This was our first transatlantic cruise and we enjoyed it immensely. We wondered how we would fare on the 9-days at sea but found more than enough activities to keep us busy. We were fortunate and only had one day of rougher seas.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Due to ongoing COVID concerns, the embarkation process was slower and more chaotic than we have experienced per-pandemic, causing passengers to stand in line out in the hot sun for extended periods. I cannot really blame Celebrity, and one we got past this point everything was great.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We were in aqua class, so we never dined in the main dining room except for a few lunches. Blu was amazing, as was our experience in Le Petit Chef and Sushi on 5. The buffet was handled very well and always had a variety of great food. We appreciated that staff continue to serve all foods.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
The pools were great and we utilized the fitness center almost daily. The equipment was well maintained and it was never crowded. As for other activities, we enjoyed several of the special events such as the othe Abba sing-along, the 1980's New Years party with a silent disco. We also participated in the Celebrity guest choir which was a lot of fun.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
We enjoyed the main theater shows, including the full staged reviews and several of the guest artists. We also liked having small ensembles playing around the ship at almost all times of the day and evening.
Children's Programs
We did not have any children with us. In fact, due to the itinerary, I don't think there were any children on board.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
All of the celebrity staff is exceptional. They're extremely friendly and helpful. They really try to get to know your name so they can address you personally when they see you elsewhere on the ship. We also appreciated that several of the management staff jumped into help others when needed, both in the dining room and in the lounges.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
We sailed on the constellation during its inaugural season in 2001 and after 20 years she is still a beautiful ship. She is showing a bit of age but is being maintained wonderfully.
We particularly like the size of the ship in that it is not too big and too difficult to get around.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We can't say the cabin was overly large, but it was well laid out and maintained very well. We were able to put away almost everything. Our room attendance were great and is helping us get things set up to make us as comfortable as possible.
Ship tip
We completed staff comment cards several times during the cruise. This helped us especially call out staff for a job well done by name. We found that these comments are shared almost immediately with the staff. By doing this during the cruise, we didn't have to try to remember every instance at the end of the cruise. Also, don't be afraid to ask guest relations for assistance. During the rougher weather, they have motion sickness, tablets available free of charge.
It was great to get off the ship after a week at sea. We took an excursion around the part of the island and had a wonderful time. The island is beautiful, but you have to hit the weather right? And we were lucky that the lakes weren't fogged in.
We opted to do the hop on hop off buses here on our own. It worked out well as we could see what we wanted to and spend more time in the beautiful cathedral and fort.
Unfortunately, we were docked in the shipping port and had to take shuttles into town. This caused us to not do very much while in Cartagena. We did walk around on our own and enjoyed some of the sites, especially the Roman theater.
Again, we were docked a long way from town and had to take shuttles in. We took an excursion that was a 3.5 hour bike tour which was amazing. Most of Valencia is very flat so the cycling was quite easy. You can see so much more via bicycle than buy a bus tour or walking tour. We particularly enjoyed the City of Arts and Sciences.
Barcelona is one of our favorite cities. We particularly try to ensure that Mediterranean cruises either start or stop here so we can spend time exploring. We have been fascinated by the Anton Gaudi designed buildings, especially Sagrada Familia.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
