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

[Luckybee]

Hi Dan

 

Count me with those who would love to see photos of the penthouse suite. We're booked in 6148 next April and both dh and I are quite curious as to what it will look like after the refurbishment.

[editor@cruisecritic]

It got a new carpet, think that's it. Dan chime in if I'm wrong.

 

Carolyn

 

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

[editor@cruisecritic]

I did the Moscow tour on one day of our St. Petersburg call (on Celebrity Century, just coincidentally Celebrity) and when we got back at 1 a.m. there was still enough light out to enjoy a room service snack on the balcony. Amazing.

 

Carolyn

 

 

 

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.

[editor@cruisecritic]

Luckybee, I toured the penthouse suite when I was on Constellation last month in the refurbishment process. The cabin was still not all put together (which is why we didn't feature photos) but I have to tell you -- it was one of the nicest, and most spacious, staterooms I've ever seen. Better than some of the best suites on luxury ships. The bathroom (master bath, there are several) was gorgeous with mosaic tiles and such. And the balcony was just awesome, and had an al'fresco hot tub. There was a full sized dining table and more space than any NY apartment I ever had. I don't think you should worry, just plan to be pleased....

 

Carolyn

 

Hi Dan

 

Count me with those who would love to see photos of the penthouse suite. We're booked in 6148 next April and both dh and I are quite curious as to what it will look like after the refurbishment.

[pumpkin 11]

She looks lovely!! I can't wait to sail on her next year!! That shot with the balconys was great, we booked a cabin on deck 7 with the enlarged balcony shaped like a triangle, 7080 I think! Can't help but notice Dan Askin you live in Princeton, My home town!!:)

[bellybutton530]

Hi Dan

 

Count me with those who would love to see photos of the penthouse suite. We're booked in 6148 next April and both dh and I are quite curious as to what it will look like after the refurbishment.

 

Good evening Luckybee:

 

I'll be in both of them in November, and if we don't have photos by then, I'll get some for you. I'll also let you know what amenities to expect as well.

 

 

[Luckybee]

Luckybee, I toured the penthouse suite when I was on Constellation last month in the refurbishment process. The cabin was still not all put together (which is why we didn't feature photos) but I have to tell you -- it was one of the nicest, and most spacious, staterooms I've ever seen. Better than some of the best suites on luxury ships. The bathroom (master bath, there are several) was gorgeous with mosaic tiles and such. And the balcony was just awesome, and had an al'fresco hot tub. There was a full sized dining table and more space than any NY apartment I ever had. I don't think you should worry, just plan to be pleased....

 

Carolyn

 

Thanks Carolyn

Im actually not at all worried....we booked before the refurbishment and were quite satisfied with what we had seen of the "old" ship....I just want to see photos of the changes to increase my anticipation...lol :D

 

When you said an "alfresco hottub" Im not familiar with that term....is it the same hotub as before the refurbishment or have they changed that as well ...or do you know?

[Luckybee]

Good evening Luckybee:

 

I'll be in both of them in November, and if we don't have photos by then, I'll get some for you. I'll also let you know what amenities to expect as well.

 

 

 

Omg ....do I have to wait till then;).

Seriously that would be great...If nothing else though I have to believe though that Celebrity would have the new photos on their site by then.

[bellybutton530]

Omg ....do I have to wait till then;).

Seriously that would be great....

 

I don't want to wait either, but it looks like we'll have to wait until somebody gives us the scoop. I cannot believe that carpeting was the only thing that was changed buring the renovation.... I'm thinking that bedding, curtains, some furniture (hopefully the beds) the TVs, etc etc were changed.

 

We shall see....

 

 

[Babo02]

Hi Dan,

Sounds like you had a great day in Stockholm. That's the city we're looking forward to visiting most because my husband wants to see the Vasa museum and I'm a fan of Steig Larsson books, so I just want to wander in the Gamla Stan.

 

Did you happen to notice if the Vasa was far from where the ship docks? We have city cards and will have to figure out how to take the transportation to get there.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Bonnie

[I Fly]

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,

We are taking the Constellation on June 21st, on the Arctic Circle cruise and would love to know whether the two formal nights is now the standard for a 12 night cruise. Could you find out whether all of the 12 night cruises on the Constellation will be only having two formal nights? Having to pack for three formal nights and then only having two is worse than having three formal nights, if you know what I mean. Thanks for your travel journal, it is making our upcoming cruise even more exciting.

 

Steve

[Dan Askin]

Hi Dan,

Sounds like you had a great day in Stockholm. That's the city we're looking forward to visiting most because my husband wants to see the Vasa museum and I'm a fan of Steig Larsson books, so I just want to wander in the Gamla Stan.

 

Did you happen to notice if the Vasa was far from where the ship docks? We have city cards and will have to figure out how to take the transportation to get there.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Bonnie

 

Hey Sheila,

 

I can't say enough about biking in Scandinavia ...

 

Celebrity was actually offering a Steig Larsson-themed shore excursion, but it was canceled due to lack of interest (if you're a diehard, you can always book it on your own, too). A couple of my tablemates were signed up for it, and they were bummed to hear the bad news. Seems people are opting almost solely for the standard panoramic bus tour on this cruise.

 

The Vasa is a bit of a hike on foot from where we docked ... but docking locations can vary. I'm sure it's nothing that can't be solved by public transportation (I'll do a little research). Like I said, I grabbed the shuttle from the pier to the city center, rented a citybike, then easily coasted to the Vasa.

[Babo02]

We'll be using busses, trams, or whatever the locals take, to get from the pier to the Vasa.The city card my husband and I bought online covers transportation around Stockholm as well as entrance to many of the tourist spots. The great thing is that we won't have to wait in line to buy tickets. :-)

 

Too bad about the Steig Larsson tour. I would have taken it, but my husband hasn't read the books, so he wouldn't have enjoyed it, so I didn't sign up.

 

By the way, you can also use the shampoo provided in the cabins for washing clothes. I read about that somewhere and have been doing it for years. You are so right about the laundry prices being ridiculously high.

 

Hope you had a great time today.

[Dan Askin]

Following some independent bicycle touring in Stockholm, I opted for the guided version today in Helsinki. The bikes, unisex touring models by Jopo (pronounced "yopo"), were an advertisement-free improvement over yesterday's pain killer-peddling peddlers ... but we were required to dress in fluorescent yellow safety jackets, which attracted many a mocking look. Not a big deal -- I've given up on blending in if I'm going to bike.

 

To everyone's benefit, the tour was comprised of just five passengers, plus a guide, Kari, and an escort, Kate, who works for Park West, the art gallery/auctioneer company onboard. Celebrity will send crew on tours as "escorts" -- nice perk for the crew.

 

 

The tour started off a bit oddly ... we had guided stops at a school (kids at recess?), a former mental hospital and a Nokia building (Nokia being the powerful Finnish cell phone company that's a great source of national pride). But Kari had a way with words, and he made these Helsinki un-highlights worthy of attention. We passed a McDonald's and he said with great pride that McDonald's has never turned a profit in Finland. "We prefer Hesburger," a Finnish fast food burger joint.

 

We were free to ask him anything, and he always answered thoughtfully.

 

"Are there a lot of bicyclers in Finland, Kari?" asked someone.

 

"Not as many as there should be," he answered, "because we are stupid ... we come from the woods only like 100 years ago." He was joking about the very recent "civilization" of Finland.

 

We also stopped to snap a few photos and learn a bit about Uspensky Cathedral, the famous Russian Orthodox church, Market Square, with its kiosks selling reindeer pelts, wood carvings and seafood ("Dan, this is a good one to eat at later," said Kari pointing to a very crowded stall closest to the harbor) and, from across the water, Suomenlinna Fortress, a fascinating island fort (stretched over several islands connected by bridges) that was built by the Swedes in the late 1740's, then snatched by the Russians sixty years later without a single shot being fired. Now it's a Finnish UNESCO site with shops, restaurants and 1,100 lucky residents (and microbrewery to boot).

 

We also stopped at the Sibelius monument, probably the third most famous icon of Helsinki behind the Lutheran Church. Another interesting factoid from Kari ... the original monument glorifying the Finnish composer was seen as too abstract by some, so they built a second monument, which features a realistic likeness of the composer. It's a head lying in front of what looks like a pig's body. Is that really any less abstract?

 

"I don't know much about art," said Kari, but I think the first one shape captures the feeling of his music."

 

 

 

I really prefer independent touring, but if you get a guide with personality, it's almost like having an expert/friend you can ask anything to. As we passed the president's residence, Kari explained that the Finnish flag flying above the palace meant that the prez, Tarja Halonen, was home in Helsinki. Late-night talk show host Conan O'Brien had a running bit about him looking identical to Ms. Halonen, even going so far as traveling to Finland ... where he was greeted at the airport by thousands of cheering fans. "He became quite famous here," said Kari. "People who are between 20 and 40, usually the educated people like him very much."

 

 

 

On a side note, I've noticed a Finnish refusal to cross the street at a designated cross walk UNLESS there's a green man. I've experienced this on each of my four visits (don't want anyone to be embarrassed by committing a cultural faux pas). We could be in post-apocalyptic Helsinki, in a hypothetical situation where no cars, but 100 people and one traffic light have survived. The 100 people would wait for the man to turn green before crossing.

 

The bicycle tour was only three hours, so there was plenty of time for heading to market square for some fish, to esplanade for some shopping, or the Rock Church, one of Helsinki's other popular tourist sites. As it did in Stockholm, the line offered a shuttle bus, which dropped you off at the corner of Skillnadsgatan and Bulevarden (an easy walk to everything from the Rock Church, 15 minutes, to market square, 7 - 10 minutes). I think it was $8, but I don't have my notes in front of me ... you could also hoof it from pier to town (about 35 minutes) which many did.

[Dan Askin]

I haven't spoken much about food onboard -- was planning on doing some dining posts on one of the last two sea days, but I had a solid late lunch at Bistro on Five. It's a dry-dock addition to Constellation that's part of the casual chic Deck 4 and 5 complex (gelateria, cafe, martini bar, etc.). There's a $5 surcharge for all-you-can-eat crepes. The cruise director says he eats there almost every day, but it's been practically empty every time I passed by, and, unsurprisingly, it was nearly vacant during a quick port day lunch (docked in Helsinki). A waitress told me the busiest time is during lunch on sea days, but even then the worst case scenario is that you might have to wait to secure the prime real estate by the windows.

 

I ordered breakfast crepe with bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, tomato and onion (served with fruit and breakfast taters), and a dessert crepe (the "Italian") with Nutella, the addictive hazelnut chocolate spread that's big in Europe, bananas, a creme sauce and crumbled pistachios. Not wanting to feel gluttonous, I asked them to make me two slightly smaller crepes, which they can do if you want to sample.

 

 

[Luckybee]

I don't want to wait either, but it looks like we'll have to wait until somebody gives us the scoop. I cannot believe that carpeting was the only thing that was changed buring the renovation.... I'm thinking that bedding, curtains, some furniture (hopefully the beds) the TVs, etc etc were changed.

 

We shall see....

 

 

 

I thought when Carolyn said "it got a new carpet , I think thats it" that she was referring to Michaels Club but perhaps I misunderstood(or one of us did :) )....Carolyn if you're out there can you clarify ? I had understood from speaking with Celebrity that the penthouse suite was getting a full refurb...but heck the penthouse looked great from the photos imho before the refurb...lol....we're doing a 14 night carib...I just want that deck space:D

[Dan Askin]

I don't want to wait either, but it looks like we'll have to wait until somebody gives us the scoop. I cannot believe that carpeting was the only thing that was changed buring the renovation.... I'm thinking that bedding, curtains, some furniture (hopefully the beds) the TVs, etc etc were changed.

 

We shall see....

 

 

 

You won't to wait until November. I'm currently onboard, and I'll be touring the ship with the hotel manager, so I'll certainly get the scoop in a few days on the lounge. I'm gone all day for the next two days in SPB, but stay tuned...

 

Dan

[Dan Askin]

Dan,

We are taking the Constellation on June 21st, on the Arctic Circle cruise and would love to know whether the two formal nights is now the standard for a 12 night cruise. Could you find out whether all of the 12 night cruises on the Constellation will be only having two formal nights? Having to pack for three formal nights and then only having two is worse than having three formal nights, if you know what I mean. Thanks for your travel journal, it is making our upcoming cruise even more exciting.

 

Steve

 

It's a good question, Steve. Based on Celebrity's Web site, I was expecting three formal evenings as well, but here we are with only two for the 12-night sailing. Let me see what I can find out from Celebrity's PR folks.

[Dan Askin]

I thought when Carolyn said "it got a new carpet , I think thats it" that she was referring to Michaels Club but perhaps I misunderstood(or one of us did :) )....Carolyn if you're out there can you clarify ? I had understood from speaking with Celebrity that the penthouse suite was getting a full refurb...but heck the penthouse looked great from the photos imho before the refurb...lol....we're doing a 14 night carib...I just want that deck space:D

 

Yeah, she was referring to Michael's Club in regards to the carpets.

 

The Penthouse Suites (as did all the cabins) received a full, very dramatic refurb ... I'm trying to set up a little cabin tour with the head housekeeper, so (hopefully) stay tuned for some photos. I'm in SPB for the next two days, so it'll probably be a little while before I can post the goods.

[Dan Askin]

She looks lovely!! I can't wait to sail on her next year!! That shot with the balconys was great, we booked a cabin on deck 7 with the enlarged balcony shaped like a triangle, 7080 I think! Can't help but notice Dan Askin you live in Princeton, My home town!!:)

 

I'm in nearby Lambertville now, but P-Town has much to offer in terms of chicken wings, eccentric university professors (Cornell West is the man) and really good brick oven pizza (Old World).

[Dan Askin]

I did the Moscow tour on one day of our St. Petersburg call (on Celebrity Century, just coincidentally Celebrity) and when we got back at 1 a.m. there was still enough light out to enjoy a room service snack on the balcony. Amazing.

 

Carolyn

 

Sounds like a plan for tomorrow, post-Swan Lake.

[Dan Askin]

Yikes! This is one of my most anticipated excursions of the whole trip!! I hope it fills up on our late August cruise. Sorry you couldn't do it - it looks like an amazing tour.

 

Yeah, it was a bummer ... have you thought about booking it independently of the line? The shorex people tell me you need a minimum of 15 people for the tour to run (maybe get a CC group together on your Roll Call?), and that it's basically a crap shoot. Sometimes it goes, but more often than not, it doesn't.

 

Here's an independent operator I found on Google ... maybe check the Northern Europe forum or Trip Advisor, too. The tour looks really sweet.

[Luckybee]

Yeah, she was referring to Michael's Club in regards to the carpets.

 

The Penthouse Suites (as did all the cabins) received a full, very dramatic refurb ... I'm trying to set up a little cabin tour with the head housekeeper, so (hopefully) stay tuned for some photos. I'm in SPB for the next two days, so it'll probably be a little while before I can post the goods.

 

Dan you're my hero !!!

 

Btw....the photos of the Bistro food look wonderful...having reviewed these boards I must say that I wasnt expecting much from the cuisine but if your photos are any indication of the food quality then I'm prepared to be pleasantly surprised :D

[pmmarket]

Just reading your posts and seeing the pictures has made it a little better than lying in bed with the leg brace...Thank you for sharing and maybe we can make this same trip in August if the wait lists open up.. Peggy & Skip formally of 8141 on 5/28 sailing

[Babo02]

Re: The Crepes

 

They look absolutely wonderful! We'll be checking them out for sure.

 

Bonnie