REVIEW FROM A CRUISING NEWBIE: GALAXY PANAMA CANAL February 13-25 PART 3

[JLDMED]

SHIP TOUR:

OK…out of the room now for a quickie tour of the ship’s public areas. We read a lot of complaints about the ship’s age and “run down” appearance, and were naturally a little apprehensive. We did not find any of the complaints (except the Stratosphere’s foggy windows) to be founded in truth. This ship is gorgeous!

ELEVATORS:

In part 2 of this review, I mentioned the importance of knowing which ones you were near. Our room was near the “midship” bank of elevators. There is also a “forward” bank, and an “aft” bank. If your room is just around the corner from the “midships” and you are actually in the “aft” elevators…you’re going to end up going the wrong way down a long hall. Luckily (for people like me), there are signs all over, directing you to the public areas of the ship. Most people quickly learn what things are near the theater (fore), what things are near the restaurant (aft), and which elevators you need to use to get quickly to those areas. If not – you’ll do as I did, and wander around aimlessly, enjoying the ship, till you eventually reach your destination!

GRAND FOYER:

The grand foyer is on the 5th floor, and is where you will board the ship. Its main feature is a huge spiral staircase, and a huge portrait of a girl on a swing hanging behind it. The guest relations desk is located here, as is the shore excursion desk, and the bank. You can send postcards at the bank, and pay the prevailing postal rate at whichever port you are in or will be in next. The Captain’s Club lounge is there, as well as the “future cruise” sales desk. You can also find extra copies of the Galaxy daily activities guide here, in case you misplace yours.

AQUASPA:

The spa offered a tour to present it’s offerings before we even left the dock. Models (I presume they received the service free of charge) lay on the tables covered in seaweed, receiving facials, and were connected to electrotherapy which claimed to reduce cellulite. Hook me up! The thalassotherapy pool was very inviting – it is a huge saltwater pool that looks like a whirlpool on steroids. The whole thing practically convulses with bubbles and powerful jets -- and masses of bubbles massages those stretched out on submerged chaises. This baby means serious business!! I could hardly wait to get in! It is complimentary for those passengers traveling in suites, and the rest can buy a day ticket, or a “cruise” pass. I believe it was $20 a day, or $120 for the pass. They only sell 50 per day – to avoid crowding – but we never saw more than 6 people in there at a time. If I were you, I think I would just buy it by the day – unless you LOVE whirlpools and intend to spend a lot of time soaking. We were forewarned that the combination of salt water and chlorine could cause discoloration of bathing suits, but went in 5 times and did not notice any problem. There are showers, lockers, a sauna, and bathrooms available near the T-pool, as well.

ORION RESTAUARNT:

The restaurant is in the aft end of the ship, decks 5 and 6. It is a two level restaurant, with tables on both levels, joined by a beautiful grand staircase. OK – one big complaint about the Orion. It sits directly over the ships propellers – and if you are on the bottom level in the middle of the room (lucky us), there is vibration and noise. Some nights it was louder than others, I presume it was because the engines were working harder. We had lunch upstairs one afternoon, and there was no vibration at all. Request a table upstairs! OK…one smaller complaint… the floor! It seemed almost as if the floorboards were loose! People would walk behind your chair, and you could feel the floor moving. A friend had her chair tilt back so far she thought she was going to tip, and asked to be moved. Maybe dry dock will take care of this problem, too.

The Orion is the only restaurant that Galaxy has – there are no “alternative” restaurants. But who needs one, when the Orion is so good? We thoroughly enjoyed every meal we had in the Orion. All the food was not only creatively presented, but absolutely delicious. There were always plenty of choices for everyone, but if we had a special request – it was always met with pleasure. The wait staff is outstanding, and in my opinion, leaves no room for improvement. Our waiter was Alberto, and he was from Peru. Very professional, very attentive, always making sure that what we ordered was as we requested it. If not, it was whisked away and replaced with a perfect meal. His assistant was Joe, from India, who was a perfect counterpart to Alberto. Funny, quick, he always anticipated our every need. My water glass was never allowed to less than half full! He always started our meal by placing the napkins on our laps, and ended it by inquiring about our next day’s activities. It was amazing to see how quickly they learned the preferences of those they were serving – who took cream, who didn’t – who drank wine, which salad dressing you preferred, et cetera. Both are great guys, who certainly deserve a promotion! The assistant maitre d came to our table and made sure we knew who he was. His visits became more frequent towards the end of the cruise when tipping was on everyone’s mind! All kidding aside – he was a very friendly fellow, who even cut up a tablemate’s food and fed her a few bites!

DINING COMPANIONS:

I was a little nervous about being seated with people I didn’t know – and when booking, we almost requested a table for 2. I am so glad I didn’t! We were seated at a table for 6, and those people we didn’t know quickly became good friends. We discussed shore excursions, current events, families, and many other topics. Don’t be afraid of this aspect of cruising…it turned out to be one of the best parts. We said goodbye to these “strangers” with hugs, hoping that someday we would have the pleasure of meeting again.

OASIS CAFÉ:

This is where the buffets are, in case you don’t want to eat in the restaurant. There was good food here, all the time. For breakfast, you could choose from an array of fruits, cereals, breads, meats, eggs, made to order omelets, or waffles and pancakes. The waiter hands you a tray (with a cloth place mat) and then you wind your way through the buffet. Lunch was often a themed event, which was fun. At lunch time the buffet included many choices, both hot and cold. There was a separate sandwich and soup line, and a salad bar that included Caesar salad every day. There was also an ice cream bar that featured 3 or 4 different types of scooped ice cream with assorted toppings, and one flavor of soft serve each day. We never ate at the buffet for dinner, so I can’t tell you about the selections then! There are self serve beverage bars surrounding the buffet, and despite reading posts that talked about shortages of glasses and ice – we didn’t have any trouble. Only one complaint: Sometimes it was difficult to find a place to sit…but I suppose that is hard to avoid when there are almost 2000 passengers on board. Oh…and the bacon was always on the “overcooked” side…IMHO. J

OCEAN GRILL, OASIS PASTA AND PIZZA BAR:

These are food spots that are open almost all the time. You can build your own pizza, have an array of pastas with a variety of sauces, or try a cheeseburger in the middle of the afternoon. We found the pasta and pizza particularly good – the burgers would have been good if they had been hot. They smelled delicious, but were kept in a steam tray. By the time you found your way back to a table, they were ice cold. Beyond the Oasis Pasta and Pizza Bar is an outside deck where there are tables and chairs for outside dining and/or relaxing. My only complaint here was that many of the tables were cluttered with dirty dishes. It would have been nice if they were staffed a bit more heavily at meal times, to keep things cleared up for people looking for a place to sit.

MAGRODOME/OASIS POOL:

Just near the Oasis Pasta/Pizza Bar, there is a small “indoor” pool. It is covered by a retractable roof, so the pool can be used in cooler or inclement weather. It is a very peaceful area, lounge chairs surround the pool, and they were usually full. We only saw people in that pool once or twice. There was a waterfall area that emptied into the pool, but during the entire cruise, the waterfalls were not on. The magrodome area is surrounded by tables and chairs that can be used for eating or card playing during the day, and at night this area is turned into the “casual dining” restaurant for those who either need to dine a bit more quickly – or choose to stay in casual attire. There is a $2 tip requested, and advance reservations are recommended. We did not choose to dine at this venue, so I can’t comment on the service or menu.

TASTINGS:

A coffee shop…which we did not try. Beverages here are not included in the price of the cruise, although you can eat as much as you want of the pastries and cookies!

STRATOSPHERE LOUNGE:

Ah yes…the scene of the infamous “fogged up” windows. This lounge has huge floor to ceiling windows that wrap all around the front of the ship on the Sky Deck. Some of them are indeed, very foggy and full of condensation, and are not conducive to viewing anything. Why Celebrity has not chosen to repair these windows is beyond me…because the lounge would be very beautiful if they were all clean and clear. Apparently this problem has existed for a long time – maybe when Galaxy is dry-docked (I’ve heard 2007?) it will all be corrected. There are telescopes in the Stratosphere as well, which can be used to inspect the approaching or receding shorelines. It is the scene of frequent trivia games, and is the place to go at night if you’d like to sit back to enjoy a few tunes. Lots of chairs, tables for playing cards, a small dance floor, and generally, a very pleasant place to be.

Hopefully you’ll hear “Fusion”, they are a fabulous band. They play a wide variety of music, and it’s all good. The other Galaxy group, “Black and White Duo”, leaves much to be desired – in our humble opinions. Celebrity really needs to dump these guys. They look really bored most of the time, and play like they really would rather be off the ship.

SAVOY NIGHTCLUB:

Very pretty, very large, a nice size dance floor, good place to while away an hour or so before dinner. “Fusion” often plays here then, and there is almost always a floor full of dancers – some good, and some not. All were out to enjoy each other and have a good time. It is also the scene of trivia games during the day, guest speakers, and hosts of other activities – including the 50’s “Sock Hop” we attended. It was a lot of fun!

RENDEZVOUS SQUARE:

Is an open lounge that is on deck 6 forward of the Orion. There is a bar there, and it is a popular gathering place for a drink or two before dinner. Black and White Duo plays there most of the time…which is why we tended to avoid it. J

MARTINI BAR:

The Martini Bar is on deck 5, forward of the Orion. Because the galley cuts deck 5 in half, you can only get there from the aft staircase, or the stairway in Rendezvous Square. There isn’t much there, but bridge players gather each afternoon on sea days.

THEATER:

The theater on Galaxy is gorgeous. It encompasses the fore end of decks 6 and 7, and has both main floor and balcony level seating. We sat in several different parts of the theater, and had a clear line of vision in every spot except one. During the disembarkation talk, we came in late and had to sit in the front row, way over on the side. We could still see, but it was definitely a compromised view. There were fabulous shows in the theater – I’ll talk about those another day!

CASINO:

I loved the casino onboard Galaxy – except for one thing. No KENO!!! Not even video Keno! I was so sad! However, the sights and sounds are reminiscent of old Las Vegas – real coins dropping into the tray when you win, and lots of bells and whistles! You can even actually drop coins to play – most newer machines only take bills. I liked it! We didn’t really gamble much, but several friends had good luck playing the tables and the one armed bandits. There was roulette, blackjack, craps, not sure about poker…but lots of nickel, quarter, and dollar slots. Bingo is played in the theater, twice a day – for an exorbitant fee. $30 for 4 games, 4 cards per game. I must admit that even though it was expensive, I played twice, and won NEVER!!! Darn it! A couple times bingo was cancelled due to low attendance. The casino is closed while the ship is in port.

COMPUTER CENTER:

They offer classes here, some for a fee. Mostly beginner level courses on photo organization and Adobe Photoshop. You can also download your digital photos onto the ships server for free, store them and view them for free. If you want to burn them onto a CD at the end of your cruise, they will be happy to take $15 from you, which we felt ridiculously expensive – especially seeing that CD’s don’t hold that many pictures. They do not have DVD burning capability.

You can also go online here (for a huge fee….75 cents minute) to use the internet or check email. We did not use this service, but friends tell us the server was incredibly slow, and it ended up costing them a small fortune. Buyer beware. There are also internet hotspots throughout the ship, but they have to set your computer up with an account to use the service. Also expensive, from what I was told.

SHOPS:

I found some nice things there to take home…namely T shirts which shrank up too small after I washed them. By them bigger than you think you’ll need! Shops included a liquor store (purchased, then delivered to your stateroom the last night of the cruise), a nice jewelry store, a perfumery, two clothing/general souvenir stores, and a sundries/snack shop – which was very limited in its stock. I was surprised NOT to find simple items like mouthwash, panty hose, gum, and Imodium, so stock up on those things before you leave home. Throughout the cruise, they ran many items at a supposed 50% off rate – but the items never changed. I was hoping to find a good sale the last day of the cruise, but it didn’t happen. Also, in the daily newsletter, they often advertised a “limited time sale” on certain items. I found that once that “limited time” had come and gone, the same sale price continued. Never fear – it may not be too late to get another discounted trinket for a grandchild back home.

NEXT INSTALLMENT: Activities on board and shore excursions!

[trcori]

Hi - thanks for the multipart review - we are doing the same cruise in just four weeks (I'll be boarding the plane exactly four weeks from right this moment, woo hoo!) - I have a question about those foggy windows. I've been in that lounge on Mercury and Century, so I am familiar in general with what it looks like. What PERCENTAGE of the windows is fogged? Half of them? A quarter of them? Most of them? A few of them? In front? On the side? I have never read specifics.

 

Also - how many kids were on your cruise, did you hear? We're taking our 10-year-old son and trying to prepare him for "probably not too many" -- TR

[jperkin1]

Have been anxiously awaiting the rest of your review. You've done a great job. We were also on this cruise, so I don't really need to mention much, as Janice has covered it all much better than I could have. However, (of course!!) I do need to mention that every day in the Oasis at 6:00 p.m until 10:00 p.m. they have a sushi bar that is absolutely marvelous. We never missed it (even though I was not even vaguely hungry...), but my husband refused to miss it. They have miso soup & at least 10 different types of sushi. Not too handy for the early diners, but a nice appetizer for the late diners. If you like/love sushi, try to make it by there. When we went at 6:00 p.m., it was never crowded and there was always a place to sit and a lot of different sushi choices. Some evenings we even filled a plate and brought it back to our balcony, rather than eating at the Oasis. Lovely!!

[JLDMED]

Thanks for the compliment Candy...and I am glad you filled in about the sushi bar! I didn't even know they had one! I am sure there is a lot more I've left out of my cruise diatribe :), so please help me fill in the blanks.

 

It is interesting to hear about the ship and the cruise from several different people, each has their own persepctive and experiences to draw from. I probably should not have even called these long winded diaries a review -- we're not really qualified to review anything! I guess it's more my opinion...take it or leave it!

 

For everyone else out there: My husband and I met Candy and her husband through the message boards and the Cruise Critic party on board the ship. It's a great way to meet new people and make friends!!

[JLDMED]

Hi - thanks for the multipart review - we are doing the same cruise in just four weeks (I'll be boarding the plane exactly four weeks from right this moment, woo hoo!) - I have a question about those foggy windows. I've been in that lounge on Mercury and Century, so I am familiar in general with what it looks like. What PERCENTAGE of the windows is fogged? Half of them? A quarter of them? Most of them? A few of them? In front? On the side? I have never read specifics.

 

Also - how many kids were on your cruise, did you hear? We're taking our 10-year-old son and trying to prepare him for "probably not too many" -- TR

 

I can't remember for sure -- but there were maybe 25% fogged. Some were completely fogged up and you couldn't see through them at all, and some were only partially obstructed. I would venture to guess that you won't be spending too much time inside the Stratosphere anyway, and it wont be a problem. The weather will be beautiful and you'll want to be outside. The view is nice from the lounge, but I can imagine it would get much more use on a cruise that goes to a colder climate, and people don't want to be outside. There were a few people playing cards near one of the windows, a couple people reading...but for the most part, folks were outside.

 

Supposedly there were 19 kids on our ship under the age of 18. That info came from someone who had kids enrolled in the kids program.

[HawaiiApril]

That huge painting in the Grand Foyer - It rolls back at times to expose one of those multi screen TV's like you see at Best Buy! I was shocked when I dragged DH to see the 2 story high painting and it was showing the news!

[tssace]

Many thanks for your third installment!!

[OkieCruisers]

Can any of you recent Galaxy cruisers tell me who the captain is now? We were on the ship last year and I was just curious. Thanks

[jperkin1]

The captain (from our sailing, Feb. 13th) was Periklis Petridis. The cruise director was Don Fluke.