celebrity-galaxy14

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Paula Sue Dial
Email: dials@cyberport.com
Age: 45
Occupation: self-employed
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: July 21, 2000
Itinerary: 7-Night Inside Passage
Cabin: 1012/1
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 93
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 93
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 93
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram: 75
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 31 Jul 2000
Time: 18:02:20
Remote Name: 56k192-119.cyberport.com
Remote User:

Comments

My husband and I have been on two previous cruises in the Caribbean on Royal Caribbean and
Radisson ships. We decided that we would like to try a cruise to Alaska this year as a family vacation.
I did a lot of research before choosing Celebrity. Since we were taking three teenagers with us this
time I wanted a larger ship that offered more amenities to keep them busy. Since we were not
planning to add any time in the Alaskan interior, I thought a round trip cruise from Vancouver would
be appropriate. The Celebrity Galaxy seemed to meet all our needs at a reasonable price and I was
impressed with the comments that I had read about the cuisine onboard and the overall ratings that
the ship had received.

While our overall experience with Celebrity was quite good, I would be reluctant to let them arrange
an air/sea package again. They booked us on America West with very tight connections and when
we complained they refused to make any changes without charging us a fee. Fortunately we made it
to Vancouver in time to catch the ship, but coming home we missed our connection in Phoenix and
ended up having to spend the night there.

Another unexpected problem we encountered was going through customs in Vancouver. We arrived
at the airport on a Friday afternoon at the same time as a number of other international flights and
there must have been two thousand people trying to get through inadequately staffed customs
stations. It took a couple of hours just to clear customs! However, once we arrived at the pier,
embarkation was fast and easy.

We were impressed with our first view of the Galaxy. This is a classy ship that has been very well
maintained. My husband and I were in a category one suite with a balcony and the kids were across
the hall in an inside cabin. When we arrived the beds in their room had been put together to make a
king, but the staff was quick to rearrange them into twin beds and provide a rollaway for the third
passenger in the cabin. Space was a little tight, but adequate even for three messy teenagers. Our
suite was quite spacious and well equipped. Service from the cabin staff was subtle, but always very
competent.

We had plenty of opportunities to take advantage of the facilities onboard. My husband and I were
impressed with the size of the casino compared to the other ships that we had seen. There were also
nice lounges and an excellent spa and fitness center. They do tend to push their products a little
strongly in the spa however. The kids enjoyed the outdoor hot tubs, the movie theater, and the teen
disco. We all liked the shows. They were not quite up to Las Vegas standards, but were still quite
entertaining to watch. The food was excellent in the Orion Dining Room and our waiter, bus boy, and
wine steward provided outstanding service. Room service breakfasts in our suite were also good, but
meals in the Oasis Café were only average. Since we were traveling with teenagers it was nice to
have hamburgers, pizza, and frozen yogurt available at the Oasis Grille.

Unfortunately the weather was cool and rainy during much of our cruise, but you have to expect this
in Alaska. We arranged our own salmon fishing excursion in Juneau, which was cheaper than
booking through the cruise line. We didn’t catch any fish that were large enough to keep, but we did
see a hump back whale and bald eagles. We did book our other excursions through the ship and it
was worth some extra cost to be able to prearrange them before the cruise. The weather cleared up
for the White Pass Railway in Skagway and we all really liked that. We would have probably enjoyed
canoeing more in Ketchikan if it hadn’t rained the entire time. All three of those ports have a lot of
tourist-type shops, but Haines was a little more quaint and charming. Hubbard Glacier was quite
impressive to see, but I think that once you’ve seen one glacier you’ve probably seen them all!

Disembarking on the last day didn’t go as well as when we boarded the ship. We had to be in the
theater at 8:00 am, but our number wasn’t called for an hour and a half that could have been spent
at breakfast. Even after we were called, we ended standing in line for quite some time before being
able to board a bus for the airport. Just a note to family travelers, do not let your son pack the
Eskimo skinning knife he bought in Alaska in his carry-on bag. Airport personnel view this as a
weapon and will insist that you have your airline box it up for you to check as baggage! This can be
time consuming.

Overall, we were quite pleased with Celebrity and would certainly consider cruising with them again.
Just be aware that even though all your food is included in the price of the cruise, it is easy to run up
quite a bill with soft drinks, wine and mixed drinks, purchases from the shops, spa services, and ship
photos!

Name: Paul Ras
Email: Paulras@aol.com
Age: 30
Occupation: Accounting Manager
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: 09/22/00
Itinerary: 14 Nt Southbound Alaska (Vancouver to San Diego)
Cabin: 8150 / cat05
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon: 80
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 92
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff: 60
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon: 60
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 11 Oct 2000
Time: 20:45:48
Remote Name: gateway8.prudential.com
Remote User:

Comments

Excellent cruise, value and ship!

This was a 14 day repositioning cruise starting in Vancouver and hitting Ketchikan, Skagway, Hubbard
Glacier (cruise to, not a port), Juneau, Sitka, Victoria BC, Seattle, Grays Harbor, San Francisco, LA, and
ending in San Diego.

We flew in from Newark on the day of the cruise. We wished that we made plans to stay in Vancouver a
couple days before as we heard it was beautiful. But anyway, we booked our own air which was cheaper
than Celebrity's - direct flight too. Got in right on time. We realized that we should have put on the Galaxy
luggage tags before checking our luggage in Newark. Celebrity actually grabs all bags with these tags
and automatically transfers them to the ship - a nice touch. Since we didn't read our documents fully until
we were on the plane we had to get our luggage and bring them over to a counter just a minute's walk
from the carousel where we were assured they'd get transferred over. Again, this is a nice touch instead
of having to lug the bags to the port yourself. The transfers we setup with Celebrity were easy to find and
we were on our way to the ship - 1/2 hour drive.

Embarkation was reasonable - about 1 hour. Everyone was given a number as they walked in and had to
wait until your group's number was called to go into another line to check in (give credit card & ID, fill out
forms, etc.). The short wait gave us time to call home as we would not be in port for two days. There was
also a gift shop that sold 12 packs of soda for $7. Not a bargain but 1/3 the price of soda on the ship. We
bought several and filled up the cabin mini-bar.

The first full day was cruising the inside passage which was scenic but more for the older cruisers. Many
stayed for hours in the Stratosphere Lounge at the front of the ship watching the trees go by and
listening to the announcer speak.

The weather in Ketchikan was nice. Foggy in the morning which caused the planes and helicopters to be
cancelled. It cleared up in the afternoon and must have reached 60 degrees. We booked a van tour
which was in the visitors center at the port. There were at least 15 different tour companies in the center.
The tours were cheaper than the cruise ship's and were better with more variety.

Skagway was a smaller 'town' which can be walked and shopped in only a couple hours. There were great
bargains (1/2 off or more) in the shops as this was the last cruise of the season. We grabbed another van
tour from a tour guide setup just a couple minutes walk from the ship. Glad we did this instead of the
White Pass Train which slowly took people into a thick fog. Instead our van took us to areas which were
off the beaten trail - we went to a historic cemetery and a ghost town where we say several eagles. Tour
guide was great and very personal - again, much cheaper than anything we could have booked on ship.
Weather was in the 50's but foggy again in the morning and in the mountainous areas.

Hubbard Glacier was amazing. Very cold and rainy but the views of the calving glacier walls is
unforgettable. We were able to sail about 1 mile from the glacier and stayed for almost an hour. Great
videos!

Juneau is a much bigger city with (of course) many shops with end of season bargains. We wanted sign
up for the Glacier Trekking tour which the ship offered. Instead we got in touch before hand with the exact
same company (Northstar Trekking) offering the tour. We booked directly with them and saved
$51/person - a considerable difference since there were 5 in our group. They're address is:
www.northstartrekking.com

The tour took us on a helicopter ride over the glaciers which was spectacular. Then we landed on a
glacier and put on ice hiking gear for an hour+ of 'trekking' up and down the glacier hills and walls. We
were even able to climb (with the help of mountain climbing gear) a vertical wall of ice. Great fun - but
wouldn't recommend for those not up to some physical challenges. Weather was great again - probably
upper 50's - even warm on the glacier.

Sitka, a Russian-like fishing town, was nice too. Not much to do but shop and look around. They did have
a Raptor Rehabilitation Center which was supposedly very interesting, but we ran out of time before we
found out about it. Weather was a little drizzly in the afternoon but fairly warm.

Victoria BC is a beautiful city. Very English. Buses were at the ship to take people into town for I think $5.
We asked the bus driver what else there was to do and he offered to take us to tour depot and give us a
discount on a package to the botanical gardens and butterfly gardens. Don't remember the exact amount
but it was around $20US for the bus and admission to both gardens. They were both great if you're into
butterflies and flowers. It was actually fun to try and snap a picture of the butterflies in the air - a tip is to
find a dead one and throw it in the air! For those who were dressed for it, Afternoon Tea at the Empress
Hotel was the thing to do.

Starting our US Pacific Coast ports was Seattle. The Space Needle and Fish Market was the itinerary.
They were nice, but since we frequent Manhattan regularly, we weren't too impressed. Alaska and
Canada where more of a treat.

Gray's Harbor, Washington was next. This was an interesting port to say the least. Apparently, the town is
trying to get its tourism industry going. There had only been one other ship to dock in the town this year.
There was a band playing when we docked and they had an oldtime ship sail by and shoot a cannon off.
The town offered free bus service around the town. The only problem is that they would drop you off at
the JCPenney or the Walmart. It would also drop you off at the bus depot where you can take a one hour
bus up to some type of park that was supposed to be scenic. Even though the town was quaint and it was
nice that they offered the free buses and were very gracious to the ship's passengers, there wasn't much
to do. I went back to the ship for some lounge around time in the jacuzzi while the rest of our group went
shopping. They were even given free socks (yes free socks) for being passengers on the ship. There
was a little trading post set up for peddling goods outside the ship, a red carpet for walking off, and a
small lumberjack show. Another intriguing thing was the fact that the afternoon addition of the local
newspaper was being sold as you got back on the ship. The ship was the front page story - it was like we
were royalty or something. Again, quaint town, but not much to do outside of shopping. Of course, there
was a band playing and people waving as we sailed away! Awww!

San Francisco was another big city to traverse. We walked alot! Much bigger city than I realized,
especially with the hills. We walked around the Castro which was like the Village in NY but more open. We
walked to Golden Gate Park which is like Central Park but with less people. We had the taxi go down the
crooked street and then walked around Fisherman's Wharf. Fun city but needed the jacuzzi after all that
walking.

Los Angeles wasn't really Los Angeles - we actually docked in San Pedro which is still the Port of LA.
Since we only had 5 hours in port, we chose to stay on the ship or just walk around the dock. The
weather was nice - hot compared to the past 12 days. Some on the ship ventured out for an hour ride
each way into Hollywood.

We docked in San Diego where we stayed for the next two nights. Disembarkation started about 1/2 late
until we were cleared by Customs. It was going smooth until an older woman fell at the bottom the
gangway. What a horrible way for her to end a wonderful trip. This caused another 1/2 delay as they
diverted people out another part of the ship.

San Diego is great. We went into Tijuana Mexico for more shopping and spent a day at the zoo.

Now for a review of the ship. Galaxy is a great ship - very clean, easy to maneuver around, and very
comfortable. The service was excellent, our cabin steward Agnelo was always there to help us. He stored
our empty suitcases that wouldn't fit under the bed, always came quickly if we needed something, took a
pair of shoes and brought them back in minutes all shined up, and always had fresh ice for us. He even
gave us extra hangers before we could even ask for them. The cabin was adequate for two. The category
5 has a sitting area with a little sofa right in front of a window. It was nice to sit in front of the window to
see what was going on in port or in the ocean (saw whales jumping). I don't think I regret not having a
veranda - it was cold on deck most of the time. Room service was prompt - within 15 minutes and it was
good for a quick snack - the Chili was tasty.

The food was excellent. There seem to be mixed reactions to Celebrity's food in some reviews on the web
lately. Ours was wonderful. Some people may have the impression that it should be gourmet food along
the lines of what you may find in a French restaurant in NY where you need someone to explain what is
on your plate. Others are impressed that Galaxy's food isn't simply a steak with potatoes. I think of it as
somewhere in between - it's more of excellently prepared American dishes with a few 'gourmet-type'
dishes thrown in. Desserts were incredible - our group of five would order several and just share each
night. The other six at our table were doing the same in no time.

Our waiter, Branco and assistant Robert were professionals. Branco has been with Celebrity since the
80's. His recommendations and service were impeccable. By the end of the cruise he was showing us
magic tricks at the table! The dining room was elegant - we had a table on the top floor up against the aft
window - beautiful views.

Spa services left much to be desired - these are handled by Steiner of London. Our group had
massages, facials, seaweed wrap, manicures, and haircuts. None were up to par. The manicures which
our two ladies received were well below average in their opinion - I would agree looking at the nail polish.
Massages were ok but not worth the money. The only thing worth it was the Thalasotherapy Pool for
$16.50/day. It's a heated saltwater pool with different types of jets everywhere. I went in for 45 minutes
roughly every other evening and it was better than the $200 massage!

Bingo was a daily event with anywhere from 50-100 people usually with a final prize of $4000 which drew
a few hundred people. There was always something to do onboard - trivia, singers, bands, martini bar,
assorted games, art auctions, disco, etc.

The nightly entertainment show was good - not great, but a nice thing to go to after dinner. They had a
magician, a few singers, comedians, shows.

Most of the people onboard were senior citizens - I believe the average age was talked about being 72 -
not sure if that's true but there sure were alot of older people - even a 94 year old. Everyone was
wonderful - we made many friends old and young. I'm not sure if Celebrity just attracts nice customers or
if the cruise put everyone in a good mood, but people were lovely.

The ship became rocky on several days. You could even see the water bouncing around the pools on
deck. Didn't affect me, but some were seasick a few days.

The few complaints I had were not being able to get food from 2-3 except from room service, scrabbled
eggs and omelets were runny unless you asked for well done, service was sometimes slow when there
was open seating for breakfast in the dining room, and a boring selection on the cabin TV.

All in all this was an excellent cruise. No real complaints. I gained almost 10 pounds! Service was top
notch, food was excellent, and the ship was in great shape. All this for about $100/day, what more can
you ask for?

Name: WILLIAM HENRY
Email: wjhenry@pgg.mcdermott.com
Age: 57
Occupation: Design/Draftsman
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: Nov.11,2000
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
Cabin: 9158/2
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 83
CabinComfort: 86
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 86
CabinAmenities: 87
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 86
CabinQuietness: 87
FoodMidnightBuffets: 86
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 83
FoodVariety: 86
DeckService: 88
ShoreExcValue: 82
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 88
LoungeService: 86
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 88
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 83
OverallPortsofCall: 88
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 86
CruiseActivities: 87
Casino: 86
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 88
EmbarkDisembark: 86
DiscoNightclubs: 87
DeckSpace: 88
Stabilization: 82
ShopsOnBoard: 87
SpaceRatio: 87
OverallCruiseValue: 86
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 01 Dec 2000
Time: 11:04:21
Remote Name: 12.28.244.66
Remote User:

Comments

This was the second cruise for my wife and I and we decided on Celebrity Galaxy largely due to talking
with my fellow co-workers and from good reviews from the inter-net. We took another couple with us and
decided to go to San Juan one day early.We did our own air and this worked out good. We stayed at the
Wyndham Old San Juan across from the cruise ship dock. This hotel was an excellent hotel and I would
recommend it to anyone. We had late check out Saturday,the 11th of Nov. and arrived at the cruise ship
terminal around 2:30 p.m.The embarkation process only took 30 min. and we were escorted to our
cabin. There also was no questions asked about bringing our own drinks on board.This I thought was
nice since they charge to much for drinks on board anyway. We had a free upgrade to a cat.#2
stateroom w/verandah, and we will probably join the many other fellow cruisers that have experienced
this feature before, and never be without one again.The stateroom itself had enough space in it to store
all of our luggage (172sq.ft.) The ship was fully booked and this was one of the things we were
concerned about having only cruised on A 42,000 ton ship before.We were concerned that it would be
to crowded. Our concern was promptly taken away when had a chance to move around this ship.There
is enough ample space in the public rooms and lounges to handle passengers so that it does not seem
that crowded. The food on Galaxy is good , but not any better than what we had on Norweigen Sea.
Waiters and staff were very polite and brought our meals in a timely manner. We ate dinner every
evening in the Orion Dining room, and used the Oasis buffet for breakfast.Food in the Oasis cafe was
again very good with the exception of the scrambled eggs.They were runny most of the time, so if you
like scrambled eggs go thru the grill line and tell them how you want them.Orange juice on this ship was
alot better than Norwegian's it actually tasted like orange juice and not watered down orange drink. All
parts of this ship was kept very clean and we were impressed with this thru out the cruise.They even
cleaned the outside of the ship in almost every port. I will not go into ports we visited because this has
been covered in other reviews, but we liked Barbados, and St Johns 'snorkling' the best. My only
negatives on this ship would be the swimming pools.They closed at 7:00 p.m.every night'or before'and
were probably no warmer than 60 deg.I don't know why this was so,because the ocean temp.was in the
high 70's.It was pretty comical watching people in the indoor pool step into the pool and come right back
out.I think Celebrity needs to improve on that. Disembarking was not a problem and we were off the ship
around 9:30 a.m. Overall we enjoyed this cruise and we feel that Celebrity will get our business
again.Average age on this cruise was around mid to upper 50's.

Name: Jack Courtland
Email: jac22k@hotmail.com
Age: 38
Occupation: editor
NumberOfCruises: 6
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: Nov. 18, 2000
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
Cabin: Cat. 7
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 75
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 80
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 05 Dec 2000
Time: 11:24:12
Remote Name: 149.168.4.16
Remote User:

Comments

We sailed on the Galaxy's southern Caribbean itinerary the week of Thanksgiving. Overall, it was a
great cruise. I tried to be fair and accurate with my numerical ratings of this ship. It is hard to give one
numerical grade to something such as the entertainment at the show after dinner. Two of the nights
were terrific--the Broadway Express and the juggler. Two nights were just OK--the comedian and the
welcome aboard show. One night was absolutely awful--the Circ du Galaxy. My partner slept through it.
Our tablemates walked out. The food on the Galaxy was better than that on the Royal Caribbean,
Norwegian, and Carnival ships we've sailed on. Our waiter and his assistant were truly wonderful. The
wine steward and bar steward in the dining room also gave our table great service. I especially enjoyed
the seafood appetizers and entrees. My partner was fond of the chilled soups and beef entrees. The
only so-so entree I had was the lobster tail. Everything else was excellent. We also ate lunch in the main
dining room most days.

The service then was not quite as good as in the evening. Our category 7
outside cabin was comfortable. There is more storage room than I've seen on other ships. The safe
behind the mirror is nice, but we had problems opening it a couple of times. It does reset itself after a
few minutes if you key in the wrong combination. The bathroom was adequate. The soap holder in the
shower is not well-designed--the soap slips through the bars too easily. The hair dryer did not work one
morning. Our cabin steward was very attentive and did a wonderful job. I gave the deck service a low
score. One of my complaints about this ship was the smoking policy not being enforced. Smoking was
allowed on one side of the ship. Most of the passengers observed the signs, but some did not. There
were numerous occasions when I saw the deck servers serving people smoking on the wrong side. It
really irritated me. The shore excursions we took were excellent. Our tablemates took taxis on their own.
One couple had good luck. The other one had a pushy taxi driver in St. Croix who took them to shops
owned by his relatives. The two excursions we did were the Catamaran sailing and snorkeling in
Barbados and the mangrove lagoon kayaking and snorkeling in St. Thomas. The first one was fun, but I
highly recommend the second one. In St. Croix, St. Lucia, and Antigua, we did not do anything except a
little shopping and sightseeing within walking distance from the dock.

Name: Dianne Torino
Email: dtorino@mytravelco.com
Age: 40
Occupation: Office/Facilities Manager
NumberOfCruises: 22
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: November 25, 2000
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
Cabin: #1237/Sky Suite
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 79
CabinComfort: 93
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff:
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 70
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities:
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 08 Dec 2000
Time: 14:55:50
Remote Name: intnws.travelco.com
Remote User:

Comments

My husband and I had planned this cruise nearly a year ago after sailing on the Mercury in October,
1999. The Mercury was our first experience with Celebrity and after that cruise we vowed to cruise with
Celebrity again. We were not disappointed, and actually preferred the Galaxy over the Mercury in decor
and ambiance.

My husband lived in Puerto Rico thirty years ago and wanted to see the island again, therefore, we
decided to go down and stay on the island a few days before taking the Galaxy on a seven day cruise.
Ports of call were St. Croix, St. Lucia, Barbados, Antigua and St. Thomas.

We arrived in San Juan on Thanksgiving day and stayed at the Wyndham El Conquistador resort on the
northeastern tip of the island. The resort was beautiful, however, Puerto Rico turned out to be
somewhat of a disappointment. The roads, housing and just about everything seemed to be in a
constant state of disrepair...not at all as he had remembered. However, once boarding the Galaxy,
everything else was forgotten.

Embarkation was fast and efficient. It seems to me that since so many of the passengers are travelling
from so many different places, there are never any rushes or long lines to board. We got to the terminal
around 4:00 - 4:30 and were on board in 15 minutes or less. We originally booked a category two,
outside stateroom with varandah, however, we were lucky enough to get upgraded to a Sky Suite. It was
beautiful. Some of the benefits are a much larger balcony, whirlpool tub (which didn't work very well),
free use of the tholassatherapy pool during the cruise and hors d' oeurves in the afternoon. Butler
service was also available and was a very nice touch. We felt spoiled to the core.

The cabin service was excellent; very efficient and unobtrusive. It never really mattered how long we
were away from the cabin...they always were quick to service it and be gone!

The food was also the best. We had heard from other recent reviews that the food quality onboard had
slipped a notch and not up to Celebrity standards. We were happy to find this totally untrue. Items not
be missed are the soups, beef dishes and the waffle station in the Orion Cafe is to die for!! Desserts
were good too. I had read from other reviews that the french toast was also excellent, however, I found I
didn't care for it. Salads were also a little on the blah side. DO NOT drink the iced tea in the cafe'...it was
horrible. However, the iced tea in the dining room was fine. Go figure!

Entertainment was good...what we saw of it. We did catch the comedian and he was very good,
however, I can't remember his name. the Cirque de Galaxy was a good show, and we also saw the
ex-singer from the group the Letterman. His last name was Preston...can't remember his first name. He
was also pretty good.

We did several shore excursions. I really enjoyed the 4x4 jeep tour in St. Lucia. We also did the Atlantis
Submarine Tour in Barbados. It was way too expensive and not really worth it. We also took the Kayak
and snorkel tour in Antigua which we enjoyed very much. However, our favorite time was taking the ferry
over to St. John from St. Thomas, renting a jeep and striking out on our own. The jeep was reasonable
for the day - $63. Luckily, we struck up a conversation with a local on the ferry over, and she suggested
a visit to Francis Bay Beach which was pristine, beautiful and mostly uninhabited. She also suggested
we eat at Shipwreck Landing in Coral Bay. This little restaurant is on the southern part of the island and
sits right at the waters edge. Beautiful scenery and good food too.

All in all the trip was excellent...we would do it again in a heart beat. I would not hesitate to recommend it
to anyone.

Happy Cruis'in!!!

Name: Michael Shehab
Email: mshehab@dttus.com
Age: 28
Occupation: Attorney
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: November 18
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
Cabin: 9135/Cat. 2
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 93
CabinComfort: 87
FoodRoomService: 98
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 98
FoodLidoDeck: 92
DiningRoomService: 94
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 89
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 89
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 96
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 82
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 75
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 08 Dec 2000
Time: 22:22:26
Remote Name: cc6089-a.strhg1.mi.home.com
Remote User:

Comments

If you want a comprehensive, honest review this is it. My wife got mad because it was too long, so I have
broken it up into sections so the reader can jump around. If you want a summary of our experience, it
was: FABULOUS, BETTER THAN ROYAL CARIBBEAN

I am a 28 yr old attorney, my wife is a 25 yr old Engineer. This was our second cruise. Our first cruise 2
years ago on Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas (Eastern Caribbean) was fantastic. On top of
that, my wife and I travel a lot within the US (30 days a year), we eat out regularly at 4-5 star restaurants
and stay at 4-5 star hotels. So needless to say, our expectations are usually higher than most people
our age.

We investigated Princess, Holland and Celebrity cruise lines. We chose Celebrity mainly b/c of the
comments on this website from previous cruisers. Also, Celebrity's reputation for quality food. We are
more into quality than quantity. Also, we prefer a little bit of an older crowd. We do not go on cruises to
drink 24/7.

Packaged Travel

We arranged our own air travel b/c we had travel coupons and miles. Also, a lot of horror stories from
other postings on this website regarding arranged travel. Coincidentally, people at our table arrived a
day late without luggage. They booked through the cruiseline, but it was Delta's fault, so it is hard to be
judgemental. The only good thing about booking it through them is that it may be cheaper and if you
miss the ship, the cruise line flys you to the next island to embark.

Puerto Rico

We arrived in Puerto Rico on Thursday night. We wanted a couple days to relax and there are some
spectacular resorts on the island. We stayed at the Hyatt Dorado (if you were wondering). Best pool in
the caribbean. It was a great decision b/c there was no pressure about missing connections or the ship.
Also, relaxed on beach for two days.

Embarkation

Boarding began at 2:00pm. Unfortunately, we arrived at 2:30pm, so there were long lines. Do yourself a
favor, wait an hour or two. You do not miss anything. I was very disappointed at how slow the line
moved. There is a duty free store right at the pier where you can buy soda and alcohol while embarking.

Cleanliness and Appearance

Hands down, 2 times as nice as Royal Caribbean. The crazy thing is that I walked off Royal 2 years ago
and thought it was great and spotless. But believe it or not, Celebrity was better. Just flat out, classier.
And clean, clean, clean and more clean. No snags in the carpet, no chipped paint, etc.

Buffets

Went to a lunch buffet. Only went to one other lunch buffet and one midnight buffet. Buffets were
buffets. Good food, carving stations. We are just not crazy about buffets. Note: We never made it to the
fancy Le Grand Buffet at midnight b/c the line was too long...

Cabin and Veranda/Balcony

It was tight, but same as Royal Caribbean. Nice compartments to store things. Put bags under bed. The
bed was in King form. No box spring, just a wood bed frame and a 4 inch mattress. It was alright to sleep
on, but don't jump on it, or you will really feel the wood below the mattress. Cabin was very clean,
bathroom spotless.

My wife insisted on the balcony. We paid $1,500 per person for cruise only. Could of paid $800 per
person for outside room, front of ship, no balcony. But we sprung for the balcony. Used it everyday,
watch them dock and undock, and sat out during the day to read. Plenty of room for two people.
Semi-Private (at least deck 9 balconies were). In other words, no one could see you unless they looked
around the dividing wall between the balconies. Was it worth it? Wife says yes, I say maybe. Hard to go
on another cruise without it. Specially if you were going to someplace like Alaska with something to see
outside.

Open Seating Dinner

First night is open seating (i.e. you do not meet your dinner mates yet). Take the opportunity to ask
anyone you meet about other cruises they have been on, whether they ever been to the ports you are
heading to. We always run into several people that have been on several cruise lines that can be very
informative.

Open Seating Lunch

Sit where you want and you get a 4 course lunch. Of course you can skip courses, but it is fun, they
move it along (so no more than an hour) and the food is good.

Food

Their reputation is correct, excellent food. I eat at a lot of nice places while on the road for work and I
would not be disappointed in paying $30-40 per person per dinner for the meals I got on Celebrity. I am
a meat and potatoes guy, and they had something for me every night. Variety could have been a little
better. Always a red meat, seafood and pasta on the menu. Also, be adventurous on the appetizers and
soups. Don't like it, don't eat it. Food was superior to Royal's, not that Royal's was bad, but like
everything on Celebrity, it was more classy.

Note: The dining experience on Celebrity is vastly different than Royal. Royal was like a served, high
end buffet. Celebrity was like a 4 star restaurant, 2 hour meal. Hard to describe, but people at the table
rarely got more than one meal and the waiters did not like it much when you asked for more than one
thing. Not that they got mad, but like a classy restaurant, if you order the pork chops with the white fish,
they would tell you the two do not go together. But don't get me wrong, we all ordered multiple desserts.
Also, do not hesitate to order special things like steamed vegetables with every meal, or fries or even
ketchup. You are paying for it. They had great veggies. Fruit just OK. Fruit soups fantastic. Waiters are
all foreign, usually Eastern European (ours were Croatian). Friendly but not as friendly as Royal. But
they grow on you as the nights go along.

Island Excursions

We did no organized island excursions. Not a great variety. Same type of variety as Royal, but you can
only go on many tours, snorkeling or scuba adventures. The same things on every island. So we
explored on our own. See below for island by island.

St. Croix

They replaced Martinique w/ St. Croix b/c bad experiences w/ Martinique (dirty and high crime I heard).
But they are going to Martinique next year (go figure). St. Croix, like other two US virgin islands was nice
and felt safe. Not great, just nice. Went downtown, 20 minute bus ride (not much to do). This was our
first of many bad experiences with the bus rides. At every island there are dozens of buses to transport
passengers into the main town. They are cheap so everyone uses them. When I say bus, I really mean
large van. The drivers are paid by the number of people they can cram into the van, with or without air
conditioning. You are definitely getting what you pay for. On a side note, if you get your own taxi, ask
how much. Then offer at least 20% less then what is offered. You can always go to the next one down
the line. They are not dishonest but there are no set rates, despite what the cruise tells you. Buses/vans
are usually set rates.

St. Lucia

We had great time on St. Lucia. We went to the brand new Hyatt and used their beach and facilities. Ate
lunch. However, our table mates went to other side of island and thought the island was a slum. Either
way, if you want to relax on an island, ask your waiter for the name of a good hotel, or get a
Frommers/Fodors (they will tell you). You can do this b/c all beaches are public, on every island, and
the law says the hotel has to give you access to the beach. So take some towels and go to the hotels
beach. Hotel loves it if you buy lunch and a few drinks. And no one cares if you take a dip in the pool.
We sure did.

Barbados

Took bus downtown. Nothing to see and felt a little unsafe at times. Skip it. Found a nice hotel to crash:
Fairmont Royal Pavilion.

Antigua

Cannot remember.

St. Thomas

Probably most popular port in all the Caribbean. We took a boat, on our own, to St. John b/c we heard
about the great beaches and snorkeling. Round trip takes about 2 hours. Have to take a bus to and
from every pier. Can get expensive to pay for all the boats, taxis and buses. We went to the most
famous beach on St. John, trunk bay. I snorkeled but the water happened to be murky that day, even
though it was sunny and not windy. Lifeguards says it just happens sometimes. We stopped at the
Westin for lunch. So-so resort. Older. Nice pool and beach area. They had water trampolines we played
on. Although St. John was a great place, I would not do it again from a cruise. It was too long of a day.

Then we came back to St Thomas and went shopping downtown.

Shopping

We do not shop in the Caribbean for anything that is not name brand. The thing to do is to make a
shopping list of name brand things you need. Check the US prices on the internet. Then go down with a
model number and check at every island. You can do that with watches or electronics. We usually find
good deals at Hilfiger and Polo outlets.

Formal Nights

Celebrity dressed up more than Royal. Lot of tuxedos, but I felt very comfortable in my suit. Pack light,
who cares if you wear the same thing.

Disembark

They disembark by the time of your flight or status. Status is suite leave first or Captain Club members
leave first. Can sign up for Club for $35. I did and we got off early, smooth and caught an early flight
home.

Lines

I was very disappointed with Royal's lines on first cruise. Celebrity was better, but there were still lines. I
just don't like to wait. So we didn't do some of the popular stuff to avoid lines.

Shows

Shows were as good as Royal and overall entertaining. However, the ship singers were horrible, I mean
horrible. The guest stars made up for it, they had a really good singer and comedian. Cirque de Galaxy
would be good if you have never seen the real Cirque. But only average if you have seen the real thing.

Smoking

There is no smoking in food and theater places. But smoking everywhere else, on one side of the ship.
People mainly followed the rules, but I had to ask people to move every once and a while.

Art Auction

If you have never been on a cruise before, they have art auctions everyday. Go. Go. Go. Free
champagne, free print everyday. And you can get some cheap signed art for your walls. It is all
legitimate. We bought several inexpensive pieces on both cruises. We had fun. Animation day is cool if
you have kids or you are looking for gifts.

If you made it to the end, great job and have a great time on your cruise. Cannot lose with Celebrity.

Back to Celebrity Galaxy