Overall Score
| BERLITZ'S RATING |
| |
Possible |
Achieved |
| |
| Ship |
500 |
443 |
| Accommodation |
200 |
180 |
| Food |
400 |
326 |
| Service |
400 |
322 |
| Entertainment |
100 |
76 |
| Cruise |
400 |
318 |
| |
Celebrity Constellation is a sister ship to Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Millennium, and Celebrity Summit (the Celebrity Millennium-class ships). Jon Bannenberg, the famous mega-yacht designer, dreamed up the exterior featuring a royal blue and white hull, and racy lines in red, blue and gold – although it has turned out to look quite ungainly. This is the fourth Celebrity Cruises ship to be fitted with the “pod” propulsion system (see page 29) coupled with a quiet, smokeless, energy-efficient gas turbine powerplant (two GE gas turbines provide engine power while a single GE steam turbine drives the electricity generators).
On one side of Sky Deck, there is a huge bronze sculpture of a gorilla holding a fish under its arm; created by Angus Fairhurst, it is titled “A couple of differences between thinking and feeling.”
One delightful feature is a large conservatory located in a glasshouse and spreading across a whole foyer. It includes a botanical environment with flowers, plants, tress, mini-gardens and fountains, all designed by the award-winning floral designer Emilio Robba of Paris. It is directly in front of the main funnel and a section of it has glass walls overlooking the ship’s side.
Inside, the ship has a similar standard of decor and materials, and public rooms that have made the existing ships in the fleet so user-friendly. The atrium (with separately enclosed room for shore excursions) is three decks high and houses the reception desk, tour operator’s desk, and bank. Four dramatic glass-walled elevators travel through the ship’s exterior (port) side, connecting the atrium with another seven decks, thus traveling through 10 passenger decks, including the tender stations – a nice ride.
Facilities include a combination Cinema/Conference Center, an expansive shopping arcade with 14,447 sq. ft (1,300 sq. meters) of retail store space (with trendy brand name labels such as Fendi, Fossil, Hugo Boss, and Versace), a lavish four-decks-high showlounge with the latest in staging and lighting equipment, a two-level library (one level for English-language books; a second for books in other languages and reference material), card room, music listening room, and an observation lounge/ discotheque with outstanding views. Michael’s Club (originally a cigar smoker’s haven), is now a piano lounge/ bar. An internet cafe has almost 20 computers with custom-made wood-surround flat-screen monitors and internet access.
The artwork throughout the ship (particularly the sculptures) is eclectic, provocative, thoughtful, and intelligent, and at almost every turn another piece appears to break the monotony associated with large spaces.
Gaming sports include the ship’s overly large Fortunes Casino, with blackjack, roulette, and slot machines, and lots of bright lights and action. Families with children will appreciate the Fun Factory (for children) and The Tower (for teenagers). Children’s counselors and youth activities staff provide a wide range of supervized activities.
After the downturn in business following 2001’s terrorist attacks on the US, new management was brought in to restore Celebrity Cruises to the premium product envisioned when the company first started. Improvements introduced in 2003 have restored the art of hospitality and provide a taste of luxury for all. For example, on days at sea (in warm weather areas) if you are sunbathing on deck, someone will bring you a cold towel, and a sorbet, ice water and iced tea. Little touches like this differentiate Celebrity Cruises from other major cruise lines.
A cruise aboard a large ship such as this provides a wide range of choices and possibilities. If you travel in one of the suites, the benefits include the highest level of personal service, while cruising in non-suite accommodation is almost like in any large ship. One thing really is certain: cruising in a hassle-free environment such as this is hard to beat no matter how much or how little you pay. The onboard currency is the US dollar. A 15% gratuity is added to all bar and wine accounts.
Note that there is, sadly, no wrap-around wooden promenade deck outdoors. Standing in line for embarkation, disembarkation, shore tenders and for self-serve buffet meals is an inevitable aspect of cruising aboard all large ships (however, more flexible embarkation hours do help to spread the flow), but the worst time is when large numbers of passengers return from shore excursions and have to wait to go through a security check; the result being long lines outside the ship. The ship’s two seating dining and two shows detract from an otherwise excellent product, and this ship (together with sister ships Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Millennium and Celebrity Summit) can be said to provide the very best of the ships in the Premium segment of the marketplace, providing a taste of luxury for those who book in the largest suites.
Berlitz Guide © Apa Publishing 2010
Berlitz Guide © Apa Publishing 2008
