Monday, July 9, 2012

Celebrity Cruises--What I like about them


Celebrity Cruises What I like:

Excellent customer service—they go above and beyond to:

--Add that extra touch (hand you cold towels in gym and when re-boarding from port visit, hand you sorbet by pool)

--Red carpet return to ship (hot chocolate, cold towels, cold beverages, hot soup etc) Pre-port visit coffee/pastries deck 4

--Resolve issues vs. defend and recite company policy

--They asked for feedback on how to improve service on THIS cruise before waiting till the end

Celebrity Equinox-Solarium

High energy, creative, variety of shipboard activities: wellness, enrichment, culinary, entertainment, lawn club, glass blowing show and more.  100s of activities on TA.  Passengers were fully engaged

Friendly, help staff. Everyone smiles and they all say hello

Spa Café-healthy dining

Solarium

Food is very good.  Nice presentation.  Seafood buffet. No need for steak knives here—meat is always tender.

Made to order stir-fry, pizza, eggs, pasta, burgers, Caesar salad, ice cream sundaes, crepes, fish, and more.

Officers interact with guests.  Pool volleyball contest, slot games, poker challenge, ping pong contests, dance contests, chefs cook-off etc.

Onboard future booking program-$100 deposit; 3 category upgrades, OBCs, fully refundable

Ship is beautiful elegant and clean.  (They are CONSTANTLY cleaning!)

Staff doesn’t point to things; they take you there.

Only 1 daily announcement, at noon, from captain

Not in your face trying to heavy sell

Passengers: happy, friendly, polite, well-traveled

Newspapers in multiple languages

Great free, contemp  movie choices and taped shows on TV.  MSNBC

Expanded room service menu

Decent exchange rate and no fees

The coffee





From my Celebrity Equinox Transatlantic and Easter Mediterranean (25-day) Back-to-back cruises April 16-May 11, 2012

Zumba Classes

Thriller Dance lessons and performances

Equinox cast in nightly shows

Port lectures

Games

Solarium

Spa Café

Stir Fry

The Food in main dining room

The ocean café

Aft Deck-outdoors-Ocean Café

Lawn Club

Swimming Pool

Interesting Loungers in pool area

Gym towels, Cold towels

Quasar

Karaoke

Comedian, Juggler, Magician and other entertainers

The friendly, helpful staff

Beautiful ship

Line Dancing, Ballroom dancing

Welcome back to the ship red carpet service

Glass elevator

Cookies

M&Ms on ice cream sundae bar

Room service menu

Cologne/perfume shop—little room off side


Thursday, July 5, 2012

7-country, 12-night Russia & Scandinavia cruise on Aug 24-Sept 5, 2012:

In 50 days, I will take a 7-country, 12-night Russia & Scandinavia cruise.   Of note, I took this same cruise on NCL two years ago.  I will use the same great tour companies for visits to St Petersburg and Berlin.

12 nights departing August 24, 2012 on Celebrity's Celebrity Constellation



 
ITINERARY

DAY
DATE
PORT
ARRIVE
DEPART
Fri
Aug
24
4:30pm
Sat
Aug
25
At Sea
Sun
Aug
26
9:30am
Midnight
Mon
Aug
27
At Sea
Tue
Aug
28
10:00am
5:00pm
Wed
Aug
29
7:00am
Thu
Aug
30
6:00pm
Fri
Aug
31
8:00am
5:00pm
Sat
Sep
1
9:00am
4:00pm
Sun
Sep
2
At Sea
Mon
Sep
3
10:00am
6:00pm
Tue
Sep
4
At Sea
Wed
Sep
5
5:00am



Places Where I Have Traveled *=more than once

  • India
  • China
  • Dubai
  • Israel
  • Russia*
  • Iceland
  • Cuba Aug 2016
  • Egypt*
  • Indonesia
  • Tahiti Feb 2016
  • Northern Ireland
  • Cook Islands Feb 2016
  • New Zealand Feb 2016
  • Australia Feb 2016
  • Belize
  • French Polynesia Jan 2016
  • Mallorca
  • Shetland Islands
  • Faroe Islands
  • Brunei
  • Morocco*
  • Brazil*
  • Philippines
  • North Borneo
  • Crete*
  • Ionian Islands*
  • Singapore
  • Hong Kong
  • Azores*
  • Norway
  • Dodecanese Islands (Rhodes)
  • Bosnia
  • Palestein
  • Croatia
  • Romania
  • Argentina
  • Ecuador
  • Tunisia
  • Corsica
  • Bulgaria
  • Columbia
  • Peru
  • Montenegro
  • Columbia
  • Chile*
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Uruguay
  • Jordan
  • Gibraltar
  • Turkey*
  • Bermuda
  • Estonia*
  • Viet Nam
  • Finland*
  • Malta*
  • Thailand
  • Guatemala
  • Crete*
  • Jamaica*
  • Panama*
  • Grand Canyon
  • Scotland
  • Niagara Falls
  • Greece*
  • France* lived there
  • Japan*
  • Bilbao, Spain*
  • Canada*
  • Costa Rica
  • Bahamas*
  • Banff Hot Springs
  • Hawaii*
  • Italy*
  • Catalina Island
  • Luxembourg*
  • St Johns
  • St Marteen/St Martin
  • St Thomas
  • South Padre Island Texas
  • Mexico*
  • Vatican City*
  • Austria*
  • Denmark*
  • Monaco
  • Portugal*
  • Belgium*
  • Holland*
  • Ireland*
  • Alaska
  • England*
  • Sweden*
  • Switzerland*
  • Spain*
  • Germany*
  • Madeira

Events/Experiences

  • Pyramids at Giza
  • Taj Mahal
  • Climbed Great Wall of China
  • Western Wall-Jerusalem
  • Transited Panama Canal 3X
  • Rode Camel in Tunisia
  • fathom Adonia--1st US cruise ship to Cuba--Aug 2016
  • Old Town in Havana
  • Burj Kalifa in Dubai
  • Saw Kangeroos, Wallabees, and Koalas in Australia
  • Kayaked in Bay of Islands, New Zealand
  • Vaparreto # 1 in Venice
  • National Museum in Brunei
  • Saw Geysers Erupt in Iceland
  • Drink at Raffles Hotel-Singapore
  • Fish Spa in Greece and Philippines
  • The Peak in Hong Kong
  • Pedicab Tour in Manilla Philippines
  • Road Amalfi Coast, Italy
  • Chewed Gum in Singapore
  • Marched in St Pat's Day Parade in Dublin
  • Sailed Kotor Bay
  • Old Bridge in Mostar, Bosnia
  • Smithsonian Museums-DC
  • Toured Ancient City of Petra, Jordan
  • Transited Suez Canal
  • Rio for Carnivale 2X
  • Cruised along Cinque Terre, Italy
  • Fish Spa in Corfu, Greece (teeny fish scrubbed my feet!)
  • Subway in Russia
  • Flash Mob (dance) on stage on several cruises
  • Visted 21 Countries on 5 long cruises in 2012
  • Ceviche in Peru
  • Cremation Service in Bali
  • Saw Lamas in Lima
  • Vasa Museum-Stockholm
  • Buddhist Monastery in Viet Nam
  • Drove Amalfi Coast
  • Queen Mary 2
  • Berlin Wall
  • Mummies In Cairo Museum
  • Jordan River; Sea of Galilee
  • Hot Air Balloon Ride Over Luxor at Sunrise
  • Transited the Pirate-Infested Gulf of Aden
  • Ski Dubai
  • Fellucca Ride on the Nile at Sunset
  • 16-day Europe/Transatlantic on Queen Victoria
  • Tahrir Square-Cairo
  • Toured Pompeii
  • In Fashion Show Aboard Queen Victoria
  • Rode Elephants in Thailand and India
  • 7-Country Baltic Cruise
  • Hermitage Museum
  • Checkpoint Charlie
  • Transatlantic Crossing on QM2
  • Climbed Tikal in Guatemala
  • Mediterranean Cruise 6 countries
  • Audience with Swami in Rishikesh, India
  • Poetry Class in France
  • Kissed Blarney Stone
  • Pike's Fish Market in Seattle
  • Photo with Snake Charmer in India
  • Dacau near Munich
  • Hitchhiked from France to Scotland
  • Climbed Washington Monument in DC
  • Oktoberfest in Bavaria
  • Toured Panama Canal
  • Wine Country in France, California and many others
  • Guest of Placido Domingo in Chicago
  • The Alamo
  • United Nations
  • San Diego Zoo
  • Helicopter over Grand Canyon
  • Club Med in Cancun
  • Eurailpassed Twice Thru Europe
  • Hollywood
  • Albuquerque Hot-Air Balloon Festival
  • Rodeo in Dallas/Ft Worth
  • NCAA Playoffs in Charlotte and New Orleans
  • Cucchi Tunnels in Viet Nam
  • Grammys in New York
  • Paella in Spain
  • Rain Forest in Costa Rica
  • Xmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on 5th Avenue
  • Niagara Falls
  • Disney Land & Disney World
  • Voodoo Museum New Orleans
  • Cancun Jazz Festival
  • Reggae Sunsplash in Jamaica
  • Las Vegas for Trade Shows
  • Key West for Hemmingway Festival
  • Art Classes in Louvre
  • Black Ski Summit in Vail and Colorado Springs
  • Texas State Fair
  • Mardi Gras in New Orleans
  • Italian Class in France
  • Nude Sunbathing in St Marteen
  • Danish Pastry in Denmark
  • Palace of Knossos Crete
  • Anne Frank House Amsterdam
  • Karaoke in Japan
  • Leaning Tower of Pisa
  • Lobster in Maine
  • Belfast Black Cab Tour
  • Dozens of Transatlantic Sailings