wanderlust58

Just out of curiosity, what did Oceania do that was so horrible? We're thinking of trying them out next year.

I'd suggest looking at average temperatures (including daily highs and lows) and rainfall for the last few years. There is a good historical weather tool as part of www.timeanddate.com. They also predict 2 weeks out, which would be helpful as well. We were in London last May and 2-3 layers and a raincoat were enough for me, although I am usually a lot more uncomfortable than most in cool/cold weather. Rain and wind makes it feel colder, so a raincoat and sturdy, waterproof shoes will be your friends.

Jeremiah is absolutely correct. Paying Celebrity this kind of money for an easily arranged few days in Rome is nuts. Their Day 2 is particularly scary. Powering through a 1/2 day to accomplish all those sites would require rockets on your tennis shoes for what essentially would be a drive-by visits. I'd eat, drink or massage your way through all that OBC. Here are a few websites that may help you with planning. www.booking.com for easy comparison of hotels. Be careful to book rooms that can be cancelled if that is a concern. Cheaper rates are usually tied to no-refund cancellations. www.toursbylocals.com for private or small group tour guides. What may seem pricey can be a real bargain if you have limited time and specific interests. www.ricksteves.com will help you with general planning. A quick trip the library for his Rome guide will give you everything you need for a short visit--names of hotels, restaurants and guides, walking tours, maps, safety tips, and a travel forum to ask fellow travelers questions (or just to read for their comments) https://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en.html for all things Vatican. I can heartily recommend the after-hours tours, either the early morning or late afternoon tour and cocktails. As many times as we've been there, the museum is a mob-scene. Unless you have specific goals there, I'd be tempted to skip it. However, on the flipside, the Vatican-run tours take you to parts of the museum that many people don't see. If you're on one of their tours, you can see the Sistine Chapel with 30 people instead of hundreds. It's wonderful to sit on the sidelines and take your time to focus on it rather than looking straight up from standing and being jostled by the mob. Not nearly as expensive as you might expect. Wherever you are planning to go, give yourself some time cushion as lines are long (even with advance-purchase tickets) and crowds are big. Always buy tickets in advance, never wait in line to buy tickets. This will save you hours. Many places have timed entrances. Some museums/sites only have online ticket sales. Sites like rome.net give good general information. So does www.lonelyplanet.com. Google is your friend here. Personally, I don't use Viatour because they are a third party vendor. You can generally book tours directly with the company or site for less. I'd also skip the Hop-On, Hop-Off bus, as traffic really slows down the route. Trams, busses and the subway can get you anywhere you want to go.Rome is easily walkable too. Have fun! Rome is a wonderful city--we have been there a dozen times, and always find new treasures and things to do.

Indeed, be nice, but be firm.

Similar story. After a full day of banging, welding and shouting in the life boat directly beneath or balcony, I complained (persistently) and got a $500 credit towards our next cruise. (NB: Life boat was out of commission for our entire cruise! Didn't ask about that.) We're booked on a TA next fall but have yet to decide whether or not to go through with it. Anyway, complain and make it clear you expect significant compensation for your continued discomfort. They didn't offer it until my third "inquiry".

I haven't done the Celebrity walking tour, but if you are comfortable getting to and from Bruges on your own, I'd suggest you fashion your own tour. Get the Rick Steves guide, or another, and take a look. It's a very walkable small town and there's nothing there you would only see on an organized tour. Keep in mind, though, that it will take about an hour and 15 minutes to get from the Zeebrugge train station to Bruges

Apparently it moves around. If I recall correctly on the November TA, it in was in the upstairs part of the MDR. Tuscan is really small on that ship. Qsine is not much bigger. Maybe they decide where to hold it based on how many Elite/Elite Plus members are on board. Regardless, you'll get that info when you board.

What a lovely, thorough, well-written, and useful review! Thanks very much. After a recent less-than-adequate trip on the Constellation, I was looking to Virgin, Atlas, and/or Azamara for our next trips. But, your review is piquing my interest in staying with Celebrity. Maybe our bad experience was more a function of the ship, its staff and entertainment rather than an across-the-board lapse in Celebrity's standards. Thanks for offering us hope!

Other posters are correct; nearly everyone, everywhere takes cards. I wouldn't purchase currency in advance or at airports, ports, etc, as rates are bad there. If you do need cash and plan to withdraw from an ATM, make sure it is a bank-affiliated ATM, rather than an "independent". Examples in Europe are Cashpoint, Euronet, etc, but I don't know if they exist in Asia or under what name(s). Their exchange rates are always poor and service charges are high. Some US and Canadian banks have international agreements with foreign banks to honor debit cards without a fee for use. Bank of America is one. You might want to check with your bank about that.

We usually sail Aqua class because I enjoy the Persian Garden. In the solstice and edge classes, it is better than on the M class ships because it is sunny and bright with heated loungers and several shower options. In the Constellation, it is dark and there are no loungers, only one heated bench. Our last sailing, the transatlantic from Rome to Tampa , we were in veranda. To me the biggest argument for going with Aqua on this ship is Blu, the aqua class restaurant. We found the MDR to be considerably lacking in terms of quality and presentation. The dining room is huge and crowded and our meals often arrived cool, if not cold. Blu is a smaller venue, and it has been our experience on other ships that for both breakfast and dinner, the food quality and service is noticeably better.

As of yesterday, not on the Constellation. There were none of those yummy macaroons, either. 🙁

We have booked both first and business class with celebrity air without a problem. Just tell them what you want.

We’re on the Constellation now. Based on the MDR food, I’d seriously consider the specialty restaurants. Our first time eating elsewhere (we usually eat at Blu), and it’s been pretty bad. Cold food, poor service and, frankly it just doesn’t taste that good. I have noticed, though, that a few items on the Tuscan menu have also appeared on the Blu menus, so there is a bit of overlap. At Tuscan at least, the food was still hot (on hot plates) when it arrived at our table. Not the case in the MDR. On previous cruises, we gave Murano a try, but weren’t impressed. On Connie, it’s Petit Chef, sushi or Tuscan. We gave Petit a second chance this cruise. Cute show, but once was enough for us. The tiny lobster portion did not merit the high price. Sushi at sea seems iffy to us, so we save that for home. I hear you on wanting to eat early. I was not able to book early seatings online, but I called Captains Club when buying the package deal, and they were able to book 6 pm reservations for 4 nights, and we were only a few weeks from sailing. It was weird. There were plenty of tables at 6 each night (and they were still vacant at 7 - 7:15 when we left). I didn’t understand the early reservation unavailability.

Ex-Airbalancer, I’m not “complaining because I can”. The OP asked for opinions, and I gave her mine. People have different standards. I’ve heard views like mine and views like yours on this cruise. That’s normal. This time, Celebrity has not met the standards I have come to expect. My experiences on Edge and Solstice classes were different from, and better, than this one. I gave a few examples why. It’s as simple as that.

On the Constellation now. First time in Veranda - but usually we are in Aqua, so that’s probably coloring my views a bit. We have been very disappointed with the food and service in MDR. Just not enough staff and they are seemingly untrained. Today at lunch table next to us was well into their 3rd course before we received our first. Orders were taken at the same time. Needed to ask twice for our drinks. Eventually a waiter who wasn’t even ours came over to help. Food hasn’t been good either. Variety in the Oceanview is lacking, as is quality and staff. In the MDR, twice we’ve ordered beef that was barely chewable. (Not doing that again!). At least on the Classic package, drinks have been watery and wine is eh. Decor wise, things are a bit worn. Carpet, mattress and furniture have seen better days. Public areas are a bit worn, too. Persian Garden is dark and cramped. No loungers, just a heated bench. On the upside, we have enjoyed the entertainment, especially the bands, and our stateroom attendant has been very helpful. But, we won’t be back on this class ship.

On the Constellation now on the TA. Premium internet, or whatever they call it, has been very good. No problem at all with it for stuff like YouTube, e-mail, or Skype calling.

Normally, I would agree with you. Spending even more money when you've already paid once for eating doesn't sit well with me either. But this time, we are in the MDR, not Blu. After reading the voluminous criticisms of the MDR, and scanning the Tuscan's menu, I decided to take the speciality dining plunge. We'll see how it goes.

This happened to me just yesterday. When I bought a package, I had no idea you couldn’t book ahead. I called the Captain’s Club and had a chat with them. I was offered reservations, but only after 8, way later than we wanted to eat. There was no way I was going to join that scrum to book immediately upon boarding. What a crap way to start a vacation! After some discussion, the agent and I decided to cancel our package and rebook us at the going rate (with the E+ discount) without any problem at exactly the times we wanted for three nights. However, to do that, it cost me a total of $50 more. I used OBC to buy the original package and to make up the difference for the privilege of booking ahead, but I’ll never buy a package again, nor will we eat at a specialty restaurant. Bait and switch is no way to treat customers.

I must look a little shifty. I've been asked for ID in Italy; they accepted both a passport and a driver's license without a problem. In Africa they wanted a passport. I cooperated. They had big guns.

When leaving the US, every passenger should have a passport. Full stop. If you get medically evacuated, are left behind in port for whatever reason, in an accident, caught up in some sort of weather disaster, you have to have a passport to travel between countries and to reenter the US. A passport serves to identify you as an American citizen. In my previous life, I had to issue a few emergency passports for circumstances like these. It was a giant pain for me and the customer. Do everyone a favor -- don't leave home without it. And it doesn't hurt to carry a photocopy of the ID page (separately from the passport). Having it expedites the replacement process in the case of loss or theft.

Portofino is in Italy, so that's a non-starter. The Celebrity price of the transfer from Leixoes to Porto, whatever it is, is going to be more than your public transportation options. It's only 10 km away. If you don't have luggage, the bus rums for a couple of euros, or you can take a taxi for about 15 euros. There's Uber which will probably cost slightly less than a taxi, and the subway runs all the time from the port to Matosinhos, a suburb of Porto. It's an easy connection by subway, taxi, bus or Uber from there. subwayhttps://www.introducingporto.com/metro https://www.visitar-porto.com/en/discover/travel-info/how-to-get-to-porto/porto-de-leixoes.html#:~:text=The Port of Leixões%2C which,largest in the Northern Region. Just google public transportation from Leixoes to Porto. You'll see lots of options.

Years ago, that was the cruise hotel. You're right; definitely not the city center! We took the transfer from there without a hitch. I've since switched to another method.

I don't have personal experience with this, but on our last cruise, the Maitre d' at Blu visited one of our party who has celiac daily with the following day's menu. The person placed her order at that time; she never had a problem.

OMG! Please tell me I don't have to go back to Carnival for a good meal. Our first cruise, about 15 years ago, was with Carnival. I swore it off when I saw guys on the pool deck with a bucket of beers half finished before 10 am, followed by the pool waiter offering my 12 year old a drink! We compromised and I got him a non-alcoholic version. He was happy, I was happy.