Cruise Spotlight
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Celebrity Solstice vs Celebrity Edge
The Celebrity Solstice was built in 2008. It was renovated in 2021. The Celebrity Soltice was the first cruise ship to feature a full half-acre of living grass on board. It's 11 years older than the Edge, which was built in 2019. The Celebrity Edge is the first ship to feature the "Magic Carpet," a moving platform that makes using water tenders a breeze while in port, or adds outdoor dining space while at sea. This Edge-class of ship is known to feel quite different than the rest of the Celebrity fleet as it's less geared towards traditional cruise passengers.
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 Celebrity Edge, the Solstice is 6% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Celebrity Solstice holds about the same number of passengers as the Edge based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Solstice has less space per person compared to the Edge.
| Celebrity Solstice | Celebrity Edge | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Solstice | Edge |
| Gross Tonnage | 122,000 | 129,500 |
| Length | 1,033 | 1,004 |
| Beam/Width | 121 | 128 |
| Passenger Decks | 13 | 16 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,850 | 2,918 |
| Crew | 1,284 | 1,320 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.2 | 2.2 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 43 | 44 |
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 15 different dining options like Murano, Sushi on Five, and AquaSpa Cafe. Of those options, 9 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 6 options have an additional fee.
The Edge has 3 more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Raw on 5, Dinner on the Edge, and Cosmopolitan Restaurant. 8 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 10 have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Edge might be a better choice. It has 20% more dining options than the Solstice.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Solstice might be a better choice then the Edge. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
Restaurants on Celebrity Solstice & Edge
| Celebrity Solstice | Celebrity Edge | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| AquaSpa Cafe | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Blu | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Cosmopolitan Restaurant | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Cyprus Restaurant | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Dinner on the Edge | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Eden Cafe | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Eden Restaurant | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Fine Cut Steakhouse | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Le Grand Bistro | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Le Petit Chef and Family | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Le Petit Chef at Qsine | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Luminae | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Magic Carpet | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Main Dining Room | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Mast Grill | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Murano | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Normandie Restaurant | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Oceanview Cafe | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Raw on 5 | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Rooftop Garden Grill | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Spa Cafe | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Sushi on Five | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Tuscan Grille | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Tuscan Restaurant | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
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. Alcohol is not included in the base price of this cruise ship. To see if you would save money with a drink package, try our Drink Package Calculator.
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 problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.
The Celebrity Solstice has a total of 3 pools and 6 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools and 2 of the hot tubs are adults only.
The Celebrity Edge has the same number of pools as the Solstice and fewer hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Edge. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
| Celebrity Solstice | Celebrity Edge | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 1 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 4 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 1 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 1 |
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 both ships, 67% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare.
| Celebrity Solstice | Celebrity Edge | |
|---|---|---|
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Beyond the Podium Talk Series | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bingo | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Eden Entertainment Space | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hot Glass Show | ✓ | ✗ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lawn Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Outdoor movies | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rooftop Garden | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| 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.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Celebrity Solstice will likely be cheaper than on Celebrity Edge.
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 understand what you might spend onboard a Celebrity ship.
| Celebrity | |
|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% |
| Soda Price | $4.00 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $8.00 |
| Drink Package Price | $65 - $95 |
| Internet Plan | $19 to $30 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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