Before Celebrity Cruises’ Edge-class ships debuted in 2018, the 122,000 gross ton Solstice class vessels were the pride and joy of the cruise line. These ships were—and remain—a very popular class for Celebrity.
Now, these beloved vessels are about to get a major refresh. Celebrity Cruises just announced an investment of over $250 million to completely modernize its five Solstice-class ships, meaning your next sailing on one of these ships would look a lot different.
As someone who’s sailed on multiple Celebrity ships over the years, I can tell you that the Solstice class has always been one of my favorites. These ships, which debuted starting in 2008 with Celebrity Solstice, were innovative for their time – they were the first to feature a real grass lawn at sea as well.
Now Celebrity is taking them to the next level.
What’s Getting Updated
Celebrity is calling this transformation comprehensive, and they’re not kidding. The renovation will include eight completely new experiences, with four spaces that are brand new to the cruise industry, plus major refreshes to existing favorites.
Brand New Venues Coming to Solstice Class
Boulevard Lounge – This intimate entertainment venue sounds like it’ll be the place to be in the evenings. Think cabaret-style entertainment with candlelit concerts, dueling pianos, and interactive daytime programming like game shows and trivia.
Boulevard Bar – Located right next to the lounge which allows passengers to stop by before or after a show.
Celebrity Barcade – An elevated sports bar where you can actually play games too. Multiple screens for watching sports, plus billiards, darts, and retro board games.
Trattoria Rossa – An Italian restaurant with tableside preparations and fresh pasta made daily. The authentic tableside service is a nice touch that you don’t see everywhere.
Fine Cut Steakhouse – Celebrity is bringing their Forbes Travel Guide-rated steakhouse from the newer Edge-class ships to Solstice class. This is significant because Fine Cut has been getting rave reviews. Expect 30-day dry-aged steaks and that elevated service Celebrity is known for.
Sunset Park – This transforms the top deck into a half-acre outdoor oasis with great views, cuisine, lawn games, and open-air concerts. Given that the Solstice class already has that famous lawn club, this expansion of outdoor space makes perfect sense.
Stateroom Upgrades and New Categories
All staterooms will get a complete refresh, which is always welcome news. But what’s really interesting is that Celebrity is adding four entirely new stateroom categories:
- Panoramic Infinite Veranda Suite
- Deluxe Panoramic Oceanview Suite
- Panoramic Ocean View Suite
- Deluxe Panoramic Ocean View
The focus on “panoramic” views is no accident as it looks like Celebrity wants to emphasize the ocean experience that makes cruising so popular and so different from a land-based resort.
Existing Venues Getting Makeovers
Celebrity isn’t just adding new spaces – they’re also refreshing popular existing venues including:
- Café Al Bacio
- Cellar Masters
- World Class Bar
- Martini Bar
- Pool Bar
- Passport Bar
- Blu (exclusive to AquaClass guests)
- Luminae (exclusive to The Retreat guests)
- Fitness Center
- Camp at Sea
Timeline and What This Means for Cruisers
The renovations start with Celebrity Solstice in March 2026, with the other four ships in the class (Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Eclipse, Celebrity Silhouette, and Celebrity Reflection) following over the next few years.
These major renovations typically take ships out of service for 3-4 weeks, so expect some itinerary changes and adjustments while this goes on.
Celebrity President Laura Hodges Bethge said they’re “elevating this vacation experience even further by adding brand new experiences and enhancements at every turn” while “staying true to what made our guests fall in love with these ships in the first place.”
Given that Celebrity Solstice won’t complete its renovation until mid-2026, you have time to plan a cruise to check out some of these new enhancements.
Bottom Line
This $250 million investment shows Celebrity is serious about keeping their Solstice class competitive as these ships near 18+ years in service. The new venues sound like they will be very popular with the cruising crowd that already loved these ships to begin with.
Keep an eye out for more details as we get closer to Celebrity Solstice’s renovation in March 2026.
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