My Constellation Asia Cruise Review

Overall we had a nice cruise in spite of everything. No complaints about the Constellation. I actually prefer the M class ships as they are easier for me to get around and I love the therapy pool and solarium area. Service and enrichment activities were great. There were problems with the itinerary which I outline in the review. I want folks who book this itinerary in the future to know that the day in Singapore is actually a night in Singapore as the ship doesn't dock until 2 p.m. and then a lengthy immigration process begins. Singapore is so amazing that anyone who flies as far as we did should plan on spending time there either before or after the cruise. I have just uploaded photos but it may take a while for them to be added to the review.

https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=610796

Overall we had a nice cruise in spite of everything. No complaints about the Constellation. I actually prefer the M class ships as they are easier for me to get around and I love the therapy pool and solarium area. Service and enrichment activities were great. There were problems with the itinerary which I outline in the review. I want folks who book this itinerary in the future to know that the day in Singapore is actually a night in Singapore as the ship doesn't dock until 2 p.m. and then a lengthy immigration process begins. Singapore is so amazing that anyone who flies as far as we did should plan on spending time there either before or after the cruise. I have just uploaded photos but it may take a while for them to be added to the review.

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=610796

We were also on this cruise and the itinerary clearly stated that the ship would arrive in Singapore at 2pm on the second last day and be docked overnight. Passengers were given the option of disembarking that afternoon/night or staying on board and disembarking in the usual way the next morning. Considering Mariner of the Seas also arrived on that last morning I thought the immigration process went quite well given the huge numbers of disembarking passengers they had to deal with.

We also thought it was one of our better cruises and had no complaints whatsoever with Celebrity Constellation.

Thanks for sharing your review/report.

Keith

Thanks for reporting.....your comments on dining reminded me why we like a table just for us and to socialise with others after in the bars!

Interesting also to read about the ‘mild’ tour...reminds all with mobility issues to really do homework first....

We were also on this cruise and the itinerary clearly stated that the ship would arrive in Singapore at 2pm on the second last day and be docked overnight. Passengers were given the option of disembarking that afternoon/night or staying on board and disembarking in the usual way the next morning. Considering Mariner of the Seas also arrived on that last morning I thought the immigration process went quite well given the huge numbers of disembarking passengers they had to deal with.

We also thought it was one of our better cruises and had no complaints whatsoever with Celebrity Constellation.

Didn't say that itinerary wasn't clear....what I was trying to communicate is that Singapore is a great place and a night tour isn't enough time to see it. They did do a good job with immigration but groups were still being called an hour or two after our number had come up. We went on a night tour so didn't leave until later anyway. Singapore runs a tight ship and I think I went through immigration at least six times during our visit.

Glad you also liked the Constellation.

We loved the Constellation, but I am not sure we would choose it for a SE Asia itinerary. We are doing this itinerary on Azamara next year because it can dock in the cities and doesn't leave those long rides and travel time from ports to cities.

We decided as well to include Siem Reap with our vacation. The cruise line includes a two day excursion during the three days we will be in Bangkok. We wouldn't travel 1/2 way around the world and not see Bangkok, so that was a non-starter. We looked at doing it before the cruise, but that would mean a 9-hour layover after a 15.5 hour flight from Boston to Hong Kong. Our itinerary would begin in Hong Kong a couple of days later. That brought us to post cruise from Singapore. Our ship docks on a Wednesday at noon in Singapore and we are docked overnight there. We can book a flight a little after 1 pm to Siem Reap and plan on doing that instead of spending additional days in Singapore. You can't do everything and have to make some choices (unless you're retired with no time constraints). As such, we are choosing more time in Hong Kong before our 15-day itinerary and only an afternoon and overnight in Singapore. I don't know it that's the right choice, but we'll live with that one.

In Vietnam, we have a day in Danang and two days and overnight in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), and an overnight in Halong Bay, where we are going to do an overnight on an Indochinese Junk. We are looking forward to that one in particular. I am not sure which one you missed, but it's never good missing a day.

We did enjoy the Constellation so much that we chose the Millennium for our Alaska cruise. We are fully aware that Celebrity for Alaska falls short of Princess because of lack of Glacier Bay, but we'll make up for it in Seward with a Glacier cruise of the Kenai National Park. We know we like that class of ship and we'll be happy and entertained.

Zowie,

Glad you also liked the Constellation. I imagine we have different views abot the itinerary as we had to fly 23 hours to get there, not counting time waiting in the airports which added another seven hours.

We loved the Constellation, but I am not sure we would choose it for a SE Asia itinerary. We are doing this itinerary on Azamara next year because it can dock in the cities and doesn't leave those long rides and travel time from ports to cities.

 

We decided as well to include Siem Reap with our vacation. The cruise line includes a two day excursion during the three days we will be in Bangkok. We wouldn't travel 1/2 way around the world and not see Bangkok, so that was a non-starter. We looked at doing it before the cruise, but that would mean a 9-hour layover after a 15.5 hour flight from Boston to Hong Kong. Our itinerary would begin in Hong Kong a couple of days later. That brought us to post cruise from Singapore. Our ship docks on a Wednesday at noon in Singapore and we are docked overnight there. We can book a flight a little after 1 pm to Siem Reap and plan on doing that instead of spending additional days in Singapore. You can't do everything and have to make some choices (unless you're retired with no time constraints). As such, we are choosing more time in Hong Kong before our 15-day itinerary and only an afternoon and overnight in Singapore. I don't know it that's the right choice, but we'll live with that one.

 

In Vietnam, we have a day in Danang and two days and overnight in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), and an overnight in Halong Bay, where we are going to do an overnight on an Indochinese Junk. We are looking forward to that one in particular. I am not sure which one you missed, but it's never good missing a day.

 

We did enjoy the Constellation so much that we chose the Millennium for our Alaska cruise. We are fully aware that Celebrity for Alaska falls short of Princess because of lack of Glacier Bay, but we'll make up for it in Seward with a Glacier cruise of the Kenai National Park. We know we like that class of ship and we'll be happy and entertained.

Sounds like a great trip you have planned!

Thanks for reporting.....your comments on dining reminded me why we like a table just for us and to socialise with others after in the bars!

 

Interesting also to read about the ‘mild’ tour...reminds all with mobility issues to really do homework first....

I lived and learned....thought about switching but the folks at our table were very nice so we endured....but never again.

Sounds like a great trip you have planned!

It's our 25th anniversary and we have never been to Asia. Azamara is a bit more, but we got a great promotion. When factoring in all promotions, I think it's $300 per person per day for a balcony cabin. We are actually back on another M class ship this year. It's funny. Up until our first Celebrity cruise on the Constellation, we had never been on Celebrity before (mainly Princess), but now we'll look to book it first.

Zowie,

Glad you also liked the Constellation. I imagine we have different views abot the itinerary as we had to fly 23 hours to get there, not counting time waiting in the airports which added another seven hours.

Enjoyed reading your trip review for this cruise. We loved the itinerary and enjoyed the extra shore time available with overnites in Hong Kong and Singapore. I am sorry to hear your pre booked shore excursions were affected at the last minute. We have also experienced a cancelled cruise on Legend of the Seas (ship sold) and reluctantly accepted a replacement cruise which was not quite what we were looking for. Select dining works well for us as you can still share a table or even on a table for 2 you still get to converse with the people each side of you. Fixed dining can be a wonderful experience or a total disaster. I certainly wouldn't enjoy a 23 hour flight to get there but it's the same for me if I choose Alaska, Mediterranean or Caribbean.