I've just come back from an Edge cruise. I've also been on two Solstice ships. I much prefer the Solstice ships. The caveat I must place on my comments is that on Edge we could not use the outside decks and facilities due to the windy weather which may have affected my review. Solstice offers more spaces to explore and use and, I might add, to get some relief from other passengers. I could just find my own space. It also meant that entertainment could be more diverse. The Edge has two main areas, the Grand Plaza amidships, and the Eden aft. Without the outer decks usable everyone was crammed into these spaces, although I don't think this was much of a problem. Both spaces had a stage and music, loud music of a straight middle of the road variety. The noise echoed up the vast spaces and intruded into the specialty restaurants around the GP and the so called quiet spaces and the Eden restaurant in Eden. If you don't want 70s troubadour covers it can be quite unpleasant. Also the food and wine on the Edge was inferior to that of my Solstice experiences. The main casual bistro on Edge was too small for the passenger capacity and it was impossible to get a table there during meal times. Breakfast was particularly bad.
Thanks for sharing your own experiences of these two different classes! I recently tried out Summit and I really loved its unique size and decor as well. I like it even more so than the Solstice class.
Mostly nice refurbishments though I did like the original dining room and Rendezvous lounge better. The buffet and staterooms are much improved, however, at least the lower-level staterooms.
Thanks for explanation! My wife and I have been on Edge twice in Retreat suite. Our next cruise will be on Solstice. I’ll recheck your video and comment again when we finish the Solstice. 😂
"Retreat" is the upper class on Edge so you won't get that same specialized treatment on Solstice. I for one don't like the ship within a ship thing. However, you may like the rest of the ship if you don't need the latest and greatest and like dark furnishings.
This is a really good video that compares the Celebrity Edge and Solstice cruise ships. I especially like the way the differences between the two ships are explained. The Edge is bigger and has more amenities, but the Solstice is more intimate and has more traditional offerings. New Sub! ✌✌
Thanks for the compliment. I really do like both classes of ship, and it started making me think about other cruise lines as well. I generally pick a cruise based on price, ports, star rating, etc but I have now added ship class to my list as well. Although I like variety, it's good to know what you will get before you go!
@@Passporttotravel My fear is that once the Solstice and Millennium ships are transferred to other lines, that all we are left with is the Edge style of ships. I don't know if the current Celebrity management realizes the gems that they have in the Solstice and Millennium class ships. I think they need to bring back the Sky Lounge, libraries and have more dedicated lounges on the ship. I pub would be nice and a Latin and jazz and blues club, not in an open space but its own space, would make the ship much better IMO. I'd also work at bringing the decor back to something more uniquely identifiable as Celebrity and not any ship (excluding the Normandie restaurant, which is very Celebrity, and Eden which is very different than the rest of the ship).
I appreciate this comparison and your observations and thank you for saying don't always pick a class because it is newer. Pick the ship best suited for you. I have my strong opinion on which I prefer by far. The Solstice class ship is a better designed ship IMO with more interesting decor and has more character than the Edge class. The deleting of the Sky Lounge is a dealbreaker for me with the Edge ships. I don't like the placement of the Martini Bar and putting specialty restaurants in a noisy foyer (Grand Plaza, atrium, all the same type of space) is a bad idea. Solstice puts them in their own aft location away from the sounds/activities of the foyer. The decor, I much prefer the Solstice class. First of all, it's more evocative of previous eras like the 1920s-1940s but with a modern take on it. Second, the colors are more varied and rich. On the Edge, it's interchangeable with the new Sun Princess or NCL Prima with everything light and bright and rather rather gray/beige with more subdued colors. It's seen as contemporary but it's rather trendy and not so distinctive. It's newer, sure. But is it really better? In 8 years or when there is a newer class will it be seen the same way it is now? Things will break on the Edge class ships and some people even say that the oldest Edge ship, the Edge, is showing wear. Yes, Solstice isn't a contemporary ship but it's an intimate, more personalized feeling ship and I think feels more premium and better thought out. The ship condition is up to Celebrity. And I don't think the ship is in any way old. Ships should last 30 plus years so ships that are 12-16 years old are at best middle aged, not old.
You've made a lot of great points! I personally love the Sky Lounge and the Lawn Club on the Solstice Class ships and did find myself missing them when I was on the Edge. But I did find favorites on the Edge, too, like the spa, which has so many more amenities, as well as the incredible Eden restaurant. So which class of ship to choose definitely comes down to personal preference, or even just wanting to try out a new experience.
I've just come back from an Edge cruise. I've also been on two Solstice ships. I much prefer the Solstice ships. The caveat I must place on my comments is that on Edge we could not use the outside decks and facilities due to the windy weather which may have affected my review. Solstice offers more spaces to explore and use and, I might add, to get some relief from other passengers. I could just find my own space. It also meant that entertainment could be more diverse. The Edge has two main areas, the Grand Plaza amidships, and the Eden aft. Without the outer decks usable everyone was crammed into these spaces, although I don't think this was much of a problem. Both spaces had a stage and music, loud music of a straight middle of the road variety. The noise echoed up the vast spaces and intruded into the specialty restaurants around the GP and the so called quiet spaces and the Eden restaurant in Eden. If you don't want 70s troubadour covers it can be quite unpleasant. Also the food and wine on the Edge was inferior to that of my Solstice experiences. The main casual bistro on Edge was too small for the passenger capacity and it was impossible to get a table there during meal times. Breakfast was particularly bad.
They are two very different experiences, aren't they? I liked elements of both.
Thanks for sharing your own experiences of these two different classes! I recently tried out Summit and I really loved its unique size and decor as well. I like it even more so than the Solstice class.
Great to hear!
Mostly nice refurbishments though I did like the original dining room and Rendezvous lounge better. The buffet and staterooms are much improved, however, at least the lower-level staterooms.
Thanks for explanation! My wife and I have been on Edge twice in Retreat suite. Our next cruise will be on Solstice. I’ll recheck your video and comment again when we finish the Solstice. 😂
I can't wait to hear what you think of the Solstice!
"Retreat" is the upper class on Edge so you won't get that same specialized treatment on Solstice. I for one don't like the ship within a ship thing. However, you may like the rest of the ship if you don't need the latest and greatest and like dark furnishings.
This is a really good video that compares the Celebrity Edge and Solstice cruise ships. I especially like the way the differences between the two ships are explained. The Edge is bigger and has more amenities, but the Solstice is more intimate and has more traditional offerings. New Sub! ✌✌
Thanks for the compliment. I really do like both classes of ship, and it started making me think about other cruise lines as well. I generally pick a cruise based on price, ports, star rating, etc but I have now added ship class to my list as well. Although I like variety, it's good to know what you will get before you go!
Yes. I would argue that the Solstice has some non-traditional elements as well, like the grass on the top of the ship, the Lawn Club.
@@Passporttotravel My fear is that once the Solstice and Millennium ships are transferred to other lines, that all we are left with is the Edge style of ships. I don't know if the current Celebrity management realizes the gems that they have in the Solstice and Millennium class ships. I think they need to bring back the Sky Lounge, libraries and have more dedicated lounges on the ship. I pub would be nice and a Latin and jazz and blues club, not in an open space but its own space, would make the ship much better IMO. I'd also work at bringing the decor back to something more uniquely identifiable as Celebrity and not any ship (excluding the Normandie restaurant, which is very Celebrity, and Eden which is very different than the rest of the ship).
personally the solstice class is really nice, the edge class is also nice but it doesn't flow together if you get what I mean.
I do. You are right! The flow is a little off, but it didn't stop my enjoyment of the ship.
I appreciate this comparison and your observations and thank you for saying don't always pick a class because it is newer. Pick the ship best suited for you. I have my strong opinion on which I prefer by far.
The Solstice class ship is a better designed ship IMO with more interesting decor and has more character than the Edge class. The deleting of the Sky Lounge is a dealbreaker for me with the Edge ships. I don't like the placement of the Martini Bar and putting specialty restaurants in a noisy foyer (Grand Plaza, atrium, all the same type of space) is a bad idea. Solstice puts them in their own aft location away from the sounds/activities of the foyer. The decor, I much prefer the Solstice class. First of all, it's more evocative of previous eras like the 1920s-1940s but with a modern take on it. Second, the colors are more varied and rich. On the Edge, it's interchangeable with the new Sun Princess or NCL Prima with everything light and bright and rather rather gray/beige with more subdued colors. It's seen as contemporary but it's rather trendy and not so distinctive. It's newer, sure. But is it really better? In 8 years or when there is a newer class will it be seen the same way it is now? Things will break on the Edge class ships and some people even say that the oldest Edge ship, the Edge, is showing wear. Yes, Solstice isn't a contemporary ship but it's an intimate, more personalized feeling ship and I think feels more premium and better thought out. The ship condition is up to Celebrity. And I don't think the ship is in any way old. Ships should last 30 plus years so ships that are 12-16 years old are at best middle aged, not old.
You've made a lot of great points! I personally love the Sky Lounge and the Lawn Club on the Solstice Class ships and did find myself missing them when I was on the Edge. But I did find favorites on the Edge, too, like the spa, which has so many more amenities, as well as the incredible Eden restaurant. So which class of ship to choose definitely comes down to personal preference, or even just wanting to try out a new experience.
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Thanks!