My first cruise on Celebrity or any other cruise line for over 10 years. My pre-planning was a nightmare at first. Problems getting good information on cabin locations. Had to change 3 times to finally find the right cabin for us. Hugh problems getting through to customer service. 15-20 minute hold times not common.

Final mess was receiving a email 4 days before departure saying all spa reservations had been cancelled because of Canyon Ranch taking over the Spa. Called Canyon Ranch and they had no clue what it was about. They weren't planning on taking over until April. As it turned out after many hours of hold time it was a mistake. Not a good start. I really lowered my expectations on the over-all cruise experience.

Now the fun part. I was totally taken back by really how good a cruise it was. For 3000 people onboard, the staff and ship itself made us feel like we were on a much smaller ship. The food was solid, not great. The presentation was always done very tastefully. The service was excellent for the most part. Felt like we were staying at a JW Marriott or a Four Season's resort. Read more