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Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: Carlene Hopkins
Email: hopkins@inforum.net
Age: 47
Occupation: Program Technician
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: 9-24-99
Itinerary: West Coast Repostioning
Cabin: 5063/Catagory 11
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 92
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 99
CabinAmenities: 92
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 92
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 80
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 17 Oct 1999
Time: 00:49:56
Remote Name: dialup-192.inforum.net
Remote User:
Comments
Celebrity Galaxy Repositioning Cruise Vancouver to Los Angeles. September 24 thru October
6, 1999.
This was our 3rd cruise, our first cruise was June 1998, the Sun Princess, Alaska
northbound, our second cruise
was February 1999, Carnival Holiday, Los Angeles, Catalina & Ensenada. This cruise was
by far the BEST. We love
the longer cruises and we definitely will cruise again.
The Ship and Cruise: This review is based from the perspective of a category 11 inside
cabin, Plaza deck (deck 5)
cabin number 5063. It was a wonderful location, all of the embarkation/debarkation took
place on deck 5, except
Ketchikan, but there were no crowds milling around outside our room. We were 4 cabins
forward of the pursuer
desk. Movement in the cabin was minimal, even though I don't get seasick, this may be an
issue for some of you.
The layout of the room used space and storage to a premium, there were drawers we didn't
use and as usual I over
packed. Our room steward, Antonio, did his job so well. As usual, we never saw him but you
knew he had been
there because our room was always ship shape. Fresh water, ice, the extra pillow and
blanket…. etc.
There were public areas on both sides of the ship on deck 5, at the base of the Grand
Atrium, with large expansive
windows and comfortable couches and chairs. And of course one side is smoking, starboard
side and port is
non-smoking. Believe it or not the ventilation is so good on this ship, sitting on the
non-smoking side I did not smell
smoke unless someone walked by with a cigarette. This was important to me because my
'real' life is totally smoke
free. Even though our cabin was on the smoking side, and I now realize there is smoking in
the rooms on the
smoking side, if you want a non-smoking room ASK for it. We were not aware of this and our
TA did not tell us.
The Grand Atrium was so very pretty, very light and airy. The shops on deck 6 had many
good buys. All of the
Alaska items were being discounted because this cruise was the last of the season, not to
mention the century. The
coffee shop and martini bar were pleasant places to relax and watch the world float by or
listen to Double Play if
they happened to be singing there.
There are plenty of elevators and they move quickly, but going to the issue of
maintenance. The floor display did
not work on all of the elevators. You wouldn't know what floor you were on when the doors
opened. And there is no
indication on each floor what floor it is, so getting off the elevator and realizing that
you were on the wrong floor was
annoying.
The Orion Dining Room is beautiful, large windows surround both floors, but it you have a
table on the inside of the
booth area you cannot see out. Which is sad because half of the tables therefore do not
have any view of the
ocean. We had a table for 6 but there were only 4 at our table. The food was fabulous, we
wanted for nothing, and
anything was just to be asked for. Our waiter, Saritas, from Turkey, and our assistant
waiter, from Bulgaria, were
both wonderful, personable but professional in all that they did.
The Orion Dining Room is on deck 5 & 6. However the kitchen is located in the middle
of the ship on deck five, so if
your table is on deck 5 and your room is on deck 5 you have to go up to deck 6 to get to
back of the ship in order to
go down to your table. A day of confusion for some but it works out ok.
The Oasis Buffet and Grill, which we ate at primarily for breakfast was great. The wait
staff was great. Seating was
available around the Oasis indoor pool, and out on deck which was nice when we finally got
to warmer weather
around San Francisco.
The Ocean pools were too cold for swimming in, and we did relax in the hot tubs but
unfortunately they close at
8:00pm which is way to early for us.
We decided that Celebrity and Sony have some sort of connection. There are video screens
showing animated
videos all over the ship, no sound just screens. There is a computer room, with Sony
computers, however there are
no working computers, there were parts missing from all of the terminals, a mouse with no
ball in it. I had hoped to
work on this review while on board but since all 4 work stations were inoperable it’s
a few weeks late. We have
decided that Celebrity needs an audio/video technical advisor, full time on staff. There
were minor glitches in the
theater, a screen that was out of sequence, lighting that was off, minor to some but
noticeable to others.
Speaking of the Celebrity Theater, the entertainment was fun, enjoyable and there could
have been more. The
cruise director kept things moving along very well. There were minor repairs to the
seating that needs to be taken
care of, masking tape to hold up the backing of the couches really looked tacky.
The Oasis band that plays in the Savoy Lounge is a great group to listen to, they were
getting their Raegae(sp)
music back in tune on this cruise and they were happy to be going back to warmer weather.
There was also an
occapella(sp) group called Double Play that was really enjoyable. All 4 of the young men
had a great sense of pitch
and timing and were truly funny.
This cruise, being longer (12 nights), made for the average age of the passengers to be
older. Retirement age, we
are late 40/early 50, infact my husband celebrated his 50th birthday on this cruise. There
was a large contingent of
British on the ship, our tablemates had heard that the British passengers had been offered
a great deal for this
cruise.
There were times when we were in the Stratosphere Lounge at midnight with the place to
ourselves. And to our
regret there were no recent music selections, no jazz, we heard 2 songs of Kenny G once
during our last dinner. All
we could listen to was music of the 30s & 40s and Easy Listening. And the 70s disco
music they had didn't show up
to often. Easy listening music is not always a good thing. Even the music on the outside
decks was classical, come
on now. We got to know the DJ, Robert, very well, he sympathized with our need for other
music. The bar staff
person, Miguel, was a great guy. He is leaving the ship from Cartagena to go home for
vacation for 2 months. We
hope to run into both of these people again.
The Ports of Call: Since this was our second cruise of Alaska we chose not to do any shore
excursions. It is easy to
explore all of the ports, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, Victoria & San Francisco
on your own.
Ketchikan: We walked through town, passed a bar that was advertising a party for Monday
night, they were
celebrating the last ship of the season. There was going to be a Tacky Tourist Costume
Contest. As much as these
ports may rely on the tourist dollar I can sympathize with them wanting to have their
peaceful lives back.
Skagway: You can hop the shuttle for $1.00 one way to town, it is less than a half mile to
walk. The town proper is
maybe 8 blocks by 15 blocks. Population 600 to 800 during the winter and jumps to 2000
during the summer tourist
months. Easily walked. But take the narrow gauge railroad to Whitehorse Pass if you have
never been there. We
took the excursion last summer that went into the Yukon Territory, very pretty and
wonderful country. It was about
45 degrees when we were in Skagway this year, fresh snow on the mountains surrounding this
inlet, but the trees
were changing and what a beautiful sight.
Juneau: We rented a car but had to take a taxi (no port pickup, opposite of what was told
to us by Hertz) to the
airport to pick up the car, this is another story that Hertz will hear about. The road to
the north of the city goes out
about 40 miles and dead-ends, the road to the south is about 8 miles out. We saw eagles
flying over one river we
crossed, stopped and took pictures/video, very wonderful day even though it rained part of
the time. We drove up
to Mendanhall Glacier and were there by ourselves, we had been to this glacier last year
but had to return, it's just
so beautiful.
Sitka: I wish we had more time in this port, you have to tender in, and we only had 5
hours. Very pretty location. It is
an island and there are a lot of smaller islands around. We had partly cloudy with some
sun on the day we were
there. Funny little bit of info: Population 8500, but there are 7400 registered vehicles.
Victoria: We took the shuttle ($5 all day, back and forth) to downtown and walked this
pretty city. If you have never
been to Victoria make sure you take the bus/excursion to Buchard Gardens. Something you
should not miss.
San Francisco: Since we live 3 hours from San Francisco we took the ferry over to Jack
London Square in Oakland.
Can't seem to get away from water transportation. We arrived in San Francisco at 7 am
instead of noon, we think
our early arrival was because our Matre'd, Jose, had a bout with kidney stones. We heard
he was immediately take
to a local hospital, this says a lot for the crew and staff of Celebrity to think so much
as to push our schedule ahead.
When it came to our day in Glacier Bay we were truly blessed. Glorious sunshine, cool,
high 50s low 60s but
SUNSHINE. Bright blue skies. This day was the first and only full day of blue skies and
sunshine of the cruise. The
Johns Hopkins glacier was magnificent. The water was so still it looked like a mirror.
Last summer were we unable to
go into Johns Hopkins because the sea lions were having babies and cruise ships are
prohibited from entering
during that time of year. But this year more than made up for it, seeing the mountains,
surrounding the inlet and
glacier, climb to 12,000 to 14,000 feet into the bluest sky was beyond words.
In Conclusion: As stated above, there were minor annoyances, mainly due to lack of
maintenance. This ship was
extremely clean and beautiful but did show wear and tear.
We enjoyed this cruise, itinerary and Celebrity Cruiseline so much we are hoping to take
this repositioning cruise
next year. It has been extended to 14 day, Seattle and Grays Harbor have been added as
ports of call and
disembarkation is San Diego instead of Los Angeles/San Pedro.
If anyone has any questions please feel free to e-mail me at hopkins@inforum.net
Happy cruising, Carlene Hopkins
Name: Don Bryson
Email: vette67@earthlink.net
Age: 60
Occupation: manager
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: 10/06/99
Itinerary: Panama Canal
Cabin: 4117/4008
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 98
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 10
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 60
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 50
GoodForHoneymoon: 50
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 60
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 80
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 88
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 20
MedicalFacilities: 85
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 70
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 60
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 22 Nov 1999
Time: 00:13:21
Remote Name: sdn-ar-003nmalbup308.dialsprint.net
Remote User:
Comments
We had cruised with Celebrity before (this was my 4th cruise with them, first on the
Galaxy), and had been very pleased.
But that was not to be the case this time. It started with a problem in getting the cabin
upgrade promised to 'Captain's
Club' members. I booked the trip in January, 10 months before sailing and asked for the
upgrade ~ 15 times and in every
case got the runaround from both my travel agent (Grand Circle Travel) and Celebrity. We
never got the promised
upgrade, finally being told that the price we had paid was, 'too low'. Reconciled to the
lowest passenger deck, aft. I asked
for a cabin further forward, as I had read the reviews that said the noise and vibration
on the Galaxy aft are VERY BAD.
Once again no help at all. We bought Celebrity's air/sea package and requested TWA or
American, but true to form, we
got American West to Los Angeles and Delta from San Juan to home. The outbound flight had
a 29 minute connect time
(and was 18 minutes late into Phoenix), but we made the connection by running thru the
airport. In Los Angeles, we were
met by Celebrity's reps and after some extended confusion, boarded a bus for the pier.
Boarding the ship was fairly
smooth and the wait wasn't too long, about 45 minutes, another place where the Captain's
Club is supposed to give you
an advantage. The ship itself was magnificent, and throughout the entire cruise we never
felt crowded or had to wait much
at all, even though the ship was completely full. Our cabin was spacious, clean, and
well-appointed. HOWEVER, the
previous reviews about aft cabins understated the problem. The first night we were
awakened by a loud banging and
grinding sounds that sounded as if they were immediately below us. We complained to the
'Guest Relations' people and
after 3 calls, we were able to go to sleep at 2 am. This continued for 3 nights, with many
visits to 'Guest Relations', before
we were finally moved to another cabin on deck 4 forward. The first nite in the new cabin,
we had set the thermostat on 65
and when we returned for the show, it was ~85! we called our friends in 'Customer
Relations' and they sent someone to
the cabin immediately (the good news). The bad news was that we were told there was no
problem, everything was
working fine. When I pointed out that it didn't seem to be 65 degrees, the crewman
shrugged his shoulders and left. I then
called 'Guest Relations' and was told the problem was being worked on and would be fixed
in ~1/2 hour. When I called 45
minutes later, I was told it couldn't be fixed until morning! I then went to the 'Guest
Relations' desk and told them this ws
unacceptable and they finally woke up the engineering officer who tried several solutions,
including reducing the
temperature of the air so that even with our reduced flow, it was tolerable. He told us
they would have to drop the ceiling to
work on it the next day. The cabin problems went away until the 10th day when once again
we had no a/c, but it got fixed
quickly.
On the plus side, the cabin attendants (Helen and Servio) were superb, consistently going
out of their way to not only
make us comfortable, but to feel we were welcome. Our dining room staff were equally
outstanding, the waiter Cinar was
from Turkey and the asst waiter Jose Flores, was from Honduras. They also were more like
friends, than staff. The food
was uniformly excellent, good quality, variety, presentation, and quantity. We ate in our
cabin several nights as I came
down with a respiratory infection and we ordered off the regular menu and even considered
having all our meals in the
cabin. The entertainment was excellent, both movies and in the showroom. There was never a
lack of activities or any
problem with having to wait in long lines. The shore excurison staff were great, although
the excursions themselves were
not that great (and over-priced). The stops were San Diego, Cabo San Lucas, Costa Rica,
Panama Canal (which was
AWESOME), the San Blas Islands which were especially wonderful (be sure to buy some
'molas', we wish had bought
more). Next we stopped at Cartagena, but we didn't go ashore there, then Aruba (which was
another delight), then St
Thomas where we followed hurricane Jose by a day, and finally San Juan where we
disembarked and flew home. Our
air/sea package had thoughtfully provided us a 6 hour wait in the airport, but it went
fairly quickly.
Overall, the Galaxy is a good ship (IF YOU ARE NOT LOCATED AFT), and the cabin and dining
room personnel were
delightful. The ports were excellent, the food superb as expected. However, the total lack
of understanding of what the
term, 'customer service' even means on the part of the 'Guest Relations' staff and the
administrative personnel. Have
convinced me that I need to find another cruise line for my future cruises, Celebrity just
doesn't care.
Name: Judy Alvarez
Email: d0108@mail.kindercare.com
Age: 44
Occupation: management
NumberOfCruises: 6
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: 10-30-99
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
Cabin: 4
FoodDiningRoom: 94
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 92
FoodLidoDeck: 92
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 50
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 89
ShoreExcVariety: 70
FoodVariety: 89
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 50
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 80
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 22 Nov 1999
Time: 17:21:33
Remote Name: sparc4-fw.kindercare.com
Remote User:
Comments
Overall, the cruise value was very good, but we had some problems with our cabin and
noise. It was in the forward section
of the ship and extremely noisy and lots of vibrations as you pull into port in the
mornings at 6:30 am. Almost felt like we
were getting jolted out of bed each morning. I would suggest booking in the middle of the
ship. As far as movement, this
was not our first cruise, but it was by far the most movement we have encountered on a
ship. Previously we were on
Carnival and Royal Caribbean ships.
Dining room service was below standard of what we were used to having. Once we noted this
with the guest services
department, we found the service greatly improved.
Room amenities were good, and bathroom space was ample. We had the twin beds converted to
a large bed, which took
up most of the room in the center of the cabin, and made it rather cramped for 2 people to
get around inside the cabin.
Food was very good at all of the meals, even the buffett breakfast and lunch with waiters
waiting at the end of the lines to
take your tray and help you to a table.
Shore excursion desk was very helpful, but we prefer to get off the shop and get a taxi.
We had no trouble doing this at all.
In St. Lucia we went to Anse Chastanet, an adorable resort with excellent snorkeling. In
Martinique, a beautiful island, we
chose a taxi excursion to see the signts as well. In Barbados we took the ship's
snorkeling excursion which was nice, but
the water was murky due to rain overnight. We also took the catamaran sail on Antigua
which was very nice, but the seas
were a little rough to enjoy snorkeling. Again, weather related. On St. Thomas we took a
taxi to Coki Beach. Excellent
snorkeling experience.
Name: Kelly Flynn
Email: kelcolo@aol.com
Age: 35
Occupation: Customer Service Manager
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: 11/6/99
Itinerary: Southern Carribbean
Cabin: 2
FoodDiningRoom: 89
CruiseDirector: 88
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 70
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 88
DeckService: 98
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 98
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization:
ShopsOnBoard: 88
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 23 Nov 1999
Time: 21:14:10
Remote Name: spider-tn073.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:
Comments
This was my husband's and my second cruise, first being a 4 night on Royal Carribbean
Nordic Empress to the Bahamas.
The Galaxy is a beautiful ship but does not have as much open space as Royal Carribbean.
The staff was very attentive and helpful and the ship very clean. We stayed in a category
2 with veranda and loved being
out on the balcony every morning when coming into port and in the evenings when leaving.
The majority of the traveler's on our cruise were close to retirement age, therefore the
lounges were pretty dull in the
evenings. Only 6 - 12 people in the disco each time we visited. The main dining room also
has very few tables that seat
more than four people, therefore we only ate with one other couple each evening. Could
have been more pleasant with
more people to converse with during dinner.
The evening shows left some to be desired. We met up with several different Royal
Carribbean ships in port and all of
their passengers loved their entertainment. I agree, as the Nordic Empress entertainment
was extrodinary.
Martinique is a port that you may not wish to explore. Very congested and the locals were
seen urinating in the ocean and
in the gutters. Passengers who took a cab to the beach said that the beaches were not very
nice. Make this a day to stay
on board and enjoy the ship's daily activities.
St. Thomas was the most enjoyable port. We took the ferry to St. John and snorkeled at
Trunk's Bay. This was the most
beautiful snorkeling experience I have had.
The other excursion we booked through the ship was a four wheel jeep tour in St. Lucia. We
were able to travel to places
normally unaccesable and the plantations were gorgeous.
Getting a weekly pass to the Thalosotherapy pool in the Aqua Spa is a must. It is the most
remarkable 'whirlpool' you'll
ever experience. I also had my first massage, and had a session of reflexology. Very
relaxing after a day in port. The
Aqual Spa employees were all very friendly and professional.
Overall, we enjoyed the vacation. It was very relaxing and we were able to visit places we
would have never thought to
travel to. If you are under 50 and looking for some excitment, this is probably not the
cruise for you. Fortunately we were
looking for some time to relax and enjoy our time together.
Name: Chris Poehlman
Email: chris_divechime@yahoo.com\
Age: 48
Occupation: LAN Manager
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: Oct. 6-23, 1999
Itinerary: Panama Canal
Cabin: 9019/Cat 4
FoodDiningRoom: 97
CruiseDirector: 96
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 97
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 97
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities: 92
EntertShowLounge: 97
OverallPortsofCall: 98
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities:
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 90
ShipCleanliness: 96
EmbarkDisembark: 75
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 97
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 92
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 01 Dec 1999
Time: 14:05:37
Remote Name: 4.19.74.253
Remote User:
Comments
This was the Galaxy's repositioning cruise to the Caribbean via the Panama Canal, Los
Angeles Oct. 6, 1999 to San Juan
Oct. 23, 1999.
This was our first cruise of this type. We normally take a 65ft. Sailboat or catamaran for
a 9-11 day scuba diving trip each
year. This was our first 'luxury' type of cruise and we are hooked. I've been looking
since the day we returned for where
can we go again and how soon. My husband is 52 and really enjoyed the length of this
cruise, although the couple we
traveled with thought this 17 day cruise was too long and wouldn't book another that was
longer than 10 days.
We were to board in San Pedro Harbor, just south of Los Angeles, CA. When we arrived at
the dock we were met right
away by a porter to take our bags. We proceeded into the terminal which I have to say was
just mass confusion. No one
who was working the desk, which we later found out was for Captains Club members provided
any direction and there
wasn't anyone stationed around to provide guidance to all of the arriving passengers. We
got into the line and were lucky
enough to be checked in early. The soon started directing everyone whom wasn't part of the
captains club to go through
and get an embarking number. We were allowed to go on through and board the ship without
having to wait in the
terminal. A white-gloved stewardess showed us to our cabin. We ended up being upgraded to
a deluxe stateroom
(included a VCR) on the Vista Deck (Deck 7) while our friends were shown to their cabin on
the Promenade Deck (deck
5). We met shortly there after for a buffet luncheon while we waited for our luggage to
arrive at our cabin, which it had,
when we returned from lunch. We were very happy with the location of our cabin until the
last few days of the trip. The
area above our cabin was the bridge and ships officers quarters. As we were told the chief
engineers quarters were
directly overhead and the last few nights of our trip there was quite a lot of noise from
above, usually after midnight which
woke both of us up several times several evenings. It was suggested that we complain;
however due to the length of the
cruise, 17 days, we decided it really wasn't worth it. Outside of that we liked the cabin
very much; our cabin attendant,
Olga and her assistant were excellent. Always taking care of us without our even seeing
them slip in and tidy up. They
always made sure we had plenty of clean towels, my personal hang-up, and extra pillows and
a blanket. I did find the hair
dryer to be useless and was glad I had taken my own travel one. We did use the extension
cord we brought for charging
the camera batteries and my hair dryer. Just a quick note to others who are non-smokers;
we asked for and got a no
smoking cabin...but we were on the port side of the ship and because of this there are
smoking cabins along the halls
which we were forced to walk by each time we left our cabin to access the stairs or
elevator's. We both found this to be
offensive and will request the non-smoking side of the ship the next time we cruise.
The most surprising thing for us came while we were soaking up the rays on the highest
spot of the deck we could find to
get away from the piped in music and crowds. Most days we were almost alone in this spot
but occasionally members of
the crew would be here enjoying the sun and warmth after spending the summer in Alaska. As
I said above we are
non-smokers and prefer to not have to smell smoke or be around it so we spent our days on
the starboard, non-smoking
side. On two occasions a crew officer who was lying in the sun where we were was smoking.
On this particular day he was
asked not to smoke by another officer who was also enjoying the sun. She explained to him
he was on the starboard
non-smoking side and it wasn't allowed. After quite a scene, he left the deck. Because of
the commotion he had caused
and what we perceived to be his intention to pursue the matter above and beyond this
incident we went to the staff captain
and offered our support to the member who had asked him to stop smoking. The ship's policy
was re-stated for the
remainder of this cruise that crew officers were not allowed to utilize this area anymore.
The Orion dining room is very nice, but the vibration when the rear thrusters are engaged
is best described as what we
Californians feel when we have an earthquake. We selected the early seating for dinner and
almost each time we left port
it was during our seating. The first time it was alarming, but after that it was just the
way it was. We did notice a difference
in the level of service we received towards the end of the trip. It was always polite, but
17 days is a long time for the wait
staff to continue at the same level of enthusiasm as they start the trip with. Our waiter
and assistant indicated it was easier
to be 'fresh' with new people after 7 days. We utilized the alternative dining option for
one evening and were very happy
with the selections. This is partial buffet service while your entree is served to you.
The food was very good. We ate most
breakfasts in the Oasis and enjoyed that very much although sometimes getting a table was
hard. We also used cabin
service for breakfast when we were in port and needed to get going early. This was always
a great choice and was always
on time or early which was a really nice touch.
We enjoyed the entertainment in the Celebrity Theater very much, but would make the
suggestion to Celebrity to only
have one of each specialty. The second magician didn't stand a chance after the first one.
The quartet 'Double Play' was
excellent and we enjoyed them quite a lot. Because we like to choose our own listening
music we would have preferred not
to have had to listen to the music while laying out in the sun, but we did enjoy the Oasis
band in the Savoy.
It may have been the length of this cruise, 17 days, which caused the passengers age group
to be 60's but we were in the
minority being 48 and 52. This may have been the reason for the limited type of shore
excursions, which were offered. We
are scuba divers and were disappointed to see only 2 opportunities available to us. We
know in the future to book diving
before the cruise and not to depend on the cruise line to offer it. We spoke with Simon
the cruise director and he indicated
the liability was an issue and there are few dive company's willing to carry the type of
insurance the cruise line requires.
The Itinerary for this repositioning were: San Pedro - Board San Diego, California - This
allowed us to decide we needed
to stock up on sodas and bottled water to keep in the mini bar for the remainder of the
trip. I wasn't in the mood to spend
$1.75-$2.00 each time I wanted a Coke or Pepsi. This worked very well.
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - We have driven the Baja peninsula to Cabo several times and
decided to stay aboard the ship
and start on our winter tans. We did hear from our tablemates at dinner that they were
disappointed in their excursion to
the beach.
Acapulco Mexico-2 days - We decided to take the city tour having not been to Acapulco
before and being in port for 2
days. I wanted to see the cliff divers and hear some of the local lore, which we got from
'Jose' the tour guide. The cliff
divers were amazing and well worth the ride. The second day we just took a walk and once
you get past the vendors
immediately at the terminal you don't get hassled too much. They have rounded up all of
the street/beach vendors and
have them centrally located in 'flea markets' to encourage tourism. This really helps
although there are still a few free
lancers who want to take you to their shops or will help you cross the street in hopes of
getting some money from you.
'Beware' is all I can say.
Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica - We opted not to take a tour hoping to locate scuba diving on
our own. We talked to the
vendors at the end of the dock and were advised this area of Costa Rica is very poor and
doesn't accommodate diving.
We were offered a taxi to another area of the country where diving is available about 3
hours and declined that. Our
friends did the tour, which included a coffee plantation and lots of local information.
They thought they made the right
decision and in fact were so impressed with Costa Rica plan to investigate taking a
vacation there. Others who took the
longer tours complained about the length of time that they were gone due to an accident
that closed the road. We simply
walked into the flea market which is just off from the dock area and were able to purchase
a few items for friends back
home at what we thought were reasonable prices. We walked into the heart of the town and
found a local grocery store
where I purchased coffee for less then others. The people were very friendly and we
enjoyed just walking around. We
were looking up and down one of the streets in the middle to town trying to decide where
to go next and were approached
by a gentleman asking if he could help us. It turned out he had retired to Costa Rica
because there he could like 100
yards from the ocean and live very comfortably - in the US he said he'd be living on
welfare and food stamps. We thought
he made the right decision, although the tax laws have changed and it is not quite as
inexpensive as it once was for
American's to retire here.
Cartagena, Columbia - Because it's Columbia we took the organized tour and were glad
afterward we had. This afforded
us some local history and a protected shopping experience. One of the ladies at our table
was very agitated about the trip
to Cartegena and would never set foot there again. Over and over we were advised to be
very careful in Columbia, to buy
only at the 'ship' authorized stores to be certain of what we were getting. The problem
was at the shopping area, the street
vendors all crowd in on the street level because they know all of the tourists will be
there. Our port lecturer, Heidi, advised
prior to arrival that this was the case and suggested trying to get up to the second floor
(private property) as quickly as
possible to avoid the street vendors who hock their wears much they same as they do in
Mexico. Maybe my husband and I
are more firm in saying 'No gracias' but we didn't have any trouble here.
Transit the Panama Canal - All I can say is AMAZING. You have to see it to get the full
impact as far as I'm concerned. We
spent the entire day glued to the rail in an effort not to miss any part of it. Our
friends watched from inside the
Stratosphere lounge in the comfort and convienence of air conditioning and no rain, but we
wanted the full affect. To us
there isn't anyway to describe it...but someone else was over heard to say 'it's just like
being home on a river in Arkansas'.
I guess it's just a matter of personal choice.
San Blas Island, Panama - This was we believe a relief break for the crew. They'd been on
the ship a long time and this is
a day at the beach. The plan is to have a beach party on this little sand spit. It's hard
to believe people live on these little
islands but that's their story and they're sticking to it. You're tendered over to the
island were islanders sell beautiful
applique work. We took the tender over quite early and it was very hot, not a hint of a
breeze and felt the need to go back
to the ship a quickly as we could. Our friends stayed longer and said that later in the
day a breeze came up and it was
quite pleasant.
Aruba, Dutch West Indies - Our first day to get underwater. We were scheduled to arrive
around noon and at
approximately 11:20 the cruise director announced we would be late arriving due to the
ship sailing around a storm the
night before. While we appreciated the effort to avoid the weather, we felt the
announcement should have been made
earlier so that we knew we didn't need to rush to get ready for our excursion. The port
lecturer also told us that she hadn't
been notified so she wasn't able to ask the shops to stay open later in the evening so
they closed up at 5:30. We didn't
sail out of port until after 7:00p, which was upsetting to many of those who opted to shop
in the area by the dock. We had
a great time scuba diving, only 6 of us went on this wreck dive. We all had been waiting
to get under water. On the bus
ride back to the ship there were passengers from another ship with us. They were all
impressed with the amount of cabins
with windows, not port holes on the Galaxy. They were disappointed with their cruise but
only because they were dodging
the hurricane that we hadn't encountered yet.
St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands - Well, we finally are affected by the weather. Most of the
excursions that everyone booked
have been canceled. We opt to just go shopping at the center within walking distance from
the ship. Found a great store,
Arts & Crafts Jewelry and after buying a nice Aqualand dive watch for my husband we
made a great deal on a beautiful
emerald and diamond ring for me. After looking longingly for days as what they had on the
ship I'm soooo glad my
husband made me wait. Those I was looking at are no where near the size, beauty or price
of what we got. Part of the
price reduction came because we were the first cruise ship to have come into port in 3
days. The stores were just
re-opening due to the threat of the hurricane hitting directly on St. Thomas. Fortunately
we only were subjected to rain
and a little wind, nothing too bad. Our friends made the trip to Magens(sp) bay by taxi
that they arranged themselves at
the dock and were treated to a personal tour guide in the character of the taxi driver.
They just caught a view of the bay
from the top of the mountain when the sun broke through the clouds...they were pleased.
Tonight we make our way to San
Juan, Puerto Rico and the worst thing of all.... leaving the ship after this great
adventure.
San Juan, Puerto Rico - Disembarkation DO I NEED TO SAY MORE...what a mess. The waiting
wasn't so bad, we found a
spot by the shops and hung out until our number was called. Finding our bags wasn't a
problem, but once we got them
getting them out to the trucks to take them to the airlines was a zoo. Total madness. No
organization, no direction, people
pushing into line, forming their own lines. It was worse than the worst day at an
amusement park with kids. I noticed that
there are some that don't know what a line is for, they just get in where ever they feel
like it. What's up with that. It
happened on the ship when waiting in line for the theater to open, lining up for the
buffet and the customer service desk.
Is it only American's who understand the line forms at the end, not in the middle or where
ever else you can squeeze in?
As I said at the beginning this was our first cruise of this type, but will not be our
last. We feel the longer the better and are
looking at something for next year. We didn't know what to expect and always have a good
time but this was worth
repeating. My husband says, 'any place warm' and you will find him on a deck chair soaking
up the sun. I say 'my bags are
packed' just tell me when I need to be where.
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