Name: Roxane Hunter
Email: RHUNTER@prodigy.net
Age: 38
Occupation: Computer Consultant
NumberOfCruises: 6
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: 11-1-97
Itinerary: Deep Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 89
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 75
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 75
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 89
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland: 90
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 69
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 13 Nov 1997
Time: 21:47:39
Remote Name: 207.115.62.50
Remote User:

Comments

This was our second cruise on Celebrity. Last year we sailed on the Zenith and enjoyed it so much we decided to try the
Galaxy. We liked the deep Caribbean itinerary and wanted to sail on a larger ship. It was a rocky start even before we left.
When we received our documents, the three of us travelling from Denver were not booked on the same flights returning from
San Juan to Denver. I have been on five cruises prior to this one and have travelled in groups before. The flight arrangements
have never been handled this way. Celebrity would not do anything to change the reservations. We also tried aboard the ship
to straighten this out to no avail. Guest relations was not very helpful or friendly. We had booked this cruise in January of 1997
and feel early booking doesn't give the traveller any priority.

The ship itself was very nice. We had a nice outside cabin on the Plaza deck. Our cabin steward was wonderful. If we needed
anything, he took care of it. We were extremely disappointed in the main dining room service. We had late seating, which was
at 8:30p, and were often not out of the dinner room until after 11:00p. This caused us to miss the first part of several shows.
We had to ask several times during the meal to have water glasses refilled. This certainly was not at all like the service we
received last year.

I am wondering if the merger with Royal Caribbean is affecting the level of service that Celebrity had before. I don't believe we
will be sailing on Celebrity in the near future.

Name: Lou Trebino
Email: ltrebino@notes.cc.bellcore.com
Age: 35
Occupation: Program Director
NumberOfCruises: 8
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: 11/1/97
Itinerary: Deep Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 99
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 99
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets: 99
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 70
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland: 75
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 100
EntertShowLounge: 99
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 100
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 100
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 100
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 17 Nov 1997
Time: 14:41:54
Remote Name: 128.96.125.172
Remote User:

Comments

Review of Celebrity’s Galaxy Deep Caribbean Cruise, 11/1-8/97

I sailed on the Galaxy’s Deep Caribbean itinerary from 11/1-11/8/97 as part of a group of 10 that I coordinated. The
ports of call included Catalina Island (Celebrity’s private port of call), Barbados, Martinique, Antigua, and St. Thomas.
As is typical with southern Caribbean sailings, this was a port intensive week with only one of those beloved sea days.
Overall all, that is my biggest disappointment as for me the ship and the sea are my ultimate destination. Ports are
secondary.

Background

Three of us flew to Puerto Rico on Friday on Continental Airlines and stayed at the San Juan Marriott. The hotel is
about 10 minutes from the port and the ships were visible from the windows in the Concierge Lounge. The hotel was
quite nice and I was given a corner room on the 11th floor with 2 large balconies and walls of windows. One side
overlooked the pool area and the ships in the distance, the other side overlooked the beach and ocean. It was great
sitting out there Friday night to watch RCI’s Nordic Empress venture out to sea and see the other ships arrive on
Saturday morning.

The rest of the group used Celebrity’s air/sea arrangements and arrived in San Juan Saturday afternoon via UPS
Charter Air. When I was first informed of their reservations on UPS, I was quite upset, but was unable to secure
desirable flight times on other airlines. As it turns out, the group was absolutely thrilled with UPS and apparently had
much better service than the First Class service I had on Continental. Each and every one of my group (as well as
other UPS passengers I spoke with) would definitely request UPS whenever possible.

Day 1 - Saturday - Embarkation/Ship Impressions

I arrived at the pier at 12:20, only to realize that the Galaxy was not docked in Old San Juan. She was across the way in
an industrial area, accessible to Old San Juan only by taxi. I had hoped to settle in and walk around the town, but I was
so mesmerized by the ship, I had no desire to leave. Official embarkation time is 3:00, but as soon as we arrived, the 3
of us were checked in and on board by 12:30. Our luggage was delivered to the cabins by 2:00. This was great and we
had ample time to have lunch in the Oasis Cafe and explore our home for the next 7 days. The lunch buffet was
terrific, with many choices of hot and cold entrees, several meats being carved on request, and a selection of
wonderful Celebrity desserts.

My cabin was a Cat 5 on deck 8, considered to be a deluxe outside stateroom. It was the same square footage as
standard outside cabins, but the floor plan was different. Celebrity took away a little closet space (still leaving plenty
for 2 clotheshorses) and increased the ‘living’ are to include a love seat by the large window. It felt much more
spacious than the standard. The remaining 7 people arrived at the pier around 4:00. Embarkation was very smooth for
them also. They were rapidly checked-in, photographed, and escorted by white-gloved Celebrity personnel to their
cabins.

By the time the rest of the group arrived, I had done a rapid tour of the entire ship. I was quite impressed with many
areas including the Grand Foyer, the Celebrity Theater, the Savoy Lounge, the Oasis Cafe and the Oasis Pool with it’s
retractable glass roof. My first impression of the stairways and the Orion Restaurant were OK, but not up to my first
impressions of these spaces on Celebrity’s Century. Where the Century used more woods in these spaces, the Galaxy
was lighter and a little more deco/modern. These spaces grew on me, however. Each of the landings of the stairways
is backed by a 2-story circular illuminating ‘window’ whose panes change lighting effects in the evening. The walls
surrounding the landings appear to be more of a vanilla-colored mica surface. The interiors of the elevators
throughout the ship are mirrored on the sides, but not the back wall. This makes for a much smaller feel. Above the
inside of the doors is an illuminated panel with the current floor number as well as the day, date, and time. The floors
of the elevators are two-toned marble with an abstract ‘compass’ effect mimicking the ceiling in the Grand Foyer.

At the risk of writing too much, below is a guided tour followed by highlights of the daily activities and meals:

The Grand Foyer This was a four-deck atrium spanning from Deck 5 through Deck 8. This area was anchored by a 4
story marble wall with water falling the entire length from Deck 8 to the Guest Relations area on Deck 5. In front of this
waterfall was a 3 story ‘antique painting’ in a gilded frame of a frilly frocked girl in swing suspended from a tree. At
night, the painting was replaced with video screens and the overall lighting and mood changed, including the
illumination of ‘stars’ in the silver leafed ceiling, which was crowned an illuminated compass. The staircase was made
up of circular landings mid-way between each deck that afforded a wonderful view of the atrium. The ‘walls’ of the
staircases were finished in bright steel, but were quite attractive IMHO. The Guest Relations area at the base of the
atrium was very brightly finished in a white marble, with numerous conversation areas of leather seating off to the
sides.

Grand Foyer Deck 6 - Tastings, Michael’s Club Off the Grand Foyer on deck 6 were Michael’s Club and Tastings.
Michael’s Club was much more contemporary (deco?) than the gentleman’s club feel of the Century version, but it had
a great look from the foyer. The main entrance wall was stainless steel paned windows leading to a semi-circular
wood wall with ‘portholes’. Inside this area was a very cozy overstuffed sectional conforming to the shape of the wall,
with very seductive lighting and atmosphere. Unfortunately, I’m not a cigar smoker, or this would have been one of my
hideaways. Tastings was also very deco, with sand-blasted glass forming the base of the semi-circular bar. This
instantly became a nightly gathering spot for members of my group. It was a great place to watch the traffic flow
between the restaurant and the theater from the very comfortable leather chairs. Tastings’ seating lined both sides of
the atrium with non-smoking on the starboard side and smoking on the port side. One of the great bargains of the
ship was our nightly cappuccino at $1.75, prepared by the wonderful Mary Ann. Mid-mornings, the awninged carts on
either side of the bar were filled with complimentary pastries. In the mid afternoon, these were replaces by desserts
and other confections.

Grand Foyer Deck 7 - Shops, Interlude Bar The layout of the shops off of the Grand Foyer on deck 7 was a great
improvement over the Century and was quite attractive. For those who have sailed on the Grandeur of the Seas, the
layout is quite similar. Tucked away between the shops is the Interlude Bar, also filled with leather seats around bistro
tables. One could easily miss this wonderful little spot with the second Celebrity bargain. Each night the bar came alive
as Oscar prepares GIGANTIC frozen margaritas and daiquiris in double-sized glasses for $4.95. On one evening I
carried my exaggerated peach daiquiri into the casino to the amazement of many. In fact, one bar waitress (Nina)
came over to me in amazement of the size of the glass, only to return with a straw to help me finish it. This was a bit
surprising, and I couldn’t decide if it was funny or a little over the edge.

Grand Foyer Deck 8 - Library, Sony Wonder On deck 8, the top deck of the foyer, the atrium was flanked with the
glass-walled library and Sony Wonder. In between the two glass-enclosed rooms was another secluded hideaway of a
semi-circular leather seating area backed by wood paneling and models of old sailing ships encased in glass. This was
a great quiet space from which you could watch the waterfall and stair at the ‘stars’ around the compass. The view
down to Deck 5 was beautiful.

Decks 5 & 6 - The Orion Restaurant, The Champagne Bar, Rendezvous Square, The Celebrity Theater From the Grand
Foyer aft, you would proceed through photo gallery on both the port and starboard sides and into Rendezvous Square.
Carpeting in areas like the Rendezvous Square, the Champagne Bar, the Orion Foyer, and the Orion Restaurant were
rather bright and wild. Some was confetti-strewn, while other was a Bengal strip in shades of orange/red. Quite
different from the Century. While I did not dislike them, it took some time for them to grow on me. The Champagne Bar
on Deck 5 was the bottom floor of a 3-deck atrium, with the Orion Foyer on Deck 6 and the casino on Deck 7. There
was a brightly colored mural of trapeze artists in red, orange, yellow, etc., on a turquoise background that spanned
the 3 decks. Inside the Orion Restaurant, there was a double staircase from the upper level that met on a platform
and continued in one set of stairs to the main dining level. The ceiling above the platform was a globe with
constellations around it. As on the Century, there were 2-deck floor-to-ceiling windows all the way aft, and windows all
around. There was also that serious vibration as we pulled out of port every evening. At other times, it was not felt. The
Orion Restaurant was another elegantly simple room, however, I still believe the Grand Restaurant on the Century is
the most beautiful dining room I have seen on a ship.

Forward on Decks 5 & 6 was the Celebrity Theater. This was a gorgeous showroom with wonderful sightlines and
sound system. The color scheme here was bones, taupes, and brass, with harlequin-patterned seating areas in bone
and taupe. This room was much more beautiful and lively than that on the Century.

Deck 7 - The Casino, The Savoy Nightclub Aft, the casino was bright and lively, without being gaudy. I honestly didn’t
come away with any lasting impression other than the slots are stingy. Forward on this deck is another beautiful room,
the Savoy Nightclub. The decor is ‘Casablanca-inspired’ with lots of bronze, black and white. The windows were covered
in tasseled zebra-striped shades covered by beautiful draperies. The seating was punctuated every so often with a rich
burgundy sofa interspersed between the predominately black and white chairs. Other than the main bar in this room,
there was an intimate Martini Bar tucked off to the side.

Deck 11 - The AquaSpa, The Ocean Pools, The Oasis Cafe, The Oasis Pool All the way forward is the wonderfully
decadent AquaSpa. Stepping in here took me even farther away from the regular world with it’s Japanese
bathhouse-inspired decor. If you have never tried a Thallossotherapy pool, you must. There are numerous ‘stations’
with pulsating jets of water to attack various areas of your body. The health club was also here, with various exercise
equipment lining the forward floor to ceiling windows, affording a wonderful view over the bow.

Center on this deck were the two large pools and several hot tubs. This was a very popular spot every day, but never
seemed to lack for a place to sit. Moving aft from the pools you enter the Oasis Cafe. This buffet area is lined with
deck-high bay windows is decorated in rich woods and jewel tones. Traffic flow was excellent with 4 identical stations to
eliminate any waiting. There were always busboys there to carry a tray or wondering around refilling coffee at your
table. Service here was above expectations.

The Oasis Pool was just aft of the Cafe and is covered by a retractable glass roof. This pool area was very bright with
lots of potted palms and white wicker furniture. There were cushioned chaises surrounding the pool, and tables and
chairs on elevated areas around the sides. Here is were the pizza parlor was located. Just beyond the pool all the way
aft was a deck area with tables and chairs. The busboys even meandered out here to ensure that coffee cups were
full.

Deck 12 - The Stratosphere Lounge All the way forward on deck 12 is the Stratosphere Lounge. This room has 2 story
windows on 3 walls overlooking the sea with telescopes positioned in various locations. At night, the segregated center
of the room became the disco. This place was filled every night with the sounds of both Voltz and a DJ. It proved to be
a very popular and fun spot.

Summary Throughout the ship, there was an air of elegance, class, and quality, without stuffiness. A definte A+ for me.

Day 1 - Saturday Dinner this night was a modified open seating. There were still two seatings, but waiters and bus
boys had not been assigned yet, so it was the luck of the draw. Dinner was very good, and the service was excellent. If
we ended up with this waiter and bus boy, I would have been quite happy.

None of us made the show this night, but we were all up on deck for the sail away festivities. The band (Voltz) was
great and the deck was packed, and waiters were walking around with really good pizza from the pizza parlor by the
Oasis Pool. This was also the first of 5 pretty good midnight buffets. The other two night were ‘light bites’. This is where
waiters and waitresses pass throughout the various public room with trays of foods. On these nights, there were quite
a few people with one hand on the slot machine and the other grabbing food.

Day 2 - Sunday - Catalina Island

Catalina Island is Celebrity’s private port of call in the Dominican Republic. We were tendered over on lifeboats. This
was quite interesting. The water was very rough and it was really windy, so it made for an interesting journey to and
from the ship. It was quite difficult maintaining your footing between the floating docks and the transports. In fact, one
person in our group fell halfway into the water with his other foot on the tender. He got a little scraped up when the
tender was thrown back into the dock and against his leg. On my trip to the island, more than one person got sick
from the motion. Once ashore, I realized there was not much to explore and it felt pretty crowded, so I stayed briefly
and returned to the ship.

Most of the group had breakfast at the buffet in the Oasis Cafe. Daily entrees generally mimicked those on the
restaurant menu, and omelets were always prepared to order. I quickly fell in love with the French toast, which is not
something I generally order. Lunch today was open seating in the dining room or a buffet at the Oasis or a beach
BBQ. The BBQ was standard BBQ fare, with pretty good variety of sides to accompany the burgers, dogs, ribs, and
chicken. The buffet in the Oasis Cafe was similar to the entrees in the Orion Restaurant, but the Oasis had a daily ice
cream sundae bar.

Dinner tonight was ‘Informal’ which meant jacket and tie for men. We had a great table for 10 on the first level, just to
the side of the grand staircase. We were assigned Phillipe from Portugal as our waiter and George from Bulgaria as
our busboy. Phillipe was leaving for vacation at the end of our week, so I worried that he had already mentally checked
out (I know I did a week before my vacation started!). As it turned out, this was by far the best service I have had in 9
cruises. I knew of another table with another partnership that was less than pleased with their service, so unfortunately
not everything was perfect.

The food was excellent. In fact throughout the week, every meal ranged from very good to excellent. Not a bad meal
was reported by any of the folks in my group. Very few complaints were heard at all.

Day 3 - Monday - At Sea

As I mentioned earlier, the days at sea are my favorite days. I took advantage of some of the luxurious treatments
offered at the AquaSpa and was sufficiently pampered. I also discovered several quiet little areas of the ship that were
easily found. On deck 12 forward and starboard just above the pools was a little sitting alcove with a circular cushioned
bench. It was a great respite from the sun and was even quieter when that fantastic poolside band was rockin’ the
ship.

In the past, I generally make a habit of having lunch at the buffet (Oasis Cafe) as the selections are basically the same
as in the dining room. Well, this trip I got hooked on going to the Orion Restaurant for lunch (4 out of 6 days) as each
day the one unique entree (not to mention the desserts) seemed irresistible. With the exception of today, every lunch
was open seating, and I never had a complaint about the service. Tonight was formal night and dinner was again
excellent. Celebrity’s rack of lamb is among my favorite meals, and tonight I had a double order. The desserts tonight
and every night were excellent. There was rarely a night when several people at my table had only one.

Entertainment tonight was Doug Cameron. He is a violinist that is heard on many major jazz stations. Suffice it to say I
am not generally a fan of violin music and I now own 2 of his 5 CDs, with the others coming. His style ran from jazz to
C&W to classical to.... He was absolutely wonderful, IMHO. He remained quite visible throughout the week and popped
up in various places. One night he was in the Savoy with their dance band. Another afternoon he appeared poolside
with Voltz. He seemed to be a tremendous hit with the majority of the passengers, and loved any opportunity to visit
and chat with them.

Day 4 - Tuesday - Barbados

We were cleared to disembark by 8:00, so after breakfast we ventured into Bridgetown to explore. The ship docked
near a relatively new building filled with stores and phones. Just outside were many cabs waiting to take everyone into
town. It was probably a 1-2 mile walk along the waterfront for those with a little energy. Bridgetown was OK, but I didn’t
find the shopping to be too enticing, with some of the same stores we’d see in Antigua and St. Thomas. There was the
usual cast of cab drivers trying to get you to take a tour. The people in general seemed very friendly. 5 of us had
arranged a tour of the island and a trip to the caves for the afternoon. Unfortunately, I never got to see the beaches
up close and personal. The island was pleasant, but it’s not one I would plan to spend a vacation on.

I stumbled upon a Galley tour as it was about to leave and joined in. Don’t mis this if you have an opportunity. It is
amazing to see the size of everything, not to mention the cleanliness. Sure makes me feel good to know that it looks
just as clean behind the scenes as in front.

Tonight was the poolside fruit buffet. This is always my favorite of all midnight buffets on any cruise. It’s much more the
atmosphere than the pool. The waiters parade around both pool decks to Caribbean music carrying carved
watermelons. The band was wild again, and there was no room to be found on the poolside dance floor.

Day 5 - Wednesday - Martinique

4 of us took an island tour in the morning, stopping at the rainforest and the butterfly garden. This island was
breathtakingly beautiful! I would definitely enjoy an extended trip here to sight see and relax -- not shop. In the
afternoon, I ventured into town, which is walking distance from the dock. I was quite disappointed here as I found the
people to be almost rude and the town to be dirty. There was a magnificent church there that was the highlight of my
downtown excursion.

Day 6 - Thursday - Antigua

Once again, the ship docked within walking distance of the town. We were in port with the Monarch of the Seas (our
first port with another ship), so that made the town a little hectic. I really enjoyed this port, but never ventured further
out on the island. The people were fun and there was a real fun atmosphere in the town.

Tonight was our second formal night and the Gala Buffet. Celebrity sure does a nice job with this. In between dinner
and the buffet was the Cirque du Galaxy, the second Celebrity entertainer’s show. This was wonderful! There were 6
Chinese acrobats that performed mixed in with the Celebrity singers and dancers. The Celebrity troupe performed
numbers a la Riverdance, Stomp (from Broadway) and Cirque d’Soleil. It was quite an impressive show and some of
the group went to see it again later that evening.

Day 7 - Friday - St. Thomas

I have been here several times both on cruises and for a land vacation (sorry - it’s a necessary evil sometimes), so
there was nothing new here. I did the usual shopping in the morning and just relaxed and enjoyed the ship this
afternoon. I was beginning to get PCB (post-cruise blues) already, and just wanted to relax and replay the week in my
mind.

Dinner was casual and very good, though my least favorite. Maybe it was my attitude and anticipation of tomorrow.

Day 8 - Saturday - Debarkation

This was the simplest debarkation I have experienced. Numbers were assigned last night and each group number was
asked to report to a certain lounge at a certain time. For those of you who have sailed before, there were no
passengers hanging around the halls or on the steps. It was very well organized and executed.

Just a couple of additional comments. Overall, I found the entertainment to be quite good. My past experiences with
Celebrity entertainment were very disappointing. Not here. The service I experienced throughout the week was nothing
short of excellent. My cabin stewardess came to introduce herself and her assistant and explain everything in the
room, including how to use the phone and voicemail. She was incredibly responsive to requests and kept the room
immaculate. The dining room staff was second to none in my 9 cruises.

I never received my invitation to the Captain’s Club party and called Guest Relations to find out when the party was. Of
course, they were very apologetic about the oversight on 3 cabins, but then followed it up with a chilled bottle of
champagne and a very nice fruit basket for each of the cabins, accompanied by a hand-written note. Shortly after that,
we each received a phone call from the hotel manager ensuring that we received the gift and apologizing yet again.
One other day, a person in the group brought something to the attention of a waiter in the Oasis Cafe. Almost
immediately, a Maitre’d came by, and that night there was wine flowing at the dinner table. Mind you, this was not a
significant issue that was raised and not at all a complaint, and the response was greater than we ever expected.

If I have to find something to complain about, it would be that the Captain’s Club and Repeater’s Parties were held
between the 2 dinner seatings. I found this to be undesirable for early seating guests. Also, the Captain was barely
heard or seen. One of my biggest impressions on RCI’s Grandeur was how the captain ended each day as we were
preparing to sail with ‘Welcome home.’ The officers on the Galaxy (and on my other Celebrity cruises) seem to be less
warm. All that said, it was a wonderful cruise that will be very hard to match, let alone beat.

Sorry about the length of this review. The more I wrote the more I thought I needed to include. If anyone has any
specific comments or questions, please e-mail me at: ltrebino@notes.cc.bellcore.com

Name: Jonathan Golaner
Email: jgolaner@comptroller.umd.edu
Age: 38
Occupation: CPA
NumberOfCruises: 12
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: 11-08-97
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 80
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 70
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 85
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 75
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities: 90
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 50
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 21 Nov 1997
Time: 12:15:38
Remote Name: 128.8.186.95
Remote User:

Comments

This was my first Celebrity Cruise. I have been on NCL, RCCL, Princess, and Carnival. Since I was on the Dawn
Princess (see review) just a short time ago (Sept 98), and these ships have similar ratings, I will give the good
and bad about both.

Size, Decor, Comfort: Both the Galaxy and Dawn are large ships at about 77,000 tons. I think the Galaxy is far
more attractive on the outside with its blue accents. Inside both ships are great, but I would give the advantage to
the Dawn. I would say the Dawn is more romantic, where the Galaxy is more conservative. Both ships carry many
travelers in comfort and rarely feel crowded. The staterooms are larger on the Galaxy at about 174 square feet,
compared to less than 140 square feet for the Dawn. The Galaxy has a real shower and the shower is the best of
any ship to date I have traveled.

Food: Both ships serve excellent food, the Dawn does have a 24 hour food court, nice for when you return from a
shore excursion and desire a snack. The Dawn has no midnight buffet. The Galaxy has specific hours for buffet
meals, and in between times the public snack available is pizza. Generally there is a long line for the Pizza area,
and it was only fair. But, remember you can always order room service, which I did several times. Room service
was very good with a good selection, and prompt service. Also you can order room service from the interactive tv,
but it always took a bit longer that way, rather than calling on the phone. Technology..???? Overall I was
expecting the food on the Galaxy to be better, but IMHO, I think the food on the Dawn was superior.

Service: Both ships have wonderful service with one exception. During our dinner, on the Galaxy, it took forever to
get iced tea and water glasses refilled. I could have pulled teeth easier. I don't want to be nasty, but really!!! how
difficult is it to have a full glass of water and/or iced tea???

Entertainment: The Galaxy wins. The shows on the Galaxy were excellent! I know one of the shows (maybe more?)
envolved Jean Ryan. She works with NCL to produce some of the best shows at sea.

Embark/Disembark: The Dawn wins. Embarkation was fine with both ships, but leaving was quite a different story.
On the Dawn, things went like perfect textbook design. On the Galaxy it was one of the worst. We were herded off
the ship like cattle, into a very cramped area of confusion with about 300 people. It was very confusing and
extremely unorganized. The feeling of ALL the passengers was... "We got your money, we are done with you, get
out, get off, we need a break before we must smile for the next herd of cattle."

Promenade Deck: The Dawn has a Promenade deck that goes ALL the way around the ship, the Galaxy's does
not.

Pools and Hot Tubs: The Dawn keep its pools and hots tubs open 24 hours except when ride was very rough one
night. The Galaxy closes all pools and Hot Tubs promptly at 6pm. The gym also closes at 8pm on the Galaxy, but
is open 24 hours on the Dawn.

Conclusion: I had a great time on both ships, maybe more on the Galaxy because I was with a group of about 90
friends. Because of such a large number, the cost was a bargain with group rates. Our next group is scheduled to
go on new Princess ship...The Grand Princess on October 18, 1998. If anyone is interested in joining, e-mail me I
will be happy to supply the details. The Grand Princess is even larger at about 109,000 tons and will be sailing
Eastern Caribbean. I am sure we will obtain a super special rate for this cruise as well. Overall, for me, the Dawn
was a better VALUE.

***Special Note*** Again on this ship one employee stands out as special. His name is Steve Roman, the shore
excursion director. He was very friendly and helpful the entire cruise, going out of his way. He was the only
employee during disembarkation that tried to help and offer any sympathy because of the way things were
handled.

Name: Paul Nuyens
Email: pnuyens@botanybay.net
Age: 28
Occupation: engineer
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: November 8
Itinerary: Deep Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 100
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 100
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 90
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 100
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 19 Nov 1997
Time: 11:57:30
Remote Name: 207.216.155.87
Remote User:

Comments

This was our first cruise and we where very impressed. The MV Galaxy is a floating city. If there is one thing
outstanding on this ship it has to be the food. We live in London Ontario, a city of 350 000 people and I don’t know
where in town I can find the calibre of food that was on this ship. DO NOT MISS THE MIDNIGHT BUFFETS!!! If nothing else
for the food presentation, Its immaculate. There where watermelons cut in half with faces carved in them. Beautiful ice
sculptures. A pineapple cut in half with carrots sticking out of it to make it into a turtle. I could go on and on. I never
realised you could do this with food.

Our ship had over 1800 passengers on board and most of the time we wondered where all the people were. Never did
we have trouble finding a place to sit and line ups where always short and moved fast.

Not every thing on a vacation goes perfectly to plan and nor do I expect it to. What I do expect is fast accurate service
to correct the problem. On this note the crew gets a score of 100 out of 100. When ever there was a problem (not that
there were many) or concern, it was dealt with and fixed right away. Very impressive for a ship this size.

Some minor annoyances. The scheduling of activities could be thought out a little better. For example, dinner for us
was at 6:00 pm and was usually finished by 7:30 - 7:45. And my wife likes to play trivia in the Rondavous Square at
10:15 pm. But the movie theatre didn’t start there movies until 8:30. So for 45 min we walked around the ship and
waited for the movie to start. Then we had to leave the movie early to get to Trivia by 10: 15. Why not start the movie
at 8:00 pm and solve all the problems. I guess they’re guilty of having too many activities on board and it would be
difficult to please everyone. On the last night, the show was at 10:45. We found this a little late for passengers that had
to be off the ship the following morning at 8:30.

The hot breakfast buffet closed at 10:00 am. This was disappointing to people who stayed up for the midnight buffet
the night before and didn’t hit the pillow to 2:00 am. By the time we got up and ready the next morning it was after
10:00 am and you could not get hot food until lunch at 12:00.(you could get cold food though: cereal, bread,
croissants).

The ports of call where expensive and unless there was something you absolutely must see, I would recommend
staying on the ship and relaxing. We where a little overwhelmed by the amount of jewellery shopping available in the
Caribbean, especially St. Thomas.

Excellent food, great service, Beautiful ship. Our best vacation yet and we will be sailing again in the near future.

Name: Terry Goldstein
Email: ticktock@home.com
Age: 48
Occupation: Quality Director
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: Yes
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: 11/15/97
Itinerary: Deep Carribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 94
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 80
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 94
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 96
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 70
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 90
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService:
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 96
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 80
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 97
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 92
Stabilization: 83
ShopsOnBoard: 70
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 93
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 23 Nov 1997
Time: 16:36:20
Remote Name: 24.3.196.34
Remote User:

Comments

This cruise came highly recommended to me and I wasn't let down. The Galaxy is a beautiful, first rate ship. I was
a bit surprised..pleasantly as well as unpleasantly about a few things. I had read that the food and food service
was the best. It was excellent but I felt that my two previous cruises on NCL's Seaward had better food and better
service. Our waiter Jacque tried very hard but most nights we didn't get served our dinner entree until very close
to 10:00PM. I don't know if the early seating did better. I would assume they did. The food was excellent. I like to
have my coffee cup filled as soon as I sit down for breakfast. This didn't happen on most mornings. The midnight
buffets were all very good and the Grand Buffet was in fact grand. But like most second seating diners, who had
room for it? Next time I will try the early seating. The ship is spotlessly clean and the cabin steward and
stewardesses did a fine job. A couple of things that annoyed me. I asked for espresso and someone I was with
asked for hazelnut coffee. We were both informed that these coffees came from the bar and we would be charged
extra for them. That is a first. Even on the Carnival Fascination espresso was free. Also as on every other ship I've
travelled on, the bar waiters get annoying after a while when you are lying poolside trying to sleep or read and
they constantly try to sell you drinks. One word of caution. Check your bill carefully. There was a $45 error on
mine. When I questioned it the morning I received it, I was at first told I would have to wait until sometime after
6:00PM to get an answer. After I bugged one of the Assistant Pursers I got results in 1/2 hour. I was handed a
revised bill without any explanation or apology for their error. When I pressed the Assistand Purser for an
apology, Assistant Purser Dmitrios Chapsos told me it wasn't his error so why should he apologize. There are two
formal nights as is the norm, but in addition there are two informal nights. Informal meaning jackets and ties for
men. The other nights were casual. I really didn't want to dress up more than necessary so I didn't, but I did feel
a little uncomfortable about it. Most other ships I've been on have the two formal nights and the other nights are
casual. I prefer that. Those are the negatives. Overall the food was excellent. I enjoyed every meal. If there was a
problem with the preparation I told the waiter and the item was replaced immediately, with no grumbling or
whining. Special requests were handled professionally. One of our tablemates asked for Soy Milk for breakfast.
The Maitre De went out at the next port and bought a container for her. The dining room staff was very
accomodating although a little slow.

I have read negative reviews about the entertainment on the Galaxy. Well they must have changed things because
I thought the entertainment was absolutely first rate. One show was better than the next. Especially good was
violinist Doug Cameron and the Cirque du Galaxie. Doug Cameron is not your run of the mill violinist. He covered
everything from Fiddler on the Roof to Mozart to Country Western to Jazz. He was fantastic. So were the
performers at the Cirque du Galaxie. This was top notch entertainment, on or off a ship. I would enthusiastically
recommend the Celebrity Galaxy to anyone in their early 40's or older. I would cruise on her again. There were
plenty of young people on the cruise but if you are looking for a party ship you would probably be better off on a
Carnival ship. The Galaxy is several rungs above the Celebrity Fascination, which I cruised on last year, but I have
to admit the Fascination was a fun ship, although the food and service stunk!

Name: Claudia Sokol
Email: tango54@msn.com
Age: 44
Occupation: M.D.
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: 11/22/97
Itinerary: Deep Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 98
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 96
CabinAmenities: 98
FoodLidoDeck: 98
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 99
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 96
FoodVariety: 99
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 88
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 93
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 92
TenderService: 94
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 93
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 100
EntertShowLounge: 97
OverallPortsofCall: 91
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 92
Casino: 97
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities: 90
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs: 97
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 94
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 100
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 30 Nov 1997
Time: 15:45:57
Remote Name: 12.68.105.161
Remote User:

Comments

This was the best of my three other cruises. The ship was absolutely stunning. The decor appealed to my eye a
bit more than the Century's did. The food and service were excellent, though I would have preferred another
waiter. The one we received had no personality whatsover. I don't even remember his name. The busboy (Sergie)
was very sweet. The entertainment in the theatre was definitely an improvement over the Century. I especially
enjoyed the shows "Celebrity Nights" and "Cirque Du Galaxy." The ship itself was fabulous and all done in very
good taste. My favorite spots were Tastings for pastries and cappucino. There was a woman named Danga who
worked there that was delightful. A lot of people have compared the Century and Galaxy. I personally preferred
the Galaxy mostly in terms of decor and it offered a bit more like an indoor pool and much bigger observation
lounge. The decor on the Galaxy was a bit classier and a couple of big improvements include the Cafe. The Cafe's
decor was definitely improved, but also the number of buffet lines. Also, the observation lounge was enlarged and
the windows were about twice as high. This made a very big difference. All in all, I had a wonderful time and
wouldn't hesitate to recommend this ship to anyone. The itinerary was very good, especially Martinique. I would
have enjoyed another day at sea though. I am looking forward to cruising with Celebrity again, possibly on the
Mercury.

Name: Debra Collins
Email: debracollins@bigfoot.com
Age: 43
Occupation: advertising
NumberOfCruises: 9
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: Nov. 15, 1997
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 97
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 92
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService: 93
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 90
GoodForFamilies: 75
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 92
EntertainmentLounges: 88
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 92
EntertShowLounge: 92
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities:
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 80
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 10 Dec 1997
Time: 16:39:49
Remote Name: 208.207.78.237
Remote User:

Comments

This was the best, nicest cruise I have been on! It won't appeal to everyone, but I loved it! This is not a 'party 'til
you puke' cruise, or probably even a first-time cruise for Americans. It is a mass-market priced cruise that is a
little more elegant, a little more upscale, and, in my opinion, shows its European heritage. When you enter, you
walk through a line-up of white gloved staff and are escorted to your cabin by one of them. What a nice tip-off to
what lies ahead! First, food. That's what everyone wants to know about a Celebrity cruise. Yes, it is extremely
good! The dining room food and selection always were those of a quality restaurant, no small feat considering
how many people were being served. Everything obviously IS fresh, no canned green beans or pasty soup here.
The buffet line in the casual deck restaurant was really quite good for lunch and breakfast, I just don't like buffet
lines. But I also want to eat when I want to eat, so had most lunch and dinners here. Breakfast was everything
possible, including lox and cream cheese, corned beef hash, grits, and more! Lunch ranged from salads to
salmon to schnitzel. A carved meat every day. Always nice salad and fresh fruit selection. And desserts...beautiful
to look at, yummy to eat, and full of buttercream (no Parkay here!). Truthfully, the lunch and breakfast buffet lines
have almost too much to choose from!. I always ended up with more food than I needed. And, if you hesistated in
deciding which entree or dessert you wanted, you ended up with both! Service: Pretty much all European staff. We
had a very efficient, helpful and friendly cabin stewardess who made up our room very quickly and thoroughly.
Our Turkish waiter and Romainan bus boy were great! Our table seemed to vary in size every day, as people
came and went. No one, including us, wanted to sit right in front of the kitchen door. (note: our matre d' was a
jerk). In the end, they were stuck with 5 women at a table for 8. But we all stayed because our wait staff was so
good, and we enjoyed our tablemates. The deck bar waiters were good, not too intrusive. Service in the lounges
and show lounge was slow, as the waiters would take numerous orders before turning them all in at once. This is
SOP, I know, but I still don't like it. Cabin: I love to travel, but don't have lots of money, so I go cheap! We had a
beautiful inside cabin on the 9th floor that was larger than any other I have ever had, other than perhaps on
Celebrity's old classic ship, the Meridian. Tastefully decorated, with mirrors to enlarge the space. Good lighting,
nice vanity, nice sized shower and plenty of drawer and closet space for two women. Didn't care for Francis
Denney bath amenites, though. Our itinerary was from the Port of San Juan to Catalina Island off the Dominican
Republic, Barbados, Martinique, Antigua and St. Thomas. We had only 1 day at sea. I enjoy the sea days, but my
mother, travelling with me, loved all the ports. We did not take any of the ship excursions, as I prefer to take a
local cab for sightseeing (which I find tends to be less expensive and certainly more personal). There is variety in
this choice of islands, although I would have preferred the beach day toward the end of the cruise. The showroom
entertainment was much more sophisticated than on other lines I have been on. In addition to the requisite
musical shows, the 'Cirque du Galaxy,' a mini 'Cirque du Soliel,' was exceptional! The musical performers were of
very high quality, and the dancers very skilled. I loved the house orchestra! I would guess 25 to 30% of the guests
on this cruise were European. While this might not suit everyone, I enjoyed using some of my college French on
some nice folks we toured with one day, who used their much better English on us. The ship, in my opinion, is a
beautiful meld of contemporary and traditional ship decor. Lots of beautiful wood paneling, comfortable seating,
elegant decor. No neon here! Culture note: There is an extensive collection of modern art on this ship. I make no
pretense of knowing much about modern art, but I certainly recognized some well known names on the walls and
sculpture pedestals. I would have paid money to have seen this much art in one place. A nice bonus to the cruise.
This cruise was everything I thought it would be, and more. There were not lots of loudly broadcast goofy deck
games and contests, and no annoying meal announcements! Air/Sea: We were flown from Kansas City to San
Juan, via Atlanta, on American, which was a disaster both ways. Late, late, late! 3 1/2 hrs. late to San Juan, 1 1/2
late coming home. The plane waited for us in Atlanta to make our connection back to Kansas City. Avoid American
and Atlanta if you can!

Name: George Fichter
Email: glfichter@juno.com
Age: 65
Occupation: retired
NumberOfCruises: 14
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: 12/13/97
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 90
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon: 95
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 69
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 28 Dec 1997
Time: 13:20:38
Remote Name: 205.160.12.1
Remote User:

Comments

This was our 6th Celebrity cruise. We were on the Century in March 1997 and feel it is our favorite. Stateroom configuration of the Century
with beds under the window provided more open space in the room; also more closet and drawer space than Galaxy with the same category 4
room type. Main dining room on Galaxy with very low ceilings was a little claustrophic. Breakfast and lunch buffets on Oasis deck were fine but
table configuration with partitions from walkways and serving stations and general decor made it almost as formal as the main dining room.
Air/Sea program was unacceptable this time compared with other cruises. We departed Baltimore on TWA at 650am arriving in New York at
800am. Then a four hour wait for our flight to Sa n Juan at 1150am, yet another TWA flight left for San Juan at 840am. Return flight on
Delta departed San Juan at 930am. This was unusual since on all other cruises we weren't even off the ship by 930am. We were hustled off
by 700am, which meant we were up and in a waiting area having our tickets processed at 615am. Again in Atlanta we had another three
hour layover, although a flight to Baltimore departed 45 minutes after we landed. All of this hassle when American flies directly from
Baltimore to San Juan. When we got our tickets I called Celebrity to see what they could do. They only talk to agents so my agent tried to get
better arrangements. No go. One last word of caution. While we were cruising, a typhoon hit Guam. Our son and family are on Guam. I used
the in room satellite service to call Guam. No answer on two attempts. We were charged $6.95 for each attempt since if it rings more than
two or three times you're charged for one minute. No warning to this effect is listed on the detailed instruction plate next to the phone. After
back and forth conversations with the radio room and Guest Relations, we finally had them delet one attempt. In spite of the above, Celebrity
is by far our favorite cruise line.

Name: Dennis Schnepp
Email: tvkf66a@prodigy.com
Age: 40
Occupation: President & CEO
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: 12/13
Itinerary: Deep Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 89
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 92
CabinAmenities: 92
FoodLidoDeck: 88
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets: 93
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 92
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 98
CasinoStaff: 98
PrivateIsland: 99
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 92
TenderService: 99
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff: 90
EntertainmentLounges: 94
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 96
EntertShowLounge: 88
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 99
CruiseActivities: 87
Casino: 92
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 99
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 99
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 28 Dec 1997
Time: 22:25:10
Remote Name: 207.115.1.97
Remote User:

Comments

Food in dining room is as high quality as any fine restaurant. Service to match. Exercise facilities were very nice. Shows were less than
exciting, subpar for even cruise shows. Embarkation/disembarkation was the easiest I've encountered, but as a member of the Captain's Club
we were given priorty. Tendering and embarkation/disembarkation at ports of call also very quick and painless. Martinique continues to be a
very poor choice as it is very dirty, crowded, and the people are very rude. A good day to stay on the ship. This is a fine ship with excellent
service, cleanliness and cabin accommodations. The decor is a little gauche, but bright. We never felt crowded on board, often commenting
that it seem the ship was less than full, despite knowing it was full. One band, Vortz, was fabulous. Disco was great fun. Other bands so-so.
Seem to be lacking in many activities worthy of our time. Overall, very good cruise, strongly recommended.

Name: Henry Wong
Email: henryw@bluepencil.com
Age: 32
Occupation: Computer Graphics
NumberOfCruises: 6
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: 12/6/97
Itinerary: Eastern
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 80
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 70
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 70
FoodVariety: 70
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 70
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 70
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 10
TenderService: 50
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities:
Casino: 92
AirSeaProgram: 30
MedicalFacilities: 50
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs: 50
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 29 Dec 1997
Time: 09:43:28
Remote Name: 209.49.165.3
Remote User:

Comments

I will start with the positives and I should state at the beginning that I would cruise Celebrity/Galaxy again without hesitation. My
expectations are higher then most but not unreasonable. I had expectation of very high quality food. Some compare there food to be as good
as more expensive lines. I thought it was just average. For example the salmon had bones in it, the selections were not anymore creative
then most, the deserts were below average and the shrimp was overcooked as was the lobster. Two nights there was no Midnight buffet just
appetizers. The pizza tasted like the frozen variety its not worth standing in line for. Anyways back to the positives. The mood of this ship is
just classier then I have experienced. The photographers are not as obtrusive. I was impressed by how the Maitre D's managed there staff on
the buffets. The crew in general tried to be there if you needed any help. The ship had a good flow and was immaculate. All the mechanical
things in my cabin and on the ship seemed to be in good working (I was impressed). The schedule was kept on time and things seem to be
well organized. For the negatives besides the food we had a big snafu with our luggage in bound to San Juan. We had booked a day in San
Jaun before the cruise. We checked our luggage to a cruise rep. and it disappeared for 9 hours. The bell captain at our hotel said it was
typical. So we had no luggage for most of our first day in San Juan. I heard two stories from other passengers about being overbooked at the
Caribe Hilton. Ofcourse Celbrity was not at all sympathetic to our inconvenience. The other thing I didn't like was our Air back home was a
9:30 flight and they assured us it would not be a problem to disembark early. They were absolutely correct disembarkation was flawless.
Everything went as planned, my point We had to wake up at 5:45AM get checked in,eat and disembark by 7. What a great way to end your
vacation! I booked this 9 months in advance and I know that means nothing to the cruise line but it should. By the way you couldn't do the
day stayover post-cruise (which is what we wanted in the first place). More and more I don't want to buy cruise air so I have more control, but
I'm sure it will be more complicated. If anyone is interested in the Sands hotel I can recommend it even though it was being remodeled. The
only negative was we had a problem with hot water in the morning. It was a nice hotel and they booked a beautiful ocean front view for us. We
booked a small suite on deck 12 on the end. It was very nice but I think you would have more privacy in the same Cat. on a lower deck. We had
late seating on the upper dining room next to a window it was very nice. I always recommend late seating but you won't get out till 10:30PM.
In conclusion after sailing with Carnivals Destiny last year it was a pleasant contrast but it didn't by any means exceed my expectations. If you
have questions please feel free to ask henryw@bluepencil.com

Name: bernadette lynch
Email: blynch@wwonline.com
Age: 33
Occupation: customer service agent
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: oct 18 1997
Itinerary: deep carribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 97
CabinAmenities: 99
FoodLidoDeck: 100
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets: 100
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 92
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue: 79
GoodForHoneymoon: 99
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 98
GoodForFamilies: 96
LoungeService: 97
TenderService: 98
GoodForSeniors: 97
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 98
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 98
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 98
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 100
CruiseActivities: 97
Casino: 97
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 79
DiscoNightclubs: 99
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 98
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 100
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 01 Jan 1998
Time: 16:02:20
Remote Name: 206.186.23.160
Remote User:

Comments

My husband and I sailed on Galaxy Oct 18 1997.We were celebrating our 10th anniversary.This was our first cruise and we are definetly sold
on this idea.we were very impressed with the ship Galaxy and Celebrity Cruises. We boarded the ship about 1/2 hour before it sailed due to a
confusion which turned into a total fiacso with our bags.American Airlines tagged them to Miami instead of San Juan.So all we had were the
clothes on our backs,we soon fournd out that there were many people on the ship in the same predictament.Guest relations were most
helpful we were each given essential toiletries and t-shirts for pajamas,even though it was no fault of Celebrity Cruises.Our luggage did arrive
3days after in Barbados our bags were damaged but we were so thankful we had them-another 'beef' with American Airlines. Our ports of call
were Catalina Island (private island) Barbados,Martinique,Antigua and St Thomas. Catalina Island -very quaint lovely beach lovely day spent
doing nothing.(there was a warning about jelly fish though!) Barbados- very lovely island nice beaches better to get our own taxi to go
around the island the town is close by for shopping . Martinique- not impressed with this island at all nothing more to offer than the other
islands and the people were not very welcoming to the tourists I guess they don't need the money! Antigua- again very beautiful beaches
much more welcoming atmosphere the town is also right where the ship docks. St Thomas- very picturesque a bit disappointing with the
shopping everyone says its the shopping 'mecca' good if your are looking for gems and jewellery and booze.But some things we saw were
cheaper in Barbados.Your must visit Magen's Bay one of the most beautiful beaches in the world (as per National Geographic). Overall about
the ship we were very impressed even though we had nothing to compare to since it was our first cruise. Very very very clean our cabin
steward was very attentive and helpful always there when he was needed but not getting in your way. Our cabin was tastefully decorated we
were on the 10th deck just one deck down from the buffet breakfasts and the pool. We really liked the pool area lost of open areas and the
choice of being in the crowded areas or being by youself.very clean. The food! Best of all ! If your are planning to lose weight NOT ON THIS
CRUISE wait until you return home! almost anytime of the day there was somewhere on the ship serving food.We particularlly like the
afternoon tea...delicious sandwiches. Dinner was nothing less than fabulous I don't think our table ever had a complaint for our waiter
everthing was always to our liking.Both our busboy and waiter were very attentive.my compliements to the chefs they are the best! The
entertainment on board in the evenings was extraodinary we liked all of the shows we looked forward to seeing them every night. The
midnight buffets were out of this world! we especially enjoyed the Mexican and Isand nights great music. I could not believe the amout of
prepartion went into these buffets especially the 'Le Grande Buffet 48hrs of preparation the vegetable and fruit carving are absoulety
fantastic! The only negative aspect of this cruise was their disembarkation because of our flight time we were given 3rd priority we were all
gather in the requested place (not every one could get seats some people were standing outside since it was so-o-o crowded,we waited for
about 20-25mins thinking a rep would be breifing us on disembarking,customs etc when they finally showed up we were just told it time to
leave....makes me wonder why we had to sit and wait for nothing some folks were getting a bit worried about making their flights.The thing
just seemed a bit disorganised. However we would defintely recommend Celebrity Cruise and Galaxy,since the good outweighted the bad to
all of our friend and relatives infact we have done so already! We can't wait until our next cruise we are strongly thinking of booking their
newest ship Mercury!

Name: Lourdes Alonso
Email: luli1015@aol.com
Age: 26
Occupation: Export Coordinator
NumberOfCruises: 17
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: 3-9-97
Itinerary: 7-day Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService: 99
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 98
FoodLidoDeck: 98
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 99
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 98
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 98
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 100
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon: 98
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs: 98
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 99
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 Jan 1998
Time: 14:34:17
Remote Name: 152.163.213.217
Remote User:

Comments

Of the 17 crusies I have been on in my young life, I must say that my cruise on the Galaxy was my absolute favorite!!! I have been on the
Century twice and on the Zenith 4 times, but this was definitely the best! You see, I'm an admitted cruise-a-holic, so I am always trying to get
EVERYONE I know to go on a cruise! This time, I was able to convince my best friend and her husband into going with me. We were lucky
enough to get a Category 2 cabin with a private balcony on this sold-out sailing.

Considering this was a sold-out sailing, embaration was handled in a very organized manner. They issue you a number when you walk into the
terminal and call in groups of people to process the documentation. (ADDED BONUS: You set up your charge account at time of embarkation
so you don't have to do it on the ship. Also, your embarkation card is also you room key and your charge card.) If you want to avoid the long
lines and the wait, the best time to get to the pier is after 2:45PM. By this time, most of the passengers are on the ship. So if you have the
option of getting there later, take it! We got on the ship and were taken to our cabin by one of the room stewards that greet you as you walk
into the most beautiful ship you will ever see. The cabin had 2 twin beds (which were easily converted to a King) and a sofa bed. There was
plenty of drawer space for everything, and I'm the type to pack everything but the kitchen sink!..no joke!! The baclony was the best feature of
the cabin. It was great to step outside after taking a hot shower in your pj's and cool off before dinner.... something you can't usually do
without attracting attention! I have been forever spoiled by this luxury. The ship is breathtaking. Like it's sister ship, Century, it's modern
elegance gives you a feel of being in a world class hotel. The decor seems to be geared to attract a younger crowd with it's funky designes in
certain public rooms, like the entrance to the disco. The gym is full of the latest exercise equipment available on this planet including a few I
couldn't figure out how to use! If you have a couple of bucks to spend, invest in one of the treatmets offered in the spa (AquaSpa). If you take
the tour of the facility when you get on the ship, I bet you you won't resist. Everything was beautiful and immaculate. Only hospitals can be
more sterile than this ship! If I ever win the lottery, I'm hiring their interior designers!! The sail away was fun. The band played the usual
Caribbean tunes, and we danced and had the traditional piña colada.... yummmm! If you sail out of Port Everglades, look at the condos that
surround the port. The residents stand outside and wave to you as you go by, some even have cute, little 'Bon Voyage' banners strapped to
the rails of their balconies. As soon as we got out far enough to not see land anymore, the stresses of everyday life melted away.

As I have been on many Celebrity cruises, I have made many friends from the crew and staff on the various ships. It's amazing how, years
later, they still remember you!! It was nice to see many of my friends again working on the Galaxy. The staff and crew are always courteous
and very professional. Not once have I run into someone who has been rude or uncooperative. The service is what makes Celebrity so great....
oh, yeah and the food too!!! If you're the type who likes to eat and eat WELL, be prepared to indulge. All I have to say is, my friend gained 6
pounds in 7 days!!! (hee-hee) No matter what you eat, I'm sure you will enjoy. We caught a few shows but like 'Cirque du Galaxy' the best! It's
one of the best I've seen to date. The disco was pretty good, but didn't start playing music until about 1:30 AM when Onyx would finish.
(Don't get me wrong, Onyx was great.) I think it would have been better to mix the live music with the regular.

First stop, Key West: Instead of taking the trolley tour, we walked up and down the streets to soak up the laid back atmosphere. Although I
thought it might be boring, I actually enjoyed the tour of Hemmingway's house. If you want to learn about the history of Key West, the conch
train tour is your best bet.

Second Stop, Cozumel: Always my favorite! My friend and her husband went snorkeling and loved it. The water is so clear you can see all the
way to the bottom. Since I'm not much of a shopper or a snorkeler, my only destination.... Carlos and Charlie's. This is a place where T-Shirts
adorn the roof and popcorn and sawdust decorate the floor, but the atmosphere is one of pure fun. If you like to let loose and down a few
delicious starwberry Margaritas, this is definitely the place for you! (I go so often, they know me by name!!) They play all kinds of music.
People dance on the chairs more often than they sit in them! Be careful not to have too much fun, you can lose track of time easily! After
joining the tequila congo line a few times and singing along to songs from 'Grease' we headed back to the ship.

Third Stop, Montego Bay: We went to one of the public beaches instead of going to one of the hotels. We had heard a few scary things about
this beach, but decided to go anyway. When we got to the entrance we kind of hesitated, but quickly changed our minds as soon as we got in.
It was beautiful and clean! No one harrassed us on the beach either. They don't allow vendors on this beach. I wish I remebered the name,
but i know it's one of the more popular ones. Caution: the water is VERY salty. They rent umbrellas on the beach. If it's a sunny day, rent one
unless you have sunblock with SPF1000!!

Fourth Stop, Grand Cayman: One word.... HOT!! A cold front for them is 70 degrees!! (I'm not kidding, I have a customer there!!) We went to
the beach at the Holiday Inn, one of the nicest parts of Seven Mile Beach. If you can , take along a bottle of water or be prepared to pay!! I
paid $7.00 dollars for a strawberry daiquiri! It was so bitter, I couldn't even drink it! Grand Cayman is expensive. The only thing I've bought
there worth every penny is the rum cake. Stop in the store for a sample and you'll see what I mean....yummmmm!! The shopping is good but
more expensive than the other ports.

I can get into more detail, but I think I've said enough to give you an idea of what it was like to cruise on the Galaxy. Because of this
experience, I am definitely looking forward to going on the Mercury this year!!! Thanks for taking the time to read this. I will be more than
happy to answer any questions you might have about this ship or cruising in general. It's my favorite subject!!! *** * ** Happy cruising! * *
___[]_[]___ ~~~~~~\_________/~~~~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ Lourdes ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

(LULI1015@aol.com)

Name: Timothy Fuller
Email: kualalumpur6@yahoo.mail
Age: 15
Occupation: student
NumberOfCruises: 7
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: December 27, 1997
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 97
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 70
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 97
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 100
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 70
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 97
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 97
AirSeaProgram: 97
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 93
Stabilization: 70
ShopsOnBoard: 100
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 97
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 10 Jan 1998
Time: 23:09:05
Remote Name: 205.241.180.151
Remote User:

Comments

CELEBRITY CRUISES' GALAXY December 27, 1997 New Year's Cruise

San Juan, Catalina Island, Barbados, Antigua, Martinique, and St. Thomas

------------------ Flight/Embarkation ------------------

We landed in San Juan at about 6:00 pm after about a five hour flight. On the way in we could see the Galaxy along with the
Dawn Princess, the Rhasphody, and the Fascination. When we got through the terminal, all we could see were Princess
officials. Finally we asked where to go and they began yelling to some people on a bench. The Celebrity officials were sitting
down, and didn't even know our flight had come in. A bad impression for the start. But after waiting only five minutes we
were on board a bus headed towards the pier. Royal Caribbean passengers were also there as the two lines’ operations
had been combined. We stopped at the Rhasphody first, which was at a different terminal than the Galaxy. The Dawn and
Fascination were also at the pier, which was located in Old San Juan. The Galaxy on the other hand was at an old terminal
on the other side of the city, and part of it didn't even have a roof. Despite these minor problems, check-in was no problem
since there were no lines. We boarded the ship and were taken to our staterooms.

---------- Staterooms ----------

We had two cabins for the six of us: my parents in a category 2 outside with veranda and my brothers and I in an inside
directly across the hall. The inside cabin was quite large compared to previous staterooms I have been in (Sun Princess for
example) and measured a modest 172 sq. ft. It had four beds, two pushed against either wall and two which came down
from the wall. There was a large TV in the cabin, along with a desk, two chairs, a table, a mini-bar, and a safe. The
bathroom was small but had a large european-style shower with great pressure. There was plenty of drawer and closet
space but not enough hangers for the four of us. The room was well lighted and stayed at the right temperature. The TV
featured 4 movies a day, split up between two channels, and played all day. It also had four music channels, CNN, ESPN, and
the Celebrity Network. I liked the Celebrity network because it allowed me to monitor the bill constantly. My brothers would
be shocked when I told them exactly how much they just spent in the disco. My parents' room was the same size but had a
different lay out which included a loveseat. They also had a 42 sq ft veranda with two chairs and a table. Along with their TV,
they had a VCR which was never used.

Our stewardess, Beata, was incredible. That is why you see nothing but 100s when it comes to the stateroom. She always
kept the cabin spotless and even folded clothes strewn about the room and put them on the chair. She always kept the ice
and water full and replaced the towels at least twice a day. And this is not an easy task considering that the occupants of
the room were 15, 18, 20, and 22 year-old males. She always knew when we were away so she could clean up.

-------- The Ship --------

The Galaxy is a very modern ship and is apparent in most of the public rooms. All are outfitted in the latest technology for
lighting, music, etc. There is an extensive modern art collection on board that really adds to the overall feeling of “luxury”
on this ship. Some are even partially interactive. For example, when entering the disco, you travel down a black corridor
with black and white tile flooring. When you take the first step, neon lighting on either side lights up, continuing the whole
way down until you are through and all are lighted. Perhaps the most spectacular room on board is the disco
“Stratosphere Lounge”, which is a great observation lounge by day with 15 foot high walls of glass around three sides. Also,
in each corner is a telescope that I used everyday in port to see all the scenery and people close up. Out of the four, two
are in bad shape and need to be repaired.

The Grand Foyer is another spectacular area that spans four decks of the ship. Flanking one side of the foyer is a quiet
waterfall and a gigantic painting of a girl on a swing: perhaps the only piece of non-modern art aboard. It was at least 20
feet by 10, and at night, the painting rolled away to reveal multiple video screens that played random footage. Guest
Relations is on the base floor of the foyer and covered with white marble and more video screens, along with some sitting
areas to the side. One deck up is Tastings the bar, and Michael’s Club which is a cigar lounge. It is very well ventilated
because I never once noticed any cigar fumes. On the next level are the Galaxy Shops, which had a great selection at
reasonable prices. Finally, on the top deck of the foyer are two rooms: the library and the Sony Wonder room. The Library is
very nice and usually quiet and a great place to write. Sony Wonder is a small room containing 5 Sony Vaio computers
outfitted with games and a simulated internet. Usually it was filled with kids.

The Orion Restaurant is the two-level dining palace, aft on decks 5 and 6. It is capped by an illuminated earth dome, with
simulated stars and constellations. The food was usually excellent in the dining room but the service is another matter.
Often it took thirty minutes to get a refill on water, and sometimes we were not ordering until 9. (dinner starts at 8:30) The
first night was a disaster. We had to wait over 2 hours to be seated for dinner. After waiting in one line for about 1 and a
half hours, the door man told us that actually, they were not seating from that door! So we switched lines and waited about
30 more minutes to be seated, which was around 10 p.m. We were the last people to eat on the entire ship. Our table was
very close to the staircase, so therefore it was part of the traffic flow. Since the ship was sailing with over 2100 passengers,
the dining room was packed. Our table was supposed to be for 4 persons, but instead they transformed it into a table for
six. It wasn’t crowded though because they added a large wooded disc on top of the real table to enlarge it; but this pushed
us closer to the surrounding tables. So one seat which was in the flow was constantly bumped for the first 20 minutes or so
of dinner and whenever waiters passed by. Directly outside of the Orion Restaurant is the Orion Foyer, a small three deck
atrium centered around the Champagne Bar on the base floor. Covering the entire three deck expanse is a gigantic mural
of flying acrobats in turquoise, orange, and yellow; a fairly impressive room.

The Oasis Cafe is the secondary dining option on the ship. Perched high atop deck 11, it offered excellent views of the world.
Floor to ceiling bay windows also helped with this matter. I usually ate breakfast and lunch here and rarely had to search
for a table. The selection at breakfast was always the same, but lunch offered some variety. Sometimes they would close
early and even follow the last person in line to put up a curtain to cover the glass. If you were there just when it was closing
they seemed upset to be serving you. Despite this routine during the entire cruise, on the last day, disembarkation, it
stayed open more than 1 and a half hours late! I couldn’t believe it.

Located just aft of the Cafe is the Oasis Grill, a small buffet area surrounding the Oasis Pool. It served continental breakfast
until 11:30 every morning, and pizza throughout the day. The Oasis pool is the centerpiece of this area, and is surrounded
by raised seating areas with potted palms. It is also topped with a retractable glass dome. Farther forward just past the
cafe are the Ocean Pools, divided in the middle by a steeply raised area containing a jacuzzi and a strange modern art
sculpture. Anchoring the area to the back is a canvas-covered bandstand and to the front 4 more jaccuzis. Tucked away in
the corner is a bar for drinks while tanning. If you continue all the way forward you will reach the Aqua Spa, an area
containing the beauty salon, aerobics, a gymnasium, and multiple spa treatment rooms including the thalassotherapy pool.
Since I did not make use of the actual spa facilities, I can only comment on the gymnasium area. It had at least 7
treadmills, 8 bikes, 5 stairsteppers, and multiple free weight stations. My favorite were the virtual reality bikes, they were
really great. Also, the gymnasium and aerobics area offered excellent views of the ocean and surroundings.

Located just above the Oasis Pool area are two Sport Courts, which offered volleyball and basketball. On the side are two
ping-pong tables and a dart board. One more deck up is the Golf Simulator, which I never used or saw.

Just outside the upper level of the Orion Restaurant is the Rendez-Vous Lounge, a place for pre and post-dinner drinks and
dancing. Featured every night was the band Honeystreet, which I did not particularly enjoy. The lead was a female singer
who also played guitar. Forward of the Rendez-Vous is the Photo Gallery and Tastings. Even farther is the Card Room and
Cinema. The Cinema featured movies that are comparable to what your local Blockbuster just released. On our cruise, it
featured: My Best Friend’s Wedding, Face/Off, and the 5th Element to name a few. Right by the entrance to the Cinema is a
wall of 48 small 3 inch video screens playing more of the random footage. Just by this wall is an escalator from deck 6 and
up one to 7. It is automatically activated when you take your first step. The only reason I can see for the escalator is to
ease traffic flow to the main showlounge as passengers filter in from the dining room. The Celebrity Theater is the main
showlounge aboard and is two-level. It is outfitted with spectacular lighting and technology, including a large video wall
behind the stage for close-ups on the performers on stage. I attended a couple of shows, including the big production
number: “Cirque Du Galaxy” which featured the now-cruise standard oriental acrobats. And it was just like all the other
shows on the new ships: no plot line. Despite this it was still fairly entertaining.

The secondary lounge on the ship is the Savoy Nightclub, which I never saw full of people. It was for alternative dancing for
the less ‘wild’ crowd at night. In the corner is the Martini Bar that serves up multiple flavors of the drink. Just forward of the
Savoy is Fortunes Casino, the large gaming area designed after exclusive European casino clubs. My brothers never used it
though despite their normal tendencies to do so, due to the steep minimum blackjack bet of $10.

One final note on the public areas: the stair towers have illuminated white panels, and around 7 o’ clock they change to
deep purple with simulated stars. This really adds to the night-time atmosphere. Also, the elevators did not talk! Instead,
they were equipped with information panels displaying the date, time, current level, next stopping point, and whether or not
passengers will be boarding on the next level. Usually there was not a long wait for one.

----- Ports -----

Since we did not go on this vacation for ports, the cruising area did not matter. We are not beach people so I can not
comment on beaches except for Barbados and Catalina Island. We went to the Barbados Hilton and their beach is excellent.
But Catalina Island has an even better beach, that tops Princess Cays’ rocky shores. Most of the ports were similar, offering
the same exact t-shirt I saw the day before.

------------ Teen Program ------------

This was perhaps the worst part of the voyage. I don’t think they should even call it a program, because it is NOT NEARLY
organized enough to be so. To describe the mood: 90% sheer boredom! Occasionally the teen councilors would leave
halfway through the night for the temptations of the real disco, located just next to The Teen Disco. I can understand! The
teen disco only had a jukebox, we needed a real D.J. The programs scheduled were described by fellow teens as ‘stupid’
and ‘childish.’ Plus, we got lectures from the councilors on several occasions due to trouble between the councilor and his
staff captain. Very poor.

------- Finally -------

NEGATIVE:

- dining room service (terrible) - cafe service (poor) - teen program (also terrible) - production shows (fair)

POSITIVE:

- staterooms (excellent) - Beata, our stewardess (way, way above excellent!) - food (very good) - design, layout, and public
rooms (excellent)

Despite some problems, the trip was spectacular and I would recommend the Galaxy and Celebrity to anyone!

If you have any questions, I’ll be happy to answer at: kualalumpur6@yahoo.mail

Name: Ellen Harris
Email: JNLN2@aol.com
Age: 41
Occupation: Prining Business Owner
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: December 27,1998
Itinerary: Southern Carribean
FoodDiningRoom: 70
CruiseDirector: 60
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 75
CruiseStaff: 60
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 70
DiningRoomService: 80
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 75
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 70
FoodVariety: 75
DeckService: 75
ShoreExcValue: 70
GoodForHoneymoon: 70
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland: 85
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 75
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors: 60
BeautySalonStaff: 75
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 75
EntertainmentPoolside: 98
CruiseActivities: 75
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram: 75
MedicalFacilities: 90
ShipCleanliness: 80
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 65
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 28 Jan 1998
Time: 20:12:23
Remote Name: 204.249.17.101
Remote User:

Comments

We have cruised with our teenage children in the past. Last year we sailed on the Crown Princess holiday cruise. It was
excellent! Four years ago we sailed on Zenith and had a great experience- we had such a good time last year with our kids
over the hoiday we decided to try Celebrity again over New Years. The ship was completely oversold. The guide books have
the ships capacity at 1950. There were 2400 people on board according to crew. Late seating took over 2 -3 hours every
night. The dining room was loud, hectic and crowded. Although our waiter tried his hardest the kitchen could not get the
food out. Our busboy was really bad and no help at all to our waiter. Our parents were with us also and there were very few
people of there age on this trip-mostly families with teens & college age kids. Although we had great weather and our kids
met lots of other teens it did not compare to their experience on Princess. The Cruise staff seemed invisible on Galaxy. Last
year on Princess the youth counselors made a point to to interact with the parents and at least introduce themselves and
even the regular cruise staff spent alot of time with the young people. On princess the pools stayed open all evening. On
galaxy the closed the pools at 6 PM. If you had late seating and wanted to relax on deck it was impossible, they would be
cleaning and moving lounge chairs around

you. There were lines every where on deck.People would save multiple chairs and would not share. Life guards on deck
could not even be bothered to help with this situation when asked. Hotel and shore excursion Staff had bad attitudes. If you
were not signed up for their excursions they would barely answer questions. I wanted a recommendation for lunch on St.
Thomas and the Hotel Manager would not let the front desk clerk make a suggestion. I asked at the shore excursion desk
and the young man had Fodors Carribean in his hand and would not let me see it. We were also told that all the
experienced staff on galaxy had been moved to open another ship and there was little experienced staff on board. I will say
our cabin was kept beautifully and was a nice size-especially storage and bathroom. Overall we were very dissapointed with
Celebrity. This was very different from our past experience with them. I wrote a letter to them in detail the week of our
return and have not yet recieved a response. I also sent a copy to Fodors for their reviews and promptly received a reply.
Next year we are looking at the Dawn Princess

Name: Dean & Janet Stafford
Email: scot@tdn.com
Age: 73/73
Occupation: Retired Navy Officer
NumberOfCruises: 6
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Galaxy
SailingDate: 10-01-97
Itinerary: LA to San Juan via Panama Canal
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 82
CabinComfort: 82
FoodRoomService: 88
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 94
FoodLidoDeck: 92
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 92
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 88
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 94
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 92
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 88
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 100
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 92
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 96
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 26 Apr 1998
Time: 20:28:46
Remote Name: 209.51.93.66
Remote User:

Comments

A truly outstanding ship. Always on time. Dining Room waiter the best we have ever had; his busboy excellent; our 21 year old Lithuunian cocktail gal was
a doll - even tho I had to teach her how to make a couple of drinks; and our wine stewardress was really on the ball. Entertainment was below par. But the
showroom is by far the best we have ever experienced - good visibility from almost every seat. Bridge instructor was a jewel - and very helpful. Most prices
in the ships stores were very high - exception their special jewelery and watch sales. Aruba shore excursion a disaster - ship refunded cost when we
complained. Lighter service was excellent. Memorable event - the Captain added Knots to our departure from Acapulco - just hours before the typhoon hit
the city. This is our second Celebrity cruise . The line seems to pride themselves on their excellent cuisine, and ship cleanliness. Officers do not associate or
eat with passenger, except Captain's table. They also hire so many different naionalities that it is difficult to communicate.

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