No More Celebrity for This Cruise Critic

[Saintpat]

After many cruises for 17 years, we tried Celebrity last week. I didn't like it at all. Crowded dining room; too loud to talk to my 4 tablemates. Lumpy bed! Surly steward; nice asst. steward. Confusing and contradictory information or "I don't know; I've never been to these ports before" answers.

Good wine and food, but long lines for casual lido deck dining. Couldn't get a chair either by the pool or by the grill. It was a fight for a chair in both places, and fear to get up for a minute or it would be stolen! Now, who needs this on a vacation? Worst of all, excursions scheduled and properly booked and offered by Celebrity were cancelled at last minute, with no notice. We actually got off the ship to join our excursion on shore before we were told it was cancelled, and another time, it was at 10 pm, too late to book a substitute. Many, many excursions were cancelled; people crabbed about it all over the ship, which was Horizon. All in all, it was poorly run. We had been told we'd be "pampered" and we were hassled. And another thing: how do they have the nerve to charge $10 for a one-hour yoga, or pilates, or fitness class, an ordinary ship board activity I've never had to pay for any where else!! On our first night at dinner, they attempted to ask us if we wanted "premium" desserts for extra pay, and we all almost threw the list at the poor waiter, so he didn't try that again. A cruise line who would do this is lost to all decency! But do let me say they were very good to my husband who needed wheelchair assistance at embarking and debarking.

But there was just too much wrong. I can't go back to Celebrity or recommend it, I'm sorry to say.

[cruiseyguy]

What a strange experience.

[Bisous3]

Thats too bad. I have to say I agree about the crowded areas around the pool. We cruised on the Island Princess in April and had plenty of room near any of the pools- any time of the day. Its been my exprience on the Century and Millennium, if you aren't out on a lounge chair by 9 AM don't plan on sitting near the pool. I never heard of charging for a premium dessert? Is this something new? If so, that tacky. I also agree about the $10 charge for the yoga and Pilates, another tacky thing.

The thing that surprises me was your surly steward! They are usually so nice!! I would have to say that I wouldn't give up on Celebrity all together though. I think it was a fluke, as if you read these boards the overwhelming majority of posters are posting positive things.

Suzanne

[mango14217]

I agree charging for desert is tacky.

 

I also agree you should give celebrity another chance i have sailed celebrity 3 times and the crew was great

[mmp13]

I'm so sorry you had a bad experience. That would definitely sour me on celebrity. In fact I have to say I was not that thrilled with my first celebrity cruise. I was very reluctant to try them a second time. My husband talked me into it because it was so easy to sail out of Baltimore etc. The second one was great ...Same ship very different experience. So good in fact, that we booked another cruise while still on board Hope whatever line you choose next works out for you.

[ffwife]

Does anyone know if charging for a "premium" dessert is a new Celebrity thing? Is it happening on all their ships? What sort of dessert would fall into this category, I wonder.

[idssms]

Premium Desserts???

 

I have never heard of that.. Maybe they wanted to ad Bailey's or Grand Marnier to your ice cream or cake.

 

Hard to believe that X hussles desserts.

 

I have a hard time believing this.

 

And a non professional waiter would be removed in a heartbeat if a complaint was made to the Asst Maitre D.

 

idssms

[chessbriar]

This is not your typical X experience. I'm sure the ship does have something to do with it. Small ship not well designed. Emphasizes the problems of noise and chairs aroud the pool. One thing I have found on X is if you talk to the right people about things that bother you suck as a "surly" steward, or an upcharge for desserts, something I have never come across.

 

Give them another try, but at least move up to a C class ship if not an M class.

 

I do find it interesting how different people come of with such different views of the same ship. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=102390

[Lois R]

Hi:) I also want to say how sorry and surprised I am about your experience.

 

I do want to comment on the "Premium Dessert" thing.....I sailed HAL for the first time In Sept and I forgot about that.....besides my poor experience over there....they listed 2 desserts every evening on the Menu....both were EXTRA....as in 6.75 a piece. They both were liquor based desserts.....I never tried them.....as I don't care to pay extra for dessert.

 

This is the first I have heard about X charging for it.

 

Anyway....I have sailed Celebrity 3 times and will be going again next month:)

 

Again, so sorry to hear about your bad experience.

[hdawson]

I'm sure the OP will be happier on a different line as she probably has a bad taste in her mouth now. I will be on my fifth Celebrity cruise in Feb and back to the Horizon. One of my all time favorite ships. I've never seen extra-charge deserts. In the case of HAL, I was on Zuiderdam in Oct, if there are liquours added to a desert I would expect them to be at an extra charge. I have always been extremely pleased with Celebrity and it remains my line of choice.

[tmt9367]

What a strange experience.

 

Here's what's even stranger. Go back and read all eight of the OP's previous posts and there's not one bad thing to say about Celebrity. We were on the Summit a few weeks ago for fourteen nights and I never saw anything about paying for premium desserts. And we ate in the dining room every night.

 

saintpat, nothing in life is perfect. Shore excursions are usually cancelled because of weather or lack of participation. That's beyond the control of any cruise line. I planned to go bill fishing last April while on the Mariner and the trip was called off because of high seas. Was I mad at RCCL? No!

 

As for pool chairs, do you think there should be as many chairs as there is passengers? Not possible. Ever been to a 5 or 6 star resort and not be able to find a lounge chair? I have.

 

IMHO, I think you started off on the wrong foot and from there, nothing could have pleased you.

 

S

[StephenJohnson]

Bummer.

 

Hope you enjoy your other cruises, Ciao!

[newtocc]

I was on the Zenith a couple of weeks ago, or so I say! We had 25' + seas, 40 knot winds, everyone was sick, they tried to sell us bottled water, there were barf bags everywhere, the pool band was cancelled, the evening shows were cancelled, contests were cancelled, people got off in Bermuda, more people got off in Halifax (I love run on sentences), people wanted their money back, they complained, they puked, they b*tched, they got over it!

 

What's my point, it's a ship, it's a cruise, I ignore hawking bottled water, selling desserts (even though that's never happened to me), I don't do the spa, I drink, and I drink a lot, and I pay out the *ss for it!

 

I remember from my drug addict days, just say NO!

 

Honestly, as bad as my last cruise was, it was the best, I met great people, I had a great time, I could probably never repeat it in a lifetime!

 

Some people expect too much, I'm just happy to appreciate life, you get what you give!

[CruznTom]

I'm trying to comprehend how so many people found a Lido deck on a Celebrity ship to cause a long line for casual dining. Celebrity doesn't have a Lido deck on any ship!:confused:

[idssms]

In the nasty rocky weather,,, how much did they charge for the barf bags??

 

Just kidding..

[RSteele]

CruznTom

 

I love your penguins....I put it in a email to myself...and I go daily and watch it and lol....even my "grown" kids thought it was hilarious...just wish I knew what he did once he got up...did he just keep walking??

[CruznTom]

Ahhhh grasshopper - The answer to the penguin question is one of the mysteries of life, much the same as the Celebrity Lido deck.:D

[tuggers]

I was on Horizon 10/31 and there was no extra desserts that were charged for. I think the OP is confunsing X with HAL which does hace this policy!

[babylene]

On the Galaxy, Oct.23/04, there was a small dessert menu (with prices) on the dining room table.

[cruiseyguy]

No premium desserts on my recent Infinity cruise, either. Someone presently onboard a Celebrity ship or sailing soon should check this out and report back. If true, it will certainly set off a small firestorm.

[zackiedawg]

Got off the Summit 6 days ago...no premium desserts offered at an extra charge on any night.

 

It does sound like an unfortunate fluke of an experience for the OP, but it can happen. My first Celebrity cruise was fantastic, and not only did I not experience any of the complaints experienced by this poster, I in fact experienced the opposite in some cases (very short lines for casual dining, and no extra charge offers made anywhere other than liquor). Service was impeccable and I always found room at the pool area. As for dining room volume...probably not an issue on the M classes as the space is so much larger...but I never found it loud in any way, except for the talking and laughter eminating from our own table.

 

Hopefully, the original poster will have a better experience on her next cruise, whatever that may be.

[brigittetom]

We did have an expierence on the Galaxy where conversation at our table was next to impossible. The only thing we know about the other couple was that they had a dog and he liked keroke. We were seated downstairs near the entrance and the band upstairs was playing showtunes and the accustics just didn't cut it. Two months later we sat upstairs, same band, and we had a wonderful table. All tables in the diningroom are not created equal. :)

 

I have learned not to go to the buffet as soon as it opens. In my expierience once the initial line is out of the way, there's not much of a line after that.

[Bruin Steve]

It's okay...

Not everybody has a positive experience on every cruise...

 

I've cruised six different lines...and I've enjoyed most every cruise...I'm just that kind of guy...I can find positive things during even the worst experience...

 

Of course, MY worst cruise experience was in the Baltic in 2001 on the Crown Princess...all sorts of things wrong with the shore excursions, the ship being late into port, poor amenities and lousy entertainment...The experience didn't exactly make me a big Princess fan...

 

But I can allow that this wasn't necessarily the typical Princess cruise...I'm guessing a newer vessel and a different itinerary and they might do better...

 

In fact, I came "thisclose" to booking the Diamond Princess for March before settling on the Connie...There are a number of little things I didn't like about Princess that I would cope with on the Diamond if I had to--like a charge for Ice Cream!!!

 

As for Celebrity, I, too, have never seen a charge for dessert!! Perhaps Saintpat should have read that menu a bit more carefully...perhaps that was an after dinner DRINK menu?

 

As to crowding, I've never experienced it on Celebrity, but of course, I've only cruised the spacious M-Class ships...

 

I don't know about Pat, but, as for me, after cruising six different lines, Celebrity stands out as my clear favorite...I've always found less "nickel-and-diming", less hassles then on other lines--one of the things that makes Celebrity stand out in my mind...

 

But, it's okay with me if Pat doesn't come back...not every cruise is for everybody...and, certainly, Celebrity won't necessarily be for everybody...

 

I hope for Pat's sake, whatever cruise line she's been sailing for 17 years is living up to her expectations...

[Cour10ay]

We sailed on the Constellation on November 6th, and I doubt we will cruise on Celebrity again, either. We have cruised with RCI on many, many occasions and were very satisfied with the quality and service onboard their ships. (Just for reference we are 40s, like to have the opportunity to dance to live music at night, take part in interesting onboard activities on sea day, enjoy the ports of call, and eat nice meals when we cruise.)

 

We did have a good time thanks to some terrific people we met onboard, and the ports of call - I mean, how can you have a bad time cruising?? But the ship and service were not all they were cracked up to be. All bark and no bite.

 

It rained quite a bit during our cruise - certainly NOT the fault of the cruise line, and to be expected in November in the Southern Caribbean. But Celebrity had no alternate plans or locations for deck activities in case of bad weather. Several nights were to be Theme Nights with the Onyx band (Latin/Salsa and Country & Western), but they were cancelled due to rain. A shame since a lot of people were looking forward to those and would gladly have attended an indoor venue for them had there been one. (The DJ did accommodate some of the Salsaphiles with a good mix in the Rendezvous Lounge one night, though. Thanks, Louis!)

 

Sea day activities were poor. I can play Password, Scrabble, and other board-type games at home. They did have a lecture by Gary Forbes that was good, though. Many of the activities we were interested in (Line dancing classes and things like that) were scheduled during port hours so we missed them.

 

We were never informed either before we purchased our cruise or anytime after we paid in full that the disco/nightclub and "Notes" music listening center would be closed. We found out during our "Check Out the Ship" once we boarded. I do think Celebrity could have taken the time to inform TAs or added a note about these closures in the docs. We did know the dry dock the week before our trip was to refit the disco but no one ever said there would be NO DISCO/NIGHTCLUB of any kind during our cruise. The disco will be the venue for Cirque de Soleil beginning Dec. 4th, but if we had known Celebrity promised things they would not deliver, we would not have chosen them in the first place.

 

Food quality was variable, from poor to good. The beefs and fish were overcooked and dry, the soups often cold, and the desserts were fair. Also, one night the dining room ran out of 2 of the main courses entirely - and not on lobster night, either. We never got Baked Alaska since just the Main Course was being served to our section of the DR when everyone else was getting their BA. (Second seating, main floor next to the Captain's table - who DID have their Baked Alaska.) Beautiful presentation, poor quality.

 

Many people were also unaware of the change of ports. We did know thanks to a last minute call from our TA, but there was a lot of grumbling from those that didn't. I think Celebrity could have informed TAs about that a few days earlier so the pre-cruise in San Juan folks would have known where they would be visiting and planned accordingly.

 

Celebrity did the little things extremely well; the big things not so well. There is more to the cruise experience than white gloved folks showing you to your stateroom, and cool towels when you re-embark after a port day. If they could get it together they will be a premium line. Based on our experience they are not even a "Wanna Be".

 

The service onboard was very good, even excellent, but if the product served is poor, what's the point?

 

Cour10ay

[Lois R]

Hi...just chiming in again....

 

Seems a couple of people have seen "extra charges" for desserts....not just the OP...when I sail on the Constellation in 3 weeks, I will look too.

 

Next, I also agree, that I hope both posters who had unhappy experiences will be able to find something better too.

 

I remember when I went on HAL in September, after that cruise I have no desire whatsoever to sail them again either. So, as much as we "Celebrity Loyalists" (me included) love our line, bad things can happen....I am really sorry

about their experience.

 

I suppose that is why it is good to try something else.....now I know why I love Celebrity and Cour loves Royal, and so an so loves......whatever line it may be.