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104 Celebrity Caribbean - All Cruise Reviews
Sail Date:
January 2017
We arrived in Florida the previous day to sailing, stayed at a hotel for the night and went to the port the next day. We had our luggage tags already via mail so they took our luggage and we went into the building to get through security ... Read More
We arrived in Florida the previous day to sailing, stayed at a hotel for the night and went to the port the next day. We had our luggage tags already via mail so they took our luggage and we went into the building to get through security and get our boarding passes. We were next in line when a man named Pedro was asking " Is anyone using a birth certificate or passport card to board?" We were so I raised my hand. He told us we needed to go to Miami to get a passport card and explained they were not accepting those forms to board the ship. He wrote down the passport offices address in Miami and told us that when we get there not to take a number, but to go to the counter and tell them you need a 1 hour passport and its for a ship that leaves at 4:00pm today. This was at 11:00am. 47 minutes and $72 later the cab dropped us off at the passport office. It was PACKED. We went right up the window like Pedro said and told them we needed a 1 hour passport for a ship leaving at 4 and the woman said they she'll see what they can do. Long story short for the passport office, we were the last ones to leave the office at 5:30pm.. ship leaving us for sure. We had friends onboard that told the crew members to keep our luggage in our room that we would be coming. We met 12 other people that were also rejected out of line for using a passport card/birth certificate as well. All 12 of us missed sailing time. We flew into Grand Caymans that night with the clothes we had out our back, a purse and his wallet and stayed in the cheapest hotel we could find which was a Holiday Inn for $196 a night. The ship was due to port 2 days later.
On the 10th out of 6 scheduled ships that were supposed to port, only 1 did because of the winds. This made us worried. We rented a car and went to the port authority who sent us to Bodden shipping company, the local company that would be tendering the ship if it did port. They contacted the ship via email and explained that there was now 8 of us that were on the island and more to be coming the next day waiting to board. They replied with saying if the weather allows they would be coming to port as expected. The weather for the next day was supposed to be 5mph faster wind then it was the day the ships didn't port so we were losing faith. We were asked to be at the port at 6:30am when it opens so if they did hear anything they could let us know so we can make future plans. Our cell phones did not have service in the Caymans to communicate easily plus we had no phone chargers because they were in our luggage so when they died wifi did not help. We bought all our meals for those days with out spending money for excursions and trinkets.
LUCKILY, the ship did come in on the 11th. We met with the Guest relations manager, who did not apologize for any inconveniences or anything along those lines. He just asked for our names and cabin numbers and wrote them down on his roster and moved on. We were checked into customs at 9:30 and tendered to the ship. They made us both a seapass and key card for out room and told us to pick up our passports when they notify us. We picked them up a few hours later with a letter saying on the last day we needed to be ready to leave the ship at 6:30am to be the first ones through customs.
Once aboard the food was amazing. We were an Aqua Class suite which gave us complimentary dining at a restaurant named Blu. The food there was amazing. The wait staff was very friendly and remembered our names after a few days.
The entertainment was lacking. If you aren't into the casino, shop sales, or fitness you might be lost with nothing to do. There was a main show nightly at 7 and 9pm, 2 of which we enjoyed.
The crowd was 100% OLDER. Like over 60 older. We're probably as old as some of their great grandchildren.
The buffet food was also great. Most of the foods did not change day to day and it was fully closed to switch over from 11am to 12 noon, 3-3:30, and then again from 5pm-6pm. We always seemed to hit it when it was closed or at full capacity. It was a game trying to find a seat. You had to send someone to find and hold your seats while the other person went for food. Good luck if you're a party of 3 or more.
We did go on one excursion through the ship which turned out to be a huge mistake. This was in Cartagena Columbia. It was the Hop on Hop off with the choice of getting off at 14 points on the tour and catching another bud every half an hour. We recommend that you DO NOT GO ON THIS TOUR.. unless you want to be constantly hassled to buy sunglasses, purses, paintings, maracas, hats, anything and everything. We couldn't hear anything our tour guide said because these vendors were swarming and would not let us go. Afterwards we heard many of the older people say they bought something just so they would stop asking. We had enough about 10 minutes into that tour and decided to just walk back to the ship ourselves because it wasn't worth the harassment. If we hadn't done that we wouldn't have seen an outdoor animal exhibit they have at the port! It was amazing with peacocks and parrots out in the open iguanas and monkeys in the trees and just other animals running around. I recommend you check this out if you port in Cartagena Columbia.
We did our own tour in Colon Panama. We got the price per person down to $20 from $35 to drive us to the Panama Canal. Do not let them overcharge you. Join with another couple if you have to just for the cab ride. We were a group of 4 on this tour. If you do not speak Spanish, I recommend you ask for a cab driver that at least speaks some English. We got to the canal took the tour, snapped pictures, and watched the video about the making and history of it. When we were finished, out driver brought us back to the ship. We tipped him $20 making our bill $100 for the 4 of us and he was more than thankful.
We also did our own tour in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica. We once again haggled our cab ride down to $20 a person with a $20 tip at the end. We chose to go to the Veragua Rainforest. The ticket for the tour we chose were $75 a person for the 'gondola' ride (pretty much an enclosed ski lift for 8 people) and the walk through exhibits with the frogs, butterflies, and spiders. We thought it was strange that on the tour they will show you which frogs are poisonous and in the next room you can walk through and actually see them out on a leaf about 3 feet away. That would never happen in America. There area also huge spiders in the dark transition rooms if you look and are lucky. I love bugs so I was looking but if you do not you might not be so happy.
At our 2 day stop in Cozumel, Mexico we decided to do our shopping for t-shirts and such for family and friends. At a few of the shops they sell t-shirts for 7/$20. You should grab them! But make sure you are getting US sizes. There are 3 different sizes on the tag. If you are getting a pricier item, offer them something less and see if they accept. I wanted a dress that he was asking $40 by the time we left he said $20 take it or leave it, which we did because we noticed a hole and he was telling us a fake story about a poor woman making the dress in a village and its soft so her baby's face can touch it.. No.
That evening, 4 us got a cab to Senor Frogs club. It was about 3 miles away and the cab ride was $8 (which was the minimum). It was a ghost town so one drink later we got a cab back.
The second day in Mexico, we got a cab ($15) to Paradise Beach. It's a $3 fee to enter and sit on a chair, $18 to do everything which included snorkeling, paddle boarding, and inflatable obstacles. There was also a $10 minimum food purchase which you may as well get the food because you're going to get charged for it anyways. They do not supply towels so bring your own. $31 a person for all day plus whatever the cabs charge you. Totally worth it for us. Cab ride back was also $15.
Our plumbing was down in our room for a 12+ hour period starting at 4am. It was automatically flushing once every hour somehow, but was terrible to go to midship to find a restroom in the middle of the night and also during the day. Our room's toilet had a constant urine odor when you used it as well.
During the sea days, we exchanged mannyy calls with guest relations and they requested us to come to their office to discuss what has happened and to total our costs during the days we missed. We explained what happened, that we were very unhappy with the process and that we would not be cruising with Celebrity in the future. Our total came to ~$2200 including the flights, hotels, cabs, rental car, food etc. all of which we kept our receipts. Eventually we were given a $500 on board credit against our already $3000 bill and 2 $350 nontransferable future cruise credits that we will not be using and can't sell.
On the last day we got an automatic wake up call at 5:15 am because we had to be in the group that did not get on board at the original port. We had to go through customs and walk our bags off at 6:30am. We didn't have time for breakfast or to relax or enjoy the pool for the last day.
We did enjoy the food on the cruise, but we went to on vacation to get away from stress and involuntarily had to deal with it on the ship and trying to meet with the ship. The entertainment was ok.. but we would not recommend this to people from 18-40 who like having fun and need something to do. Read Less
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