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Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: Marisa Fritkin
Email: Brooklyn.RN@Juno.com
Age: 42
Occupation: Registered Nurse
NumberOfCruises: 6
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: June 26, 1998
Itinerary: Alaska
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 95
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 23 Jul 1998
Time: 15:18:14
Remote Name: 205.187.202.239
Remote User:
Comments
My husband and I took this cruise through Alaska in June and had the most marvelous time.
We were upgraded to a suite complete with a butler and full
menu cabin service. Let me say, that I had never stayed in a suite before, so this was a
real treat! The cabin was very spacious and included a 180 ft.
private veranda! How wonderful to sit and eat out there and watch the glaciers entertain
us as they sloughed off into the ocean. What a wonderful site! Our
cabin had a king-size bed and there were always fresh flowers and hor dourves waiting for
us. There was also afternoon tea, with fresh cookies and
sandwiches that were delicious. The meals were exceptional! There were a lot of choices,
but mostly Salmon was on every menu, cooked one way or
another. There was always meat, veal, pork, chicken and pasta to choose from! But I will
say the desserts weren't as delicious as they looked. That was ok,
we were always full anyway! The waiters and busboys were terrific, as usual, if you've
ever cruised before you know that. The ship was very clean! And the
shopping on board, well I've never seen so many shops before on one ship. Everyone was
very polite and helpful. Since the cruise was heading through
Alaska, we never used the pool, but it was pretty. And all the elevators worked!! As far
as the shore excursions, they were quite expensive! We went to see
the Alaska Pipeline and found it quite interesting! My husband went fishing, cost about
$150.00, but he did bag a salmon, which was processed and sent to
our home in Los Angeles. It's still in my freezer. I went shopping in town and found some
nice momentos to always remember my trip by. All the stores,
essentially have the same stuff, but it was nice to get off the ship and experience the
different ports, like Ketchikan, Skagway, Juneau, Glacier Bay and
Anchorage. All I can say now is we had a wonderful time and would definitly cruise with
Celebrity again! Bon Voyage!!
Name: Mayra Becerra
Email: mayritz@msn.com
Age: 37
Occupation: Systems Integrator/Computer Networking
NumberOfCruises: 7
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: October 18, 1998
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 89
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 93
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 97
ShoreExcVariety: 97
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 97
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 98
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 89
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 92
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 89
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 88
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 26 Oct 1998
Time: 12:49:27
Remote Name: 208.202.13.27
Remote User:
Comments
This was my second Celebrity cruise. Accompanying me was my daughter, who's sixteen, and a
female friend, who's twenty-seven. The itinerary took us to Key West, Cozumel, Calica and
Grand
Cayman.
Accommodations: We shared an inside cabin on the Vista deck (9th). The room had two single
beds and two bunk beds, which I recommend over the foldaway bed if you are three in a
cabin.
The pillows were a little too firm but we all slept well nonetheless. We had plenty of
closet and
drawer space (even for three females) and the cabin was extremely quiet. We jokingly
referred to
it as the bat cave since we could easily sleep in until the afternoon if not for the wake
up calls. I
did glimpse at a suite, which had a large bed and a balcony and seemed very roomy. So if
you are
not traveling on a budget, I recommend the upgrade.
Service: Our cabin steward (Alfonso) and housekeeper (Yanni) were great. What they lacked
in
humor (the funny shaped towels, etc.) they made up in service. We had clean towels and ice
water available at all times. On one occasion, my daughter and I slept in. When they came
to
clean the room, we were still not ready to leave so I asked them to come back in an hour.
However, my daughter and I became engrossed watching the in-cabin movie, "Good Will
Hunting",
and did not leave the cabin in an hour. When we finally left the cabin, the housekeeper
was
quietly waiting in the hallway a few doors down, a big smile on his face. I quickly
apologized for
making him wait so long, but he reassured me that it was quite all right. He never knocked
on our
door a second time as maids often do in hotel rooms when they want you out of the room.
Food: Overall, the food was very, very good--especially the dinners in the main dining
room. The
soups were tasty and the meats and fish cooked perfectly. Our waiter (Goran) and busboy
(Jose)
were very attentive and did a great job. The buffet style breakfast was great--plenty of
fresh
fruits, breads, pastries and egg dishes to choose from. We were disappointed, however, the
one
time we had lunch in the main dining room. This was an open seating lunch and we were
seated
at a different table. The waiter at this table made several mistakes in the orders, the
water
glasses were not refilled and the chicken dish we ordered was dry and not very good. So,
you
can imagine our surprise when three hours later we came back to the main dining room for
the
formal tea wherein the service was, once again, impeccable. The midnight buffets looked
good,
but I never ate anything so I cannot comment on the quality of the food. The Grand Buffet
is
impressive--beautiful ice sculptures, different dishes artistically arranged and a dessert
table that
looks absolutely decadent. However, it happens to be on the same evening as the last
formal
night. So word of caution--eat lightly at dinner (especially if you are at the late
seating) or you
might not be able to partake. The room service menu is sparse and the salads were not very
interesting but the clam chowder, chili con carne and Black Forest cake were excellent.
Excursions: We did not go on any excursion in Key West. We just took the Conch Train Tour
on
our own since we were limited on time. In Cozumel we went on the Fury Catamaran Snorkeling
excursion which is a lot of fun. We saw lots of fish, but not too much coral life. After
snorkeling,
the Fury stops for about an hour at a beach were you could swim, kayak, play volleyball or
parasail (for an additional fee).
This is the second time I go on the Fury excursion and I
recommend it. The sail back to the ship is great--free filtered water and sodas (so don't
buy the
Evian before disembarking the ship), not to mention the free Coronas and Margaritas, which
makes the Conga line and Limbo dance that much funnier. In Grand Cayman we did the Sting
Ray
City excursion, again for the second time. My daughter and I really enjoy this excursion,
but our
friend was a bit scared (well, actually she was a lot scared) and spent the entire time on
the
boat, which was really a shame. There is nothing more graceful than watching these
creatures
swim underwater. It almost seems as if they are flying. But the highlight of the
excursions is by
far Xcaret in Calica. This eco-park is beautiful and there is a lot to do and see. We
climbed
Mayan ruins, snorkeled in a salt water lagoon filled with tropical fish and coral and
underwater
caves, sun bathed on a sandy beach while we ate shrimp ceviche and swam with dolphins. And
these are just a few of the things you can do. (If you are interested in swimming with the
dolphins take extra cash. It costs $99 per person for 45 minutes and it has to be paid in
cash. I
believe everything else can be paid with a credit card.) Unfortunately, words do not do
this
excursion justice--you have to experience this beautiful park. Definitely well worth the
trip.
Parting Thoughts: As I mentioned, this is my second Celebrity cruise. The Mercury is a
beautiful
ship although I liked the Century even more so. The entertainment was better on the
Mercury,
however. We especially liked the group "Four Score". The Navigators Club (disco)
was a lot of
fun. The DJ was great--he had everything we requested. My daughter did not have as much
fun
as she did last year on the Century because there were not as many teenagers on the ship.
I
attribute this to the time of year. Our Century cruise was during August when more
teenagers
travel during their summer vacation from school. We were extremely fortunate in that our
dinner
companions were wonderful to talk with and we often socialized afterwards. I highly
recommend
Celebrity both the Century and the Mercury ships.
Name: Morris Rozen
Email: morris@inforamp.net
Age: 43
Occupation: Proeprty manager
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: October 18
Itinerary: Key West, Cozumel, Calica & Grand Cayman
FoodDiningRoom: 89
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 50
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 75
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 85
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess: 95
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 95
EntertainmentPoolside: 89
CruiseActivities: 50
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 50
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 75
EmbarkDisembark: 1
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 27 Oct 1998
Time: 15:24:33
Remote Name: 24.65.90.117
Remote User:
Comments
We booked our cruise using the air/sea program from Toronto, even though there were
available
flights directly to Ft. Lauderdale, we were flown to Miami and then bused to Ft.
Lauderdale. At
the Miami airport we were met by Celebrity Staff and were told our bus would arrive at any
moment, an hour later we boarded the bus and went to the port. Once we arrived at the port
there was massive chaos with hundreds of people crowded into the waiting area, there were
only
two staff members there to explain the cause of the delay to embark. We did not embark
until 2
hours later.
Our cabins were comfortable and well appointed. The ship is beautifully decorated but
seemed to
be very conservative and dark. I've been on ships where the grand foyer is just that
extremely
grand while on the Mercury it seemed to be just a big staircase. The ship lacked bright
airy
spaces on the interior and the dining room was always dimly lit, once the meals were under
way.
Once on board we found in our cabins our dining arrangements and found that the two other
couples we had requested to be seated with, were at different tables. We had contacted
Celebrity prior to our cruise date and had been assured that these arrangements would be
made.
We were told to go and meet the Maitre'D and make new arrangements. The Maitre'D offered
to
put us at a table with "a view" little did we know we would be seated at a work
station in a
corner and that the windows are covered during dinner.
The quality of the food in the dining room was excellent, however the selections did not
sit well
with my tastes. I had asked the Maitre'D if I could have a steak prepared somewhat
differently
and he made quite a scene about it. At least when I cruised aboard the Princess Ships,
there was
always a selection of meals available every night as well as the daily selections. Our
waiter and
busboy were just outstanding and trying in every way to please us. They were always
pleasant
and accomodating and always knew who like milk or cream, etc. Just a few nice little
touches to
help make the dinners pleasant.
Lunch on the other hand seemed to be the remnants of the previous night's buffett. More
importantly the staff manning the stations in the Palm Springs Restaurant were not as
pleasant
and in some cases were even rude. I wanted to get a cold drink from the lemonade dispenser
after lunch and found it to be turned off. A staff member there directed me to another
drink
station and I found that too to be turned off. I the found a senior staff member there and
he told
me to go out and buy a cold drink! Friends of ours were also delt with rudely in that
restaurant
and I have yet to hear back from the cruise line.
The evening entertainment, especially the production shows with the Celebrity Singers
& Dancers
were outstanding. Also the accapella group and jugglers were worth seeing. The pool side
band
was great but the other lounge acts were pretty amaturish.
We only took one excursion from the cruise and that was to Stingray City at Grand Cayman.
Everything about the excursion was outstanding and I would highly recomend it. It was well
organized and the tender process was swift.
Disembarkation seemed to be organized at first. The ship would call out colours of our
luggage
tags and then we would disembark to the port. There we were to find our luggage and unlike
our
past cruises where we would only identify our bags and they would be taken to the airport
for us
and we would not see them until we arrived at our destination. Here we had to get a porter
take
them to the unorganized lines of people waiting for a bus to the airport, load them onto a
bus and
once back at the Miami Airport get a porter and take them in. That would be fine if we
didn't pay
for luggage transers.
Overall we had a good time and that was mainly because we travelled with friends and not
because of the ship.
I would have a difficult time in recomending Celebrity as a quality cruise line, just too
many of the
small things were missing. Such as having the gifts in our cabins that were purchased from
Celebrity by our travel agent. ( We still haven't received them) fresh fruit in our cabins
and bath
robes, these small touches we have had elsewhere and when you receive all of these little
things
it just makes everything else seem worth while.
I would highly recomend Princess Cruises above and beyond Celebrity.
Name: Jim & Jaime Hegedusich
Email: jhegedus@intrepid.net
Age: 39 & 37
Occupation: Computer Network Engineer & Housewife
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: October 18, 1998
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 50
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety:
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 99
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 93
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 02 Nov 1998
Time: 16:45:32
Remote Name: 206.102.68.149
Remote User:
Comments
After nearly 18 months of planning, and reading the reviews on this site, and others, we
finally
went on our first cruise. Our only major problem with the whole idea of cruising is that
after all of
the planning and anticipation, it was over too fast!!
We went over a lot of reviews, and brochures before deciding on the Celebrity Mercury. We
liked
the idea of going on a virtually brand new ship, and the type of atmosphere that all of
the info
we went though, raved about. We've read ALL of the reviews on the Mercury on this site, so
we
will try to give something different to this one!
EMBARKATION & DISEMBARKATION & THE CAPTAIN'S CLUB We didn't book the air-sea
package,
but booked our own air through US Airways, and got a great deal. This mean NO TRANSFERS,
unless you purchase them through the Cruiseline. This is not a problem. Think about it,
$30.00
per person for a total stranger, holding a Celebrity sign, meets you at your gate, along
with all of
the other future Celebrity cruisers, you get on a crowded bus, they get you to embarkation
in the
middle of chaos, and you finally board about an hour later; earlier if you belong to the
Captain's
Club.(More about this later!)We chose to grab our own luggage, not a problem, and grab a
taxi at
$4.65 total to the pier. We got let off before embarkation ever began, and had a porter
grab our
luggage. We tipped him a dollar per piece. In fare, and tips, we were out a total of
$10.50! That
was for 2 people! We saved $40.00 by not using their transfers. When you get to the pier
in Ft.
Lauderdale, it's actually a really nice terminal. If you get there early, as we did,
NOBODY will tell
you the procedure to use to get on the ship, including answering any questions. We got our
first
meeting with the Cruise Director, Allen King during this time, and he was not willing to
help out in
the info department in any way, so WE will help you now! Leave your luggage with a porter.
They
will get it to the HUGE carts of luggage ready to go on the ship. You WILL see your
luggage soon
before sailing. Then go into the terminal, all the way through the double doors to the
farthest
waiting area. When it gets closer to embarkation time, they will tell you that you are
missing one
of the forms you need, to embark! You will! It's the disembarkation form to let them know
if you
need to be off the ship first when you come back in a week. They try to act like you
should have
had this form all along! Mellow out, grab a form, and fill one out for each person in your
room!
Then at 1:00 PM, it's time to go through the next set of double doors to check in, and
give them
the info needed to set up your Celebrity account. If you weren't in the farthest waiting
room at
this time, you will be given a number in the first waiting area you come to, to get in.
The farthest
waiting room from the entrance goes in first; REMEMBER THIS! Now it's on to the ship!
Disembarkation is run a little better. You have to be out of your room by 8 AM. If you
have flights
on US Airways or Delta, you get to do your check in, including getting your luggage tags,
in the
Pavillion Nightclub starting a 6:30 AM. If you have a 1,2,or 3 as you disembarkation
number (you
get these numbers the day before you get to port, along with the tip envelopes), it makes
for an
early start to ending your cruise. We got to watch the lights of Ft. Lauderdale come into
view,
and the docking! It was very convenient to have all of the flight procedures over with,
including
boarding passes and check in all the way through done, before you ever leave the ship.
After the
flight stuff is over you go to your last breakfast buffet; this was the only time the
breakfast
buffet was really crowded, and then to your room to pick up your overnight bag, and to
deck 6 to
wait for your disembarkation number to be called. NOW, if you have had the keen insight,
or
someone like us telling you to join the Captain's Club as soon as you got on board, you
will have a
2 to get off the ship. Only handicap passengers, and early flight people will be getting
off before
you. We were grabbing a taxi back to the airport by 9 AM! The Captain's Club cost $35.00
to join.
Go to the Guest Relations desk as soon as you get on board and fill out the application.
During
the wee you will be invited to 2 cocktail parties, FREE DRINKS, and receive priority
disemabrkation, and priorty embarkation on future Celebrity Cruises. You also get free 2
category
upgrades on staterooms on future cruises, and priority luggage delivery on those cruises.
It's a
one time only membership fee, and we felt like it was well worth it!
THE SHIP, FOOD, ENTERTAINMENT The Mercury is everything said in the previous reviews, and
then some! It's beautiful, and clean, inside and out. Anyone that can find fault with
this, needs
to live in a bubble! We were in a Cat 2 room. It's kind of tight getting around the end of
the bed
when two people are trying to get dressed, and use the mirror, but after the first day,
you get a
pattern going, and the space seems to get bigger. We had a fabulous room steward named
Isabello from Philly, not Pennsylvania, the Island! He kept everything spotless, and we
were very
depressed the first morning home when it hit us that WE had to pick up our room, and make
our
bed! When packing to go on your cruise there are a few thing you can leave at home. If you
can
use any kind of soap, lotion, shampoo, cotton swabs, cotton, tissues,or shower cap, these
are all
provided. Now this blow dryer you've read about in the other reviews; it's only slightly
warm, and
couldn't blow a tissue off the counter with the dryer right up against it! If you don't
want to be
late for dinner, bring your own! As far as the extension cord the other reviews tell you
that you
need, you will actually need one of those outlets that you can get from any home store
that you
plug into a single outlet, and you can plug up to three things into! We spent a lot of
time all over
the ship, but our favorite place had to be Tastings, the Coffee Bar on the 6th floor. It
was a nice
comfotable place to sit and relax, have a drink, and watch the world pass by! We would go
to the
Casino for entertainment. The slots were't too tight. We spent $40.00 over two days of
playing,
and made back $27.00 of it. It was a fun place to be as long as you didn't get hooked! The
theater was wonderful. We had late seating for dinner so we didn't have to hurry through
our
days on shore to get back to get ready, and the shows in the Celebrity Theater were a
great
way to end the day! The dancers and singers were extremely talented, and anyone that was
on
the same cruise with us, that says otherwise, was sleeping through it, and dreamed of
something
else; you know who you are, we heard you snoring! With the lasers, and pyrotechnics, we
couldn't see how the old guy next to us could sleep, all we could figure is that he turned
off his
hearing aid! We ate so much during dinner that we didn't eat at the buffets, but we did
look!
They looked excellent, and if the food was as good as the rest of the buffets during the
day,
then you would go to bed with a very full stomach! The food on the Mercury is everything
you've
read. The guy in a previous review that said he has had 5 star dining, and this wasn't it,
well,he
needs to change the restaurants that he goes to! We went on this cruise with my brother
and his
wife (see Scott & Melissa Roe, Celebrity Century 10-4-97), and all of us have been to
5 star
restaurants, and with the exception of feeling the room move, this is about as good as it
gets!
The buffets, breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea, were wonderful. We really enjoyed the
'Pasta a
la Minute' at lunchtime. If you're trying to watch your weight during the week, try not to
go near
the Palm Springs Cafe from 4-5 PM. This is afternoon Tea, and the desserts are sinful! We
definately made a point of going. Scott would go get an extra large frozen yogurt cone,
and the
rest of us filled up on cakes, cookies, pastries, and would share ours with him. You can't
miss out
on this. This would get our stomachs in shape for our dinner at 8:30! If you are afraid of
some of
the exotic things served for dinner, the names are more exotic sounding than the food!
Overall
they serve a beef , chicken, or seafood dinner every night. You choose your appetizer,
soup,
salad and entree, and after the entree, is over then you order your dessert. Between the
four of
us we had a little of everything, and we never had a complaint. As far as finding your way
around
the ship, everything is clearly marked, and all of the elevators has a deck plan for the
floor that it
is on, right next to it!
CRUISE DIRECTOR, ENTERTAINMENT, ACTIVITIES We gave the Cruise Director Allan King our
lowest marks, because we NEVER saw him walking around the ship, and making himself
accessible
to the passengers. He is the one that is suppose to be responsible for making sure that
everyone
is having a good time, and that if you have any questions, he can answer them, but unless
you
were invited to a cocktail party that had the higher ship officials at it, you went to one
of the
BIG shows, or you turned on the TV to his broadcast, YOU DID NOT SEE THE CRUISE DIRECTOR
THE ENTIRE WEEK! The guy that took care of the entertainment in the show lounge was one of
the dancers named Bruce, (He plays Tina Turner in Bond Voyage). The shows as we said
before
were excellent. Don't miss one. The Tex-Mex Night, and Island night were done by the
entertainment group, headed by the Asst. Cruise Director Nicky, and He should be on
another
ship by this writing! Too bad, 'cause the Mercury really used him since Allen King wasn't
around!
There was plenty to do on board, shopping, gambling, movies (in room or the cinema),
swimming,
basketball, ping pong, shuffle board, bingo, daily quizzes, relaxing at the spa, art
auctions, port
lectures, working out,or absolutely nothing! There is no longer skeet shooting on
Celebrity ships
because the clay pigeons are not 'environmentally sound', or biodegradable, so Celebrity
is no
longer offering this activity. Every night while you are at dinner, your room steward will
make up
your room for the night, including the wonderful chocolate on the pillow, and leave the
daily
newsletter for the next day with all of the activities listed. Don't lose this, as there
are NO
ANNOUNCEMENTS to remind you to be at these scheduled activites. We had music all over the
ship. Previous reviews on other Celebrity ships talked about the band ONYX, and we had
them on
the Mercury. They were FANTASTIC! They could play everything. Wandering aroung the ship
all
week was the accapella group Four Score. It was always a treat before dinner to get to
hear
them perform. We did get a little tired of Love Potion Number 9. The Duo in the
Rondez-Vous
Lounge, Honey Street, were different. They weren't really bad, but the weren't enough to
make
you go the lounge to listen to either. The Band in the Pavillion Nightclub was Sil vous
plait. They
were a little better than okay. It was hard to stay and listen to them play though when
you could
go and listen to ONYX play in the Navigator Club!
HOW TO DRESS This is one area where on the Mercury it is up to you! We saw about 60%
Tuxedos on formal night, and the rest dark suits, and even shirts, ties, and vests. The
ladies
wore the sparkling cocktail dresses, and evening gowns, right on down to the type of dress
you'd
were to church or the office. It's up to you how dressy you want to get. Semi formal was
suits,
or at least a jacket, and a dress or pantsuit for ladies. On casual nights it was golf
shirts and
slacks for men, and sundresses, or slacks and blouses for the ladies. During the day on
ship, and
at port it was shorts and golf shirts or T-Shirts. At night the ship tended to be a little
cool, so a
light sweater isn't a bad idea!
SEASICKNESS This is one area that we were very concerned about before deciding to go on a
cruise! If you're sick the whole time, you are obviosly not going to have a good time. We
brought
some Dramamine 2 with us from home. It's the once a day formula that has no side effects.
It
worked great! The one day Jaime didn't take it, she was queasy, after that, it became a
morning
ritual to take it. They sell Bonine in the store on the ship, but it runs about $3.00 more
than at
home, so it's a good idea to have it just in case, before you leave home. Even if you've
cruised
before, and never been sick, you don't know what kind of water you'll have to deal with on
your
cruise you're planning; as we found out on our last day with HURRICANE MITCH! The ocean
was
nothing but huge waves and wind. It was really a neat experience to get to sail through
that. We
all had to rock and roll for 24 hours to get back to Florida, and were we ever glad that
we had
our Dramamine!
SHORE EXCURSIONS We only did excursions in Cozumel, and Grand Caymen, so we don't have a
lot of info here. In Cozumel we did the Mermaid Underwater viewer. It takes you out to
Paradise
Reef so you can see beautiful underwater vegetaion without getting wet; RIGHT! We were
caught in a rainstorm running to the boat, and got soaked to the skin. The observation
room,
under the water is air conditioned, so it felt kind of drafty, if you can imagine that. We
got some
really nice pictures though, and we enjoyed the experience. In Grand Caymen we did the
island
and Stingray City tour. You don't get to see any of 7 mile beach. You go out on a party
barge to
another underwater viewer boat, and a guy scuba dives around the windows and brings about
4-8 stingrays up to the windows so you can see them. If you really want to experience
Stingray
City, you'll have to get wet! You then go to Hell, it's a real place with a post office
and gift shop,
and then to the Turtle Farm. The Turtle Farm was a neat place, but they keep you there too
long. If you want to do any shopping, especially for rum, do it before you go on your tour
if
you're taking the 11:30 tour, because you have to buy all of your liquor 90 minutes before
the
ship leaves so they can deliver it to the ship to hold for you, and they get you back to
Georgetown with exactly that much time to spare. We got to Tortuga Liquor Store 5 minutes
late, and we were only able to buy some cakes. We were really disappointed, but the cakes
were
fabulous!
Well, we've been home over a week now, and we've started sifting through the cruise
brochures
again, looking for something our whole family can do in July '99. Will we cruise on
Celebrity again?
It's the best vacation we have EVER had. We're even looking at maybe the Galaxy, the
Mercury
again, or one of the new Millinium class ships that should be out by then. They say the
only way
to avoid 'CRUISE BLUES' after a cruise, is to start planning the next one before you leave
the
ship! We Have!
If we haven't answered any of your questions, please E-Mail us!
Name: Patti DeLuca
Email: PJD25@aol.com
Age: 53
Occupation: Retired
NumberOfCruises: 9
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: October 25, 1998
Itinerary: Was Western Caribb. but changed to Eastern
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 100
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 100
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 100
WheelchairAccess: 100
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 95
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 Nov 1998
Time: 15:52:29
Remote Name: 205.188.193.38
Remote User:
Comments
This was my 9th cruise, first with Celebrity. The Mercury is a beautiful ship and I was
looking
forward to seeing Mexico and going to Chichen Itza. however, with Hurricane Mitch blowing
up in
the Yucatan where we were headed, when we got to the terminal was informed of the changed
itinerary. Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, St. Martin and Nassau. I was not happy about it, but I
know
the cruise line would not jeapordize their ship or the passengers.
Boarding was easy with embarkation numbers, and once aboard, was escorted to our cabin. We
chose a category 2 with verandah and it was lovely to have the verandah to watch
everything
go by, however, the size of the room was smaller and one chair had to be removed since our
beds had to be separated. I was traveling with another woman and a group of 115 others
called
the Swinging Flamingos from Florida.
The entertainment was top notch. We had a pair of juggling comedians named Howie and Bert
and they were known as On The Edge. Then we had Mark Preston, one of the singing group
called the Letterman. There was also another comedian and with the way the showroom is set
up, everyone could see everything without anyone in the way.
Their Tastings Lounge offered entertainment every night and it was very nice to sit down
and
relax with either the string quartet or an A Capella group called Four Score. You have to
check
your Mercury Daily to see when they are playing as there are no announcements made on this
ship.
The food was superb and plenty of it. Everything was presented so lovely and colorful.
There was
the same string quartet playing in the restaurant some nights for our dining pleasure.
After having sailed with NCL 6 times, I think I'll sail more with Celebrity. They are
really a Five
Star cruise line!
Name: Rod Collins
Email: RCOLL4427@aol.com
Age: 47
Occupation: Engineer
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: Yes
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: 10-25-98
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 96
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 93
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 97
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 92
EmbarkDisembark: 93
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 88
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 05 Nov 1998
Time: 19:51:23
Remote Name: 152.163.194.182
Remote User:
Comments
We were on the Celebrity Century two years ago and were very disappointed in all aspects
of the
ship and its services. We were very aprehensive about sailing with them again. Our
favorite line is
Royal Caribbean, which now owns Celebrity. This cruise was booked on the recommendation of
our cruise agent.
We were extremely satisfied with this trip on the Mercury. What a difference!! The service
was
outstanding, the dinners excellent, the ship was clean and much nicer than the Century.
We were scheduled to travel the Western route which would have taken us to several sites
we
had not visited before. Hurricane Mitch changed the plans. We were traveling with two
couples
who had not cruised before. The cruise staff provided notification and an explanation of
the
reason for the changes prior to boarding.
The cabins were small but immaculate. We had booked rooms with a balcony and are
completely
spoiled now.
The entertainment was varied and every act was excellent. Mark Preston (formerly with the
Lettermen), On the Edge (a comedy juggling duo), and Four Score (an acappella group) were
exceptional every time they performed!
The weaknesses were minor - the hot tubs were just barely lukewarm and the lunches in the
Palm
Springs Cafe were repeatative.
All three couples will be cruising again and will consider another cruise on the Mercury -
probably
another attempt for the Western route.
Name: phyl porter
Email: phyl.porter@gte.net
Age: 55
Occupation: travel ageny/real estate
NumberOfCruises: 10
TravelAgent: Yes
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: sept. 30, 1998
Itinerary: panama canal 19 day
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 87
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 98
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff: 85
EntertainmentLounges: 88
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 85
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram: 88
MedicalFacilities: 85
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 70
DiscoNightclubs: 88
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 92
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 05 Nov 1998
Time: 21:32:44
Remote Name: 208.254.8.184
Remote User:
Comments
I had a group of 34 passengers aboard the Mercury for the 19 day panama canal
repositioning
Sept. 30, 1998. The ship is lovely, very elegant, with lots of public and private
hideaways. The
service was the best I have had with Celebrity. It has been excellent on the last five
cruises we
have taken with them, but on board the Mercury it was superior. The dining room meals were
terrific, no bad meals, and what was interesting is that the Chef came out into the dining
and
spoke with the passengers. He really seemed to care how we were enjoying his cuisine. Was
able
to tour the galley and it is spotless. We were in the galley an hour before dinner and
were
amazed at how orderly everything was. The buffets for breakfast and lunch were enjoyable
with
lots of variety. I, personally, am not a lover of buffets, but actually enjoyed these and
went back
several times. Of course, the BBQ for lunch, was fabulous.
The shows on board have improved greatly, and there wasn't a repeat in 18 nights. The
cruise
staff was energetic and fun, however, I don't feel the activities for the age group on
board, lots
of seniors because of length of cruise, were planned well. Bingo was overpriced, and
consequently didn't have a lot of players.
The rooms are spacious. I actually prefer the layout on the Zenith however. The verandas
are
great. Really recommend them if it fits into budget. For the people who say they don't
stay in
their room that much, believe me, for a 19 day cruise they are a Godsend. They are
spacious and
you don't feel closed in.
The only bad part of the cruise was embarkation and disembarkation. It was very poorly
organized and possibly because this cruise is only done twice a year is the reason. It
needs a lot
of work to fix. The other Celebrity cruises I have been for embarkation and disembarkation
have
gone smoothly with no hassels for the passengers.
If you have any questions please send me an e-mail.
Name: Mike Bayes
Email: mbayes@usa.net
Age: 41
Occupation: Sales Executive
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: 10-23
Itinerary: E. Carribean
FoodDiningRoom: 92
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 88
FoodRoomService: 88
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 93
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 85
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon: 85
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 92
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 88
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 07 Nov 1998
Time: 08:54:21
Remote Name: 209.154.117.42
Remote User:
Comments
Our family sailed on the Mercury on October 23rd. Originally scheduled for the western
Caribbean,
due To hurricane Mitch the itinerary was changed to the eastern Caribbean on the day we
sailed.
I felt the Staff did an excellent job of informing the passengers of the changes, and
making the
last minute Shore excursion changes.
Our family is made up of my wife and three teen age children, 16, 15, and 13. All though
we were
concerned with the low number of children on the ship, they each had a wonderful time. The
staff did a good job of giving the kids opportunities to keep busy, and this was never an
issue.
They enjoyed the teen disco a great deal.
The ship staff over all was excellent! Friendly, and professional. The ship itself is
beautiful and
maintain very well. The dinner service is outstanding, both service and food. The evening
shows
were well put together with varied entertainment, all of which was very good!! It did seem
that
the target age group for the lounge entertainment was the 45+ crowd, and that for singles
or the
very young at heart the disco and pool would offer the only consistent entertainment on
the
ship.
It would be difficult to really rate the shore excursions as we had the above mentioned
change of
Ports at the last minute. Based on that I felt they did a very good job of providing good
choices
in each port at the last minute.
The only slight disappointment was the casual service, by this I mean pool side. Not very
fast or
friendly. In contrast to all the other experiences.
Lines are typical at buffets and it would be nice to have more options on casual dinning
if you
have small children. About all you have besides the formal experience is pizza, hot dogs,
and
hamburgers. All of which are average, with a kitchen staff that in general must be the
bottom of
the pecking order on the ship and only available by the pool, or room service.
Overall we had a great experience, and would recommend Celebrity and the Mercury for all
except
families with younger
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