The excitement is palpable on board the Celebrity Solstice as I and 4000 other souls are steered out through Sydney Heads to the Pacific Ocean. As the sun sets over the city, passengers raise their unbreakable glasses in cheers. Au revoir to all that harbourside real estate.
The novelty of it is all the richer for the fact that I am on my own, having been offered that rarest of treats, a week away from my loved ones to cruise from Sydney to Fiji. It’s hard to know which I relish more: time alone or time at sea.
Turns out it’s the former, even though day one at sea involves all my favourite things: pilates, daybed rotting, an outdoor movie and fine dining in the main restaurant, The Grand Epernay.
There’s a lot of socialising among the 2832 passengers across the 22 bars and restaurants. Crowds gather to hear someone pontificate in the art gallery, people dress for dinner and remarkably there’s a queue for salsa lessons.
For those new to cruising life, like myself, the cabins are a surprise. There’s no porthole, no bunk beds and they’re not even called cabins. They’re staterooms, and they come with a private bathroom, balcony, lounge, and a king-size bed (albeit with the bottom corners shaved off).
Australians are not only intrepid travellers. We are also among the world’s most enthusiastic cruisers: the number of us holidaying at sea surged to a record high of 1.45 million last year, according to the Cruise Lines International Association. Fortunately, many of them are on board and willing to share their cruising knowledge.
For starters, this is not about travel. We are on holiday. The former requires a lot of hard work and the latter is all about spa treatments, afternoon naps by the pool and eating out, a lot.
Cruise aficionados describe Celebrity Solstice as the “Goldilocks” of cruise ships: not as expensive as some of the smaller boats, but with better staterooms, more activities and fewer riff-raff than some larger ships.
Regulars on the 317-metre-long ship, which is roughly 20 years old, have a lot to say about a recent renovation. Top marks are given for the new carpet and reconfigured open areas. A lawn section has been replaced with more lounge spaces and the new sports and games bar – called The Parlor – is a hit.
There are a few new specialty restaurants on board the revamped Celebrity Solstice, Trattoria Rossa and Fine Cut Steakhouse being two of the best, but Sushi at Five is a long-time favourite among frequent cruisers.
A sapling was planted in a large pot and suspended above the foyer when the ship was launched in 2008. Originally situated alongside Deck 9, the plant – considered the ship’s mascot – now reaches Deck 12.
A tour of Celebrity Solstice’s inner workings is the best introduction to cruising. It lays bare that this is a floating city, dressed up like a resort. There are several commercial grade kitchens to make good the 43,200 eggs and 454 kilograms of lobster aboard for the voyage, and an industrial-sized laundry pressing the bedsheets for the nearly 1500 staterooms.
The average age of cruise-goers in Australia is 47, according to the CLIA industry association. Baby Boomers (those aged in their 60s and 70s) and their elders are in the majority on this ship, but there are also good numbers of Gen Xers and even Millennials with their kids. Multi-generational travel is clearly a thing.
By day four, my mind turns to seasickness. I’m not the only one, thanks to a gentle swell rolling in on the starboard side. The subject is only brought up in hushed tones. Medication is shared like a cigarette in the school yard.
I later ask a waitress if she ever suffers from it. She says, “Yes, right now.” We lock eyes for a moment before I ask how long until she can get off the ship. Not for another four months. I tell her I will pray for her.
Then it’s off to the day spa. There are many treatments on offer, and I’m tempted by cryotherapy, which will apparently make my flabby bits disappear, but settle for a massage. That scores five stars from me.
For a hopelessly bad traveller – I’m known to prefer staying home over risking a migraine from flying – this cruising business is pretty good.
The writer travelled as a guest of Celebrity Cruises.
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Lucy Macken is an investigative reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.
