Mini mini review-Constellation 3/10/08

[Shelley G]

Hello!

We just returned Friday night from this cruise and I thought I would share some of my thoughts. The ship is in great shape. I didn't notice any problems, then again, I didn't look for peeling paint, mould, or anything else. The staff is extremely friendly and we met some staff who had been on the ship with us two years ago in July 2006. They recognized us, as we them, and it was good to renew acquaintances. We were lucky enough to be in one of the Sweet 16 cabins (6026) and the balcony was great. Our room steward, Resty, was wonderful.We will have cabin 6020 in July 2008 on the Baltic cruise. The forward location is not a problem for us. The only downside to this cruise was the food in the San Marco dining room. It was still the old menus and we didn't think the quality was as good as it was previously. It wasn't horrible, just not great. The food in the Seaside Cafe (particularly the Asian station) is excellent. According to our Assistant Maitre' d, the new menus are being introduced from the top of the ship, down. So by April/May the San Marco will have the new menus. Congratulations to Celebrity for inviting all Cruise Critic members for a private bridge tour. We are important to them. Please feel free to ask me any questions.

Shelley

[Holly2]

We had Resty also the week before you -- we were in 6048. Thought we got better service from her than from our "butler" on Journey.

Did anyone on your cruise have chaise lounges/lounge chairs on their balcony? This was the only thing Resty couldn't arrange for us. Guest Relations insisted that no one had lounge chairs due to safety considerations regardless of the size of their verandas. This was not true -- I knew people with chaises. Just wondering what the story was on your cruise.

We also loved the Asian station --even for breakfast.

Who was your server in San Marcos?

Hope you have a good reentry. Thanks for posting.

[Cotton Ginny]

Holly,

 

I was on the same sailing as Shelley and our veranda had two lounge chairs, a table and three chairs. We were in a aft cabin, not the corner - family view, I think they're called. It was great to watch the waves go by.

 

Jeri

[Shelley G]

Hi Holly,

Resty was unable to get us lounge chairs. She also said it was due to safety reasons. She did get us another chair, however, so we could both put our feet up (one of us used the table as a footrest). I loved the Eggs with spicy peanut sauce for breakfast from the Asian Buffet. We also had the waffles (yum), but most mornings we opted for the healthy breakfast in the Aqua Spa cafe. Salinas (last name) was our waiter in the San Marco (table 462). He was just OK. Usually, when I asked him what he recommended for dinner, he told me everything was good. On our last cruise on Constellation in July 2006, Kurt was our waiter. He was great. If something was not too good, he would steer me clear of it. I always took his recommendation and never had a bad meal. Kurt now works in the Aqua Spa Cafe and Ocean Liners. He was one of the people who recognized us.

Shelley

[Shir Hayam]

Hi Shelley,

[Shir Hayam]

Hi Shelley,

 

Sorry about the previous (non) message.

 

I was wondering what you meant by "Sweet 16" cabins? And what are the other 15?

 

Thanks.

 

Sheila

[Shelley G]

The sweet 16 cabins are the first 8 balcony cabins on deck 6 on both sides of the ship. They have extra large balconies, but are still considered category 2C.

Shelley

[Holly2]

My cabin 6048 not a Sweet 16 but also a 2C with a large balcony.

 

Shelley, the eggs with peanut sauce were my favorite but I couldn't get anyone else to try them. Our waiter also brought us some curry to try with dinner -- would have been happy to have it as a main course.

 

Gerri, I just wish they would be straight about the lounge chairs. I can certainly understand if they are a perk with the more expensive cabins or need a certain square footage. But Guest Relations kept insisting NO ONE had one, demanding to know who did and even saying that they would reclaim any chaise from a veranda. Just about accused me of lying that anyone did have a chaise -"that is not possible" - thanks for the validation.

[jerseygirl3]

Hello!

We just returned Friday night from this cruise and I thought I would share some of my thoughts. The ship is in great shape. I didn't notice any problems, then again, I didn't look for peeling paint, mould, or anything else. The staff is extremely friendly and we met some staff who had been on the ship with us two years ago in July 2006. They recognized us, as we them, and it was good to renew acquaintances. We were lucky enough to be in one of the Sweet 16 cabins (6026) and the balcony was great. Our room steward, Resty, was wonderful.We will have cabin 6020 in July 2008 on the Baltic cruise. The forward location is not a problem for us. The only downside to this cruise was the food in the San Marco dining room. It was still the old menus and we didn't think the quality was as good as it was previously. It wasn't horrible, just not great. The food in the Seaside Cafe (particularly the Asian station) is excellent. According to our Assistant Maitre' d, the new menus are being introduced from the top of the ship, down. So by April/May the San Marco will have the new menus. Congratulations to Celebrity for inviting all Cruise Critic members for a private bridge tour. We are important to them. Please feel free to ask me any questions.

Shelley

 

We were onboard Constellation last month in a sweet 16 cabin (6030) and also had Resty and Rinaldo as our cabin attendents. Resty was the absolute best we've ever had in over 20 cruises. She was delightful, always smiling, and kept our cabin immaculate. She is training Rinaldo and she is doing a good job, because nothing we requested was met with anything less than a big smile and a "no problem, madam." I wish we could have her when we're onboard Constellation in October, but we booked an aft CC cabin and she doesn't do those cabins. She was a complete delight and it was amazing to me that she still kept such a wonderful work ethic even though she has been doing this job for 16 years, and all of those years with Celebrity. And she has three young children at home in the Phillipines that her Mom is helping raise. She gave me her email address and I wrote to her, but haven't heard back. I wonder if I wrote it down wrong?

 

Jo-Ann

[Holly2]

I wish she could see this thread. We really enjoyed her sense of humor. If you are in touch, please give her our regards -- the couple in 6048 with the white stuffed dog.

[Shelley G]

Unfortunately, we didn't think to get her e-mail address. She is leaving on holidays after the next two cruises and then she will be going to the Summit where her husband works.She truly was a gem.

Shelley

[RodPat]

My cabin 6048 not a Sweet 16 but also a 2C with a large balcony.

 

Shelley, the eggs with peanut sauce were my favorite but I couldn't get anyone else to try them. Our waiter also brought us some curry to try with dinner -- would have been happy to have it as a main course.

 

Gerri, I just wish they would be straight about the lounge chairs. I can certainly understand if they are a perk with the more expensive cabins or need a certain square footage. But Guest Relations kept insisting NO ONE had one, demanding to know who did and even saying that they would reclaim any chaise from a veranda. Just about accused me of lying that anyone did have a chaise -"that is not possible" - thanks for the validation.

 

Gerri stated she was in an aft cabin. Those balconies are 10 ft wide and 20 ft. deep and that is why they have two lounge chairs and two regular chairs and a table to eat at. I am sure getting lounge chairs on a regular size balcony might be too tight for safety sake.

 

Pat

[Holly2]

According to GR, it was not a question of the size of the balcony. They insisted that no one at all had lounge chairs regardless of the size of their balcony.

[C 2 C]

We were on Connie in Feb as well, cabin 7080. We had a large balcony as well, made the same request and got the same answer. Last fall we had an aft cabin with the lounge chairs. However the aft is not subject to the strong winds experienced along either side. The loungers topside are tied down whenever the wind becomes an issue. They become projectiles under extreme weather conditions and therefore a safety issue. I believe anyone with normal light loungers along either port or starboard would have been provided one without the knowledge of senior hotel officers.

[crazybus]

I will be on the Connie in October and I will be sure to try the eggs with peanut sauce. That is something that I wouldn't think to order any other time but I will take your word for it that it is good.

[kyrisong1]

Hi Shelly, we were on the March 10th cruise also. We were in 8046 with one of those larger triangle balconies. We took this same cruise last year and it was our DREAM cruise, loved absolutely everything so we booked again this year. I totally agree about the food, the buffets are SO much better, actually great food and I am NOT a buffet person at all. The San Marco was just ok, the food was not near as good there as it was last year, we rated the food excellent in SM last year, it was just ok this year, not bad, but not great, in fact my husband said he was looking forward to getting home to my cooking:rolleyes: oh joy, cooking and dishes lol.

Oceanliners was excellent as always. Beef was never really tender on this cruise which was really different from last year. Fish dishes were good though. Deserts mostly just ok in the SM but the buffet had some wonderful little treats.

We were not thrilled with our cabin steward, we had Gregorio and I had heard great things about him in one review, but to us he was rather snippy. He did not have the little goodies in the cabin that we had last year on CC class, binoculars and so forth, told me there is not a pillow menu anymore, but our table mates had one, so I'm not sure about that.

He just never seemed to want to bother to make it special. We had Marta last year and she was a dream, we adored her so maybe she was just a hard act to follow.

Anyway our trip was good, the ports were great and company was awesome.

Carole