Just off the 4 day Celebration cruise!

[marym933]

Ask your questions. I've been off the Celebration for 3 hours. I'll be working on my review after the laundry! :p

[cruisin07family]

I see by your sig that you've been on CCL's bigger ships. Were you in any way disappointed in the Celebration? Did it feel old, crowded, less flashy? We were on the Miracle and thought it was a great trip with excellent food and service. Do you think we'd find the Celebration a step down or pretty much on par? The only hesitancy is my dh's reluctance to cruise w/o a balcony but the suite is out of the question because there are 5 of us and we need two cabins. We're considering the 5-day for next summer.

[vafamily5]

Can't wait to hear your review. I cruise on Celebration on August 20th, Key West & Nassau.

[sherin65]

I'm looking forward to your review. I will be on the Celebration in Dec. Nassau and Freeport.

 

Sher

[tigerdadky]

I can say that I sailled the celebration in April and thoroughly enjoyed it. THe only other ship we've been on is the Elation so I cant compare it to the really mega ships. The first reaction to the ship when we first got on was wow this is little. The pool was really small compared to the Elations. However after walking around the ship I knew it was gonna be a great cruise. The mega ships no doubt offer more and are far grander with the awesome atriums, but being a small town boy, I found the celebration more to my taste. It is big enough to have a great time on but small enough to feel to maneuver easy. You see the guest a lot more so you tend to find friendlier people more willing to chat. I cant say enough good things about the celebration, my only regret is that apparently carnival has sold her and she wont be around much longer. I wouldnt hesitate to sail her anytime anywhere, she is truely a fun ship.

[poptart]

oh darn! I can't believe you're going to do laundry BEFORE you write a review for us!!!

 

I've been on the Holiday so I know what to expect--but I do have one question--was there shampoo and body soap in the shower? (on the Holiday there wasn't any I asked for it and they put a dispenser in for 1 day and then took it back out :confused: no explanation)

 

Thanks!!

[marym933]

Here is a sample of what I see a lot of people asking - The ship sailed at 5 p.m. not 4. We arrived in Nassau at 8:30 a.m. not 8 a.m. There is shampoo and body wash in the shower, but not the same as in the Miracle, which has Lever 2000 and Dove 2 in 1. The Celebration has no name gold shampoo with an almond smell and blue colored body wash. The drink coupons worked great! The Ocean Player's Club host sent 4 chocolate covered strawberries to my cabin and there was a $15 photo coupon that I guess was from Bob Dickinson as a result of my last letter. Contrary to popular belief, there are a few grumpy crew members on the Celebtration. More later ...

[vafamily5]

Thanks for sending us a little sample. Can't wait to hear the complete review.

[jbhcw]

We'll be on the Celebration in November. Know it's an older, smaller ship but want to sail on her before she leaves the Carnival fleet. Would love to know how you thought the food was and how the service overall was:) Thanks in advance:)

 

Oh, did you take any pictures:)

[sherin65]

The Ocean Player's Club host sent 4 chocolate covered strawberries to my cabin

 

What is the Ocean Player's Club?

 

Sher

[chickwithamullet]

Just got off the Celebration too (July 28th sailing). The food was WONDERFUL, had no complaints about the service, the only thing I would have changed would be for the karaoke to be moved to a bigger lounge!

Took tons of pics, check webshots link in my signature.

[marym933]

Embarkation - OK, but not the best. It was faster than Port Canaveral, but slower than Tampa. I think Jacksonville needs a better terminal. I know they are tentatively planning on it, but nothing concrete yet. We had to go to 3 different holding areas inside the metal building terminal before we got on the ship. It took about 40 minutes. The parking was very close to the terminal - $12 per day. We sailed at 5 p.m. eventhough all our paperwork said 4 p.m.

 

Food - James, our waiter and Dragana, our assistant waiter were the best! Dining room food was very good. The temperature was good and everything very tasty. Some of the selections were lobster, prime rib, filet mignon, seafood newburg, sea bass, shrimp, tiramisu, escargot, baked Alaska and of course, warm chocolate melting cake. The Wheelhouse Grill and Bar needs a facelift. The decor and wooden tables give the ships age away, but if the rumors are true, she won't be in the Carnival fleet much longer. Everyone I talked to about the sale of the Celebration had a different opinion of when she would leave. It was anywhere from March 2008 to one year from now.

 

Ship - The Celebration is the oldest, smallest ship I have ever cruised. I must say I was a bit disappointed. For the most past, it was updated and you really couldn't tell her age. She lacked a lot of the newer amenities. I found the sauna, but no steam room. The whirlpools were on the Lido deck outside instead of in the gym area like the newer ships. The pools were very small. The cabins were exactly like I expected. We had an oceanview on Empress deck. Ernesto was out steward. He was very friendly. I must have seen him 4 times a day. He always kept our ice fresh. The beds were always made when we came back from breakfast. The bathroom sink and toilet has been recently replaced and were nicer than the ones on the Miracle. I was traveling with 6 other women, 2 of them first time cruisers. The newbies thought the ship was great.

 

Entertainment - The welcome aboard show was not the best. We had the singing and joke telling of Lenny Halliday, the CD. Next was a comedian, Roman Murray, who was 30 minutes late. Lenny had to fill in with an audience participation skit. The comedian's excuse was something about his cell phone had the wrong time on it. I was expecting a Broadway style show like the Miracle's. The other shows were very good. The dancers and principal singers were great. The late comedy show on the last night was Lewis Nixon from Orlando. He did an excellent job. And the casino was the casino, you lose a little and win a little. In the end I lost $30. The midnight buffet was Freeport night. There was a Bahamian Mardi Gras deck party at 1130 p.m. Nassau night.

 

Ports - I have been to Nassau 5 times and Freeport 2. We took a taxi to Port Lucaya in Freeport ($5 pp each way). It was extremely hot. After a couple of hours of shopping and visiting the Isle of Capri Casino (won $5), we went back to the ship. I might add that the port area is much nicer than the last time I was in Freeport. (2002). They have built a little area with a bar, straw market and covered taxi stand. It looks really cute! In Nassau we decided to shop in the Straw Market and on Bay Street early in case it got as hot as Freeport. After 2 rows at the Straw Market, my friends, who are easily scared, decided they had enough. We headed to Bay Street to get all the free charm bracelets, sapphires, and rubies. Diamond's International tried to be stingy with their bracelets. They wanted to only give 1 bracelet per cabin. After a little convincing, each lady got a charm or bracelet. The liquor prices were not great. I bought one bottle of rum and another one on the ship. After lunch back on the ship we took a taxi to Atlantis ($4 pp each way, driver paid toll). 2 of us had been there before, the others wanted to the the Atlantis aquarium "The Digs". I read on the Bahamas board it was $29, but is now $32 pp. It was nice to see once (I've done it twice), but all my friends agreed, they didn't really think it was worth $32. After a little time in the casino (won $5 again) we went back to the ship.

 

Things I found odd - We sailed from Freeport at 6 p.m. and the captain's formal cocktail party was at 7:15 p.m. I commented that I had come in the wrong door and did not meet the captain. My friend said that she came in the correct door, but the captain was not there. At 7:45 p.m when they started to introduce the senior officers, they announced that since it was so close to sailing, the captain could not attend. I never saw the captain at all. As far as I know, Captain Kirk could have been at the helm. I went down to the main deck and took a picture of his picture in the glass case. It was odd, but his picture was the only one in black and white, all the others were in color, hmm?:confused:

 

The rest of the crew - Most of the crew were very friendly and helpful. We did encounter a few grumps along the way. We ran into Chris, the super shopper, at a shop in Freeport. All he could talk about was this was his last cruise with Carnival and how much he hated it. After his vacation, he is going to Princess. I hope all you future Celebration passengers get a shopper that enjoys his job. Goran in the liquor store was all smiles when he was serving me cup after cup of flavored rum the first night. I saw him on the last day and he looked unhappy. I asked him why he wasn't smiling like he did the first night. He said they had a new manager that expected him to work alone in the liquor store, take the orders and box the orders. He said he did 2,000 bottles that day. He left the ship this morning for Europe for vacation. When he returns, he will be on the Liberty and will be glad to off the Celebration. We had an 8x10 group shot of our embarkation that we wanted to get 6 5x7's made from. We intended to buy the 8x10. The photo guy said that he couldn't make a 5x7 with more than 6 people in it. He had a new manager and he wouldn't allow it. Something about the faces getting too small. One of my friends had a wallet size from her last cruise with 11 people in it. We insisted a bit more and he agreed to ask his manager. He said to come back in a couple of hours. When we did come back, the manager had OK'ed it. I went to the purser's deck because I read on the boards that you could sometimes get a ship's pin there on cruises that don't have a past guest party. I asked the guy behind the counter for a pin. He opened the drawer and gave me one. I went back to my cabin and told my friends to go down and ask for one. When they asked for one, he told them that pins are not given out on a 4 day cruise. When they said I got one, he told that he should not have given me one and that he should find me and take it back. I really don't see why he couldn't give them a pin that probably cost a quarter. It would have been good PR. I hope "Jerry the beancounter" is not behind any of this crew discontent.

 

Things I mentioned earlier - Shampoo and Body Wash - no name blue body wash and gold almond smelling shampoo, OPC gift - 4 chocolate covered strawberries, Gift from Bob Dickinson from letter sent after last cruise - $15 photo coupon (It was just presented to me, I didn't get to pick), Drink Coupons - I got the $5.25 Miami Vice with a coupon, no extra. She did ask to see my sign and sail card and wrote down the folio number. She them brougt me a receipt to sign which listed a balance of zero. This was in the Astoria Show Lounge.

 

In closing - I hope I didn't ramble too much. I know that there are a lot of you that love the Celebration. I hope I didn't upset you. I look to these boards for many opinions and I know other do too. I, too, love the Celebration, but she is not my favorite ship. If given the opportunity I would probably not sail her again. Ships are like children, you love them equally but sometimes in different ways. I was with 6 of my friends and I have never laughed so hard in my life. It was a cruise that I will never forget.

[marym933]

For Poptart - Shampoo and body wash dispenser is in the shower (at least on Empress deck)

vafamily5 - Paradise Island is at the most 15 minutes by cab. The ship docked at 8:30 not 8 but folks were getting off at 8:45 a.m. I know you want to get to the Comfort Suites.

[casinoluvr]

I'd also like to know how to get the chocolate covered strawberries from the Ocean Player's Club host. Somebody please share.

[marym933]

I joined the Ocean Players Club on my Glory cruise in 2005. I sent an email via their website that I was cruising again. I received an email from them about a week before my cruise stating that I was on the list. The strawberries appeared in my cabin about an hour after I checked in. I might add, I have emailed before other cruises and this is the first time I have received anything. I am not a high-roller. I play slots and maybe a little blackjack. I keep my losses to $20 a day.

 

http://www.oceanplayersclub.com

[casinoluvr]

Thanks for the info - we're not high rollers either and I would think that I would have gotten an Ocean Player's Club card on one of my past cruises. I'll look around and see if I can find it. Thanks again!!

[salt_wife]

Thanks for the review.:)

[poptart]

Just got off the Celebration too (July 28th sailing). The food was WONDERFUL, had no complaints about the service, the only thing I would have changed would be for the karaoke to be moved to a bigger lounge!

Took tons of pics, check webshots link in my signature.

 

Loved your pictures! Thanks for sharing. The food pics made me hungry--love those enchaladas :D

[Luckeelion]

:) I'd rate the Celebration in much the same way Mary did.. I believe above all, the company you keep makes the biggest difference. We laughed so hard and had a great time. THAT made all the difference in our wonderful trip. I too have been on newer and bigger ships, but made the best of what was available. I must say that the selection in the dining room was extensive and food was good (steak was a bit tough- stick with seafood).

[poptart]

Mary,

thanks for a very balanced review. We just wanted to get "our turn" on the Celebration before she gets send off to pasture. I'm sure we'll have a wonderful time too.

 

Thanks for the info in the shower supplies. It was just so weird on the Holiday how it seemed to be rationed. It's always been plentiful on all the other ships.

 

I'm learning to play blackjack--never played in an actual casino before--gonna give it a go on the Celebration.

 

Thanks again for sharing your cruise.