Celebrity Solstice Out of Dry Dock with New Feel: What’s New and What’s Missing

The very first Solstice-class cruise ship with Celebrity Cruises entered dry dock on January 16, 2026.  The newly refurbished ship, Celebrity Solstice, is now getting ready to sail its first scheduled cruise on March 2, 2206, from Singapore.

After a $250 million renovation of the ship, the 2008 vessel has quite a few noticeable changes that savvy eyes online are already catching.

New Cabins, No Basketball Court

While the ship’s hull was already the signature Celebrity blue before this dry dock, its silhouette has a slightly different look. Ship-spotters in Singapore have noticed that the two forward round satellite dish housings have been removed.

But the biggest change is the expansion of the forward upper decks. What used to be an open-air walking track and a netted basketball court on Deck 15 has been entirely replaced by a new block of cabins.

This addition includes the debut of Panoramic Infinite Veranda Suites.  These suites feature floor-to-ceiling glass, basically raising the profile of the ship from the front view.

New Solstice Deck

For many long-time Solstice fans, the most bittersweet change is on Deck 16. The “Solstice Deck,” once a quiet oasis for anyone to enjoy forward-facing views, has been “walled off”, according to some Reddit users.

This area has been absorbed into The Retreat Sundeck. Now, only suite guests have access to this expanded area, which features an oversized hot tub, new cabanas, and a private bar.

New Venues

Inside the ship, the “Celebrity Revolution” has replaced several original venues with names pulled from the newer Edge-class ships:

• The Parlor (replacing Quasar): This is a high-end sports bar and “barcade,” featuring billiards, darts, and retro board games.
• Boulevard Lounge (replacing Celebrity Central): A new cabaret-style space for game shows, trivia, and “candlelight concerts.”
• Trattoria Rossa (replacing Qsine): An upscale Italian specialty restaurant with tableside service and fresh daily pasta.
• Sunset Park (formerly the Lawn Club): The iconic real-grass lawn is still there but has been altered with a more “park-like” feel, hosting open-air movies and live folk music.

Staterooms

Every cabin is getting an upgrade, so that 18-year-old ship will feel good as new for each cruiser.  And with four new stateroom categories passengers will have more options to call home during their voyage.

Bottom Line

Although the ship is the oldest in its class, Celebrity Solstice is the first of its class to undergo this new modernization.  Other ships like Silhouette and Equinox have received partial refreshes, but they didn’t go through this massive renovation with new cabin blocks and structural changes.

Celebrity Solstice begins its 12-night voyage to Hong Kong this next week.   The ship is currently getting ready for sea trials as new systems are tested just northeast of Singapore.