Before lockdown, we had booked a Japan circumnavigation on Celebrity Solstice for 2020, but as with most trips during that time it was cancelled and rebooked for the following year. In 2021 the cruise was cancelled once again and over time our desire to see Japan waned so we decided not to rebook it a third time. Around that period, we came across a bargain cruise in the newspaper for 2024 on the same ship but with a different itinerary so after a few emails with our TA we booked reusing our already paid deposit and this cruise is the result.
It is a fresh itinerary for us with a new departure port along with a new disembarkation port as well. We booked this cruise as a package because at the time I just wasn’t confident to go it alone, previous cancellations and the uncertainty of Covid have made me a little more conscious about doing things ourselves. So, we start this trip with a 3-night hotel stay in Singapore before joining the ship and sailing to Hong Kong. There are four stops in Vietnam, two in Thailand and we have things planned in a few of them. I won’t go into it too much detail so will just let things unfold as we make our way.
| Date | Location | Arrival | Departure |
| Monday, January 15, 2024 | Singapore | 6:00 PM | |
| Tuesday, January 16, 2024 | At Sea | ||
| Wednesday, January 17, 2024 | Ko Samui, Thailand | 7:00 AM | 5:00 PM |
| Thursday, January 18, 2024 | Bangkok / Laemchabang, Thailand | 9:00 AM | |
| Friday, January 19, 2024 | Bangkok / Laemchabang, Thailand | 5:00 PM | |
| Saturday, January 20, 2024 | At Sea | ||
| Sunday, January 21, 2024 | Ho Chi Minh (Phu My), Vietnam | 7:00 AM | 5:00 PM |
| Monday, January 22, 2024 | Nha Trang, Vietnam | 8:00 AM | 4:00 PM |
| Tuesday, January 23, 2024 | Hue/Danang (Chan May), Vietnam | 10:00 AM | 7:00 PM |
| Wednesday, January 24, 2024 | Hanoi, (Halong Bay), Vietnam | 11:30 AM | |
| Thursday, January 25, 2024 | Hanoi, (Halong Bay), Vietnam | 7:00 PM | |
| Friday, January 26, 2024 | At Sea | ||
| Saurday, January 27, 2024 | Hong Kong, China | 6:00 AM |
Cabin selection gave us the chance to revisit an old cabin of ours, it is 7276 and was the same cabin we had on our B2B2B cruise around New Zealand & Australia in 2017, the only difference being that it has since been refurbished during a dry dock so it won’t be exactly as we remember it but the location hasn’t which is what drew us to it the first time.
So, if you are reading this, it means we are on our way.
‘Nice one Wansbroughs.
(SEA) South East Asia is simply the best! I know that you’re already back home and by all accounts, you had a splendid time. Lovely!
ps. I found you while lurking through Trip Advisor! 😀
Enjoy! I have only been on one Celebrity Cruise and it was on the Solstice in Australia. I is a beautiful ship!
We enjoyed a very similar cruise just before COVID. I look forward to your views.
I’ll be interested to see how you like this cruise. It’s one I’d definitely like to do for the itinerary.
Hi Wans..I won’t be cross posting to Cruisedot..????
Looking forward to reading about all your new adventures, have a great cruise.
This is an exciting sounding itinerary. I’ll be following along with interest! Enjoy!
Bon Voyage and have an awesome time. We have done this same cruise, year ago on Azamara Quest. It stood as our best cruise up until we went to the Galapagos.
And you are on on of my personal favorite ships. We were on the 9th voyage of Solstice in her inaugural season way back in 2009. And you got yourself a hump stateroom. The best you can do on an S Class ship.
I want a full report on a couple of things—how are the specialty restaurants. The last time we were on a Celebrity ship they were not too special. I am guessing by your stateroom location you are not in Aqua so you won’t be able to report on Blu for me, but I am interested in the MDR as well and how they handle your lovely bride’s vegan dietary needs.
All that said, have an amazing trip. Take a ton of photos. Hopefully you are touring the palace in Bangkok, seeing the train and floating markets and so much more. And have you made the decision and plan on going into Hanoi? We did and I had my best day ever taking people photos from the front of a cyclo (a rickshaw like contraption where you sit in the front of a guy who pedals in the back. We did that our first day in Halong Bay so if we had a problem, we could run late getting back to the ship. Our second day we did a junk tour to the caves on the islands in the bay itself. Beautiful.
But no matter what you do you will have a great time and I look forward to a full report. BTW: When you are being transported from the ports to the cities…I hope you get a great “luxury motor coach.”
Yipeeeeeee!! Anticipating another excellent and informative blog. Just the vicarious travel I require as the itinerary will make me feel warmer in this icy UK. Safe travels and have fun. Jenni
Great news and what an excellent itinerary. Looking forward to the blog.