Cruise Spotlight
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Celebrity Solstice vs Carnival Encounter
The Celebrity Solstice was built in 2008. It was renovated in 2026. The Celebrity Solstice went through a dramatic makeover in March 2026 which breathed fresh life into the ship. Cabins and public areas were rennovated and the upgrade brought some new venues, bringing the ship in line with the newer Edge Class of ships. It's 6 years newer than the Encounter, which was built in 2002 and renovated in 2026. The Carnival Encounter is a rebranded ship, previously sailing as Star Princess with Princess Cruises and the Pacific Encounter for P&O Australia. It has been brought into the Carnival family and they added things like the HUB app and Camp Ocean, but it missing several key Carnival elements. For example, they charge for pizza outside of lunch hours and there is no complimentary soft serve ice cream or burgers.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Solstice is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,033 feet long and 121 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.9 football fields, as wide as 2.3 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 13-story building. Compared to the Carnival Encounter, the Solstice is 12% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Celebrity Solstice holds about the same number of passengers as the Encounter based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Solstice has more space per person compared to the Encounter. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.
| Celebrity Solstice | Carnival Encounter | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Solstice | Adventure |
| Gross Tonnage | 122,000 | 108,865 |
| Length | 1,033 | 951 |
| Beam/Width | 121 | 118 |
| Passenger Decks | 13 | 14 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,850 | 2,636 |
| Crew | 1,284 | 1,100 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.2 | 2.4 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 43 | 41 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Solstice has eleven different dining options like Blu, Main Dining Room, and Fine Cut Steakhouse. Of those options, ten are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other six options have an additional fee.
The Encounter has the same number of dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, Angelo's, and Waterfront Restaurant. Six of these restaurants are complementary and the other six have an additional fee.
The Celebrity Solstice has about the same number of dining options as the Carnival Encounter.
Both ships have a similar number of paid versus included dining options.
| Celebrity Solstice | Carnival Encounter | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 11 | 11 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 10 | 6 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 6 | 6 |
| % of Included Options | 45% | 45% |
| See the options | See the options |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. You can check out recent the bar menus for the Solstice and the Encounter below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Celebrity Solstice has a total of 3 pools and 7 hot tubs. 1 of the hot tubs are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.
Carnival Encounter has more pools than the Solstice and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Encounter. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Solstice.| Celebrity Solstice | Carnival Encounter | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 4 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 7 | 8 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 4 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 1 | 2 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. On the Solstice, 67% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Encounter, only 55% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Celebrity Solstice | Carnival Encounter | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✗ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✗ | ✓ |
| Beyond the Podium Talk Series | ✓ | ✗ |
| Bingo | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✗ | ✓ |
| Dr Seuss Breakfast | ✗ | ✓ |
| Edge Adventure Park | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Outdoor movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✗ |
| Sunset Park | ✓ | ✗ |
| The Parlor - Adult Gaming Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✗ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Celebrity is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.
Carnival, on the other hand, is considered a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Celebrity Solstice | Carnival Encounter | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.00 | $17.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 20% |
| Soda Price | $4.75 | $3.25 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $9.99 See drink menus | $8.25 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $55 - $99 Learn more | $83 - $88 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $19 to $30 per device per day | $18.70 to $23.80 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Celebrity Cruise Lines offers an "All Included" program. Guests who book a cruise using this promotion will have wifi and alcohol included. Some sailings are available without this program so pay attention when booking. Typically prices are lower if they don't include "Always Included." The wifi and alcohol package are the base levels and can be upgraded for an additional cost.
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