celebrity-mercury18

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Karen Horowitz
Email: karenh90@alumi.princeton.edu
Age: 31
Occupation: attorney
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: 9/1/00
Itinerary: alaska roundtrip
Cabin: 8029/10
FoodDiningRoom: 97
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 97
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 96
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 97
CabinQuietness: 97
FoodMidnightBuffets: 97
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 98
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService: 88
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon: 89
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 89
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities: 88
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 88
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 89
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 93
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 97
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 12 Sep 2000
Time: 19:20:46
Remote Name: firewall.pennie.com
Remote User:

Comments

I did a lot of research on cruise lines in this category and chose Celebrity because I didn't want a party
crowd, I wanted cleanliness and elegance, and good food. I got just what I wanted.

The ship was beautiful, though I found the grand foyer to be a bit gaudy (revolving globe with
hologram). I used the staircases most of the time - there were 3 + one in the grand foyer which only
went from decks 5-8, which was fine, since my cabin was on 8. Speaking of cabins, I was a bit
surprised by the size (seemed a bit smaller than the 172 square feet - I forgot that must include the
bathroom). However, there was more than enough closet space & the furniture was well laid out. The
bathroom size was fine, and the shower quite big with great water pressure. The steward was fine,
except he kept hanging my friend's sweater on the hooks (which poked holes in the sweaters). My
major complaint was the bed was a platform bed and the pillows were synthetic, so it took a while for
me to sleep comfortably. Good temperature control, though. The cabin was on the 8th deck which I
thought was perfect - the exercise room was three flights up and the dining room was two flights down.
Although we were over the theater, I didn't notice any noise - the shows were over before I went to
sleep. However, one night I went back to the cabin early & did hear some noise, not horrible, just
surprising. I did a run of the ship since it was too good a deal to pass up - I paid for cat. 12 & got cat.
10. Overall, I think the deck level was great, though I may go for a cat. 4 with a sitting room & view next
time. It's nice to have darkness to be able to sleep late, but when I awoke, I really wanted to know what
the weather was.

The food was wonderful. My friend & I are vegetarians who eat fish, and we always had many
selections. Excellent quality given the number of people they're serving. My one disappointment was
the pizza. We missed lunch because we were on an excursion so we went for pizza. It was mostly
overdone to the point the cheese was crusty. I waited about 10 minutes for a more normal looking pie
to come out. Also, I found desserts very dissappointing. I like rich and/or chocolate desserts. However,
there was only one chocolate selection per night and tons of fruit desserts (if you like light, fruity
desserts, then you'd be in heaven). One night there was nothing I liked, so my friend casually joked to
my waiter & he offered to find a chocolate dessert. It wound up being a fairly dry layer cake, but I was
so taken by his initiative and effort. And the flower was made of marzipan - it was delicious! Our waiter,
Ahmet, was truly wonderful. He did napkin tricks for us, made suggestions, and offered to change
appetizers into entree servings without our even asking. We rearranged the regular and vegetarian
menus (i.e., asking for third course of one menu to take the place of first course of another) and he
was so gracious about our requests. However, I felt the maitre'd to be obsequious & he always came
by when I had a mouthful of food and stayed much longer then I would have liked (I kept eating when
he did, but he didn't take the hint). Open seatings without Ahmet as our waiter were very
disappointing. Service was spotty then, perhaps because the waiters were more frazzled, perhaps (if
you want to be cynical) because there were no tips at stake). Nonetheless, the dining experience was
great.

I thought the drinks were a bargain, though as everyone else has said, it was a bit tacky to charge for
soda (a charge that was not a bargain).

Entertainment was so so. But I didn't expect much anyway. My friend was a bit disappointed with the
offerings. The band, Voltz, was fantastic, though & we spent many hours listening to them. We couldn't
figure out why the Kastior String Quartet was called a string quartet - 2 of the 4 were not string
instruments!

I'm sorry I missed the lectures on Alaska. The ones on excursions & shopping were telecast over &
over, which I couldn't figure out since they were only on Ketchikan, our last port of call. Michael, the
shopping consultant (I can't remember his exact title) was so helpful & so nice! He gave great advice,
and even a pointer on what to see in Skagway - a little river on 8th avenue in which salmon swim. I was
disappointed that Celebrity would not let him give advice on Juneau & Skagway.

The gym was fine, though one of the bikes & one of the stairmasters was always out of commission &
the only cross country ski machine didn't work at all. Best thing about it was that it was enclosed in
glass, so working out was fun - great view! Thalosotherapy was great, though my friend wasn't as
impressed as I was.

Embarkation and disembarkation went pretty smoothly. Maybe a 20-30 minute wait to get on, and a
very nice personal escort to the cabin. Disembarkation took about 30 min. to get off the boat, then
about another 30 min. to get onto the bus (I returned to Seattle). Luggage was handled quite well -
nothing lost.

Overall, it was a great vacation. I'm looking into booking another cruise!

Name: Laura Kirk
Email: lvkirk@attglobal.net
Age: 60
Occupation: Educational Consultant
NumberOfCruises: 6
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: 10/01/00
Itinerary: Wesbound Panama Canal
Cabin: 9053 Vista Deck Category 2
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 98
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 24 Oct 2000
Time: 19:03:49
Remote Name: slip-32-100-74-230.ga.us.prserv.net
Remote User:

Comments

This was our third Celebrity cruise, the first on which we booked the air travel with the cruise. We
selected the Panama Canal itinerary because we enjoy the days at sea instead of constant island
hopping. Arrived in Ft. Lauderdale on an early Delta flight. There were lots of Celebrity personnel to
steer us to our baggage. Putting their tags on our bags meant that they would take them off the
airport baggage carousel and 'directly to your cabin'. I didn’t trust them to accomplish this in a speedy
fashion, so we kept some bags with us and let them take care of the others. This did reduce the
amount we had to haul around. Our flight arrived (late) at 10:40 AM. We were told the bus to the ship
would leave at 11:45.

We gathered for the bus at 11:40, then waited outside until noon. It was warm, would have been
uncomfortable on a hotter day. Boarding the bus was smooth and the trip to the pier was short. Our
hand-carried luggage went on the bus with us. Boarding paperwork was filled out and/or checked on
the bus, which meant a shorter line inside on the pier. The bad part of this system is that we had to
then wait for those who hadn’t followed or didn’t understand directions. After about five minutes we
were allowed off, with easy entry to the pier.

As repeat, Captain’s Club cruisers, we were able to skip the line forming inside, but then waited
upstairs for an additional 25 minutes. There was punch and duty free shopping lists, but not time to
check whether the price was better than that on the ship (it was not). We were shown directly to our
cabin, Vista Deck (category 2) with verandah. We could then unpack the things we had brought with
us and go to the buffet lunch. We tried not to eat too much, since our main seating dinner was at 6:30.
The first of our two checked bags arrived around 2:30. We toured the ship, finishing just in time for the
lifeboat drill. Second bag still not there. Fortunately, we already had clothing items in every necessary
category. After all, there are two days at sea before Aruba, just in case a bag was missed.

Passengers were a mix of ages, majority middle and older, but also some families, children, other
nationalities (German, Canadian, U.K., Australian). Bag arrived around 5:30, well after lifeboat drill.
Because I overpack, we needed an additional hanger. We called and got an almost instant delivery
and met our cabin attendant, a lovely young lady from the Philippines. We found service throughout
the cruise to be prompt and pleasant. Everyone we contacted was cooperative, responsive, and tried
to answer our questions or solve our problems; attitude was always friendly.

The blue color scheme on the ship is attractive and pleasing. Cabin is not as large as those on
Holland America, but more than adequate. Queen bed, enough storage space, well designed
bathroom with enough space in the shower for two. Water pressure and temperature are wonderful.
Would prefer individual shampoo, lotion, not dispensers. Bring your own conditioner if you use it.
There was the usual vacuum cleaner hose type hairdryer. Balcony is just big enough for two lounge
chairs and a glass topped table.

We checked to see if our dinner seating request had been honored - main seating, table for 8-10, so
we could meet others early in the cruise. We had a table for 12, which was a mistake on their part.
Too long to talk to those on the other end, so it was more like having 4 dinner partners. Unfortunately,
one of our tablemates was deaf, which meant he talked a great deal, but then told you he couldn’t
hear anything you said in reply. His wife repeated everything to him in a louder voice, at least when
she wasn’t complaining. Spent the rest of our dinners trying to avoid being seated next to them. We
even went to some late seatings, same table. This was fine because main seating was full, second was
not. Our table had 8, 10 if we joined them. This, plus the availability of room service at any hour and
pizza at most times meant we always had some options.

Our waiter and his assistant were wonderful, remembering preferences and names after the first night.
Lots of good choices on the menu, particularly the great desserts. That’s if you had room after the full
buffet or dining room lunch. Either exercise without stop, have great will power, or bring everything
with an elastic waistband. Eating and weight are the great topics for all comments by the cruise
director and comedians at the shows. There is a walking track on deck 12, a health club with a good
variety and quality of equipment (free) and a spa, for which you pay. I booked a massage for the day
we’re in Aruba and hydrotherapy pool session for the afternoon of our canal transit. Enjoyed both
sessions, but didn’t know there are also specials on some services during the cruise. Of course, you
might not get the times you want if you wait. Your call. Prices were higher than at home for the same
level of treatment.

Showtime for us was 8:45. It consisted of a preview, our cruise director, Dennis, who sings and
sounded like Tom Jones, the Celebrity dancers, a laser show, and the a capella singing group Full
Sail (excellent) who also perform around the ship in various locations each day. We were too tired for
the Italian Midnight Buffet. Missed both dining room and buffet breakfast (which ends at 10) the next
morning, and so had the lighter breakfast buffet. Excellent coffee, OJ seems watery. Everything baked
is delicious. All the servers are attentive. Women at the buffet get their trays carried to tables. When I
couldn’t find herbal tea and took decaf instead, one of them noted where I sat and appeared a few
minutes later with several tea bags and a cup of hot water. They have been well trained.

There is also 'alternative dining' available in the evening during both seatings. This is more casual,
next to the indoor pool, and requires a reservation. There is a limited menu. The food and service
here need some work. Baked potato came already covered in sour cream, waiter didn’t ask about
preferences. Steak and salmon were good, lasagna only fair. Skipped dessert. Would prefer some
version of a dine-around plan, with theme restaurant areas as an alternative to the dining room.

The ship is constantly being cleaned, polished, vacuumed, maintained. We even came back to the
room one afternoon to find that the deck on the verandah had been painted. With this kind of
attention to little things I found it even more annoying that there is a charge for soft drinks and bottled
water everywhere on board. They also take away the lemonade and iced tea dispensers after 4:00.
We wrote this as a comment and would encourage others to do the same in order to change their
policy. Got even by going to the supermarket in Aruba and buying a six-pack of club soda and another
of beer and bringing them back to our room to install in the mini-bar. They tell you that any alcohol
bought ashore will be 'held' for you until the end of the cruise, but no one seemed to be checking
anything except your ID card when returning from days ashore.

Walked around downtown in Aruba, having been there before. It’s nice and quiet around the pool
when everyone is looking for beaches or bargains. The passage through the canal was interesting,
aided by information provided and an on-board narrator. Did the full day tour in Costa Rica and was
pleasantly surprised. Tour guide was most informed and informative, buses were comfortable, and
lunch buffet at the Inter-Continental hotel quite ample and very efficiently run. We enjoyed the
museum and theater, were glad it was Sunday with little traffic in the narrow local streets. Looked
around on our own in Acapulco, which we didn’t like because of the begging and offers to 'assist' us in
shopping. Cabo was much cleaner and more interesting. It was also the only time we needed to use a
tender to get to port. Those who had booked tours got first preference and the rest of us had a long
wait. At least the theater was comfortable. Finally got shore around 11:45. There was no wait on the
return trip.

Last formal dinner (lobster tails, prime rib, Grand Buffet) and Broadway Show Tunes theme
performance were very good. They were smart to do this on Friday night, since we would have to pack
on Saturday, putting our bags outside the cabin by midnight. The disembarkation instructions were
clear and Dennis made them humorous. This is also, of course, tip time. The amounts recommended
add up to quite a bit after 14 days of service. Some had earned it more than others - your decision.

Because we were Captain’s Club members we were scheduled for an early departure group. Even so,
there was a wait of at least 45 minutes. They want people out of the cabins as early as possible so
they can be cleaned. We took time for our last breakfast in the dining room and vacated our room
around 8:45. Despite what we had been told, no one checked our passports or immigration forms
when we went ashore. We were staying another day in San Diego and so didn’t use Celebrity’s
transportation to the airport, a very short trip away. There a lots of cabs if you need them.

Bottom line: we would definitely sail Celebrity again. Our negative comments - the sale of soft drinks,
not enough information available on culture, history of places we visited (with the exception of the
canal), need for better and more varied videos and TV programs are more than balanced by the
quality of the food, service and ship.

Name: Connie
Email: conniebe@earthlink.net
Age: 59
Occupation: retired administrator
NumberOfCruises: 9
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: 10/29/00
Itinerary: Panama Canal
Cabin: 8043/5
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 80
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 80
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 16 Nov 2000
Time: 13:53:22
Remote Name: user-33qtif9.dialup.mindspring.com
Remote User:

Comments

This was our second cruise with Celbrity and we were very pleased. The ship is beautiful, the staff and
service are excellent. The bad news is that the food was very average in all venues. The good news is
that we didn't gain any weight!

We had visited most of the ports of call before. We chose this particular cruise because it provided the
maximum number of days at sea before and after the Canal.

There were problems with embarkation that troubled a number of people but had little effect on us. No
one from Mercury/Celebrity showed up to process our cruise documents at the hotel in Florida as
promised. This led to a 24 hour period of confusion and frustration that should have been avoided.
Everything else, including disembarkation at ports of call and in San Diego were smooth and efficient.

There was a Canal specialist/narrator onboard all day during our transit of the Canal. He was very
informative, the PA system was clear and we appreciated the history and information he supplied.

The clientel on board was approximately 90% retired people, but there were also several young couples
and families with children. Passengers came primarily from the US but also included people from England,
Scotland, Denmark, Austria, France, Japan, and 250 people from Germany. It was a good mix.

Put the Panama Canal cruise at the top of your travel list - it is awe inspiring and a monument to the
human mind and spirit.

Name: Laura Yale
Email: yaleparadocs@yahoo.com
Age: 45
Occupation: Professor/Author
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: 11 29, 2000
Itinerary: Panama Canal
Cabin: 12
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 75
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 99
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 16 Nov 2000
Time: 21:58:48
Remote Name: sfr-tgn-yyi-vty102.as.wcom.net
Remote User:

Comments

Celebrity Cruise Line's slogan is "exceeding expectations." Bad choice. We recently returned from a 14
day Panama Canal cruise on the Mercury and several aspects failed to meet our expectations, let alone
exceed them.

Areas that fell short: One area in which Celebrity fell short was complaint handling. I am a
tourism/marketing professor so as a test I wrote a note to the cruise director (delivered to Guest
Relations desk to be passed on to him) about a minor complaint to see what would happen. For two days,
I heard nothing. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, I asked Guest Relations to have him call me. He
called and left a message on the phone system to write him a note about why I wanted to talk with him.
Obviously, my first note had not made it to him and he was not going to go out of his way to discover why
I wished to speak with him. So I wrote a second note that did finally make it to him. He passed the buck on
to the department in question. The department head called my room, left a message of apology and
suggested I give them another try. The cruise director never contacted me to find out if I had been
satisfied with how my complaint was resolved. Unfortunately, I was not and now I am also disappointed in
the back handed, wimpy apology-only handling of complaints. Our table mates also had a couple of minor
requests that were not honored, simply ignored. They also felt other lines were more concerned in
ensuring one was satisfied and in providing customized service.

Another disappointing area was entertainment. The movies provided on the TV were the same as those
in the theater and the films were at least 6 months old (for example, The World is Not Enough was one of
them). The movie theater also had a very small screen, about the size of big screen TV. The live shows
were adequate at best. Sets were nonexistent and choice of songs, etc., less than appealing.

Although some of the food was spectacular, some was inedible. I had two entrees that were underdone
(nearly raw fish and veal) and a baked potato that needed at least another 20 minutes in the oven.

Areas of excellence: Service throughout the ship was excellent. The waiters and assistant waiters were
very solicitous no matter where they were serving (buffet or main dining room). Our room steward and his
assistant were also wonderful and friendly whenever they saw us. Waiter Clint and assistant Matthew,
both from New Zealand, were a perfect blend of respectfulness and friendliness.

The ship itself is subdued in decor but very open and elegant. There is plenty of deck space with
luxurious deck chairs and umbrellas for shade. The Celebrity theater where the live shows are performed
is a wonderful venue with good accoustics and good sightlines throughout. My husband especially
enjoyed Michael's Club, the cigar club. It is a wonderfully quiet place to relax and have a drink, as well as
a puff on the prohibited Havanna.

We were lucky to have the world's greatest ballroom dance instructor on board. She and her husband
taught us more in the half dozen lessons we attended than we had learned in our combined lifetimes.

Our room was more than adequate. We were located on deck 5 directly under the card room, could not
have been quieter. The room was small but had tons of storage space and a large bathroom (by ship
standards).

In conclusion, although we had a good time, we believe other cruise lines are more likely to exceed our
expectations. We have been on two Princess cruises that were superior and we will be trying other lines
before we give Celebrity a chance again.

Name: Larry O'Brien
Email: ldobca@yahoo.ca
Age: 62
Occupation: Retired
NumberOfCruises: 19
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: 31 January 2001
Itinerary: Cape Horn
Cabin: 9035/4
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 89
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 89
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 89
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 89
TenderService: 69
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 65
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 79
ShopsOnBoard: 89
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 01 Mar 2001
Time: 23:56:25
Remote Name: srry01m09-174.bctel.ca
Remote User:

Comments

31 January 2001 Celebrity Mercury. Valpariso, Chile, to Buenos Aires, Argentina.

We had been looking forward to our Cape Horn cruise for a long time. I researched and planned the
trip quite extensively and choose the Celebrity Mercury over Princess, Holland American and NCL
mostly based on the professional opinions I read in Fodor’s, Berlitz etc.

My wife and I have sailed on nine cruise lines since we made our first cruise on the Royal Viking Star in
1985. (Too bad Royal Viking is history). We have made around twenty cruises and covered most of
the world excepting Africa.

We had done a Celebrity cruise on the Meridian about six years ago. We rated it the worst cruise we
had experienced and never expected to sail on Celebrity again. After Celebrity was taken over by
Royal Caribbean and we read many glowing reports about the great food and service we decided to
give Celebrity another try.

I wish I could say it was the right decision but contrary to all the hype we now have to say our worst two
cruises ever were on Celebrity.

Starting with the boarding in Valpariso, only by being there could you get any idea on how bad it could
be. We arrived with about 1400 other passengers and joined the herd as everyone struggled to get to
one of the four check in tables set up on the dock under some awnings. There was no organization, no
lines or anything, just a mass of people trying to get to the tables. If one was to be polite and wait their
turn they would have been last on unless they were one of the VIP’s that some member of the staff
kept calling for. I heard that after we had boarded a gust of wind blew over part of the awnings and
passports and visas were flying everywhere.

The ship (Mercury) itself is quite nice except that the ventilation system seems inadequate and the
smell of cigarette smoke permeates the ship everywhere except in the dining room and theatre(s). The
Mercury has the best theatre (by far) that we have ever seen on a ship.

Entertainment was rather poor except for Brooks Adhere a really great pianist. Most of the other shows
experienced a continuous stream of patrons leaving the theatre. A great deal of repeats during the
twelve day cruise.

Quality of food was very disappointing, something I was surprised to experience. The buffet was as
poor as any I’ve seen and the dining room was only fair. With regards to food, I rate Princess also as
fair and Holland American as good. I expected Celebrity to be more u-scale with a much higher
standard of cousine, NOT SO. The wine list was expensive and limited in choice. With all the good
wines Chile produces the only Chilien wine on the list was a Santa Carolina which is on of Chilie’s
poorest quality producers.

The dining room staff was good and the International crew (mostly eastern European) was a pleasant
attribute. The cabin steward was excellent as they usually are on all the cruise lines.

The tendering was horrible. They quite often overloaded the tenders and on one occasion I asked one
of the staff (not tender crew) to not stand in front of me with his read-end directly in my face. Safety did
not seem to be a high priority with celebrity. I did voice my displeasure to the Guest Services office.

How many different ways and times we were advised on how much to tip, $3.50 pp/pd they demand as
the cruise industry standard $ .50 pp/pd for the head housekeeper, at that rate the head housekeeper
would collect more than $20,000. for this 12 day cruise plus her salary, and tax free yet.

I wish we could travel Silverseas and/or Crystal but I guess we will have to make do with HA, Princess
or NCL in the future, certainly not Celebrity.

Consider any opinion you read in a travel magazine to be suspect, after this I believe most must get
rated higer on the basis of bigger favors.

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