Tom Stieghorst
Some cruise ship features become iconic: the rock climbing wall on Royal Caribbean International ships, the Haven on Norwegian Cruise Line vessels, the Grand Piazza on Princess Cruises.
Other features come and go, remaining unique to a particular ship or class of ships in the fleet. It appears that's the case for the grass lawn on Celebrity Cruises' five Solstice class ships, which was not repeated on the new Celebrity Edge making its debut this week.
Celebrity's half acre of green grass was truly novel when introduced it on the Celebrity Solstice in 2008. It covered four sections of the top deck and gave the ships a distinctive calling card with cruisers.
No other cruise line has followed suit with live grass. Part of the problem is that ships move and grass evolved in stationary locations where it adapts to particular sun, temperature and soil conditions.
Finding grass that is suited to Celebrity itineraries in both the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, not to mention more northerly climes, was a problem, according to a story in Turf Magazine, a trade journal.
In normal weather, the grass tolerated salty air, but when there were storms special care was required to keep the salt from building up to intolerable levels. Then there was the wear and tear occasioned by the daily foot traffic of 2,850 passengers.
So it appears that it's one-and-done for the lawn at sea, which to me is a bit of a shame. The single most memorable meal I've ever had at a specialty restaurant on a cruise ship was served at a table for two at the Lawn Club Grill on the Celebrity Silhouette.
I suppose my wife and I could break out the patio furniture and serve ourselves a grilled steak on the lawn at home, but having someone serve us the meal on a well-groomed green at sunset with the Mediterranean Sea for a backdrop is obviously a better alternative and one I'd be willing to pay for again.
Fortunately, the Solstice class ships will be around for awhile, so fellow grass fans, take advantage while you can.
___
Correction: Celebrity introduced its grass lawn in 2008.