Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Sandra Richardson
Email: sandrich@esn.net
Age: 55
Occupation: itinerant programmer
NumberOfCruises: 6
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: 12/12/99
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
Cabin: 9110/9
FoodDiningRoom: 99
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 98
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets: 96
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService: 98
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 99
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 98
LoungeService: 97
TenderService: 99
GoodForSeniors: 99
BeautySalonStaff: 0
EntertainmentLounges: 87
WheelchairAccess: 98
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 88
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 0
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 99
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard: 96
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 20 Dec 1999
Time: 18:16:43
Remote Name: 207.14.238.73
Remote User:

Comments

The cruise on December 12th was the culmination of lots of reading and research.

We flew Midway Air from Raleigh to Ft. Lauderdale a day ahead. Great service, on time departure and
arrival both ways - smiling faces, both theirs and ours. We called the Comfort Inn and the shuttle was with
us in less than 10 minutes. The hotel was clean, comfortable and had a neat little bar by the pool. We
walked to a nearby little diner with great food and then on to a nearby cinema. Caught a taxi back to the
hotel. They also shuttled us to the port the next morning, fairly smooth and very nice staff handling the
luggage and bus driving.

The cruise embarkation was smooth and without delay. (I suspect the words ‘Captain’s Club’ made it so.)
We got aboard and somehow were not assigned anyone to guide us to our room - no problem; we had
studied our deck plans and were ready to go. Found the room and our sign and sail cards. Met our
Steward, Peter, in the hall, no problem. Headed for the welcome aboard buffet - great food.

In general the meals ranged from very good to great. We found that all the sauces were delicately flavored
and appropriate to the item with which they were served. Service in the dining room was technically correct
with a lot of fun. Our servers, Ganesh and Victor, were very accommodating. Several breakfasts we were
the only folk at our table for eight as we were sharing with two couples in suites (the butler did it) and two
young ladies who worked out every morning and then did the buffet. I can not say to many good things
about the food in the dining room or the staff serving it.

Ports of call - Key West - did the Truman Annex, which was very interesting. We also walked to the town -
ugh - very crowded and the shops were filled with over-priced stuff. We returned to the ship, which was
calm and lovely in the warm sun. Cozumel - Snorkeling at Chakanaab was a nice day. The trip there (and
back) involves waiting in line while they put you, by fours, into taxis. Waiting around while they hand out
equipment and give the safety lecture and check to be sure that everyone had a buddy is also time
consuming, but once you are in the water it is great. The water was crystal clear, and Old Spanish
cannons, a Mayan structure and a statue of Christ are all in the water for diving interest. Calica - We went
to Tulum and it was very good, but we heard that the folks who went to Xcaret also had a wonderful time.
Both were closer to the ship than to other ports. Xcaret only 4 minutes by the bus that ran continuously.
Interesting fact garnered from the tour - according to the Mayan calendar, the world will end on the winter
solstice, Dec 21st, 2012. Grand Cayman - Stingray City - fun and an experience of a lifetime, but I was
disappointed that they did not stress snorkeling vests, barely mentioned them and almost no one used
them. We were anchored near the sandbar, but in 6 or 8 feet of water. One woman got into trouble and her
husband had a close time rescuing her (no notice was taken by the vessel’s crew), she wore no vest and it
was a very close to being serious. I am an excellent swimmer, a certified diver, and I wore one because it
was the safe thing to do. Safety was not considered at all. There was no effort made to count passengers
on or off the boat and no one watched the water for swimmer safety. I think the cruise line should make a
better selection for this excursion.

We only caught a couple of the shows, but those we saw were fine. The ladder guy was funny, and the
dancers and singers did well with the material. The trivia contests were a mixed bag. And the scoring was
checking your own. A group that not only checked their own, but also did not bother to write down the
answers on paper won one contest. The midnight parties were well done, with beautiful buffets and lots of
music. The cruise staff was energetic and pleasant. Other events included cooking with award winning
head chef Marco Goetz, vegetable carving, and astrology; financial planning and a good talk about Men
are from Mars etc. Scheduling of some events could improve. (Like final snowball bingo just before late
seating dinner on the last night was unfortunate.)

The condition of the Mercury was impressive. It was kept clean and shining all the time. There were always
people working to keep it just so. The ship handling was completely smooth and professional. The only
time I saw anything amiss was the crew did not look for dirty glasses behind the lounge chairs on the rear
of deck eight. By the way, that is a great quiet place to watch the sea and enjoy the sun.

The folks scheduling shore excursions were good when you could catch them at their posts. The port
shopping talks were a heavy sell for specific stores. They need to remake the port information videos that
run endlessly on one of the TV channels. They are not professional in either appearance or content. The
talks need to be more structured, less rambling and more informative about the actual ports and then
cover the excursions that they are selling. The current videos remind you of a 2AM info-mercial, without
Ron Popiel’s wit and charm.

Debarkation was even faster and smoother than embarkation. We were in a fast moving line for a taxi
before 9AM. If we had known it would be this easy, we would have scheduled an earlier return flight. We left
the bags at the airport and then went to the Las Olas shopping area and took a boat trip of the harbor.

The return flight was smooth and on time. A good end to a great week.

Name: Elayne Ben-Bassat
Email: elaynbb@aol.com
Age: 49
Occupation: Real Estate
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: 12/19/99
Itinerary: Western Carribean
Cabin: 4157
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 97
CabinComfort: 97
FoodRoomService: 99
CruiseStaff: 97
CabinAmenities: 96
FoodLidoDeck: 98
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 98
FoodVariety: 97
DeckService: 97
ShoreExcValue: 97
GoodForHoneymoon: 98
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 98
LoungeService:
TenderService: 96
GoodForSeniors: 98
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 92
WheelchairAccess: 98
ExerciseFacilities: 97
EntertShowLounge: 92
OverallPortsofCall: 98
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 93
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs: 94
DeckSpace: 97
Stabilization: 97
ShopsOnBoard: 94
SpaceRatio: 97
OverallCruiseValue: 97
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 28 Dec 1999
Time: 17:03:17
Remote Name: spider-wa061.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:

Comments

My husband and I, and our 14 year old daughter went on our first cruise. We are professionals and found this cruise to be
perfect for our age group, although there were many older and younger people aboard. There seemed to be something for
everyone. I can't say enough about the overall experience including the dining, the cleanliness of the ship, the friendliness
of the staff, the excursions and the accomodations. Some tips for cruisers: Bring an underwater camera from your local
drugstore - it was bthe best tip I got from reading these reviews. Take advantage of the photographers whereever they are:
entering the Celebrity theatre, in the dining room, on the excursions, and all around - they take great pictures. There are no
irons allowed in the cabins so we looked wrinkled most of the time - bring as much wrinkle free clothing as you can. The
color black for women was the most popular for the formal evenings. I will divide my comments into categories of dining,
service, excursions, accomodations, activities and general. The food was magnificent. All pasteries are made on board and
the main chef is French - everything was out of this world. Although breakfast is available in the Manhattan Dining Room, we
ate all our breakfasts at the Palm Springs Buffet which offers a huge assortment of foods, omelettes to order including
eggbeaters and eggwhites, and oil spray for the diet conscious. One slightly negative thing is that the coffee was not very
strong. A nice assortment of teas was provided, as well as a drink dispenser for orange juice, lemonade, ice tea
(unsweetened) and Hi-C. No carbonated soft drinks were available on a complimentary basis. The rolls and breads were
incredible in their variety and taste. The seating afforded gorgeous views of the ocean from inside; my favorite place to sit
at any time was the deck area just past the indoor pool accessible from the Buffet. There were square tables for four with
navy blue deck umbrellas and the gorgeous ocean view all around. We ate our lunches in the same place and as with
breafast a large and lovely assortment of foods was available. The waiters insist on carrying your trays for you to whatever
table you choose. The service on board was incredible. The staff was very well trained to be friendly and helpful without
exception. In the dining room, there is a waiter and a busboy for every 2-4 tables and the attention is unbelievable. Our
cabin attendents, Osman and Miguel were so sweet and friendly. They would arrange my daughter's stuffed animals and
beanie in funny little arrangements; we started to leave them our Hershey's kisses on the pillow. The ship is continually
being polished and cleaned - every bathroom I went into was clean, and this is significant information since I am very
particular about cleanliness. It seemed as if there was always someone polishing the mirrored elevator doors. In general, all
the waiters and staff employees were very friendly and I felt as if I were a queen! They really went out of their way to help,
which was great since the ship is large and it takes awhile to find your way around. The excrusions were incredible. In Key
West we went on the Fury Catamaran Snorkling Adventure. It was not the best snorkeling in the wrold, and it was slightly
overcast, but we had a great time anyway. The Fury staff gave helpful tips and we were able to snorkel with no problems.
Key West itself was lovely to walk around in for a short time, and then we had to hurry back on board. In Calica we went to
Ixcaret and I would highly recommend it to everyone! It was really the highlight or our trip. The parrots, flamingos, and other
animals were amazing!We swam both the underground and upper rivers, and loved the butterfly garden which was truly a
spiritual experience! I advise everyone to leave time to snorkel off the beach as well - it was a gorgeous sight, and we ran
out of time. In Cozumel and Grand Cayman we also snorkled and Grand Cayman was the best snorkeling. Take advantage
of the man who carries a net bag of food under the water to attract fish and then gives it to you and takes your picture with
your underwater camera! It was the greatest picture! Our cabin was on the lowest passenger deck, and I thought it was
great. We could hear the water, and the noise from the anchor which is a long lasting groaning noise, but somehow, it didn't
bother us at all - we slept so well and the cabin was so soundproof that we never heard anyone next to us or out in the hall,
or above us in the dining room at all. We had an outside cabin with a wonderful window, and in addition to the two twin
bunks, there were two pull down beds in the walls above the two lower beds. This gave us extra suitcase storage space.
There were tons of drawers and closet space was abundant. The shower was a power shower - much stronger than ours at
home. I loved our cabin. We went to most of the shows, and I advise doing so. In addition to the great singing and dancing,
useful announcements were made at this time. There was a great comedian as well. Regarding announcements, it is
important to read the daily brochure that is in your room to find out about all the activies, and time tables. In general, we had
a wonderful time - when I got back home I could still feel the gentle rocking and rolling of the ship which was so soothing. I
can't wait to go on another cruise. Hello to Chris and Derek, and Steve and Myrna who we met on board!

Name: Stuart Suss
Email: stususs@ccil.org
Age: 46
Occupation: Attorney
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: December 12, 1999
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
Cabin: 4144
FoodDiningRoom: 97
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 89
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 75
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 92
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 88
Submit:
Date: 08 Jan 2000
Time: 19:06:51
Remote Name: pppb1-resalephiladelphiametro1-1r1195.saturn.bbn.com
Remote User:

Comments

I was not a typical cruise passenger as a single male, age 46. I chose the Celebrity Mercury in part
because I liked the location of the four Western Caribbean port visits, and, in part, because of
Celebrity’s reputation as the best of the mass market cruise lines. As you will see, my review is
favorable, but not overwhelmingly so. Celebrity cut many corners and had sufficient service flaws
which, in my view, justified an overall grade of B, rather than A. At the completion of my review, I
will summarize my specific concerns.

The embarkation process took approximately 45-60 minutes. I checked in at Pier 18, Port
Everglades at 12:30 PM. I was assigned a boarding number. My number was called 45 minutes
later at 1:15 PM. During that time I was able to complete all paper work. Bring a newspaper or a
book to fill the time. The process of clearing the x-ray machines, submitting my credit card,
obtaining my cruise card, posing for the obligatory photograph, boarding the ship, and being
shown to my cabin consumed an additional 20 minutes. Boarding was completed at 1:35 PM. All
waiting was inside Pier 18 so nobody was exposed to the elements. Since departure was not until
5:30, the solution would be to appear at the pier at 3:30 PM. I checked the boarding area at that
time and anyone could walk right through the process with no waiting at all. There would be one
disadvantage to late boarding. More on that later. The muster drill was handled adequately at 5:00
PM, just prior to departure from port.

The cabin was fine. The inside cabins are all 171 square feet. Most outside cabins are 172 square
feet. Beds can be configured as one double or two twins. The only difference between the lower
priced and the higher priced inside cabins is the location within the ship. All inside cabins are
identical. I did see the inside of a deck 12 suite. The interior area is not that much larger than a
standard cabin. The additions to the interior are a sitting area, a fruit basket, a VCR, a tub and
shower instead of just a shower and butler service. The balcony area is huge, and shielded with
high walls from neighboring cabins.

My cabin was more than acceptable, particularly since I was one person in a cabin designed for
two. There is plenty of drawer and closet space. Hangers are at a premium and while there were
plenty for one person, families and others may wish to bring along some plastic hangers. I do not
know if it is possible to request additional hangers from the crew. Within a few hours of boarding
the ship, I was already limping around from having stubbed my toe trying to walk into the cabin
bathroom without remembering to step up. That lesson is learned quickly. The size of the
bathroom is fine. The water temperature and especially the water pressure in the shower is
spectacular, better than in most hotels. The service from my cabin stewardess was satisfactory. I
neither requested nor received any special services. The room was cleaned promptly. Fresh
towels were provided regularly. For some reason my cabin did not have a Do Not Disturb card. As
a consequence, the maid burst in at 7:30 AM on the first morning we were at sea while I was trying
to catch up on lost sleep. The next time I saw here cleaning cart, I rummaged through it until I
found a Do Not Disturb card for use on the next day at sea.

The television in the cabins offers a channel devoted to shopping advice by the cruise staff and a
channel devoted to explanations of the port excursions. One channel shows air and water
temperature and a view of the area immediately outside the ship. CNN and ESPN were the only
commercial TV channels. Monday night football was shown even though ABC TV was not
otherwise available. Pay-per-view movies and on screen gambling were also offered. I am told that
port excursion booking was also available, although I did not find that channel. Three channels
offered different genres of music for those who missed radio. For those who wish to keep up on
the news without sitting in front of a tv set in the cabin, a daily newsletter is offered containing
news stories from around the United States. Separate editions focus on Canada, and on Europe.
A Spanish language newsletter is also available and perhaps other languages.

All of my dinners were eaten in the two level Manhattan dining room, named after the murals of
New York City which cover the rear windows and which are lifted during most dinners. It is possible
to eat dinners at the less formal Palm Springs Café; however, prior reservations are necessary. All
of my breakfast and lunches were buffets eaten in the Palm Springs Café so I cannot evaluate the
formal dining room’s breakfast and lunches. When I compared menus, lunch entrees appeared
identical in both dining areas. Four identical buffet lines are offered in the Palm Springs Café with
a separate line for specially ordered omelets. Juice, coffee and hot water for tea or cocoa are
available from separate dispensers. There is a dispenser for milk, but fat free milk is only available
in cartons at breakfast. The lunch entrees appeared to be the same as what was offered in the
formal dining room. As has been previously reported, soft drinks are considered a bar item and
carry an extra charge. Children can purchase a soft drink card to be used for the duration of the
voyage. Lemonade and fruit punch are available with lunch.

Just aft of the Palm Springs Café and adjacent to the aft pool is the Palm Springs Grill. Hot dogs,
Hamburgers, and occasionally BBQ chicken are available there during lunch hours only. An ice
cream stand is also open early in the afternoon until 2:00 PM or 2:30 PM. A pizza stand opens by
the main pools at 3:00 PM. The Palm Springs Café reopens from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM offering
finger sandwiches, cakes, pies, cookies and a separate frozen yogurt area. Coffee, tea and cocoa
were available late nights at the Palm Springs Café.

My changing dinner table location will be discussed later. My overall conclusion was that the dinner
food was excellent and that the food service was good. I do not claim to be a gourmet and I will not
join in the debate as to whether Michel Roux’s food is or is not over hyped. All I can say as an
average guy is that the food was excellent by my standards. Extra helpings or second entrees
were always available. I was at the early dinner seating. There was no sense of being rushed in
and out. The dining room was opened each evening at either 6:00 PM or 6:15 PM and you were
finished by 8:00 PM at the latest. As reported by others, whenever the ship is traveling in reverse,
the noise and vibration is clearly noticeable. Departures, in reverse, from Calica and Cozumel are
at 7:00 PM, right in the middle of early dinner seating. One night they brought in trumpets during
dinner to try to conceal the thruster noise.

Service in the dining room for dinner was fine, although one couple complained about the quality
of service at the formal high tea and another couple complained about stale bread. I did not notice
stale bread, since I was eating mostly the excellent bread sticks. There were two nights of formal
dinners. Not more than 15% to 20% of the men wore tuxedos.

The midnight buffets were substandard and inadequate. More on that later.

The entertainment was pleasant. The shows lasted between 60 and 90 minutes. The featured
entertainers included Michael James, known as the ladder guy, a combination acrobat, juggler and
comedian whose principal prop is a ladder. It is hard to describe what he does, but as others have
reported, he is excellent. For more information see http://www.ladderguy.com A comedian billed as
someone from MTV was, I think, named Jim McDonald (not Norm, Jim McDonald). He was good,
slightly more risque on the final night than during his debut. A guest singer was a former member
of the trio known as the Lettermen, now singing solo. He gave a good and varied presentation
recognizing the differing age groups aboard ship. A male vocal quartet known as the A Capella
Guys also performed.

The production shows were mostly very good. Of particular quality were the female singers. My
favorite evening was Broadway show tune night. The female singer who sang the role of Christine
from Phantom of the Opera was superb. I attended both shows that night just to hear her a second
time. The weakest of the evenings, both in terms of plot and performance was called Bond
Voyage, loosely based on songs from the James Bond movies. The excessive special effects could
not overcome the other flaws. You can skip that night. Other nights are worth attending.

Shows are held in the Celebrity Theater which is nice. Although there are no obstructed view
seats, seating is at a premium. Arrive early. All seats are sofa style and people do not squeeze in.
The theater fills up well before show time. One advantage of attending the shows is that the cruise
director, Jim Cannon, addresses the audience after each show with useful background information
on the next day’s tours and activities.

There is a movie theater. In December of 1999 they were showing movies like Patch Adams and
You’ve Got Mail. Two discos/night clubs are available, the Navigator and the Pavilion. The
Navigator is at the top, front of the ship and is a nice place during the day to see ahead from
inside. The Navigator is the teenage hangout until 11:00 PM when it becomes for adults only.
Several lounge areas are available. On my voyage entertainment in the lounge areas included a
pianist, a singer, the male vocal quartet, a contemporary band known as Onyx, and a string
quartet. Ironically, the string quartet seemed to play more show tunes and elevator music than it
played classical music. One lounge, known as Michaels, is for cigar smokers. There are also areas
known as the champagne bar and the martini bar. In the Celebrity theater, at the lounges and at
the pool, bar servers are always available offering you a drink. To their credit, if you decline, they
do not bother you again.

The main pools are located on deck 11. There are two small pools and two jacuzzis. On the days
at sea there appeared to be sufficient chairs for everyone, although arriving early to claim one for
yourself is recommended. At the front of deck 11 is the spa and exercise area. Celebrity is famous
for its spas, the use of which is all subject to extra charges. I have no review of either of those
areas. At the aft of deck 11, on the other side of the Palm Springs Café, is a separate pool
covered by a retractable dome which is opened when the weather is nice. That area provides
more shade and is quiet in comparison to the main pool area, free of games and music. To the
very aft of deck 11 is a quiet area, exposed to the sun, offering tables and umbrellas. The pizza
area is adjacent to the main pools. The hamburger and hot dog grill and the ice cream station is
adjacent to the aft pool. Bar servers are ubiquitous but polite.

On my voyage there were not many children. Children’s activities were available for those ages
3-7, ages 8-12 and ages 13-17. I have no idea about the contents of a typical child’s day. All I can
say is that those few parents I talked with said their kids were having a good time, particularly with
the frequent availability of pizza. On the voyage scheduled to depart on December 19, 1999 they
were expecting out of 1870 passengers, 431 children. Look for reviews of that week’s journey.

Monday is Key West, but for only a half day. Arrival is at 7:00 AM and departure is at 1:30 PM. I
used that day to visit friends and did not take advantage of any of the official shore excursions.
The conch train and the trolley both offer narrated excursions around town. The difference is that
the trolley lets you leave and return at any site for the same fare, while the conch train does not
allow reboarding. The consensus seemed to be that you can visit areas like the Harry Truman
summer White House and the Ernest Hemingway house without the need for an organized tour.
Based on other reviews I made sure to sample the frozen key lime pie, dipped in chocolate and
served on a stick, popsicle style. It was nice. Be on the lookout for discount coupons for the key
lime pie which may be available in the lounge area on deck 5 near the shore excursion and guest
relations desks.

An unannounced change in plans brought us to Cozumel on Tuesday instead of on Wednesday.
Because I am not scuba trained, I wanted to at least view the underwater coral reefs and marine
life as a snorkeler. For many, a cab ride to Chankanaab and use of the beach and snorkeling
facilities there would be fine. On the other hand, I wanted to see several of the famous reefs,
particularly Palancar and Columbia. If you are interested in scuba or snorkeling you can take an
excursion offered by the ship or you can book your own. Be aware that the ship docks
approximately three miles from downtown requiring a three dollar cab ride into downtown San
Miguel. There are a few companies who have offices near the cruise ship dock. Most private tours
in December of 1999 were offering three hour snorkeling tours for approximately $30-$35 (all
prices quoted in U.S. currency) or a four to five hour tour, including lunch for $48 - $55.

The important questions to ask before booking any snorkeling excursion are: 1. How many
different locations are visited?, and 2. How much time is actually spent in the water (as opposed to
time consumed traveling to the site)? With this information you can properly compare excursions.
As of our arrival at Cozumel, I had not yet met traveling companions and I did not wish to travel by
myself without speaking Spanish. Therefore, I booked the excursion on the ship known as
Snorkeling by Boat. For $32 the excursion was run by Tursimo Aviomar. It was advertised as
including two reefs, but only one stop was involved. Our guide claimed we were snorkeling from
the end of Palancar to the start of Columbia. I cannot verify the accuracy of this claim. All I can say
is that it was a 45 minute ride to and from the site and we spent 90 minutes in the water. There
was no bathroom on board so we stopped on the way out and on the way back at a beach location
with rest room facilities available. Pick up and drop off was within walking distance of the ship. The
excursion was well run, but I remain convinced that you can strike a better deal for yourself by
negotiating with an entrepreneur on shore.

For those who are less physically active, there is a less expensive snorkeling excursion which
takes you to Dzul-Ha where you can snorkel by walking into the water without having to jump off
the back of a boat. For those not interested in snorkeling, my dinner table companions were
pleased with the folklore excursion which included a tour and a show.

We docked Wednesday morning at Calica, on the Mexican mainland only 45 miles from Cozumel.
Unlike most cruise lines, Celebrity spends two days in Mexico, one at Cozumel Island and one at
the mainland. Other cruise lines dock only at Cozumel and offer a tender service at Playa Del
Carmen for those wishing to visit sites on the mainland. As our cruise director, Jim Cannon,
warned us, Calica is not an attractive port. It is an industrial area in the middle of nowhere, but
provides easier access to the mainland than having to take the ferry from Cozumel. From Calica
you can visit Mayan ruins at Tulum or Coba, take a shopping trip to Cancun, or visit Xcaret. From
Calica, Xcaret is a 5 minute bus ride and you can go back and forth to the ship as often as you
wish for meals or other reasons. I will not repeat the debates about Xcaret about which people are
passionate on either side. Some consider their day at Xcaret to be incredibly relaxing with plenty of
land and water activities in a beautiful park. Others consider it to be overly commercial and
exceptionally overpriced. For whatever it is worth, the one couple at our table who went to Xcaret
enjoyed their day there. If you are traveling with children, and if price is no object, Xcaret may be
your best choice.

I wanted to visit Mayan ruins. By just about everyone’s agreement, the place to visit is Chichen
Itza. However, the main way of getting to Chichen Itza is a $200 excursion which involves a flight on
a tiny, puddle-jumper aircraft. The excursion is only available from Cozumel which has an airport.
On my voyage, eight persons not having signed up for the flight, the excursion to Chichen Itza was
canceled. As between Coba and Tulum, Coba is more recently discovered, and still being
excavated. It may be for those reasons more interesting to some. It certainly was an enjoyable
excursion for one couple at our table. Tulum is the more famous and the more frequently visited of
the two sites.

I chose to visit Tulum. We did not want to be subjected to the official ship excursion and resolved
to plan our own journey. A charming Canadian woman and I made sure to be one of the first off of
the ship and we headed for the taxi cab line. In line we were joined by two other couples who had
the same idea and destination in mind. My Canadian friend spoke Spanish well enough to
negotiate with the cab dispatcher. The fares to each destination are posted and appear to be
fixed. What may be negotiable is the time length of the journey. The fare to Tulum, a 45 minute
ride away on a well maintained road, was $130 divided among the six of us for a 5 hour time
period. Our driver was Victor, driving an air-conditioned and clean Suburban. At Tulum, the cab
must drop you off a 5 minute walk from the entrance to the ruins. Please be aware that Tulum
admission must be paid in pesos. We had to change money from someone at the admissions gate.
He made a nice profit on the exchange. However, the admission price is only about $3 US with an
additional surcharge of about $1 to bring a video camera or a tripod inside.

At Tulum you should hire a guide. We could not locate a guide. They all appeared to have been
committed to buses which were arriving from the other cruise lines. Perhaps we should have gone
to the bus drop-off location. As we were walking from the cab to the main gate, one person
approached us and offered his services as a guide for $20, the customary rate. However, this
person did not have the identification badge which verified his status as an official guide. On the
inside, one guide was offering a tour to a group from a Carnival cruise ship. We pulled him aside
while the Carnival group was posing for pictures and explained our predicament. He told us we
were free to join his group in return for a tip. At the end of his narration to the Carnival
passengers, he took us aside and spent 10 minutes with us reviewing the beginning of his
narration for which we were not present. We tipped him the $20 which would have been the full
price of a separately hired guide. Divided among the six of us, it was only $3.50 per person.

There is a small beach adjacent to the ruins for those who wish to swim, but no facilities. There is a
rest room just outside the main gate for which you must tip the attendant. Please remember that at
Tulum you are exposed to the sun. Wear a hat, protect against sunburn, and bring your own
water. By prior arrangement with Victor, we rejoined him 2 hours later after visiting portions of the
site on our own. Victor had cans of soda available and we appreciated the air conditioned vehicle.
We were on our way to Xel-Ha, five minutes to the north on our way back to the ship.

Xel-Ha is run by the same people who run Xcaret. It is primarily a park and lagoon designed for
snorkeling, and dolphin shows. It is a large area including a cave, a small set of ruins, beach
chairs and hammocks. The basic admission in December of 1999 was $19. Snorkeling equipment
can be rented. A mask and snorkel are $6. Flippers are $3. Both are available for $8. Since there
is no current, the mask and snorkel alone is sufficient. Locker rental is $1. There is also a
separate, all-inclusive, admission price which includes snorkeling equipment, the locker rental, a
meal and other features. Xel-Ha was a refreshing stop off on the way back from Tulum and the
snorkeling was nice and easy. Because we exceeded our five hour travel limit, we paid a cab
surcharge of $15 or $2.50 per person. With a $3 per person tip, the total cost of the excursion was
$60 per person. Victor, despite the language barrier, did a fine job, although one of the couples
insists he was dozing off during the final ride from Xel-Ha back to the ship.

The official ship excursion would have charged $70 for Tulum alone and we would have been part
of a mass excursion on a bus. Instead, we paid less for more. If anything, we probably short
changed Xel-Ha by not spending more time there. Even if we had incurred another hourly cab
surcharge of $15, it would have been worth the additional $2.50 per person. Many of the other
cruise lines offer a combined Tulum and Xel-Ha excursion for $80. If the Mercury continues to
charge $70 for Tulum alone, get together a group of your own and book a tour like we did.
Perhaps a tour operator in Playa Del Carmen can be contacted in advance and booked for tours
from Calica. One operator with interesting tour packages is Alltournative Expeditions. Check out
http://alltournative.com I have no experience or relationship with this tour operator, but the options
look enticing.

I noted that from Calica a cab fare of $200 for six persons was offered to Chichen Itza. I was
advised that the ride was three hours. The Mercury is now alternating visits to Calica. If the arrival
is on Tuesday, it is a 9 hour visit from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM; if the arrival is on Wednesday it is a
12 hour visit from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. For those who are really adventurous and who don’t want
to pay $200 per person for the puddle jumper plane ride from Cozumel to Chichen Itza, try the cab
ride during a 12 hour visit.

Thursday and Saturday were days at sea. I did not participate in the napkin folding lessons, the
dance lessons or the other ship activities. Lectures were offered on topics ranging from astrology
to financial planning. I did not patronize the casino. I do not play blackjack. I do play poker, but
after some research I learned that even with the optimal strategy there was a considerable house
edge in Caribbean Stud Poker. According to my research, a video poker slot machine should have
a payoff of 9 to 1 for a full house and 6 to 1 for a flush, what is referred to as a 9:6 machine. Most
of the video poker machines in the casino pay off at 8:5 or even 6:5 which is unacceptable. A few
machines did offer 9:6 payoffs, but those machines paid only the same 1 to 1 for two pair that they
did for one pair of Jacks or better. Passengers should be reminded that slot machines in Las
Vegas, Atlantic City or elsewhere must pay off at a given rate by state regulation. Slot machines on
a foreign flag cruise ship are subject to no such regulation.

Friday was our last port stop at Grand Cayman. The most popular activity there for tourists is to
feed and swim among the stingrays. After our success with a self-created excursion at Tulum, we
resolved to do the same thing here. Transport from the ship to the shore at Georgetown is by
tender. We had been warned that tender priority is given to those who purchase the shore
excursions from the ship. To Celebrity’s credit those of us who reported to the Celebrity theater
promptly at 8:00 AM were given a high priority even though we were not part of a ship excursion.
While waiting for our tender assignment in the Celebrity theater, five of us from the Tulum
excursion were joined by a family of four who had similar plans.

The tender service to and from the ship was handled efficiently. Once ashore, we started
contacting by telephone tour operators who combined a visit to the stingrays with snorkeling at the
coral gardens and the barrier reef. Our first attempt was with Captain Marvin about whom several
of us had read favorable reviews on Usenet news groups. His schedule did not match our
schedule so we moved on. We settled upon Captain Crosby who was just terrific. For $30 US per
person, he took us to snorkel at the coral gardens. We then moved on to the sandbar where you
can stand up in the shallow water. Stingrays, now free of all fear of persons, swim all around you
waiting to be fed. If you are lucky, you can reach under one of them and hold it in your hands while
tickling its underside. Everyone is squealing with delight. We left the sandbar and visited another
snorkeling location at the barrier reef. Captain Crosby has a 47 foot boat with a bathroom. For an
extra fee he will cook up a lunch for you. On the way back to shore Captain Crosby turned off the
motor, hoisted the sales, took out his guitar and serenaded us with calypso music. As we sailed
over the clear blue waters, beneath the sunshine, listening to music, we experienced one of those
magic moments for which you come to the Caribbean. One of the couples on board brought their
seven and three year old children. Captain Crosby offered the children a half-price fare. The
parents were so enthused by the excursion they offered full fare for the children. This was an
excellent excursion including snorkeling and stingrays for four hours costing $30. In contrast the
official ship excursion, with a mob of persons on a large boat, was $39 for stingrays alone. For
details go to http://www.cayman.org/crosby

Beware of cabs at Grand Cayman. They charge per person, not per ride. On our return from
Captain Crosby’s voyage, one of the couples wanted to visit Hell, the area of jagged rock and
limestone displays. The main purpose of the visit is not the limestone, but rather the name of the
place. Many want to purchase souvenirs or send a postcard reflecting their visit to Hell. The cab
ride from Captain Crosby’s pier to Hell and then back to the marina was $9 US per person. Since it
is possible to book an entire tour of the island for $10 per person, we would have been better
advised to book a tour of the island either before or after the voyage with Captain Crosby.

I had a 10:00 AM flight out of Ft. Lauderdale on the Sunday when we returned. I had included this
information in my registration forms one week earlier. Without any prompting on my part, Celebrity
assigned me priority disembarkation. I was off the ship at 8:30 AM and at the airport by 9:00 AM.
By the way, a cab from Pier 18 to Ft. Lauderdale airport is $8.00 including tip while a transfer on a
Celebrity bus costs $10 per person. Share a cab with your new friends.

One unfortunate fact stands out on this voyage. The average passenger age was exceptionally
high. Apparently to fill cabins, this trip must have been heavily promoted (and probably heavily
discounted) in Florida. We apparently set a record. Three passengers died during the voyage. A
fourth passenger was medically evacuated and survived. Needless to say, Celebrity did not talk
about this, but, inevitably, word spread fast among the passengers. There is no reason to believe
that the cause of their death was anything other than old age.

The ship was kept spotlessly clean. The food was excellent. The weather was fine. The ports were
nice and my fellow passengers were friendly. Why do I give the voyage a grade of B? Celebrity cut
several corners and had a few significant service flaws. Let me summarize them.

I was traveling alone among 1870 strangers. My goal was to meet and make new friends as soon
as possible. When my travel agent offered me the choice, I asked for a table of twelve rather than
a table of eight. At the first night’s dinner, ten persons were seated at our table of twelve. On the
next day, without any explanation whatsoever, I was reassigned to a new table, now a table of
eight. Then, three persons were reassigned from that table. For the rest of the voyage I was at a
table with only four other persons. While those two couples were absolutely delightful dinner
companions, I was deprived of the best possible opportunity to make new friends. Since I returned,
veteran cruise travelers have told me I should have complained immediately upon the first
reassignment. In any event some explanation from the restaurant staff would have been a
courtesy to be appreciated. That courtesy was lacking.

This was not the only service flaw by the dining room management. One of the passengers at my
original table was a lady from Poland traveling by herself. She spoke only rudimentary English.
She did not understand many of the items on the menu. I should note that even if you spoke
English you would not understand many of the items on the menu. It took several days of
complaints on her behalf by her fellow passengers before she was reassigned to a table which was
served by a busboy from Poland. It would also be nice if waiters and busboys knew enough about
the items on the menu to be able to explain them to the passengers, particularly if all that
appeared on the menu was the name of an item in a foreign language.

Without any explanation, Cozumel was visited Tuesday and Calica was visited Wednesday, the
opposite of the schedule posted on Celebrity’s web site and the opposite of the schedule included
with my travel documentation. No advance notice or explanation was offered to the passengers. As
best as we could determine the reason for this was that another Celebrity ship was scheduled for
Cozumel on Wednesday and it was determined that the other ship would have priority at the dock.
In order to avoid arriving and leaving by tender, it was determined to flip the two days on the
schedule. We now can see that for the year 2000 the Mercury will visit Cozumel on Tuesday and
Calica on Wednesday on one week, and visit Calica on Tuesday and Cozumel on Wednesday on
alternate weeks.

We ended up at the ports as planned, just on different days. So what? Some of us research our
destinations in advance and even book alternative shore excursions in advance. If I had booked
and paid in advance for a tour in Cozumel on Wednesday and we had arrived there on Tuesday, I
would have been quite annoyed. Someone else on board had made arrangements to meet a
passenger on another cruise ship, assuming both ships would dock in Cozumel on the same day.
Those plans were wrecked. The staff on the ship kept reminding me that the contract permitted
them to change port stops in their discretion. That is not the point. If there had been a hurricane
and the safety of the passengers required a change in destinations or a change in sequence of
destinations, then no one should have complained. On the other hand, Celebrity knew far in
advance that there was a port conflict. Regardless of what the contract permits them to do, they
should have shown sufficient courtesy to their passengers to have announced the change in
schedule in advance and posted that change on their web site.

As I mentioned earlier, you could avoid a 45 minute wait by boarding the ship between 3:30 PM
and 5:00 PM. However, the guided tour of the ship was offered only once, at 4:00 PM on Sunday
afternoon, at a time when some had not yet even boarded the ship, and others were still
unpacking suitcases. My first formal complaint form, filed with the guest relations desk, was over
the inopportune timing of the ship tour. To his credit, the cruise director, Jim Cannon, responded
promptly to this concern. He left me a voice mail message, agreeing that my point was well taken.
Although it was too late to correct the problem on this voyage, Jim Cannon promised to reschedule
the tour on future voyages. I hope to hear from future passengers whether this problem has been
corrected.

The midnight buffets were disappointing. In this area Celebrity seemed to be cutting major corners
to save money. On three of the nights there was no midnight buffet, just a few waiters carrying
around trays of appetizers. These were small portions, not exceptionally good, and not available
for long. Other midnight buffets were theme nights, Italian, Tex/Mex, or tropical. Even on those
nights financial corners were cut. Celebrity made sure that trays were not available during the
midnight buffets. You could only take as much food as you could carry on one plate. If you wanted
extra portions you had to return to a long line. There was only one night in which a traditional
midnight buffet with desserts and food sculptures was offered. Even on that night, the lines were
kept long and the trays were kept in the closet.

Other aspects of the food offerings appeared to be money saving decisions at the expense of
passenger convenience. The ice tea dispensers were shut down during breakfast. The lemonade
and fruit punch dispensers were shut down during the 4:00 PM tea time and snack time. No food
was available from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM. From 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM only pizza was available. If you
wanted food, other than pizza, between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM you had to return to your cabin and
order and then wait for room service. Fat free milk was available at breakfast, but at no other time.

I described our independent tour to Tulum and to Xel Ha. Most other cruise lines offer a tour option
to Tulum which includes a stop at Xel Ha. Celebrity’s tour is to Tulum only. On board I asked for
information about Xel Ha: location, features and admission cost. The tour desk said that since they
did not offer a tour to Xel Ha, they did not have any information about it. That is at least
understandable. I then asked the same questions at the guest relations desk. They did not have
answers and did not appear to care that they did not have answers. All they offered me was an
outdated information sheet from a loose leaf notebook and a three year old Fodor’s guide. Not
only did they not have current information about Xel Ha, they also did not provide any notice to
their passengers that at Tulum, the admission price must be paid in pesos. The guest relations
desk should recognize that they are not just an information source for their own excursions but
also an information source for passengers who wish to visit ports independently.

Why was it necessary to leave Cozumel at 7:00 PM and to take 12 hours for a 45 mile ride from
Cozumel to Calica? Someone suggested to us that Cozumel imposes surcharge for those ships
docked during the evening. I find that difficult to believe. I would think that every restaurant, bar or
night club in Cozumel would be clamoring to allow cruise ships to remain in port after dinner. Why
should the passengers not have the option to take advantage of the night life in Cozumel. Did
Celebrity wish to force all passengers to purchase drinks on board the ship and to patronize the
casino on board the ship that night? Is that the real reason we departed Cozumel much earlier
than the time needed to reach our next destination?

The hot tubs were only warm tubs. The staff did not care. Both the pool and the ‘hot’ tubs were
closed early in the evening. Why should passengers not have the opportunity for a late night dip in
the pool or in the whirlpool?

The singles gathering on the first night was in one of the ship’s night clubs in the midst of loud
music. It was hard, given the background noise, to talk with and to meet people. There was no
organized effort by the staff to enable people to become acquainted. On another cruise line, the
gathering was in a quiet area of the ship and the staff provided every person the opportunity to
introduce himself or herself to others. One of my fellow passengers noted that on other cruise
lines free drinks were offered at the singles gathering. That was not the case here.

Unlike other cruise lines, Celebrity does not offer a self service laundry. Any item must be sent out
for cleaning at an incredibly high price.

Celebrity takes great pride that they do not pester the passengers with announcements for
upcoming activities. This is appreciated. The down side is that one must frequently refer to the
ship newsletter to keep track of on board activities. If you are not carrying the newsletter along with
you, you must either return to your cabin or visit the guest relations desk on deck 5. Perhaps it
would be better to post one copy of the schedule on every deck adjacent to each bank of
elevators. Passengers might also welcome more educationally oriented lectures about the port
destinations. Shouldn’t we have a presentation on Mayan history and culture before we visit
Tulum?

Do any of these complaints describe mortal sins? No. Would I travel with Celebrity again? Yes, if
the price and destination were right. Should a cruise line which holds itself out as the top of the
mass market cruise lines have as many defects in their service? No. For these reasons I give the
voyage a grade of B.

Name: Cathryn Judd
Email: cjudd@utahsbr.edu
Age: 44
Occupation: Accountant
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: 12/12/99
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
Cabin: 8193/5
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 80
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 80
ShoreExcVariety: 
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 
GoodForHoneymoon: 
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland: 
GoodForFamilies: 
LoungeService: 
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff: 
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess: 
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon: 
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram: 
MedicalFacilities: 
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 10 Jan 2000
Time: 15:24:05
Remote Name: 192.84.171.46
Remote User: 

Comments

This was our first cruise and it was an extremely enjoyable experience. We were hesitant about going on a cruise at
first, but our neighbors and good friends, who were experienced cruisers, talked us into going with them. We're glad
they did! 

Arriving- For several months before going on this cruise, I read all the cruise review reports about Celebrity and
specifically, the Mercury. The two main areas which seemed to be the subject of complaints were the airline
arrangements for traveling to Ft. Lauderdale and the inconvenience of delays at embarkation and debarkation. We
decided to bypass these two problem areas by making our own airfare/hotel arrangements and by asking our travel
agent to arrange Captain's Club memberships for us. This worked out great. Upon arriving to board the ship, we
showed our Captain's Club cards and everything went very quickly and smoothly. After those with physical disabilities,
we were in the first group boarding the ship. It was nice to be able to explore the ship before all the other passengers
boarded. 

Ship - The ship was very beautiful. The pool area, shops, theaters, and common areas were all very nice. We took a
tour of the AquaSpa on the first day. All the different treatments and massages looked relaxing, but expensive. We
never made it back there. Even though there were close to 2000 people on the ship, it is so big that it never felt like
we were in a crowd. (Except by the pool on at-sea days.) My husband thought he might get seasick, so he wore a
patch, but I didn't take anything. Neither of us felt seasick at all. 

Cabins- We had an outside cabin on deck 8, half way between the back of the ship and mid-ship. We really enjoyed
having the window. It was great to be able to see the water and in the morning we got a first glimpse of each new port.
Our cabins were very nice, larger than I expected. There was plenty of closet space and drawer space. The bathroom
also had more room to put things than I expected. (Watch out for that first flush.) I had read and heard great things
about the cabin stewards, but ours did not seem to live up to expectations. He did a great job keeping our room clean,
but we never saw him. I was expecting that he would be waiting in the hall to cater to our every need, but he was not
around much. Hint: If you want an extra pillow, they are in the closet in a plastic case which looks like an extra blanket. 

Passengers- I would estimate that the week we went (the week before Christmas) the passengers consisted of 10%
newlyweds and families with children, 20% couples in their 40's and 50's, 60% couples in their 60's and 70's, and 10%
people in their 80's. This seemed to be an older group. We are in the 40's and 50's group and enjoyed meeting
people of all ages. 

Dinner- We ate dinner in the Manhattan Restaurant every night. Again, I had read and heard great things about the
waiters, but ours did not live up to expectations. He was very professional and efficient, but did not try to engage in
conversation with us. There were no magic tricks, singing or other antics as I had anticipated. The food was
exceptionally good on only 2 nights (prime rib and another beef entree). The other nights it was just average. It wasn't
bad, but I was expecting something really outstanding. For some reason they insisted on having the curtains closed
during dinner on two nights. We asked if they could be opened, but they would not open them. Our table was right by
the window and we enjoyed watching the water. The closed curtains also made for an ugly backdrop for photographs
taken at the table. 

Breakfast and lunch - We generally went to the Palm Springs Cafe for the buffet. There is certainly an abundance of
food, but again the quality was only average. (It was similar to buffet food in Las Vegas.) Hint: Take your breakfast and
lunch trays out to the tables on the back of the ship. This is one of the best kept secrets on the ship. It was always
uncrowded there and the view off the back of the ship was very relaxing. There was only one morning when it was too
windy to eat breakfast there. The best things at breakfast were the French toast, the fresh pineapple (when it was
available) and the strawberries. We had room service breakfast on two mornings. The menu is limited, but they
delivered it very promptly. You fill out a card and hang it on your door at night and it is there at the time you request
the next morning. They call you a few minutes before, to tell you it is on the way. One morning we had room service
breakfast and then went to the buffet for another breakfast. (We were really out of control at this point.) For lunch we
tried the hamburgers and hot dogs from the Palm Springs Grill on 2 or 3 days . Another hint: Take a hamburger or
hotdog bun off the bottom of the stack (the ones on top are stale) and you will like it much better. 

Other eating opportunities- I recommend the frozen yogurt and ice cream every afternoon. The brownies at tea time
were great. Don't forget to get some pizza starting at 4pm at the grill by the pool. You can also get pizza starting at at
10pm at the Palm Springs Grill at the back of the ship. Absolutely no one is around then. It is a great place to find a
little peace and quiet in the evening, if that's what you are looking for. We only made it to one midnight buffet. We
looked at the incredible Grand Midnight Buffet, but did not eat anything. Eating five meals each day, plus all that pizza
and ice cream is a diet killer, but for one week, it was kind of fun. Hint: Buy your Coke or Pepsi in Ft. Lauderdale or
Key West and bring it onto the ship with you. You can keep it in the refrigerator in your room and ice is always
available. 

Entertainment - The nightly shows were fun. We went to all except one. We enjoyed the band Onyx playing by the pool
and in the lounge at night. My husband and I even did some dancing, which we haven't done in quite a few years. The
Newlywed game is very funny and entertaining, as long as you are NOT one of the contestants. The cruise director
was very charming and versatile. He hosted the shows and even did some singing and dancing. We saw him around
the ship several times during the week. Hint: Skip the kareoke, it is deadly. 

Ports and Excursions- Key West- This was our first trip to Key West, so we took the bus tour which was very
informative. After that we just looked around the little shops. The highlight of Key West was the key lime pie covered
with chocolate frozen on a stick from the Key Lime Pie Shoppe. This is a few blocks away from the area of shops
where the buses drop you off, but is very walkable and is well worth it. If you don't want to take the bus tour, the shuttle
bus to the town is free and the shops are fun to look around. We went back to the ship for lunch. We really enjoyed
sitting on the deck chairs which over look the pool while the ship pulled away from Key West with the sun shining and
the band playing calypso music. It was great! 

Cozumel - If I would have known Cozumel was the best place to shop on this cruise, I would have spent more time
shopping here. The taxi into town costs $5 for as many as you can reasonably fit into a taxi. Ask the taxi driver to take
you to a store called Cinco Soles. It is at the far end of the main street. If you don't insist, the taxi driver will take you to
the point on the main street closest to the ship and you will have a long walk. Cinco Soles is a large, clean,
professionally run store with a wide variety of items from silver jewelry to pottery, leather goods, and nice t-shirts.
Many other stores are small and dirty, similar to stores in Tiajuana. There are also many jewelry stores, if that's what
you are looking for. We bought some beautiful conch shells from a street vendor for a very reasonable prices. After
shopping in the morning, we went back to the ship for lunch. In the afternoon we went on our own to Chakanaab
National Park for some snorkeling. Taxi fare was $8, entrance fee to the park was $7 each. There is not a sandy
beach here. You have to get in the water from a rocky area which is very slippery. There are hand rails, but it was still
awkward getting in and out of the water. Once in the water, the snorkeling was great. We had our own gear, but you
can rent it on the beach for about $8. The park was very nice and clean. We saw a couple of iguanas running around,
which seemed quite exotic. 

Calica- At first sight, this is a rock quarry. I had read all about it before going on this cruise, so I was not surprised. We
chose to go to Xcaret Park which was well worth it. Buses come to the ship to pick you up and will take you back and
forth from the park to the ship (a five minute ride) all day, whenever you want. This is all included in the price of the
excursion. The butterfly exhibit alone was very beautiful and worth seeing. After looking around the park in the
morning, we went back to the ship for lunch, and then returned to the park. In the afternoon we snorkeled the
underground river. It is more like a river in a cave with many places where the sun shines through, so it is not dark.
This was really fun. You lock up all your stuff in duffle bags before you get in the river, they take it to the end of the
river, and it is there when you get out. You don't even need snorkeling equipment, if you'd rather just swim or float. In
many places it is only about 3-4 feet deep and the water is very clear. The beaches at this park are everything you
would expect from the Caribbean. Hint: If you want to buy a can of Pepsi, bring exact change. We bought a can of
Pepsi which cost $1.60 (a bargain compared to the price of soda pop on the ship). However, they will only give you
change in Pesos. We gave them $2.00 and got 4 Pesos in change, which I still have. There are so many things to do
around this park and we only did a small part of them. I wish we would have had more time to spend here, but some
dark clouds came up in the mid afternoon and it began to rain. By the time we got back to the ship it was pouring.
Many people in other cruise reviews have asked why the ship even stops in Calica. The answer is Xcaret park. It is a
great day's adventure. Don't miss it. 

Grand Cayman-We chose the early morning excursion to snorkel with the stingrays. This was a highlight of the trip.
There is a short bus ride to the boats which take you on a 25 minute ride out to a sand bar out by the coral reefs.
When you get into the water, the stingrays are all around you. They are not scary at all. They are very soft and will try
to avoid bumping into you. They are accustomed to being hand fed and are very tame. The water out there is so clear
and the sand so white. We were able to take some really good pictures with a disposable underwater camera. After
returning from the stingray excursion we went back to the ship for lunch. Tender boats take you back and forth all day
long. We never had to wait more than a few minutes. After lunch we went back to the town for some shopping. I would
describe the souvenir shopping in Grand Cayman as high prices for low quality items. I strongly agree with another
cruise review writer who said "Don't waste time shopping here." After a short time in town, we decided to head for the
beach. From the town, we walked to the public beach access within 20 minutes. (Ship personnel will recommend that
you take a taxi to the beach, but we enjoyed the walk.) The beaches at Grand Cayman are incredible. The water is so
blue and clear with coral and tropical fish within close snorkeling distance. At the end of the afternoon, it was hard to
leave, knowing it would be our last glimpse of a Caribbean beach for quite some time. 

Leaving - On the last full day of the cruise, the cruise director gave a debarkation briefing in the main theater which
explained the whole process. When he was describing the process it sounded complicated, but it turned out to be very
easy. Envelopes for all tips are given out the last night with suggested tip amounts. All stewards, waiters, etc. will be
highly visible that last night to collect their envelopes. All bags needs to be packed and left outside the cabin that
night. You put a tag on your luggage which corresponds to when you will leave the ship the next morning. We had
Captain's Club, so our group was the first off after the disabled. The last morning, we packed our remaining
belongings into our carry-on bags and went up to have breakfast as usual at the back of the ship. After breakfast we
waited for our group to be called and easily made our way off the ship by 8:30 am. We located our bags on the dock
very quickly and were off to the airport. 

The week went by too fast. There were always so many things to do and see. We had a great time and look forward to
going on another cruise soon. 

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