Beyond Your Imagination!
(with some Upsides and Downsides)
Ship: Celebrity Beyond
Sail Dates: December 11—22, 2023
Itinerary: Leaving Fort Lauderdale, Grand Cayman, Columbia, Aruba (overnight), Curacao, Jamaica
Captain: Capt. Leo
I’m trying my best to not be so detailed, but that’s hard for me! My reviews are written in sections so you can skip over anything you’re not interested in. Someone had mentioned to me before to post portions of my review. I don’t want to do that because the review gets disjointed and people will have search for the next section. I’m sorry if it is too long for you, but that’s why I put everything in sections. Also, I have worked and worked on m pictures and for some reason, I just can’t get them small, so I’m posting a link directly to all of them at the end. So sorry, I really want to add them after each section. I will continue to try, though.
Ready? Let’s go!
Our journey started the morning of the 11th when we flew from Charlotte to Fort Lauderdale. We arrived at the cruise terminal close to 9:30 and were able to check in and then wait in the large room to board. Boarding began right around 11:00, which was our boarding time, and was an easy process.
Embarkation:
Like I said, embarkation was fairly easy except for the waiting part, but we were seated so it wasn’t that bad. As usual, they began boarding those handicapped first, then by boarding times. We were in the first boarding group after those handicapped, so we were on board pretty early. With our carry-on in the cabin, we went to the Cosmopolitan Restaurant for our Concierge lunch. Unfortunately, they were taking so long to get the food out, we left there and went to the buffet, which of course was a mad house. Neither of us got anything from the buffet, so we left hungry to explore the ship.
Our Cabin:
We were in Cabin 12164, Concierge Class, Infinite Veranda. We were under the Magic Carpet so we had an obstruction from the structure that the magic carpet is on. Also, we did not like the Infinite Veranda. Our folding doors wouldn’t work, so when you lowered the window, the entire cabin – walls, mirrors, everything – would fog up with moisture from the humidity outside. A downside. The cabin creaked and popped all night. I don’t mean we heard noises from the hangers in the closet, it was the walls and the ceiling making that noise. All night, part of the day, every day. Some nights it was quieter and not as much, but when it was loud, you couldn’t sleep. I wear ear plugs with a NRF of 30 and it kept me awake. Everyone we talked to mentioned this about their cabins as well, and many on our Facebook roll call also complained about it…another downside. One lady we heard about got moved to an inside cabin at night to sleep and got a Future Cruise Credit. We didn’t get even an apology from our complaint.
This cabin has plenty of storage and it is hidden. Our cabin steward, Akash, showed me where all that storage is. Under the sink there is a large drawer that pulls out. I thought it was just the apron to hide the pipes, but no, it’s a very nice large drawer and the hairdryer is in it. The outlet for the hair dryer is under the sink near the door…very handy. An upside! Other storage is under, above, and beside the shelf that holds the fake coral. Also, the table/desk is very handy for putting on makeup, and can slide into the dresser when you’re done which gives you a full length mirror and a tad more space. I left mine out since I used it every day and it was a good place to leave my makeup mirror out and makeup. At the dresser, you have three large drawers for storage and on top there is a box that has the European outlet, American outlet, and two or three USB ports for charging. On the wall by one of the nightstands is another outlet and a couple of USB ports. There is also a control there for the lights. On the wall outside the bathroom is a digital control for the lights and the blinds on the balcony window. You can turn all of the lights on or off from there, or just one light. You can also brighten the lights from this control, which is an upside!
The veranda has a blind that you control from the balcony portion, as well, and the window is controlled here. We just used it for storage since it was quite useless in our opinion. In fact, we rarely raised the blind; it’s just not the same as peaking through the curtain early morning to see where you are or check the weather. It’s not the same as going out on your balcony and sitting for hours listening to the waves or watching everyone going into port. Definite downside for us.
Our cabin steward, Akash from Zimbabwe, was one of the best we’ve had. We only had him clean in the evening since we like to take naps sometimes during the day, so evening turndown worked best for us.
The Ship:
After lunch (or in our case, no lunch) we checked out the ship. It is very pretty, modern, and very clean. The restroom doors open like those at hospitals by waving your hand across the sensor. The sinks of course have touchless soap dispensers and faucets. I did miss the white and red indicators on the stall doors that let you know if it is occupied or not. Guess it takes away from the aesthetics.
Eden
Eden is very pretty, but I think the Eden Bar is too small for the number of passengers. In fact, all the bars looked to be too small. Compared to past cruises on Celebrity, the Eden Bar only had seating for 8-10 around the bar counter where our favorites on other ships have seating for approximately 24 around the bar. People would move the bar stool chairs from the higher tables over and squeeze in when there weren’t enough chairs open. That was a downside for us. Maxwell, Daniel, and Bagus were great bartenders, and did their best to keep up with all of us. Maxwell was the best at keeping our drinks refilled.
Sometimes they would have shows in Eden, but again, too small an area for a show, and if you weren’t there an hour before, all the seats were taken even at 30 minutes before. Eden has a second level with lots of seating, but still not enough for everyone coming in to watch the shows. Another downside to the design.
The Solarium
The Solarium had plenty of chairs, but were pretty much all taken on sea days, as usual. You need to get there early for a chair…yes, there are plenty of chair hogs. The Solarium pool is small compared to those on the older ships for the amount of passengers, and is not designed for us senior citizens. There are no steps to walk into the pool, and only one ladder for climbing in and out of the pool. Another downside. We did not use the main pool, but it looked to be a good size.
Restaurants:
Cosmopolitan Restaurant is where we ate most of our breakfasts and dinners. The food was pretty good, but honestly, nothing was out of this world delicious. Our favorites, Steak Dianne, Prime Rib, and Beef Wellington are back on the menu, but not the soufflé. My favorites were those just mentioned, and the soups. The menus didn’t vary as much as in the past, and I got the yellow corn soup until I got tired of it. It’s on the everyday menu and is really good…for a few days. My favorite dessert from this restaurant is the carrot cake. The desserts on this ship actually did taste as good as they looked, unlike every other ship we’ve been on. This was an upside!
My favorite soups were the yellow corn soup, wild mushroom soup, tomato bisque, French onion, and broccoli soup. Favorite apps were the crab cakes and shrimp cocktail, of course. Favorite mains were the prime rib, lobster, Steak Dianne, Beef Wellington, braised short ribs, trout, and the sea bass. Our waiter and assistant waiter, Rona and Selah respectively, were both very good. They were on top of everything, and extremely professional. They will still be there when we go back in May, and we are asking for a table in their section. I’m sorry to say, some of my pictures from the 11th through the 18th somehow disappeared from my phone, and even though I was able to recover a lot of them, I could not recover the picture of the yellow corn soup. I really wanted you to see it. Just order it, you’ll love it!
Le Bistro
We had lunch in Le Bistro one day and I got the turkey sandwich on a baguette. It was okay but the bread was so hard to bite off, I finally took the meat and everything else off and just ate it that way. My husband got the trout, which I debated about, and he really liked it. This restaurant does have a cover charge, but I don’t remember how much.
Fine Cut Steakhouse
We pre-booked the Fine Cut Steakhouse two nights. The first night I got the lobster and for me it didn’t have any flavor. The menu described it as lemon soaked, so I guess that took away that rich lobster flavor that lobster usually has. My husband got the rib eye and wasn’t impressed with it either. The second night, he got lobster and I got the 6 oz. Filet Mingnon. Mine was delicious, but he didn’t like the lobster either. The lobster in the main dining room was so much better with a wonderful flavor that lit up your palate! The cover charge for this restaurant is $65 per person, and in our opinion, not worth that.
Spa Café
A few days I would get a sandwich wrap or fruit from here when I was at the Solarium. The items from here are good most of the time and are more on the refreshing, good-for-you, quick bite items, wraps, salads, etc.
Entertainment:
Ohmigosh, y’all, the entertainment was a definite upside! The best I’ve seen in a long time. This ship has the 3D digital screen, which enhances the performances and makes you feel like you are at a concert or a Broadway production. I do believe that the Theater Production Cast is definitely a cut above! They are so much more professional than others we’ve watched, and all the dance moves were flawless and smooth; no one ever looked unsure or overly exaggerated with their moves -- they were perfect! The costumes were absolutely beautiful and in very good condition. And the acrobats and aerialists were truly out of this world perfection! You really shouldn’t miss any of the production shows, they are truly magical!
Guest Entertainers
We had two comedians, Sam Fedele and Jason Blanchard, both of whom were very funny. We had seen them both before, but didn’t want to miss either of them. They both had adult only shows as well.
Magician, Matt Johnson was good, but we have seen much better magicians on other ships.
Singers were Ashlie Amber, Jesse Hamilton, Jr., and Michelle Dowdy. Once again, all superstars with voices beyond comprehension. We missed Ashlie Amber, but have seen her on other ships, and she is excellent. Jesse Hamilton, Jr., has starred in Broadway productions such as The Lion King and The Wiz, and we have seen him as well before, but we did make his second show. You won’t want to miss him. Michelle Dowdy. What can I say about Michelle Dowdy? Oh. My. Gosh. That girl has got a voice and can sing beautifully and flawlessly! She’s also very funny. She starred in Hair Spray and is so down to earth, she is just herself. I mean what you see is what you get. If you love Grace Slick, Whitney Houston -- all the female greats -- you will lose your mind when you hear Michelle sing! We are booked on Beyond for May next year and I talked with her in the buffet after her performance to see if she would be on Beyond then…unfortunately, she leaves the day we board…that’s a downside for me.
We also had a group called Rebel. They are three guys who have performed in Las Vegas for the last seven years. If you love classic rock, do not miss them! Another Oh. My. Gosh. You will think you are at a Stones concert, or a Queen concert, or a Beatles concert! They are that good! I have tried to upload them, but the link just won’t work, sorry. Take my word for it, they are great!
Another performer I loved was Alina, a cellist. She plays an electric cello that has a beautiful, soulful sound. She performed in Eden a couple of times and also with the production shows. I loved listening to her!
Ports of Call:
Our ports of call were ones we have been to many times and have done everything there is to do, so we stayed on the ship at every port except for Curacao. This place is my favorite and usually we just walk around this beautiful little place, but we decided to book a day pass at the Renaissance Hotel. We did this a few years ago and loved it. Once again, we had a beautiful, peaceful, relaxing day with sun glistening waters. It has a saltwater pool and an infinity pool. This is always my favorite spot to get a great shot of our ship and this day did not disappoint. I got the postcard shot, enjoyed the infinity pool, caught some rays, and enjoyed the food. The day pass includes the use of the beach, pools, and a $20 per person food and beverage voucher. We got three appetizers and soft drinks which we shared. Before we left we ordered two more Cokes. They keep track of how much you spend and how much you have left on your voucher. We had enough money left and we wanted to use it as our tip, but they would not let us do that, so be sure to take some cash for tipping. This is perfect for that quiet, relaxing day after tours and excursions from your previous days in ports. If you have not been here before, please do some sightseeing, or some excursions, or just walking around. You will love this beautiful little place.
We did get off for a short time in Cartegena. There is a gift shop and a Juan Valdez Coffee shop close to the ship. Behind these shops is a mini zoo, and we like to always go there just to see the beautiful peacocks, Macaws, and other animals there. The best thing we did here a few years ago, was the City Tour with Dora the Explorer. We read about her on TripAdvisor. It was a great tour with a stop at La Poppa Monastery, a stop at the fort, and on to the Walled City or Old City, as it is sometimes called. There are lots of what I call vendor vultures at the fort and the Walled City, but it is still a great tour.
Of course Aruba has so many things you can do. We have rented a jeep and explored on our own, done other excursions, taken a pirate party ship for a day, and so many other things. After a while we started just walking to the mall to use the free Wifi. They have a free trolley that is a hop on hop off type-thing which is a nice way to get around the town and see it that way.
In Grand Cayman we have booked a swim with stingrays a couple of times, enjoyed Seven Mile Beach, taken a tour to Hell along with some sightseeing. We’ve also just walked around the shops at the pier. This is the only tender port on this itinerary.
Falmouth, Jamaica is another place to be especially careful if you are going out on your own. We have never been outside the cruise terminal here, but I’m sure there are some ship’s tours or excursions that would be good. Stay with a group.
Sanitation
Sorry to have to mention this, but this is a big issue with us and especially since Covid, it should be an issue with everyone. We found quite a few pieces of silverware at breakfast and dinner in Cosmopolitan with stuck on food. I know it happens and I know they are rushed to change out the tables, but please check your silverware front and back carefully. In the buffet, on two different occasions, a guest brought back their used ice cream bowl and asked the server to put another scoop of ice cream in that same bowl. The ice cream server did!!! BIG DOWNSIDE sanitation-wise. We mentioned this to the buffet’s maitre d’ and he saw no issue with it. That concerns me! I also saw several people refilling their personal water bottle at the water stations. They even have a sign on the water dispenser NOT to do this. This is how we all get sick, people! Big thanks to those people we saw refilling their bottles the correct way. And please, please, don’t lay the handles of the tongs on top of the food…those little plates are there for a reason, put the tongs on the little plate.
Debarkation
Just like Embarkation, Debarkation was quick and easy or us. We chose to walk off with our luggage at the earliest time since we had a fairly early flight home. It was again as easy as pie. With the new way Customs is using facial recognition, we breezed through, caught a taxi quickly, and were at the airport in no time.
Guest Relations:
I have to mention something about Guest Relations. On Embarkation day, one of our suitcases never arrived. Our cabin steward found it in Security, not sure why, but the handle would not go back inside. I went to Guest Relations to let them know that it was damaged between the time we left it with the porter and it was returned to us. It was still good, just unusable as far as transporting for taxis and airplanes. I spoke with Grace and she told me to leave a note with it for Akash, she would have him pick it up. They would send it to the reupholsterer for repair. If it couldn’t be repaired, they would replace it. Grace called me every day and spoke with me or left a message with an update. Finally, she said it could not be replaced and they were checking inventory for a new one. We received a brand new piece of luggage a few days later!! It was smaller than our broken one, but we were able to get most of our things in it and the rest was crammed into the carry-on or bigger piece of luggage. Now that’s customer service at its best! An upside above and beyond! (A little play on words there, did you catch it?)
Well, folks, that’s it. I know I mentioned some downsides, but don’t let that keep you from booking this ship. It’s beautiful with some great entertainment, and beautiful ports of call.
Terre’s Final Thoughts
Beyond is big and beautiful. Even though some things were an issue for us, all in all, we liked this ship and enjoyed our cruise.
Go, do everything you can, eat all you can and want. Try new foods/dishes, you might like them! Do things in port if you haven’t been there before, use common sense, though, and be careful if you are doing a non-ship excursion or touring on your own. Enjoy your home away from home for the next seven or ten days.
Some Tips
1. Don’t forget a first aid kit with cold meds, Ibuprofen, band aids, Pepto Bismal, etc. After you cruise awhile, you’ll discover other things your first aid kit needs.
2. All experienced cruisers will tell you to take some magnetic clips to hold your itinerary and other papers/invitations that you don’t want to lose. All the walls, doors, and ceiling are magnetic. Take some heavy duty magnetic hooks to hang pool bag, purses, etc. on…it’s just another little storage trick.
3. For those days you will be doing a walking tour/excursion in a hot climate, wet a couple of wash cloths the night before and then put in a baggie and into the refrigerator. Take them with you when you go into port. You will need to wipe your face or neck and those cold wet cloths will come in handy, not to mention how good they will feel on your neck. For these types of excursions/tours, take water as well, you will need it.
4. If you are new to cruising, check out reviews on your ship, and get other valuable information, tips, etc. at www.cruisecritic.com, www.TripAdvisor.com, www.whatsinport.com, and find a Facebook or Cruise Critic roll call for your cruise. You can meet new people and plan before you get on the ship. If your roll call plans a meet and greet on board, do your best to go…it’s fun meeting those people you’ve been chatting with on line for months.
5. When you get home answer the survey questions and be honest. They can’t improve if they don’t know anything is wrong. On the other hand, compliments are great too, if things were great. And don’t forget to mention those crew members who made your cruise fantastic!
6. Most importantly – IT’S NOT A BOAT!!
Click on the link to see my photos:
Terre's 2023 Beyond Photo Album
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