Just got a press release from Celebtity about thier new Solstice. Another first in the cruise industry. There puting a half-acre lawn on the top deck with real grass. A country club type environment called The Lawn Club. Says you can choose from bocce ball, croquet, practicing your putting skills, bring a picnic basket or just squish the grass between your toes. And there aill be a Sunset Lounge there. Looks really inviting on the slide show.

What will they come up with next for a new ship?

Cheers, Neil

Water skiing and parasailing off the back of the ship?

I'm in Rick!

Well this is just what I need...a bunch of men playing bocce and waving their hands around and arguing in an Italian fashion.

I don't even know what bocce ball is but I now know it's played in the grass!

Now I can go on a cruise and be awaken with someone mowing and weedeating the lawn! At least they are replacing a little 02. I know it is probably not real turf!

Gary, they say in the release it's real grass and in the dipiction it looks like the KY bluegrass you'd see on a putting green.

Cheers, Neil

Another new feature is to be a section devoded the "Hot Glass". The histroy and craft of glass blowing. Apparently Corning has something to do with the permanent new fixture on this ship.

Cheers, Neil

Well I'am a semi retired Landscape Contractor. I would not want the job of caring for that lawn. High traffic area, wind, salts, drinks, sun, ect. It will be a hard turf to maintain IMHO. At least they can choose a good soil. Irrigation will have to be at night, that could lead to fungus problems.

Gary, you could come out of retirement and offer to tend the lawn a few times a year for free cruises!!!

Cheers, Neil

I'll mow the lawn for a cruise.....I do it at home for nothing....I would think the salt air would do a number on any grass....think I would rather see a roller coaster than grass...Happy cruising...

Bob E

I remember seeing a Travel Channel show on one of the luxury ships -- The World, I believe -- that has a smaller area of real grass. I don't remember the details too well, but I think it was a small putting green. Certainly not a half-acre, though, as Celebrity is doing. The upkeep sounds tremendous, as Gary noted.

I can picture it now...people saving their "own" patch of grass by placing a deck chair on top of it.

Hey I don't even mow my lawn at home. My wife likes to do it and I want to make her happy . Maybe she could mow the lawn for our vacation, after all she does enjoy it !!

Lawn chair on the lawn!! If they allow it, it will be a nightmare. One or two is one thing, a large number of them on a daily basis would really do a number on it.

A retired landscape contractor who's wife mows the lawn? We're gonna have to meet one day on a cruise, I want my wife to get to know your wife!

Cheers, Neil

The dawn breaks on another beautiful morning at sea as the ship heads for it's next port of call. Suddenly the calm is broken by the sounds of a riding mower as the crew tends to the ship's lawn. Later the gas trimmer will be fired up to the delight of two-cycle exhaust aficionados who enjoy the smell along with their scrambled eggs.

No Dave...

My concvern is that eventually they'll make it a driving range...and I'lll be awoken to the sound of a ball hitting off my window and someone yelling..."Sorry! Hooked it!"

Rememebr the age before everyone was so environmentally concientious. They used to allow driving golf balls off the bow of the ship and even skeet shooting! Times have changed. I wish someone would come up with environmentally friendly shot pellets and clay pigeons (biodegradable). That would be fun! They'd never allow guns on anyway so it's a moot point.

Cheers, Neil

I remember those days, Neil. The last time I saw skeet shooting was in 2000, and I was surprised as it had been so many years.

Gary, I know they've taken this into consideration, but what would you estimate a half-acre of grass weighs?

I would think that they would need about a foot of soil to support the turf. My guess would be around 1089 tons (dry), maybe up to 1400 tons when watered.
Er used to figure 100 pounds for a cubic foot of soil.
A half acre would have 21,780 cubic foot.
That would be 2,178,000 pounds.
Divide that by a ton (2,000) your get 1089 tons.

Oh course they should go for the full effect and plant a few palm trees here and there.

Just had a vision of my Palm trees getting knocked over as we pass under a bridge.