New to Celebrity, please share your tips!

[kjbacon]

We love to cruise; our recent cruises have been on Viking Ocean, Holland America, RCI, and NCL. We have never been on Celebrity but are booked on the Constellation, in a suite, for October so please share your tips and suggestions!!

[4774Papa]

If you are diamond on RCI you can become elite on Celebrity and enjoy the daily free happy hour from 5-7. Also, each person gets a free bag of laundry during a cruise.

 

Celebrity's dining is a cut above most cruise lines. We hardly ever dine in the specialty restaurants because the MDR is very good.

 

Celebrity doesn't offer much of the RCI and NCL water slides and such. You will largely find an older and well traveled fellow cruiser. Smoking restrictions on Celebrity are excellent. There is no smoking in the casino. Always, no smoking on balconies.

 

We have done two cruises on Connie, it is an M class ship, usually well maintained and you won't feel crowded on the ship.

 

The entertainment is still good, but generally a bit below NCL and RCI.

 

If you travel in a suite, you get to dine in Luminae. The food is wonderful.

[DaKa2002]

Loved our cruises on the Connie! (and other M ships) Our favorite place on Celebrity ships - Cafe al Bacio, for great coffees and teas; and the pastries are free even you don't have drink package that covers the drinks. Our favorite drink there is the Alpine!

 

DW loves the Canyon Ranch spas on Celebrity ships.

Edited January 27, 2018 by DaKa2002
add info

[Lolotte]

For us and our friends our favorite place is behind the buffet, oceanview café. You can eat, drink or relax and you are outside, also has a shaded part.

[kjbacon]

That all sounds great, thank you! Any favorite specialty restaurants or bars?

[chemmo]

As a suite guest you will have access to Michael’s Club (suite concierge lounge) and Luminae (suite restaurant). You will also have a butler. Dependent on what type of suite you are in you may also receive further perks.

 

We love Michael’s Club as a venue for pre and post dinner drinks. Service is outstanding....they will know your name and drink preferences from day 1. The concierge can take care of any issues and will also arrange little treats like bridge tours, helipad sail aways....

 

Your butler can arrange your speciality dining, in room nibbles and will serve any in suite meals you order.

 

Have a great cruise!

[misha1]

Do not miss dining in Luminae...It's perfection!

[visibilityunlimited]

When my wife and I are on a Celebrity Ship, the average age cohort goes up (we're both "pensioners"). So we fit right in with the description of the passengers being more mature with fewer children than might be the case on other cruise lines. Because of this we tend to dine in the MDR more than we would on other lines. We also select early or late seating (rather than anytime) as we get an opportunity to visit with people over a number of dining experiences, and share more interesting life stories than "where are you from and have you cruised this ship before?".

 

We add our vote for the Oceanview Café. It is an extension of the buffet, yes, but the alfresco experience makes it special; at least for us. This is particularly the case if the ship departs port later in the evening.

[NordicPrince]

Relax, enjoy, don't abuse the staff ( they bend over backward to make your experience enjoyable) and don't look for little things to bit** about, nothing is ever perfect.

 

Enjoy the simpler things that being on a cruise offers.

[sueajp]

WE are in a similar position. First time on Celebrity and love this itinerary of Spain, France and Italy.. Read a lot of negative reviews from people just back from the mid east trip a little bit ago. That left me rather uneasy.... This is reassuring.

Thanks!

[Straughn]

Chemmo summed up the big benefits very well. A few of the lessor ones: lunch in Luminae on embarkation day, so no cattle call at the buffet (Ocean View); the MC concierge will escort suite guests off on disembarkation day which allows you to get quickly get your luggage and thru Customs and Immigration, and priority for tenders in a port where they are used. The MC concierge can make spa and dining reservations for prime times when there appears to be no availability. Ya know, little stuff like that!

[keesar]

The food is a cut above other lines in my opinion. You may be disappointed with the entertainment.

 

As for Specialty Restaurants, my vote would be for Murano which is really special. However, the food in the MDR is excellent and many have no need to go to a Specialty.

[Denny01]

Yes, lots of good info, but one of my favorite items on Connie wasn’t mentioned yet: the Solarium/Thalassotherapy(sp?) Pool! The best pool (my very biased and subjective opinion) afloat. It is a saltwater warm water inside pool deck 10 forward. On M-Class Celebrity ships, we try to get forward Deck 8/9 SRs so we can zip up in the mornings and enjoy the pool.

 

It has steel pipes on the side that form lounges in the water with bubbles coming up underneath. Fantastically relaxing. We swim laps; stand under water pipes with water flowing down onto your back and shoulders. Then we climb onto the lounges and relax.

 

There are two jacuzzis next to the pool. Love it!

 

I disagree with the comments about the entertainment being not up to the other Lines. Although Lines such as RCL have full plays and are outsetanding, others have song and dance groups much as Celebrity, but don’t use a live band. So my opinion is those other Lines are using Karioki while Celebrity has a great live band playing. I do get a bit tired of the older Broadway play song and dance, but some of the recent stuff is very good.

 

Den

Edited January 30, 2018 by Denny01

[Lastdance]

Indulge, enjoy, relax and have a wonderful time...the suite life is a great way to enjoy your cruise to the max! Going with friends is even better...

[kjbacon]

Thank you all! Everything sounds fabulous. The itinerary is what brought us to this sailing, like another poster said. A couple follow up questions please ... is the solarium pool included or is that an extra spa charge? What are the hours for Michaels Club and do they serve coffee?

[chemmo]

Thank you all! Everything sounds fabulous. The itinerary is what brought us to this sailing, like another poster said. A couple follow up questions please ... is the solarium pool included or is that an extra spa charge? What are the hours for Michaels Club and do they serve coffee?

 

Solarium pool is free, added charge for Persian Gardens (not worth it in our opinion on M class ships)....

 

Michael’s is open from about 8am....our latest night in Michael’s was 11.30 pm. We asked when leaving when they closed ‘When you go to bed’ was the answer. I think the official closing time is midnight. They really do offer exceptional service. Last cruise I asked first evening if they had a certain brand of sherry. They didn’t (no big deal I chose an alternative). Next night I entered to my favourite pre dinner tipple being served with the comment ‘I have found two bottles on the ship for you, I have them hidden here!’

 

They do have a coffee machine. Not quite as nice as Cafe el Bachio’s but still good! They have an excellent selection of premium drinks and as my sherry story suggests if your favourite tipple isn’t on the shelf just ask, if it is on the ship they will get it for you....

[kjbacon]

We are early risers; what’s the earliest that we can get coffee somewhere? I don’t know if our suite has a coffee maker.

 

Your sherry story makes me wonder what the vodka choices on board are! If anyone knows or knows where to find a drink menu, I’d appreciate it!

[kjbacon]

Just found the drink info on the website when looking for something else! So many interesting vodkas to try.

[chemmo]

We are early risers; what’s the earliest that we can get coffee somewhere? I don’t know if our suite has a coffee maker.

 

Your sherry story makes me wonder what the vodka choices on board are! If anyone knows or knows where to find a drink menu, I’d appreciate it!

 

Cafe el Bachio opens early I think 7am...you butler will deliver cafe el bachio coffee to you also, then there is room service if you want a full pot delivering....

 

Rooms do not have coffee makers but we have requested (and received) a kettle on our cruise with Celebrity. Just ask your butler on boarding.

[renroc13]

Every line has it own attractions. We have sailed primarily with Celebrity the past 20 years. When we bring children we usually go to RC. I have sailed Princess, Regents and others many years ago. What one finds most on Celebrity (especially the crossings and positioning cruises) are their loyal customers who we meet over and over again.

 

We like to read a lot and these ships have more places to sit than RC and others that have taken the areas to add entertainment activities, Shopping arcades, and places for parades (all wonderful!!)

 

They seem to be doing a little better with the quality of lectures. My husband is a college professor so we are not always the easiest to please. Some speakers are much better than others. Some have great material but are not the best deliverers. But there are plenty of activities when not in ports.

 

The cafe suits our needs better than Royal Caribbean and Princess and we have been happy with some of the extended choices on Celebrity. Some say the food on Celebrity is better but I found the food just as good in the DR on RC. Not the cafe though. And all ships have cut corners with food the last 15 years.

 

The price point for Celebrity is wonderful for what it is...the next closest venue for us would be more $$$$$.

 

The staff is wonderful and feels like family especially if you have been on a btb btb btb as we did last year.

 

Medical facilities excellent.

 

You can find a place on the ship to sit and actually feel alone....

 

I always read reviews carefully. A review of a very hectic port cruise will be different from mine. If someone on a Med Cruise was complaining about crowds in the cafe that will happen with any port intensive trip as everyone gets back on board at the same time and runs for food. Timing is different for all on sea days.

 

All ships have different staff and can differ slightly in how they manage things. Celebrity is doing what it can to attract younger people so there is a mix which I find very refreshing. I am certain (sure) they are struggling with this process to make everyone happy. As we age we prefer to be with a mix of people on a vibrant line.

 

On another note...I feel the cruise lines are treat their staff much better than they did years ago. And I had a roommate many years ago who jumped ship in SA and said she was flying home. Yes the hours are brutal but we have found staff in places around the world who have opened up their own little businesses after being on board for years.

 

You can also write in food for room service and if they have it available they will usually bring it.

 

Hope this is helpful.

 

Karen

[renroc13]

We are early risers; what’s the earliest that we can get coffee somewhere? I don’t know if our suite has a coffee maker.

 

Your sherry story makes me wonder what the vodka choices on board are! If anyone knows or knows where to find a drink menu, I’d appreciate it!

 

The main ice bar has dozens and dozens of vodka bottles. I asked my husband how many and he said ..."a lot."

Karen

[cristine]

Is there a dining room open for lunch on embarkation day?

[daydreamer16]

In reference to the Solarium/Thalassotherapy pool---no children! As a retired teacher it means the world to me!

[chemmo]

Is there a dining room open for lunch on embarkation day?

If you are in a suite Luminae is open, if you are concierge class the MDR offers a special lunch menu. If neither the Oceanview cafe is great and has lots of space just after 1 to 1.30 pm as everyone else legs it to their cabins...

[dcyonce]

Is there a dining room open for lunch on embarkation day?

 

We always do "Sushi on 5" on embarkation day. Much less crowded than Ocean View or the dining rooms.

 

-- Don