First time on Celebrity

[joern]

Hi

 

Just booked our first cruise with Celebrity. Booked balcony cabin on Constellation on oct 31 from Athens to Rome. Just checked the website and saw that we have been assigned cabin 7180. Seems like it's a good location.

 

We have previously cruised with MSC (Splendida and Divina) which we were very satisfied with, but expect this cruise to be an upgrade from MSC?

 

I have a few questions:

 

Booked select dining. We prefer to have dinner around 6,30-7. Will that be a problem?

 

I'm a smoker and have read their smoking policy and know off course that smoking is not allowed on the balcony, but can someone tell me where the smoking areas are on Constellation?

 

 

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[4774Papa]

Hi

 

Just booked our first cruise with Celebrity. Booked balcony cabin on Constellation on oct 31 from Athens to Rome. Just checked the website and saw that we have been assigned cabin 7180. Seems like it's a good location.

 

We have previously cruised with MSC (Splendida and Divina) which we were very satisfied with, but expect this cruise to be an upgrade from MSC?

 

I have a few questions:

 

Booked select dining. We prefer to have dinner around 6,30-7. Will that be a problem?

 

I'm a smoker and have read their smoking policy and know off course that smoking is not allowed on the balcony, but can someone tell me where the smoking areas are on Constellation?

 

 

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Welcome to Celebrity. I think you will like your cruise. Celebrity is a class act. It wins awards for its dining.

 

We moved from set dining to Select a few cruises back and love it. We usually dine about the same time that you mentioned. We rarely have waited more than five minutes to be seated. Sometimes it is easier if you agree to dine at a large table with others.

 

Regarding smoking. I don't smoke, but the usual smoking places are on the port side of the ship, one place is the sunset bar just outside the buffet at the stern of the ship. Another place is port side on the pool deck.

Be sure not to smoke in your cabin or balcony, people have been fined for that.

[broadwaybaby123]

In terms of the Constellation-specific questions, I can't answer those, as I have never been on the Constellation. However, I can answer some of your Celebrity-specific questions. I am booked on the Summit, which will be my 9th Celebrity cruise (after the Meridian, Century, Zenith, Mercury, and Millennium among others). I have also been to both Athens and Rome, and they are beautiful locations, cruising that itinerary was my favorite cruise!

 

Having an early dining option should not be a problem. It's been about 10 years or so since my last Celebrity cruise, and they used to call the dining options Early and Late seatings. I used to always go to the Early seating, which started around 6PM ship time. Nowadays, some cruises have what they call "Anytime" or "Your Time" dining options, meaning you can go to either the Early or Late seatings. Even if that is a problem, there's no shortage of food on a cruise ship: they will most likely have other dining options for you, including the Windjammer Café if needed. Some of the venues are even open 24 hours, so trust me, you will not go hungry!

 

As for the smoking, they will tell you your options on Embarkation Day, usually when they show the safety video. Please pay attention to this video, as it provides a wealth of safety information as well. When you smoke, please be sure not to smoke near the stern (rear) of the ship, as there is a chance that this could cause a fire. I would take the advice of not smoking on your balcony or in your cabin, as I have also heard of people being fined for that.

[Cruise Raider]

Hi

 

Just booked our first cruise with Celebrity. Booked balcony cabin on Constellation on oct 31 from Athens to Rome. Just checked the website and saw that we have been assigned cabin 7180. Seems like it's a good location.

 

We have previously cruised with MSC (Splendida and Divina) which we were very satisfied with, but expect this cruise to be an upgrade from MSC?

 

I have a few questions:

 

Booked select dining. We prefer to have dinner around 6,30-7. Will that be a problem?

 

I'm a smoker and have read their smoking policy and know off course that smoking is not allowed on the balcony, but can someone tell me where the smoking areas are on Constellation?

 

 

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I think your cabin location is perfect! I have been a few doors down on the Infinity and loved that location.

I also think Celebrity is a step up from MSC.

For those with select dining, 6:30 - 7:00 PM is the absolute busiest time and so may incur a wait. You can always go to the dining room as soon as you board to secure a reservation for the first couple of nights. Once you show up at that time, talk to the hostess again to see if you can have a table reserved for that time each of the remainder of the nights. If you are really late or if you blow off your reservation without telling them, it is doubtful they will hold that table for you more than 2 days in advance.

We've found that a perfect time for 2 to go to dinner and still make the later show is 7 PM. If 4 or more, it takes longer so would make the reservation around 6:30 - 6:45 PM. We once had a standing reservation for 7:15 PM and missed all the shows. It was a fun table though so worked out ok for us that time.

 

Smoking is limited on Celebrity but they usually have a spot near the stern of the ship on the top deck, one area on the port side on the outside area of the promenade deck, one on the pool area on the port side and maybe one at one of the bars on one of the top decks ... to one side or the other. There are no longer any indoor smoking areas, that also includes the casino which is completely smoke free.

[Hydrokitty]

We've found that a perfect time for 2 to go to dinner and still make the later show is 7 PM. If 4 or more, it takes longer so would make the reservation around 6:30 - 6:45 PM. We once had a standing reservation for 7:15 PM and missed all the shows. It was a fun table though so worked out ok for us that time.

 

 

We always choose set dining for 6 p.m. for medical reasons. Only thing that could be an issue for OP is that is we have never been able to make the early show because we never get out of MDR before 7:45 and by that time most of the seats are taken. This isn't a big issue for us because we don't usually go to the shows, but if it's an issue for OP, they should try for a set dining as early as possible and if show is really important to them I'd skip the MDR or plan on the later show.

[4774Papa]

We have never had a problem finding seats in the theater for one of the evening shows. We have found if you go to dine after 7pm, you might be late for the 9pm show.

[nojoke]

We always use Select dining. We go early--6-6:30 p.m. and never have to wait. However, we enjoy sharing a table with others and thus don't require the much-requested tables for 2. The closer to 7 p.m.or later that you choose to eat, the longer wait you will encounter.

[joern]

Thanks for all your replies. Can we ask to be seated together with others from Denmark?

 

 

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[4774Papa]

Thanks for all your replies. Can we ask to be seated together with others from Denmark?

 

 

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You can always ask. I have no idea if the computer system used keeps track of nationality. It would likely be possible if you had early or late fixed seating, but you are asking this to happen on the spot.

[MrLeroykittycat]

The hostesses on our last two cruises recommended making reservations for 7:15, this is around the time the earliest diners are leaving. Also, you can go online and make reservations for select dining at anytime prior to the cruise.