This was our first time on Celebrity. We choose this cruise because of the itinerary, repositioning cruise up the West Coast. We flew into San Diego and spent a few days there, and then a few days in Vancouver at the end of the cruise. Embarkation and disembarkation were fine/typical. The ship is beautiful, the clientele a little older. We were among the youngest at 54. We loved the suspended tree, library, Team Earth space. I have to mention (as if Celebrity will see this review), for the muster, people are not interested in watching a cheesy video on how to put on a life vest. What should've taken 5 minutes took more like 20 because of the video, which we didn't even watch (we listened, tho) because the video screen for our section was broken. Skip the gimmicks and let us get back to our cruise! The Cruise Director Alejandro and "Super Captain" Leo were outstanding. When we couldn't drop the tenders for transport into Monterey, "Super Captain" Leo got us a spot in San Francisco, so we could spend two nights in San Fran instead of another sea day. We take the stairs a lot and I found the railings were always gummy/sticky, even though I frequently saw someone cleaning them. I tried not to touch them because I knew I'd find a gummy/sticky spot and it grossed me out. We spent the sea days in the Solarium, which we loved, but I never saw a waiter asking us if we wanted a drink or anything. The Sky Lounge on 14 is a beautiful space but we were kicked out one evening because we weren't in the Captain's Club. It's a huge space and hardly anyone was in there, but out we went. The evening entertainment was good except for one night - I can't remember what the show was called but it was supposed to be a Mozart fusion kind of show. We mostly just looked at each other like "What is going on?" Should've been so much better. But for the most part the entertainment was very entertaining. The show on the last night, Elyria, was absolutely beautiful and mesmerizing. The food was good, but there didn't seem to be much variety and I've seen much better presentation on other cruise lines. Note to Celebrity - scrambled eggs aren't supposed to be soupy... Overall we did have a nice cruise but we'll probably go back to another cruise line instead of Celebrity. Read Less

We are experienced cruisers (12 +), second time with Celebrity. We selected this itinerary for the Pacific San Diego to Vancouver route. My brother & his wife traveling with us, first time on Celebrity. Concierge cabins 2138 & 2140 on deck 12. We picked these so that we could have a combined balcony which worked great the first day. Until the trouble started with the excessive noise above us from the oceanview café - intolerable. Requested a move for both cabins. We are elite members (celebrity), diamond (RCCL). We were moved to a down graded cabin, we should have been upgraded. Moved to a far forward lower cabin away from our family & we had to ask for everything promised to concierge class. Concierge totally dropped the ball & when we complained to him personally, he was very defensive. Finally offered us $200 toward future cruise - big deal - not. Concierge class is a joke, a few amenities thrown on a standard balcony cabin, not worth the money. Canopes every day were no better than seagull food, which we did throw to them. We were embarrassed because we convinced our family to try celebrity for the first time. They usually sail Princess. Food is very average. Again these cruise lines are pushing you to use specialty dining. Big mistake. The shows were very boring and disappointing. Cruise director Alexandro was the only highlight. The ship is beautiful, the crew very pleasant, the captain very accessible. The embarkation process in San Diego was very disorganized. Shore excursion staff very good. The eclipse was the most rocky ship that we had every been on (12 cruises on other ships). The pacific was very rough so that could account for it, or maybe an unstable ship, not sure which or both. Celebrity makes big distinction in price & amenities for suites vs. all others. We did book a future cruise to take advantage of the offers but may cancel it. Biggest highlight - beautiful ship. Biggest disappointments - Cabin 2138 & 2140. C2 Concierge. Lack of respect for Elite class member & moved us to a down graded cabin. Read Less

We liked the itinerary and had not visited the West Coast since the 80`s.We got to San Diego a day early and enjoyed the city.Didn`t stop in Monterrey due to the heavy seas and the water was rough up to Seattle.Got two and half days in San Francisco and had a good time.The stop in Astoria Oregon should be eliminated and the extra time spent in Seattle a beautiful city.Victoria was great too.We ended in Vancouver and flew home but should have spent an extra day here. The cabin was great [a little dated] but kept spotless by a very good steward. The food was a letdown in both the Dining Room and the Oceanview cafe but the the service was excellent.I think the Celebrity is trying to force people to the Specialty restaurants or the top of the line cabins with their own restaurants. The captain was very visible and the Cruise Director was also very good. The shows were good. Embarkation was so-so. [we had to walk up a very steep plank] I will cruise Celebrity again for the combination of a good deal and interesting itinerary but being aware that the quality and variety of food has gone down. Read Less

Choose this cruise based on previous experiences with Celebrity plus ports. It was a mistake, This was he most disorganized, poorly managed ship I have sailed on. My mistake, don't cruise this far north this early in the year. It was freezing! Also don't cruise out of San Diego, their port facilities are completely inadequate. We wound up eating in the buffet most meals, due to the low quality of the food in the restaurant.In the be buffet: We wound up eating in the buffet most meals, due to the low quality of the food in the restaurant.In the be buffet: The quality of the food was the poorest on any Celebrity ship I have sailed on. Most of my cruises are on Princess, I used to tell people that one of the main advantages of Celebrity was the quality of the food. I no longer will say that. See the pictures for an example of the poor cuisine available in the buffet. If you are glucose intolerant,. there is a specially marked section for you. If you want no sugar, there may be one or two items, IF YOU ASK, that are NSA. After several complaints, they started labeling the NSA items. Change from breakfast to lunch should be Done an island at a time, not in mass! Use real eggs for omelettes not that stupid liquid. Consistency is awful. Hamburger has too much filler and not enough meat The most appetizing item in the buffet was usually the fresh apples, sad! The management of the ship seemed to go out of their way to ignore the needs of the passengers. As an example, the doors to the Captains Party opened 10 minutes before the schedules time - despite the long line of guests!. Also they go out of their way to get your money. We had one credit card for the cabin, however, the charges were kept track of on a person bases. Therefore, since all the charges were made on my cruise card, I ended up owing money, whereas my wife should a large (non-refundable) credit! They had "Coffee" cards, where for a discount, you could get 10 deluxe coffees. However, they refused to sell or even acknowledge that they existed,until the second day of the cruise. No Luggage concierge service in Vancouver. Read Less

Have just disembarked the Celebrity Eclipse following a 9 night Pacific Coastal Cruise from San Diego to Vancouver. We chose this cruise because we had sailed on the Eclipse 3 time previously and liked the itinerary. On embarking the ship we were greeted with the customary glass of champagne (make the most of it as it’s the last freebie you will get). The first thing I would say is that the Eclipse is not the ship it once was. The ship is looking a bit tired and does not seem to be as well maintained as it once was. Previously every time the ship was in port it was being painted, not so anymore! The soft furnishings have scuffs, rips and tears. That said, our cabin steward Salvadore was exceptional and kept our cabin tip-top. Be aware that every drink you order, be it tea, coffee or alcohol will be subject to the addition of a 20% Service Charge which is added automatically so the staff have no incentive to offer a good service. You have to wonder how much of this 20% is passed on to the staff! Maybe the American market is different to the European market and is geared around giving a low entry price and then charge for everything you can as an “extra”. The onboard shopping experience is poor with most shops selling over-priced tat. The Qsine restaurant concept has been changed, and whilst it is different, the menu is very limited, the old concept was much better and offered more choice. Murano continues to be the jewel in the crown when it comes to the speciality restaurants. The food and service here is exceptional. Tuscan grill is a good second choice. The Oceanview buffet restaurant offers a good choice but the food is only ever luke warm at best. Moonlight Sonata, the main dining room is OK but the quality and choice of food has declined. The staff here aren’t particularly attentive and seem to be lacking experience, there seemed to be a changeover of staff occurring during our trip. The entertainment is more East End than West End, maybe the Americans are easily pleased. We missed our stop at Monterey due to bad weather. Astoria has nothing of interest to offer and seems to be a stop for the sake of a stop. San Francisco was well worth it and the additional overnight in port due to us not stopping at Monterey was a welcome surprise. Victoria and Vancouver were both nice places to visit. Having travelled on Eclipse three times previously it was my favourite ship and I would have recommended it without reservation, unfortunately I can’t do this anymore. The Staff only seem interested in up-selling everything they can at every opportunity, even the bottled water in your Stateroom is now charged for. Eclipse is no longer a 5* experience it’s now 4* and declining experience. Hopefully the re-fit next year will restore Eclipses former glory. Read Less

We typically cruise for destinations and tours, but we live in Southern California, and picked this trip just to relax. We have been to all of the cities, some of them numerous times, so we did not book any shore excursions. We did get off the ship in every port, but toured about on our own in each location. Embarkation: We did receive an email advise us the there could be delays in boarding, as the ship was expecting an inspection, as it was returning to the US. We stayed across from the cruise port, so it was an easy walk to the port. They had plenty of porters, so dropping the bags was a breeze, and so was checking in. We were given a number, and then had to sit for 45-60 minutes waiting for our number to be called. This was the longest delay we have had boarding a ship, but never boarded on a repositioning cruise, so it might be normal. They were using the lower decks to load luggage and supplies, so the passengers were required to board climbing up 2-3 flights of stairs, or using long ramps to get to the ship. The last ramp was particularly steep, and you had people trying to climb up the ramp carrying, dragging or pushing their suitcases. Everyone had a backpack or small carry on, but there were people that didn't want to use the porter, and it made the boarding a bit scary, as they were nearly rolling back down on guests boarding behind them. Dining: We dined in Blu most evenings, and several times for breakfast. We have certain items that we enjoy from the menus, and found all of our meals to be very good, and consistent with prior cruises. The service was excellent, and we noticed that the waiters and assistant waiters learned our names and preferences, offering the items they knew we had asked for on a prior visit. The hummus spreads were changed to a rotation of veggie spreads, which I thought was a nice change. There were a few misses with having menu items, like berries or asparagus. We dined in Murano one evening, trying the Chateaubriand, which was excellent, and done to perfection. We haven't had good service or meals in Tuscan Grille on the first 2 cruises, but decided to give them a try. The waiter was efficient and very pleasant, and we thought both of our meals were excellent. Entertainment: We enjoyed the lounge and lobby bands in the evening. We did not go to any of the shows. Ship: The Eclipse is in fine shape. The cabins, and public rooms were kept clean. I was impressed to see staff cleaning and wiping the hand rails, and there was always attendants in the washrooms in the evenings. The furniture was in good shape, but the style is starting to looked dated, as newer ships and hotels are changing up furniture. Bars: The seas were rough on this cruise, so the bars were not all open during the day. At times the bars that were open didn't have all of the supplies they normally carry. Limes one day, bloody mary mix the next. We had to go to 3 bars to get a Coke Zero on one day, but other days they had them. I typically enjoy having a glass of good wine before dinner in the Cellar Masters, but stopped in 2 different nights, and no one was working. The last night, we stopped in World Bar, and asked for one of their drinks, and they didn't have the ingredients to make the drink. They have a pretty small menu of offerings, so we found it odd, that they were out of one of the drinks. Overall we enjoyed the trip. The weather prevented us from tendering in Monterey, but the captain was able to secure a slip in San Francisco, allowing us 2 nights in a fantastic city. We will enjoy the Aqua Class product, and will sail Celebrity again. This trip did have a few times that the restaurants and bars were out of common items. Read Less

Overall solid cruise. Friendly staff. Luigi (Cruise Director) Lauren and Chico (Activities) were all great and extremely personable. Dining room was great — I tried a lot of the fish, lamb, pork. Didn’t go for any of the up-charge dining rooms, although they pushed them a lot. Dining staff worked their tails off as usual to accommodate people. Ship is easy to navigate -- it's a good size, not a 'mega ship'. Cabin 3049 (inside) was small and a bit smelly and showed wear, but was very quiet and dark, so easy to sleep. The location was very convenient, near the gangways and not far from the main atrium and show theater. The thelassotherapy mineral pool near the spa is free and a real bonus! My favorite thing to do in the late afternoon was go and relax in the this mineral pool and then the sauna in the locker room, which has a large round window that looks out on the waves. Disappointing there wasn’t a formal tea (unless you are one of the more elite passengers). They do however put out tea items in the buffet restaurant in the late afternoon. Good itinerary—mostly did our own thing. Tendered twice, which went smoothly with the use of a ticket system. Lots of Americans, Canadians and Brits on board, several Europeans. I felt there could have been more daytime activities. It seemed like they had few activities, but they were very crowded because there weren't a lot of choices. My favorite thing was the 'silent disco'. Evening shows could have been more varied -- lots of singers -- but they were all excellent entertainers. The show theatre was never packed, which was nice. Easy to get a seat. The ‘show after the show’ in the Constellation Lounge is where Celebrity really shines! Embarkation in San Diego was long — 2 hours on your feet! Everyone complained about it. Disembarkation was easy. We stored our luggage at the port in Vancouver, spent the day there and then flew home later that day. Read Less

The itinerary of the cruise up the pacific coast to Vancouver was exactly what we wanted and in spite of a disaster on another cruise on the sister ship (Summit) we booked. From the embarkation at the port of San Diego, which was almost like a third world country port, to the embarkation in Vancouver was a tribute to total ineptitude. We had a dining room table for 11 but from the first night till the 5th nite on a10 day cruise one other couple and ourselves where the only one to actually dine. We asked repeatedly to have us moved to another smaller table but they refused.. Finally on the 8th day they moved us to another table and had another gentleman from open dining join us for the remainder of the cruise. We had booked over $1000 in excursions throughout the cruise. Each and Every one was a disaster. Misinformation, misdirection to meeting places etc.. They took us to Solvang California at 9:30 AM and the stores didn't open until 10:00AM. One excursion was scheduled for 9:30 AM and we received notice at 8: AM the same day that the cruise had been moved to 2:30PM after we had gotten up at 6:30AM in order to make the original departure time. We received so much credit back for complaints that we had enough to buy a new iPad and pay for a medical visit to the ships Dr. The Summit and the Infinity had noted they were refurbished recently but the Summit had spots and stains all over the upholstery in the Dining room and rust everywhere on both ships. They did update the area they added for the Blu Restaurant and the Aquaclass rooms but the rest were sorely neglected. Us plebians deserve some perks too!!!!! When we had to "tender"in several ports, I was almost afraid to get on the tender because of their poor condition and filthy windows and rust everywhere. I know this must sound lik esour grapes but we are faithful Celebrity cruisers and enjoy their cruises. We are booked on the new Edge in February and will be taking it again on a transatlantic in 2019 with a transatlantic in the fall of 2019, so we do love Celebrity. We hope that these heralded renovations of the older ships include these two ships or they should take them our of service!!!!! Read Less

We picked this cruise for 2 reasons. First, we really enjoyed our first Celebrity Cruise on the Solstice (Alaska-Tracy Arm Fjord) in 2017, after 4 prior cruises on different lines. Second, we liked the itinerary with 10 nights and only 2 days at sea. Ship: We were apprehensive that this older Infinity might be disappointing. However, we found this "Solsticized" ship to actually be nicer than the Solstice (other than the Persian Garden). Embarkation: Crazy easy; we got to SD cruise terminal at 11a, earlier than the official 11:30 "start" time. SD port terminal very efficient. Security took 5 minutes. 0 wait time to check in with Celebrity in our AquaClass section, and the other levels looked like no more than 15-20 minutes at worst. Bottom line, we were sitting on deck 12 about 20 minutes after the Uber dropped us off at the ship terminal. (Note, we were the only ship at the SD cruise port on our departure date.) Food: Very good; Blu was excellent for both food and service. We bought a package for 4 specialty dinners which were great. Qsine had their first Le Petit Chef experience (including video on your table!), so not the tapas-like menu we expected. But the video was fun and the food was the best meal of the trip, esp the 2 (!) lobster tails which were very tender and generous, and a filet on top of that. The entertainment and enrichment talks were surprisingly good (better than our Solstice cruise which was just OK). Service: Other than a few surly bartenders and one MDR server, was top notch. Excursions: Only took one (Monterey Aquarium & Carmel Mission tour) which was very good. Other stops in this itinerary were super convenient for on-your-own exploring via Uber, walking tours, local shuttles. Disembarkation: Vancouver couldn't have been better. We chose self-assist because we had an 11:20 flight and were paranoid about crowds from the ship to the airport, customs, etc. We had a 7:30 disembark meet time, walked off the ship at 7:35 and after cab/bag check/security/customs were sitting in an airport lounge at 8:30. Crazy efficient. Of course, your results may vary depending upon # of ships disembarking, time of day, etc. But I travel for work a LOT and this was smoother than most of my regular domestic experiences. Bottom line: Take this cruise if it meets your budget, calendar and personal interests!!! We are looking specifically at the Millenium-class ships for other destinations. Read Less

We chose this cruise because of the itinerary, we had never visited any of these ports before and were looking forward to new places to see. After a long 10.5 hr flight we cleared US customs in record time and as we had booked the Celebrity package were taken to our hotel. As scheduled we were collected from our hotel and transferred to the port again this was part of our package. we then had to stand in line for a very long 2.5 hours to check in this is a totally unacceptable length of time to stand in line. As Elite Captain Club members we have never waited more than 20 mins to check in. The long wait at check in meant that by the time we had put our hand luggage in the stateroom and freshened up lunch was nearly over. we were in Stateroom 7015, not a location I would choose again. The stateroom itself was fine with amply hangers and drawers but the cut backs were very noticeable. No shower cap No vanity kit No pen No paper No envelopes yes some of us till communicate by pen and paper and although these were provided on request I expect them as standard on a 5* cruise. Once again we chose the select dining option, which suits our needs however we were unable to make reservations for the time we wanted 7.30, and had to turn up and wait. this brings me to my other main complaint DRESS CODE or lack of it Since doing away with "FORMAL NIGHTS" and introducing "ELEGANT CHIC" the dress code on these nights is none existent, with guests in the main dining room in shorts & t shirts and although I did complain to the MD who met me on the second of these nights to assure me the dress code would be followed it wasn't. The food in the main dinning room was as good as it always has been with a varied choice and the staff were always friendly and helpful. I really loved the fact that the pool was heated this was a real plus as the weather was cooler than I expected. The shows we went to were very enjoyable and the public areas as usual were spotlessly clean we enjoyed spending sea day in the constellationlounge spotting whales and food the rendezvous lounge very relaxing. Once again our favourite place was the cafe on 5 this is always a the best place on the ship. Read Less

Chose primarily based on itinerary . Embarkation in San Diego was the worst and longest of any cruise taken. From what we heard ,this is a Port of San Diego issue ,not Celebrity. In general ,no real complaints. First cruise on Celebrity ,and seemed there were a large number of passengers who had multiple cruises and had status. There were more "elite/suite" areas and events than I have ever experienced. Ship was easy to navigate around. Elevators were prompt. All meals were very good. The buffet was very clean, well organized,and extensive (milk could have been colder). We enjoyed the Spa Cafe for healthy lunches. We did celebrity Select dinner seating and never had an issue. The only port /excursion complaint was that trip to Muir Woods was cancelled with no prior notification. Exercise ares was great ,although TV could have been better. Service overall great. Entertainment average but enjoyable Read Less

Saw this cruise on a tv show with Jane McDonald and thought it looked very good. Decided to do it so booked it and also had 3 nights in Vancouver to get over jetlag and make Vancouver part of the holiday .We never did any of the excursions offered as we found them to be a little too expensive so did our own thing when in port and still saw a lot .Highlight was Glacier bay it was awesome and seeing a glacier calving was a special treat.The crew were very efficient and polite and the cabin attendant made us very welcome and each day we had a different towel animal .The best was the towel monkey which he put on a hanger and hung it just inside the doorway for us to get a surprise when we went to our cabin .Food was excellent and we only used the buffet for main meals and breakfast .we used the burger bar a few times and the pizza made to order .We had stateroom on deck 5 at the rear of the ship which we found preferable to a side cabin for views .we would go on this ship again anytime there was enough to see and do during our time onboard and the theatre entertainment was very good . Read Less

Chose this cruise as part of our Uncommon Journeys trip and easy sailing out of San Diego. Like the small ship of 1400. Liked the entertainment brought onboard. Liked upgrade. However, meals were hit or miss! Thai lunch was great; lobster tails on Gala night were excellent; however, last meal on last night was inedible....lamb chops! Gluten free bread was horrible white bread they put in microwave when I asked for it toasted. Finally, on our disembarkation day we were all told we could stay in our room until they called out number/color. Staff asked to come into rooms at 7:00 and 8:00 am before we were called and it was kinda rude. Service is going downhill and so is food....getting too much like Carnival. Both we and another couple who have cruised many, many days and are 3-star mariners, do not think we will ever go HA again! Very sad! Read Less

Pre cruise. I flew to san diego on norwegian air and another sadly i did not know i had to pre book meals so all i9 had for 9 hrs was snacks! I stayed in a hostel to save money which was ok.i did maritime museum,san diego zoo and midway. Embarkation. I left hostel 1000 and was surprised to go onboard by 1130 and cabin was ready and luch was in the dining room. Cabin. I originally had an out6side guarantee cabin then 1 day before cruise got a upgrade to balcony. A quuen bed was very comfortable. Shop. Very few models of NIEUW AMSTERDAM were left plus small ones but not much else Entertainment. Really good shows,a singer/comedian,singers ands dancers and a fiddle player/comedian were really good. Ports of call. Victoria(vancover island) did not book any excursions as very pricey onboard. I got theb shuttle bus into town and after finding bus trips were$50-$70 to get to the beuchart gardens i went there by local bus. Disembarkation. Pretty good did not have to wait long to get off ship. Post cruise. I stayed in a hostel in vancover much better than the 1st one and went a few places. All in all. Really good cruise as i always want to go on her. Read Less

We choose this cruise because of the itinerary which did not disappoint. The fact that it was a Celebrity cruise excited us because the last time we took a Celebrity trip (a number of years ago) we found it to be outstanding and the best food of any cruises we had been on. How times change. First let me say the crew was wonderful and did their best. As far as the dining, bland, bland, bland. My most memorable dish was eggs benedict from the breakfast buffet. Certainly had the most flavor. We dined in the Tuscan Grille and I paid even more money for the 22oz dry aged porterhouse steak. It was good, but I have had dry aged sirloins before, and done correctly, it is a meal you do not forget. I forgot about this by the next morning. Entertainment was ok, guest performers were quite good but the most fun was the silent disco at the martini bar! We took all private tours which were wonderful. We get the impression that unless you are an Elite member, you are just another face.Celebrity needs to pick up their game, the market is way too competitive. Read Less

Pick this because of the unique schedule of ports going up the west coast to Vancouver. Celebrity Elite cruisers. Third cruise on the Infinity, from its first days in Alaska to South America and this one. Guest entertainment was very good. On board production shows were a little bit rough. Live band at shows was great. Lack of music around ship pre-dinner was noticeable. When there was good lounge entertainment the room (s) were packed. Late night constellation events were sparsely attended. Lack of daytime "enrichment events" was topic of discussion among regular Celebrity cruisers. Regular Cruise Director was off ship until San Francisco, Nacho did great job filling in. Once Alejandro was back there were less announcements and little communication except at the end of the nightly main shows. Cruise Director TV was of no value to watch. There was an attempt a sailaway party on the helipad out of San Francisco......just a bit too cool and windy (and foggy). Most left helipad once ship moved from berth. Did speciality dining in Tuscan on final night of cruise. WHAT A DISSAPOINTMENT! Service from our waiter was great, everything else, including the food was bland. The room is not very inviting (cold-stark), not a $45 upgrade environment. Main Dining room had much more atmosphere and "life". Celebrity has too many large tables for the way they do anytime dining........all two tops were given beepers----3, 4, 5, 6....no wait, unless you wanted to join a large table of 2's. Read Less

Celebrity Infinity May 2017 Background- Total of about 35 cruises, ~30 with Celebrity, last few were all on Solstice class ships. Route-We started in San Diego and moved up the coast ending in Vancouver, 7 stops in 11 nights, also doing an overnight in San Francisco, each city stunning in its own right. They couldn’t have picked a better itinerary, and we were only touched by rain one time in our journey which lasted about an hour, luckily that was on a sea day, so it affected nothing other than missing an hour in a lounge chair Boarding Boarding in San Diego was hectic. Two ships Infinity and Disney Magic) were boarding the same day and port didn’t seem well equipped to handle more than one. Once we made it past the security screening all was fine and smooth but did take about 1-2 hours to get to that point. We purposely arrived later in the day to avoid crowds (boarding started about 11, we arrived at 2), but still chaotic. 6/10 (but Celebrity’s portion 9/10) Cabin I initially booked a C3 for this voyage bit a few weeks before a Suite Guarantee became available for a nominal $600 so I grabbed it since it also included the 4 perks, so I ended up in an S2 on deck 6. The room was nicely maintained and updated (Infinity was refurbished in 2011), and carpets were changed again 2 years ago. The Sky suites are a bit smaller on the Millenium class that the Solstice class (250 vs 300ft2), but plenty of room for two people. Small balcony as well with a few chairs was great. Only negative I found with the suite was the combination bathtup/showers limited height. If you are tall it’s a bit awkward, as is just climbing in the high wall of the tub. Heard a few people that had sky and Celebrity suites complain unless you are tall it’s hard to climb into the tub/shower. Plenty of closet space, drawers and storage, so much so that I only used about ½ of it. Did like the little touches, the plush bath towels, great sheets, and that the room attendant and butler introduced themselves the first day. Cabin service was excellent. Never used the room service, but cabin was serviced twice a day and butler checked in 3x a day, and canapes delivered daily at about 4PM 9/10 Excursions Took two of the ships excursions and good ROI (return on investment on both). We visited the Reagan library in Santa Barbara and whale watching in Victoria. The tendering operation was a bit frustrating for some as we tendered in two ports, and some were getting antsy about the lines, but I think that’s just a part of cruising. Always amazed how crabby some people get over little things beyond their control. I do wish they would re-write the explanations on excursions details though. It just seems like every excursions details include two much flowery generic prose that could be found in a tourist publication and not really any nuts and bolts detail of nuts & bolts of the tour (how much time will we spend on bus, what places are we visiting, are we going to be sidetracked to a pottery place to try and sell us trinkets?). I wish it was more of a bulleted time line of what, where, when and how long. 7/10 Food & Dining Main Trellis Dining Room-Didn’t try it Sushi on 5-Didn’t try it Blu- Tried it once enjoyed it-Seemed to me to be a mini-me version of the MDR with smaller portions and a few different selections, nicer more intimate atmosphere than MDR. 7/10 Luminae-We dined the majority of our meals here. Can’t say any negatives about it. Truly a 100% positive experience. Service OUTSTANDING, by the second day everyone on staff knows your name and has the atmosphere of a place you’ve been dining out for decades. Food well prepared, original, seasoned and cooked to order. Their recommendations were generally spot on. The menu consisted of about 4 or 5 appetizer/soup/salad dishes and about the same in main courses. You could also order off the MDR menu if something didn’t catch your eye, but most meals I found the Luminae selection to be the better quality choice. Not even once did I find myself waiting for service, a course, or a table. Efficient, friendly and great attention is given to everything. Only open on sea days for lunch which makes sense, since when they have tried to keep it open every day (on past cruises), as it sits empty unless it’s a sea day. 10/10 Qsine-It’s a fun playful experience and you always end up with a lot more food than you can ever imagine. My only negative is that since you use the Ipads to select your dishes, would it be two difficult to have them connected to the waiter? It just seems silly that put all these inputs into a computer and ultimately the waiter comes and writes them down on a slip of paper. Bravo to Qsine for the way they handle vegan/vegetarian dishes. One person in our party, preferred vegan/vegetarian, and for just about every dish we ordered that contained meat or seafood, he offered our friend a meat/dairy/etc/etc/etc free version of the same or similar items. Truly astounded me on how the waiter kept track of the ultimately 20+ or so different dishes that he bought the three of us. 8/10 Tuscan Grille-It was awesome, had dinner one night with Captain and 8 other guests, and last night dined with the Hotel Director and three friends, and it was fabulous. I savored every bite of every dish. Filet Mignon was fantastic (as for the brown mushroom sauce for it), the plate on Antipasto (prosciutto, sopressata, salami and cheeses was heavenly). Again in Tuscan my one friend’s dietary requests were adjusted to give him alternates to the meat heavy menu. The establishment itself has a great ambience, nice old world Italian steak house design. Service was attentive but not overbearing. Like Luminae it’s a great restaurant to have a conversation in. Tables and seating are set up so you’re not having to raise your voice to speak at someone at the other end. 10/10 Oceanview Grill- Ate their twice for breakfast and a few times for lunch It’s hit or miss. I like the salads, fresh fruit and ice cream. Pizza’s are limp right out of the oven rather than crisp (I’m used to New York pizza which the Gold standard), a few of the dishes were good, but nothing really memorable. They do a great job of bussing tables, and making sure people aren’t waiting for tables. 8/10 Bars & Lounges-Great smiling faces at them all. Most of the cruise critic events were held at the Constellation Lounge on deck 11. Especially though that Istavan from Hungary was fantastic. Superb fun bartending group overall. Erik and Dian fantastic at Michaels club. Didn’t spend much time at sunset or martini bar though, so hard to give you good feedback on those. 9/10 Entertainment Was fun that they did the silent disco a few times, I think it’s a slam dunk win even if you don’t participate, and just watch the fun. Alejandro did a good job, and the activities team really seemed to enjoy getting people involved in everything from bingo, to trivia, to mock game shows. Always enjoy the Celebrity dancers and singers, the material is usually dated, but their vigor and enthusiasm makes it fun to watch. Liked some of the guest performers, magician was funny, and always fun when you see them tailor their act to audience a bit, and make it interactive. 7/10 Spa Tried an 80 minute massage, it was OK. They always try for the upsell though. 80 minute massage DISCOUNTED rate was ~$200, then if you want hot stones during it, that’s ~$30 more. I’m a massage junkie at home, and this was pretty good but not very good 6/10 Crew In a word-OUTSTANDING. Captain Berdos and Hotel Director(HD) Bosco Pires work together like a well oiled machine. Their personalities are similar and I think so is their work ethic, excellence performance. I can’t say enough good things about them and their management style. Rest of the department heads outstanding as well. The housekeeping manager, the F&B director, guest relations manager, restaurant managers all go out of their way to keep passengers happy. Kirsty the Captains club host also spectacular as was the event coordinator. The excellence of the senior managers rolls down to the staff which seems totally engaged in guest satisfaction. The senior staff attended every event that we had from Captains Club to CC, to informal gatherings, and were always asking what they can do to make things better. Great sign of an engaged group of men and women. One of the stories I heard from the HD I thought was surprising. He told me he found being a HD on a Millenium class ship more challenging then on a Solstice class ship. I would of though since Solstice having more dining venues, more passengers, more lounges and staterooms it would be tougher. He went on to eloquently explain that because the Solstice class ships have all the “bells and whistles” (my words not his, his explanation was much more poetic), it makes it easier from a guest relations standpoint. The older ships it takes some extra marketing and extra effort to make them a competitor, and he enjoys that extra challenge of showing any product he is currently serving aboard. Really enjoyed our talks as much as the meals. 10/10 Overall-I’d give the cruise 5 stars. Any minor things I pointed out were minor in comparison to all the great things that the team onboard does to keep you happy. You know it’s been an excellent cruise when you’re two biggest complaints were that Voicemail in my room didn’t work Internet was slow I already have my next voyage booked on Infinity for February of 2018, so see I put my money where my mouth is I’ll end the review with this story the Captain read on the public address system the last day, it’s called “Why I want to be a Captain” and was written by an 10 year old British boy. “I want to be a captain when I grow up because it’s a cool job that is easy to do. Captains don’t have to go to school such a long time. They only need to learn figures so they can read instruments. I think they also have to able to read maps so they don’t get lost when they sail. Captains have to be brave so they don’t get scared when it’s so foggy they can’t see and when the propeller falls off they have to know what to do about it. Captains must have eyes that can see through the clouds and they mustn’t be afraid of thunder and lightning which they have closer to them than we have. The captain’s wages is another thing I like. They earn more money than they can spend. That’s because most people think it’s dangerous to driver a boat, except captains, because they know how easy it is. There’s not much I don’t like, except that girls like captains. All girls want to marry a captain, so captains are always having to chase them away to get some peace… I hope I don’t get seasick, because if I get seasick I can’t be a captain and I’ll have to start working.” Read Less

We go on Celebrity again and again. Obviously, we like this line. Embarkation: It went pretty smoothly for us. We live in the San Diego area and that was the embarkation point. So we arrived by train (a 40 minute trip), got off downtown, walked across the street to the cruise port and we were there. Very easy (and inexpensive). There were the usual serpentine lines but it was not terribly objectionable. About 30-45 minutes to get on board. We were booked as Concierge Class so there was lunch on embarkation day in the main dining room. There were maybe 3-4 entrees from which to select. Really quite good and I was thrilled to be able to escape the chaos that is always at the buffet in the Ocean View Cafe--the latter is just not my style. Debarkation: Easy and smooth. Vancouver was the debarkation point. We got off, walked a couple of blocks to the Canada Line Sky Train, and for a couple of bucks arrived at the airport. Much better than the cruise line bus but only for those who are willing to carry their own bags and be willing to navigate the streets and terminal on their own. Ship: The ship has three specialty restaurants (unless you are suite or Aqua Class). However, the Sushi on Five does not serve what I eat so one more would be perfect. They actually have room to put one at the Wine Cellar as a lot of that space seems to go unused. Service: Service was very good to great in most places on the ship. All the crew were extremely friendly. Our cabin steward, Elmer, was absolutely outstanding. Was it because of the $5 I gave him upon meeting him with a promise of another $5 when we debarked? Who knows. But he was great. Herve in Qusine is an absolute kick (I won't spoil the surprise for you but he was entertaining as all get out.) Jovel, the Maitre'd at Tuscan Grill simply could not do enough for us as is true of all of the staff there. And if you talk to these guys as people, many of them are very interesting. Food & Wine: My wife and I are wine and foodie people and their specialty restaurants hit our goals. We attended the Chef's Dinner (3rd time we have done this)---great and memorable experience. We, along with some good friends traveling with us, were joined by two ship's officers. That was it, just the 6 of us. Dinner in the private dining room of Tuscan Grill. Pleasant conversation with the officers including a lot of behind the scenes information. Dinner was outstanding. Wine flowed freely and it was not the cheap stuff. We did Tuscan Grill twice (first night and deep into the cruise) and Qsine one time. And because we signed up for the chef's dinner upon boarding the first day,Tuscan Grill took very special care of us when we were there. We enjoyed all three of those dinners immensely. The main dining room was really poor the second night (many of the entrees were overcooked) but got better each night that we ate there after that. But even on that second night the appetizers were very good. We were on the any time dining plan. I'm not sure I would do that again as I like having a waiter/ass't waiter who knows what I want, etc. With any time dining, some of the wait staff was less attentive/quick than I would like. If that occurred with the 1st or 2nd seating I would say something to the supervisor and expect that the situation would improve. Beverage & Wine Package: We both had this package as one of our perks. I wasn't sure it was going to be a better deal than the $150/person OBC offer. It was and I appreciated the fact that I didn't have to sign for each drink and hear (in my head) the cash register going off. Further, Celebrity had just changed their policy so with the classic package if you ordered a drink over the limit ($9 I think) you only paid the difference, not the entire tab. This is a much fairer approach. Internet experience: It is definitely better than the old system which tended to move like molasses at times. They advertise you can use this for business web conferences and VOIP calls. Maybe at times but not at the times I tried. If a lot of people on the ship are on the internet at the same time then things slow down to too slow for conferences and VOIP. And since you don't know when that will be you can't schedule a web conference. So that was a disappointment. Internet Options: We called before sailing and were told only option was unlimited at approx $200. On board there was, as I recall, a one hour, one day, 100 minutes, and unlimited options. Although the unlimited is expensive, and they do push that option, I'd still go for that as with the others you have to remember to log out or the time just keeps running. Internet Hook Up: My laptop couldn't find the log in page. The web browser just couldn't find it. ILounge guru could not resolve the problem. Unfortunately I allowed him to tweak and change some of my computer settings as he tried to get the laptop to navigate to the log in page; that was a mistake as it significantly disabled my laptop for a while until I was able to back out his changes. We did get credit for half the unlimited charge. Easy solution: log in on phone and create hot spot for laptop. If they want to charge you for two devices, get special dispensation since the laptop won't hook up. Wish I had thought of that then rather than a day later. Ports/Excursions: We rarely take the ship excursions, preferring to plan things for ourselves. I often put together walking tours of the ports we are in along with restaurants for us to stop for lunch. All of the ports were very enjoyable except Nanaimo. There is just nothing I can find to do there. In our pre-cruise planning we just decided to treat it as a "sea day," although we did get off for about an hour just to walk around. This is the second Pacific Coastal Cruise I have taken (both on Celebrity) and I would do it again. Read Less

Have seen various reviews of Celebrity and decided to try it for our 50th anniversary. We are experienced cruisers (over 60 cruises on 5 different lines) and were disappointed in the concierge veranda stateroom. 1st- the closet for our clothes is too small for all of our clothes (11 day trip), 2nd- the hanger system is enough to infuriate a person who is used to a system where one can remove hangers with ease, put clothes on them and return the hanger to the rail that holds them. One has to fight to either remove the hanger from the holder or compress the rest of the clothes already in the closet in order to replace the item back into the closet. Too those who might say we took too many clothes, remember we have been on many other ships and have not had this kind of problem. NEXT- the advertising said we would have a REFRIGERATOR in our room. In all other ships that we have been on, the refrigerator has kept our beverages cold. We complained about a warm "refrigerator". We were told by the front desk person and the engineer who came to check our box that it was not a refrigerator but a cool box a mini-bar setup. He replaced the old "cool" box with another one which did not provide any improvement. Don't the people who use the mini-bar want cold beverages? If it had not been for our cabin attendant constantly replacing a large and small ice bucket which was refilled twice a day. we would not have had any cold water or milk to drink. Otherwise, the cabin was comfortable. Eating- the hamburger stand was terrible. we were served a cold hamburger on a cold bum with a cold piece of cheese.- yuck! The dining room was average. The room service was outstanding!!!! We used room service frequently and were very pleased with the service and the food provided!! The Qsine restaurant! What a night! It was an incredibly different and fun experience. We went there on our anniversary and could not have chosen a better celebration! In conclusion - the trip was comfortable and the staff were friendly. The ship is basically bland and there is no "WOW" factor. We were surprised that we did receive an evaluation form after the trip. Our friends who the same trip last year did not receive one either. We wonder if Celebrity is not interested in the opinions of first time Celebrity cruisers. Read Less

Review of Celebrity Infinity 5/17 5/28/17 This cruise departed San Diego and ended in Vancouver BC with a great itinerary including Santa Barbara, Monterey, San Francisco (two days), Astoria OR, and Seattle. There were three stops in Canada as well. Overall the cruise should be considered only average however. Boarding in San Diego was terrible and perhaps even unhealthy and dangerous because of overcrowding and lack of sufficient staff and security stations. Two ships, ours and a Disney were being processed in the same building at the same time so roughly 6000 passengers had to go through four security screening devices. The line was out of the building and the process took two hours. Older people and families with small children had to stand in line for two hours. It was the worst boarding situation we have encountered. Our ship made no announcements, explanations or apologies for this disaster. The staff on the ship was very good. They almost all seemed friendly and they all were hard working and effective at their jobs. Our room steward, Garfield was the best we have ever encountered. The wait staff was very good as well. We used select time dining (show up when you want) and had only short waits. Food in the main dining room for breakfast was quite good every day. Service was excellent and staff worked hard to please the passengers. We did not have breakfast in the buffet. Lunch was served only once or twice in the MDR but the food ranged from terrible, inedible to only bad, there and in the buffet. Dinner in the MDR was also just plain bad and at times inedible. For example, steaks that were so fatty and full of gristle that they couldn’t even be cut and just rolled around on the plate. Gross. Salmon was warm but raw. Escargot was tasteless (tasteless snails have little to recommend them when you think about it). The wait staff was cheerful and we didn’t blame them for the poor quality food. The cruise line is responsible. Almost every passenger we discussed this with agreed. Some thought Celebrity was trying to push passengers into the up charge restaurants which we hear were excellent. Could be I guess. The benefits for Elite and above customers were cut back so that the breakfast area was serve yourself except for beverages. The fresh squeezed orange juice wasn’t. When we asked the server if it was fresh squeezed he asked us, “Does it look fresh squeezed, does it taste like fresh squeezed?” Our answer was of course; “No” He just shrugged and walked off. The cocktail party required that each guest use three drink coupons and pay for any drink in addition to that. The manager of the bar patrolled the area like a drill sergeant enforcing this rule. Passengers who embarked the ship in Fort Lauderdale said the coupons only started after San Diego when more Elite level passengers boarded. They boarded the ship with one level of benefits and debarked with a lower level. Could it be that the cruise line is creating a higher, better level of service and perks for suite and higher level guests and reducing benefits for the frequent cruisers? It seems that way. This could be a new business model that will come back to bite them. Entertainment was acceptable by today’s cruise standards. Nothing was exciting or special. The production cast did display a lot of talent and enthusiasm during their last show. It’s no longer surprising when even the weakest performers receive standing ovations. Have you noticed? Cruise performers routinely ask for applause. Clap for the band which had only one hour to rehearse. Every outside performer on every cruise gets only one hour for this rehearsal and it always works well. What’s the big deal? “Clap for the lights and sound guy, for the cruise director, for music fans out there, for yourselves, etc. etc “ Why not entertain and earn the applause? Celebrity is marketed as an upscale level of Royal Caribbean but it no longer is better than RCL and, in fact, isn’t nearly as good anymore. Don’t pay more for Celebrity if RCL has similar cruises. We won’t use Celebrity in the future unless the price is very low. To use a nautical metaphor, Celebrity has been coasting for a while but is now slowing down, losing headway. Read Less

We took this cruise due to our desire to stay in the US and Canada (chronic medical issues). The itinerary was excellent (San Diego; Santa Barbara; Monterey; Astoria; Seattle; Nanaimo; Victoria; Vancouver). The crew were outstanding -- almost everyone made that "little extra effort" that made our time enjoyable. We did the open dining option for the first time and really enjoyed it. Our party of 4 was able to sit alone at a table of 4 for every dinner meal (as requested). Diversity of food selections (including vegetarian options) were very good; presentation was exceptional and quality was good. Other meals were mostly in the Ocean Grille buffet, which was also very good, although it seemed to get a bit monotonous by the end of an 11-day cruise. (I missed having any Mexican or Tex-Mex selections the entire cruise). Tip: if you want a kind of jelly other than strawberry or orange marmalade, go to the Trellis dining room for breakfast (blackberry and grape). Our party's cabins were typical concierge class cabins. One of us paid to have Aqua class and the relaxation room on the Infinity was a huge disappointment -- dark and damp and dank -- not at all like the photo on the Celebrity site. I would not bother again. Beds were comfy but awfully narrow if you are used to a king-sized bed. The room on the Ninth deck (9102) had frequent sewage smells, coming from the toilet and from the deck (outside). No other complaints about cabins. The concierge was outstanding. My husband forgot a prescription at home. We first checked with a nurse on board who checked to see if they stocked it on the boat (no); she was not very helpful. The concierge helped us call out doctor back in our home state and we were able to pick up a new prescription at the next port. The photographers seemed younger and more timid than the ones I have encountered on previous ships. They were not asking to take your photos all the time -- which may be good or bad depending on your point of view. We saw three evening shows -- we left the first one because the singing was horrible. The next two shows were entertainers who were not from the ship -- they were both g-rated and top quality (a magician who used mechanical items and a musical impersonator). Unlike past cruises, there was very little planned on board for people to do. Not sure if this was because it was a repositioning cruise, but it was a bit boring. Lots of library users! The average age on this particular cruise was at least 65. No kids, no teens and almost no one under age 50. Lots of canes, wheelchairs, oxygen, etc. Read Less

We chose this cruise based on a great past cruise with Celebrity and the itinerary which included nine ports in eleven days. Sadly, the quality of service, food, food presentation and entertainment have all gone way downhill since our last cruise. From embarkation in San Diego to returning to the ship after our last full day in Victoria BC, we encountered problems literally every other day. Most were small, but annoying and took time to resolve. Celebrity is in the service business, but seems to have made changes strictly to make more profit for them. Examples: Room towels were of lesser quality than a Holiday Inn Express. Celebrity now allows select members of the ship's crew to dine with guests in the Oceanview Cafe. No more midnight buffet's or even finally evening midnight buffet with ice sculptures. And, the chairs and tables in the Cafe really show their age and need updating. But who cares, it is where the buffet is served. Entertainment included a very mediocre juggler/magician as a main act. I could go on, but what is the point. Celebrity only cares to get you on board and then sell you everything they can. That is there focus. The even messed up two "Special Events" that we were celebrating including my 60th birthday on a day we were at sea. Why ask if you are celebrating special occasions on the cruise, and then mishandle and miss entirely, the special occasion? Yet, this is what Celebrity has become. Poor trained, poor managed staff that can only apologize for problems and put band-aids on them, rather than doing something to change the experience and make it better. Mind you there were a few shining stars who tried really hard, but this was a long and expensive cruise and the overall on board experience was not a positive one. Read Less

This was our second cruise on Holland. We had done one a month earlier and said we need to go on this line again! After my second cruise, I can say I am a loyal Holland customer already. There are so many things they do right and so many things that remind me of how cruising used to be. The Oosterdam is a perfect size ship. It's perfectly maintained and it seems like it is constantly being updated. Our room was on deck 4 midship in an ideal location. I love Holland for the bath amenities, bathrobes and they always make sure I have feather pillows. Dining is overall very good.I can't say I really had anything bad thing the entire cruise. I love the fact that they serve breakfast in the dining room every morning whether you are in port or at sea. Its the little things like offering fresh berries at breakfast that make all the difference. My only complaint about dining would be the buffet was always too crowded. The fitness center was very large for a cruise ship and all the equipment was brand new. The pools were both nice although we only went in the solarium hot tubs mainly since we were in Alaska in April. There was always entertainment in the evening between the theater and the other venues. Also ,the on demand movies and tv shows in your cabin is awesome! Sometimes you just wanna lay in bed and watch a movie! Bottom line is if you haven't been on Holland, you need to go. It is a wonderful cruise line and the staff is always amazing. Looking forward to my next cruise. Read Less

I booked this cruise in December as a gift to my husband who had, until now, never cruised. We wanted to try a short, 5-day, cruise to make sure he wouldn't become deathly ill from motion sickness and to just give him a taste for sailing. Background - I've sailed at least 17+ times on Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess, and Norwegian but mostly on RC. My husband and I are 40 years old, don't really party anymore but still enjoy good shows, music, friends, fun, and fantastic food. The ship - We both agreed, the ship was absolutely immaculate! I have never experienced a cruise ship that has been cared for so thoroughly! Everything aboard the Oosterdam has been cared for and maintained meticulously. She shows signs of being 14 years old, mainly in the decor, but physically the ship is outstanding. Our cabin - We upgraded from a SY (Signature Suite) to an SA (Neptune Suite - 7062) a week before sailing and are SO glad we did! The suite was a decent size, the bed was extremely comfortable, and the cabin stewards always made sure the room looked perfect. The suite gave us access to the Neptune Lounge which was directly across the hall. We popped over to the lounge a few times during the day to get coffee, juice, and sample the wonderful horsedouvres. The lounge concierge was always very eager to help and definitely made our trip even more special. The complementary guest laundry and dry cleaning also worked out well and came in very handy. We will most likely always book a suite with similar amenities from now on as they are well worth the expense! Dining - Ok, The Main dining room, Canaletto, and the Lido buffet were just par for cruising cuisine. None of them were terribly spectacular and the dessert at all three venues was pretty lackluster. The Pinnacle Grill, however, was absolutely fantastic! We had breakfast and dinner there a few times and thoroughly loved it! When we return, we will likely only eat in the Pinnacle and forego the other restaurants completely. Service - The service on board was outstanding! Everyone we came across had a huge smile on their face, greeted us, and truly made us feel at home. So here is where things get a little funky for me... Remember, my husband and I are both 40 years old. Apparently, HAL's target demographic is considerably older than us. We found this out first-hand before boarding. When we walked into the pier, the security staff asked if we were crew. When we responded "No, we are passengers..." their jaws dropped and they let us pass in amazement. Most of the other passengers, we later found out, were in their late 70's, 80's and early 90's. I'm totally fine with cruising around senior citizens, don't get me wrong. They were extremely nice, quiet, and were all very friendly. We were walking on the Promenade and came across an elderly lady napping, head back and mouth WIDE open, on a couch. I was afraid she had passed away right there and was tempted to place a mirror under her nose to see if she was still alive. Entertainment - The entertainment wasn't that great but, again, it was designed for the target HAL demographic. My husband and I were expecting a Broadway-worthy production yet, well, that wasn't the case. The Lincoln Center Stage performers were wonderful and the America's Test Kitchen demonstrations were extremely fun. There just wasn't much in the way of nightlife. Overall - Great ship, amazing service, wonderful food (at the Pinnacle)! It's a little like a floating nursing home but there is nothing wrong with that! Just be prepared. Read Less

We thought we might be taking a risk going on a Holland America cruise with our young children, but felt like we needed a holiday and this itinerary fit the bill. It was a 4 day cruise from San Diego to Vancouver. Our children, ages 6 and 2, enjoyed a full day visit to the San Diego Zoo, a tour of the USS Midway and a trip to Old Town on the transit trolley prior to the cruise. We stayed at a hotel (SpringHill Suites) where our room had a view of our cruise ship the day it arrived. We walked to the cruise terminal, which was hosting two ships that day, and deliberately arrived fairly late (3pm) to avoid the lengthy lineups we have experienced in San Diego in previous years. We walked right through security, picked up our room key cards and were in our cabin in moments. This was our first voyage on a Holland America ship, and the Oosterdam is in lovely condition. It's not flashy and doesn't have the latest technological gadgets, but the public areas look like new and have a cozy, understated feel. Staff were universally friendly and helpful. Our balcony cabin, deck 4 forward, does not appear to have been updated during the most recent refit of the ship in 2016. The room was still in decent shape, but the bathroom lighting was not very bright and the wall colour (taupe) seemed to absorb the light. I'm told many other staterooms have been upgraded with brighter bathrooms. Still, it was nice to have a small bathtub for our young children. Our cabin had a drop-down bunk bed and a (worn) pull-out couch. It was tight but we managed. The food was generally very good...but it would have been nice if it had been hot in the main dining room. The only dish I didn't enjoy at all was a top sirloin steak from the main dining room. It was cold and flavourless. Again, other than these issues the food was very good. The buffett has a surprisingly pleasant ambience and a very tasty variety of food. My wife ordered room service for the children and apparently the service was prompt and the food was quickly consumed. My wife and I visited the gym a couple of times. It is a decent size with a reasonable variety of equipment, and has a view from the front of the ship. The children's and teen's play/activity centre (Club HAL) is on Deck 10. The two staff working there told us that during the previous 15 days there had been no children under the age of 18. There is a policy that children must be a minimum of 3 years old to be able to be in Club HAL, so our 2.5 yr old was not allowed to stay with her 6 year old sister in Club Hal. This kept mom and dad busy, but we had fun. If the cruise had been longer this fun might have become more of a challenge. All in all, we had a very nice time and can highly recommend the Oosterdam. Footnote: it was nice to see the President of Holland America, Orlando Ashford, on board the ship during the cruise and interacting with passengers and crew. Read Less