Immediately upon stepping onto our stateroom’s balcony onboard Celebrity Solstice, my dad and I were greeted by a pod of orcas swimming and breaching in British Columbia's Vancouver Harbour.
I shrieked with delight as we snapped photos, feeling that this instant wildlife sighting was a great sign of what was in store for our seven-night Alaska Hubbard Glacier voyage onboard the recently reimagined ship from Celebrity Cruises.
Here's everything to know about the revamped vessel as it sails into its Alaskan adventures.
Ship Details
Solstice first debuted in 2008, and it relaunched in Alaska and Asia earlier this year after a modernization, the first of Celebrity’s $250 million revitalization of all five ships in the Solstice Series. Enhancements to the ship include upgrades to all existing cabins and four new stateroom categories: Panoramic Infinite Veranda Suite, two Panoramic Ocean View Suite categories and Deluxe Panoramic Ocean View. Additionally, 54 new staterooms have been added to create a new total of 1,479 cabins and occupancy for 2,852 passengers.
All existing cabins were upgraded during the refurbishment.
Photo Credit: 2026 Celebrity Cruises
At 1,041 feet long, Solstice made it easy for me to get in my daily step count, but I didn't find it overwhelming to get from one end of the ship to the other — say, from dinner to the theater for the evening’s entertainment. Two sets of elevator banks and corresponding stairways ascend 15 of the ship’s 16 decks, the last of which is accessible by stairs and an ADA elevator.
A Quick Preview
Three years ago, my entire family sailed to Alaska onboard Solstice to celebrate my dad’s 80th birthday; this time around, he and I had fun rediscovering the ship and everything new onboard. There's The Parlor, with its sports-bar setting and board games, pool tables, darts and Skee-Ball; the intimate Boulevard Lounge, which sets the stage for live music performances; and Sunset Park, an open-air space on Deck 15 that affords stunning panoramic views. Stacks of fleece blankets here were perfect for cozying up and watching the stunning Alaskan coastline glide by.
Sunset Park is on open-air space perfect for scenery-watching.
Photo Credit: 2026 Celebrity CruisesAdditionally, guests who book The Retreat — Celebrity Cruises' exclusive suite class — will enjoy a new sundeck with plenty of seating and an oversize hot tub on the bow. The Retreat also boasts a redesigned private lounge in addition to its dedicated restaurant, Luminae.
Culinary Highlights
Solstice's refurbishment added two new restaurants. First is Fine Cut Steakhouse — originally featured onboard Celebrity’s Edge-class vessels — which sits at the aft of the ship with sweeping panoramic views through floor-to-ceiling windows. The traditional steakhouse menu is filled with plenty of 30-day dry-aged steak cuts and fresh seafood dishes, not to mention tempting sides such as gruyere tater tots and creamed spinach, as well as desserts like creme brulee and a sundae that’s big enough to share (for those willing to share dessert, that is).
Our favorite meal over the week, however, was at Trattoria Rossa, a new Italian restaurant serving Roman and Southern Italian dishes, as well as pastas made in-house daily. Dishes not to miss include the Caesar salad and chicken Parmesan, both of which were delicately prepared tableside; lobster risotto; tonnarelli alla carbonara, kindly prepared without guanciale (cured pork) for this pescatarian; and involtini di melanzane, a delicious baked blend of eggplant, wild mushrooms, ricotta, pomodoro and Parmesan. The icing on the cake for me was the tiramisu, also prepared tableside.
Trattoria Rossa is a new Italian restaurant for the ship.
Photo Credit: 2026 Celebrity CruisesAlso new is Sunset Park Cafe, which serves breakfast and lunch bites along with “warm cookie hour” — an afternoon must-have.
Additional dining onboard Solstice includes the Main Restaurant for sit-down meals; the buffet at Oceanview Cafe; Mast Grill for burgers and hot dogs; and The Spa Cafe for smaller, healthful dishes. Guests in AquaClass and The Retreat have exclusive access to Blu and Luminae, respectively. In addition to Fine Cut and Trattoria Rossa, specialty dining is available at Sushi on Five and French eatery Murano.
Onboard Entertainment
Entertainment abounds throughout Solstice, from day into night. In addition to watching live bands and musicians, clients can choose from dueling pianos, silent discos, guest-led karaoke, candlelit concerts, family-friendly games between officers and guests, pool games (in warmer weather) and more.
Two new stage shows debuted onboard Solstice during its inaugural Alaskan voyage: “Smoke and Ivories,” where the iconic sounds of the 1950s take center stage, and “Rockumentary,” a live concert experience recreating rock performances across several decades.
Solstice will spend the summer in Alaska before embarking upon The Grand Voyage in September, a 110-night sailing that calls upon 55 unrepeated ports in Alaska, the South Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and Asia before ending in Hong Kong on New Year’s Eve.
