A Week of Meh: My Constellation Review 1/20-1/25

[headhurt]

We sailed the five-day Western Caribbean itinerary from Port Everglades to Cozumel and Key West. Before I begin my review, I will start by saying that this review is based solely on my experience, and is my opinion. If something offends you, and before you pull out your Celebrity pom-poms, take a breath and go find a review better suited to your delicate sensitivities. Again, this was my experience. Don't like it, go write a review of your own.:D

 

A little about myself and my other half. Logtar (my fiance) and myself, both in our late 30's, both professionals (he does computer security, I am an oncology nurse), no kids (dinks!!), well-traveled, and avid foodies. We're not huge drinkers, loud partiers, and have a great appreciation for relaxation. Both his job and mine are heavy on structure and stress, so vacation is that time we decompress.

 

I'll be writing this review in parts, based on specific areas, and ports of call. I'll try to include a couple pictures in as well because pictures are a nice break for the eyeballs when you are reading a wall of text...which this will probably be.

 

Now, on with the show!

[wallie5446]

I have been waiting to hear and read how it was!

[headhurt]

We flew into Ft Lauderdale the day before we set sail, standard practice for us. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, which was very close to Port Everglades. The hotel was nice, clean. The beds were comfy. They don't have a lounge or restaurant, but they do have free shuttles to a bar and grill, and they will provide a complimentary drink if you go. We did not go. Instead, we wanted to know where we could find great seafood close by, and were directed to a place called the Rustic Inn. It looks like a fish market, everyone sits at long tables, but don't let the casual atmosphere fool you. This place had some of the best seafood we've ever had.

 

The next day, we reserved a shuttle to take us to the port. We did have to pay, but we were able to take advantage of a deal offered by the service to meet us at the port when we got back, and take us to the airport. It beat the pants off trying to flag down a taxi with a couple thousand other people. It didn't take us long to get to the port, no long lines.

 

Embarkation:

Was a snap However, we got there around noon, so we have beaten the majority of passengers. A few long lines, but they moved rather quickly. While we waited, we entertained ourselves because we are talented in this manner.:cool: After getting our pictures done for our ship cards, we breezed onto the ship and were greeted by friendly staff and a glass of complimentary mimosas, which were tasty, but because I am such a lightweight when it comes to alcohol, started feeling the effects immediately. The specialty dining people had a table set up for reservations, so we booked Ocean Liners that same night, and Tuscan Grill for Thursday. We didn't get a discount for booking first night dining (I had read that it was 20%, but I was apparently mistaken).

 

We sailed out of Port Everglades and enjoyed a beautiful sunset before getting ready for dinner, which will be my next post.

[Tommy3putts]

Interested to see the rest. Considering this same itinerary for Feb 2015.

[headhurt]

So, Ocean Liners offers up French cuisine, which admittedly, I don't have a lot of experience with. But we were willing to give it a try, and we have consistently been wowed by the specialty dining that Carnival offers. If Carnival wowed us, we were excited at what Celebrity was going to excite us with.

 

Boy, were we disappointed. It's not that the food was inedible. It was good. But that's it...just good. We weren't amazed. Log had some fish dish for an appetizer, and it had some great flavors, easily the best dish sampled that night.

 

 

I had the lobster bisque, which was confusing. There was some sort of green blob in the bottom of the bowl that was supposed to be either avocado or cilantro flan, and tasted like neither. Instead, it muddled the flavors of the lobster. It was distracting. Truth be told, the lobster bisque you get at Costco is much, much better.

 

So here is the amuse bouche, served compliments of the chef. A puck of duck pâté, which wasn't too bad.

 

 

Again, not amazing. Log had the lobster, which was prepared at the table with fire! It was a great tasting dish, but we decided it was something we could easily replicate at home.

 

 

I had the herb-crusted lamb chops, which was also good. I'm a huge lamb chop fan, and if I had to pit Carnival's lamb again Celebrity's? Carnivals would win hands-down.

 

 

Log finished his meal with a dessert that looked like a stick of butter. It was good, but didn't blow us away. I had the grand marnier souffle, which was okay, but pretty loose on the inside.

 

 

 

After, we had coffee and conversation about something nerdy (because we are also geeks and that's how we roll). The staff in the restaurant was very, very attentive. Overall, a pleasant dining experience, but nothing more.

[wallie5446]

Glad you found the Rustic Inn! It is one of our favorite's too. Just talked to our Son in Shawnee, sorry you had to come back to 35 deg and snow tonight:D

[CruiseGirlKS]

Thanks for the review and pics! :)

[20pluscruises]

So, Ocean Liners offers up French cuisine, which admittedly, I don't have a lot of experience with. But we were willing to give it a try, and we have consistently been wowed by the specialty dining that Carnival offers. If Carnival wowed us, we were excited at what Celebrity was going to excite us with.

 

Boy, were we disappointed. It's not that the food was inedible. It was good. But that's it...just good. We weren't amazed. Log had some fish dish for an appetizer, and it had some great flavors, easily the best dish sampled that night.

 

 

I had the lobster bisque, which was confusing. There was some sort of green blob in the bottom of the bowl that was supposed to be either avocado or cilantro flan, and tasted like neither. Instead, it muddled the flavors of the lobster. It was distracting. Truth be told, the lobster bisque you get at Costco is much, much better.

 

So here is the amuse bouche, served compliments of the chef. A puck of duck pâté, which wasn't too bad.

 

 

Again, not amazing. Log had the lobster, which was prepared at the table with fire! It was a great tasting dish, but we decided it was something we could easily replicate at home.

 

 

I had the herb-crusted lamb chops, which was also good. I'm a huge lamb chop fan, and if I had to pit Carnival's lamb again Celebrity's? Carnivals would win hands-down.

 

 

Log finished his meal with a dessert that looked like a stick of butter. It was good, but didn't blow us away. I had the grand marnier souffle, which was okay, but pretty loose on the inside.

 

 

 

After, we had coffee and conversation about something nerdy (because we are also geeks and that's how we roll). The staff in the restaurant was very, very attentive. Overall, a pleasant dining experience, but nothing more.

 

Is this a specialty restaurant? Like Murano on Reflection?

[headhurt]

The Constellation is a beautiful ship. The corridors are brightly lit. The colors are complimentary and do no assault your eyes. Definitely better than the neon and glitz of the Carnival fleet. The cabins are smaller, but Celebrity makes great use of mirrors to make the space appear more roomy. I'm sure some couples particularly liked the mirrors.;)

 

 

The bathrooms are really, really tiny. You could sit on the toilet and brush your teeth over the sink at the same time! The showers are small and narrow, so if you have broad-shoulders (like Log), you have to shower sideways. Overall, being in the cabin was like being in a camper...that floats.

 

We got complimentary cotton balls and swabs. Our cabin steward, Newton, was awesome.

 

The tap water doesn't get very cold, which kinda sucks when you get up in the middle of the night wanting a drink of cold water. There's a safe, which uses a four-digit combo (which is a lot better than the kind that you use a magnetic card to swipe).

 

The ship was very clean. I never noticed anything dirty. Passenger-made messes were cleaned up promptly. Little stations dispensing Purell were at the doors of all the dining venues, or sometimes someone was standing there, waiting to squirt the stuff in your hand. This was great! Log told me that he lost count of guys leaving the bathroom who failed to wash their hands. Props to Celebrity for helping the fight against gross passengers and their germs!

 

There was a lot of great art all around the ship. Tons to look at! We didn't participate in the art auction because we prefer to commission local talent for our art.

 

We didn't really take advantage of the entertainment, but I heard the nightly shows were good. We liked to chill in our cabin and read. We did, however, visit one of the lounges for Adult Day Care, which was hilarious. Even Log got up did a rousing karaoke rendition of "I'm Too Sexy". I showcased my percussion chops on a solitary bongo drum. Derek Lewis (the guy who heads it) is a great talent. Visit his show if you have the opportunity, and most importantly, PARTICIPATE!

 

Log and I did utilize the gym, and the spa, purchasing a couples massage. Heather and Anya was amazing. The massages were fantastic, and easily the best part of the entire cruise. The gym was a little disappointing as it wasn't too big, and we had to wait for machines. Considering that Celebrity has a class geared for health and wellness (i.e. the Aqua class), I was surprised that the gym was so lacking.

 

There was a guy who worked in the gym, a young pup with an Aussie accent, who said something pretty condescending to Log on our first day there. And just like that, Log had a nemesis for the week.:eek: From the machines, I could hear Aussie Guy giving seminars on whatever they were trying to sell to passengers, and if you had any type of healthcare education, you would know that he was basically talking out of his little, tightly-toned, and probably tanned, arse.

 

They had a ping-pong table, we utilized that. We didn't swim in the main pools...too crowded, and apparently chair-saving isn't just a Carnival problem. We tried the Thalasso pool on formal night as no one was else was there. During the day, we observed kids there, swimming under the signs that expressly stated "No kids allowed". Towels were provided to passengers, which was great. Drink service was a little on the slow side, and we had a classic drink package. Drinks seemed watered down to me, when we could actually get them. We didn't take advantage of the drinks in our mini-fridge because we would have been charged, even with having the drink package...which is kinda dumb.

[arielsong88]

Is this a specialty restaurant? Like Murano on Reflection?

 

Yes, that's right.

[headhurt]

Is this a specialty restaurant? Like Murano on Reflection?

 

Yes, Ocean Liners cost an additional $45 per person. Not worth the extra cost, IMO.

[headhurt]

Aside from the Supper Clubs at Carnival, we find the food on the rest of the ship marginal. Celebrity's offerings are slightly better, but only just. The food in the Oceanview Cafe (the buffet) are a lot fresher and more diverse, but fairly bland. Breakfast there was always plentiful, but the same thing every single morning. However, because there were more options, you could eat something different everyday. They had an omelet station, a waffle and pancake station, American and English breakfast areas, continental breakfast. At lunch, they had a pasta bar, Asian fare, American, and sometimes sushi (which was pretty good for a buffet-grade sushi). They also had a pizza kiosk, and the pizza was good. Log hated it, but he is a Chicago boy. In the back, they had daily specials...baked potato bar, special deli sammiches, food with ethnic flair. They had plantains one day, which Log was excited about, until he tried them, and he wasn't excited anymore. Log is also a Colombian boy, and he knows what good plantains should taste like.

 

We only ate at the Main Dining Room twice. When we booked, we booked Select dining. When we got on the ship, we were given a card that had assigned our dining time to late seating. I don't know why the glitch, but we didn't feel strong enough about it to change it, just annoyed enough that they didn't get it right the first time. We didn't eat in the MDR on formal night as we opted out of dressing up this time around. Turns out, we REALLY liked not messing with it. Our table mates said the formal night dining experience wasn't any different than any other night there. They had sailed with Celebrity quite a bit, and said that they used to offer a surf and turf entree on formal night. This time, not one lobster tail to be seen in the MDR. At any rate, the food in the MDR was good. Bob and Marena (our servers) were very friendly and eager to help.

 

I would have loved to try Blu, bit apparently that was only available to those who booked Aqua class. Disappoint!

 

We didn't try Bistro on Five. There simply wasn't time for it. I'm told it was good, and probably worth the $5 charge.

 

We also didn't eat any burgers or hot dogs poolside. Why would I pay so much money just to eat a hamburger?? We did, however, eat as much fresh fruit as we could get our hands on. The pineapple was the best.

 

The coffee was horrible. HORRIBLE! Log and I are coffee snobs (like there are wine and beer snobs), but we didn't feel like trying our hand (paying more) at the coffee kiosk on the ship. However, I switched to the hot tea option mid-week, which I really enjoyed. Lots of hot tea varieties, the mango white was my absolute favorite.

 

We did attend the brunch on our last sea day, and I think Celebrity really shines in this event. Lots of great food options: omelets, sushi, different types of smoked salmon, cheeses, pastries, breads, shrimp, hot and cold items, and a massive dessert table with both dark chocolate and white chocolate fountains. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. But the coffee was still terrible.

Edited January 27, 2014 by headhurt
I totally forgot the pizza!

[20pluscruises]

Yes, Ocean Liners cost an additional $45 per person. Not worth the extra cost, IMO.

 

Thx!

[headhurt]

Our first port of call was Cozumel. We booked a day with Nachi Cocom. We were among the first ones off the ship, and we were literally the first ones at the resort. We selected our spot (a cabana close to the pool) and settled in for the day. The morning had a slight chill in the air, but as the day went on, the wind died down and the day warmed up. The water was pretty chilly, so we didn't engage in any splashy-splashy.

 

 

 

The attendants were, well, attentive. They popped by regularly and we were never without a drink. At $55 a person, you get a four-course meal (we are usually too full to get the dessert), unlimited drinks...

 

 

...and use of the beach, pool, and hot tub. Water toys, massages, and other extras are available for a nominal fee. They only allow 100 guests per day on their beach, and they subscribe to a non-partying atmosphere. A great place to go and chill. We spend the day in our chairs, reading and enjoying delicious ceviche.

 

 

This was our second time visiting Nachi, and it was another great day. If the water had been ideal, it would have been perfect. If you really want a relaxing day away from the crowds, this place is for you. They were completely booked that day, but I never felt like there were a hundred people there.

 

Edited January 27, 2014 by headhurt

[midwestchick]

So far I'm loving your review...sounds quite honest and to the point. Could you tell me what all the different food was that you ate at the place in Ft. Lauderdale...looks wonderful. Thinking about one day doing a TA out of Ft. Lauderdale..I'll have to keep this place in mind.

We did Bistro on Five on the Silhouette and loved it. If you sail Celebrity again, try to make it a point to eat there. It is well worth the $5.00.

One question...not sure if there is a cafe with speciality coffes, but there was on Silhouette...Cafe El Basio...they had wonderful coffees and it was included with the drink package. Enjoyed their regular coffee as well as the speciality coffees. I'm in agreement with the regular coffee on X but also found this on Azamara as well. It does seem the regular coffee is much too strong and bitter....of course that's our opinion.

Looking forward to reading more of your review.

[headhurt]

So far I'm loving your review...sounds quite honest and to the point. Could you tell me what all the different food was that you ate at the place in Ft. Lauderdale...looks wonderful. Thinking about one day doing a TA out of Ft. Lauderdale..I'll have to keep this place in mind.

We did Bistro on Five on the Silhouette and loved it. If you sail Celebrity again, try to make it a point to eat there. It is well worth the $5.00.

One question...not sure if there is a cafe with speciality coffes, but there was on Silhouette...Cafe El Basio...they had wonderful coffees and it was included with the drink package. Enjoyed their regular coffee as well as the speciality coffees. I'm in agreement with the regular coffee on X but also found this on Azamara as well. It does seem the regular coffee is much too strong and bitter....of course that's our opinion.

Looking forward to reading more of your review.

 

We had stuffed clams. Log had stuffed shrimp, and I had a platter that featured stuffed lobster, local crab, and veggies. Whatever stuffing they use, it's amazing. You'll love it.

 

It never occurred to us that our drink package would cover the specialty coffees. I think by the time we found the cafe, we were so over the whole nickel-and-diming bit that we just were not curious enough to try it. But I will post more on that later.

 

For the time being, it is late and I have to get up early for work. So, I will continue my review later.

 

Good night!:D

[arielsong88]

So far I'm loving your review...sounds quite honest and to the point. Could you tell me what all the different food was that you ate at the place in Ft. Lauderdale...looks wonderful. Thinking about one day doing a TA out of Ft. Lauderdale..I'll have to keep this place in mind.

We did Bistro on Five on the Silhouette and loved it. If you sail Celebrity again, try to make it a point to eat there. It is well worth the $5.00.

One question...not sure if there is a cafe with speciality coffes, but there was on Silhouette...Cafe El Basio...they had wonderful coffees and it was included with the drink package. Enjoyed their regular coffee as well as the speciality coffees. I'm in agreement with the regular coffee on X but also found this on Azamara as well. It does seem the regular coffee is much too strong and bitter....of course that's our opinion.

Looking forward to reading more of your review.

 

On the Summit, there was also a Cafe El Bacio, and I also found the espresso drinks there to be comically bad. (I didn't bother with the drip coffee anywhere on the ship.) But I live in a city with great coffee, and I generally abstain from consuming it when I travel because it is hard not to be a snob about it after being surrounded by the good stuff for so many years. So (as with anything) it helps to know whether the person giving the review has a high bar for that particular thing.:)

Edited January 27, 2014 by arielsong88

[drarill]

Great pictures, like your honest review. :)

[letsgoaway]

Looking forward to the rest of your review.

[wallie5446]

So far I'm loving your review...sounds quite honest and to the point. Could you tell me what all the different food was that you ate at the place in Ft. Lauderdale...looks wonderful.

 

http://Www.rusticinn.com

[eadien7]

I'm on this cruise next week and was wondering what night is formal night? Hoping its a sea day.

[RickT]

Sounds like your cruise was a typical Celebrity cruise. Don't take this wrong but I'm wondering if your "meh" was the result of expectations that Celebrity didn't meet based on how much better than Carnival you thought it would be?

 

It's happened to us before on other vacations. You stay at a 5 star hotel with fantastic reviews and you wind up being underwhelmed.

 

Anyway, I hope you had a good trip regardless.

 

Looking forward to reading the rest.

Edited January 27, 2014 by RickT

[cle-guy]

I'm on this cruise next week and was wondering what night is formal night? Hoping its a sea day.

 

It was the 1st sea day.

 

Depart MIA

Sea Day - FORMAL NIGHT

Cozumel

Sea Day

Key West

Arrive MIA

 

Notice our itinerary swapped COZ/KEY from the typical sailing, but assume formal is still 2nd night. I was caught off guard forgetting to send my clothes for pressing on boarding, and had to pay extra for same day service.

[cherylroslyn]

Aside from the Supper Clubs at Carnival, we find the food on the rest of the ship marginal. Celebrity's offerings are slightly better, but only just. The food in the Oceanview Cafe (the buffet) are a lot fresher and more diverse, but fairly bland. Breakfast there was always plentiful, but the same thing every single morning. However, because there were more options, you could eat something different everyday. They had an omelet station, a waffle and pancake station, American and English breakfast areas, continental breakfast. At lunch, they had a pasta bar, Asian fare, American, and sometimes sushi (which was pretty good for a buffet-grade sushi). They also had a pizza kiosk, and the pizza was good. Log hated it, but he is a Chicago boy. In the back, they had daily specials...baked potato bar, special deli sammiches, food with ethnic flair. They had plantains one day, which Log was excited about, until he tried them, and he wasn't excited anymore. Log is also a Colombian boy, and he knows what good plantains should taste like.

 

We only ate at the Main Dining Room twice. When we booked, we booked Select dining. When we got on the ship, we were given a card that had assigned our dining time to late seating. I don't know why the glitch, but we didn't feel strong enough about it to change it, just annoyed enough that they didn't get it right the first time. We didn't eat in the MDR on formal night as we opted out of dressing up this time around. Turns out, we REALLY liked not messing with it. Our table mates said the formal night dining experience wasn't any different than any other night there. They had sailed with Celebrity quite a bit, and said that they used to offer a surf and turf entree on formal night. This time, not one lobster tail to be seen in the MDR. At any rate, the food in the MDR was good. Bob and Marena (our servers) were very friendly and eager to help.

 

I would have loved to try Blu, bit apparently that was only available to those who booked Aqua class. Disappoint!

 

We didn't try Bistro on Five. There simply wasn't time for it. I'm told it was good, and probably worth the $5 charge.

 

We also didn't eat any burgers or hot dogs poolside. Why would I pay so much money just to eat a hamburger?? We did, however, eat as much fresh fruit as we could get our hands on. The pineapple was the best.

 

The coffee was horrible. HORRIBLE! Log and I are coffee snobs (like there are wine and beer snobs), but we didn't feel like trying our hand (paying more) at the coffee kiosk on the ship. However, I switched to the hot tea option mid-week, which I really enjoyed. Lots of hot tea varieties, the mango white was my absolute favorite.

 

We did attend the brunch on our last sea day, and I think Celebrity really shines in this event. Lots of great food options: omelets, sushi, different types of smoked salmon, cheeses, pastries, breads, shrimp, hot and cold items, and a massive dessert table with both dark chocolate and white chocolate fountains. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. But the coffee was still terrible.

Just FYI your classic package would have covered all of the fancy coffees at the coffee bar as well as all of the Forte teas and espressos. And all of the little desserts there and cookies are free.....

[eadien7]

It was the 1st sea day.

 

Depart MIA

Sea Day - FORMAL NIGHT

Cozumel

Sea Day

Key West

Arrive MIA

 

Notice our itinerary swapped COZ/KEY from the typical sailing, but assume formal is still 2nd night. I was caught off guard forgetting to send my clothes for pressing on boarding, and had to pay extra for same day service.

 

Thanks, we are also doing Cozumel first.