Celebrity Cruises plans massive ship upgrades
Celebrity Cruises plans massive ship upgrades originally appeared on Come Cruise With Me.
Celebrity Cruises plans to overhaul its Solstice Series ships again.
The brand is investing more than $250 million to modernize these, starting with Celebrity Solstice in 2026. Passengers can look forward to eight new experiences, including four new-to-sea spaces, and many redesigned favorites, which elevate everything that makes these ships unforgettable.
Bow-to-stern innovations include reinvented outdoor escapes with enhanced views, new restaurants, and entertainment designed to create moments of connection with loved ones, as well as a redesigned stay with all-new stateroom categories and ship-wide stateroom upgrades.Celebrity Solstice will be the first of the Solstice Series ships to be made new again, welcoming guests for reimagined vacation experiences starting in March 2026. On board, new experiences from morning to night will make the journey just as exciting as the destinations.
Plus, all 1,479 staterooms on Celebrity Solstice are getting an upgrade, offering more ways to feel at home when miles away at sea.'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 Celebrity Cruises President Laura Hodges Bethge. '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.'
Here are some of the changes being made:
Boulevard Lounge:Good times and glamorous vibes will take center stage at this brand-new, intimate entertainment venue. With always-on programming, from interactive daytime activities like new game shows and trivia to elevated evenings of candlelit concerts and dueling pianos, this cabaret-inspired lounge offers a dramatic new take on showtime.
Boulevard Bar: Just steps away from the lounge, guests can pull up a seat for handcrafted cocktails before or after the show — or both.
Celebrity Barcade:Guests should bring their A-game to this new, elevated sports bar, the perfect place to both watch and play games. Guests can catch their favorite sports teams from multiple screens positioned so well they'll never miss a pass; or challenge their friends to a round of billiards, darts, or their favorite retro board game.
Guests can enjoy a number of new dining options:
Trattoria Rossa –Step into an Italian hideaway that blends opulence with modern design to experience a restaurant that bursts with charm from every corner. In this perfect setting to reignite date night, guests will have a front-row seat to the action with authentic tableside preparations of dishes inspired by Italian classics, including fresh pasta made from scratch daily.
Fine Cut Steakhouse –The Forbes Travel Guide-rated, Edge Seriesfavorite steakhouse will bring upscale dining with service that's elevated to an art form.
And check out these new bars and other innovations:
The Sunset Park:Transforming the top deck of Celebrity Solstice, guests can enjoy unparalleled views fromthis half-acre outdoor oasis. Plus, with elevated cuisine, refreshing cocktails, lawn games, open-air concerts and more, a day at the park never looked so good.
New private cabanas: Relax with sweeping ocean views and more shade, while dedicated attendants cater to your every whim.
Expanded Sunset Bar:Drink in the views along with a refreshing cocktail, as every hour is happy hour.
The Retreat suite area will be refreshed as well:
Enhanced Suites: A completely reimagined stay at The Retreat awaits, making the most elevated experience at sea even better, as Celebrity Solstice will sail with enhanced suites.
All-new Retreat Sundeck: Unwind in style at an all-new sundeck with ample outdoor seating and shade, exclusive for guests of The Retreat. Guests will relax carefree in an oversized hot tub, as they enjoy prime views from the top of the ship.
Redesigned Retreat Lounge: The perfect place to enjoy a light bite or catch up with friends over drinks, reserved for guests of The Retreat.
Some cabins will also be overhauled:
Refreshed AquaClass Staterooms: A fully immersive, next-level wellness vacation awaits. Every room is updated with spa-inspired elements – from massaging shower heads, aroma therapy diffusers, in-room yoga mats, luxurious robes and slippers, and even a pillow menu for the perfect night's sleep. AquaClass guests can also enjoy complimentary access to the all-new Relaxation Lounge at The Spa.
Four brand-new stateroom categories: New stateroom categories offer more ways to stay: The Panoramic Infinite Veranda Suite, Deluxe Panoramic Oceanview Suite, Panoramic Ocean View Suite, and Deluxe Panoramic Ocean View. These new stateroom categories are available to book starting mid-June.
Guests will enjoy all of these enhancements on Celebrity Solstice vacations starting in March 2026 with unforgettable Asia and Australia itineraries, followed by summer sailings in Alaska. In September 2026, Celebrity Solstice will also bring guests on a once-in-a-lifetime, 110-night Grand Voyage from Canada to Southeast Asia.
(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.)
, or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
This story was originally reported by Come Cruise With Me on May 29, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Eater
3 hours ago
- Eater
The Biggest New Las Vegas Restaurant Openings, June 2025
Las Vegas's dining scene moves quickly — powerhouse casinos usher in new behemoths with Champagne and sparklers and off-Strip restaurants continue to open doors in homey neighborhood strip malls. Here is a list of new and notable spots that opened in Las Vegas recently. For the best restaurants in town, check out Eater Las Vegas's Essential 38 or Eater's guide to eating and drinking in Las Vegas. Pisces The Strip Vibey seafood restaurant Pisces opened in one of the most stunning spaces on the Las Vegas Strip on May 10. Housed in the former Lakeside location at Wynn Las Vegas, chef Martin Heierling's menu features specialty oils from Greece, pastas from Tuscany, Mediterranean seafood like grilled dry-aged branzino and rare blue lobsters, and whimsical desserts shaped like fish. Pisces retains the former tenant's sweeping views of the Lake of Dreams from the window-lined dining room, while revamping the interior with deep navy tones, glittering Italian stone mosaics, and a striking dual-level bar. Zaytinya The Strip José Andrés's acclaimed Mediterranean restaurant Zaytinya opened in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace on May 13, adding to the chef's lineup of restaurants in Las Vegas, including Bazaar Meat and é by José Andrés. The menu channels Greek, Turkish, and Lebanese flavors with dishes like spicy soujouk sausage-topped flatbread, charred octopus, and a mezze spread including labneh, tzatziki, baba ghanoush, and more. Larger mains include Tangier-spiced grilled lamb chops and a mixed grill of lamb, kofte, chicken, and adana skewers. Nudo Southern Highlands Nearly 20 years after debuting the sleek, nightclub-adjacent Nove Italiano high atop the Palms, which closed in 2018, Jenna and Michael Morton of Morton Group have returned to Italian cuisine — this time in a more relaxed, suburban setting. Their newest restaurant, Nudo Italiano, is now open in Southern Highlands, trading Strip-side sheen for casual dining and Neapolitan-style pizza. Helming the kitchen is William DeMarco, who served a menu of handmade pasta, house-baked breads, and Neapolitan-style pizzas fired in a traditional wood-burning oven. The restaurant embraces Italian comfort cooking, with dishes like crispy calamari with lemon aioli, a heaping bowl of pappardelle in veal ragu with sheep's milk ricotta, and pan-roasted branzino over eggplant puree. Holsteins Arts District Over-the-top burger and milkshake restaurant Holsteins is back — but this time, off-Strip. Holsteins Shakes and Buns closed its doors at the Cosmopolitan in May 2024, ending a 15-year run, before reopening in the Arts District on May 29, 2025. Fans of the restaurant will be pleased to see a return of the original menu, including the forager burger, made with a beef-and-mushroom blended patty, creamy steak sauce, a fried egg, Swiss cheese, and marmalade onions, as well as the blackened chicken sandwich layered with bacon, chipotle ranch, and pepperjack cheese. Diners can also find Holsteins' decadent 'Bam-Boozled' milkshakes: boozy concoctions like a cookies-and-cream shake spiked with whipped cream-flavored vodka, and a Nutella and coffee shake with chocolate ice cream. Each one comes piled high with doughnuts, cookies, and marshmallows. Bobae Noodle House Chinatown Bobae Noodle House earned a following in Korea for its signature dishes and now brings its take on Korean-Chinese comfort food to Las Vegas's Chinatown. The vibe is retro and cozy, with brick walls and neon signs glowing above diner-style red booths. The menu riffs on classics with standouts like the Bobae jjajangmyeon — chewy noodles slicked with rich black bean sauce, topped with quail egg and crunchy radish sprouts — and the jjamppong, a fiery seafood noodle soup that balances heat, brine, and depth. The tangsuyuk, a crispy pork dish glazed in sweet-and-sour sauce, also deserves a spot in the rotation. For late-night noodles, Bobae stays open until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The Naughty Angel Strip-adjacent Just behind the Strip, chef Angel Lopez — an alum of Hell's Kitchen, Sadelle's at Bellagio, and Elio at Wynn — has opened his first solo project: the Naughty Angel. The sleek, French bistro-style restaurant blends fine dining polish with neighborhood energy, offering a menu anchored by Lopez's flair for rich sauces and balanced plating. Highlights include the 32-ounce picanha steak, a seared duck breast with potatoes au gratin and pepper aioli, and a slow-braised lamb shank in red wine. Baked escargot and crab cakes in lemon beurre blanc set the tone up front, while desserts lean classic-with-a-twist — like a whole poached apple in mulled wine with pie-spiced ice cream. Tucked into a low-slung plaza just west of Resorts World, the Naughty Angel feels removed from the chaos of the Strip, but still within striking distance for a night out. Blue Orchid Thai Kitchen Southwest Blue Orchid Thai Kitchen is the latest venture from the family behind Las Vegas's Pin Kaow Thai Restaurant. Executive chef Steve Piamchuntar leads the kitchen with a menu that blends flavors from both north and south Thailand. Blue Orchid marries bold flavors with bold presentations — an aromatic and herbaceous tom yum soup is prepared at the table using a siphon that dramatically drains a broth filled with herbs and spices. The menu features dishes like braised short rib khao soi, a northern-style curry served with wide egg noodles, pickled mustard greens, and red onion. Other notable offerings are the panang curry-style lamb chop with eggplant, bamboo shoots, and baby corn in coconut red curry, and the Bangkok brined chicken sliders topped with fermented red curry pickles and Kewpie mayo. The setting is nearly transportive, with hanging foliage, intricate murals of Thai landscapes nestled into booth alcoves, and a display of traditional Khon masks. Sign up for our newsletter.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Italy's Mount Etna erupts as tourists visit the volcano
Groups of tourists had to seek safety on Monday, when Italy's Mount Etna, Europe's tallest active volcano erupted. The volcano is located on the Italian island of Sicily and is a popular tourist destination with 1.5 million visitors a year, reported CNN. Many people who visit the volcano hike almost all the way to the summit. Videos show how smoke and ash filled the air as tourists scrambled down the volcano when it erupted. Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology Etna Observatory reported that multiple explosions of 'increasing intensity' were recorded early Monday morning, according to BBC. The mountain was spewing small amounts of fire and lava. Preliminary observations show a 'partial collapse' of the northern flank of the volcano's southeast crater, which has produced spectacular lava flows during recent eruptions in the last few months. The eruption began overnight and the explosions were heard as far away as Catania and Taormina which are 25 miles and 31 miles away, respectively. None of the ash is expected to fall onto Catania which is located at the foot of the volcano, per CNN. Authorities are prepared to issue alerts for people to take cover if the wind changes. Roads up to the volcano were closed as a way to prevent people from trying to get close to the eruptions and from disrupting first responders and emergency vehicles. Etna is one of the world's most active volcanos, CNN reported, but it hasn't had an eruption of this magnitude since 2014. It is one of 47 volcanoes actively erupting in 2025. Monday's volcanic activity was defined as a pyroclastic eruption which caused 'significant increase in volcanic tremor and the formation of an eruptive column containing a lethal mixture of high-temperature gases, lava grains, volcanic ash, and rock fragments of various sizes that rapidly descends down the slopes of the volcano.' According to UNESCO, Mount Etna is one of the most closely watched and researched volcanos in the world. It has a 500,000-year history of eruptions, with 2,700 years of recorded activity. The volcano's activity can vary from explosive eruptions to lava flows and ash emissions, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
'Didn't know what to do': Brit baffled by Bublik puzzle
Alexander Bublik continues to write the most amazing and unlikely story at the French Open, making Alex de Minaur's defeat by the crazy Kazakh look better by the day. Bublik's second-round win over ninth seed de Minaur left the Australian bereft and in the mood for a spot of self-blame, but he found himself in good company on Monday when British hotshot Jack Draper, the fifth seed, also simply couldn't handle his demise by drop shot from the inspired world No.62. "I didn't know what to do," admitted a flustered Draper, who'd been compared physically to a UFC fighter by Bublik but who was pummelled into submission by his stringbean adversary's fabulous shot-making. "I have a certain skill set to play tennis, and it worked marvellously today. One hundred percent, one of the best days of my life and one of the best matches I have ever played in my life. As simple as that," said Bublik, who's reached the quarter-final . He had had everyone laughing the previous round when he explained how a "hangover" trip to Las Vegas had been his way of escaping the pressures off too much hard training, the sort indulged in by what he felt were athletic "robots". And the father of a young son was quick to double down after his win over Draper that he's not prepared to sacrifice everything to push his tennis life to new levels. "There's no way around hard work — don't get me wrong, I work hard — but on my terms. Will I put my life and health on the line to have a "might"? Maybe? No," he affirmed. How to win a set Bublik style 😎#RolandGarros — Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 2, 2025 "I will continue my path. I will work my way because I still practise, guys. I still do the exact minimum and maximum at the same time in order to be the player I am, to be in the position I am, and I will continue with this path because I think I prioritise tennis and life in equal ways." It sounds a refreshing approach but, frankly, he'll have to top even his recent miracles to down Jannik Sinner next as the Italian blitzed Andrey Rublev 6-1 6-3 6-4, making the world No.17 largely look like helpless fodder. He's not the first one to feel that way. The Italian has now marched to the last-eight without losing a set and for the loss of just 30 games. Who can beat him? Novak Djokovic doubtless fancies his chances as he ticked off another landmark in his peerless career, earning his 100th career French Open victory, a mark surpassed among men only by Rafael Nadal, as he demolished Briton Cam Norrie 6-2 6-3 6-2. Like Sinner, he still hasn't ceded a set and "everything is solid and positive", he declared. But it will start to get interesting next up when the record 25th grand-slam seeking Djokovic tackles last year's finalist, No.3 seed Alexander Zverev, who progressed when his Dutch opponent, Tallon Griekspoor, quit with abdominal trouble when 6-4 3-0 down. "He definitely knows how to play tennis. He definitely knows what it means to be on the big stage and to play big matches," Zverev said about Djokovic. "There is no doubt about that." Djokovic improved to 100-16 at the French Open, while Nadal, who retired at the end of last season, went an unbelievable 112-4 while winning 14 championships. "From now on I have the toughest draw in the tournament," Zverev said. "I'm looking forward to the battles ahead, and I'm looking forward to playing the best in the world."
