjoy these related articles:
The Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Seattle-Bothell offers free parking, complimentary breakfast, and a convenient location near the freeway.
If you’re looking for a comfortable mid-range hotel north of Seattle, the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Seattle-Bothell is worth considering. Andrea and I have stayed here six or seven times over the past 20 years, and after our most recent visit, we thought it was finally time to share our experience and see how it compares with other hotels in this category.
Over the years we’ve watched the property receive several updates, and during this stay we found it to be more modern than we remembered while still offering many of the amenities we look for when travelling, including complimentary breakfast, free parking, fast Wi-Fi, an outdoor pool, and a hot tub.
This isn’t a luxury hotel, and we’re not comparing it to one. Instead, we’re comparing it with similar mid-range hotels that travellers commonly choose for road trips, business travel, overnight stays, and family vacations.
🏨 Want to book this hotel? Check current rates and availability for the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Seattle-Bothell(Affiliate) onBooking.com
Northern Viking Hotel Score
Overall Rating: ⭐ Good
Score:7.8/10 (78/100)
Recommendation:Worth Considering
The Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Seattle-Bothell earned a Northern Viking Hotel Score of 7.8 out of 10, placing it in our Good category.
Overall, we think this hotel is worth considering if you’re looking for a comfortable, dependable mid-range hotel with complimentary breakfast, free parking, and convenient freeway access. While it isn’t a luxury hotel, it delivers a solid experience with only a few compromises, and we’d happily stay here again if the price was right.
Stay Details
Hotel: Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Seattle-Bothell, WA
Address: 19333 North Creek Parkway, Bothell, WA 98011, USA
Room Type: King Suite
Length of Stay: One Night
Check-in: 3:00 PM
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Price Paid: Approximately US$148 including taxes
Booked Through: Third-party travel website
Disclosure: We paid for this stay ourselves and were not compensated in any way for this review. Hotel prices vary throughout the year depending on demand and availability, so our score reflects the quality of the hotel itself rather than the price we happened to pay.
How We Score Hotels
One of the goals of our hotel reviews is to make our scoring system as consistent and transparent as possible.
Rather than assigning an overall score based solely on first impressions, every hotel we review is evaluated using the same five categories. This allows us to compare similar hotels fairly from one review to the next.
It’s also important to understand what we’re comparing.
We’re not comparing a Country Inn & Suites with a luxury hotel like a Fairmont or Ritz-Carlton. Instead, we compare it with similar mid-range hotels that travellers commonly choose for road trips, business travel, overnight stays, and family vacations.
Andrea and I each form our own opinions during our stay. After discussing the room, amenities, service, breakfast, and overall experience, we agree on our final Northern Viking Hotel Score.
Northern Viking Hotel Scorecard
Category
Score
🛏️ Room & Comfort
24/30
🧹 Cleanliness & Condition
14/20
🏨 Amenities
12/15
🍳 Breakfast
8/10
😊 Service
8/10
📍 Location, Parking & Convenience
12/15
Total Score
78/100
Overall Rating: ⭐ Good (7.8/10)
Recommendation: Worth Considering
First Impressions
As we pulled into the parking lot, the first thing we noticed was how much the hotel had changed since our previous visits. The exterior looked refreshed, and once we stepped through the front doors, the lobby immediately felt brighter and more modern than we remembered. Comfortable seating, a fireplace, and an open layout created a welcoming first impression.
The updated lobby features comfortable seating and a fireplace, creating a welcoming first impression.
The lobby also includes a small market where guests can purchase snacks and drinks, along with complimentary coffee available throughout the day. We always appreciate complimentary coffee in the lobby, especially before heading out for the day or after returning from an afternoon of sightseeing.
Complimentary coffee is available throughout the day.
One feature we particularly like about this property is its layout. Rather than a traditional roadside hotel, the building surrounds a central courtyard where you’ll find the outdoor pool and hot tub. It gives the hotel a more open feel and creates a pleasant place to relax during your stay.
Location
The Country Inn & Suites is located on the edge of a business park with convenient freeway access, making it an excellent choice for travellers visiting Bothell, nearby Woodinville, or anyone simply passing through the Seattle area.
Although our room faced the freeway, traffic noise was surprisingly minimal and never disturbed our sleep.
Located right beside the hotel you’ll find:
Subway
A Japanese restaurant
Chevron gas station
Within approximately a 5 to 10 minute drive you’ll also find:
Target
Ross Dress for Less
T.J. Maxx
Red Robin
Costco (Woodinville)
Additional restaurants and shopping
We found the location practical and convenient. While it isn’t a destination resort with scenic surroundings, it provides easy access to nearby amenities and major roadways without excessive freeway noise.
Our King Suite
The King Suite offered plenty of space for the two of us and never felt cramped during our stay. Even with one of our suitcases open on the floor, there was still lots of room to move around comfortably. That’s something we always appreciate, especially when travelling with camera gear and luggage.
The room included a king bed, desk with office chair, comfortable sitting chair, mini fridge, microwave, coffee maker, large TV, blackout curtains, iron and ironing board, and a closet with hangers. Overall, it had everything we needed for a comfortable overnight stay.
Our King Suite offered plenty of space, a comfortable bed, and useful amenities for an overnight stay.
One thing we really appreciated was the number of charging options. There were two power outlets and a USB-A charging port on each side of the bed, making it easy for both of us to charge our phones overnight. The desk also included additional power outlets and USB ports, which is especially handy if you’re travelling with multiple devices or need to get some work done.
The bed was on the softer side and provided a comfortable night’s sleep. While the pillows were perfectly acceptable, we both felt they could have been a little larger and offered a bit more support.
A second view of the King Suite shows the desk, sitting area, and spacious layout.Each side of the bed includes power outlets and USB charging ports, making it easy to charge multiple devices overnight.
👍 Likes
Spacious room with plenty of space for luggage.
Comfortable king bed.
Mini fridge, microwave, and coffee maker.
Plenty of charging options.
Quiet room despite facing the freeway.
💡 Wishes
We’d have preferred slightly larger pillows for a little extra comfort.
Bathroom
The bathroom appears to have been partially renovated over the years. The vanity, lighting, and shower felt more modern, while some of the tile work and finishes looked older and were beginning to show their age. It wasn’t a major issue, but it did give the bathroom a mix of updated and older finishes.
The bathroom combines updated features with some older finishes and includes wall-mounted toiletries in the shower.
The shower included wall-mounted shampoo, conditioner, and body wash dispensers, which are becoming increasingly common in hotels. Water pressure was about average and provided a comfortable shower during our stay.
During our visit, we also noticed a few minor housekeeping issues, including a couple of crumbs, a hair, and a small mark on one of the walls. These weren’t major concerns, but they’re the kinds of little details we notice when reviewing hotels.
Some of the tile work and finishes in the bathroom were beginning to show their age.
👍 Likes
Bright vanity and lighting.
Good-sized bathroom.
Wall-mounted shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.
Comfortable shower.
💡 Wishes
A little more attention to housekeeping details.
The older flooring is beginning to show its age.
Complimentary Wi-Fi
Complimentary Wi-Fi is included with your stay, and connecting was simple. After selecting the hotel’s network, we only had to accept the terms and conditions before getting online. No password was required.
Since reliable internet is important for both travellers and content creators, we ran a speed test during our stay using my phone while connected through a VPN. Even with the VPN enabled, the results were impressive.
Download: Approximately 114 Mbps
Upload: Approximately 131 Mbps
Ping:6 ms
Those speeds are more than fast enough for browsing the web, streaming videos, video calls, uploading photos, or getting some work done while travelling.
👍 Likes
Complimentary Wi-Fi.
Fast internet speeds.
Simple connection process.
Great performance, even while connected through a VPN.
Hotel Amenities
For a mid-range hotel, the Country Inn & Suites offers a nice selection of amenities that add value to your stay.
Amenities include:
Complimentary hot breakfast.
Complimentary Wi-Fi.
Outdoor pool.
Hot tub.
Fitness centre.
Business centre.
Free parking.
Complimentary coffee available in the lobby throughout the day.
The outdoor pool and hot tub are located in the centre courtyard, creating a relaxing place to unwind after a day of sightseeing or travel. We also noticed an ADA lift beside the hot tub, making it more accessible for guests with mobility needs.
The outdoor pool is located in the centre courtyard and offers a relaxing place to cool off during warmer weather.The hot tub includes an ADA lift, helping make this amenity more accessible for guests with mobility needs.
The fitness centre is on the smaller side but includes enough equipment for a basic workout while travelling.
The fitness centre offers a selection of cardio equipment and free weights for guests who want to stay active.
If you need to print a document or access a computer during your stay, the business centre is another convenient amenity available to guests.
The business centre provides guests with access to a computer and printer during their stay.
👍 Likes
Nice courtyard pool and hot tub.
ADA lift at the hot tub.
Complimentary coffee available throughout the day.
Free parking.
Good selection of amenities for a hotel in this category.
💡 Wishes
We’d like to see a slightly larger fitness centre with a few more equipment options.
Complimentary Breakfast
One of our favourite perks at the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Seattle-Bothell is the complimentary hot breakfast. We always appreciate having breakfast included with our stay, especially when we’re heading out for a day of sightseeing or a long drive.
During our visit, we found the breakfast area to be clean, well organized, and stocked with a good variety of hot and cold options. Overall, we’d compare it to the breakfast you’ll typically find at a Holiday Inn Express. It wasn’t a luxury buffet with made-to-order omelets, but it offered plenty of choices and was a great way to start the day.
The breakfast area was clean, spacious, and offered plenty of seating during our visit.
The hot breakfast included:
Scrambled eggs
Sausage patties
Hash browns
Biscuits
Fresh waffles
There were also plenty of lighter options available, including:
Bagels
Toast
English muffins
Muffins
Yogurt
Fresh fruit
Cereal
Milk
Orange, apple, and cranberry juice
Coffee, tea, and hot chocolate were also available throughout breakfast.
One thing we particularly liked was the use of real porcelain plates instead of disposable paper plates. It’s a small touch, but it makes breakfast feel a little nicer. We also appreciated the paper coffee cups with lids, making it easy to grab a coffee before heading out for the day.
The complimentary breakfast offers a variety of hot and cold items, including eggs, sausage, hash browns, waffles, fruit, yogurt, cereal, and more.
Seattle’s Best Coffee was served during our visit. While we found it slightly on the bitter side, it was still enjoyable overall and paired well with breakfast.
One unexpected favourite? String cheese! It’s a simple addition, but it’s not something we often see at hotel breakfast buffets, and it made a great grab-and-go snack.
👍 Likes
Complimentary hot breakfast.
Good variety of hot and cold food.
Comparable to a Holiday Inn Express breakfast.
Real porcelain plates.
Coffee cups with lids for taking coffee to go.
Plenty of seating.
Better-than-average orange juice.
💡 Wishes
We’d love to see a few more premium hot breakfast options in the future.
Service
Overall, we had a positive experience with the staff throughout our stay. Check-in was quick and efficient, and everyone we interacted with was friendly and professional.
While one employee was noticeably more outgoing than another, every staff member we encountered was courteous and helpful. We left with a positive impression of the service we received.
👍 Likes
Friendly staff.
Efficient check-in and check-out.
Positive overall customer service experience.
Biggest Likes
Looking back at our stay, these were the features that stood out the most.
Comfortable and spacious King Suite.
Quiet room despite being close to the freeway.
Complimentary hot breakfast.
Fast complimentary Wi-Fi.
Free parking.
Outdoor courtyard pool and hot tub.
Complimentary lobby coffee throughout the day.
Convenient location near restaurants and shopping.
Biggest Wishes
No hotel is perfect, and these are the areas where we’d like to see improvements.
A little more attention to housekeeping details.
The bathroom flooring is beginning to show its age.
Slightly larger pillows would improve sleeping comfort.
A larger fitness centre would be a nice addition.
Final Thoughts
The Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Seattle-Bothell continues to be a hotel we’d consider staying at again. After visiting this property several times over the past 20 years, we’ve seen a number of positive updates that have helped modernize the hotel while maintaining the comfortable atmosphere we’ve come to expect.
Although it isn’t a luxury hotel, it delivers many of the features we look for in a mid-range property, including comfortable accommodations, complimentary breakfast, free parking, reliable Wi-Fi, and a convenient location. We also appreciated the quiet room, despite being close to the freeway, and the thoughtful amenities like complimentary lobby coffee and the ADA lift at the hot tub.
If you’re looking for a comfortable place to stay in the Bothell area, or simply need a convenient overnight stop north of Seattle, we think the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Seattle-Bothell is worth considering.
🏨 Want to book this hotel? Check current rates and availability for the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Seattle-Bothell(Affiliate) onBooking.com
Northern Viking Hotel Score
Overall Rating: ⭐ Good
Score:7.8/10 (78/100)
Recommendation:Worth Considering
Understanding Our Hotel Ratings
Every hotel we review is compared with similar hotels in its category, not luxury resorts. Our ratings are designed to help you quickly understand both the quality of the hotel and whether we’d recommend it.
Score
Quality
Recommendation
90-100
⭐ Excellent
Highly Recommended
80-89
⭐ Very Good
Recommended
70-79
⭐ Good
Worth Considering
60-69
⭐ Fair
Consider if the Price Is Right
Below 60
⭐ Needs Improvement
Not Recommended
Our score reflects the quality of the hotel itself, not the price we happened to pay. Hotel rates change throughout the year based on demand, promotions, and availability, so we always share what we paid while keeping our rating focused on the overall experience.
Have You Stayed Here?
Have you stayed at the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Seattle-Bothell? We’d love to hear about your experience. Share your thoughts in the comments below and let us know if your stay was similar to ours.
Planning a stay near Vancouver? Take a look inside our River Rock Casino Resort Marina View Suite Tour, including a walkthrough of the suite and its marina views.
After spending seven nights aboard the Celebrity Solstice on an Alaska cruise from Vancouver, we had plenty of time to explore the ship and experience what it has to offer. There was a lot we really enjoyed, along with a few things we wished were different!
In this Celebrity Solstice review, we’re sharing our Likes & Wishes in four main areas: the layout and amenities, our sideways inside cabin 7160, the free food and restaurants, and the entertainment and activities onboard. 🚢🏔️
Celebrity Solstice Layout & Amenities
The elegant Grand Foyer is one of the beautiful public spaces aboard the Celebrity Solstice. 🚢
One of our first impressions of the Celebrity Solstice was how elegant and sophisticated the ship felt. It had recently been through dry dock, and many areas felt fresh and updated. Even though our sailing was full, we also rarely felt like the ship was overcrowded.
Some of our favourite spaces included Sunset Park, with its outdoor seating, games and beautiful aft views, and the Sky Observation Lounge, where the floor-to-ceiling windows made it a fantastic place to enjoy Alaska’s scenery when the weather wasn’t cooperating.
We also really enjoyed the relaxing indoor Solarium, the outdoor pools, Oceanview Cafe, Grand Epernay Restaurant and many of the lounges throughout the ship.
One of our biggest wishes was the lack of a sports court and public forward-facing outdoor space on the upper decks. We also found the beautiful Grand Foyer could become crowded during popular events.
Overall, though, we thought the Celebrity Solstice was a beautiful, classy and easy-to-navigate ship. 👍
Our Sideways Inside Cabin 7160 🛏️
Our spacious sideways inside cabin 7160 was our home for seven nights aboard the Celebrity Solstice. 🛏️
Our home for the week was inside cabin 7160 on Deck 7, and its unusual sideways layout ended up being one of the things we really liked.
The cabin felt surprisingly spacious for an inside room, with a full-size couch, large vanity, plenty of storage and a good amount of open floor space. We also had two North American outlets and one European outlet at the vanity.
Interestingly, USB-A and USB-C charging ports appeared beside both sides of our bed partway through the cruise! Looking back at our footage, they had covers over them when we boarded and appeared to have been installed during our sailing.
The bathroom included a glass shower enclosure, plenty of shelving and shampoo, conditioner and body wash. We also found the cabin generally quiet and were able to request a large fan.
Our biggest wish? We couldn’t fit our suitcases underneath the bed! Thankfully, the room was spacious enough that this wasn’t a major problem.
Overall, we were very happy with cabin 7160 for our seven-night cruise.
Celebrity Solstice Free Food & Restaurants 🍽️
Filet mignon with shrimp was the chef’s special on our final evening aboard the Celebrity Solstice. 🥩🍤
We were impressed with the variety of complimentary food available aboard the Celebrity Solstice.
The Oceanview Cafe offered a large selection for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with separate food islands that helped keep lines manageable. We found everything from omelettes, eggs Benedict and waffles at breakfast to carving stations, steak, salmon, pizza, Indian and Asian dishes, salads and plenty of desserts later in the day.
Other complimentary options included the Mast Grill, Spa Cafe, Sunset Park Cafe, and complimentary snacks and pastries at Cafe al Bacio.
Our main dining room was the beautiful Grand Epernay Restaurant, where we enjoyed breakfast and several dinners. Some highlights included prime rib, beef Wellington, salmon, short ribs, complimentary lobster tail on the second formal night and even filet mignon as the chef’s special on our final evening. 🥩🦞
We wished there had been a little more variety among the appetizers, and some of our steaks were cooked more than requested, but overall we thought the complimentary dining was very good.
Celebrity Solstice Entertainment & Activities 🎭
The candlelight concert in the Sky Observation Lounge was one of our favorite entertainment experiences of the cruise. 🎻✨
Entertainment was another highlight, especially the production shows and live music.
The Solstice Theater featured singers, dancers, aerial performers and, importantly for us, a live band. Some of our favourite shows included Rockumentary, Broken Strings, and Smoke & Ivories. We also enjoyed guest comedians, magicians and musicians throughout the week.
One of our favourite evenings was the candlelight concert in the Sky Observation Lounge, with the sun setting outside while a violinist, pianist and full band performed. 🎻
The dueling pianos were another highlight, although they were so popular that the Boulevard Lounge often wasn’t big enough for everyone wanting to watch.
There were also plenty of activities, including trivia, bingo, karaoke, arts and crafts, dance lessons, board games, Skee-Ball, shuffleboard, cornhole and more.
The overall atmosphere was definitely more relaxed than party-focused, which we thought suited an Alaska cruise extremely well.
Our Final Thoughts on the Celebrity Solstice 🚢
After seven nights onboard, we came away impressed with the Celebrity Solstice. We loved its elegant atmosphere, comfortable public spaces, relaxing Solarium, surprisingly spacious inside cabin, complimentary dining and high-quality entertainment.
Of course, there were things we wished were different, and that’s exactly why we like sharing both sides of our experience.
If you’re planning a Celebrity Solstice Alaska cruise or considering booking this ship, we hope our Likes & Wishes help you know a little more about what to expect before you sail! 🚢🏔️
Planning a Celebrity Solstice cruise and wondering what food is included with your cruise fare? 🍽️ During our 7-night Alaska cruise aboard the Celebrity Solstice, we had the chance to try a wide variety of complimentary food around the ship, from the Oceanview Cafe buffet to quick bites and meals in the Grand Epernay Restaurant.
In this guide, we’ll take you through some of the food you can expect to find onboard. We also collected many of the actual Celebrity Solstice main dining room menus from our sailing, which you can check out below.
The beautiful two-story Grand Epernay Restaurant aboard the Celebrity Solstice. 🍽️
📋 Celebrity Solstice Main Dining Room Menus
Want to see what was actually on the menu during our Celebrity Solstice cruise? We saved many of the breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert menus from our sailing so you can take a closer look before your cruise.
These menus are from our specific 7-night Alaska sailing, so menu items and selections may change depending on your sailing date and itinerary.
☕ Celebrity Solstice Breakfast Menu
The breakfast menu included options such as Eggs Benedict, omelets, pancakes, Belgian waffles and French toast, along with fruit, pastries, cereals and other continental breakfast choices.
The dessert menus featured plenty of choices throughout the cruise, including options such as crème brûlée, cakes, pies, ice cream and sorbet. One of the menus from our sailing, for example, included warm apple crumble à la mode, crème brûlée and After Eight ice cream.
Now that you’ve had a chance to check out the menus, let’s take a look at some of the complimentary food we found around the Celebrity Solstice.
All of the food featured in our video was included with our cruise fare at no additional cost. There are specialty restaurants and other food and beverage options available for an additional charge, but this tour focuses specifically on the included food we saw and ate during our cruise.
Oceanview Cafe Buffet
The Oceanview Cafe is the main buffet aboard the Celebrity Solstice and is located on Deck 14. The buffet uses an island-style layout, which made it easy to move between the different food stations.
For breakfast, we found everything from eggs, bacon, sausage and hash browns to pancakes, waffles, French toast, fresh fruit, pastries, cereals and made-to-order omelets. There were also a variety of international breakfast dishes available.
At lunch and dinner, the selection changed considerably, with salads, meats and cheeses, pizza, pasta, Indian dishes, Mexican-inspired options, carving stations, fish, chicken, vegetables and much more. 🍕🥗
And don’t skip dessert! We found cakes, cookies, soft-serve ice cream and even hard-scoop ice cream with several flavours available during our sailing. 🍦
Hard-scoop ice cream was one of our favourite dessert options at the Celebrity Solstice Oceanview Cafe. 🍦
Complimentary Drinks
The Oceanview Cafe also had complimentary beverage stations with regular and decaf coffee, hot water, tea, iced tea, lemonade and other beverages. Juice selections were also available during breakfast.
🍔 More Complimentary Food Around Celebrity Solstice
The buffet certainly isn’t your only option.
Up on Deck 15, Sunset Park Cafe offered a selection of complimentary snacks, including sandwiches, wraps, pastries, salads and fruit cups. This was also where we found the afternoon warm cookie hour. 🍪
Near the pool, Mast Grill was the place to grab hamburgers, hot dogs and French fries, while Spa Cafe in the Solarium offered lighter options such as fruit, salads and wraps.
We also stopped by Cafe al Bacio, where the specialty coffees cost extra, but we found a selection of complimentary pastries, cakes, cookies and small sandwiches.
A selection of complimentary cakes, pastries and cookies at Cafe al Bacio aboard the Celebrity Solstice. 🍰🍪
🍽️ Grand Epernay Restaurant
The beautiful two-story Grand Epernay Restaurant is the Celebrity Solstice’s main dining room, located toward the aft of the ship on Decks 3 and 4.
We ate here for breakfast, lunch and dinner during our cruise. Breakfast included options such as omelets, Eggs Benedict, pancakes and waffles, while lunch offered a changing selection of appetizers, sandwiches and entrées.
Dinner was where we saw the largest variety throughout the week, with different appetizers, soups, salads, entrées and desserts each evening. On our first Evening Chic night, for example, the menu included shrimp scampi, pan-seared cobia, seared duck, grilled lamb T-bone and Steak Diane, along with the Celebrity Classics.
During the cruise we also enjoyed dishes including prime rib, Beef Wellington, braised beef short ribs and filet mignon with shrimp. On our second Evening Chic night, complimentary broiled lobster tail was also available. 🦞
The complimentary broiled lobster tail served during our second Evening Chic night aboard the Celebrity Solstice. 🦞
🎥 Watch Our Celebrity Solstice Food Tour
Want to see what all this food actually looked like?
In our FREE Food on Celebrity Solstice: What to Expect! video, we take you around the ship and show you the complimentary food we found during our 7-night sailing, including the Oceanview Cafe, Sunset Park Cafe, Mast Grill, Spa Cafe, Cafe al Bacio and Grand Epernay Restaurant.
If you’re planning a Celebrity Solstice cruise, we hope this food tour and collection of menus helps give you a better idea of what you can expect onboard. Happy cruising! 🚢🍽️
Related Celebrity Solstice Articles
If you’re planning a Celebrity Solstice Alaska cruise, you may also enjoy these related articles:
Our final day aboard the Celebrity Solstice had arrived! 🚢 After an incredible week exploring Alaska, Day 7 was a relaxing sea day as we sailed through the beautiful Inside Passage on our way back to Vancouver. Between incredible mountain scenery, ship spotting, whale sightings, entertainment, and one final dinner onboard, there was still plenty to enjoy on our last day.
🍳 Breakfast & Our Final Sea Day
We started the morning with breakfast in the Grand Epernay Restaurant before heading out to enjoy the ship. The weather was finally cooperating, so we spent some time playing ping pong, ship spotting, enjoying the views from the aft, browsing the shops, and grabbing some salted caramel gelato. It was a relaxing way to enjoy our final day aboard the Celebrity Solstice.
🚢 A little ship spotting during our final sea day aboard the Celebrity Solstice.
🐋 Inside Passage & Whale Spotting
As we sailed near the northern tip of Vancouver Island, we were lucky enough to spot a group of orcas right beside the ship! Later in the afternoon, while cruising through the beautiful Inside Passage, we also spotted a humpback whale with the mountains and islands surrounding us. Seeing both orcas and a humpback on our final day was an incredible surprise.
We also caught an afternoon performance from the dueling pianos and spent some time playing the complimentary games in The Parlor before heading back outside to enjoy more of the scenery.
🐋 Cruising through the beautiful Inside Passage, with a humpback whale making an appearance in the distance!
🎭 Our Final Evening Aboard Celebrity Solstice
Our final evening began with the Captain, Officers and Crew Farewell followed by Smoke & Ivories in the Solstice Theater. The production featured live music, singing, dancing, tap dancing, and acrobatics, and it was a fantastic show to finish our week onboard.
We then headed to the Grand Epernay Restaurant for one final dinner, where the chef’s special was filet mignon with shrimp. We also shared the braised beef short rib before finishing with the apple tart and crème brûlée. 🍽️
🍽️ One final dinner in the Grand Epernay Restaurant, filet mignon topped with shrimp.
📽️ Watch Our Celebrity Solstice Day 7 Vlog
Come along for our complete final day aboard the Celebrity Solstice as we cruise the Inside Passage, spot whales, enjoy the entertainment, and wrap up our 7-night Alaska adventure.
After seven nights aboard, we came away really impressed with the Celebrity Solstice. We found the ship calm, classy, and sophisticated, and despite its age, it felt clean, modern, and well maintained. From Hubbard Glacier and our Alaska ports to the incredible wildlife and Inside Passage scenery, it was a fantastic week aboard the Celebrity Solstice.
Related Celebrity Solstice Articles
If you’re planning a Celebrity Solstice Alaska cruise, you may also enjoy these related articles:
Our sixth day aboard the Celebrity Solstice brought us to our final Alaska port, Ketchikan, after a relaxing morning at sea. We spent the morning whale spotting from the ship, relaxing in the hot tubs, and enjoying lunch in the Grand Epernay Restaurant before arriving in port. Even with a rainy forecast, we were excited for another day of exploring Alaska! 🚢🌲
🎥 Watch Our Celebrity Solstice Day 6 Vlog
Join us as we spend Day 6 of our Celebrity Solstice Alaska cruise in Ketchikan, take the Lighthouse Totems & Eagles Excursion, and return to the ship for Evening Chic night and complimentary lobster tail.
Lighthouse Totems & Eagles Excursion
After arriving in Ketchikan, we met our tour group at the Liquid Sunshine Gauge in downtown Ketchikan, where Lighthouse Excursions picked us up and shuttled us over to Ward Cove for the Lighthouse Totems & Eagles Excursion. If you’re looking for a smaller, more personal excursion, this was a fantastic option. Our knowledgeable guides shared stories about the local history, Native culture, and wildlife while we cruised the scenic waterways around Ketchikan.
The Lighthouse Excursions boat ready to take us on the Lighthouse Totems & Eagles Excursion in Ketchikan, Alaska.
One of the highlights of the tour was spotting numerous bald eagles throughout the excursion. We also enjoyed views of Guard Island Lighthouse, Totem Bight State Historical Park from the water, beautiful coastal scenery, and an Alaska-inspired snack sampler while learning more about life in southeast Alaska. Even though the weather was wet, it didn’t take away from the experience, and the scenery had that classic misty Alaska atmosphere.
Two bald eagles perched on a navigation marker during our Lighthouse Totems & Eagles Excursion near Ketchikan.
Evening Chic & Complimentary Lobster Tail
Back aboard the Celebrity Solstice, it was time for our second Evening Chic night. Before dinner, we enjoyed a fantastic performance by guest entertainer Hayden Smith in the Solstice Theater.
Dinner in the Grand Epernay Restaurant featured one of the highlights many Celebrity Cruises guests look forward to, complimentary lobster tail served during Evening Chic night. It was another wonderful meal and the perfect way to end our final Alaska port day before enjoying the Shine the Night celebration and dueling pianos later in the evening. 🦞✨
Complimentary lobster tail with rice and broccoli served during Evening Chic night in the Grand Epernay Restaurant aboard the Celebrity Solstice.
Our final Alaska port was another memorable day aboard the Celebrity Solstice. From relaxing at sea and exploring Ketchikan to spotting bald eagles and enjoying another fantastic evening onboard, Day 6 offered a wonderful mix of Alaska adventure and life aboard the ship. Next up is our final sea day before returning to Vancouver.
Related Celebrity Solstice Articles
If you’re planning a Celebrity Solstice Alaska cruise, you may also enjoy these related articles:
Day 5 of our Celebrity Solstice Alaska cruise brought us to Juneau, Alaska, where we headed out on an unforgettable whale watching excursion with Juneau Tours. Despite a rainy start to the day, we were rewarded with incredible wildlife sightings, including humpback whales and even orcas, making this one of the highlights of our Alaska cruise. After our excursion, we explored downtown Juneau before another fantastic evening aboard the Celebrity Solstice.
Our morning began with a short walk from the Celebrity Solstice to meet Juneau Tours for our whale watching excursion. After a narrated bus ride to the harbor, we boarded our boat and headed out in search of Alaska’s incredible marine wildlife.
Although the weather started out rainy, it didn’t take long before we were rewarded with amazing sightings of humpback whales. Even more exciting, we were fortunate enough to spot orcas, something the crew explained is relatively uncommon. Having knowledgeable guides and a naturalist onboard made the experience even more memorable as they shared fascinating information about the whales and the local ecosystem.
Our Juneau whale watching excursion with Juneau Tours gave us unforgettable views of humpback whales and even orcas.
🚤 Exploring Downtown Juneau
After warming up with a late lunch back aboard the Celebrity Solstice, we returned to downtown Juneau to explore the waterfront, browse souvenir shops, and enjoy the lively atmosphere around the cruise port. With several cruise ships in port, the streets were busy with visitors enjoying everything Juneau has to offer.
From local fudge shops and Alaska-themed souvenirs to scenic waterfront views, it was a relaxing way to spend the afternoon before heading back to the ship.
After our whale watching excursion, we spent the afternoon exploring the shops and waterfront in downtown Juneau.
🍽️ Another Great Evening Aboard Celebrity Solstice
Back aboard the Celebrity Solstice, we enjoyed another entertaining evening beginning with a fantastic performance by guest entertainer Alexa Jayne in the Solstice Theater. Dinner in the Grand Epernay Restaurant followed, where we enjoyed another delicious meal while taking in beautiful evening views as the ship sailed away from Juneau.
With another wonderful day behind us, we looked ahead to our next destination, Ketchikan, and another exciting Alaska adventure.
Dinner in the Grand Epernay Restaurant was another highlight of our day aboard the Celebrity Solstice.
🌊 Another Memorable Day in Alaska
Our visit to Juneau combined incredible wildlife, beautiful scenery, and another relaxing evening aboard the Celebrity Solstice. Seeing both humpback whales and orcas made this one of the most memorable days of our Alaska cruise, and we couldn’t wait to continue our adventure in Ketchikan.
Day 4 of our Celebrity Solstice Alaska cruise brought one of the highlights of our entire Alaska adventure, Hubbard Glacier. We spent the morning cruising through misty waters before the skies cleared to reveal one of Alaska’s most spectacular glaciers. From relaxing with coffee and enjoying clam chowder in a bread bowl while taking in the views to another fantastic evening of entertainment and dining, it was an unforgettable day aboard the Celebrity Solstice.
The day began early as we entered Yakutat Bay on our way to Hubbard Glacier. Although the morning started with fog and mist, the weather gradually cleared, revealing incredible glacier views. The Celebrity Solstice spent nearly two hours slowly rotating so everyone onboard could enjoy different perspectives of the glacier. It was another reminder that no two glacier visits are ever exactly the same.
The fog gradually cleared to reveal the breathtaking Hubbard Glacier as Celebrity Solstice spent nearly two hours enjoying this incredible Alaska destination.
🎭 Broken Strings in the Solstice Theater
After a relaxing afternoon aboard the ship, we headed to the Solstice Theater for Broken Strings, one of our favorite production shows of the cruise. The high-energy performance featured live music, talented singers and dancers, incredible acrobatics, and an impressive stage set inspired by a lively country bar. It was a fantastic evening of entertainment and one we would definitely recommend.
Broken Strings featured live music, talented performers, and incredible acrobatics during another outstanding evening aboard Celebrity Solstice.
🐌 Dinner at the Grand Epernay Restaurant
Dinner was another highlight of the evening. We enjoyed appetizers including Celebrity’s signature escargot, followed by delicious entrées and one of our favorite desserts, the crème brûlée. Dining by the window while glaciers and snow-capped mountains passed by outside made for a memorable end to another amazing day in Alaska.
Celebrity’s signature escargot is available every evening in the Grand Epernay Restaurant and quickly became one of our favorite appetizers.
🌊 Another Incredible Day in Alaska
Hubbard Glacier is always one of the highlights of an Alaska cruise, and this visit certainly didn’t disappoint. Between the spectacular glacier scenery, great entertainment, outstanding dining, and time spent relaxing aboard the Celebrity Solstice, Day 4 was another unforgettable chapter of our Alaska adventure. Next up, we’re heading to Juneau for an exciting whale watching excursion.
One of the highlights of our Celebrity Solstice Alaska cruise was visiting Icy Strait Point, one of Alaska’s most unique cruise destinations. During Day 3 of our 7-night Alaska cruise, we enjoyed a relaxing morning aboard the Celebrity Solstice before heading ashore to explore everything Icy Strait Point has to offer, including the scenic nature trail, the historic cannery, and the beautiful waterfront community of Hoonah.
One of the best ways to reach the historic cannery area is by taking the Nature Trail. This scenic forest path winds through the rainforest and offers a peaceful walk surrounded by towering trees before arriving at the shops, museum, and restaurants.
The scenic Nature Trail is a beautiful way to walk between the main cruise area and the historic Hoonah Cannery at Icy Strait Point.
Exploring the Historic Cannery & Museum
The historic cannery is one of the highlights of Icy Strait Point. We spent time exploring the museum, browsing the unique shops, and learning more about the area’s rich fishing history while enjoying the beautiful waterfront setting.
Exploring the historic Hoonah Cannery and Museum at Icy Strait Point, one of the highlights of our Celebrity Solstice Alaska cruise.
Walking to Hoonah
Rather than taking the shuttle, we chose to walk the scenic Veterans Memorial Sea Walk to the nearby community of Hoonah. The walk is approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) each way and follows the shoreline, offering beautiful ocean views and a relaxing way to experience the area beyond the cruise port. It ended up being one of our favorite parts of the afternoon.
Walking the scenic Veterans Memorial Sea Walk, a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) walk each way between Icy Strait Point and Hoonah, Alaska.
Highlights from Day 3
🚢 Breakfast in the Grand Epernay Restaurant
🚁 Captain’s Club visit to the Celebrity Solstice helipad
🌲 Walking the Nature Trail
🏛️ Exploring the Historic Cannery & Museum
🚶 Walking the Veterans Memorial Sea Walk to Hoonah
🚠 Riding the complimentary Transporter Gondola
🎩 Magic Show in the Solstice Theater
🍽️ Dinner in the Grand Epernay Restaurant
🎻 Candlelight Concert in the Sky Lounge
Whether you’re planning a Celebrity Solstice Alaska cruise, researching Icy Strait Point, or looking for ideas on what to do while you’re in port, we hope this vlog gives you a great look at one of Alaska’s most memorable cruise destinations.
If you’re planning a Carnival Dream Caribbean cruise or simply enjoy Caribbean cruise vlogs, join us for our complete 6-night Carnival Dream Caribbean Cruise VLOGATHON! This full cruise compilation follows our round-trip adventure from Galveston, Texas, with exciting stops in Costa Maya, Belize, and Cozumel, along with relaxing sea days, onboard entertainment, and unforgettable shore excursions.
This VLOGATHON includes our complete Carnival Dream cruise from embarkation to disembarkation:
🚢 Day 1: Embarkation Day – We board the Carnival Dream in Galveston, explore the ship, tour our balcony cabin, enjoy sail away, and experience our first evening onboard.
🌊 Day 2: Sea Day – We enjoy Sea Day Brunch, explore more of the Carnival Dream, take in live entertainment, and experience our first Elegant Night.
☀️ Day 3: Costa Maya – We explore the Costa Maya cruise port, stroll the Malecón, visit the lighthouse, relax by the pool, and enjoy another fun evening aboard the Carnival Dream.
🌴 Day 4: Belize – We tender ashore and head out on an unforgettable cave tubing excursion through the Belize rainforest before returning to the ship for another evening of entertainment.
🏖️ Day 5: Cozumel – We spend the day relaxing at the Iberostar Resort Cozumel before returning to the Carnival Dream for our final evening onboard.
🌊 Day 6: Final Sea Day – We enjoy one last relaxing day aboard the Carnival Dream, taking in more food, activities, entertainment, and beautiful ocean views before returning to Galveston.
Whether you’re researching the Carnival Dream, planning a Western Caribbean cruise, or looking for a complete day-by-day cruise vlog, we hope this VLOGATHON gives you a great look at everything you can experience aboard the Carnival Dream.
Watch the Full VLOGATHON
🛒 Book the Iberostar Resort Cozumel with Resort For A Day (Affiliate) https://lddy.no/1maq3
Contains information related to marketing campaigns of the user. These are shared with Google AdWords / Google Ads when the Google Ads and Google Analytics accounts are linked together.
90 days
__utma
ID used to identify users and sessions
2 years after last activity
__utmt
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests
10 minutes
__utmb
Used to distinguish new sessions and visits. This cookie is set when the GA.js javascript library is loaded and there is no existing __utmb cookie. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
30 minutes after last activity
__utmc
Used only with old Urchin versions of Google Analytics and not with GA.js. Was used to distinguish between new sessions and visits at the end of a session.
End of session (browser)
__utmz
Contains information about the traffic source or campaign that directed user to the website. The cookie is set when the GA.js javascript is loaded and updated when data is sent to the Google Anaytics server
6 months after last activity
__utmv
Contains custom information set by the web developer via the _setCustomVar method in Google Analytics. This cookie is updated every time new data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
2 years after last activity
__utmx
Used to determine whether a user is included in an A / B or Multivariate test.
18 months
_ga
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gali
Used by Google Analytics to determine which links on a page are being clicked
30 seconds
_ga_
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gid
ID used to identify users for 24 hours after last activity
24 hours
_gat
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests when using Google Tag Manager
1 minute
Marketing cookies are used to follow visitors to websites. The intention is to show ads that are relevant and engaging to the individual user.
A video-sharing platform for users to upload, view, and share videos across various genres and topics.
Registers a unique ID on mobile devices to enable tracking based on geographical GPS location.
1 day
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE
Tries to estimate the users' bandwidth on pages with integrated YouTube videos. Also used for marketing
179 days
PREF
This cookie stores your preferences and other information, in particular preferred language, how many search results you wish to be shown on your page, and whether or not you wish to have Google’s SafeSearch filter turned on.
10 years from set/ update
YSC
Registers a unique ID to keep statistics of what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
Session
DEVICE_INFO
Used to detect if the visitor has accepted the marketing category in the cookie banner. This cookie is necessary for GDPR-compliance of the website.
179 days
LOGIN_INFO
This cookie is used to play YouTube videos embedded on the website.
