What should our expectations be for the Constellation be after sailing on Edge?

[cgolf1]

No that we will be sailing on the Constellation barring unforeseen circumstances, I have a normal cruise question. What should our expectations be of this ship?

 

We are generally lower key cruisers that don't hang out at the bars or go to events like the silent disco, but we do enjoy the shows and entertainers and really like the live music. So far our trip on the Edge had set the bar pretty high for live music, as the talent was ridiculous for a cruise ship. Even on Royal we saw a house band, Kronos, that drew a crowd that rivaled what was in the theater. Other than that we just like good food and a nice relaxing atmosphere. After hearing people on the Edge comment to their friends to not judge Celebrity by the Edge we are glad we get to experience the Constellation before she is revolutionized, in theory the old Celebrity.

 

One thing I am worried about being gluten free is will the food in the buffet be as well labeled as what I saw on the Edge. That was a game changer for me and the first time I could eat like a normal person in the buffet since I realized gluten was causing me issues. The good news with this trip is we will likely not need to deal with chair hogs.

 

[Lady Arwen]

You can expect to find a huge difference between an M class ship and an E class. Constellation is nice ship, but do not expect any glitz or glamour such as you do on Edge.  She is a much smaller ship, which lots of folks prefer.  Also, her balcony cabins are true balconies, not the IVs on Edge.  You will find the same level of service and quality of food without four MDRs.  Cabins are fine, but nothing like Edge.

She is an aging lady, and in some areas is shows.  But, in general she’s lovely.  You just have to adjust your expectations.  I would not hesitate to sail on Connie, with the right itinerary.  You will have no problem finding gluten free items anywhere.  Just tell your waitstaff ahead of time and you will be taken care of.

Edited January 28, 2022 by Lady Arwen
Additional info

[Denny01]

I loved the E-Class, and also the Constellation M-Class for different reasons. Dining will be at the same level of excellence, but has one large MDR. The buffet differs in that it is more of the standard lines instead of the Edge stations, but you’ll get help from the staff identifying the foods you can use….just ask. 

 

As to what I think was better on the Constellation? We Love the Solarium Pool. It’s inside, normally not nearly as crowded as the big outside pool. It’s warm, salt-water with lots of water action. It has pipes in the corner that you can stand under and get a blasts on your shoulders and back. In the sides, are pipes forming ‘lounges’ and have bubbles coming up and giving a fantastic ‘massage’. We would get a SR on deck 8 or 9 just below the pool so we could zip up in the mornings. 

 

the men’s and women’s changing rooms near the pool and the Spa have free sauna’s. 

 

The theater is a standard design but all good seating and unlike what we’d experienced on other Lines, you could get great seats pretty much anytime, especially with the lower passenger levels. And great live music with the great band.

 

So enjoy. 

 

Den

 

 

[TeeRick]

1 minute ago, Denny01 said:

The theater is a standard design but all good seating and unlike what we’d experienced on other Lines, you could get great seats pretty much anytime, especially with the lower passenger levels. And great live music with the great band.

 

So enjoy. 

 

Den

I love the theatre seats with the fold out tables on M-Class!

[canderson]

1 minute ago, TeeRick said:

I love the theatre seats with the fold out tables on M-Class!

Was that a 'revolution' change?  We still had the little lit glass oval tables on Constellation.

 

@Lady Arwen

The age doesn't show unless you're really looking for it.  With a total refresh of all of the carpet and soft goods and a ton of spit and polish before the restart, she's looking very, very good right now.

[TeeRick]

2 minutes ago, canderson said:

Was that a 'revolution' change?  We still had the little lit glass oval tables on Constellation.

 

@Lady Arwen

The age doesn't show unless you're really looking for it.  With a total refresh of all of the carpet and soft goods and a ton of spit and polish before the restart, she's looking very, very good right now.

Sorry that's what I meant.  

[Ken the cruiser]

Think vintage as the Constellation has not been revolutionized. We were just on it for 21 days in December. Here's my thread I posted to while we were on it. For reference, our first leg was in a sky suite on Deck 9 under the pool and then an aft-facing AQ cabin on the second leg.

 

 

 

[hrhdhd]

I spent 11 days/nights on the Constellation in Dec./Jan., and I'd sail her again in a heartbeat. There is enough to keep people occupied without something happening in every corner, and as someone mentioned above, the Solarium is a wonderful place to read, sleep, grab a bite at the Spa Cafe, sleep . . .

 

I just booked the Apex last night and have the reverse worries as the OP. But I figure no cruise is a bad cruise. (I'd have booked the Constellation again, but alas, Spring Break is only a week.)

[trabeler]

1 hour ago, Denny01 said:

the men’s and women’s changing rooms near the pool and the Spa have free sauna’s. 

 

 

The free saunas on the Constellation are still the original design and have been one of the highlights of this ship to me. It is a large sauna with huge window for a lovely sea view.  

 

The M-class ships that have been revolutionized lost this wonderful space which was replaced with a much smaller interior sauna and no view.

[cgolf1]

So is the Buffet one room or split? I didn't see any pictures on their site and the deck plan looks odd. We are hoping we will be able to sit outside and eat.

 

[bikerunner]

Like many said, dont have the glitz and glamour of the Edge but the Constellation, was on her over Thanksgiving, is a wonderful ship.  Very low key and had a wonderful time.  Crew is wonderful and the Captain was always about and very present.  Food and service will be the same overall on the ships.  I would go back on her if the chance arose but I have work getting in the way for now

[cgolf1]

1 hour ago, Lady Arwen said:

You can expect to find a huge difference between an M class ship and an E class. Constellation is nice ship, but do not expect any glitz or glamour such as you do on Edge.  She is a much smaller ship, which lots of folks prefer.  Also, her balcony cabins are true balconies, not the IVs on Edge.  You will find the same level of service and quality of food without four MDRs.  Cabins are fine, but nothing like Edge.

She is an aging lady, and in some areas is shows.  But, in general she’s lovely.  You just have to adjust your expectations.  I would not hesitate to sail on Connie, with the right itinerary.  You will have no problem finding gluten free items anywhere.  Just tell your waitstaff ahead of time and you will be taken care of.

 

Our 3 favorite ships right now in no particular order are the Edge, Brilliance of the Seas, and DCL Magic. We have really enjoyed the smaller ship experience over the years, so that is why we are really excited about this trip.

[bikerunner]

2 minutes ago, cgolf1 said:

So is the Buffet one room or split? I didn't see any pictures on their site and the deck plan looks odd. We are hoping we will be able to sit outside and eat.

 

Does not have individual stations like the S and E class.  Its one room two sides with some identical and different specialities on each side.  Works fine overall

[cruisestitch]

Think cozy and elegant, not greige and cold.  

[Ken the cruiser]

3 minutes ago, cgolf1 said:

So is the Buffet one room or split? I didn't see any pictures on their site and the deck plan looks odd. We are hoping we will be able to sit outside and eat.

 

Ii is pretty much split in 2 with serving stations on both sides as well as on each end during prime dining. Yes, you can eat out on the aft. But if you plan to eat out there, just remember other folks may want to as well, so go early if you can as seating is limited especially in the shaded areas.

 

The food is OK, but lunchtime can get quite congested when it first opens at noon, especially on seadays if there are over 1000 people onboard. Remember, there is no self-service in the buffet. On our first leg, there were only 400, so it wasn't so bad. The second leg we started eating lunch at the Spa Cafe, which was always very relaxing as very few even think of eating there. But, at the same time, the menu is limited to more healthier selections.

[cgolf1]

1 hour ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Ii is pretty much split in 2 with serving stations on both sides as well as on each end during prime dining. Yes, you can eat out on the aft. But if you plan to eat out there, just remember other folks may want to as well, so go early if you can as seating is limited especially in the shaded areas.

 

The food is OK, but lunchtime can get quite congested when it first opens at noon, especially on seadays if there are over 1000 people onboard. Remember, there is no self-service in the buffet. On our first leg, there were only 400, so it wasn't so bad. The second leg we started eating lunch at the Spa Cafe, which was always very relaxing as very few even think of eating there. But, at the same time, the menu is limited to more healthier selections.

 

After seeing the supper options I am going to need the healthier lunches so that might be a very good thing:)

[cgolf1]

Thanks everyone you have added some things to checkout onboard 

[semibeater]

see my review of Jan 14th sailing.

[canderson]

7 hours ago, cgolf1 said:

 

After seeing the supper options I am going to need the healthier lunches so that might be a very good thing:)

Take yourself up to the Spa Cafe for that.  Just aft of the Solarium area.  Grab a few things and eat out in the Solarium where it's quiet.  Never busy, and usually some interesting stuff on offer.

[miched]

The regular cabins and balconies are very small on the M class.  
 

AQ and CC have larger cabins but the balconies are the same 

 

The cabins are like old style travel trailers.  
 

The suites and above are more luxurious 

 

The common area are very nice and old time high class 

 

The entertainment is about the same. The guests entertainers are hot and miss and the production shows are rather lame like they usually are on Celebrity.   

 

If you are in AQ or a suite I think you will find it more personable, not as crowded and a nice experience.    The only disappoint would be the Persian Garden.  It doesn’t have the loungers.   It is just a bench along a wall and the place has no windows 

 

We were on the  Constellation in Nov in a SS and loved it. Would do it again if the price is right but not if the cost/day pp is the same as the S or E class 

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[canderson]

1 hour ago, miched said:

The regular cabins and balconies are very small on the M class.  
 

AQ and CC have larger cabins but the balconies are the same 

Except for the cabins in the stern.

[Oceangoer2]

22 hours ago, TeeRick said:

I love the theatre seats with the fold out tables on M-Class!

I had forgotten all about the fold out tables...thanks for the memory!

[cgolf1]

On 1/28/2022 at 10:35 AM, Ken the cruiser said:

Ii is pretty much split in 2 with serving stations on both sides as well as on each end during prime dining. Yes, you can eat out on the aft. But if you plan to eat out there, just remember other folks may want to as well, so go early if you can as seating is limited especially in the shaded areas.

 

The food is OK, but lunchtime can get quite congested when it first opens at noon, especially on seadays if there are over 1000 people onboard. Remember, there is no self-service in the buffet. On our first leg, there were only 400, so it wasn't so bad. The second leg we started eating lunch at the Spa Cafe, which was always very relaxing as very few even think of eating there. But, at the same time, the menu is limited to more healthier selections.

 

We saw someone on the Apex post pictures of I believe a lunchtime grill out with steaks and other yummy foods, do they do this on the Constellation? It was a once a cruise thing for the Apex.

[Ken the cruiser]

1 hour ago, cgolf1 said:

 

We saw someone on the Apex post pictures of I believe a lunchtime grill out with steaks and other yummy foods, do they do this on the Constellation? It was a once a cruise thing for the Apex.

If they did, I sure don’t remember that. Then again we avoided the buffet at lunchtime and never hung out around the pool. But at the same time IMHO, a lot more $$$ were being spent to wow folks on the brand new E class ships than on the aging nonrevolutionized M class ships.

 

Edited January 29, 2022 by Ken the cruiser

[hampshirelad]

The Constellation has not been modernised so you will not get the up to date Retreat Facilities if that is what you are looking at. That is hidden in the small print ! Over the years more and more cabins have been added taking up more public and deck space so in a sunny destination on sea days she will feel very crowded . Beware of Aqua cabins on deck 9 below the Pool as these are effected by the pool filtration system 24/7 and it feels as if you are trapped in a washing machine. Luckily we  were able to get moved. Forget the lunch buffet between 12.30pm and 2-00pm

 

Depends on the destination and no of sea days. We have had good cruises on M ships over the years, but they are showing their age now.