I'm probably the last person to look, but some of the ship interior renditions on the new web site look breathtaking - see here. Many of the retro-style chairs remind me of the QE2's original furniture.

Those that wanted a Cunarder with modern decor, unlike the Queen Vic, well this is pretty close.

[ 12-29-2007: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

Unlike QV, SOLSTICE appears to be a ship designed for today, not one trying to copy yesterday.

I'm booked on her inaugural revenue cruise. I haven't had such anticipation for a new ship since QM2.

quote:

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Originally posted by Teva:
[...]I'd LOVE to see her in a heavy sea
the ruined interiors would be phenomenal,the fear
of her pax palable.Say what you like about the QM2
(and she's no favorite of mine either)at least she's
built to handle it,Solstice isn't.

Teva

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What utterly nonsense. How do you come to this conclusion on the seaworthiness of the Solistice class? By looking at the pictures on the Celebrity webpage?

[ 12-30-2007: Message edited by: Ernst ]

Yes I know. I do pay some attention. I had seen some of the renderings, but not all of those now on the web site. I hold my head in shame - but am impressed never the less.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teva:
..it looks
like yet another top heavy,shallow draught,glass
topped horror.

---

Agreed. I do not find her external appearance particularly pleasing, but that is the case with 99% of modern ship. Therefore I've given up worrying about that.

I once remember thinking RCI ships look like office blocks (particularly the 'Radiance' class) with tons of glass. However once you are on board all of that glass gives you excellent sea views. It's all about function and not form.

The Solstice interiors are certainly different from just about all other ships and very contemporary, with touches of retro which IS contemporary.

[ 12-30-2007: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teva:
[....]just looking
at how tall she stands,the relatively shallow hull and
draught says to that she's not built with storm or
rough sea conditions in mind.I spoke with several
passengers [...]

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...so you indeed come to this conclusion based on looking at some renderings, stories of passengers and something you read about the maiden voyage of Royal Princess?

Maybe you can explain to us why the "shallow hull and
draught says to that she's not built with storm or
rough sea conditions in mind?"

[ 01-02-2008: Message edited by: Ernst ]

Can you imagine any modern cruise liner in attempting to cross the Atlantic (purely an example)
in winter when the Atlantic is at it's worst?,no Line
would ever permit it,or they'd take a far more Southerly route,the Pacific is also less than 'pacific'
as well and many cruise liners travers it when
positioning to Australian waters during our Summer
season modern cruise liners are seaworthy,however
they aren't the best seaboats when bad weather is
encountered.

I don't understand why you're being defensive about Solstice,this is after all a forum and we're all
permitted our points of view,as we've both done,so
the evidence I have based my opinion on is both a documented case and several verbal accounts can't be dismissed.

lastly,I don't care for Solstices design,deck upon deck stacked topheavy over what (to me) looks almost like an utterly overwhelmed hull,if that be an accurate rendering of the ship I saw,then my earlier opinion of her still stands.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teva:
Ernst,you aren't reading or understanding what I'm saying,I'm saying that as a purpose built cruiseship
Solstice,(or ANY other cruiseship)is not designed or
intended for traversing a heavy sea,ships built to endure severe weather conditions have a hard enough time doing so,but they're built for it.

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Whereas most modern passenger ships are certainly intended for operation in nicer weather conditions it is absolutely not true that bad conditions are not considered - more the contrary. A lot of efforts are actually made to make sure that they can handle such conditions in a safe manner.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teva:

[...] Summer
season modern cruise liners are seaworthy,however
they aren't the best seaboats when bad weather is
encountered.

---

This is not factual. Mind you that of course not all modern passenger ships are the same - but many are actually comparably good in handling bad weather.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teva:

I don't understand why you're being defensive about Solstice,this is after all a forum and we're all
permitted our points of view,as we've both done,so
the evidence I have based my opinion on is both a documented case and several verbal accounts can't be dismissed.

---

I am not defending Solitice in particular but these rather stupid myths that modern passenger ships are not capable of handling bad weather.
What are your 'verbal accounts' based on? One ship in one storm observed by people who encountered how many storms aboard how many ships? (and what did they know about the storm and the circumstances like ship speed and heading?)
I prefer to stay with facts - data obtained by simulations, model tests and measurements obtained aboard ships - and there is a lot of such data.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teva:

lastly,I don't care for Solstices design,deck upon deck stacked topheavy over what (to me) looks almost like an utterly overwhelmed hull,if that be an accurate rendering of the ship I saw,then my earlier opinion of her still stands.

Teva

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