General Overview
The Chandris Group, owners of budget Fantasy Cruises, founded Celebrity in 1989. Initially utilizing an unlovely, refurbished former ocean liner from the Fantasy fleet, Celebrity gained a reputation for fine food and professional service despite the shabby-chic vessel where it was elegantly served. The cruise line eventually built premium, sophisticated cruiseships. Signature amenities followed, including a martini bar, large standard staterooms with generous storage, fully equipped spas, and butler service for top suites. Valuable art collections grace the fleet, which merged with Royal Caribbean International in 1997.
Entertainment has never been a primary focus; a lineup of lavish, although somewhat uninspired, revues is presented in the main show lounges by production companies of singers and dancers. In addition to shows featuring comedians, magicians, and jugglers, bands play a wide range of musical styles for dancing and listening in smaller lounges. Cirque du Soleil performers add an interactive element to the custom-built Bar at the Edge of the Earth on
Constellation.
Two to five guest lecturers participate in the Enrichment Series program on every Celebrity cruise. Presentations may range from financial strategies, astronomy, wine appreciation, photography tips, and politics to the food, history, and culture of ports of call. Culinary demonstrations, bingo, and art auctions are additional diversions throughout the fleet.
There are plenty of activities, although you'll have to read the daily program of events to find out about them. There are no public address announcements for bingo or hawking of gold-by-the-inch sales. You can still play and buy, but you won't be reminded repeatedly.
While spacious accommodations in every category are a Celebrity standard, the addition of ConciergeClass, an upscale element on all ships, makes certain premium ocean-view and balcony staterooms almost the equivalent of suites in terms of service. A ConciergeClass stateroom includes numerous extras such as chilled champagne, fresh fruit, and flowers upon arrival, exclusive room-service menus, evening canapés, luxury bedding, pillows, and linens, upgraded balcony furnishings, priority boarding and luggage service, and other VIP perks. At the touch of a single telephone button, a ConciergeClass desk representative is at hand to offer assistance. Suites are still the ultimate, though, and include the services of a butler to assist with unpacking, booking spa services and dining reservations, shining shoes, and even replacing a popped button.
Food
Aside from the sophisticated ambience, the cuisine designed by master chef Michel Roux is reason enough to cruise on a Celebrity ship. Roux creates the menus personally and oversees all aspects of dining operations. His hands-on approach also includes revising menus every six months and assisting with training the executive restaurant staff. He also cruises on Celebrity ships approximately six times a year to evaluate the consistency of the quality and performance of culinary operations.
If you don't feel like dressing up for dinner in the formal dining room, an evening alternative is offered fleetwide in the Casual Dining Boulevard, where you'll find a sushi bar, pizza and baked pasta, healthy spa items, and an area where you can order from the dining room menu. Reservations are required, but there are no long waits, and reserving a table is usually not a problem. Cova Café serves specialty coffees and pastries in surroundings inspired by the original in Milan; some offerings carry an additional charge. Gourmet Bites, the late-night treats served by white-gloved waiters in public rooms throughout the ships, can include mini - beef Wellingtons and crispy tempura.
To further complement the food, in 2004 Celebrity introduced a proprietary Cellarmaster Selection of wines, which initially included a Russian River Valley chardonnay and a Sonoma County cabernet sauvignon.
Fitness & Recreation
Celebrity's AquaSpa by Elemis and fitness centers are some of the most tranquil and nicely equipped at sea with thalassotherapy pools on all but Zenith (complimentary on Millennium-class ships; a fee is assessed on Century-class). Spa services are operated by Steiner Leisure, and treatments include a variety of massages, body wraps, and facials. Trendy and traditional hair and nail services are offered in the salons.
State-of-the-art exercise equipment, a jogging track, and basic fitness class are available at no charge. There's a fee for personal training, body composition analysis, and specialized classes such as yoga and Pilates.
Golf pros offer hands-on instruction, and game simulators allow passengers to play world-famous courses (except on
Zenith).
Your Shipmates
Celebrity caters to American cruise passengers, primarily couples from their mid-30s to mid-50s. Many families enjoy cruising on Celebrity's fleet during summer months and holiday periods, particularly in the Caribbean. Lengthier cruises and exotic itineraries attract passengers in the over-60 age group.
Dress Code
Two formal nights are standard on seven-night cruises. Men are encouraged to wear tuxedos, but dark suits or sport coats and ties are more prevalent. Two evenings are designated informal, and other evenings are casual, although jeans are discouraged in restaurants. The line requests that no shorts be worn in public areas after 6 pm, and most people observe the dress code of the evening, unlike on some other cruise lines.
Junior Cruisers
Each Celebrity vessel has a dedicated playroom and offers a four-tier program of age-appropriate games and activities designed for children aged 3 to 6, 7 to 9, 10 to 12, and 13 to 17. Younger children must be toilet-trained to participate in the programs and use the facilities; however, families are welcome to borrow toys for their untoilet-trained kids.
A nominal fee may be assessed for participation in children's dinner parties, the Late-Night Slumber Party, and Afternoon Get-Togethers while parents are ashore in ports of call. Evening in-cabin babysitting can be arranged for a fee. Millennium-class and Century-class ships have teen centers, where teenagers can hang out and attend coke-tail and pizza parties.
Service
Service on Celebrity ships is unobtrusive and polished. ConciergeClass adds an unexpected level of service and amenities that are usually reserved for luxury ships or passengers in top-category suites on other premium cruise lines.
Tipping
Gratuities (in cash) are personally distributed by passengers on the last night of the cruise. Suggested guidelines are per person, per day: waiter $3.50; assistant waiter $2; maître d' 75¢; cabin steward $3.50; cabin attendant in ConciergeClass $4; assistant chief housekeeper 75¢; and, for suite occupants only, butler $3.50. Passengers may adjust the amount based on the level of service experienced. For children under 12 who accompany adults as third or fourth occupants of a stateroom, half the suggested amount is recommended. An automatic gratuity of 15% is added to all beverage tabs.
Past Passengers
Once you've sailed with Celebrity, you become a member of the Captain's Club and receive benefits commensurate with the number of cruises you've taken, including free upgrades, the chance to make dining reservations before sailing, discounts on shipboard purchases, and other benefits. Classic members have been on at least one Celebrity cruise. Select members have sailed at least six cruises and get more perks, including priority embarkation and debarkation. After 10 cruises, you become an Elite member, and can take advantage of a private departure lounge. Royal Caribbean International, the parent company of Celebrity Cruises, also extends the corresponding levels of their Crown & Anchor program to Celebrity Captain's Club members.
Public Areas & Facilities
Medium-size by today's standards, incorporates the traditional lounges, bars, and libraries passengers have come to expect on Celebrity's newer vessels, albeit on a smaller scale. Instead of a soaring atrium, Mercury has a high-ceiling lobby more reminiscent of something you'd see in a European boutique hotel than on a cruise ship.
While stylishly furnished, the decor in public rooms suffers from low ceilings. Mercury is a lovely ship, but the predinner crush can seem especially onerous when passengers appear en masse to enter the single formal restaurant. Not far from the dining room, the popular Martini Bar isn't quite big enough to find a seat unless you arrive early, but you can order the specialty drinks from a table in the adjacent Rendezvous Lounge. Think about selecting the intimate Michael's Club, with its comfortable seating and faux fireplace, for predinner libations instead.
Restaurants
The single formal restaurant serves evening meals in two assigned seatings and is supplemented by a casual Lido buffet, which requires reservations for the evening meal. A breakfast and lunch buffet, an outdoor grill, Cova Café, and 24-hour room service are additional dining choices. Waiters circulate through lounges serving late-night pizza bites and canapés.
What Works & What Doesn't
Handsomely decorated, some public rooms on the two mid-ship decks nevertheless suffer from distracting shiny overhead surfaces. Light bouncing off the dining room ceiling gives it a particularly dated look.
Lounges and nightclubs are spacious and comfortable. Nearly all adults should find a spot that appeals to them -- important on a ship with no balconies and little deck activity at night.
The youth staff do a credible job, but this isn't the ideal ship for youngsters since the children's playroom is small. Teens are also unlikely to be satisfied as there are no dedicated facilities for them.
Accommodations
Layout: Even without private balconies, accommodations are pleasant and spacious with more wardrobe space than most passengers need. Cabins are well-designed and use their space efficiently, and include ample closet and drawer - shelf storage and bathroom shelves for storage. Royal Suites have a walk-in closet; all suites have a combination bathtub and shower instead of just a shower.
Amenities: Light-wood cabinetry, mirrored accents, a personal safe, a hair dryer, and a small sitting area with either love seat or chairs and table are typical standard furnishings. Extras include bathroom toiletries (shampoo, soaps, and lotion) and a bathrobe for use during the cruise. Only the Royal suites add a CD player and VCR, while all suites include butler service, a small refrigerator, personalized stationery, and a tote bag. An expanded room-service menu is also available in suites, as well as afternoon tea service and evening canapés.
Worth Noting: A half-dozen standard staterooms overlook the stern with dramatic views of the ship's wake, but two of them (5160 and 5167) are adjacent to the children's playroom and can be noisy during periods when the kiddy program is in full swing. Four staterooms are designed for wheelchair accessibility.
Favorites
Our Favorite Spot for a Nightcap: The Fleet Bar is without a doubt one of the most successful observation lounges afloat. Even if it weren't huge, with a large seating area, dance floor, and a delightful nautical air, it would still qualify as best-of-the-best because the adjacent outside deck offers a fine view to starboard, port, and over the bow. Head there for port arrivals and departures and a bit of relaxation to end the evening.
Best Place to Get Away From It All: Although the ship does not have the Celebrity signature AquaSpa, a trio of whirlpools is set high up on an aft deck overlooking the ship's wake. Situated in such an out-of-the-way spot, these whirlpools are relatively private and seldom crowded.
Best Splurge: Any of the special treats at Cova Café is worth the small additional charge.
