The embarkation was OUTSTANDING. By the time we were processed through and got to our cabin our bags were there! Incredible! The only issue was the tuxedo ordered via Celebrity. It arrived shortly after the luggage but was missing the ordered shoes. Our steward, Fatkul, immediately went on a mission, located the tuxedo people and returned with the missing shoes. (The first formal night resulted in another omission of the tuxedo folks -- no suspenders! For formal nights 2 and 3 Fatkul again came to the rescue with a pair of braces borrowed from one of his buddies. The customer relations folks on deck 3 were of no help in remedying the suspenders matter despite a couple of attempts.

Our cabin (with veranda) was as expected. Fatkul and staff kept us well stocked with ice and water throughout the cruise and were notably punctual at the requested 5 p.m. ice delivery. He was quite inconspicuous but we always had the feeling he was present...and indeed he was whenever a need arose.

The public rooms were well kept and clean. The meals in the Trellis were usually quite good. The service of Raoul and Joie was excellent. Special requests made once were not forgotten for the duration....nice job. They were pleasant and efficient. The same cannot be said for the sommelier. He was not very good at keeping people's glasses filled where warranted. He was also just average in his knowledge of wine. The maitre 'd hotel, Donuto, was a very pleasant young lady who attended to every table with the same amount of pleasantness and, in some instances, playfulness. She enhanced the dining experience at our table of 8. We dined with another couple from our table at the SS United States one evening. It was their first cruise and they were celebrating their 50th anniversary. They also happen to be quite the gourmands. As this evening was at our recommendation we were confident it would be a memorable dining experience. And indeed it was! The entire staff, from maitre 'd Dominique Gamba and head waiter Christin Bell to everyone on the team were extremely pleasant, professional and, very importantly, full of personality. It was not only a memorable dinner, the entire evening was fun. We returned several times during the trip (during off hours) to talk with Dominque and Christin...both of whom take great pride in "their" restaurant and in their profession. A treat not to be missed! Read more