Celebrity Solstice Class Ships Get $250 Million Upgrade
Celebrity Cruises is giving its iconic Solstice Class a major glow-up. With $250 million earmarked for enhancements across all five ships, the updates promise new venues, elevated design, and refreshed staterooms that bring these guest favorites closer in line with the newer Edge Class experience. Here’s what’s coming and when to expect it.
About the Solstice Class
Celebrity’s Solstice Class, or S-Class, ships are the mid-tier in Celebrity’s fleet. They’re not the oldest or smallest ships, but they’re not the newest and largest. They are the center of the pack, offering a more intimate and smaller-scale cruising experience that some love but, at the same time, can also feel a bit dated.
“Our Solstice Series ships represent the best of classic cruising, and now we’re elevating this vacation experience even further by adding brand new experiences and enhancements at every turn. Guests will enjoy more ways to explore and restore, all while staying true to what made our guests fall in love with these ships in the first place.” -Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises
Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises
The first ship in the class, Celebrity Solstice, debuted 17 years ago.
- Celebrity Solstice – 2008
- Celebrity Equinox – 2009
- Celebrity Eclipse – 2010
- Celebrity Silhouette – 2011
- Celebrity Reflection – 2012
While the ships have all received some updates during dry dock, as they approach 20 years of service, it’s time for more than just a refresh. It will start with the Celebrity Solstice.
Upgrades Coming to Celebrity Solstice
Celebrity has indicated that these ships will have 8 new experiences, including four “new-to-sea” (i.e., brand new) spaces.
Boulevard Lounge Replaces Celebrity Central
This space is a brand-new intimate entertainment space. Here, you’ll see events throughout the day, like trivia and game shows in the morning and candlelit concerts and dueling pianos in the evening. The space is inspired by a cabaret lounge with glamorous vibes.
Boulevard Bar
Near the Boulevard Lounge, guests will find the Boulevard Bar, a new addition for handcrafted cocktails. It replaces the Entertainment Court Bar.
Celebrity Barcade
Celebrity describes this space as an “elevated sports bar.” Big-screen TVs will show favorite sporting events, while guests can also play darts, enjoy a round of billiards, or grab a favorite old-school board game. It’ll take over the space previously occupied by Quasar and Future Cruise Vacations.
Trattoria Rossa Replaces Silk Harvest
Celebrity will be adding a new Italian specialty restaurant during these renovations. Trattoria Rossa will offer tableside preparations of Italian classics and freshly made pasta daily. The restaurant will take over the space previously occupied by Silk Harvest.
Fine Cut Steakhouse Replaces Tuscan Grille
The Solstice Class ships will also get a staple from the newer Edge Class ships, the Fine Cut Steakhouse. This venue is Celebrity’s interpretation of a classic steakhouse with high-end steak cuts, seafood, and delicious sides. Fine Cut Steakhouse will take over the space at the aft of Deck 5, previously occupied by the Tuscan Grille (with half of that space going to an expanded Blu restaurant).
Sunset Park
Sunset Park sounds like a rebranding of the Lawn Club, a vast field of natural grass found on Solstice Class ships. The space will lean into the park-like feel, offering food and beverage options as well as open-air concerts. They’ll likely remove the Hot Glass Studio and replace it with a dining venue similar to The Lawn Club Grill, found on the Silhouette.
Expanded Sunset Bar
The Sunset Bar on a Celebrity ship offers some of the most panoramic views of the ship’s wake. It’s a relaxing place to grab a cocktail and enjoy the ocean breeze during the day, or have a pre-dinner drink watching the sunset. During the renovations, this space will be expanded. If it’s like what they did on the Silhouette, they’ll remove the bocce/lawn bowling area to expand the seating across the whole aft of the ship.
Enhanced The Retreat Suites and Areas
In more recent years, Celebrity has been doubling down on the suite experience. To bring the Solstice Class ships in line with the Edge Class, they’re reimagining the suite experience on these older ships.
The Solstice will get a new Retreat Sundeck, replacing the Solstice Deck on Deck 16. It will feature outdoor seating, plenty of shade, and an oversized hot tub. The Retreat Lounge will also be redesigned.
Celebrity will also update The Retreat cabins with the latest amenities.
Upgrades to Every Stateroom
The cabins on board will also undergo a refresh and modernization.
For AquaClass cabins, every room will get spa-inspired features like massaging shower heads, in-room yoga mats, aromatherapy diffusers, and a pillow menu. AquaClass guests will also have access to the new Relaxation Lounge at The Spa.
The Solstice will also get four new stateroom categories:
- Panoramic Infinite Veranda Suite
- Deluxe Panoramic Oceanview Suite
- Panoramic Ocean View Suite
- Deluxe Panoramic Ocean View
Design Refreshes Around the Ship
In addition to the new spaces, almost all venues on the ship will get a design refresh, including Cafe al Bacio, Cellar Masters, World Class Bar, Martini Bar, Pool Bar, Passport Bar, Blu, Luminae, The Fitness Center, and Camp at Sea.
Upgraded Celebrity Solstice Will Debut in March 2026
The renovated Celebrity Solstice will make its debut in March 2026 while sailing in Australia and Southeast Asia. It will then reposition to Alaska for summer sailings.
The renovation dates for the other Solstice Class ships have not yet been revealed.
My Take: Good to See Smaller/Medium Ships Get Modern Updates
A lot of the news and attention from many cruise lines has been about the new mega-ships. While that’s nice, there are many guests who value the more intimate experience of small and medium-sized ships. In fact, the S-Class ships are a favorite of many Celebrity Cruisers, but they’re starting to feel dated. Cruising has evolved so much in the last two decades, and it’s nice to see these classic ships being brought up with the new features found on newer ships.
I especially like the Boulevard Lounge and Barcade which seem to bring more excitement to a ship that might read a bit “dull” but just looking at the deck plans. The Barcade reminds me of Virgin Voyage’s popular Social Club area which was always buzzing with energy, and the Boulevard Lounge gets into the new Dueling Pianos concept which people seem to love.
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