The ship is beautiful, new, shiny, contemporary and nicely decorated. We have some issues with the design. More on that later. We are Diamond members on Royal Caribbean (RCCL) and have been told many times that Celebrity is a bit of a step up from RCCL. We either had over estimated in our expectations or we have become so accustomed the RCCL cruise experience that others don't measure up - perhaps loyalty programs aren't such a bad idea for the cruise lines. they lock in your expectations.

The food was excellent. The quality was some of the best we've experienced. The "buffet" had a wide variety, nicely presented, fresh and hot. The dining room was also good but we felt the selections were a bit limited. Dessert was nearly identical every nite. The lobster nite was perfect. We liked the outdoor - fantail dining area of the buffet. Very nice place to enjoy lunch or breakfast as you watch the ships wake.

The Lawn Club hammocks are a nice addition. Deck 14 fantail had very comfortable chairs with a nice view and a nice breeze. The dining room had ivory walls which was a very nice change from the heavy, dark Renaissance/Mediterranean decor of the other ships. The shops were very upscale but carried the traditional jewelry, watches etc. We liked all the automatic doors on the public floors to go outside - especially if you had your hands full. We were treated as ELITE members which we were anticipating - thought it would be special - not so much! Read more