Onboard the Reborn Constellation in the Baltic - May 28-June 9 - Questions, Comments?

[Bet & Peg]

Oh Dan ~ we are SO enjoying your travel log!!! Would love to meet you - but we don't sail until July 3rd!!! - hey - could you extend your Amsterdam stay until then????

 

Currywurst?? I think we had then - without the gravy - in Munick in 2008! The gravy makes them sound MUCH better!!!!

 

Your Warnemunde/Rostock tour sounds great - but we're doing it ourselves! Hope we have as much fun!!!

 

QUESTION!!! ~ was formal night the first sea night????? (want to make Tuscan Grille reservations but don't want to miss Formal Night!)

 

Looking forward to the rest of your trip!!!!

[Babo02]

Thanks for the quick reply. We'll shuttle it in Helsinki and walk as much as my recently sprained knee can handle.

 

Enjoy your cruise! I'll be checking in and reading what you have to say.

[Dan Askin]

After two days of Baltic rain and wind, including some particularly vicious blusters as we sailed under the nearly 7,000-meter-long Storbaelt Bridge at 2:15 a.m on Sunday morning, the weather appears to have improved. During dinner tonight, our second sea day, there was a long enough pause in the rain for a nearly vertical, sea-to-sky rainbow to appear. We're in Stockholm, Sweden, tomorrow, an excellent city for bicyclers and ramblers, so hoping for clear skies.

 

 

Speaking of the Storbaelt Bridge, or Great Belt Bridge as its commonly called, Celebrity Constellation couldn't have cleared it by more than 40 - 50 feet ... a ship the size of Oasis of the Seas, which was built in Turku, Finland and had to pass under the bridge en route to its Florida homeport, actually had to be built with a retractable funnel. The bridge connects the Danish islands of Zealand and Sprogo, and combined with a second bridge, the West Bridge, it spans the Great Belt, a gap that literally dissects Denmark.

 

I was prepared with a room service club sandwich and French fries for our 2:15 a.m. under-passing, and it was only with serious effort that I kept most of my fries from blowing into the Baltic ... while simultaneously attempting to take a few fuzzy photos. I finally stuffed the remainder of the sandwich in the mouth and abandoned the plate in a secure location. The wind had to be whipping around at 40 knots or more. There were maybe 10 people on the top deck, forward, and as we passed under the bridge by what seemed like inches, there were big smiles and shouts of glee.

 

 

[judyfssw]

Wow, very cool! Nice job, Dan.

[Dan Askin]

The new Martini Bar hasn't been attracting the kind of audience that it does on Solstice's week-long Caribbean itineraries ... but one of the bartenders, who described working there as "the bomb," told me to wait for the show they'd put on during the sea day -- then I'd see what the spot was all about ... While it still wasn't packed, the energy was infectious, and patrons were hooting and clapping along with the dance club beats as "Larry" (Hilario from the Philippines) executed a challenging six martini pour.

 

 

And while it might not really work as a late-night party venue on a 12-night Baltic cruise, The Martini Bar has a magnetic pull ... Begin scene:

 

"What are you doing?" an annoyed woman of about 75 asks her husband as he begins gliding toward the Martini Bar, drawn by the hot beats and sounds of revelry.

 

The man ignores his wife with practiced ease.

 

"What are you doing!?" she snaps. "This is Deck 4! The wrong deck!"

 

"I want to go see this guy," he says calmly, transfixed on Larry, who's juggling shakers and glasses while the crowd chants "Go Larry! Go Larry!" in time with music, which I swear is also saying "Go Larry, go Larry" (albeit in a weird robot voice).

 

The crowd roars when Larry pulls out a cell phone mid-juggle, using one hand to keep his props airborne and the other to "chat with his mom" ... "Hi mom, is that you? I can't hear you..."

 

[Dan Askin]

So the Tuscan Grille, Constellation's new Napa Valley-esque steakhouse, was closed tonight ... and for an atypical reason, too. Apparently, one of the chandeliers broke and was threatening to rip out of the ceiling. According to one of the restaurant's waitresses, who had been delegated to doling out hand sanitizer outside the seaview cafe (buffet), the maitre d' spotted the potential disaster when the place was empty. "It was a good thing that it happened in the middle of the night," the waitress said, nodding. They've made the necessary repairs, but the fixes need to be inspected and deemed safe before the restaurant can be reopened. Should be either tomorrow or the next day, she said.

 

[Dan Askin]

I was passing through Cellar Masters, Constellation's new wine bar, inspecting the enomatic wine dispensers. The machine doles out wines of all price levels in three sizes, so you can taste a tiny sip of an extravagantly priced wine for $10 or so (or get a slightly larger size or a full glass for more). While I was there, I met a gentleman who looked confused. "Parlez-vous Francais?" he asked? "No, sorry, just English. Well ... habla Espanol?" "Soy Italiano," he responded ... an Italian asking for help in French and getting a response in English and Spanish.

 

We got on alright using a notepad and my mangled Spanish. Anyway, the sommelier in the main dining room told him that Portogallo, a $150-per-bottle wine, would inspire the palette. Not wanting to buy a bottle or even a glass, my Italian friend was looking to sample a tiny taste of Portogallo using the dispenser in Cellar Masters.

 

I'm always hugely envious of people who speak multiple languages ... and so many of the worldly Europeans onboard, out of necessity, speak German, Italian, French, Spanish and English.

 

[Dan Askin]

Oh Dan ~ we are SO enjoying your travel log!!! Would love to meet you - but we don't sail until July 3rd!!! - hey - could you extend your Amsterdam stay until then????

 

Currywurst?? I think we had then - without the gravy - in Munick in 2008! The gravy makes them sound MUCH better!!!!

 

Your Warnemunde/Rostock tour sounds great - but we're doing it ourselves! Hope we have as much fun!!!

 

QUESTION!!! ~ was formal night the first sea night????? (want to make Tuscan Grille reservations but don't want to miss Formal Night!)

 

Looking forward to the rest of your trip!!!!

 

Hey FotoPeg, thanks for the kind words. I'm actually in Amsterdam for three nights post-cruise, and who knows, maybe the ash cloud will keep me there indefinitely.

 

First formal night was indeed on the first sea day ... the second one is on June 7th, when we're in Copenhagen. Your itinerary might be set up differently though, so I'd double check with Celebrity.

[Dan Askin]

Dan, your posts are so very well written and so descriptive. With your descriptions and pics, it is almost like going along with you on your cruise. Thank you so much for posting.:D

 

Doris

 

Thanks Doris, appreciate the compliment.

[Germancruiser]

Thanks a lot Dan, so the former Reflection, then Cova Metall man- moved to Deck 3. Godd he is still there. LOL.

Thanks for your great inside review and the great pictures- ah this loud music in the Martini Bar- spoils the whole new thing ( if it is like on the Solstice) .

Tuscan Grill looks a very light and nice restaurant- the flower shop looked a bit clinic style with these tiles they had.

Greetings

Michael

[judyfssw]

Dan, does Skype work on the Constellation?

[Bet & Peg]

First formal night was indeed on the first sea day ... the second one is on June 7th, when we're in Copenhagen. Your itinerary might be set up differently though, so I'd double check with Celebrity.

__________________

 

Hi Dan ~ does this mean that there's only 2 formal nights (would LOVE it!!)

[i guess I'll call Celeberity and check - althought I'd trust YOU more than them!!]

[Seapoint]

Enjoying the ride:) Is Perry performing in Michaels Club? Any changes to Michaels Club?

[pmmarket]

My husband & I were to be in 8141 but three days before we started across the pond, I was a total klutz and slipped on wet grass, hit the sidewalk and shattered my knee cap!! Am currently in a leg brace which does not allow my leg to bend at all. We are so sad as we have been with cc for the last 4 months planning with everyone on tours, what to bring etc. My dream is up in smoke and it seems like they will not be doing this same trip in August nor September..We are looking forward to your input in a very sad way since we were hoping to be part of this wonderful journey!! Peggy & Skip:(

[Dan Askin]

Watched the sunrise at 3 a.m. last night from my balcony (will post some photos a bit later). In fact, the Baltic sun never seemed to disappear completely. About to head into Stockholm for the first of five consecutive port days. This is the meat of the onshore itinerary ... Stockholm (10 a.m. - 5 p.m.), Helsinki (10 a.m. - 6 p.m.), St. Petersburg (7 a.m. to 6 p.m. the following day), Tallinn (7 a.m. - 3 p.m.).

[C 2 C]

Enjoying the ride:) Is Perry performing in Michaels Club? Any changes to Michaels Club?

 

Perry is enjoying a full house every night. I believe the carpet was replaced from red to yellow?

[Dan Askin]

 

Beautiful sunrise, yes? I took this photo at 2:40 a.m. The sun never really set last night ... there was always at very least a faint blue haze, and a warm glow was seeping through the curtain as I struggled to fall asleep. As we steam east-northeast, the days are growing shorter, and while the navigation info channel on the in-cabin flat-screen says the sun will set tonight at 9:49 p.m., "sunset" is a bit of a lose term at this juncture. Of course, St. Petersburg is famous for its white nights, a period of perpetual light around the summer solstice.

[Dan Askin]

Docked in Stockholm today ... or an industrial port complex a couple miles from the city center at least. This is pretty typical though of European ports, so for those not on excursions, the options were to hoof it to the city center (30- to 45-minute walk depending on pace) or opt for the $12 dollar shuttle provided by the line, good for unlimited trips between the ship and Stockholm's centrally located opera house.

 

I was originally looking for an active ship-sponsored excursion, but my first choice, the historic roof tour ... you're put in a safety harness, then you wander over old roofs ... was canceled. There were only five sign ups. My backup was a bicycle excursion to the mansion- and park-covered, but slightly hilly, island of Djurgarden. Disappointed, I stopped in at the tourist information building, which is right there at the cruise ship pier, to seek a HIGH ENERGY alternative, something that would have me REALLY PUMPED. The girl behind the desk suggested I take a hot air balloon ride (too expensive) or rent a city bike and pedal around on my own.

 

Renting a city bike is easy ... I made it to the tourist office in the center of the city near the opera house, where I got a special blue card. For 125 kroner, or about $16 dollars at the current exchange, you get a bike for three hours. You pick it up at one location and then drop it off at any one of the many racks scattered throughout the city. I couldn't find my bike -- "number five" -- straight out, but I asked a friendly Swede for help and I sped off.

 

 

Dropping the bike off somewhat near the terminal:

 

 

There are a few challenging hills in Stockholm, but nothing perilous, and I rode along bike lanes on busy streets, through the bike- and foot-only Djurgarden (where my backup tour would have taken me), passed the impressive Vasa Museum with its preserved 17th century ship that sunk during its first voyage, and into Gamla Stan, where I dismounted for a falafel sandwich and a local beer. Gamla Stan, an island borough with 14th century roots, is filled with narrow alleys and cobblestones (and people), so it's not conducive for biking, unless your goal is to offend a lot of tourists.

 

 

I made a few tourist riding mistakes, such as surging through a pedestrian crossing while a startled father pushing a pram had the "green man" ... but all told, I felt pretty invincible.

 

One conspicuous things you may have noticed ... the city bikes have a distinct appearance, bright blue with advertising plastered over the rear wheel (Alvedon is an over-the-counter pain killer). Besides making me feel like an idiot and having people believe I was addicted to painkillers, the coloring allows others on the road to immediately recognize me for what I was -- a moron in an unfamiliar place, who might be (accidentally) prone to cutting off a father pushing his infant child in a stroller. Copenhagen's city bikes come in a variety of vibrant forms. Washington D.C.'s are bright red.

 

On a nice day, Stockholm is a city in which it's almost impossible not to end up with some pristine, magazine-worthy photos. I especially like this one, of some boats in the harbor:

 

[Dan Askin]

Sebastian, the event coordinator on Constellation, tells me that, as part of the Celebrity Life enrichment program, there are 75 spots available for a bridge tour on this 12-night cruise. It's free of charge, but they may have to set up a lottery, depending on interest. He noted that Cruise Critic members get first dibs, but I haven't been able to verify that.

Usually, passengers get about 20 minutes on the bridge to ask Captain Gary such questions as "Where is your favorite destination?" (Hawaii), "What's your favorite restaurant on Constellation and why? (Ocean Liners, for its nostalgic menu), etc. ... Friends of the captain get more like 30 minutes, added Sebastian.

 

The captain is Norwegian, a rarity for Celebrity, which has had a long history of hiring Greek captains (Celebrity was founded in 1989 by the Greece-based Chandris Group). Captain Gary was previously a master on Royal Caribbean's Vision and Mariner of the Seas, and before that a naval officer. His wife and kids are onboard ... one of which (his daughter) managed to crawl atop the navigational map of the Swedish Archipelago that was laying on the bridge control desk ... the apprentice officer from Bulgaria yanked her off, flipped her upside down and dragged the giggling girl back to her mother.

 

 

These days, everything's computerized, but navigating out of the Swedish Archipelago is particularly dicey, so the process is aided by two pilots, who boarded the ship in Stockholm. The captain, however, remains in command. Captain Gary told me that the Panama Canal is the only place where the captain cannot overrule the pilot.

 

Should all the computers fail, the staff is prepared to navigate by sextant, which is kept in a little wooden box.

 

Captain Gary had to cut our conversation short to leave for a G.I. briefing. He told me there were 37 or 38 reported cases onboard (out of roughly 2,000 passengers) ... so the special protocol will remain in place, it seems, for the rest of the cruise. Moreover, I returned from dinner tonight to find an interesting note:

 

"Do you have one of those Winning Hands ... Better yet, do you have Clean Hands?" We hope you enjoy your card game, please remember to wash and sanitize your hands frequently. New playing cards and sanitizing wipes are available at the Guest Relations Desk for your convenience."

[Dan Askin]

Perry is enjoying a full house every night. I believe the carpet was replaced from red to yellow?

 

[FortyNinerLiz]

Thanks Xellent, enjoying the voyage so far.

 

Sadly, the line didn't invest in bow-to-stern Wi-Fi on this go-around ($40 million and now full-ship Wi-Fi!), so I have no access in my cabin. As you can imagine, this can be pretty brutal for a writer on assignment. For the past two days, I've been typing furiously after dinner in my cabin (no Web) from about 11 p.m. - 12:30 a.m. ... and then running down to Deck 3's Gamma conference room, the location with the best access (says the Web guy), where I log on and do my fact checking and comment posting. Writing first before I sign on saves serious usage minutes -- the connection has been horrible so far, and the time it takes to submit the picture-posts is geological.

 

The Internet Cafe is on Deck 6, but I'll look into getting some info on the specific Wi-Fi access points.

 

So sad to hear about no cabin WiFi!!! We were just on the Infinity and computer transmission was very slow compared to when we were on the Solstice. I am very disappointed since we will be on the Connie for a 14 day Caribbean cruise in January.

[Dan Askin]

Good morning Dan, it's bellybutton again. I just had a glass of champagne and blew out a candle on my 60th birthday cake (the reason for the cruise in November), when I realized something.

 

You probably won't be able to sneak a peek into the PH suite until the end of the cruise. And that is okay with me. I am in no real rush. In fact, if you can tell me if there is a laptop already in the cabin for our use, I'd be happy to know that too.

 

SO MANY QUESTIONS; SO LITTLE TIME....

 

I do appreciate you doing this for us.

 

Don't laugh, but if you could please ask the Hotel Manager if it is possible for me to bring my Tour de Champagne on board with me in November, I'd be eternally grateful. My party plans to have a different champagne at dinner every night, and I have put together quite an array of my all-time favorites. I even found a bottle of Cristal Rose' for the occasion. I am aware of corkage fees, etc.

 

Cheryl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Bellybutton,

 

I definitely have to check out the various suites, so I can be as descriptive as possible on the review I'm writing for Cruise Critic. Will do my best to post some cabin photos as well.

 

I'm setting up an interview with the hotel manager for one of the last two sea days, so I'll certainly ask him about how much wine/Champagne passengers can bring onboard ... I'm thinking they might make an exception for you, even if there's an "official" limit.

[Dan Askin]

My husband & I were to be in 8141 but three days before we started across the pond, I was a total klutz and slipped on wet grass, hit the sidewalk and shattered my knee cap!! Am currently in a leg brace which does not allow my leg to bend at all. We are so sad as we have been with cc for the last 4 months planning with everyone on tours, what to bring etc. My dream is up in smoke and it seems like they will not be doing this same trip in August nor September..We are looking forward to your input in a very sad way since we were hoping to be part of this wonderful journey!! Peggy & Skip:(

 

I'm sorry to hear that Peggy and Skip. If there's something I can do for you so you to improve the vicarious experience, just let me know.

[Dan Askin]

First formal night was indeed on the first sea day ... the second one is on June 7th, when we're in Copenhagen. Your itinerary might be set up differently though, so I'd double check with Celebrity.

__________________

 

Hi Dan ~ does this mean that there's only 2 formal nights (would LOVE it!!)

[i guess I'll call Celeberity and check - althought I'd trust YOU more than them!!]

 

Yeah, have to say I like the two formal night in 12 days, too. It's really tough packing for an almost two-week cruise ... and especially on a ship with no self-service laundry setup. The onboard laundry prices are criminal, so I'll be using the sink and some detergent I brought.

[Dan Askin]

For the person who asked, Allen King (the CD) never retired (he needs the money, he said). He'll be on Constellation until September, then he has two months off (four on, two off is the drill). He wasn't 100 percent on the next ship he'd sail on, but said it would "probably" be Constellation.