Celebrity Cruises bets on nostalgia and renewal with Solstice fleet overhaul

The Celebrity Solstice is the first in the SOlstice fleet to undergo renovation. Credit: Celebrtiy Cruises

Celebrity Cruises’ $250m modernisation plan starts with Celebrity Solstice almost twenty years after she first set sail. The overhaul marks a new phase for the company, bringing the line’s older ships closer in style and experience to its newer Edge Series.

A significant investment to keep pace with changing passenger tastes and expectations, rather than a full reinvention, the project focuses on refining what has worked and reimagining what feels dated.

Celebrity Solstice was originally constructed by German shipbuilding company Meyer Werft and delivered in 2008. Sister ships were rolled out gradually over the next few years. Celebrity Equinox first, Celebrity Eclipse in 2010, followed by Celebrity Silhouette, then Celebrity Reflection in 2012.

So how does this $250m refresh align with its long-term fleet deployment and brand positioning strategy? The company says that the strategy is rooted in guest feedback and aims to reimagine the ships to meet evolving holiday expectations from its customers, largely through redesigning popular spaces and improving accommodation areas.

But, according to the team behind the upgrades, the approach goes beyond cosmetics.

“The Solstice Series modernisation includes eight new experiences,” explains Jeannette Coto Dou, VP of product development at Celebrity Cruises, “including four entirely new-to-sea venues and integrates popular features from newer ships, like the Edge Series.”

Four concepts have been created to improve onboard life and compound a premium cruise experience.

The Boulevard Lounge is a new, “cabaret-inspired” entertainment venue offering daytime activities such as game shows and evening events such as candlelit concerts. Replacing the nightclub is a sports bar called Celebrity Barcade, which offers billiards, darts, and board games. In place of the existing specialty 3D-animated dining experience Qsine, Italian restaurant Trattoria Rossa hopes to upgrade dining with tableside dish creation, where diners watch fresh pasta being made from scratch.

“Edge Series favourites, including Fine Cut Steakhouse, will be introduced on the Solstice Series for the very first time,” says Coto Dou, describing guests as the brand’s “north star” whose feedback helped to create “new and exciting experiences”.

Other areas undergoing a design upgrade include Café Al Bacio, Cellar Masters, World Class Bar, Martini Bar, Pool Bar, Passport Bar, Blu, the Fitness Centre, and Camp at Sea.

Once the 1,033 foot-long Celebrity Solstice launches in March 2026, one of the itineraries it offers will be the Grand Voyage, lasting 110 nights. Catering to longer itineraries is one of the reasons behind the upgrade of all 1,479 staterooms on board.

To this end, four new stateroom categories will be introduced: the panoramic infinite veranda suite, the deluxe panoramic ocean view suite, the deluxe panoramic ocean view suite, the panoramic ocean view suite, and the deluxe panoramic ocean view.

Over in AquaClass, the staterooms have been updated with spa-inspired details, which include massage-effect shower heads, aromatherapy diffusers and in-room yoga mats.

“The goal is to deepen loyalty among existing guests, while attracting new demographics through expanded stateroom options and wellness-focused upgrades,” says Coto Dou.

The original design of Celebrity Solstice was carried out by US-based architecture firm Wilson Butler. A key element behind its blueprint, which will be both leveraged and enhanced in the upgrade, is guest connection.  

The team originally connected public plazas into a strong horizontal circulation spine so that people would naturally find themselves in an active community. Illuminated pillars connected the shopping boulevard and entertainment court signalling to guests that they are in the community hub of the ship. Now the entertainment court becomes the Boulevard Bar, sitting next to the expansive Boulevard Lounge, optimising this social heart of the ship. 

“Our Solstice Series ships represent the best of classic cruising, and now we’re elevating this vacation experience even further by adding brand new experiences and enhancements at every turn,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises. “Guests will enjoy more ways to explore and restore, all while staying true to what made our guests fall in love with these ships in the first place.”  

Another significant change is to the “floating lawn”. When it first came into fruition it was touted as the only “half acre real grass lawn at sea”. Composed of real grass that was meant to be durable yet soft underfoot, its goal was to help provide outdoor escapism. Guests could play activities such as croquet as well as relax in hammocks and cabanas. For the revamp, however, it will become artificial turf and, as mentioned, the space will be labelled Sunset Park providing new amenities and menu choices. 

From March 2026, Celebrity Solstice will be operating Asia and Australia itineraries followed by summer sailings in Alaska. From September 2026, the ship will also embark on a 110-night Grand Voyage from Canada to Southeast Asia where it will stop at 55 destinations in 15 countries with 65 days ashore over the course of the cruise, finishing in December 2026. 

The itineraries include: 9-Night Hawaii, 13-Night Best of New Zealand, 12-Night Australia Wine & Tasmania, and 10-Night Thailand & Vietnam Holiday. 

The modernisation of the Solstice fleet signals a thoughtful attempt to bridge the past and future of Celebrity’s brand. While the updates promise sleeker venues and smarter use of space, the essence of the ships remains intact. When Celebrity Solstice returns to the water in 2026, she will carry not only a new design but also the weight of a brand keen to keep redefining what modern cruising looks like.