celebrity-galaxy13

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Kellie Mysinger
Email: mysingr@premiernet.net
Age: 33
Occupation: Office Manager
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: May 19, 2000
Itinerary: Alaska 7-Day Inside Passage
Cabin: 8084/Category 5
FoodDiningRoom: 94
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 88
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 90
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities:
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 90
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 02 Jun 2000
Time: 21:00:17
Remote Name: boone8.premiernet.net
Remote User:

Comments

My husband, my parents and I just returned from an Alaskan cruise on Celebrity Cruise Line’s Galaxy. This
was my parents’ second cruise and my and my husband’s first cruise. I had never considered going on a
cruise before because I associated cruising with over-eating, sunburns, shuffleboard and limbo contests. My
opinion changed when I began researching a trip to celebrate my husband’s 40th birthday. After looking at
hundreds of web sites and travel guides, we decided on the 7-day Inside Passage cruise leaving from
Vancouver. We knew that the scenery would be fantastic throughout the cruise, the ports of call looked
beautiful and Celebrity seemed to be a cruise line that stressed comfortable, elegant cruising without a lot of
extra gimmicks. The research paid off because the cruise itinerary and the cruise line were exactly what we
wanted.

We flew into Seattle one day before the ship sailed and rented a car to drive into Vancouver. We chose this
route for two reasons—the airfare that we could get into Seattle was significantly lower than into Vancouver (a
big savings for 4 people) and we visited some friends who live between the two cities. The border crossing
between Canada and the U.S. was a piece of cake—no delays. The night before the cruise and for two nights
after the cruise we stayed in a B & B in Vancouver—the ‘O Canada’ House. I had never stayed in a B & B
before, so I was a little nervous, but I would recommend it to anyone staying in Vancouver. It was beautiful,
comfortable and very conveniently located.

Overall, all four of us enjoyed the cruise. The Galaxy is a beautiful, large ship that we found to be well
designed. We had a Category 5 cabin with a large window on the 8th deck. My husband wanted to take the
bathroom home with us because, although it was very small, everything was organized and convenient to use.
We had no problem storing our toiletries without having the bathroom feel cluttered. The cabin itself was also
full of usable storage space. We did have one large Pullman suitcase that would not fit under the bed, so our
cabin steward stored it for us during the trip.

One area where I will complement Celebrity is in the quality of their employees. Everyone that we
encountered on the cruise was very friendly, efficient and extremely hard working. Having done my share of
hiring and firing, I respect the ability to build such a large crew of employees who know customer service and
are not afraid to work. From the housekeeping staff to the bartenders to the dining room staff, they made the
cruise for us.

We were really lucky in our waiter and waiter assistant. At home we dine out frequently and appreciate good
food and good service. I’m afraid that I am now spoiled by our excellent dining room service and will be
disappointed when we eat out at home. Our waiter, Camilo, and his assistant, Jose, were a great team.
Camilo was incredibly efficient and could carry trays with 16 filled plates with seeming ease. Jose was the
comedian—he kept us laughing while he never let either our water glasses or our breadbasket empty.

One area that I was not prepared for was the amount of ship movement that I could feel. On the first formal
night in particular, the ship was sailing through water that moved the ship side to side in a very noticeable
manner. Although I don’t suffer from motion sickness, the amount of movement that I could feel did make me
a little nervous. During 3 or 4 periods of the cruise we traveled through waters that did make the ship rock a
little uncomfortably. (I think that on my next cruise the rocking won’t bother me as much since I will be ready
for it.)

My mother and I both purchased the Silver Spa Package at the AquaSpa. In addition, we added a few
treatments during the cruise. The facilities are very comfortable and the personnel are well trained. On the
first day, they conducted thorough tours through the spa. These tours were fun, and they certainly
encouraged you to sign up for all of the wonderful treatments that were available. My only complaint with the
spa is the high-pressure sales pitch after each treatment for the purchase of their line of products. Since I
was already paying what I considered a very fair price for the treatments, I didn’t think that the strong product
pushing was necessary.

Our ship stopped in Juneau, Skagway, Haines and Ketchikan. Each town was very beautiful, and it was nice
to stroll around town. We only took two excursions. My mother and I took a float trip from the Mendenhall
Glacier in Juneau down the Mendenhall River. This was really fun—not too many rapids and lots of eagles
were seen. My husband and father took a fishing trip—this was a disappointment. For $178.00/pp they got on
a fishing boat, watched the captain set out some lines and drove around for a couple of hours. No catching
fish was O.K., but they felt like they were observing and not fishing.

All in all, we had a great time on our cruise. So much so that we are planning to take another one next year
when the Galaxy moves to Europe for a 7-day Northern European cruise.

Name: Sheree Gerig
Email: shgerig@southwind.net
Age: 29
Occupation: freelance advertising copywriter
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: May 6, 2000
Itinerary: Northbound Coastal
Cabin: 9154 Stateroom with Balcony
FoodDiningRoom: 75
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 70
CruiseStaff: 75
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 70
DiningRoomService: 80
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 80
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 75
DeckService: 70
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff: 80
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess: 70
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 85
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 65
MedicalFacilities: 85
ShipCleanliness: 80
EmbarkDisembark: 70
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 06 Jun 2000
Time: 19:27:12
Remote Name: dialup-19-100-wichita1.southwind.net
Remote User:

Comments

First, you should know that my husband and another couple with whom we travelled have previously sailed
on the Dawn Princess, so our impressions of the Celebrity cruise are in comparison to the Princess trip. Had
this been our first cruise experience, we may not have been disappointed. But in our estimation Celebrity fell
far beneath Princess in delivering what they both promise, and what we value most: excellent service and
mouth-watering cuisine. Overall, the 13-night Northbound Coastal on The Galaxy is a great value. We
compared a more traditional 7-night Alaska cruise on Princess and discovered the Celebrity option was
roughly the same cost . . . for 6 more nights. This is not apples to apples, since Princess sails the Gulf of
Alaska and our cruise did not. But six more nights? You’ve got a deal. Our American Express Travel agent
told us this was a relocation cruise, in which the ship is being moved from its winter-season Caribbean
routes up to its summer-season Alaskan tours.

The ship leaves from San Diego, Ca. and sails up the U.S.
Pacific Coast with stops in L.A., San Francisco, Seattle and Victoria B.C., then travels into Alaska with stops
in Sitka, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, with its final destination in Vancouver. We also saved money by
traveling so early in the season (May) as opposed to paying peak rates in July and August. The Ship Galaxy
is a fabulous ship. With its exterior navy and white paint and sleek lines it is more elegant than the Princess
Grand Class Ships. The interior is equally elegant. The decore is modern with splashes of bright colors in
the carpets, in the upholstery and within the hundreds of pieces of art featured throughout the ship. It is all
highly tasteful, not at all garish.

The dining room is stunning, with its open two-level design, grand staircase
and the wall of glass on the aft side. We also loved the more intimate spaces which became our hangouts:
the cappacino bar, Michael’s Club (with a small semi-circle room off the club’s main room), the Martini Bar
(order them all) off the Savoy Night Club lounge, The Stratosphere (during the day for scenery and reading
in the corner, in the night for dancing) and our own cabins which were comfortably cozy. One small note: on
Dawn Princess the stewards were able to open up the partition seperating our balcony and the balcony next
door (where our friends stayed) but on this ship it wasn’t possible. The Excursions Also terrific. Limited
options exist for the stops prior to Alaska. So, instead, we planned our own. (A tour of local Tiki/Polynesian
Bars and Restaurants including the original Trader Vic’s in Emeryville -- across the bay in San Francisco. If
you’re in town you must go!) Once in Alaska, however, the choices are plentiful. Our highest
recommendation is the White Pass Railway out of Skagway. It is a three-hour tour on a vintage train and
narrow-gauge track, which was built in the late 1800s during the Gold Rush. Stand outside, in between the
cars, and take in the spectacular views as you climb up to White Pass. We also took a helicopter ride out of
Juneau to the Mendenhall Glacier. While it wasn’t a very lengthy tour, it was awesome to walk around and
explore the surface of the glacier. The Service Here we were disappointed.

On days in which we slept in or
stayed in our rooms to enjoy the breathtaking scenery from our balconies, it wasn’t uncommon for our cabin
steward to call our rooms at around 11 a.m. and ask when we might be leaving so that they could clean,
since the shift ended at noon! Couldn’t others clean later? I don’t want to know when the steward’s shift
ends or begins! Not a big deal, but it illustrated an overall indifference toward the guest’s experience. The
service in the dining room was good, particularly from our head waiter and the wine steward. Unfortunately,
the assistant waiter never seemed to get our coffee to us in time for dessert, and never returned for a
second cup. The lounge bartenders were good, but service on the decks was poor. After returning from
excursions in the late afternoon we often rested on the aft deck to enjoy the scenery as we left the port. It
seemed only one bartender was on duty to cover the interior Oasis area and the deck. More often than not
he was lined up along the railing along with the other passengers, taking in the view instead of serving any
drinks. Again, our experience on the Dawn Princess was so stellar in terms of service, the Galaxy staff just
couldn’t measure up. The Food Celebrity spends millions of dollars promoting its association with
reknowned chef Michel Roux and touting its many awards for the quality of the cuisine. We love food. We
don’t mind occasionally paying for the best food and service we can find. But this food was nothing more
than satisfactory. (Exceptions being the creamy soups and desserts.) Perhaps it was the French influence
on the menus, the extreme subtleness of the seasonings, or just an open desire for a pizza smothered in
sauce and cheese. (The pizza served every afternoon in the Oasis Grill tasted like paper.) Again, we
preferred the Italian dining rooms onboard Princess, with large caesar salads, plentiful pasta and the fact
that after every course you talked in excited tones about what might appear next. Also, on several evenings,
wines listed on the menu were out of stock. The Buffet Don’t go. Unless you or your travel companions are
elderly, as were many of our fellow passengers, the experience will only frustrate. Bless their hearts, but
they were quick to get in line long before the doors opened and slow to gather the meal. On one occasion
an older gentleman actually shoved my husband as he was trying to get his coffee. On another morning my
husband circled the eating area twice, discovered all tables were taken, and asked several different tables
of 6 occupied by only 2 or 3 if he might join them. They all said no. We ate all meals in the dining room
instead. Miscellaneous We also had a poor pre-cruise stay in San Diego. We flew in the night before sailing
in order to get a fresh start Saturday morning. Originally we were told that Celebrity guests stay at the Hyatt
Islandia near where the ships dock. But then our reservations were changed to the Radisson Hotel.
(Evidently, cruise companies don’t book until close to the trip date, so suddenly all preferred hotels were
full.) The Radisson was 20 minutes from the pier, not up to four-star standards, and the change in hotels
meant confusion for the many Galaxy guests and hotel personnel. We’d recommend double-checking the
hotel accomodations and consider making your own arrangements for pre-cruise stays. It’s fabulous to be
greeted by cruise personnel and escorted to and from the ship, but it’s also great to start your vacation with
the right hotel accomodations. Wrap Up We had a great vacation on a beautiful ship with breathtaking views
of Alaska and the Pacific Coast. It was a good value, with 13 nights for the price of seven. I just wish I could
combine the Galaxy ship with the Princess staff and cuisine!

Name: Glenn M. Landers
Email: glanders@mindspring.com
Age: 37
Occupation: Health Policy Analyst
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: 6/16/00
Itinerary: Alaska 7 day Vancouver Round Trip
Cabin: 1126/2
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 75
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 85
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 90
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon: 95
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 100
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 29 Jun 2000
Time: 14:58:31
Remote Name: proxy.gsu.edu
Remote User:

Comments

My first cruise, and I'm hooked. Future cruises will have much to live up to. Embarkation was flawless. Pay
attention, and you will have no problems. On board within 45 minutes of arrival. Luggage arrived within 1 1/2
hours. Food was abundant and in great variety. The travel agent dropped the ball on shore excursions, but I
was able to get everything I wanted for four people within one week of sailing. It appeared much was still
available on the ship. Helicopter excursions to the glaciers, the Skagway railaway, and a float trip through
the eagle preserve are not to be missed. All crew were extremely friendly and accomodating, although the
cabin steward could have been more attentive (we privately tipped the assistant steward, who appeared to
do all of the work.) It was a little disappointing to see so many passengers ignore the established dress
codes, but what can you do. The cruise was sold out, and there were a record 200+ children, but you didn't
hardly notice. Port debarkations were flawless, with no tendering. I went to the gym every day, and despite
overindulgance, I believe I lost weight! (It's truly disappointing to see those who really don't need so much
food waste so much.) Debarkation in Vancouver started at around 8 AM, and we were off the ship by 8:15!
(We had filled out the questionnaire indicating our 11:10 AM flight.) Luggage and taxis were a breeze,
thanks to the Celebrity folks once again. I will definitely take a Celebrity cruise again! (By the way, we had a
cabin with a veranda, and I wouldn't do it any other way.)

Name: Willeen Benton
Email: wbwheels@aol.com
Age: 46
Occupation: mortgage broker
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: 06/23/00
Itinerary: Alaska-Inside passage
Cabin: 1016/Cat. 2
FoodDiningRoom: 75
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 75
CruiseStaff:
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 80
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 70
DeckService: 75
ShoreExcValue: 60
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 75
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 80
EntertainmentLounges: 65
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 75
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 65
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 75
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 70
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 75
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 18 Jul 2000
Time: 18:06:28
Remote Name: spider-tr062.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:

Comments

My husband and I have wanted to visit Alaska for a number of years. We are celebrating our 30th
anniversary this year and decided to make this our 'special trip'. We booked with Celebrity after much
thought and research. We were told to expect 'upper-class' atmosphere in all respects of the cruise
experience. Although I don't consider myself 'upper-class' by any means, I booked thinking this would
be a wonderful experience.

Alaska is breathtaking! The sites. The sounds. The magnificant scenery is something that I have
never seen anywhere else. The trip itself is something that everyone should experience. The day
that we visited Glacier Bay, I stood at the rail and wept. Only the hand of a 'higher being' could create
something so wonderous.

Imbarkation and debarking were extremely easy. Numbers are given out when you arrive at Canada
Place. We were seated and our number was called within 20 minutes. Check-in was very smooth. On
the last evening, a debarkation number is left in your room. You can wait in any public area of the
ship for your number to be called. There were three areas to get off. Therefore, when your number
was called, it was not a stampede to the door. Luggage was very easy to locate and we were in a taxi
to the airport in less that 10 minutes after leaving the ship.

The Galaxy is a beautiful ship. It is designed very well and is easy to get around on. We were
upgraded to a suite, having booked a room with a veranda. This was the first time that we had ever
been upgraded and it turned out to be a wonderful blessing. The room was well laid out and had all
the storage that anyone could want. In fact, we had drawers and shelves that we did not use. The
bathroom was a bit cramped. The door would only open 3/4 of the way, and you had to kinda step in
sideways. However, it did have nice storage and the tub/shower combo was plenty large enough. The
built in Jacuzzi was broken and was not able to be fixed during our stay.

This however is where my review of the 'good' aspects of this trip will end. We were disappointed in a
few items that really played a major part in our overall enjoyment.

This ship shuts down at 11:00pm. We had late seating for dinner. When finished, we would rush to
see the late show in the main lounge at 10:00. When it was finished at 11:00, there was nothing else
to go see. One lounge, the Statosphere was open with a DJ playing. She stayed 'until the last person
left' which turned out to be our group each night. Not everyone goes to bed at 11:00.

The entertainment was weak. The singers and dancers acted as if they couldn't wait to be done and
go back to something else. They never smiled. The dance steps were well rehearsed, however a
local high school dance troop would have been able to do the routine with no difficulty. The 'featured
singer' was o.k., but she tried to talk to you between her songs and tell jokes. She was not funny and
should definately stick to singing. The one exception to the weak entertainment was the comedian.
He was very funny and kept his material clean while still taking it to an adult level.

Excursions should be booked individually. At each stop, the same trip was being offered for appx. 1/2
the price of the ship cost. The persons who used these services got on the same train or boat you
were on. The tour was identical. The fishing was a joke. The captain of the second boat my husband
was on, admitted that he knew there was no fish to be caught, but he has a contract to take people
out from the ship and he gets paid no matter is fish are caught or not. Of the $174 fee, he got $85.
Allowing for the bus trip to the boat, this still leaves a large profit for the ship.

The food quality had been well anticipated. We were told to expect the very best cuisine. WRONG. It
was good, however all meals, including the prime rib and lobster which was the best meal of the
week, were surpassed on all of the three cruises we have previously been on. There was nothing
wrong with the food, it just wasn't anything special. Each evening had salmon, beef, chicken and one
other entree. Grilled pork chops and lemon chicken do not qualify as fine cuisine to us. The buffet
lines were extremely slow. Seating was very hard to come by. At times, we had to stand and hold our
trays until someone would leave. Alternative dining is by 'reservation only'. This seemed to be a bit
much. You had to know by lunch if you wanted to go to the dining room or alternative dining. This
where our room upgrade really came in handy. We had most breakfast meals in our room. The menu
was limited but very tasty. We also had two dinners in our room. This was straight off the dining room
menu. It was served by our butler. The food was hot and well presented.

Daily entertainment was geared to the older crowd. On our day at sea, when most ships tend to offer
many things for you to choose from to participate in, there were four items offered. These were,
shuffleboard, darts, Pictionary, and bridge. That's it. No ice carving. No galley tour. No bridge tour.
No horse racing. It really made it easy to stay in your room and pack for departure the next day.

Overall, we are not sorry we went on this trip. It was a trip that we will never forget. However, we will
never book with Celebrity again because we like to have a good time and be entertained while on our
one vacation per year. The extra expense for this 'upscale' cruise line can be better spent.

Name: Kat
Email: mcrim@cyberramp.net
Age: 45
Occupation: RN
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: 6/9/00
Itinerary: Alaskan Inside Passage
Cabin: 4
FoodDiningRoom: 92
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 92
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 88
CabinSteward: 92
ShoreExcVariety: 88
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 82
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 88
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff: 88
EntertainmentLounges: 88
WheelchairAccess: 88
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 88
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 88
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 23 Jul 2000
Time: 23:51:35
Remote Name: ppp40-15.ght.iadfw.net
Remote User:

Comments

My parents are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and wanted to take their family on a
cruise. Of course, we all suffered through it!! Our group included 3 seniors, 5 adults (40's) and 1
teen (boy-14). We booked only 6-7 weeks ahead of time. We arranged our own air transportation
(the air/sea program would have made us leave our house at 3am, and included a stopover). We
were able to leave home the day before our cruise, direct flight, saved some money, and spend the
morning in Vancouver. Even though we had one night hotel expenses, it was worth it.

The ship was beautiful, and very classy. Our room was smallish, but had everything we needed. We
had a deluxe oceanview room, with a fold out twin sofa bed. I thought for sure we wouldn't be able to
unpack everything for 3 people, but did so with room to spare. (and we had alot of luggage). I loved
having the big window, but next time we might look into getting a balcony. If we're in a group, at least
one person should get one. All of our rooms were together, so it was really easy to keep up with
everyone. Our room was the last one on our floor-at the aft. It was great because we had our own
private deck! Just outside our door, was the door to the back deck, and no one ever went out there.
We intended to ask for some lounge chairs, and table, but never got around to it. Also, we could go
up those stairs for breakfast. It was very convenient.

We loved our wait staff in the dining room, and were really sad to leave them. We bonded really
quickly. The food in The Orion was very good. The buffet was usually pretty good, and the
convenience was great. The midnight buffets were good, but we were disappointed on the night they
had the roaming waiters with trays of food (they did this 2 nights). They kept bringing us the same
appetizers. Because we booked late, we were assigned to the late seating in the dining room. This
was good on some nights, but kept us up really late every night. We wouldn't finish eating until 10:30,
then rushed off to the late show. I was glad we had a little more time to get ready for dinner after
those days in port.

The ship was immaculate. I had read on this site about all the cleaning going on, and they were right.
Alaska is so beautiful, you can't really complain about shore excursions. The cruise excursions
seemed very high--we spent $900 for all nine of us to take the train ride in Skagway. When you're
there, you have to go for it. My husband and brother fished in Ketchikan-$179. a piece, and didn't
get a nibble!! They did get some great pictures of eagles, though. Of course, they were
disappointed--but my husband did eat salmon at every meal.

I read alot about the vibration, and we experienced it. Our room, being at the back of the ship, really
vibrated whenever they started up the engines, or put on the reverse thrusts. Also, one night the
dining room dishes shook so hard, everybody was holding them. We were pulling out of Haines (the
most gorgeous place in Alaska!!)

I had a massage--the sampler-and used the fitness center several times. The spa is beautiful-don't
miss it.

I was told the Alaska cruise was great for not getting sea sick--and I didn't!! But, we had rough seas
the first full day at sea--awakened to rolling around in our bed. The ship was rolling side to side all
day, then front to back that evening. I didn't use any meds, but some were getting sick (not our
group). I have videos of the water sloshing out of the pool as we roll. I got used to it, I guess. I
couldn't sit in the theater located forward that night, as we were rolling front to back--it was like a mild
roller coaster. I'm not sure how the dancers stayed on their feet. We only had one other day of mild
rockin--it was nothing compared to the first day.

The theater shows were very good--even the violinst!! We were alittle disappointed in some of the
lounge singers.

My 14 year old son loved being on the ship. He attended all of the teen activities, and met some new
friends from all over. We really only saw him at dinner, then he rushed off. The activities were
supervised, and he felt very independent. I think he saw every inch of the ship. He did spend some
time on his own away from us, but we had walkie talkies, and stayed in touch (as he invested his
money in the arcade).

It was a wonderful trip for all. I was very sad the last day, but we are now planning our next cruise. I
can't wait!!

Name: Lynn Fisher
Email: lynnfisher@home.com
Age: 50
Occupation: Customer Service Manager
NumberOfCruises: 10
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: 07-07-2000
Itinerary: Alaska - Inside Passage
Cabin: 1066 - Category 2
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 88
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff: 85
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 98
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon: 85
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities:
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 24 Jul 2000
Time: 04:54:46
Remote Name: proxy2-external.twsn1.md.home.com
Remote User:

Comments

To celebrate my mom's 80th birthday, my 50th birthday, and my aunt and uncle's wedding
anniversary, we booked a cruise to Alaska. What a great decision it was! I did more research on this
cruise than on any vacation I have taken, and hope all of you can benefit from some of my research.

My review will focus mainly on the ports and some of the great web sites (like this one) that I found in
my surfing. Unlike most cruises we have taken, we did not do a lot of shipboard activities because we
were more interested in the beautiful scenery.

We chose the Inside Passage, Round Trip, rather than the North-South itineraries. Unless you are
planning to tour the interior, the round trip itinerary is great and provides a good mix of days at sea
and days in port.

Packing - toughest packing job of any vacation we've taken. The weather changes so much that we
felt compelled to take along summer, fall, and wet-weather clothes. Turned out we used all types. We
put all of our heavy jackets (for all 5 of us) in one suitcase and just kept it packed under the bed. We
only had to take it out twice because it was sunny and warm (70 degrees) most of the time. It was a
bit chilly at the Glacier if you went to the outside deck, and we got the expected rain in Ketchikan.
Other than that……great weather. If you want great weather information for Alaska try
www.wunderground.com:80/US/AK/ They provide forecasts as well as historical weather for Juneau
and Ketchikan for a specific day, back to 1992.

Transportation: We took a flight to Vancouver the day before, and it was really helpful. We stayed at
the Best Western by the airport. The hotel provided free shuttle service to and from the airport, so
we easily met the Celebrity bus the next day (we purchased transfer vouchers from the airport to
Canada Place so that Celebrity would handle our luggage). Vancouver has a great airport. Free
luggage courtesy carts are provided which really help to get the luggage around. Also, we found that
for a charge ($4.00 - Canadian dollars) a day we could store our luggage overnite at the airport.
That was really useful. Rather than dragging all of our luggage from the airport to the hotel, we had
the option of only taking our carry on luggage. We didn't know about this service until we were
coming home. Since we stayed in Vancouver an extra day after the cruise, we took advantage of the
service and it worked out great.

The Galaxy: We had a room with a verandah, a must for Alaska. There were five of us. My husband,
mom and I shared a room, and my aunt and uncle had another room. We decided to book our rooms
on opposite sides of the ship so that we could maximize viewing the scenery. It really paid off when
we went to Hubbard Glacier. We went back and forth between rooms, went on the verandas, and got
some beautiful photos and video shots. With three of us in the room, we, surprisingly, were not overly
crowded. The room was well laid out with plenty of storage space. After we unpacked, all of the
suitcases fit nicely under the bed.

The Galaxy is beautiful, spacious, and clean. The staff was great, and in particular, our waiter Petar.
This is the 10th cruise for my husband and I, and he is the best waiter we have had. The dining room
food was excellent and plentiful. We had a great table, right by the huge back window, and great
table mates joined our group (Hi Chad and Marcia!)

Embarkation was a bit slow, but not a problem. Pay attention to your estimated debarkation time. We
were one of the first ones off, and missed breakfast (our fault, not Celebrity's). We just needed to
pay more attention.

We booked some time at the spa as soon as we got on board. The appointments were handled
manually and took what seemed like forever. Fortunately, we booked appointments at 5:00 p.m. on
our first day going through the Inside Passage. I say fortunate because if the appointment had been
earlier, we would have missed some of the most beautiful scenery of the trip. The Canadian Inside
Passage is breathtaking, and I am so glad I was not sitting in a spa and missing it. About 4:00 p.m.,
the scenery changed a bit, and although pretty, it was not spectacular like the scenery had been in
the beginning of the day.

Ports: Juneau was sunny and warm when we arrived, and clouded up a bit by the end of the day.
Because it was so sunny and clear, we were fortunate enough to take the Helicopter and Dog
Sledding Tour. (You can't get to the icefield if it is overcast, and many of the helicopter tours have to
be canceled.) It was the tour of a life time - thank you TEMSCO Helicopters. We flew over the glacier
which was absolutely beautiful, and landed at the ice field where we were greeted by 115 sled dogs
and 7 puppies. We had a 20 minute dog sled ride…..it was a fantastic tour……what fun. My mom
rode on the first sled with the professional musher, and my husband and I were on a sled that was
connected to the professional musher's sled. My husband mushed and I rode on the sled. I switched
with him for the last 2 minutes of the ride and he rode and I mushed. When we went down the hill, the
dogs were really moving. It was fast, but great fun. My aunt and uncle went on another sled team.
Prior to the Dog Sled tour, we took the Mt. Roberts Tram. Great views and we all felt very safe riding
it. We also stopped at the Red Dog Saloon for a snack and really enjoyed the atmosphere and
singer.

Skagway was the next stop. We rode the White Pass and Yukon train, and it was great. Although you
switch seats on the way back (it takes the same route), take a seat on the left hand side to start.
Going up, all of the scenery (except an old graveyard) is on the left. If there are no seats available on
the left, don't be concerned because you will switch going back. When we came off the train, we had
our picture taken for our electronic postcard. I had signed up with livepostcard prior to going on our
cruise and it worked perfectly. If you're interested, visit www.livepostcard.com and sign up. They will
tell you about it on the train, but you can only mail to 5 addresses, and, of course, you have to know
all the e-mail addresses. By signing up in advance, I was able to send the postcard to about 20
people. It is really a hoot!

We loved Skagway's shops, and had a great time at the Red Onion. It is a former brothel, and you
feel like you walked on to the set of Gunsmoke when you enter.

We left Skagway about 4:00 p.m. and went to Haines. In hindsight, one of the tours from Skagway to
Haines would have been great, although we did use the travel time to rest a bit. We were really
packing in as much Alaska as we could. I am surprised when I read that some people don't get off the
ship and go into Haines. It is a beautiful little (and I do mean little) town, and the people are super.
We took the Horse and Buggy ride and loved it. Be forewarned, however, that if you take the Haines
tours, you may miss the early seating for dinner. We had a late seating, but I don't think I would have
let that stop me anyway. We can eat any day….we can't see Haines any day!

Hubbard Glacier was next. This is where the verandahs really paid off. As I mentioned, we went back
and forth between my aunt and uncle's room and ours. We didn't miss a bit of scenery. We put the
TV on channel 69 and propped the door open so we could clearly hear everything the naturalist on
board was saying as we went through the bay. The glacier calved several times and we were able to
capture in on video and on pictures. My video picture look washed out when I was filming, but it
turned out great and the blue of the glacier is very clearly seen. I slightly underexposed the photos,
and they also turned out great.

On to Ketchikan - rain capital of the world. It did rain, but it didn't stop anything. We just put on our
slickers, and out we went. I would not, however, recommend the Jet Boat Tour we took. We drove for
45 minutes to a beautiful site, got in a jet boat, and basically looked at the same kind of scenery for
the next 1-1/2 hours. Saw a few eagles and some deer, but no other wildlife. The floatplane would
have been a better tour, or skip the tours, and shop in Ketchikan. Lots of stores, and most close by
5:30 p.m.

The last day we returned through the Inside Passage. We spent the early part of the day packing,
and then just relaxed and took in the scenery for the rest. It rained off and on, but no big deal.

As I mentioned, debarkation went smoothly except for our breakfast problem. We returned to the
airport, checked our suitcases, took our carry on luggage, and went back to the Best Western hotel.
The room charge included breakfast, so we used our breakfast coupon on Friday since our flight out
on Saturday was at 7:00 a.m.

We booked a tour through the hotel with Land and Sea Tour company and toured the North Country
of Vancouver. The tour was great. We went to the Capilano Suspension Bridge, and ALL of us
walked over and back. A bit scary, but I'm glad we did it. We went to Grouse Mountain and rode the
Tram. Quite a bit higher than the Mt. Roberts Tram. After the tour, we came back to the hotel, ate
dinner, and went to sleep……we were really tired.

Be sure to allow for plenty of time when flying out of Vancouver. You will go through US customs in
Canada, so don't be concerned if you don't have a direct flight home and have a short connection
time. Customs will not be necessary again in the US. The luggage we had checked was promptly
available, so it did not hold us up at all. We were at the airport at 5:30 a.m. for our 7:00 a.m. flight,
and we actually cut it a bit close.

Overall - best cruise we have been on. Celebrity has finally changed their policy and now lets you
pre-book your land excursion tours, so we knew what we had before we went, and didn't have to fool
around with lines and/or booking through the TV service. One other policy I wish they would adopt is
one that Princess cruise lines has - eliminate the midnight buffet and offer instead a 24-hour food
court. Its not that there wasn't enough food on Celebrity, but the 24-hour food court is really helpful
when it comes to planning excursions, and setting up your activities for the day.

If you are planning to go and want more information, e-mail me. I love talking about the trip!

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