This was only the second cruise for this ship so when we boarded, we actually had a new ship smell. I was very excited after hearing so many great things about Celebrity on Cruise Critic and I expected this to surpass just about all of the previous lines that I had cruised with including Cunard and Holland America, but this was not the case.

First of all, the good points were that the ship is stunning and the most beautiful that I have seen, both in and out. Champagne at embarkation, nice touch. The two specialty restaurants that we dined in were Murano and the Tuscan Grill. They were both excellent and my favorite was the handsome Tuscan Grill with the view of the ship's wake with floor to ceiling windows. Food in both restaurants was superb (although at a steep $35 per person surcharge). Several menu items were prepared by the table such as the lobster in Murano. Overall my favorite thing about the cruise were these two dinners. The balcony stateroom was beautiful and the bathrooms and shower were very roomy. Nice design. Comfortable beds, and bathrobes were a nice touch to the rooms. Lots of storage space. Colors throughout the ship were tasteful and soothing. Ship gets 10 out of 10 for design. We did a cocktail party in the observation lounge which I wish would have been utilized more as it is an amazing space. Lobby and shopping area were very beautiful and the martini bar was a very fun place to meet and have drinks and was always crowded and happening. One nice area was The Hideaway which was one deck down from us which always had a hot coffee station. This was nice to not have to go all the way to the buffet restaurant to get coffee during the day for first thing in the morning. There was always someone in there either reading or working on their laptop.

Now the not so good points. It became clear in about a day that there were starting to be issues that weren't just a matter of a crew on a new ship, but possibly management or policies by Celebrity. For one, the crew in the hallways and in the rest of the ship didn't always smile and greet you and the joke with all of the passengers toward the end of the cruise was "service with a scowl." Our cabin attendant although very friendly to us, didn't pay attention to all of our needs. I let her know that we like extra towels in the bathroom. She did it the first time, but then would not make up the bathroom with extra towels after that and we had to ask her every day for more towels. Soap and shampoo were also not replaced. This was also evident in our friends' cabins so it must be a policy. Not something that I expected from a so-called premium line. Read more