Celebrity Constellation Review
A Fun and Family Friendly Experience
Rating by category
Additional details
We arrived at the Port around 12:15 and parked in the convenient garage. I should have dropped off the baggage before parking but luckily we didn't have so much stuff that it mattered. The process of getting on the ship was efficient, although the man taking photos for the card ID was rude, a rarity on the trip.
The gangway aboard took us to mid-ship deck 3 right in front of the guest services counter. They had complimentary champagne and this did not create a feeding frenzy as it would have on Carnival, a good sign of things to come. Once we got the bags into the room on Deck 9 I went back down to guest services to reserve dinner at Tuscan Grille for our last night aboard. This took about 15 minutes. Afterwards our family of four hit the buffet on deck 10. The buffet didn't change much day to day during lunch. There was a carving station with hot meat like turkey and roast beef and a selection of gourmet cheeses and even cold luncheon meats. Another hot section was called gourmet, but you were likely to find mashed potatoes and chicken breast and a fish selection. Near the back of the ship was a pizza buffet. There was also a Panini grille, and some Asian selections and a custom pasta bar. It was thorough and a better selection than Carnival. Our lunch choices were varied during the cruise. One day we ate in Key West. Another day we ate at the waiter service restaurant on Deck 4. Kids ordered hot dogs and hamburgers there and we ate a Cobb Salad although New York Strip was available too. We probably would have skipped the buffets altogether except that the kids preferred faster service.
If you have kids then the Fun Factory is the name to remember. Our daughters 4 and 7 spent a great deal of time there even begging to stay for dinner or the late night slumber party. The kids were not happy when we came to pick them up. The young ladies working there were superb, always friendly and helpful.
Cabin Review
Deluxe Ocean View with Balcony 2B
You might be worried that this room is so close to the elevators. It this had been a Carnival Cruise I'm sure it would have been noisy all through the week. We only heard merriment on the first night and never again. The location was great for having two younger kids. Two flights up to the Fun Factory. One Flight up to the pool deck. This room configures for four people with one loft bed and one sofa chair that converts to a single bed. This goes along with a king size bed that can be split into two twins if necessary. There were two power outlets that made charging our Nooks and iPads easy through the week. We also plugged in the kids noise machine that creates a constant white noise that helped all of us sleep. The balcony has no obstructions and room for two chairs and two small tables. We're introverts not into the pool scene and we found the balcony to be the perfect respite from the crowds on sea days. The only drawback is no waiter bringing drinks. On the first sea day we spotted a school of dolphins jumping the wake of the ship. At that moment my wife felt the cost of the verandah was worth it. I don't think we'll book a room without it ever again.Other features of the room include a flat screen Samsung TV, a small desk, and a good amount of closet space for a week long cruise. Being on the starboard side was the best view for Key West and Cozumel while in port. We could see the whole of Key West from our cabin.