GALAXY Review: Just back from Panama Canal L O N G

[keela1eva2]

DINING EXPERIENCE

After an initial favorable impression on embarkation day in the Oasis Café, I found the food there not as good or as varied as expected, which was a little disconcerting. The traditional American full breakfast items were offered every day, which is too heavy for me. Early on, I decided to skip breakfast (except for a couple of times having waffles made to order at the servery area in the solarium: they were EXCELLENT), and after a couple of disappointing lunchtime forays, I made it a point to go to the Orian Restaurant for the open seating lunch, which was very good. Hot food arrived hot and cold dishes cold. The iced tea here is the best on the ship, and always delicious. A lot of desserts offered here at lunch are not offered anywhere else or at any other time on ship, too. Sitting with a different group of people each day proved fascinating, fun, and was invaluable for meeting new people that otherwise I may not have met. Add in the gracious waitstaff to pamper us, and it was too hard to resist.

 

Casual afternoon tea in the Oasis Café is one of the best events on the ship, especially on port days. After a full day of sightseeing, it’s great to come back to a wide assortment of lovely tea sandwiches, fresh pastries, cookies, fresh fruit, and ice cream (not to mention tea!) from 4 to 5 p.m. Perfect for anyone with late seating dinner, which is hours off.

 

Formal tea was offered once on this cruise. It was an elegant repast in the Orian Restaurant, where most everyone in attendance dressed up and put on their best manners. Don’t miss the little ham mousse cornucopias; they are delicious as are the blue cheese bites, fruit tarts, and shortbread.

 

Dinner in the Orian Restaurant was a highlight each evening, and we had a lively table of six: a California couple traveling with their 21 year old daughter, a honeymooning couple from southern Indiana, and me. We were usually the last to clear the room! Our waitstaff, Quintas and Isik, were wonderful and accommodating. We had only to ask for something once, and they remembered it perfectly every evening afterward. The quality of meat was very good, especially the rack of lamb. I ordered everything medium rare, and it arrived exactly as ordered. The only disappointment was the lobster on the last formal night. The tail I received was mushy; Quintas rapidly replaced it with another, which was firm and meaty, but tasteless. It wasn’t enough of a disappointment to mar all the other wonderful evenings or dishes, though. Vegetables were delicious, well prepared, and interesting. I especially loved the rutabaga timbale, a great surprise. We were a table of dessert lovers, and Quintas always set additional desserts in the middle of the table for us to try. Favorites were the Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Cream, and crème brulee. Most diners complied with the dress codes suggested, and on formal nights, about 40% of the men wore tuxes and about 55% wore the alternative dark suit and tie; 85% of the women wore long elegant dresses at the late seating. I didn’t see shorts or inappropriate casual wear in the dining room in the evening as others have reported. Overall Score: A-

 

ACTIVITIES AND ENTERTAINMENT

 

There are the usual cruise activities: bingo, shuffleboard, art auctions, shopping talks, bridge and the like, as well as a higher than average number of trivia and board games, ballroom dancing lessons, cooking demonstrations, and wine/food pair tastings. Enrichment Series lecturer was Dick Underwood, space photographer for NASA, whose photos provided sobering evidence over the past 40 years of the effects of global warming, as well as a peek into what it takes to make pictures from outer space. Chef Marc Cummings presented cooking demonstrations on sea days. Cruise Director Shawn Cavanaugh was everywhere and clearly enjoys his job. We also had a Cruise Critic Connections party that he graciously hosted, even though fewer than half of those who had signed up came to it. The Captains Club cocktail party was elegant with all the ships officers in attendance in a reception line to meet and greet past Celebrity guests, which was a nice touch. It was the loveliest, most cordial Captains Club party I’ve attended, held in the Savoy Nightclub, the perfect venue for it. Movies were offered four or five times daily in the Cinema, and there were alternative medicine/wellness/acupuncture lectures, floral arranging classes, craft activities, and informal card game groups. Beauty seminars were offered in the Aquaspa. For the sports-minded, there were golf, basketball, and volleyball events, and an informal jogging/walking group that met every morning. Additionally, there were two Big Band evenings on the ship after theater events, and five karaoke nights for aspiring and/or tipsy closet entertainers at heart. The Grand Buffet at midnight was the last formal night, but I wondered who could eat another bite after the wonderful dinner only an hour and a half earlier. It was beautiful to behold, though. Score: B+

 

As I noted before, the Black and White Trio were sorely lacking as musical entertainment, but fortunately, the Celebrity Orchestra playing Big Band nights and the Allegro String Quartet at dinner and early evenings more than made up for them. Celebrity provided Dance Hosts for women who needed a dance partner, which was nice. No one need sit out, and the Hosts are adept conversationalists as well. There was also a party band, Fusion, who played short, occasional sets by the pool. I was surprised by a lack of live music overall; recorded music was used extensively, which doesn’t make sense, given as many musicians as there were aboard. Score: B+; Black and White Trio: F

 

Evening shows in the theater were the typical cruise variety: A pianist two evenings, a comedian, vocal artists another evening, aerialists, and an odd marionette show. The remaining shows featured the Celebrity Singers and Dancers: Dance they could. Singing is another matter. Overall score: B-

 

PORTS AND EXCURSIONS

Cozumel, Mexico

Cozumel, our first stop, has a long way to go after Hurricane Wilma. Frankly, I don’t know why ships stop here right now. Cozumel needs to recover a bit more before she is truly fit to receive visitors.

 

Costa Maya, Mexico

You must get away from the port area completely. Although the state of Quintana Roo has only had electricity for four years, there is already a port area ‘mall’ with all the usual tourist detritus: Diamonds International, Senor Frogs, etc. etc. The little fishing village of Mahahual is a $3 cab ride and 2 miles away. There are several little restaurants and shops there, and a shallow, pretty beach just across the street. I opted to take a privately contracted tour of the recent partially excavated Chaccoben ruins, an hour and fifteen minute ride from the pier. The Native One, a local tour company owned by David and Ivan, offered an outstanding tour and experience. It doesn’t get better than this! Contact them at: www.chacchobenruins.com/wst_page8.html. Overall, Costa Maya offers a lot to anyone who desires a more unspoiled place to explore. Better hurry, though: A 3,500 room resort and casino are slated to begin construction later this year, and there are ‘land for sale’ signs everywhere.

 

Puerto Limon, Costa Rica

Again, it’s essential to get out of the port area to appreciate this gorgeous, geographically diverse country. I’m a coffee lover, and the ship’s Grano d’ Oro Coffee Planatation Tour excursion sounded good, so off I went. Our guide Phillipe, a former national park ranger, was very familiar with the climate zones, flora and fauna. He painted a diverse picture of Costa Rica and was one of the most knowledgeable, interesting persons I have ever met. About 35 of us took the two and a half hour bus ride up on a narrow, winding road to the Hacienda Real plantation where Don Jesus, the owner, and his three adult sons personally escorted us on our tour and answered questions. After the tour, we were able to purchase freshly roasted coffee before boarding the bus for the return trip. On the way back to the ship, lunch was provided at a tiny resort hotel in Turrialba at Hotel Casa Turire, nestled in a valley overlooking Lake Angostura and the surrounding mountains. The grounds and hotel are gorgeous, and lunch was delicious. It was a fantastic day! Costa Rica is definitely on my list of places to return for further exploration.

 

Panama Canal – Gatun Lake – Cristobal

We were set to enter the Gatun Locks at 6:15 a.m., so I requested a 5 a.m. wake up call in order to get a good spot on Deck 11. Too late! The ship was humming by the time I arrived, even though we were still a good half hour from entering the locks. I resigned myself to stand behind a fenced area that was already four persons deep and waited. It was worth the wait: The locks don’t fail to impress. Then consider that these are the ORIGINAL locks and equipment still in use 100 years later and it blows you away. GALAXY is 106.5 feet wide; the canal is 110 feet wide! It’s a tight fit, and you can touch the canal walls passing through the locks. The captain relinquishes all control of the ship while small gauge trains called mules pull the ship along and position it for raising or lowering within the lock.

 

DO take the ferry excursion! Passengers are tendered ashore once GALAXY enters Gatun Lake, and dropped off at a pier where busses haul passengers to the ferry near the entrance of the Pedro Miguel locks near Balboa. We traversed the rest of the locks to the Pacific, where the busses meet passengers near Panama City for the return trip to Cristobal to rejoin GALAXY. It is fantastic to see the locks on an intimate scale, and best of all, you will go through all of them as if on a transcanal voyage. The ferry provided sub sandwiches, a muffin and soft drinks for lunch.

 

The port area around Cristobal is a very rough area, and passengers are not advised to go on their own. The terminal area is secure, and once you pass through the main hall and all the usual souvenir places, exit the other end as if heading to the ship and keep walking to the flea market – where you will find locals selling Panamanian handcrafts.

 

Montego Bay, Jamaica

The locals are very aggressive pursuing passengers, so stick to a tour or book your own tour before leaving home with a firmly set price. I wanted a beach day, so an $8 taxi ride to Doctor’s Cave Beach was perfect for me. My driver agreed to pick me up three hours later, and was true to his word. Again, if you want to shop, there are plenty of the usual places close to the pier that will happily separate you from your money.

 

Grand Cayman

The weather was taking a turn for the worse, so our time at Grand Cayman was cut short by four hours, so some excursions were cancelled. As expected, some people were outraged. Who can control the weather? I for one am glad the Captain places safety above inconvenience. The island has made significant headway in recovering from Hurricane Ivan two years ago. I prefer to steer clear of the shopping area which is crowded with dozens of jewelry stores and T shirt shops. Stingray City is a trolley ride away, as is Seven Mile Beach.

 

SUMMARY

The age demographic aboard this cruise tended mainly to couples in their 60s, though there were a fair amount of those in their 50s, a few multigeneration families, and several groups of women friends traveling together. I recommend this for anyone traveling solo, and in fact, I met about a dozen women like myself doing just that. You will never feel as though you are alone, and will meet a lot of interesting people and have a great deal of fun both on and off the ship. Don’t be shy! Just introduce yourself around and you’re off to a great vacation. I was a little worried about the condition of GALAXY from a few of the Cruise Critic board reports, but she is well maintained with a warm, wonderful, thoroughly professional crew whose few blemishes will not mar your experience in any way. The crew is constantly cleaning, painting and grooming her. Take the plunge and sail on this lovely, more intimately scaled ship. You won’t be disappointed. Happy Sailing!

Overall Cruise Score: A-

 

Thank you for the excellent review. I too have booked just last week for the Galaxy Transatlantic May 6th 2006. Like you I have been having second thoughts due to some of the reviews on the condition of Galaxy. She is 10 years old and so I am not expecting a spanking new ship. Cleanliness and the general standards of service food etc as well as the general atmosphere on the ship are what really matter to me.

I normally travel with my Sister but she has just had a knee replacement. I was interested in your experience of travelling alone and glad to hear that you enjoyed it. I have travelled twice before on Cunard and RCI on my own but this was around 8 or 9 years ago. Panic set in on the night following my booking but the new day dispelled my doubts and so I am looking forward to long leisurely days at sea. Just hoping for some sunshine!

[poetic license]

Thank you for the excellent review. I too have booked just last week for the Galaxy Transatlantic May 6th 2006. Like you I have been having second thoughts due to some of the reviews on the condition of Galaxy. She is 10 years old and so I am not expecting a spanking new ship. Cleanliness and the general standards of service food etc as well as the general atmosphere on the ship are what really matter to me.

I normally travel with my Sister but she has just had a knee replacement. I was interested in your experience of travelling alone and glad to hear that you enjoyed it. I have travelled twice before on Cunard and RCI on my own but this was around 8 or 9 years ago. Panic set in on the night following my booking but the new day dispelled my doubts and so I am looking forward to long leisurely days at sea. Just hoping for some sunshine!

keela1eva2, I am so sorry your sister has to undergo knee replacement surgery, but she may have recovered enough to go with you by the time you leave in May. I would have booked the GALAXY transatlantic if only the timeframe was pushed up a week; didn't want to dock in Rome and fly home immediately, which is what I would have had to do since my DD's birthday is the 23rd. I certainly have to be home for that! If you do have to go alone, you won't FEEL alone. The dance hosts will keep you on your feet in the lounge, and by participating in the CC ROLL CALL for your cruise you should be able to meet others on your cruise before you even sail. That was a boon for me, and I was able to book several shore excursions with Cruise Critic folks, resulting in new friendships. Lunching at open seating in the dining room is a great way to meet others too. I'm not reticient, so it was easy for me to simply introduce myself on tours, or at the pool, or at lunch, and soon a topic would emerge that was engaging. Just let yourself enjoy! I'd go again alone in a heartbeat.

[Pipers mom]

Thank you for writing such a well thought out and eloquent review!

We are on the Feb 25th sailing and can't wait!

I really appreciate your observations, thank you for sharing. :)

[keela1eva2]

Nicki...Thank you for an excellent and informative review-you answered questions I didn't even know I had!

 

But what is a "Dance Host" and what type of dancing do they do....ballroom or nightclub? How do you find them? Do you tip them? Do they have other roles on the ship? How old are they? Sorry for all the questions, but I am curious!

 

Hi just noted your comment on Dance Hosts. These are men who are on board to ballroom dance with the excess of women nowadays on most cruises. They are interviewed by the Cruise Line and are allowed to travel for I think almost nothing and they have the benifit of the travel. They have to adhere to a strict code and may not become involved with women on these trips.

No you don't tip them I am sure they would find this an embarrassment. Cunard and many other lines have Gentlement Hosts which is their correct title. They often introduce themselves to passengers at the Captain's cocktail party to make themselves known.

There is no obligation on passengers having to dance with these Gentlemen and if you refuse they will respect this.

[keela1eva2]

Nicki...Thank you for an excellent and informative review-you answered questions I didn't even know I had!

 

But what is a "Dance Host" and what type of dancing do they do....ballroom or nightclub? How do you find them? Do you tip them? Do they have other roles on the ship? How old are they? Sorry for all the questions, but I am curious!

 

Hi just noted your comment on Dance Hosts. These are men who are on board to ballroom dance with the excess of women nowadays on most cruises. They are interviewed by the Cruise Line and are allowed to travel for I think almost nothing and they have the benifit of the travel. They have to adhere to a strict code and may not become involved with women on these trips. They are normally men who are of retirement age but are presentable and to my knowledge they do not have any other role on the ship. I expect they will meet passengers at other times and will converse with them.

No you don't tip them I am sure they would find this an embarrassment. Cunard and many other lines have Gentlement Hosts which is their correct title. They often introduce themselves to passengers at the Captain's cocktail party to make themselves known.

There is no obligation on passengers having to dance with these Gentlemen and if you refuse they will respect this.

I hope that you find this useful

[keela1eva2]

keela1eva2, I am so sorry your sister has to undergo knee replacement surgery, but she may have recovered enough to go with you by the time you leave in May. I would have booked the GALAXY transatlantic if only the timeframe was pushed up a week; didn't want to dock in Rome and fly home immediately, which is what I would have had to do since my DD's birthday is the 23rd. I certainly have to be home for that! If you do have to go alone, you won't FEEL alone. The dance hosts will keep you on your feet in the lounge, and by participating in the CC ROLL CALL for your cruise you should be able to meet others on your cruise before you even sail. That was a boon for me, and I was able to book several shore excursions with Cruise Critic folks, resulting in new friendships. Lunching at open seating in the dining room is a great way to meet others too. I'm not reticient, so it was easy for me to simply introduce myself on tours, or at the pool, or at lunch, and soon a topic would emerge that was engaging. Just let yourself enjoy! I'd go again alone in a heartbeat.

 

Thanks again for your excellent review and for answering my post. It would seem that I may be a little like you in that I am I hope friendly and quite outgoing. It has something to do with me being IRISH I think!

After my initial wobble I am fine now about going and when you travel on your own then it in some ways is very liberating in that you only have to please yourself. No waiting around for other people.

I live alone and so therefore am used to being on my own and have no problem as I can be very happy in my own company.

My Sister will not be able to go as she is still waiting on the 2nd knee surgery. We had hoped that it may be next week but it has taken her so long to get over the first op. that it will be out of the question.

I am hoping that we will be able to cruise later in the year around Oct/Nov time and I would love to do Australia/New Zealand. I lived and worked there in the early 60's and have had 2 holidays there in the past few years. Last one in 2004. Never been to New Zealand. There are always interesting places to travel to and the world has become a much smaller place.

Do keep writing as you are the greatest!

[flashdog_1]

Another question about the coffee tour, please.

 

I noticed that there is another shorex to the same area of Turrialba (coffee and cane and macadamia nut area) for the same price, about the same length of time off ship, but the other one, "Hacienda experience" describes seeing the Reventaza? river and dam near Turrialba. That particular sight was not described in the blurb for the coffee tour, so I wanted to know if you saw the river and dam on the coffee tour? thanks again

[flashdog_1]

Waiting for a reply to my above question. Thanks.

[skyview851]

According to the X website, there are 3 formal nites, 3 informal nites & the reset casual. Is this pretty accurate? On our last 2 cruises, the website did not not match was was in the dailies. It makes it easier to pack if you know what to expect, so thanks for any help you can provide.

[canderson]

According to the X website, there are 3 formal nites, 3 informal nites & the reset casual. Is this pretty accurate? On our last 2 cruises, the website did not not match was was in the dailies. It makes it easier to pack if you know what to expect, so thanks for any help you can provide.

We had 3 of each, yes. I'd need to check your 4/24 to see which of the two itineraries you've got, but we had

 

Galveston - Casual

At Sea - Formal

Cozumel - Casual

Costa Maya - Informal

At Sea - Formal

Costa Rica - Casual

Panama - Casual

At Sea - Informal

Jamaica - Casual

Grand Cayman - Informal

At Sea - Formal

At Sea - Casual

[poetic license]

Another question about the coffee tour, please.

 

I noticed that there is another shorex to the same area of Turrialba (coffee and cane and macadamia nut area) for the same price, about the same length of time off ship, but the other one, "Hacienda experience" describes seeing the Reventaza? river and dam near Turrialba. That particular sight was not described in the blurb for the coffee tour, so I wanted to know if you saw the river and dam on the coffee tour? thanks again

Hi Phyllis,

 

No, we did not see the river and dam. It was strictly the coffee plantation and lunch at the hotel as described. The name of the coffee plantation is Hacienda Real.

 

Be sure to buy their coffee at the end of the tour, especially what they call the 'dark roast' ... it is heavenly! Not what you normally get in a dark roast coffee: not heavy or overbearing in the least. I bought whole beans and grind them myself. It is rich, rich, rich and smooooooooooooth.

 

Cheers,

[flashdog_1]

Thank you VERY much for responding, Poeticlicense. I think I want to see the river so will book the Hacienda experience instead, although I do hate to miss out on the nice restaurant you all went to!

 

No one has responded on another thread about having been on Hacienda experience, however, so don't know if the drive there is as scenic as yours was.

[skyview851]

Thanks canderson, for the info about each nights' dress code. I hate to have to pack extra sportcoats for DH if he doesn't need them. That way I have more room for my stuff :)

[poetic license]

Skyview, DH usually packs only a couple of sportcoats, but wears one each night that is not formal just because he feels better about showing up in the dining room that way.

 

Unlike us gals, the guys don't care if they have a different jacket every night. :D

 

Enjoy your voyage!

 

Cheers,

[IslanderNJ]

Hi,

 

Great review.

 

I wanted to know if you had experienced any delays arriving at IAH to Galveston? I had read a few threads where they had a terrible time arriving to the ship and also with transfers back to the airport.

 

Sailing on March 9th.

[poetic license]

Hi,

 

Great review.

 

I wanted to know if you had experienced any delays arriving at IAH to Galveston? I had read a few threads where they had a terrible time arriving to the ship and also with transfers back to the airport.

 

Sailing on March 9th.

I did not have to fly, but rather drove to the port from Austin. The port seems to have ironed out the kinks in embarking and disembarking. Disembarkation was smooth and quick, and I was in my car less than an hour after I left my cabin on the ship. This is really a TSA and Customs problem and not really a Celebrity problem, and I think they have finally got it down.

 

You must be referring to the paid Celebrity transfers. It took less than 10 minutes from the time I arrived at the ship terminal to the time I had a glass of champagne in my hand. VERY smooth and fast! As I noted in the review, there were a lot of customer service stations open and the lines moved very quickly. Usually a bottleneck occurs when the photographers hold up the line taking pre-boarding photos. They had the photographers off to one side and people only had pictures taken voluntarily, thus keeping the line to board the ship moving along. Wish they did this all the time, at all the ports!

 

I was told Celebrity contracted a new bus company after the December debacle. I would call the entire dismembarkation process smooth and painless. You are asked if you need a porter as you enter the customs terminal. If you need one, you move to a separate line, and will get a porter from the que. This was less than ten minutes, at peak rush time. You will proceed into the luggage area after you secure the porter, then get into another line for customs. It took a total of less than 25 minutes.

 

If you don't want a porter, you simply proceed to the baggage area to find your luggage, then walk back with it to the line for customs.

 

Enjoy your cruise -- you will love it!

 

cheers,

[canderson]

I was told Celebrity contracted a new bus company after the December debacle.

If true, I'm very pleased to hear it. Still not a single reply to both FAX and email to Celebrity about this. I'd gladly settle for a "we've found a different contractor" response. NONE, however ... :mad:

 

Nobody should have to experience an end-of-cruise experience like we had on 12/17.

[poetic license]

If true, I'm very pleased to hear it. Still not a single reply to both FAX and email to Celebrity about this. I'd gladly settle for a "we've found a different contractor" response. NONE, however ... :mad:

 

Nobody should have to experience an end-of-cruise experience like we had on 12/17.

Hi Canderson,

I remembered reading about a horrific disembarkation in December, and specifically asked one of the port agents about this as I was waiting in line for a porter. She said Celebrity got a new contractor after a couple of terrible incidents, the last being 'sometime in December.'

 

I agree with you 100%: You put your trust into the cruiseline and believe they know the companies they do business with. This would seem especially important for a bus company transferring pax from airports to cruise terminals, and vice versa. So much is at stake, and minutes are critical. Unfortunately, I am sure that many times they put a contract out to bid, and whoever has the low bid gets the contract, without ever really investigating that company beyond a certain criteria required to bid. Too bad that Celebrity is pulling out of Galveston after April now that they seem to have things fixed.

 

That Celebrity has chosen not to respond to your correspondence is very bad form, in my opinion, but all too common. I have yet to have a satisfactory response about a problem from the land based customer service arm of the company. They sorely need a better training program for their reps, not to mention MORE reps if they are so overloaded that they cannot respond to direct inquiries in a timely manner. I am sorry to hear you you were involved in that disembarkation mess.

 

Cheers,

[MrLee]

nightnurse,

I didn't answer this right away because it's tough to answer. The reason I tried it was because it was a sensational deal three days before sailing. Would I do it again? Probably not on a cruise of this length. It was really hard to get going in the morning since the cabin was not only pitch black but completely quiet. I had no sense of orientation at all. Once I got out of the cabin, things were fine. I don't get seasick, so the motion of the ship combined with a lack of orientation didn't bother me. But I wonder how it would affect someone who's constitution is more delicate.

 

I would do it again on a much shorter cruise and if it were a great bargain. I think it's doable for 5 nights or less, but I don't plan on doing any shorter cruises for the foreseeable future. If it came down to booking an inside cabin and getting in an extra cruise a year with the savings, I'd do it. Otherwise, probably not.

 

Cheers,

 

 

Hmmm....I just booked an inside cabin (guarantee) for the May 6 TA (16 days). I've never cruised celebrity before but the pice was so good I couldn't resist. Previous cruises were OV or balcony. It should be interesting to see how this works out for us.

[poetic license]

Hmmm....I just booked an inside cabin (guarantee) for the May 6 TA (16 days). I've never cruised celebrity before but the pice was so good I couldn't resist. Previous cruises were OV or balcony. It should be interesting to see how this works out for us.

MrLee,

You may like it just fine. :) I was only speaking from my personal perspective, and, like I said, if there are extenuating circumstances: If the difference in price was such that I could get in another cruise per year from that price difference, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Have a great time on GALAXY -- she is truly lovely! I will be taking the CENTURY transatlantic, since the GALAXY's TA dates were not do-able for us AND I am a little sentimental about taking CENTURY on it's last voyage before drydock and a complete makeover. But otherwise I would have booked GALAXY in a heartbeat; we love Italy and would've spent a bit of time there at the end of the trip. Come back and share your experiences with us!

 

Happy Sailing~

[janiwom]

Yours was undoubtedly the most helpful review I've ever read! Thanks. Have been booked for 3/20/06 since August, but just got around to researching other details online. One question about the Panama Canal excursion. You were referring to XJ10 - Panama Canal Locks by Ferry weren't you? I'd been put off by the 7 hour duration, fearing late return to ship, so would be reassured to know what time this tour actually begins and how much leeway in time for it's return.

 

Jan

[DeepWaterMariner]

Poetic License, great review.

 

We sailed the Galaxy after you (2/2 11 days) and I generally agree with your review. One area was significantly different on our cruise (maybe they read your survey at the end of the cruise). There was dancing every night in the Savoy. The band was Fusion, the one that played by the pool during the day. Most days they played a pre dinner set in the Savoy for both dinner seatings plus for dancing in the evening, usually beginning at 9:45 and continuing until after 11:00. They were excellent, very versitile. The only times they did not play in the evening were when there was big band dancing.

[jc75644]

We're booked on the Galaxy for an April 24th sailing along with 4 of our friends. Most of us have a few cruises "under our belt", but it will be the first time on Celebrity. I read that the 'Panama Canal Locks by Ferry' is an excellent choice for this port. Someone I talked with yesterday told me they had traveled on Princess and had chosen the 'Two Ocean Railroad by Dome Car'. Does anyone have any experience with the dome car that they would relate?

[trcori]

I see that you took David & Ivan's tour while in Costa Maya.

We are currently booked with them for our stop during the April 1 Galaxy cruise.

They say they'll get us back to the pier on time for the noon sailaway.

I'm still a little nervous. I wouldn't be if it's just me, but it's my husband and 10-y-o son along for the ride, and I know getting left and having to figure out how to catch up with the ship two days later in Costa Rica would TOTALLY freak them out, even if I figured out how to deal with it.

 

So I'm asking -- were you also a 7 am-noon stop? What time did D & I get you back to the pier?

 

thanks, TR

[jperkin1]

We just got back from this cruise. We did the D&I tour (we really enjoyed it). We were back in Costa Maya at least a half hour before the ship left. They are very aware of the time constraints (we were there from 7-noon also), and it wasn't a problem at all. Have a great time!