celebrity-mercurymp042698

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Steve Simonetti
Email: sascol@aol.com
Age: 31
Occupation: Banking
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: 10-25-98
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 96
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 100
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 83
BeautySalon: 95
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 100
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 16 Nov 1998
Time: 21:34:26
Remote Name: 152.163.195.201
Remote User:

Comments

My wife and I had cruised twice previously (both times with Royal Caribbean). This was our first experience with Celebrity. There was really nothing we
disliked about our Royal Caribbean experiences, but we thought we'd try something a little different this time. We did some research (mainly on this
website) and chose to sail on the Mercury for our third wedding anniversary. It also didn't hurt that we got a great deal on our cabin (category 2,
outside cabin, with verandah).

I should point out that this was supposed to have been a Western Caribbean itinerary but due to hurricane Mitch we were switched to an Eastern
Caribbean itinerary shortly before embarkation.

First Impression: Of the three cruises we've been on, this ship was without a doubt the cleanest. Although Royal Caribbean and Celebrity are both
owned by the same parent company, we noticed a big difference in the upkeep of the ships. We sailed on the Grandeur last October (it was about a
year old at that point just as the Mercury is now) and we noticed some SLIGHT wear and tear on the Grandeur. No such wear and tear on the Mercury.
Every conceivable part of the ship was constantly being cleaned/polished/scrubbed/painted. Don't get me wrong, by no means were either of the two
Royal Caribbean ships dirty or even unkept, but we just thought the Mercury was especially clean. Absolutely SPOTLESS in all respect.

The Cabin: At 172 square feet, the cabin had plenty of space for my wife and I as well as all of our stuff (and we took a lot of stuff). Deep blue carpet
with natural wood trim on the walls and furniture. The verandah was large enough for two chairs and a small table. We thought it was the perfect size.
The bathroom was well thought out. We were particularly impressed with the size of the shower. Not once did we think it was small or even slightly
uncomfortable. If you drop the soap, you can pick it up without the shower curtain sticking to every conceivable part of your body!

The Ship: One word: GEORGEOUS. It took us a while to learn our way around, but after a few days, we had no problem. Next to each elevator there is a
directory to lead you in the right direction. On our past cruises we always experienced long waits for elevators. This was not the case here. Elevators
are very quick to arrive.

The Grand Foyer is not 'grand' as in big (no glass elevators or huge lobby) but the space serves it's purpose well. Attractive decor and nice lighting
really add to this spage.

The only two places on the ship that we felt were not as appealing as they could have been were the Casino (we didn't spend too much time there
anyway) and the Palm Springs pool area (small pool at the rear of the ship). Both of these areas seemed somewhat stark in comparison to the rest of
the ship.

The ship has many large areas if you like to be in the open as well as a good number of 'nooks and crannies' if you like to get away from the masses.
At no point did we ever feel crowded. We were surprised there were as many people on board as there were (1750 passengers on this trip) because
the ship always seemed so spacious. Shops on board were all nice as well.

The Food: One word here too: WONDERFUL. We heard so many good things about Celebrity's food before we got on the ship, I thought our
expectations might be a little too high. No problem however. Everything from the breakfast buffets to dinner in the dining room were top notch. We
never went hungry. We did have one minor disappointment however. On Royal Caribbean, you could always have appetizers in many of the lounges
while enjoying a before dinner drink. These appetizers seemed to be absent on Celebrity. Although snack food was available (nuts, goldfish crackers,
etc.) there was never anything like chicken wings or tortilla chips available. I guess this could be viewed as a positive though because it kept me from
gaining even more weight than I did (I put on 4 pounds). Besides breakfast, lunch, and dinner, other food was available throughout the day. After
lunch, pizza was available. Afternoon tea (sandwiches, cookies, frozen yogurt, etc.) was served at 4:00. And of course there were also midnight
buffets. All items were quite tasty.

The Staff: Only positives here. Our room steward was always attentive, and our room was always made up. He knew our schedule after the first day
because we never had a problem with him attempting to clean the room while we were in there.

Our waiter and busboy were both very attentive. Each night after we got our dinners our waiter, Ray would come to each of us and ask if the meal was
to our satisfaction. If by chance it was not, he assured us the dinner could be immediately replaced.

Bar staff and all other personnel aboard the ship were great. So was the cruise director Alan King. He has a great personality.

We were both quite impressed with how quickly the tables in the Palm Springs Café were cleared after guests finished eating. I am quite serious when I
say that if dishes remained on the table for 20 seconds after a guest left it was a long time.

Embarkation/Disembarkation: Both very smooth and well organized. We got to the terminal at 12:00 and were given a number based on the time we
got to the pier. By 1:15 we were on the ship being greeted as we entered before being escorted to our cabin.

On the last evening of the trip (Booooo!) we were given color coded tags to put on our luggage. We put our luggage in the hall Saturday night and the
next morning when our color was called we left the ship and found our luggage in the terminal waiting for us. Compared to our Royal Caribbean trip
last year, Celebrity's organization of luggage was MUCH more organized.

Summary: A spectacular vacation on board a truly spectacular trip. I would sail this ship again without hesitation. In fact, since we were supposed to
sail the Western Caribbean and had to sail the Eastern Caribbean due to Hurricane Mitch, sailing the Mercury again some day so we can see the west
is a distinct possibility.

Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any specific questions!

Name: Ken DeKing
Email: dekingk@juno.com
Age: 64
Occupation: retired
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: 11-01-98
Itinerary: Key West, Cosumel, Calica and Grand Cayman
FoodDiningRoom: 96
CruiseDirector: 98
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 98
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 96
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 65
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 99
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 96
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 13 Nov 1998
Time: 14:02:18
Remote Name: 209.156.129.70
Remote User:

Comments

we had the bad luck to cruise during the time of tropical storm Mitch, which caused much
disruption if our schedule. The previous week the ship took an alternate route away from the
storm, and it would have been the prudent thing to do to do the same for out cruise. We had to
cancel a planned stop at Grand Cayman, for many of us the high point of the cruise. Instead we
ran in circles for two and one half days in some of the roughest weather many seasoned cruisers
had ever seen. The food was for the most part excellent, with a few minor exceptions. In all we
were very pleased with the food. One aspect that did not please us was the almost complete
lack of snack food between early dinner and midnight snack, we would have very much enjoyed a
dish of icecream as an evening snack. As a final comment about cruising in general, I would like
to express my dislike for the formal evenings. If the small percentage of guests who feel they
must have this time to show off their jewels and fine attire insist, then they could be given one
corner of the dining room. This could be easily done when tables are assigned. I do not carry
such clothing when I vacation and will not in the future. My idea of a vacation is to be as
comfortable as possible.

Name: Mike and Carol Preisman
Email: preisman@gte.net
Age: 51 and 53
Occupation: V.P./CFO and retired Teacher
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: April 26,1998
Itinerary: western Carribean
FoodDiningRoom: 99
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 98
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 87
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 98
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 98
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace:
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 92
SpaceRatio: 99
OverallCruiseValue: 99
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 Jul 1998
Time: 16:12:44
Remote Name: 153.36.47.132
Remote User:

Comments

This was our second cruise, the first one being on the Costa Classica four years ago. We have always said that the Classica experience was perfect and
unbeatable. After returning home from sailing on the Mercury, we dug out our old video of the Classica just to see the difference between the two while
the Mercury was still fresh on our minds. We must declare that the Mercury wins, hands down!

We had heard that the food on the Celebrity ships was the best of any of the lines. This was an important consideration to us in picking a ship. Mike loves
to eat, and I love to cook. In fact I have written two cookbooks, so I tend to be rather critical when it comes to good food. To my delightful surprise, the
dining aboard the Mercury exceeded my expectations. Each morning we had breakfast at the Palm Springs Café buffet. Everything was fresh and
tastefully prepared, although sometimes the scrambled eggs were not cooked quite as done as I would have liked. We ate lunch once in the Manhattan
Restaurant, but found that we preferred the buffet in the Palm Springs Café because it offered a larger variety.

We chose the early seating for dinner in the elegant Manhattan Restaurant. Our waiter was named Brankor and our busboy was Franky. They were
fabulous. Brankor is from Yugoslavia, and his accent was delightful yet very understandable. I found him to be very knowledgeable about each item on
the menu and how it was prepared. His presentation of the dessert selection was so entertaining that Mike videotaped him so that we can enjoy it all over
again. Franky is from India. He remembered each night that I wanted ice tea, the others at the table had wine; and my glass never reached the half full
mark. He was always right there to fill it up. He also remembered that I wanted extra salad dressing, and after dinner coffee. These are small things, but
being catered to is one of the things that makes cruising so special. Brankor and Franky made everyone of us feel as if ours was the most important
table on board. A couple of nights, we ordered two entrees or two desserts. Half of the people at our table got both the prime rib and the lobster. No
problem. In fact, Brankor actually advised it when I couldn't decide which one I wanted. We found the whole dining staff to be just as excellent as the
food.

Our room steward was named Santana. I asked him how many rooms were assigned to him and his helper, and he said ten. I think that is an excellent
staff to guest ratio, and he was always there to do whatever we needed. Just to give you an idea of the friendliness of the staff and their willingness to
serve, I'll tell you about a silly little game that Mike and Santana played. Whenever we started down the hallway toward our room, Santana would beat us
there and unlock the door and hold it open for us. No matter what the time, he seemed to always be in the hallway waiting for someone to need
something. So, Mike tried to sneak to the room and beat Santana to the door. One time they literally had a foot race from opposite ends of the hall.
Santana won all but one time.

Another time, we came back from an excursion to Tulum very hot and exhausted. Santana opened the door for us. A minute later, he knocked on the
door and presented me with a big glass of orange juice! He knew just what I needed without my even asking!

Our room was a category 7, which is not on the luxury deck, but it was more than we expected, and much like staying in a hotel. As other people before
me have said, the bathroom was big, and the shower huge for a ship. We had purchased new over sized luggage recently for an upcoming trip to
Europe. I was afraid that it was going to be too big to stow in our cabin. We also had one normal sized piece. The big ones fit easily into the closets and
the other one slid under the bed. No problem.

There were not enough coat hangers, but Santana found some more for me. I had read about the hair dryer, so I took my own. Do take an extension
cord, as there are only two plugs, one in the bathroom and one at the desk / vanity. We also found a night light and an alarm clock handy. I did wish that
I had taken my makeup mirror because the lighting is not very good for putting on your face.

When we were aboard the Costa Classica, they made announcements over the loud speaker. Since they repeated them in Italian, English, German, and
Japanese, it became very, very annoying. This went on all through the day even though they had a written bulletin placed in each cabin every day. Thank
goodness the Mercury did not do this. We were kept informed by a daily written announcement that told us everything we needed to know, plus the
television had a ship channel that detailed everything of interest.

One thing that we had learned before was to book your excursions as soon as you can. The cruise line had sent us information about two weeks before
departure, so we had pretty well decided on which tours we wanted to take. One nice thing about the Mercury is that you can sign up for your excursions
via the interactive television. By the way, you can also check a running account of your on board charges by the television.

Our first port of call was Key West. We took the city tour on the Conch Train just to get an overall feel of the place. Then we walked around town and had
some key lime pie. We were only there for a half day, which was quite adequate. Any longer would have been too much.

At Calica, we experienced the only poor tendering service. It was also the only one that was not operated by the ship's crew, but by locals. The tender
boat was bouncing so much that it made boarding and disembarking downright hazardous. While ferrying to the shore, we presented the Mexicans with
a captive audience. There were three guys trying to sell us silver jewelry and one selling T-shirts. The jewelry looks pretty, but most of it will turn black
before you get back home, if you know what I mean. We opted for the Tulum tour. The weather was extremely hot that day, and we were very glad that
we had brought along some water. Be sure to take a wide brimmed hat and wear walking shoes. If you have never seen Mayan ruins, Tulum is
interesting; and the view of the ocean is really beautiful from there. However, we saw Chichen Itza several years ago; so Tulum was somewhat
anti-climatic. On the return trip we were served a box lunch that had been prepared by the ship, not by the locals. It was actually rather good, and very
filling. In retrospect, we both are glad we went to Tulum, but wish we had gone to Xcaret.

Cozumel was our next stop. We had spent a week in Cozumel on a dive trip a few years ago, and I was very skeptical about spending a whole day there
this time. We had bought the place out when we were there the first time, so I was not particularly interested in the shopping, at least not a whole day of
it. We decided to take the excursion on the Mermaid, which is a sub ocean viewer boat. Think glass-bottomed boat, but you're looking out of glass sides
instead of bottom. You are four feet under the water, but it seems as if you are much deeper. The view was very good, and my camera worked fairly well
taking pictures through the glass without a flash. A word of warning though, if you are claustrophobic or get seasick easily, you might want to go
shopping. The sitting area is tight, but quite adequate. After you get to the viewing sight, seasickness is not a problem. However, leaving the dock is
rocky, and there are lots of air bubbles speeding past the window which bothered some people. But, it only lasted a little while until we arrived at the
sight.

If you have never been to Cozumel, be sure to attend the port lecture the day before the ship arrives. The lecturer has lots of tips on where to shop and
what to watch out for. He will warn you about the things to look for before you purchase jewelry, especially silver and gem stones. There are good deals
on gold chains, even at the name brand stores; and they will negotiate the price.

On Grand Cayman, Mike went on the snorkeling trip to Stingray City. He had a wonderful time. He advises taking the earliest tour because there are
considerably less people out there at that time. He was able to touch the stingrays, and they came right up to him and ate out of his hand. He said that
the area is only about four feet deep, so even non-swimmers can go.

That afternoon, we took the Island Sights tour. It consisted of visits to the Cayman Turtle Farm, a stop at Hell, and a trip to Stingray City via catamaran.
The turtle farm was interesting, the stop at Hell was different, but Stingray City was unbelievable. We took a very big catamaran out to a sub ocean viewer
that was stationary. Then we climbed down into the viewer and sat there watching the stingrays. A diver swam around luring them right up to us with bits
of food. All the while, another guy was telling us about them and answering questions. Their wing span averaged about six to seven feet, and they
weren't even as big as the ones Mike had snorkeled with!

We felt that the excursions were fairly priced. For the two of us, it cost $372 to go on the Conch Train, Tulum, sub ocean viewer at Cozumel, Cayman
Island tour, and snorkeling for Mike.

As for the shows on board, we attended the Celebrity Theater every night. The shows that were put on by the Celebrity Singers and Dancers were
exceptional. I was impressed by the girl who sang the music from Phantom of the Opera, and the group's rendition of Les Miserables was as good as
any I have seen on stage. The stand up comic, Noodles Levenstein was an absolute riot! He was so funny that we bought his tape and cracked up again
when we played it for our neighbors at home.

Needless to say, the Mercury itself is beautifully decorated. Although the artwork was a little too abstract for my taste, I could appreciate its appeal. I was
amazed at the overall stability of the ship. I was not in the least bothered by any rocking. Also adding to our comfort was the quietness of the rooms. Very
nice.

The embarkation was extremely well organized. Because we had the Air/Sea program, we checked our luggage at our local airport and didn't have to
worry with it at all. The next time we saw it was outside our door on board. We were met as we stepped off the plane and guided to a bus which
transported us to the dock. The boarding process was smooth and timely. The only thing that was a tad disappointing was that when we stepped aboard,
it was not into the grand foyer. On the Classica we arrived by way of the impressive, several stories high grand entrance. That was somewhat more
exciting than boarding the Mercury.

Since we know we want to sail again with Celebrity, we purchased the Captain's Club package the last day. This gave us a totally no hassle
disembarkation. We left the ship before the others; and our luggage was awaiting us in a specially designated spot, not mixed in with the hundreds of
other pieces. That alone was worth the extra dough, not to mention future advantages on our next trip.

We would recommend the Mercury to anyone who wants to be treated like royalty basking in luxury!

Name: Kimberly Stanley
Email: kimberlystanley@yahoo.com
Age: 29
Occupation: Web developer
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: 11/22/98
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 89
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff:
CabinAmenities: 87
FoodLidoDeck: 83
DiningRoomService:
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward:
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 82
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 86
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram: 83
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 93
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 82
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 11 Dec 1998
Time: 11:39:31
Remote Name: 208.225.13.12
Remote User:

Comments

My boyfriend Gary and I went on a 7-day Western Caribbean cruise over Thanksgiving (11/22-11/29/98) on Celebrity’s Mercury.
This was our first cruise. We are both in our late twenties and live in Manhattan. I wanted a ship with a gym and spa and Gary
wanted a cruise with interesting ports. We both wanted good food and good service. The Mercury was all this and more.

We arranged to stay over in Ft. Lauderdale the night before our cruise. Both our airfare and the overnight stay were handled
through Celebrity. We were on Delta and flew from La Guardia at 8:30 am arriving in Atlanta at 10:45 am where we changed to
another Delta flight which left at 12:30pm. We arrived in Ft Lauderdale around 2pm. When we arrived in Ft Lauderdale, there was
a Celebrity representative there to meet Celebrity passengers, which included Century cruisers who were sailing that day, as well
as the Mercury cruisers. There was a bit of confusion over the luggage. When I got our tickets, some baggage tags were
included. We were instructed to attach these tags to our luggage before we checked it in at the airport. Upon embarking the
Mercury, our luggage would be taken and brought to our cabin in a few hours. It was recommended that we take a carry-on bag
containing any clothes we might need for dinner – since our baggage might not be brought to us by then. When we arrived in Ft.
Lauderdale, the Celebrity representative told us that our luggage was to be taken directly to the docks and would be held for us
until the next day. However, this turned out to be a mistake. I think she thought we were sailing that day as opposed to the next.
We went up to the baggage claim area and collected our luggage. We got on the bus with the other Celebrity cruisers and were
taken to the docks to drop off the Century passengers. We were then taken to our hotel – the Airport Hilton and told to be in the
lobby at 1:30 the next day to be taken back to the docks to board the Mercury. The Airport Hilton was an okay hotel. I can’t
really recommend it since there was a lingering mildew smell in our room and many of the bathroom fixtures were rusty. Also,
there was no mini-bar. The grounds it was on were very nice – but there wasn’t anything to do. The beaches and shops were not
within walking distance. There was some sort of nightclub called Doubles on the grounds, but it was clearly out of business. The
concierge called a van to take us to the beach and shops area. It cost $12 with a $2 tip. We took the van driver’s number so we
could call to be picked up and returned to the hotel. The beach area was really nice with lots of restaurants, shops and bars. We
had a nice dinner at a restaurant called H2O, went to some bars, did some shopping and walked along the beach. When it came
time to go back we hailed a cab. The cab driver took a really long way back and although it was nice and interesting to see some
more of Ft. Lauderdale, it took about three times as long to get back to the hotel and it was more than twice as much. I would
recommend using the drivers provided by your hotel concierge. Frankly, the only reason we had decided to stay over the night
before cruising was in case there was a problem with our flight being late. We didn’t want to miss the ship because of holiday
congestion. Also, we hadn’t been to Ft. Lauderdale. However, in the future, I will probably always fly and cruise on the same day.
If I ever again stay in Ft. Lauderdale, I will make sure and stay in a hotel on the beach.

On Sunday, 11/22 we waited in the lobby to be taken to the docks. There were many others also waiting in the lobby to be taken
to the Mercury. Since there were too many of us to fit on one bus, it would take as many as it could, drop them off and return to
the hotel for more. When we didn’t get on the second bus, we took a cab with two California ladies to the Mercury. It was $6 a
person for a 5-minute ride (I come to the conclusion that cabs are over-priced here). Upon arriving at the docks, we went inside
the terminal and went to the gates where we showed our tickets and our identification. As we boarded the Mercury on Deck 5,
we were subjected to the first of many coerced photographs – which were put on display outside the main dining room. These
were taken almost every night at dinner and after dinner, as well as each time we disembarked. If you like any of the
photographs, you could purchase them. There was only one set we liked, which we purchased for $15 (1 4x6 and 2 2x3s).

We were in cabin 8138 and were located right up the hall from the Michael’s Cigar bar, which is in the middle of the ship. When
got to our cabin, our cabin steward Lourencio let us in and showed us around. We were in a Category 5 room which is an 172 sq.
ft. outside stateroom with a big window, a queen-size bed (two twins pushed together) and a little sitting area and desk. The
design of the room and the bathroom was ingenious and we were easily able to put away the contents of five suitcases of stuff
without any crowding whatsoever. There were three full-length closets – two for hanging things and one with shelves and 4
drawers. There were also two good size drawers in each of the nightstands and three good size ones in the desk. The bathroom
had plenty of racks and shelves and cabinets to stow away all of our stuff. One thing was sort of unusual; there was a built in
hairdryer. You are not allowed to use a regular hairdryer (too much power) or an electric razor so don’t bother to bring these. On
the desk, we found our room keys, which are like credit cards. You use these cards to pay for drinks, and any other goods or
services you procure on the Mercury. There was also a little newsletter that explained what events were going on that evening.
We got these little newsletters every evening for the next day’s happenings. They were a very useful and a nice touch. There was
also a TV, which showed movies and news. There were also a few channels where a ship guy would tell you about ship events
and the next day’s excursions. Our favorite station was the "Side of the Boat" channel - it showed the view (24/7) from the side of
the ship that we couldn’t see from our window.

We went up to Deck 11 (which is the resort deck) and strolled out to the La Playa pool and got a few drinks. Everything was
beautiful – the moldings, the furniture and just everything. There was art and photography all over the walls. There was a slight
problem, as the bar by the pool did not have Stoli vodka. Actually, for the first day or so, I had trouble finding a bar with Stoli.
However, by Tuesday, I could always get it. A Stoli tonic costs about $5. This includes an automatic 15% service charge that is
applied to all drinks and spa/gym services. This seemed cheap for premium liquor +tip, but I am used to Manhattan prices. A soft
drink is about $1.50 and orange juice about $2. If you want to save some money, bring some soft drinks with you and keep them
cold in the mini-bar or in the ice bucket. You can also buy duty-free liquor on board which you could keep in your cabin to make
drinks. If you don’t remember to buy soft drinks or orange juice before the cruise, buy it at your first port. You can bring it on
board and no one will say anything.

Drink in hand, we took a tour of the spa and gym facilities, which were luxurious and immaculate. The spa people encourage you
to book any services immediately since they had limited staff and they get booked up quickly. This proved to be true when I
came back a few hours later and found that almost everything was booked up. I would recommend booking any spa services as
soon as you get on the boat or with your travel agent, before the cruise, if possible.

After our tour, we went back to the room to prepare for the lifeboat drill. This took place at 5:30 pm before we sailed (which was
at 7pm). You have to put on your lifejacket (these are kept in the top shelf of your closet) and when the alarm sounds, you go to
your muster station. Our muster station was the casino on Deck 7. We were then escorted outside to stand under the lifeboats,
where we learned what to do in the event of an emergency. It took about fifteen minutes. When we returned to our room, we used
our TV to book a shore excursion to Xcaret ($36pp), which is in Calica our Tuesday port. The tickets were delivered the next
evening.

There are two dinner seatings at 6pm and 8:30pm. We were in the later seating, which was nice because we never had to rush
for dinner. Also, we liked to have drinks and take in some of the entertainment before dinner. The disadvantage to the late seating
is that you are eating so late. Dinner lasts a full two hours and if you are someone who has trouble sleeping a few hours after
dinner, you might want to consider the 6pm seating. The first night was a casual night and we sat at a table with three other
couples. Christine and Jay were from New Jersey and on their honeymoon. Jeanne and Craig were from Philly and were veteran
cruisers. Linda and Richard were from Colorado. I must say we really lucked out with our dinner companions, as everyone was
very nice and intelligent and enjoyable to talk to. Jeanne and Craig were especially helpful, as they knew a lot about cruising and
the ports and shore excursions.

The service was excellent. I didn’t get the name of our server and his assistant but they did a great job. The food was good,
although if you are vegetarian you should ask for the vegetarian menu. There is rarely a vegetarian dish on the regular menu. I
ordered from the vegetarian menu twice on the nights they didn’t have turkey or chicken entrees (the only meat I eat) and neither
was very good. Also, at the Palm Springs Grill (by the Palm Springs pool in the back of the ship) veggie (and turkey) burgers
were served which were awful. Mercury gets low marks for vegetarian fare. Another food complaint I had was that there was rarely
an entirely chocolate dessert - not even ice cream. I am quite the chocolate eater and skipped dessert 2-3 times rather than eat
a non-chocolate dessert. However, they did serve chocolate pastries everyday at 3pm in the Tastings bar, so I did get my
chocolate in. All and all the food on the entire cruise was quite good. And non-vegetarian people who don’t particularly care about
entirely chocolate desserts should have no complaints.

After dinner, we returned to our room, and found our bed turned down and chocolates put on our pillows (Yay!). They had also put
in fresh towels. Our rooms were straightened and fresh towels put in every evening during dinner and every morning during
breakfast. I think the fact that we rarely saw our steward or the housekeeper, yet our room was kept immaculate, is a strong
indication of the good service we received. Although, we didn’t every use room service, the Honeymooners (Christine and Jay)
that we ate dinner with did, (often) and said that the service was very good.

On Monday, 11/23 we were in Key West but only from 7am to 1pm. We had a quick breakfast in the Palm Springs Café where
there was a buffet/cafeteria breakfast set up. There was plenty of fruit (pineapple – yum!) and little muffins as well as the usual
eggs, bacon, potatoes, pancakes, french toast, bagels, toast croissants, oatmeal, cold cereal, etc. One thing that we noticed as
we were disembarking was how large the Mercury was compared to other cruise ships docked along side us. We were to notice
this again and again in the various ports.

Key West is a pretty New Orleans/Galveston type of town with lots of shops and bars. There are several famous sites here such
as Ernest Hemingway’s house and Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville. We walked around for a few hours and took some pictures. We
also bought a twelve pack of Diet Coke for me and some large bottles of water for our trip to Xcaret the next day. Both these
things are expensive on the Mercury. We returned to the ship around 12:30. Around 2, we went into the Palm Springs Café again
to grab some lunch. At 3pm we got some pastries that were being served in the Tastings Café. I recommend the pastries highly.

Around 5:15pm Gary and I went for a spa treatment – Rasul. This is a $80 treatment for couples and we got ½ an hour in the
Thalossotherapy pool with our service. The Thalossotherapy Pool is basically a big saltwater jacuzzi with very hard jets of water.
The jets are positioned to hit areas that are frequently sore - such as your lower back and shoulders. At 6pm our therapist came
to get us for the Rasul treatment. Rasul is a treatment where you are alone in a steam room and put mud all over your body and
face and hang out in the steam for about 20-25 minutes. There are these little cubbyholes where you can sit during the
treatment. When the steam stops, you rinse off using showerheads positioned above and to the sides of you. When you step out
of the steam room, there you can apply these oils for your body and face and then you are done. We had this fabulous glow for
the rest of the night and my skin was really soft for days afterward. I would recommend it. Drink some water after this therapy.

Monday was our first formal night and we hung out in the casino and the Navigator’s Club disco until dinner. It was here that I had
a sinking realization that the obnoxious teenage girls that we had seen (and heard) in Key West were on the ship. After we left
American waters, the drinking age went down to 18 and they were taking full advantage of it. They were part of a whole family –
'The Cruisin Lewins' (I know because they all wore t-shirts that said this) and were generally rowdy and whiny the entire cruise.
Their parents seemed not to care and they ran unchecked the whole time. I saw the security guard have to physically eject some
of the younger guys from the disco (under 18 wasn’t allowed in the disco after 11pm). By the end of the cruise all of our dinner
companions and us had many stories about these Lewins and their general nastiness that we had personally experienced. Poor
Christine and Jay had a cabin right next to them and had many stories of fights and screaming coming from the Lewins cabins at
all hours of the night. There were actually 4-5 large family groups on the cruise and all of them were well behaved with the
exception of the Lewins. When this sort of thing occurs, there isn’t a lot that the cruise line can do. The cruise people are trained
to show people a good time, not to police them. If you can avoid being in a cabin next to large families groups, you should.

On Tuesday, we were in Calica and we went to Xcaret, which is an eco-park. It was beautiful and lush. It is located on Mayan
ruins, which are incorporated into the park. There is an aquarium where you can learn about the local marine life and even learn
about different salt-water aquariums and how to set them up. There are large underwater tanks where you can see sharks and
dolphins. We got some great pictures of the dolphins in these underwater tanks. There were other animals - spider monkeys,
jaguars, turtles, alligators, butterflies, birds and deer. There was an underground river that you could snorkel through and beaches
to swim and snorkel in. If you get there early enough, you can sign up to swim with the dolphins, but it gets booked up early.
There was a reproduction of a Mayan village, botanical gardens and various shows going on throughout the day. We spent about
5 hours there and didn’t get to see nearly everything. We would definitely go back there - it was fabulous. When we returned to
the ship, we grabbed some pizza, which was served everyday from 3-6 at the La Playa Grill. The pizza was quite good.

On Wednesday we went into Cozumel. We took a taxi to Playa San Francisco, which I had heard was the nicest beach in
Cozumel. Boy was I disappointed. It was really crappy. There was lots of debris on the beach and in the water – I am guessing
that they hadn’t completely recovered from hurricane Mitch yet. There were only these old wooden chaises to sit on which were
really uncomfortable and that you had to pay for. You couldn’t sit directly on the sand because it was full of ants. There was a lot
of bulldozing going on and trucks full of dirt trundling around the roads. We might have enjoyed it more if we had gone into San
Miguel and done some shopping – it is my understanding that there is nice jewelry to be had cheaply there. We went back to
ship after about an hour. Before dinner we caught one of the lounge acts – "Shout" which is a group of guys that were doing early
Beatles songs. They were fabulous and sounded just like the Beatles. I went to see them 2-3 more times during the cruise.

Thanksgiving was an at sea day so we hung out mostly by the pool. We also took advantage of the card room and had a formal
lunch in the dining room where we usually have dinner. During lunch in the dining room, you get seated at a table as you come
in. We sat with two other couples. One was a young couple from Long Island. The other was an older couple (late seventies-early
eighties) who was from Portland. They were very interesting and had cruised everywhere – including Australia and New Zealand. I
would recommend trying the lunch in the dining room at least once during a cruise, since it is an opportunity to really see the
beautiful, main dining room, which is always dimly lighted during dinner.

Thanksgiving dinner was really great. Gary and I had the turkey, which was really good. After dinner we went to the Tropical
midnight buffet and party which was lots of fun. There were fruit buffets and drinks as well as ice carving. One of the ship’s bands
– Onyx – was playing and teaching people how to do various dances. Everybody had a great time.

On Friday, we were in Grand Cayman. I guess there wasn’t a place where we could dock, so we were tendered to the shore. We
did some shopping and walked on Seven-Mile Beach for hours. Although the water was very clear and blue at each place that we
visited, Grand Cayman had the bluest and the clearest water of all. The beach was perfect. There were white sands like powder
and the water was a perfect temperature. There were beautiful hotels all along the beach and we went into the Weston Hotel
(which was really beautiful) to grab a cab back to the docks. We decided that we would come back to Grand Cayman very soon
to spend some time there. I regretted not doing any snorkeling at Grand Cayman and will certainly do some whenever I come
back.

Friday was the second formal night and we went to see Shout again – this time they were doing the Beatles Psychedelic years
and they did songs I have never heard done live and did them very well. Saturday was an at sea day so we hung out on the deck
most the time. It got really windy in the afternoon and I went back to the room to pack. At dinner on the last night we gave the
gratuities to our waiter and his assistant ($50 and $28) as well as the maitre’d ($10). We had left the gratuities for our room
steward and the head housekeeper ($50 and $7) in our room. These were the recommended amounts. I know that there were
some people who didn’t give anything to the housekeeper or the maitre’d, but we wanted to do the right thing. Tipping is very
personal. When we got back to our cabin, we finished packing and tagging our luggage and put it outside to be picked up and
taken off the ship in the morning.

On Sunday morning, we went down to one of the lounges to have our airline tickets processed (we got boarding passes) and to
get airline tags for our luggage. We had our last breakfast in the Palm Springs Café and hung out until we were allowed to
disembark which was around 9:30. In the terminal, we got our luggage and tagged it and got on the bus to take us to the airport.
Our flight was at 11:10 and we landed in La Guardia around 2.

All in all, the entire cruise was marvelous. The service was excellent, the food was very good and the Mercury was beautiful. All
of the public lounges, restaurants, bars were beautiful and well proportioned. The entertainment was wonderful and there was
always plenty to do. Although I didn’t do everything, if I had wanted to, I could have taken dancing lessons, played Bingo,
participated in an art auction, gone to the movies, learned about computers, played any number of sports or attended various
lectures. There were also many activities for children. There were apparently about 300 children on board and there were activities
for all ages. It wasn’t cheap – about $250 per person, per day, but I could have easily spent that staying in a resort for a week.
You can get less expensive accommodations (inside cabins) and buy sodas and liquor to keep in your room to cut down on your
drink bill. Everyone on the cruise seemed to be having a wonderful time (except for 'the Cruisin Lewins' of course – they were
always complaining about something) and I didn’t hear anyone saying anything bad about anything. I would recommend this cruise to anyone.

Name: Derik and Cari Bruins
Email: dbruins@lex.infi.net
Age: 28
Occupation: Engineer, Pharmacist
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Mercury
SailingDate: 11/15/98
Itinerary: Western Carribean
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 83
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService: 88
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 83
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 92
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 87
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 81
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 75
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 70
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 83
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 86
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 92
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 86
DeckSpace: 88
Stabilization: 82
ShopsOnBoard: 88
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 15 Dec 1998
Time: 17:56:12
Remote Name: 206.31.221.77
Remote User:

Comments

This was our first cruise so we didn't know what to expect. We were joined on the cruise with 4 other couples so we had a small
group. We strongly recommend cruising with some friends, it definitely made the trip more enjoyable.

Before I get started with the specifics, in general, the cruise was a great experience. The Mercury is a fabulous ship and all-in-all
it was a wonderful vacation.

I'll begin with the most important thing... the food. The food was overwhelming. We ate in the Manhattan restaurant every night
and it was amazing. Being in a group, we got to taste pretty much everything that was served on any given night. Every night was
a five course meal and the best courses almost without fault were the soups and the entrees. In general, the steak and seafood
entrees were fabulous. We also usually caught the buffet for breakfast or for lunch. The food was very good at the buffet but not
spectacular. We had late seating for the Manhattan so we were usually too full to partake in the midnight buffet.

The excursions varied in quality. We did several excursions and we had mixed reviews:

Key West: We considered doing the catamaran snorkeling trip at Key West but when we woke up the morning when we arrived
there, it was pouring rain. We decided instead to go shopping. We shopped for a little while and then ended up at a bar with the
rest of our group called Sloppy Joe's. We spent most of our time there. That seemed to be a good choice because the shops
seemed to be your typical tourist type places.

Cozumel: We decided to go on a snorkeling trip in Cozumel. The trip was pretty good. They took us to a reef on the south side of
the island. The water was pretty clear and there were plenty of fish. However, the water was about 25 ft. deep and unless you
were a pretty good snorkeller, you couldn't get deep enough to see the cool parts of the reef. On the way back to the north side
of the island, it began to pour which dampened us literally and figuratively. But that was no fault of the tour. Several people in our
group chose to take the party barge excursion. They said it was the most miserable experience of the entire trip. The staff on the
barge was extremely unproffessional and they were very good at harrassing the women. They also were compelled to moon every
boat that happened to pass them. The drinks were also terrible.

Calica: Calica was interesting. We weren't quite sure what it was all about but we managed to make out pretty good. We were
debating on wether we should take a taxi up to Playa Del Carmen and do some shopping and hanging out on the beach or go to
Xcaret which was billed as a type of theme park. We chose Playa Del Carmen. The beach there was absolutely beautiful. We
spent most of our time there and really enjoyed the day. The shops are right off the beach and very convenient. Apparently Xcaret
would have been an excellent choice as well. We heard nothing but good things from other passengers.

Grand Cayman. In Grand Cayman we signed up for the Stingray City excursion and without question it was the best thing we did
the entire cruise. Stingray City is actually about a mile out from the shore. The water is only about 3-5 ft. deep out there. The
stingrays were amazing. It's beyond description so I won't even try. I would recommend that anyone who visits Grand Cayman
definitely do a Stingray City tour. We booked through the ship but had we known better, we would have booked from an
independent tour boat that also takes you snorkeling along the reefs.

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