We had planned on going on a cruise in 2020, however the virus squashed those plans. Up to the day before our cruise, it still didn't feel as if we were going cruising the next day. We trusted the protocols Celebrity had in place so felt safe. We're booked for the Celebrity Summit in June 2022, Celebrity Constellation in December 2022 and the Celebrity Equinox in March 2023. Definitely spending our kids inheritance.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
From the time we walked into Pier 25 Cruise Terminal (wearing masks of course) until we stepped foot on to the Millennium was 17 minutes. The fact that there were only 651 of 2,201 passengers (29.5%) onboard, embarkation was wonderful.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We had breakfast and dinner in the MDR each day. Julius was our waiter and Clarence was his helper. They were so attentive to what we liked that Julius would give us his recommendations each day for dinner. Only once of the 11 entrees was his recommendation off. Food was delicious and well presented. For lunch, if we were not on an excursion, we ate at the buffet. The food was served by the crew, who all wore masks. They served you as much as you wanted of whatever you wanted. They made you feel special even though it was only a buffet. If you wanted an alcoholic drink, you had to go to the bar yourself as there were no waiters taking drink orders. Soda and wines were at one of the serving stations.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
The Solarium was our go-to place everyday, enjoying the warm salt water and the Jacuzzis. We actually won about $200 over three times at the casino. My wife visited the shops but for me there was nothing I really needed/wanted from them. Working on our sun tans was so relaxing on the Lido deck. There were people in the pools but we never went in the outdoor pool or jacuzzis.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The 9 PM show was excellent with the Celebrity dancers, singers and aerialists. They also had a magician (phenomenal), comedian (so-so), Motown singers (fantastic), and so much more. Then there were little venues (Cellarmasters, Sunset Bar, Grand Foyer) where smaller groups sang, played or entertained. The Solarium was our go-to place everyday, enjoying the warm salt water and the Jacuzzis. We actually won about $200 over three times at the casino.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Our water Julius and his helper Clarence were fantastic, as was our sommelier Anna. Julius and Anna were very knowledgeable in their respective areas (food/drink) and never let us down with their recommendations. Clarence was there to remove utensils, plates, glasses and brought us our daily bread, and explaining the ingredients of various butters, sauces etc. We miss Julius' friendly greetings each evening welcoming Mr Bob and Miss Jill to his table. They all were genuinely glad we were there.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The ship was very easy to get around. We prefer the smaller ships as opposed to the mega-ships. With the three banks of elevators located forward, midships and aft we had no problem getting to where we needed to go without a lot of walking. The ship was spotless and sanitized daily. Common touch-points in the public areas were cleaned/disinfected throughout the day. We felt safe with no worries about COVID germs at all.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We lucked into getting this cabin. When this Family Ocean View with Veranda became available, I quickly called our Travel agent to make the change to this cabin. It is on the aft of the ship on a corner. As it is for families, it has two separate sleeping areas. The main bedroom (usually for the adults) measures 19' long by 10' wide = 190 sq ft. The second bedroom which has a divider to keep each separate if need be (usually for children) measures 10' long by 10' wide = 100 sq ft. That section has a sleeper sofa which pulls out for 2 individuals and a sleeper chair for one individual. So the overall square footage of the cabin is 290 sq. ft (the bathroom measures 4' deep by 7' long). The veranda is AWESOME. It measures 19' out from the sliding doors to the railing and 15' wide = 285 sq ft. Since it is on the aft corner you have a 270 degree field of view up the side of the ship and along the back. If you can grab one of these category cabins (it's priced between a 2A and C3 cabin category, then by all means go for it, even with just two people as we were.
Ship tip
Our advice would be to be courteous to the crew as they are doing all they can to make your vacation enjoyable. If they go above and beyond, consider additional cash tips.
We haven't been to St Maarten since 2015. It is still being rebuilt in some areas after the two hurricanes from 2017. We went to Orient Beach which included a lunch (mahi-mahi and sweet potato fries). My wife was not daring enough to go to the "clothing optional" portion of the beach but the water was so warm. A tropical paradise, definitely the best excursion of all of our ports of call.
We had our luggage ready by 9 PM the day prior to returning to Ft Lauderdale. We had a leisurely breakfast with an 8:45 disembarkation time. As the ship was only 29% full, we were off the ship and had our luggage in 15 minutes. Then we were back in the "real world".
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