Background: I am in my early sixties; my wife is in her late fifties. Our adult daughter in her mid thirties also joined us. This was the fifth cruise for my wife and I and the second for our daughter. This was our first Celebrity cruise having previously sailed Princess and HAL (twice each).

Pre Cruise: We flew into Fort Lauderdale the day prior to sailing and stayed overnight at the Embassy Suites on 17th Street. This is a very nice hotel, but pricey during the Florida tourist season - $339.00 per room including a shuttle to the ship and taxes.

Embarkation: We arrived at the pier at noon. We were met by a very friendly and helpful porter who helped us with our luggage tags and seemed genuinely interested in our welfare. Although signage indicated porters were on salary, this gentleman deserved and received a nice tip. Upon entering the registration area we waited about thirty seconds to register, etc. and were on the ship itself with five minutes. Truly the most efficient and friendly embarkation experience we have ever had. Upon boarding we were greeted with complimentary champagne. I immediately went to make reservations for the Olympic (more about that later). Read more