After an expansive refurbishment that included the addition of a vast open-air park, vibrant interior lounges, elegant specialty restaurants with floor-to-ceiling windows, refreshed staterooms, and several new ship-wide entertainment offerings, the Celebrity Solstice returned to the water in Singapore in March.
The 46-day project was part of a wider $250m revamp of the line’s five-strong Solstice class of vessel. The remaining four ships in the class – Equinox, Eclipse, Silhouette and Reflection – will undergo similar bow-to-stern makeovers in the coming years.
After it had sailed via Fiji, Australia, and Hawaii, the ship arrived in Vancouver for its inaugural Alaska cruise of the 2026 season, where I sailed on it for seven nights. As a former performer who worked on multiple cruise ships, I’m intimately familiar with the inner workings of these vessels and their offerings.
Alaskan itineraries vary depending on the route and size of the vessel, but this particular voyage’s ports of call included Icy Strait Point, Juneau, and Ketchikan, as well as a sightseeing day at Hubbard Glacier.
Celebrity is marketing Solstice as a “revitalized” vessel, and that turned out to be the perfect word to capture the essence of the ship; it feels new and fresh in the best way, especially as it’s nearly 20 years old.
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While the Celebrity Solstice did undergo significant changes, passengers who loved the ship in its former iteration will be pleased to know that some elements have remained, including galleries from renowned art dealer (and a long-time partner of the company) Park West Gallery and the beloved Sky Observation Lounge. But now, the ship has a more contemporary feel overall, along with the addition of two restaurants and three lounge spaces.
The standout addition is Sunset Park — an expansive open-air space offering sweeping panoramic views of the mountainous landscapes of Alaska. In warmer weather, cruisers might enjoy yoga and lawn games in this space located on Deck 15 aft; on this particular voyage, Sunset Park (and its adjoining Sunset Bar) was the perfect place to watch the ship sail away from port with a cocktail in hand.
With an array of plush seating options to choose from — plus the addition of cozy blankets for those who weren’t quite ready for the chill that swept through the upper deck — Sunset Park provided a memorable spot to enjoy the views.
The daily warm cookie hour each afternoon at the Sunset Park Café (which serves grab-and-go breakfast and lunch options) was another nice touch; the perfect pre-happy hour nosh.
The veranda room I stayed in, complete with new carpeting, was a pleasant surprise. Its spacious bathroom and ample storage space made unpacking fun, while the room itself, including a small sitting area and queen-size bed, was decorated in calming neutral colors with pops of navy blue. The veranda was an incredible asset on an Alaskan sailing; I saw whales and seals from the comfort of my room.
Located on Deck 4, The Parlor is another new space that became one of my go-to spots throughout the week. While many ships charge additional fees to access extras, Celebrity offers up skeeball, darts, pool, and hundreds of board games at no extra cost.
With about a dozen televisions showing live sports at any time of day, it’s no wonder The Parlor was consistently one of the busiest spots on the Celebrity Solstice. There’s not another space quite like it onboard; there are no exterior windows (so hours go by in the blink of an eye), but it’s also not completely closed off from its surroundings (the Boulevard Lounge is just across the way, jam-packed with entertainment offerings day and night). It’s the perfect place to cozy up for a Premier League match, or to get competitive with new friends.
There’s a curated menu of sports bar snacks and desserts — the beef sliders, cheesy buffalo chicken bites, and warm cookie skillet were standouts — available at an additional cost. Some of these menu items are exclusive to The Parlor and are worth the indulgence; others can be found in the ship’s main restaurant each night.
I spent hours there over the course of the week; it was the kind of warm, inviting space you long to find in your neighborhood. Even now, weeks after sailing, I find myself thinking back to the memories created here.
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Another part of the ship’s refurbishment is the renewed emphasis on entertainment offerings. On any given evening, cruisers can listen to the smooth sounds of a jazz quartet, sing karaoke accompanied by one of the multiple live bands onboard, catch the ship’s production cast (complete with contortionists and aerialists) in a 45-minute high-energy musical revue, or get swept up in the atmosphere created by the new candlelit concert in the Sky Observation Lounge.
Pass through the Grand Foyer on the way to dinner and passengers might find a solo guitarist delivering easy-listening tunes (perfect ship ambiance), or a solo violinist in a tucked away lounge.
There was no shortage of live music — though some bands offered more pleasurable listening experiences than others. In an age when some cruise lines are cutting back on live entertainment, it was refreshing to have so many options to bop around to each evening. To some, it might border on overwhelming; to this former musical theater performer, it was absolutely perfect.
Many cruisers choose a ship based on the culinary offerings. The Celebrity Solstice has added two new specialty restaurants available to all passengers for a fee: Trattoria Rosa and Fine Cut Steakhouse. The former was a standout, with excellent service from the entire wait staff, delicious starter and main courses (I opted for the fresh burrata and then the lobster risotto which did not disappoint), and table-side tiramisu and cannoli assembly. The “Scarpetta” service (fresh sourdough bread served to sop up the last puddles of sauce) was an especially welcome touch. As my first meal of the trip, it set the bar high.
There are certainly some kinks to be worked out as the crew adjusts to the ship’s changes, especially when it comes to service. There were moments where it seemed like there were too many servers on hand, and others when it was difficult to find someone to assist. As the crew continues to adjust to the ship’s new offerings and figures out where guests gravitate to, I imagine this will improve.
Still, I find myself dreaming of the slow morning routine of grabbing a coffee at Cafe al Bacio on Deck five, plopping myself on a comfy sofa, and curling up with a book (and people watching, of course) while peering up at the ever-changing scenery unfolding before me.
The trip was made even better by the spectacular itinerary. In addition to visiting Icy Strait Point for the first time and returning to Juneau, I had the opportunity to explore the mountainous landscape of Ketchikan with a Utility Task Vehicle excursion (a hybrid of an All-Terrain Vehicle and a golf cart), followed by a lake cruise and crab feast. It was a blustery day — but perfect for soaking up the breathtaking beauty of Alaska.
Overall, the seven-day sailing on the revitalized Celebrity Solstice was delightful from start to finish. Getting carried away by the melodies of a seven-piece orchestra at sea was a first for me. For Celebrity, the challenge now becomes replicating this atmosphere across the Solstice fleet.
Caitlin was a guest of Celebrity Cruises.
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How to do it
An “Alaska Explorer” cruise on Celebrity Solstice with Celebrity Cruises, leaving Vancouver on 2 August, 2026, costs from $1,015 per person. Vancouver’s cruise terminal, Canada Place, is eight miles by road, or around 25 minutes by train, from Vancouver International Airport.
