Celebrity Constellation Cruise Reviews - Reviews

First cruise and we were disappointed. Our 25th Wedding anniversary and the gentleman at Guest relations informed us they do not celebrate anniversaries or any special occasions on 5 day cruises.The ship was clean but we felt under staffed.  We were assigned a table in the main dinning room, seated by ourselves, small table next to kitchen where food was continually carried back and forth next to our table. Our waiter never informed us that we had another menu to choose from until the third evening, and that was after we asked about food being delivered to other tables. Our room was wonderful we had a balcony and our room attendant was very accommodating and on top of any need we had pertaining to our room.  We booked an excursion, dolphin swim, it was good but the 7 mile beach was very disappointing. I don't think they could have crammed any more people on the beach. We told several cruise attendants this was our first cruise but no one ever asked us if we needed direction in any way what so ever. As we spoke with other guests, who have sailed with this cruise line before and on this ship, they also were disappointed in the customer service of this particular cruise.    Maybe we just are not cruise people, I must say every one I have ever talked to about going on a cruise say they really enjoyed it.  That was not our experience at all.  

Clean room great service!  Dinning not good, Long lines and cold food. Pool

full of kids running around without adults! Night life on the ship needs to be better!

You never forget your first cruise. Like your first kiss, the memory sweetly lingers.

It’s those warm fuzzies that drew us back to Celebrity’s Constellation in December—eight years after she introduced us to a whole new way to travel.

But those were the days of midnight buffets and chocolates on our pillow. They’re long gone and the Constellation is a different place, run by the same—but yet a very different—cruise line.

The Ship: Wearing the Years Well

The Constellation has held up very nicely since its 2002 inauguration. Its upgrade and “Solsticization” in 2013 brought new beds to the cabins, refreshed carpeting throughout, new restaurants, bars and more. It’s a handsome ship, with a commanding marble staircase dominating the Grand Foyer on Deck 3.

One of the ship’s highlights is at the very back of Deck 10, what I call the “Teak Deck” for its upgraded picnic furniture (officially, it’s the “Sunset Bar”). The little patio, like most of the ship (including rooms and balconies), is now smoke-free, enabling all of us to enjoy the view of the stern’s wake without wheezing.

The ship is compact and easy to get around; we had the layout down in a day. Its relative smallness at 91,000 tons gave it an intimate feel, which, after many trips on larger vessels, was a nice change of pace.

The Entertainment: Mixing It Up

There’s been a big change in the daytime activities. Where once there were guest speakers, there are now “Life Enhancement” lectures on health and fitness. “Enhance Your Life Through Exercise” and “Happy Feet for Healthy Life” were some of the offerings.

There are also more pool and game show activities, as the cruise line works to appeal to younger cruisers. An officer vs. guest pool volleyball game made its debut on this trip, joining the usual “Newlywed Game” takeoff, “Battle of the Sexes” and “Liar’s Club,” which—a first for us—featured the ship’s captain on the panel.

Evening entertainment was good quality, albeit standard fare—Broadway-style shows, a comedian, violinist, magician and singer. Off-stage entertainment ran the gamut, from folk music to classical to rock and salsa.

The Food: A Turn Toward Ordinary

Alas, from this foodie’s perspective, quality was sacrificed for quantity. When we first took the Connie, the three-star Michelin winner Michel Roux was running the show and each meal in the main dining room was a gastronomical high. Today, the food is plain at best. Entrees ranged from good (there was a nice crispy breaded pork chop and decent tenderloin) to poor (one steak had a very strange consistency). Desserts are merely ordinary. Instead of the rich and decadent “Opera” pastry I enjoyed on Princess, for example, the Constellation serves up chocolate layer cake.

The ship’s buffet, the Oceanview Café, runs until 9:30 p.m. at dinner, but compared to buffets on competing lines, seems an afterthought. There are some nice features, such as made-to-order grilling (choice of steak, salmon, chicken and pork), stir-fry and pasta, good pizza and an ice cream bar with syrup and candy toppings. But the desserts seldom varied from puddings or cupcakes.

On the other hand, the breakfast and lunch buffets offered a huge variety. (Although sorely missing was the array of fabulous rolls we once looked forward to.)

The Extras: A Few Still Remain

Some of what earned Celebrity the reputation of a premier cruise line is still there—the welcome champagne at embarkation, iced towels greeting you after a hot day at port, but we find it a changed cruise line, and the Constellation, a changed ship.

Those sailing on the Constellation for the first time will enjoy a smaller ship experience, quality entertainment and a crew eager to please. In short, a good cruise, but not a spectacular one.

--Musing About Cruising, http://musingaboutcruising.blogspot.com

This is our third cruise and we only booked with Celebrity due to the price and dates.  Both of us have cruised with Carnival and NCL before.  We did not know what to expect other than the reviews we read.  A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.  We felt like we had climbed the ladder to the top of the cruise chain.  We are in our early 40's and most of the passengers were 50+.  I saw less than a half dozen kids the entire cruise.  The ship was spectacular!  Housekeeping cleaned our room twice a day and if we couldn't dig our keys out fast enough, they were kind enough to open the door for us.  There was currency change at the front desk anytime you needed for ports of call.  The food in the dining room was delicious!  We had paid for our gratuities in advance so that we could dine anytime between 6-9 and I was glad that we had done that.  There are a few items on the ship that are a la carte, such as specialty coffee, deserts and wine.  If you keep this in the back of your mind during the cruise, its easier to pass on them if you don't want the extra charges.  There was a martini bar that had happy hour from 4-5 then after 11p where the drinks were half price!  The average alcoholic drink on the ship was $9-$12.  We did buy soda packages for the both of us and it worked out great!  We booked our excursions through the cruise line and thank goodness, because we had bad weather at one port and were cancelled.  The ship automatically refunded our excursion money right then and there.  I have nothing bad to say about Celebrity.  I felt like I was on a floating Ritz Carlton.  Customer service was superb and the ship itself was fabulous!  If you haven't cruised with Celebrity, I say DO IT!  I doubt you will ever cruise with anyone else again.  We wont.

We are avid cruisers and have logged 23 cruises to date.  I purchased this particular cruise as a surprise for my wife's 65th birthday.  One reason we went on this cruise was that it was Celebrity and was visiting 2 places we have somehow missed in the past (St. Croix and Haiti) and was revisiting one island we have only experienced once (St. Barth).  The Constellation was a perfect size at 965' and was not over crowded with a total of 2,300+ aboard.  It had been nicely decorated for Christmas.  We were always able to find a table immediately on the times we chose to eat at the buffet on deck 10.  The staff in both the cabin and dining areas was outstanding--as it always seems to be on Celebrity.  We were so pleased to be seated with a younger couple from Argentina that we had lots of fun with throughout the entire cruise.  The captain of the ship deserves special mention as he was without a doubt the best, most personable, funniest and approachable of all the captains we have ever sailed with.  While the ship was a little older than some of the newest and grandest out at sea it was nicely refurbished a couple of years ago and was in very good condition.  The entertainment was also as good as any we have experienced at sea.  All in all it is a great ship, great itinerary and great time to sail in the Christmas time frame.

The staff was outstanding, the ship is kept immaculate and a great time was had!

We do wish there was wi fi and that the internet worked for what you paid!!

My compliments to the chefs, the food both in the San Marco and the Oceanliner were outstanding, as was the service by Ann, Nina, Olga and Charles.

We sailed on the Celebrity Constellation Holiday Cruise! It was amazing...this is our third cruise with Celebrity and each time its gets better! They have an amazing staff that goes above and beyond for you!

Excellent ship, service made you feel like a celebrity, the quality and quantity of food was superb, specialty restaurants were outstanding, NYE party and other activities were incredible and activities in the island were memorable.

Another great transatlantic cruise. Will definitely do it again.

The ship was very nice, the entire staff the best we have ever had cruising and the itinerary excellent.

The itinerary was wonderful. We had never been to any of the ports before. Our cabin with a balcony was certainly worth the extra cost. The cabin steward was friendly, paid attention to small details, and was always responsive to our requests.  The food was outstanding, especially at dinner. We utilized the dining room on level 5 (small tables) which worked out very well. The wait staff was attentive and competent. We made use of the workout room. It was well equipped, has outstanding views, and was never crowded.  On the negative side, the ship could use some refurbishing (especially the furniture and carpeting).  I thought the shore excursions were overpriced and too short to really experience the ports we visited.  Overall, we had a good experience, but I am not convinced that Celebrity Cruise Lines is an upscale provider.

Our cruise was very nice. Things I missed were the Captain's cocktail party and the special luncheon with wine  i realize that there was party at 1:45 PM on Sunday but that is too late for lunch and too early for dinner.  Perhaps these events are only on 2 week cruises. I think the cruise companies could do a better job of coordinating itineraries. 4 large ships in port made the attractions almost impossibly crowded.

The ship appeared dated compared to others we've been on. Walking/access to specialty restaurant a bit more restricted.

We booked for the ports and the ship had decent reviews. We were not disappointed. Food in dining room was excellent, buffets very good. Cabin very nice, but linens could be changed more often

Clean,staff excellent at getting passengers off and on the ship quickly and efficiently.

We enjoy the amenities on the Celebrity ships and the friendliness/helpfulness of the staff. The captain of the Constellation was very accessible and friendly

With the exception of the lack of table clearing and cleaning in the buffet everything else was exceptional.

Enjoyed the ship, not too large, about 2000 capacity. Excellent food and service in the main dining room, coffee bar, wine room.

excellent crew, food, wine

This was our first Celebtity Cruise and it was a very pleasant experience. The ship was very clean, beds were very comfortable, food and service was great and staff was very helpful. The only negative for this cruise was a lack of activities that could include the whole family. It seemed to either be adult or kid activities. Not a whole lot for teenagers.