sharonann24

We just got off the Edge cruise to the Panama Canal on Friday and I would like to share a few thoughts since in the weeks leading up to our departure I was becoming stressed about some of the negative reviews. We have cruised on other lines (NCL, HA, Princess, RC and Viking River, but this was to be our first Celebrity cruise.   First of all, upon our arrival home in NY we were greeted with 27 degree weather and snow yesterday, so being on the Edge was a marked improvement for 11 days!  LOL.

However, our experience was very positive.  Starting with the transfer from FLL airport to the terminal--it was seamless.  Embarkation on board the ship was easy and quick and our reception was very warm.  We were able to get to our stateroom right away, which was an Infinite Verandah balcony on Deck 7.  The room was spacious as was the bathroom, and I found plenty of storage for our clothes, etc. though I could have done with a few more regular hangers.  Our steward Niyomen was wonderful and supplied us with extra towels daily.

Embarkation lunch was in the Oceanview Cafe and it was typical for embarkation day.  It was crowded and it took sometime to get a table but we were successful.  The food was wonderful, and the service was also very good, as we began our lunch with our cocktail.  We were traveling with my 94 year old father and brother and sister in law and were able to find them easily in the dining room.  My father quickly determined that our classic beverage packages needed to be upgraded to Premium as we all enjoy the specialty coffees and Cafe al Bacio (more on that in a bit), not to mention the alcoholic beverages.  I am a wine/Prosecco drinker usually but did try the Cosmo martini at the Martini Bar which I would highly recommend. The premium package also entitled us to better wine selection at dinner so it was worth it to us.

We did not have any specialty restaurant reservations as my father is "old school" and prefers the MDR experience, thinking we would be in one dining room for the entire cruise, which was not the case.  We visited all four dining rooms and it was also a positive experience.  There are some similarities with each menu, and each restaurant (Cyprus, Tuscan, Cosmopolitan and Normandy) did have their own special entrees each night.  Our favorite restaurant was Cyprus--delicious escargot, onion soup, short ribs!), followed by the Cosmopolitan.  Our least favorite was Normandy but It was still pleasant.    The waiters and assistant waiters were attentive and the wine steward was omnipresent.  We had breakfast one morning in Cosmopolitan which was a change from the buffet.

A word about the Oceanview Cafe and the selections.  Although we did not have dinner there, breakfast and lunch offerings were plentiful and varied.  I tend to the continental breakfast and generally focus on fruit (watermelon, honey dew, cantaloupe and pineapple), yogurt,charcuterie meats and cheese and wonderful breads. My dad and husband are traditional breakfast fans with eggs, bacon, potatoes, pastries.  There were traditional English and Indian breakfast offerings, and "eggs your way station" and a carvery.  Lunches had themes (English, American, Latin) and again there was always plenty.  The salad and sandwich bars were very popular.  The pizza stand was also great.  We usually skipped a full lunch but would do a late afternoon pizza, which was delicious.

Cafe al Bacio was hands down our favorite bar/coffee stop.  They had great pastries as well.  I would typically pick up the skinny latte for myself after my morning walk and the triple expresso and a pastry for my husband.  I did do morning room service coffee the first three days of the cruise since I need my caffeine fix, but much preferred the Cafe.  We would also stop there for a night cap before heading back to the room where we could hear the music from the Grand Cafe and Martini Bar.  The Martini Bar was our pre-show and pre-dinner stop to meet with our family and they did a good job trying almost every martini!  Service was a little slow there, but improved over the course of the trip.  It was always very crowded from 515-6:30, and then would thin out. We had an 815 dinner reservation so we were fine.

The shows were very good, entertaining and high energy.  My one disappointment/criticism is the lack of real activities during the day other than trivia.  And no Bingo!  Though they did have Deal or No Deal, which was really of no interest to us.

I opted to use the jogging track each morning rather than the fitness center.  I liked being outside and other than the two very gusty days it was a pleasure to do.

The only Celebrity excursion we did was post cruise in Fort Lauderdale to the Everglades since our flight home was not until 5 pm.  That was excellent!  The guides were knowledgeable and entertaining, plus we were dropped at the airport at the end of the tour.  We took a couple of tours from outside vendors in Aruba (sunset cruise) and a Cartagena tour, but otherwise did the ports on our own.  Bonaire is very small, cute but not much there.  Did enjoy a coffee on a pier.  Curacao was also very pretty and we walked the town, over the bridge and viewed the site.  Biggest port disappointment was Aruba but that was because we had a passenger fall ill and we needed to divert to Jamaica so they could be taken to the hospital, which meant we did not get to Aruba until after 3pm rather than the 7am arrival.  That scuttled our plans for a beach day and we just made the other excursion.  However Celebrity did make the health and safety of the passenger a priority and that was most important.  There was another passenger who also became ill as we were about to enter the Panama Canal, and that was also handled appropriately.

All in all our trip was wonderful.  I would consider traveling on Celebrity again and might even consider an Aqua class if only to experience Blu and have access to the thermal spa, but that is not a deal breaker.  The prices for the specialty restaurants are pricey. That is where NCL has the advantage because if you book Free at Sea packages they are included.

I apologize for the lengthy review but as I said I wanted to give a more positive take on the Edge experience.  

Thank you again for all of your posts.  As you are packing up, I just finished our packing and have set our alarm for the ungodly hour of 4am for our flight from NY to Ft. Lauderdale.  Hoping our MDR experience (there are 5 in our party!) will be good. We have a standing 830 time so I am wondering where we will end up.  Also wondering where our last minute pre cruise health questionnaire is--nothing on the app or on the main site.  Oh well, we are good to go!

3 hours ago, Arubamoose said:

My Edge sailing on Monday has the same thing listed for reservations.

Since we are doing the Panama Canal - I am assuming the gym will get crowded on that day by the front windows since the only folks who have forward sight access are the Retreat and Aqua.

I had heard that as well!  I am on that cruise so something to keep in mind.

1 hour ago, prim8keeper said:

 

There are reservations for the Pelotons, but you don’t necessarily need to make them. We were on Beyond last week and the way it worked was that the staff would kindly ask people to get off the bikes if they were all in use when we arrived at our reserved time. It is really just giving you priority access to the bike, but depending on when you are working out that may or may not be necessary.

 

For those looking to bring their own shoes just know the clips are SPD, not the typical Look Delta clips. On Edge they let us borrow shoes that were used for the spin classes.

Good to know!  

Question for you as I have noticed you are in the MDR many evenings.  We have a standing 8:30 select MDR time.  Will we be in the same dining room each night?  I don't anticipate any specialty restaurants since my dad is not really a fan.  Enjoying your postings even though our itinerary is different.

I will report back when I return. 4 days to go!  I only want the option to use a bike if available.  No class is necessary.  

Thanks to all who replied!  Glad to know that I am not the only one who saw that.  I will report back next week!  Here's hoping that I can at least get to a treadmill, if not the Peloton.  There is always the outside track which I have always done.  Just an FYI--not a fitness fanatic--just your average daily walker who likes to hit all of my Apple Watch fitness circles each day, and make my 10000 steps!

having trouble taking a screen shot, but when I go to the Fitness link on the app it has a section that says "Know before you go" Then, --please bring your Sea Pass.  Gym reservations are required on all sea days and port days."  I understand about the Peloton bikes (thanks by the way for the response for the shoes!) and classes, but not equipment.  Hoping we can get in!  Have to have some healthy activity! 

I was just scrolling through the Celebrity app and read that reservations are necessary for the fitness center on sea days? Is that correct?  We sail on the Edge next Monday and have four sea days.  I know that on other lines times on machines like the treadmill, elliptical and stair masters are limited to 30 minutes so I assumed this would be the case on Celebrity.  Also, I heard that there are some Peloton bikes that also must be reserved in advance due to the demand. Does the center provide the shoes, or can we bring our own?  

1 hour ago, The Med said:

Don’t be nervous.

I’ve tried to give an honest review but really, we still had a wonderful holiday. The sun mainly shone, we visited destinations that we hadn’t been to before, our cabin was spacious and sunny, we had fun.

 

The food is only a part of the holiday, and although we found it disappointing, we just got on with it and didn’t let it define our vacation.

Enjoy it, embrace the good things and don’t let the bad things spoil your fun. 

 

 

Thanks.  As I mentioned I am traveling with family and I'm sure that we will be sticking with the same MDR as my dad likes the "old school" dining experience--same waiter, bus person, etc.  This is my "retirement trip" and has been planned since July 2021.  Looking forward to low key ports, sun, reading on deck, and general relaxation (with a little culture mixed in!) Our last trip was a river cruise in November to the Christmas Markets so this is definitely a different vibe.  

1 hour ago, KKB said:

We LOVE E-class. 

IVs--I find them similar to a covered balcony. 

You will have a wonderful time!

Thanks for the response!   Reading all of these posts are making me a bit nervous.  

We leave on the Edge next Monday for the Panama Canal/Southern Caribbean cruise.  We have an Infinite Veranda on Deck 7, so I will be interested in that experience.  We have no specialty restaurants booked, primarily because we are traveling with my father and brother and sister in law, and Dad is old school--MDR at traditional seating time at 8:30 all the way.  We have done specialty restaurants on NCL but only when they were included in our reservation, since I agree the prices are high.  Don't care about the dinner buffet since we never eat there, but I am glad the breakfast and lunch buffets are still good.  This is our first Celebrity cruise and after reading some of the reviews I am getting a little concerned.  Keeping an open mind, however since the itinerary is a first for us.    I will be reading all week!

We are on the Edge on the February 13 sailing to the Panama Canal.  I will be reading your review with  much interest since some posts have not been great.  This is our first Celebrity cruise (we also love NCL) and we will be traveling with my father (93 plus!) and my brother and sister in law.  We have traditional dining--no specialty restaurants at all, but we do have the drink package!  LOL.  The ship looks beautiful and with our sub zero weather tonight in CT Ft. Lauderdale looks mighty attractive!

3 hours ago, mlbcruiser said:

I believe there is an explanation on the Celebrity app and/or website. I don’t know the exact location but know that I saw it. I have always interpreted it as casual, but on the “nicer” or slightly more dressy than regular casual side. Like something you might wear to a very nice or upscale restaurant at home that does not require formal wear or glitzy dresses like you might wear on New Year’s Eve. Celebrity even mentioned jeans being ok, but only dressier ones. They had s particular comment on the acceptable type along the line of not jeans that look over worn, faded out, stained or full of holes. Even the intentionally ripped ones - even if expensive and trendy - may be out of line. They also said cocktail dresses and jackets for men were appropriate. Yet remember, those are NOT REQUIRED! Hope this helps.

 

Thanks!  Pretty much what I thought!

What exactly is "evening chic" these days?  We are on the Edge for 11 nights in February and I am about to start my usual packing dilemma!  I plan for dresses, possibly light slacks for most nights/dinner.  My DH tends to the polo shirts, or a button down, and then usually will bring a jacket.  Not sure about the tie.  And how conservative are the ports (ABC islands and Cartagena) for day wear?  Are shorts acceptable?  This is our first Caribbean cruise in about 8 years so I would appreciate any updates.  

1 hour ago, granddutchess said:

Sharonann24.  We spend our time in the Solarium pool area.  It was not bad at all finding a lounger in a good spot.  Enjoy your cruise. We had wonderful weather.

Thanks again for your input.  I know everyone's experience is different.

10 hours ago, granddutchess said:

We were just recently on the Edge and had a wonderful sailing.   All of the dining room staff were personable and present.  Different menu choices daily.  Enjoyed all of the 4 MDR's.  No complaints whatsoever. My DH and I felt all of the Celebrity Edge staff went above and beyond to make sure we had an excellent cruise experience.  Our sailing was at FULL CAPACITY.  Concierge cabin with the IV was beautiful.  Celebrity still provides a quality product.  I guess each of us has a different definition of quality.  

Good to hear!  We leave two weeks from today and I am definitely in "pre cruise" mode!  Looking forward to the warmer weather.  How did you find the pool/sundeck with regards to crowds?

We are on the Edge and I was wondering about the brand of toiletries they carry.  I usually just bring my body lotion and depend on the shampoo/conditioner/body wash on board ship.  

2 hours ago, Beer Belly said:

What ship / cruise line is better depends on ones perception. Someone who has sailed multiple cruise lines and / or multiple cruises may be looking for something different than others. For instance, we enjoy Syd Normans Pour House on NCL, where others have stated the couldn't stand 70's and 80's music played in that venue. 

Syd Norman's rocked!  We are in our 60's and loved that place!

We do have a specific seating time--8:30.  I am not sure to which dining room we have been assigned.  my father (93 years and counting!) likes knowing the waiters by name.  He and my mother were avid cruisers and are probably elite or whatever the highest class is on Princess and possibly RC.  I am hoping this will not be a disappointment for him.  But, at the very least, we do have the premium drink package, so if all else fails, we can resort to that!  LOL. 

But other than the dining, are there any other major concerns, like seating at the pool?  We do have four sea days and I am hoping we can get some time there.  It has been awhile since we have been on a cruise in a warmer environment where the pool and outside venues are going to play more of a factor.

We are on the Edge for the Feb.13 Panama Canal sailing from Ft.  Lauderdale.  This will be our first Celebrity cruise though we have been very happy with NCL, Princess, RC and HAL.  We recently took our first river cruise with Viking and enjoyed that as well.  Having said that, we will be in the MDR every evening as we are traveling with my father who prefers to hold to the traditional dining experience (same table, same waiter, same time). We typically only go to the buffet for breakfast and occasionally lunch, so not sure how many of the buffet issues will impact us.  Frankly, I think with the onset of all of the specialty restaurants on all cruise ships the MDR/buffet service tends to get short shrift and I am hoping this is not the case. We have enjoyed many lovely specialty dining experiences and have also had great MDR experiences as well.  Fingers crossed!

I also got the upgrade invite and was looking only because it included the Thermal Spa.  We won't be able to do any of the specialty dining options since we are traveling with my father, brother and sister in law and my father (age 93 1/2!) want the MDR. So I am thinking the upgrade money is not money well spent.  Maybe the next time when we are alone....

Thanks so much to all who answered.  I think the bottom line is that once we bring any purchase home it becomes special and unique, as it is a reminder of our experience.  

5 hours ago, Ritabob said:

Have you started the grandkids' Christmas ornament collection? A new one every year, so when they eventually move into their first apartment they will have their own decorations.  There are hundreds of ornaments available at the markets, from delicate glass to wooden ones. 

RB 

Yes thank you.  That is a family tradition and I plan on continuing it.  My own children had boxes of ornaments once they moved out.

So, I am wondering what the prices are like for some of the typical souvenirs at the markets.  We are coming prepared with euros since it seems as if that is best for the markets.  For example, what would be considered reasonable for a nutcracker, or hats?  I plan on doing some Christmas shopping.  We also have two toddler grandchildren (ages 15 and 22 months) so I am very excited to see what kind of toys or trinkets I can bring back for them to put under the tree or stuff a stocking.  10 days to our flight and 11 days to the cruise on the Viking Alruna!