Silhouette and Aquaclass

[dinosaurdem]

This is not meant to be a comprehensive review and so I am posting here and am willing to try to answer questions.

 

We sailed from Rome to Fort Lauderdale on the Silhouette in December. This was our first cruise on the larger ships. The Silhouette is large, beautiful and laid out so well that it never seemed crowded. The biggest negative is the noise level, particularly in the library and other "quiet" areas. They are open to the Atrium which has very frequent and very loud music, usually by the party band with a talented female singer and a quasi-lounge singer male, who is not as good.

 

While we are on music. The singer/guitarist seemed to be trying to channel Dylan and did it badly. The jazz ensemble was good, but played at rock levels. The a capella group were talented and the ship seemed so starved for classical music that the pianist's concerts were packed.

 

The wave pool was a lot of fun and in an "adults only" area

 

The MDR was very well decorated. Bistro and Tuscan restaurants were not as attractive as on Connie, but had better views. Food in both was very good, maybe a touch less so than on Connie. The Tuscan formula of steakhouse with an Italian touch wears well. The staff in both restaurants on the Constellation interacted more. BOGO's were available in the specialty restaurants on shore days and 20% off almost any time. Qsine is a fun venue with a group with more gimmicks than creativity, and more quantity than quality. The best dishes were the simplest, such as spring rolls and fried stuff. The worst were the ethnic, such as Indian, Chinese, and Mediterranean. One visit was plenty. The spa lunches were light and tasty. The food in the MDR was good to very good, and we chose it over Blu 9 times out of 13. The other two nights were in specialty restaurants. Shashi and Damir, our waitstaff were terrific, as was the Maitre'D.

 

The verandah cabins are comfortable, with plenty of storage (the bins over the bed are easily reachable by anyone 5'6" or more). The shower pressure and layout are great, as are the beds, bedding, and couch. Our cabin attendants were invisible, but efficient.

 

Now we come to Aquaclass, very much a matter of individual taste. I will cover those amenities different from Concierge class.We used the extra jets on the shower once, and found them to be uncomfortable. We never drank the tea and only used the water on shore days. Unless you like saunas or steam baths, the Persian Gardens are wasted. The aromatherapy was only obvious from 6 inches away. The slippers were a joke, and too small for my 11D's. The fog free mirror was terrific.

 

Then there is Blu. Breakfast was excellent, particularly the grains and yogurt. The only item missing is the Hollandaise for Eggs Benedict, which has to be fetched from another kitchen, when staff are willing. Dinner was another story. We found the menu to be boring, with choices of pasta, fish (rarely shell), small birds, steak, and, not very interesting vegetarian. We ate in the MDR 9 evenings out if 13. The Asst. Maitre'D was a little brittle and seemed to get distracted from seating people. Service varied from excellent to, on one morning, non-existent, and this was not disembarkation day. Will We book Aquaclass again? No. Do we prefer the M class? Yes. Will we book Qsine again? No.

 

An afterthought. There seemed to be a communication problem between housekeeping and the Captain's Club rep., which resulted in materials not getting distributed. This, in spite of the fact that she was charming, and seemed efficient. The coupons for drinks served us better than the lounge.

[hcat]

wow.. we had a great experience on Silhouette last April & look forward to sailing on her again this March... we enjoyed AQ & BLU so hope we will not be disppointed this time around...

 

also thought the music volume issues were resolved for the better ...perhaps not

 

has anyone else experienced Silho recently?...

[debandbruce]

I'm sorry I have been on Silhouette but unsure what you mean when you say "wave pool". We also ate in Blu and found the food and service outstanding, the crew couldn't do enough for us and both maitre'ds were wonderful. Sorry it was not the same experience for you. I do hope that overall you did have a nice holiday though. We are sailing on the Silhouette again the end of April and I can't wait!

[Lsimon]

I'm sorry I have been on Silhouette but unsure what you mean when you say "wave pool". We also ate in Blu and found the food and service outstanding, the crew couldn't do enough for us and both maitre'ds were wonderful. Sorry it was not the same experience for you. I do hope that overall you did have a nice holiday though. We are sailing on the Silhouette again the end of April and I can't wait!

 

I saw the "wave pool" comment too. We were on the same cruise but never made it into the solarium pool as we didn't even bring our bathing suits. While Celebrity does not have a "wave pool" our ship doing quite a bit of rocking back and forth through much of the crossing so I'm guessing that was the cause of the "waves".

[dinosaurdem]

I'm sorry I have been on Silhouette but unsure what you mean when you say "wave pool". We also ate in Blu and found the food and service outstanding, the crew couldn't do enough for us and both maitre'ds were wonderful. Sorry it was not the same experience for you. I do hope that overall you did have a nice holiday though. We are sailing on the Silhouette again the end of April and I can't wait!

 

I would be delighted to sail again on the Silhouette. Aquaclass is just not my cup of tea. Food is obviously a matter of taste. During the cruise, i met those who , like you, love Blu. and others, like me, who thought that the menu for dinner was unimaginative. I met no one who preferred the MDR over Blu for breakfast. You are probably right about the pool in the solarium. Since the movement was front to back and the waves were over a foot high and the ship didn't seem to be rocking, I assumed that the waves were mechanical. Deb and Bruce, you appear to think that because I did not think that the cruise was perfect, I could not enjoy it. It was not my intention to emphasize the negative. Choosing Aquaclass is expensive and people should know the plusses and minuses. Some people like to shout over loud music and others don't. The Atrium design was a mistake, albeit a pretty one, because noone wants to read to loud music. Qsine is fun, but people should not go expecting haut cuisine. That being said, the MDR, Tuscan Grille, Bistro on 5, Spa restaurant, and Murano are all very worthwhile.

[dinosaurdem]

I saw the "wave pool" comment too. We were on the same cruise but never made it into the solarium pool as we didn't even bring our bathing suits. While Celebrity does not have a "wave pool" our ship doing quite a bit of rocking back and forth through much of the crossing so I'm guessing that was the cause of the "waves".

 

Saw you on the cruise. Hope you were having as good a time as you seemed to be.

[Orator]

In AQ on the Holy Land portion of the cruise and Concierge on the TA. Found menu and service outstanding in both Blu and the MDR. Reactions to food are purely subjective. Most love Lobster, I don't. No right or wrong, just a difference in preferences. Would agree that the breakfast served in Blu is wonderful. I found these cruises to be among my best cruises experiences due to the wonderful crew and the people I met during the journey.

[ghstudio]

I have been wondering if the pools in the solarium are wave pools....we have seen them with great waves when the sea was relatively calm.

 

We now only book aqua due to Blu...not for the food as much as for the quieter dining room and more personalized service. Food arrives hot, you can find a waiter quickly if you need something and perhaps most of all, you can talk in a normal voice. I also give it value for not having the baked alaska parade or whatever Celebrity does in the MDR these days.

 

We've reached the captain's club elite level so we go to the captain's club nightly event for drinks, blu or the elite breakfast, the aquaspa cafe for lunch and Blu for dinner....it's like being on a much smaller ship and our three future Celebrity cruises are booked in aqua class.

 

Finally, we do agree that the jets on the aqua fancy showers are painful and useless.

[warmwinds]

Can I ask what cabin # you were in? We're in 1610, which is just off the Library/Atrium, and I'm wondering if the noise will be an issue inside our cabin. I booked it because of the larger balcony.

 

I'm so conflicted, this will be our first S-class, first Aqua-class, and I really can't wait to see for myself what I think of everything. I guess change is good, we're just going to go with an open mind and see what WE think of all the differences from our M-class afts.

 

But I really appreciate your perspective on everything.

[Orator]

Can I ask what cabin # you were in? We're in 1610, which is just off the Library/Atrium, and I'm wondering if the noise will be an issue inside our cabin. I booked it because of the larger balcony.

 

I'm so conflicted, this will be our first S-class, first Aqua-class, and I really can't wait to see for myself what I think of everything. I guess change is good, we're just going to go with an open mind and see what WE think of all the differences from our M-class afts.

 

But I really appreciate your perspective on everything.

 

I've been in that location several times on other S Class ships and never had a noise problems. The doors to the elevator will shield you from any sound.

[eby]

Can I ask what cabin # you were in? We're in 1610, which is just off the Library/Atrium, and I'm wondering if the noise will be an issue inside our cabin. I booked it because of the larger balcony.

 

I'm so conflicted, this will be our first S-class, first Aqua-class, and I really can't wait to see for myself what I think of everything. I guess change is good, we're just going to go with an open mind and see what WE think of all the differences from our M-class afts.

 

But I really appreciate your perspective on everything.

We were in 1610 last year and the noise did not come from the atrium,but the moving of lounge chairs on the pool deck above you early in the morning

[dinosaurdem]

Can I ask what cabin # you were in? We're in 1610, which is just off the Library/Atrium, and I'm wondering if the noise will be an issue inside our cabin. I booked it because of the larger balcony.

 

I'm so conflicted, this will be our first S-class, first Aqua-class, and I really can't wait to see for myself what I think of everything. I guess change is good, we're just going to go with an open mind and see what WE think of all the differences from our M-class afts.

 

But I really appreciate your perspective on everything.

 

We were in 1602. Convenient location. Occasional low level noise in early morning from crew moving chairs. I am a light sleeper and it did not waken me. Some noisy walkers during day; most apparent on verandah. Altogether, a great cabin.

[dinosaurdem]

Fortunately the loud music in the atrium did not come through.

[debandbruce]

No, no I didn't take your post as all negative, I was just hoping in the overall scheme of things that you did have an enjoyable cruise. I am glad you did. Yes Aqua Class can be quite expensive, we were fortunate to take advantage of a price break and upgraded. Our next 2 cruises are not in Aqua but I watch the prices to see if we will get a break again. My dear MIL found out how wavy the solarium pool can be one evening when her and I went for a evening swim. It was just the two of us and we were talking and holding on to the edge of the pool. All of a sudden the ship moved and a wave took my tiny mother in law and put her on the pool platform like a dolphin at Seaworld. We laughed so hard we cried.

[reefexplorer]

We will be taking the TA from Rome to FLL 12/203 and will be staying in the Aqua class rooms. I have a few questions:

What is the weather like at this time of year, was it warm enough to use the deck on the crossing? was there a lot of wave action? (I don't particularly do well with sea sickness) and I know that these rooms are on a higher deck. What was the weather like in Rome? Our last trip was in October and the weather was really nice except we had a huge downpour that closed the Colosseum.

 

Do they have any laundry specials (out TA is 14 days) I know it is almost a year out but I was wondering how to pack for 18 or more days with just a carry-on and 1 suitcase.

 

Thanks for any info

[Gracie115]

Can I ask what cabin # you were in? We're in 1610, which is just off the Library/Atrium, and I'm wondering if the noise will be an issue inside our cabin. I booked it because of the larger balcony.

 

I'm so conflicted, this will be our first S-class, first Aqua-class, and I really can't wait to see for myself what I think of everything. I guess change is good, we're just going to go with an open mind and see what WE think of all the differences from our M-class afts.

 

But I really appreciate your perspective on everything.

 

 

We were in 1610 on Silhouette and it's a great stateroom...no noise issue at all...loved it and would book again.:)

[Lois R]

I am also curious about the "wave pool"?......I thought the S class

ships only have the outdoor pools and 1 Solarium pool. Inside, forward,

near the Aqua Spa Cafe. Is the wave pool something different on

Sihlouette?

I was on Reflection earlier this month and she has the regular Solarium Pool.

[daka]

Just as a quick note about the REFLECTIONS T/A cruise 11/18 from Barcelona.

The EMBARKATION was a DISASTER, it took over an hour on lines to get aboard at Barcelona

We also found that the ship was quite a bit more crowded than sister ships

A MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT was missing the PORT STOP AT TENERIFE, and the on board credit of $150 per cabin was an insult, ONE OF THREE PORTS MISSED.

The ship itself is MAGNIFICENT SERVICE, IS FIRST CLASS AS IS THE FOOD.

The staff is VERY ATTENTIVE to all (reasonable) requests.

The only other MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT WAS DEMARCATION, another MAJOR screw up...1 1/2 hours on line. This may not be CELEBRITY's fault, but they certainly do have input to make this better.

[dondiane]

Just left the Reflection on 12/22, the solarium pool indeed did have waves intermittently they were not from any ship movement, not huge waves but waves none the less. Most people in the pool seemed to enjoy the pool.

[Bugeye]

Just as a quick note about the REFLECTIONS T/A cruise 11/18 from Barcelona.

The EMBARKATION was a DISASTER, it took over an hour on lines to get aboard at Barcelona

We also found that the ship was quite a bit more crowded than sister ships

A MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT was missing the PORT STOP AT TENERIFE, and the on board credit of $150 per cabin was an insult, ONE OF THREE PORTS MISSED.

The ship itself is MAGNIFICENT SERVICE, IS FIRST CLASS AS IS THE FOOD.

The staff is VERY ATTENTIVE to all (reasonable) requests.

The only other MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT WAS DEMARCATION, another MAJOR screw up...1 1/2 hours on line. This may not be CELEBRITY's fault, but they certainly do have input to make this better.

 

We also had to wait a little to get on the ship at 1230. Still earlier than we were supposed to embark, but we couldn't wait and obviously many others felt the same. There were also B2B

Cruisers who rudely pushed us aside saying they had priority and were supposed to have a separate line. Surprised they spent so little time in Barcelona, a wonderful city. Probably the same ones who whined when we missed the "fabulous world renowned" Tenerife.

We debarked in Miami at 8 AM, no line and just a short wait for customs. We thoroughly enjoyed the Reflection and the nice calm crossing.

[dinosaurdem]

We will be taking the TA from Rome to FLL 12/203 and will be staying in the Aqua class rooms. I have a few questions:

What is the weather like at this time of year, was it warm enough to use the deck on the crossing? was there a lot of wave action? (I don't particularly do well with sea sickness) and I know that these rooms are on a higher deck. What was the weather like in Rome? Our last trip was in October and the weather was really nice except we had a huge downpour that closed the Colosseum.

 

Do they have any laundry specials (out TA is 14 days) I know it is almost a year out but I was wondering how to pack for 18 or more days with just a carry-on and 1 suitcase.

 

Thanks for any info

 

Silhouette may not have a wave pool, but it sure behaved like one. The weather in Europe was pleasant and in the fifties. After Tenerife the weather became quite mild and people sunbathed. I did not think the sea was very choppy, but that is extremely variable, both subjectively and objectively. I did not see any laundry specials, but, my wife, who takes clothes very seriously, survived for 15 days with one suitcase, and some washing of unmentionables.

[Hapytocruise]

We will be taking the TA from Rome to FLL 12/203 and will be staying in the Aqua class rooms. I have a few questions:

What is the weather like at this time of year, was it warm enough to use the deck on the crossing? was there a lot of wave action? (I don't particularly do well with sea sickness) and I know that these rooms are on a higher deck. What was the weather like in Rome? Our last trip was in October and the weather was really nice except we had a huge downpour that closed the Colosseum.

 

Do they have any laundry specials (out TA is 14 days) I know it is almost a year out but I was wondering how to pack for 18 or more days with just a carry-on and 1 suitcase.

 

Thanks for any info

 

We were on the Dec 1/12 TA with 5 days in Rome pre cruise. 3 out of our 5 days rain and more rain in Rome - but we still had a great time - so much so we are doing it all again next year only this time I will bring not only a rain jacket but rain pants as well. Crossing was calm and relatively warm (ie 85 degrees) however you need to be prepared for anything. Laundry is available (no specials that I noticed).

[Ex-Airbalancer]

We were on the Dec 1/12 TA with 5 days in Rome pre cruise. 3 out of our 5 days rain and more rain in Rome - but we still had a great time - so much so we are doing it all again next year only this time I will bring not only a rain jacket but rain pants as well. Crossing was calm and relatively warm (ie 85 degrees) however you need to be prepared for anything. Laundry is available (no specials that I noticed).

 

We left Rome on nov 26 this year , the 3 days in Rome was great weather mid 20c and sunny

Florence and Toulon it poured, then from Toulon to Barcelona had 160 km/ hr winds and 15 meter waves, water in rooms on the 8th deck

Rough seas out to Mederia , couple days of rain smokers were not happy

 

I think we had smooth sailing about 5 day , with temperatures low 20c

We going try the Silhouette this April going the other way

[reefexplorer]

Thank you for your replies, I hope we have smooth sailing, the last TA we took we had 20+ foot swells and it was really rough for a few days. The captain took us further south than we were scheduled so we could have smoother sailing. We were on a lower deck then the one we are booked in now. I know it is rougher the higher you go. I really love sitting out on my balcony away from the crowds. Last cruise I went to the jewelry making classes and tried the drawing classes but it was so rough on some of those days and I had to get to "lower ground", (and I really don't think a pale green complexion is that attractive, LOL) I hate the nauseous feeling that comes with rough waters and higher decks. YUCK.

 

What kind of activities did they offer on your TA cruise.

[Lois R]

We were in 1610 on Silhouette and it's a great stateroom...no noise issue at all...loved it and would book again.:)

 

Gracie:D just the person I was looking for....I am going on Silhouette

in April and decided to give AQ another try. There are both A1's and

A2's available......yours was starboard. 1601 is open which is

portside....do you know anything about that one?