I wanted to clarify some other posters' remarks. We were on the ship in January for a short cruise of the Mexican Riviera. I wanted to review in context of a person who has traveled on celebrity ships quite a bit. The last poster was entirely correct about the dining room and the food. Celebrity has obviously started cutting costs and it has really begun in the main dining room. I also don't understand why celebrity charges $45 or now $50 for Murano for each person for specialty dining. I've traveled other cruise ships and have gone to specially dining – – like Royal Caribbean – – and we only pay $25 a person and the food was just as good as the celebrity specialty dining. For The main dining room and the buffet space, this was probably the blandest food we've ever had on a celebrity cruise ship. We were sorely disappointed in the food. Tasted more like the Carnival cruise ship. Having said all this, for those new to celebrity cruises, the ship is not representative of what most celebrity cruises are like. We thought the ship was by far the way the worst celebrity ship we've ever been on. This was our fifth celebrity ship and second non-solstice class ship. The ship was quite frankly very ugly. It's very plain and the common areas are pretty plain as well. The main rendezvous bar was so tattered and full of drinks spills and drink rings on the bar that it smelled like an old college bar. It was dark and ugly. The theater was also very ugly. We didn't find any room attractive on the whole ship except for the bar that serves the wine. It's located right outside of: bistro on five. Also, we found the staff to be much less friendly on this crew ship then on any other celebrity cruise ship. Maybe because it was a five day cruise -- I don't know. Also the cabins were very tiny. Thank God they had wall-to-wall mirrors in the Oceanview cabins or we would have committed Hari Kari. LOL there wasn't even enough room for a little couch. We just had a chair next to the two beds. Like the other poster said, the entertainment was quite good. It was surprisingly good. Celebrity is not known for their entertainment and this cruise ship ironically had the best entertainment of any celebrity Cruise we've ever been on. That has to do with the drama and dance group that is their regular players. The voices were top notch of the dancers, particularly one of them, were excellent. They did a range of musical numbers and all were well directed. They didn't rely on tired old gags and gimmicks – – the direction felt new and fresh. Great kudos those kids. We especially like the adult themed musical they did in the late hours of the night. So, for the poster who suggested that celebrity really isn't a notch above other cruise lines, don't let this cruise ship be your measure for celebrity cruises. If you went on a solstice class ship, you'd be singing a different tune. Or just really, any of the other celebrity ships! This one is definitely an outlier. We won't sell the constellation again. We didn't have a bad cruise because we always have fun cruising, but we just found that it was the poorest of all of celebrity's cruise ship offerings, by far. The ship was like an average Carnival or Norwegian Cruise lines ship. Sorry if my capitalizations are off in this post, as I'm using a voice dictation tool. Read Less

We are experienced cruisers, and always cruised with Norwegian Cruise Line, but this time decided to change things up and try Celebrity, and boy do we regret it. Food- Food in the main buffet Ocean View Cafe was just not good. Almost everything was bland, lukewarm and mealy. On multiple occasions, the cups and plates were dirty and stained when we picked them up from the rack. The main dining room San Marco has excellent staff, however the food quality is highly inconsistent. Entrees were well made but everything else was below average... they served caprese salad with those light brown balsamic vinaigrette dressing one can find at a Subway, which made it almost comical that they call themselves a gourmet restaurant ran by an Italian. The desserts were not great either; the chocolate cake was cold, tasteless, and soggy... it was overall a disappointing dining experience. NCL was MUCH better in taste, freshness, presentation, and are more generous in portion sizes. The premier restaurant Ocean Liners was excellent, we had a wonderful meal there, it was pretty much the only decent meal on board. It costs $50 extra per person, $90 extra if paired with wine. Facilities- Staterooms were outdated, which was fine, we knew this was an older ship when we signed up. It was not exactly spotless though, there was dust/hair clusters in the corners of the room and the grout between the tiles in the bathroom was coming off. We purchased SPA passes to use the Persian Garden, which includes 2 steam rooms, 2 "massage" shower stalls, and a room with heated stone seats. It was small, cold, and dingy. There was black mold all over the ceilings in both steam rooms, and the sauna temperature was so low it was such a joke. The SPA changing rooms were shared with the public, and only half of the 50 lockers worked, it also constantly smelled like someone just took a dump 10 minutes ago. SPA passes don't give the users any extra amenities, a tiny tub of body scrub costs $6 whereas NCL gives all SPA users a designated upscale changing room and unlimited access to two kinds of high quality body scrubs freshly mixed everyday. Entertainment- The productions in the main theater and the comedy shows were great. The cast worked really hard to provide the best entertainment they can. The Captain was a natural comedian, his announcements are hilarious and we always look forward to them, the Captain and the crew were the saving grace of our dull cruise experience. The DJ at the nightclub was just awful. He managed to clear a completely full dance floor within 30 minutes. His choice in dance music and transitions between songs are worse than my teenage sister's iTunes playlist from 2009. Most people at the nightclub just sit around and stare at the empty dance floor, waiting for a good song to come on, then eventually leave without even drinking. Don't count on the nightlife on the Constellation. Oh and get this- towards the end of the cruise, we learned that once in a while, a nudist community books the Constellation for an alternative lifestyle cruise. Meaning that everyone on the ship is always nude (except for formal nights) Great. I'm all for people who aren't afraid to express themselves, but I cannot help but think that every surface on the ship was also touched by an old man's butt crack, I mean, how well do they really sterilize the fabric chairs in the dining room? Overall we felt like Celebrity is just stretching dollars everywhere, from food to services. We are going back to NCL and will not be cruising with Celebrity again. Read Less

I'm in this cruise as I write this. What a colossal disappointment. I took this cruise over the Thanksgiving week to try and do something new compared to the traditional family dinner. Mistake. Pros: rooms are more spacious than expected. Very easy embarkation process. Cons: sad to say there are many....too much emphasis on upselling, tips, paying for a little extra. It completely ruins the experience. Worst experiences were in the spa and on one of the excursions. The spa, which is a Canyon Ranch, is terrible. They could care less about you or your time at the spa, for which you are paying a great deal of money. I had a very pushy, rude, aggressive spa tech named Renata try and push power whitening (teeth). She was like a pitbull who wouldn't give up a steak. I have veneers and told her even my dentist said power whitening on veneers is not going to do anything. She insisted this is it true. When Presented with the disclaimer before treatment, it clearly says, "this treatment will not have any effect on veneers, crowns or caps." When I pointed this out to Renata, she panicked and became very defensive. She then said, "Well...this will clean your teeth nice instead!!!!" No thanks. I have a dentist and a toothbrush for that." Clueless and rude - not exactly two qualities you want in a spa tech. Next was my acupuncture/massage treatment. The same guy, who claimed to be a doctor (no way in hell!) did three treatments on me. They started out OK, but the. Turned into a shameless schill to sell Canyon Ranch supplements and seaweeds. In the middle of one of my treatments, which was supposed to be peaceful, a knock on the door and the. Hands coming in disrupting the treatments and shoving Canyon One vitamins and a box of seaweed I the room for me to buy. No thanks. When I said I'd check with my physician on the validity and necessity of the Canyon One supplements, he shut down. He couldn't believe he missed a sale. Sorry, try another sucker. If the Canyon Ranch is purely licensing out their name to Celebrity Cruises, I'd seriously suggest reconsidering. The brand and credibility of the Canyon Ranch legacy has been tarnished because of this relationship. Next con was the excursion in Playa del Carmen. It was not only boring as hell, but an hour late to leave because the ferry operator was nowhere to be found. No excuse. Next,our guide in Playa del Carmen was lame. He was as engaging and interesting as a Manila envelope. Of course he constantly had to tell us, "hey listen...my last name is not Rockerfeller. I only survive on these tips, so be good when I pass my hat around." Jesus Christ. Get me off this boat. I set out I this cruise hoping to book my next Celebrity cruise to Austrailia. NO WAY! I'd never in a million years do Celebrity again. Creepy, rude staff (and creepy Captain). I'll pass. Read Less

Re: Celebrity Constellation, April 19 to 24, 2014. My wife and I boarded the Celebrity Constellation in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on April 19, 2014. Finding the parking deck in Port Everglades was a chore at best. However, our boarding was very quick with no lines. This was our fourth cruise and we were surprised at how fast we were booked in. Our first impression of the boat was inspirational. The ship was classy with grand nostalgic taste. Most of the newer ships have little or no traditional regalia. The crew was wonderful. They all seemed to be having a good time as rooms were changed and meals were served. We were waited on like royalty even though we had purchased discounted tickets. We got to meet the captain and his officers. They were all very friendly and jovial. At dinner, we had Pariaman, from Indonesia, who really made us feel like special guests. Pariaman took great pleasure in waiting on us. It was this kind of attention that is lacking on most cruises. Pariaman had charm and wit. Too bad all cruise ships do not have a Pariaman on board. Our first stop in Key West, Florida was surprisingly fun. We shopped and tasted the local specialties. On Tuesday, we arrived in Cozumel, Mexico. I recommend that you just stay on the boat. There is less than charming and goods are junk. The Cozumel people harked at us like so much cattle. They do not deserve your money or time. I highly recommend Celebrity Constellation and would gladly cruise with her grand ship again so long as the destination is not Cozumel. James and Sherrie Mercier   Read Less

We are unseasoned at cruising, so consider these comments with that perspective. Our previous cruise experience was limited to a 50-passenger trip though the Greek isles on the Sea Cloud -- a wholly different experience than that offered by a "traditional ocean liner." But we had been looking for the right opportunity to dip our toes in the water of large passenger ship cruising, and the Top Chef theme cruise -- only 4 nights 5 days on a highly regarded "luxury" line-- seemed an attractive introductory experience from which we might forecast our cruising future. Sadly our experience was very mixed. First, the Top Chef themed activities were simply wonderful. Cooking demonstrations, Quickfire "competitions," Q and A's with 10 years of fan favorites and winning "chef-testants," and Tom Collichio playing lead guitar and singing Creedence at the poolside stage-- we could not have enjoyed the themed events more. Bravo to Bravo and Top Chef for a well-planned and well-executed experience. And it bears saying that the Top Chef chefs and staff were all about the ship, interacting with the passengers, spending real time and making real connections. Every single Top Chef person -- and most notably Gail Simmons and Hubert Keller-- was as cordial, gracious, and engaging as one could imagine. A class act by a classy group in every respect. If only the ship and its staff had lived up to the standards of the reality TV folks. I don't want to nitpick, and we are seasoned travelers if not cruisers, so I have no problem rolling with the unexpected, but these seemed to us to be serious lapses in the cruise line's core functions: 1. Our "veranda suite." Oh, please. There is nothing "suite" or sweet about the suites. They are single rooms, with the tiniest bathroom you can imagine. The presence of a small upholstered love-seat in addition to the bed is evidently the defining feature of a "suite" on this line. For shame! We are not price-sensitive when it comes to accommodations and we booked the best available suite months in advance. Even so, one person must sit on the bed to allow the other to move anywhere in the room. The sound of the toilet flushing is enough to wake the dead. The shower delivers nothing warmer than room temperature water (but curiously, the water in the bathroom sink is hot). The veranda is a plastic-enclosed postage-stamp with 2 miserable plastic chairs. The TV cannot be viewed from the seating area, only the bed -- whose genius is behind that failure of space/function? The hallways are endless and narrow and laundry carts and food service carts are left parked permanently in key spots along the way. Suffice it to say that I have stayed in budget-priced Travel Lodges that were better designed and better appointed. The vaunted "Concierge Class" turns out to be three stems of Peruvian lillies (alstomeria) and three pieces of fruit. They were, all six of them, there when we moved in and they were there when we left. Requests for daily ice were hit and miss. 2. The food. Yikes! Awful in the Main Dining Room (San Marcos). The rib-eye was like pot roast; the duck was flabby and fatty and unrecognizable. Everything was unseasoned, overcooked, and bland. The onion soup was fine, and my husband had an appetizer of himachi one evening that was good. But even the vaunted Sunday brunch was cold bacon, toaster waffles served room temperature, and the same canteloupe, watermelon and honeydew that we had seen at every service for four days. Waiter service was fine, but entry and seating service was an ugly and unpleasant frenzy at every meal-- bossy and over-bearing staff, indifferent to guest sensibilities and preferences. The buffet was just dreary. Endless pans of curries and over-baked sludgy pasta casseroles. The rolls and pastries were stale every single day. The pizza was doughy, tough, flavorless, served room temperature. The sushi was unimaginative and unexceptional. The omelets were fine but took forever as that station was never adequately staffed. The hamburgers at the poolside grill were like frisbees in their lack of flavor or other recognizable meat-like qualities. We tried two of the specialty (extra price) food options, with good results. Bistro on Five had very nice panini, if an absurdly limited menu, and the bar across from Bistro on Five served a marvelous 7-item tapas platter for $19.00 that was a tasty and sufficient supper for two one night when the MDR menus was so dreary that we simply got up and left without ordering. The ship makes a big deal of its ice creams and gelatos, but both were sub-par, The ice cream, which I tried 3 different times, was full of ice crystals and inadequately flavored. The gelatos were no better. Pastries at the coffee bar were days past their sell by deadline. Drink service -- wine, cocktails, beer, sodas -- was very strong. No complaints at all although in retrospect the all-inclusive beverage package is over-priced but very convenient. 3. Ship entertainment. Way way way too much thumping pounding "music" -- everywhere, all the time. The passengers are mostly 45+ and even more. Why are we enduring hip hop and rap and disco music constantly? The comedian was unfunny and hostile to the (admittedly sparse) audience. The lectures and programs were almost all sales opportunities. The "art" auction was astonishingly huck-sterish and uninformed. Oh, I could say more, but what is the point? Truth be told by Day 3 we were looking forward to being done with this luxury vacation; by the 4th day we were avid to get off the damn boat; and by the time we docked, I was grateful to the point of tears that it was finally over. Embarkation and disembarkation are very well-organized and we were grateful for the ease of departing. I have tasked myself with the assignment due diligence and investigating whether our experience was typical, or was based on a bad choice of cruise line. If we need to spend more to have a good experience, I'll bite again. If what we had is what you get, then no -- never, never, never again. Read Less

After cruising with Norwegian, RCCL, Princess and Holland, we expected Celebrity would be a notch above. After all, they advertise themselves as "modern luxury" and that's what we expected. Wow, were we up for a surprise when we got to Celebrity Constellation. Nothing about this ship gave the impression of being better than the other ships we'd sailed, other than the price tag we had paid. The ship was old, the amenities were outdated, and the furnishings were awful. If you are okay staying at a Motel 6 or Quality Inn hotel, then Celebrity may be for you. If you prefer a nicer hotel, I would opt for all the other cruise lines I mentioned. Beyond the appearance of the ship, the towels were frayed, the bedspread was totally pilled, and when we asked for spare clothes hangers, they gave us a stack of wire hangers. When we then asked for plastic clothes hangers, they delivered us a stack of random plastic hangers left behind by prior cruise passengers, including store hangers and myriad other hangers, none of which matched. This was right in line with our newly created image of Celebrity. If you go online and look at Celebrity's photos of the cabins, it's impossible to tell how awful the cabins look as the photos are strategically taken and are very small thumbnails. So be warned. As for the entertainment, we expected it to be disappointing, and our experience matched our low expectations. Other than live music, their idea of entertainment pales in comparison to what RCCL, Princess and NCL offer. So come prepared to entertain yourselves, not to be entertained. Last but not least, unlike most other cruise lines, Celebrity does not make sure everyone uses Purell to sanitize their hands before they enter the buffet for food, so most people were entering without cleaning their hands. Lo and behold, for the first time in 10+ cruises I have taken, I came down with the Novovirus, leaving me with a fever, chills, terrible stomach aches, fatigue, and much more. Thanks Celebrity! The glimmer of hope for this ship was that the desserts were good, as was the bread, and housekeeping tried to do their best, even if the towels were frayed and the clothes hangers were of the cheapest kind. The bottom line: if you like the Motel 6, cheap hotel experience, Celebrity Constellation is for you. If not, steer clear. Read Less

This was our first time on the Constellation, although we sailed on the Galaxy last year. This was also our first transatlantic crossing,(in 15 cruises) and undoubtedly the cleanest ship we have ever been on. Furnishings, art work, and floral arrangements throughout are most attractive. The stateroom (Concierge Class) was quite comfortable and had more than adequate storage for two. Ship's personnel were unfailingly polite and responsive. Service at the ports of call was excellent for both pre-arranged excursions and solo expeditions. Where applicable the ship provided free shuttle service and there were uaually easy alternatives to the listed tours. On most days at sea one would hardly know the ship was moving; on one day of truly high seas a few of us had some difficulty walking, but there was no evidence of sea sickness, nor did things roll about on the stateroom shelves, as has been our experience in the past. Obviously the stabilizers work well. Entertainment was good overall, and spectacular in terms of stage effects and presentation on "big show" nights. The Theater is so arranged that all seats provide an excellent and comfortable view of the stage. Throughout the ship there were also many small musical groups playing most of the evening. We heard all of them, even the solo harpist, and they were outstanding, each in its own venue. We did find the food somewhat disappointing as we had on our previous Celebrity cruise, but we have dined in some of the world's finest restaurants and know that with thousands of meals to prepare, it is difficult to please everyone. In view of the following rating scale, I will add that embarkation debarkation went very snmoothly on the ship, but we were neither graciously greeted at the San Juan Airport nor were we given any help in getting our bags out to the traffic island where we were to await the bus to the ship - for a half hour or so. Read Less