This isn't your typical cruise review, so if you're a first time cruiser, you might not want to read this. I don't want to turn you off cruising before you even start! Cruising, I believe, is the best vacation you can take. I'd go again next week, if I had the time.

OK now, Mar. 15, was Embarkation Day: Normally we like to get to the pier about 11am so we can get checked in, and get up to the cafe for lunch around noon. This cruise, we got to the check in at about 10:45, got our Sea Pass cards, and were told that Immigration still hasn't released all the passengers from the previous cruise, and that embarkation would be delayed. Almost 3 hours later, the word came down that the ship is now cleared to accept passengers. This was in no way an issue that Celebrity could be blamed for. We got onto the ship at approx. 2:30pm, was handed our complimentary glass of champagne, and then headed up to the Oceanview Cafe for lunch. The cafe is like the Windjammer Cafe on the Royal Caribbean ships that we normally cruise on, except I don't think there was as much food. (This got my first Hmmm.....) We ate in the main dining room the first night, and at that point made up our minds that we wouldn't be eating there every night. We had a table for 4, my wife and I and two friends that have cruised with us before. Our table was between a table for 2 at the window, and another table for 4. We were the first ones there (of the 3 tables), followed shortly by the other 4-some, and a few minutes later, the couple by the window. Now, normally if you are the first to arrive, you are the first to be served. Not here. Once all 10 of us were seated at our 3 separate tables, the waiter started to hand out the menus. He then took the orders of the other 4-some, ours, and then the couple. The waiter was very professional mind you, and his assistant waiter (who was also his wife!) was very attentive to our needs as well. They did make the meal enjoyable, but it did take a little over an hour for dinner, and we're not ones to sit at a table that long. Also, because there's only 2 floors to the main dining room, they seemed to use up all the floor space they could for tables, and it felt a little claustrophobic. After dinner, we went to the theatre for the Welcome Aboard show, and this is when I felt that this cruise wasn't going to be like a Royal Caribbean cruise. The cruise director, Jason, just didn't seem to have the energy that other cruise directors have. The sound and lighting in the theatre also didn't seem to be the best. But, this is still the first night, so let's wait and see. Not like we can just get off and go to another ship!

Days 1 & 2 - At Sea days: The 2 days at sea were alright, with a calm sea, but a little on the windy side. We couldn't really sit on the cabin veranda because of the wind, and deck 14 above the pool, and the Lawn Club and Solstice Decks, were also very windy. At one point, the wind picked up one of the lounges and dropped it onto another one! On day 1, I took in a bit of the action on the Lawn Club, watching the golfers putter around, and also watched a bit of the Hot Glass Show. Should've checked that out later in the week too, as it seemed pretty interesting. We just kind of wandered around the ship, checking out the different areas, the shops, the Internet cafe, for the 2 sea days. Speaking of the Internet Cafe, or Celebrity Online as they call it, this is one area that I believe Royal Caribbean has a better idea. On Celebrity, they give discount coupons to Captains Club members for the internet packages. Even though this was our first cruise on Celebrity, we are Diamond members in Royal's Crown & Anchor Society which, when we enrolled in the Captains Club gave us the status of Elite members. This got us each a coupon for 90 minutes of internet for $49.95. We had to buy the $49.95 package, hand in the coupon, and a day later, we got the credit. And you do all this with the Celebrity Online staff. On Royal Caribbean, you go to the Guest Relations desk, hand them the coupon from the C&A Coupon book for the 90 minutes of internet, and they put the credit right on your Sea Pass card. When you log in or out of the computers, you know how much time you have left. Read more