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Name: Malcolm Oliver
Email: oliver01@globalnet.co.uk
Age: 38
Occupation: Education Manager
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: 19 May 1998
Itinerary: Alaska
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 70
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 34
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 89
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 89
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 79
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 89
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 75
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 03 Jun 1998
Time: 15:08:33
Remote Name: 194.126.82.163
Remote User:
Comments
This was our first Cruise and although I cannot compare our experience with other cruises,
although we have travelled extensively by other methods including
coach tours. My Wife and I started our Cruise, which was essentially a repositioning
cruise from LA, via San Francisco and Victoria to Alaska. Fortunately in LA,
we found time to visit the moored ocean liner, ‘The Queen Mary’, which is now a
floating Hotel at Long Beach. She of course is British like ourselves, but I’m sure
that we are not being bias when we describe her as magnificent. She is enormous,
particularly in length, yet her lines are so sleek. Inside she is like a floating
palace of ‘Art Deco’ styled timbers, glass and Marble. She was also one of the
fastest liners in her day, and still more than ten knots faster than modern cruise
ships.
Our ship, the ‘Mercury’ was rather a different kettle of fish. Perhaps I should
not even attempt to compare them, but I’m going to anyway, after all they were
both considered the finest ships in their day. It will be interesting to see what advances
have been made in sixty years of nautical design experience. I should
point out that the Mercury is a newish ship (built late 1997) and this Cruise was her
first to Alaska.
If you have never seen a modern Cruise ship in the flesh, their scale is breathtaking
– the biggest moving man-made objects. Standing next to the Mercury, she
too was enormous, although she appeared taller than the Queen Mary, she was shorter. I
believe the two ships have a similar weight and passenger capacity,
give or take a few digits. However, the ‘Mercury’ resembled a series of square
boxes put together like ‘Lego’ bricks, for that was exactly how she was
constructed. Only the bow section looked remotely ship like. Although, when viewed side-on
at a distance the ‘Mercury’ looked much sleeker. I could not help
thinking that the Mercury resembled a giant Tower Block, which had been felled into the
sea. However, in fairness, her lines were not untypical of most of the
new breed of cruise ships. If you are wondering if it is possible to get sea-sick on such
a giant, the answer is YES it is!
Boarding took about an hour or so, which was very efficient considering that their were
1900 passengers which had to be processed plus 4000 items of
luggage. We had a lovely cabin with double bed and picture window, which was great,
considering that we had only paid for an inside cabin (Thanks Celebrity).
The ships decor was very garish in places, maybe Ronald McDonald had been the interior
design consultant. The passenger corridors just went on forever as
you would expect. The Grad Foyer and staircase was pleasant and functional, but had more
in common with a Shopping Mall than the ‘Grand Staircase’ of the
Titanic, for example. The Casino was a little tacky for my liking, but the Celebrity
Theatre with its 1000 seats was pretty amazing. Although being at the bows of
the ship it was rather subject to the roll of the sea. Various items of modern art
decorated the ship which was a very nice touch, if you like modern art. The
‘Promenade Deck’ was our favourite as this looked rather traditional, with a
wooden deck which encircled most (but not all) of the ship.
In her defence, the Mercury was a clean, functional and spacious ship. It never ever
seemed like you were sharing her with 1900 other passengers. Queues of
more than a couple of people were rare. This was in part due to the fantastic organisation
of all the events and excursions by the staff. The staff, almost a 1000
in number, were generally excellent. The entertainment was good and succeeded in providing
something for everyone. We particularly liked the Science
Lecturer Tom Logsdon.
The food is an important part of any cruise, and it was certainly good. However, I felt
that Celebrity were often a little too ambitious in their main Restaurant, the
Manhattan. They of course had an impossible task, of providing a 2000 quality meals for
both evening sittings, using assembly-line techniques. We soon tired of
the exotic French dishes with rich aesthetic looking sauces, which were served every
evening. I By our own admission, we like plain cooking and began to dream
of a simple Hamburger and Fries, although, these could be obtained during the lunch
buffet. We plumed for the breakfast buffet which was very good too and
flexible. Surprisingly, they never had mushrooms or tomatoes for breakfast, a small point
I suppose. We too experience the strange vibrations from the
propellers (I imagine) which were occasionally felt in the restaurant. Once again the
motion of the ship could be felt quite strongly when dining on some
occasions. Maybe that’s why all the old Ocean liners located their Restaurants in the
middle of the ship? (If anyone out there designs Cruise ships, please Email
me). Room service was prompt but only limited items were available.
Every thing on board ship is designed to relive you of your hard earned cash, apart from
the food which is included. Beware, you can spend a fortune on
onboard shopping, drinking, smoking, gambling, photographs and excursions. The
‘cash’ free system make it very easy to loose count of your expenditure.
However, I understand that this is the case with all Cruise lines. After all, they are a
business – they would hardly give it all away, would they? Fortunately, for us
Brits, the tips for the staff were included in the price of our holiday. This is not
always the case with every company.
Glacier Bay was very impressive and it was amazing just how close our big ship could get
to the bluish ice walls. The ports of call in Alaska, Skagway, Ketchikan
and Jeneau were all surprisingly touristy, featuring gift shops after gift shop. Each day
six or more Cruise ships could descend on them, making them very busy
ports indeed. The excursions available were numerous, of good quality, but were very
expensive. The best things about the Cruise for us, was the excellent staff
and the fantastic ‘Inside Passage’ scenery. The weather was very warm and it
never rained once. I would certainly recommend ‘Celebrity Cruises’ and
‘Mercury’
as long as you don’t expect a cruise on a 1930’s style palace. Times have
changed, this is Millennium Cruising, maybe we just read too many history books?
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