First time I've tried this: sort of a cruise blog aboard Celbrity Constellation

[villauk]

If you're on the 7th August Connie sailing, we'll see you there :).

[2CoolCanucks]

Thanks for your daily review. If you make it to the TA on April 2nd, then our paths may cross once again... Just three weeks and a day .... soooooo looking forward to it!!!

Your review helped answer some questions for me.

As did this link here on Cruise Critic with lots of quality pics! 1247 in total.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/photos/ships/celebrity-constellation-272/

[FL.OH.TN.]

Thank you so much for such a well written and comprehensive travelogue! We will be on the March 24 sailing, our third time on the Connie! After 17 cruises, it is our favorite ship! Thanks again and safe travels home.

[FlorenceItaly]

Thanks again for the wonderful review. I hope you decide to sail on the TA with us!!

 

 

 

 

Marie

[DaisyFire]

Thank you so much! Truly enjoyed and learned much from you review :)

 

~Marguerite

[DaisyFire]

Well that pic pretty well nailed it...excellent find and thanks for your answer to my question....scrabble anyone??....:)

 

Would love to play... but you'd have to hang out on the ship until the 3/28 sailing :D

[Glosman]

Thank for taking the time to post such an informative blog.

 

Good to hear that the Constellation is in such good shape and the crew are all on good form. So looking forward to our cruise on her later this year. Anticipation level set to 11 (out of 10)!

:):)

[powderhorn]

Thanks for your daily review. If you make it to the TA on April 2nd, then our paths may cross once again... Just three weeks and a day .... soooooo looking forward to it!!!

Your review helped answer some questions for me.

As did this link here on Cruise Critic with lots of quality pics! 1247 in total.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/photos/ships/celebrity-constellation-272/

 

Thanks for the link for the pics...great tour of the ship and also thanks to the OP for the excellent review of their cruise...very helpful indeed...can't wait to get on board!! :)

[RickT]

Thanks for the review. We'll be on the same sailing in 9 days (and can't wait). We are also booked on the Aug 7th sailing but are not 100% sure we'll be able to make it.

 

Hope you left some wine for me :D

[jbuch02]

Plenty of wine left RickT.

 

I found this interesting. This morning, interested in a late booking, I checked a web site I use mainly to see what's available. On the Constellation TA departing Fort Lauderdale on 4/2 there were OVs, Balconies and Suites available. Prices were heavily discounted. When I checked again this evening, nothing was available. At the Celebrity web site, only suites were listed as available.

 

Interesting because it demonstrates the use of dynamic pricing startegies by Celebrity that I believe have been in place for years. A few cabins not booked? No problem, list them for a couple of hours at discounted prices, sell what we can and then mark everything sold. Rinse and repeat.

 

I can't complain. RCL is running a business to make money. I'll keep an eye out though as I suspect it will happen again in a few days but you never know. It's like timing the market. Can't be done.

 

Another thing with late booking is buying one way tickets out of Rome, FCO back to ATL, expensive to begin with, is way expensive inside 30d. Like about twice as much compared to a RT ticket.

 

Sure, you can buy a RT FCO/ATL/FCO ticket and not use the return ticket to FCO from ATL but that kind of thing, called "throwaway ticketing" is specifically prohibited in your ticket contact. Any likelihood that the airline will come after you thinking you didn't just miss the flight? Virtually none unless you are a repeat offender of the policy.

 

Anyway, it sucks that the airlines price like this. The cost of a one ticket, even if I did snag a cabin, is a show stopper for us. Next year.

Edited March 11, 2016 by jbuch02

[FlorenceItaly]

Plenty of wine left RickT.

 

I found this interesting. This morning, interested in a late booking, I checked a web site I use mainly to see what's available. On the Constellation TA departing Fort Lauderdale on 4/2 there were OVs, Balconies and Suites available. Prices were heavily discounted. When I checked again this evening, nothing was available. At the Celebrity web site, only suites were listed as available.

 

Interesting because it demonstrates the use of dynamic pricing startegies by Celebrity that I believe have been in place for years. A few cabins not booked? No problem, list them for a couple of hours at discounted prices, sell what we can and then mark everything sold. Rinse and repeat.

 

I can't complain. RCL is running a business to make money. I'll keep an eye out though as I suspect it will happen again in a few days but you never know. It's like timing the market. Can't be done.

 

Another thing with late booking is buying one way tickets out of Rome, FCO back to ATL, expensive to begin with, is way expensive inside 30d. Like about twice as much compared to a RT ticket.

 

Sure, you can buy a RT FCO/ATL/FCO ticket and not use the return ticket to FCO from ATL but that kind of thing, called "throwaway ticketing" is specifically prohibited in your ticket contact. Any likelihood that the airline will come after you thinking you didn't just miss the flight? Virtually none unless you are a repeat offender of the policy.

 

Anyway, it sucks that the airlines price like this. The cost of a one ticket, even if I did snag a cabin, is a show stopper for us. Next year.

 

Did you call Choice Air? When I called the one way rate was cheaper than the Choice Air website showed. It's worth a call.

 

 

Marie

Edited March 11, 2016 by FlorenceItaly

[Sj0hn]

My daughter was asking last night if Celebrity had any kind of a dance club? She's thinking about last year's cruise on Liberty of the Seas while they still had The Crypt or Dungeon or whatever it was. :) I told her I didn't think they have anything like that on Celebrity ships, but maybe late night in one of the larger lounges they might have dance music happening for the college kids. Have you noticed anything like it?.)

 

 

The Solstice class ships have a nightclub, Quasar, but the M class don't. I was on the Eclipse in December and we transitioned from the Martini Bar to Quasar and sometimes the Sky Lounge in between depending on last call. Last time I was on this ship during this time, the traffic moved from the Martini Bar to the Sky Lounge or the Sunset Bar. They're all fun, but no matter the class, the Martini Bar is my favorite. :)

 

Regarding the cruise director, he was the activities director on the Eclipse when I was on in December. I thought he did a good job and am interested to see him in this new role.

 

Wonderful blog! Thanks!

[Stargirl4]

Thanks for the great review! Any advice on purchasing photos on board? Not sure if we should buy the package before we leave or wait until we get on the ship.

[jbuch02]

FlorenceItaly, I've had a good experience with ChoiceAir over the last couple of years. Thanks for the recommendation but too many things would have to fall into place for the TA to work. I'll just wait until August to experience this great ship again going from Venice to Rome.

 

On Photos. We purchased quite a few photos when we first started cruising. They are done nicely. We don't anymore although we have several taken each cruise just so we can see how much we've aged. Depressing.

 

If you are planning on getting photos, especially with family, the package may be advantageous to you if the price is right. However, I believe there are photo package discounts offered throughout the cruise. Moreover, you are paying Celebrity in advance for photo services if you pre-buy.

 

Pose for and have the photo staff take tons of pictures. Every time a photographer approaches asking to take a casual photo, for example, at dinner or disembarking at one of the ports, do it. There will be photographers around the ship taking photos with backdrops of the ship, stair cases, etc. just move from photographer to photographer and let them snap you. This way you'll have dozens of photos to choose from, not just a few.

[FlorenceItaly]

FlorenceItaly, I've had a good experience with ChoiceAir over the last couple of years. Thanks for the recommendation but too many things would have to fall into place for the TA to work. I'll just wait until August to experience this great ship again going from Venice to Rome.

 

 

I understand completely. Perhaps we will meet on a future voyage. Best wishes to you and your wife.

 

 

 

Marie

[weavergal]

We leave in two days and LOVED the information you posted here. It will make our trip much easier. We have been on the Constellation before and agree that it is a great ship with a happy crew. We spoke to the chef once who said that his goal was just this -- happy crew members make happy passengers.

 

Enjoy your next cruise, and see you on the waves!

 

Stephanie