Onboard the Reborn Constellation in the Baltic - May 28-June 9 - Questions, Comments?

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Not sure whose fault this is (SPB dock too high for some ships? Constellation docked too close?), but I've never seen a case where passengers have to limbo to board the ship.

 

 

 

I had that same issue on the Radiance of the Seas in February in Mexico. Not sure if it is the docks being too high or the ship docking/disembarking at low tide and then rising significantly w/ the tidal change as the day goes on. Either way it is poor planning! I wondered how persons with physical limitations were getting back on the ship.

[Dan Askin]

Because of gi issues, will embarkation be delayed on june 9? any way to find that out in advance? Thanks.

 

Hi geyer1, yes, there will be a delay. But unfortunately, I haven't heard back on how long the delay will be. On my cruise, it was a few hours. Also don't know how passengers will be compensated...

[Dan Askin]

So, did you report to the theater as ordered or just walk off, as was your right?

 

I just walked off the ship at 7:15 a.m., no issues, no worries, and met my bus.

[tally10]

I just walked off the ship at 7:15 a.m., no issues, no worries, and met my bus.

 

We were on the Eclipse May 7th to the Baltic and we did attend that meeting regarding private tours in ST. Petersburg. They told us that they would NOT DELAY us from getting off the ship before the cruise line tours (Arctur) as they had done in the past. They told us where to meet and we were VERY skeptical. We gave them an earlier time and they were escorting groups of private tours off the ship even as we arrived in the meeting place. We waited maybe 5 min. and we were off. No tricks or attempts to hold us back. Some private tour groups just walked off the ship as soon as the ship was cleared as we were prepared to do if Celebrity tried anything. To their credit, they kept their word. It was a very easy experience.:)

[Dan Askin]

We were on the Eclipse May 7th to the Baltic and we did attend that meeting regarding private tours in ST. Petersburg. They told us that they would NOT DELAY us from getting off the ship before the cruise line tours (Arctur) as they had done in the past. They told us where to meet and we were VERY skeptical. We gave them an earlier time and they were escorting groups of private tours off the ship even as we arrived in the meeting place. We waited maybe 5 min. and we were off. No tricks or attempts to hold us back. Some private tour groups just walked off the ship as soon as the ship was cleared as we were prepared to do if Celebrity tried anything. To their credit, they kept their word. It was a very easy experience.:)

 

It was the same for us, easy off, no complaints ... the problem remains that Celebrity is telling passengers that Russian Immigration has debarking rules that distinguish between ship-sponsored and independent tours. Russian Immigration has no such rules; it only matters that you have the right travel docs ... passport, immigration card, tour ticket from licensed operator.

[Rjbobalou]

Thanks for the great info

[Dan Askin]

Thanks for the great info

 

Sure, enjoying it ... I see you've got three straight Constellation cruises booked within the next year!

[jackdiamond]

Dan, while gi issues are not pleasant, do I understand that the total of those affected was about 4% of the ships complement?

Thank you.

[Lolotte]

I will be doing this cruise in July. How is the weather right now? Will I need a jacket?

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

We were on the Eclipse May 7th to the Baltic and we did attend that meeting regarding private tours in ST. Petersburg. They told us that they would NOT DELAY us from getting off the ship before the cruise line tours (Arctur) as they had done in the past. They told us where to meet and we were VERY skeptical. We gave them an earlier time and they were escorting groups of private tours off the ship even as we arrived in the meeting place. We waited maybe 5 min. and we were off. No tricks or attempts to hold us back. Some private tour groups just walked off the ship as soon as the ship was cleared as we were prepared to do if Celebrity tried anything. To their credit, they kept their word. It was a very easy experience.:)

 

The other problem is having to gather everyone in the theater. That's an extra unnecessary step. And one I plan to skip.

[Dan Askin]

Dan, while gi issues are not pleasant, do I understand that the total of those affected was about 4% of the ships complement?

Thank you.

 

Hi Jack,

 

The latest numbers I have from the line's PR folks are that 204 passengers have been infected during the course of the sailing ... roughly one in 10. We should have an update on the Cruise Critic homepage later today.

[Bufferdoo]

Following an overview of the city by bus and a quick souvenir/bathroom/vodka/coffee stop, we headed outside St. Petersburg to the Summer Palace, or Tsarskoye Selo (Czar's Village), which is located about an hour away. There's so much pent-up desire for visitors to make the most of their time in SPB, so the top tourist spots are typically quite crowded (not unlike the Vatican, the Egyptian Museum or the Louvre). But while crowded, attractions like the Summer Palace, Peterhof and the Hermitage are as advertised: incredible. Here's a shot of the main hall (ballroom), a venue, like many others, where the urge to photograph is impossible to resist:

 

 

One of the most memorable moments of our St. Petersburg tour -- one of those experiences that transcends the "best of" packaged nature of the big-bus panoramic tour -- was when we heard a five-piece outfit sing a Russian folksong in the Grotto Pavilion, one of several fanciful structures located on the Summer Palace's Large Pond. The harmonies were tight, the acoustics reverberant and the mustached man on the far left was hitting low notes that seemed to come from the middle of the earth. The song, said our guide Elena, was about a robber who fell in love and was moved to repent for his crimes.

 

 

Speaking of our guide, I'm certain that Elena has read and re-read every Dostyevsky novel. She had a finely formed Russian tragi-melancholy, expressed by way of sighs, stern rebukes to those who strayed too far from the group ("I told you left not right!), and frequent tangents about the randomness of human existence ... "Unfortunately, the city skyline will soon be ruined ... Well, that's just life ... open, close, open, close, open, close [sleep reference] ... then 10 years are past ..." Here's a shot of the group and Elena, center left, doing a fine job "herding cats," as one of my tourmates called it.

 

We were on the 5/16 sailing. Elena was our guide in SPB for two days. She was wonderful!. As far as the outbreak, there were actually around 200 that came down with the virus on our sailing. My husband got it one hour before we disembarked. I believe it got it from the caisno chips. A 10 hour flight home with 22 trips to the WC and he was on his way to his post cruise weight loss!

We were told Captain Gerry only wants two formal nights; not sure of the validity of that comment, but we only had two formal nights as well.

We were on the Solstice in November for eastern med and the martini bar hopped on that sailing! The patrons on the 5/16 were pretty boring. Sea days had very little entertainment. most people just sat around and read.

[Bufferdoo]

Dan, while gi issues are not pleasant, do I understand that the total of those affected was about 4% of the ships complement?

Thank you.

We were on the 5/16 sailing and it was about 7% of passengers and crew.

[Project_gal]

We were told Captain Gerry only wants two formal nights; not sure of the validity of that comment, but we only had two formal nights as well.

 

Hoping that Celebrity are monitoring this thread - we would be extremely DISAPPOINTED if this continues. One of the reasons we choose Celebrity is for the formal nights and would hate to see the number reduced.

 

Sue

[Dan Askin]

We were on the 5/16 sailing. Elena was our guide in SPB for two days. She was wonderful!. As far as the outbreak, there were actually around 200 that came down with the virus on our sailing. My husband got it one hour before we disembarked. I believe it got it from the caisno chips. A 10 hour flight home with 22 trips to the WC and he was on his way to his post cruise weight loss!

We were told Captain Gerry only wants two formal nights; not sure of the validity of that comment, but we only had two formal nights as well.

We were on the Solstice in November for eastern med and the martini bar hopped on that sailing! The patrons on the 5/16 were pretty boring. Sea days had very little entertainment. most people just sat around and read.

 

Your comments about the casino chips brings up an interesting point ... if there was one place where the G.I. protocol seemed most lax, it was the casino. I play poker at Atlantic City, and I often think, while shuffling my chips and taking down fish, how many filthy fingers have fondled these things.

 

Is there any chance that you had a different Elena (pretty common name)? If you have any doubt, I'll post a front-on shot ... I've been researching how the guide system in SPB works, so it'd useful for me to know if she's working for multiple companies (as is common).

[Dan Askin]

Hi geyer1, yes, there will be a delay. But unfortunately, I haven't heard back on how long the delay will be. On my cruise, it was a few hours. Also don't know how passengers will be compensated...

 

For those curious, embarkation is being delayed until 4 p.m. on Wednesday (it's typically 11:30 a.m., says the hotel director, but I haven't been able to confirm that time). Celebirty is hiring additional shoreside luggage porters ... so they don't have to pull the cabin stewards away from their G.I. prevention cleaning duties. The hotel director tells me this makes a huge difference. The line is also bringing in a few extra pieces of sanitization equipment (fumigators). Like my cruise, everyone is getting $25 in OBC, and there will be a free shuttle that goes back and forth between the terminal and the Victoria Hotel ... so passengers can have some extra time to explore in Amsterdam. I've heard the weather is supposed to be decent.

[wongri]

Hi Dan,

 

I am really enjoying your posts as our group will be onboard August 22nd Baltic cruise.

Nice to have some idea of what to expect prior to sailing. We have been on Constellation 4 times so looking forward to seeing all the changes.

 

Who is the hotel director onboard and would you know who is the restaurant manager?

 

Big thanks,

Rita

[Dan Askin]

I will be doing this cruise in July. How is the weather right now? Will I need a jacket?

 

Hi Lolotte,

 

We've had a bit of a range, depending on location -- Warnemunde was rainy in the morning, then overcast, St. Petersburg was beautiful, 65 and sunny, Tallinn was a touch cooler but just as sunny ... then it poured in Copenhagen, but it was still around 60 - 65. It's going to be warmer when you're there in July, July and August being the peak summer months. I brought a very lightweight waterproof jacket, and then a few sweaters/sweatshirts for some layering.

[Dan Askin]

I was told that Ocean Liners, Constellation's $35-a-head, dark-wooded, heavily curtained French venue, is modeled after a restaurant on the classic cruise vessel Ille de France. Art and memorabilia from Cunard, French Line, etc. adorn the walls; candles top the tables; and the menu is comprised of escargot ravioli, goat cheese soufflé, sweet breads, foie gras, caviar (additional fee), cognac cream sauces ... heavy stuff. You get unceasingly attentive service -- dotage from the maitre d', bus boy, waiter, sommelier -- and tableside preparation if you order the crepe suzette or filet. In the name of journalism, I tried the goat cheese soufflé, heirloom tomato, cantaloupe and mozzarella caprese, the sweet breads, a filet with a cognac cream sauce, a six dessert sampler and a glass of Champagne. The sauce smothering the sweet breads -- veal stock, red wine reduction, capers, celery leaf, lemon juice, basil, grapefruit juice -- hit every part of the tongue, at various moments sweet, salty and tart. The cheese soufflé, made with parmesan, eggs, fresh cream and goat cheese, felt as if it was being injected directly into my arteries. The filet was only adequate, but it's possible that I wasn't even tasting my food at that point. The dessert, a six piece sampler featuring ice cream, cake, crème brulet, etc. was presented as shown center right:

 

 

The Tuscan Grille is the new Italian Steakhouse added during dry-dock to the top-ship space formerly occupied by a flower shop. Dark wood wine cabinets line one wall, and the restaurant is divided into two sections by a large green leather banquette. One side features more intimate two- and four-tops, and a sunset view (on our particular navigational course); the larger side showcases a prosciutto slicer (the Lamborghini of prosciutto slicers, said the maitre d'), a popular prop in cruise ship Italian restaurants, and larger table arrangements. The top-ship location gets a lot of sunlight at night here in the Baltic, so large brown Venetian blinds block out most of the powerful rays, but light still slices through the gaps in the blinds, casting sharp planes across diners' faces. Naturally, with light, there is shadow, so it's a fine space for making hand puppets. Once again, dinner was a multi-course affair -- an antipasti plate with cheese, olives, marinated squash; crostini with bruschetta, olive tapenade, goat cheese spread; arugula salad with pine nuts and goat cheese; cajun ribeye steak with a pecorino mac 'n' cheese; gelato in a waffle cone. It seems the F&B folks are obsessed with goat cheese, and while I enjoy my goat milk products, the arugula salad was the low point of the meal ... one too many fatty in the form of the crispy onion topping. The fat from the dressing/cheese/nuts were sufficient. The pecorino mac 'n' cheese that accompanied the steak was so heavy, I could feel it flowing like a viscous lava to the bottom of my stomach. The ribeye alone was worth the $25 surcharge.

 

 

I won't speculate on the revenue improvement afforded by the new restaurant space, but it has to be a nice increase ... 60 - 70 diners a night paying the cover charge, and probably for a bottle of wine ... although I feel for the florist, who's been moved from a sunny spot atop the ship to a hidden pantry on Deck 7. He showcases little samples in the Emporium, and if passengers like what they see and purchase an arrangement, he scurries away to blend a bouquet in isolation.

 

Whatever your taste, both restaurants will have food seeping from your gills, if you don't explode first.

[Dan Askin]

After spending 10 days aboard Constellation, it's easy to see how people become fans of the Millennium-class vessels. Friends of Constellation affectionately refer to it as Connie (and Millennium as Millie; Infinity and Summit aren't as conducive for pet naming). These ships have a lot of character ... curved exterior elevators, one port, one starboard, that undulate over the ship's superstructure (I rode up and down just for the sea views) ... cylindrical structures -- one the teen lounge, another the Tuscan Grille -- stacked on the top deck ... an indoor Solarium with dark wooden chaises, a large thalassotherapy pool a, pair of hot tubs and a health food cafe counter -- the sunny space exuded warmth during the slightly chilly Baltic days ... and a menagerie of mammalian sculptures who stand guard over bathrooms, deck chairs, hot tubs and elevators ... not to mention this stairwell sculpture by Daniel Oates:

Here's a shot of a floor window in the Seaside Cafe (buffet venue):

 

 

[Dan Askin]

Man to woman on day 8 of the 12 day cruise:

 

"Now if you just don't eat anything for the next four days, you'll be back to 139."

[jackdiamond]

For those curious, embarkation is being delayed until 4 p.m. on Wednesday (it's typically 11:30 a.m., says the hotel director, but I haven't been able to confirm that time). Celebirty is hiring additional shoreside luggage porters ... so they don't have to pull the cabin stewards away from their G.I. prevention cleaning duties. The hotel director tells me this makes a huge difference. The line is also bringing in a few extra pieces of sanitization equipment (fumigators). Like my cruise, everyone is getting $25 in OBC, and there will be a free shuttle that goes back and forth between the terminal and the Victoria Hotel ... so passengers can have some extra time to explore in Amsterdam. I've heard the weather is suppose to be decent.

Dan, that appears to be a reasonable resolution of this matter; and, a very fair offer on the part of Celebrity. By the way, this confirms what I had already heard about 3-4 days ago; hence, I wonder what might have motivated the few who excoriated Celebrity for this situation.

[Dan Askin]

Hey wongri,

 

The hotel director is Christian Deniel. He's a U.S. born, France-raised, French Polynesia-residing fellow. We chatted yesterday about the changes to Constellation and the enhance G.I. prevention protocol. I haven't mentioned this, but they've also added very bright yellow and orange signs in the bathrooms reminding passengers to wash their hands -- there are already plaques that say as much, but Christian hopes that these more vibrant postings will get more cruiser's attention. Even with what's happened on the cruise, crew are still catching people leaving bathrooms without washing their hands!

[Orator]

Dan:

Thanks for your most interesting posts. I'll be on the November TA and wondering who might be the Captain's Club Hostess.

[Ine]

I just read in the dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, that due to noro-virus on Constellation also the cruise-terminal in Amsterdam will be cleaned after arrival/before departure.

So I think departure might be delayed.