Our Constellation Odyssey, Oct 3~Dec 20

[Solstice23]

I've had enough of the negative threads by marketing guerrillas who wish to damage the name of our favorite cruise line by posting inflammatory thread headings. We are about to undertake our longest on board experience yet: except for the repositioning cruise from Oct. 30th to November 9th, we will be residing on Constellation for five 13 and 14 day cruises from October 3rd to Dec. 20th. The five include a back to back to Quebec from Bayonne, 13 days in the Caribbean and a back to back from Miami through the Canal to San Diego.

Our cruising style involves enjoying life at sea, ports and destinations are no longer that important. Not all of our Celebrity cruises have been perfect, some better than others and some even bad enough to raise certain issues in posts here on CC. However several posters have suggested that life on board is barely tolerable having had issues with food, service, accommodations and poor maintenance.

I'm going with the expectation that life on board will be better than ever and that Celebrity is handling the competition well in these tough economic times.

Our Cruising background:

In addition to many sailings on every Celebrity ship (except Equinox), we have also cruised over 30 times with HAL, Princess, RCI and NCL. In our experience, the others provide a good product but none consistently do as well as Celebrity in making us feel like we are at home on "our" cruise line.

 

If anyone has a question about life at sea, Celebrity style, please post and I will attempt to answer them over the next three months.

 

Enjoy!

 

We agree although we have never sailed as much as you guys, We agree with that not everything is always perfect but Celebrity is most consistent over the past years.

[C 2 C]

We have now experienced several excellent days on Constellation.

The new menu has more to offer than the former offerings. Choice has been expanded and we're very happy with the quality of our choices so far.

There are several people who have been on extended sailings and they reported that, as the new menu was being implemented that there were some "teething problems". A few menu items did not come out as expected and some passengers were not pleased with the results. This might have led to some very negative reports if the passenger picked one of the "oops" dishes without ordering an alternative with the substandard item.

Constellation is clean but does show some wear and tear. Service is great and everyone seems to be happy.

There are a few changes in the specialty restaurant. The cheese course has been eliminated and steak Diane is no more. There are some menu items now offered in the MDR as an introduction which makes me wonder... the MDR is better than before but the Specialty Restaurant offers less.....

About 70 people out of the 200+ elites on board have been enjoying the free drinks in the ar aat the edge because Michael's is too small. Wonderful sailaways. at 5:00 with a drink in hand..

[FinelyCruising]

Arno Love, it sounds like an echo of what people have been saying for some time...:o

[sivia]

Look forward to your updates.

 

Enjoy, enjoy.

 

Have a drink or two for us until we see you in February.

 

All the best.

[Host Anne]

Arno ~ I can only dream about being at sea for so long! Here's hoping you and Joanne have a wonderful time. I'll be checking in often to see how you are doing. Hello to Perry for me! ENJOY!

[eileen & jay]

Thanks for the update. Sounds like Celebrity is still trying to find its new menu niche. Looking forward to cool, crisp fall weather. Hold the rain.;)

 

See you at sail away on the 16th.

[txsloth]

Did you request a cheese course or was it just not offered to you? Jaques Van Staden insisted it was still available. We had to ask for it on Solstice last year...

[CruisingChick]

Hi Arno, thanks for the report. But my husband is going to be VERY UNHAPPY that there is no cheese course OR Steak Diane in the Specialty Restaurant. The Cheese Course was his favorite. It's really making me re-think our reservation on October 22!!

 

Please tell me they still have the goat chesse souffle and the chocolate souffle!!!

 

See you in a week!!!

 

Anne Maria

[Andy]

Hi Arno !

 

Thanks for the updates. I'm also a bit suprised at the elimination of the Cheese Course in the Specialty Restaurant. I hope Celebrity looks into this. Have a wonderful time, and we will see you 1 month from today !

[CruisingChick]

Andy, seems to me another cost cutting measure. They didn't lower the prices of the SR but they are giving you less. Cheese is very expensive, at least it is here at home. My husband loves cheese but everytime we buy it we can't believe how much it costs.

 

Anne Maria

[JoePDX]

Dear Arno & Joanne,

 

Have a wonderful time. I'll be checking back for your updates. In the meantime I'll check in on the farms occasionally. :-)

 

Needless to say I'm jealous of your adventure - especially on as fine a ship as Constellation. We met Brigitte on Constellation's 3rd voyage back in 2002...so many wonderful memories!

 

Cheers!!!

 

Joe

[Andy]

Andy, seems to me another cost cutting measure. They didn't lower the prices of the SR but they are giving you less. Cheese is very expensive, at least it is here at home. My husband loves cheese but everytime we buy it we can't believe how much it costs.

 

Anne Maria

 

Hi Anne Maria !

 

I asked the Cheese Course question to Celebrity. The good news is, they told me it is still available, but it's not automatic. It is upon request. They said there was a large amount of waste, and that was the reason for the change. I'm also looking into the Steak Diane question, as that was one of my favorite menu items.

 

Hopefully, Arno will see this post, and can ask look into this. I will be on Constellation a month from today, and will be sure to look into it personally.

[FinelyCruising]

Hi Anne Maria !

 

I asked the Cheese Course question to Celebrity. The good news is, they told me it is still available, but it's not automatic. It is upon request. They said there was a large amount of waste, and that was the reason for the change. I'm also looking into the Steak Diane question, as that was one of my favorite menu items.

 

Hopefully, Arno will see this post, and can ask look into this. I will be on Constellation a month from today, and will be sure to look into it personally.

 

Andy please update on what you find out. Waste is their issue to deal with, a cheese course in a fine dining establishment is required, if nothing other than as a dessert item.

[RodPat]

We asked for the cheese course in Muranos on Solstice. We had no trouble getting it but it was not as nice as on our Constellation trips of past. No cart and the selection was terrible.

 

Pat

[FinelyCruising]

We asked for the cheese course in Muranos on Solstice. We had no trouble getting it but it was not as nice as on our Constellation trips of past. No cart and the selection was terrible.

 

Pat

 

ooohhhh.:(

[C 2 C]

Together with many crew members I'm roaming through the cruise terminal in Quebec looking for the sweet spot where my computer can pick up the free public internet signal.

It's another dreary overcast and very cool day in Quebec. The temperature will be at the freezing point tonight.

Yesterday we experienced the new Captain's club gathering organized by deck.

Our floors were welcomed at 1:00 for a 75 minute meeting with ship's officers, some dancing music, free drinks (limited menu) and some light snacks. After the flower presentations to the top cruisers (50 & 71 at second gathering, 81 and 118 for our group) there was a wonderful performance of the ship's orchestra, the violin quartet, two lead singers from the dancers and the A'ccapella singers. These performers would have conflicting schedules under the traditional evening set up. Most in attendance were quite pleased with the party. In warmer climes I am sure there would be a conflict between pool time and drinking time but we all have our own priorities.

 

We were also able to order the cheese course on Solstice but the carts, cheese, and an interesting lesson have been terminated. Many people have already noticed the passing and we hope Celebrity will rethink the menu. I believe there is an attempt to shorten the experience to allow more people to be served in an evening. Sadly we would state that the experience is not up to past standards. The soup serving experience has also changed to smaller cups and square trays and the lobster chunks are missing from the bisque.

[C 2 C]

The dancing options on board are great. Sipra is the party band (outstanding) and Rhythm of the Night (now without the female "singer") is not bad at all for Rendezvous listening and dancing.

 

The menu last evening included a Beef Wellington (altered) without the traditional liver pate coating which, to my taste buds, turned a wonderful cut of beef to liver. We are still very happy with the traditional Celebrity and newly introduced menu items that offer more variety to meet practically every taste.

[CruisingChick]

Sadly we would state that the experience is not up to past standards. The soup serving experience has also changed to smaller cups and square trays and the lobster chunks are missing from the bisque.

 

Well it looks like the Specialty Restaurant won't be getting any of our future business if this continues.

[atb]

The recent changes to Captaiin's Club sound so exciting to us - we can hardly wait.

Xellent - See you on Friday.

[ellbon]

since i have to take pills to eat cheese or any dairy i will survive. smaller soup cups is fine due to the fact in many ship i find soup my least favorite part of the meal.

 

thought murano's was great last year can not imagine by any name it not being great.

[C 2 C]

While chatting at lunch, one couple mentioned that their veal and lamb were not up to past standards. Since these items are not to our taste anyways others sources will be required to confirm.

The brunch yesterday was a huge success.

However no mention was made of our Canadian Thanksgiving tradition.

There was ample evidence of typical cruise stuffing however.:D

[eileen & jay]

...The brunch yesterday was a huge success.

However no mention was made of our Canadian Thanksgiving tradition.

There was ample evidence of typical cruise stuffing however.:D

 

The Brunch now being offered one/twice a cruise is definitely one of the nicer things to be implemented by Celebrity on sea days. :)

 

Happy Belated Thanksgiving to you and Joanne. Our So. Cal. daughter is currently up in the Vancouver area celebrating Thanksgiving with her Canadian BF's family.

 

Looking forward to our cruise.

[C 2 C]

We are enjoying a day of sunshine today for about the first time this voyage. A blizzard yesterday left much of Quebec unde r4 to 5 inches of slushy snow... Never again will I head for a place colder than home...

 

Few things are funnier than watching the crew from the Caribbean trying to remove patches of ice by hosing down the deck with water... and watching it turn into a skating rink...

[sivia]

We are enjoying a day of sunshine today for about the first time this voyage. A blizzard yesterday left much of Quebec unde r4 to 5 inches of slushy snow... Never again will I head for a place colder than home...

 

Few things are funnier than watching the crew from the Caribbean trying to remove patches of ice by hosing down the deck with water... and watching it turn into a skating rink...

 

 

Arno: you've got it all wrong. The crew were trying to make sure that you and Jo-Anne would enjoy yourselves by dancing on the skating rink! This would make you feel as if you were really home.

 

We all know that weather plays an important part for the cruise 'atmosphere' but the fact is you are still away, on a great ship and enjoying yourselves.

 

Have fun and keep the updates coming.

[c-legs]

We are enjoying a day of sunshine today for about the first time this voyage. A blizzard yesterday left much of Quebec unde r4 to 5 inches of slushy snow... Never again will I head for a place colder than home...

 

Few things are funnier than watching the crew from the Caribbean trying to remove patches of ice by hosing down the deck with water... and watching it turn into a skating rink...

HA !!:D

Don't you just feel like home:rolleyes: ??? Yes, must have been rib-slapping hilarious to see the ''hosing down'' process....Sort of like kids hosing down their paved entrances after a light dusting of snow...just to they can play street hockey on it until Dad drives up ( then, it really gets funny....until he finally gets out of the car and gives you a sample of what a charley horse feels like......) ( been there, done that ,got the lump...60++years ago....:rolleyes::eek:)

 

maybe == X == ought to invest in a few Zambonis for sailings in that market at this time of the year....;)

Hope Joanne and your good self are still having a blast.

Keep well

Cheers

:)