Cruise Ship Reviews : Celebrity Cruises Reviews
teacherka saw things this way:
Great 12 night Baltic cruise on Celebrity Silhouette including St. Petersburg, June 17, 2015
Reviewer: teacherka
Pros: Great Itinerary
Cons: The entertainment (one evening good singer, Jane Curry. SAME evening good party)
Date of cruise: May 28, 2015
Departure port: Stockholm, Sweden
Region visited: Russia/Central Asia
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 1076
This itinerary is great for people who are active and want to see things every day. Passengers on this cruise have 5 very busy, long days before a sea day. WHAT I WISH I HAD KNOWN BEFORE THE CRUISE (or tips): 1) Our cruise left May 27. Subtract 10 degrees Fahrenheit from whatever the temperature says. Our weather indicated 60 -62 degrees. It felt like 50-52 degrees due to the chill near the water. Many passengers were smart and had down jackets or vests. I ended up buying a wool sweater AND a down jacket in Helsinki. I was SO thankful I had the down jacket in St. Petersburg and wore it through most of the cruise. 2) We did not have rain. However, it rained on and off the cruise before us which I read online so had packed a small light-weight umbrella. 3) Because of the itinerary and cold weather, I never wore my swimsuit. Think of this as an Alaska cruise when planning. I normally pack only one pair of jeans and pack a nice skirt for touring and 2 dresses. HOWEVER, I lived in my 2 pairs of nice jeans and alternated them for touring every day. Those 2 pairs and a nice pair of black pants to dress up or down on the ship would have been all I would have needed. (A dressy sweater jacket or similar over the black pants is what many people were wearing for formal nights. It was not typical to see many very dressed up people as you might on a Caribbean cruise. They just looked nice without being over the top.) 4) Be sure to bring cold medicine. A bad cold went around the ship with many passengers getting it including me. People cough into their hands and then touch the serving spoons or computers. 4) It was VERY helpful that I had a chip in my credit card AND had a card with no foreign transaction fees (which saves the 3% fee for every charge.) I generally use my Capital One card when overseas since they have no foreign transaction fees. However, I called my regular credit card company and they upgraded me to one for a very slight incremental cost. Without a chip in your card, many readers in Europe including train machines cannot handle those swipe credit cards. (I had to pay cash 2 years ago and got chip cards last year when available in the US. Banks will send it to you upon request now.) 5) Was happy I brought 4 clothespins for the drapes in the hotel in Stockholm (20 hours of sunlight) and on the ship. Worked great. 6) We wore hidden waist wallets (learned to do this years ago because of travelling in Italy) with our cash, credit cards and passports. We were surprised that a few people did not know to do this and were robbed in St. Petersburg, Berlin or Amsterdam. It can happen anywhere in Europe. Its recommended that if men want a wallet to keep only the equivalent of 20-30 euros they can afford to lose and keep an elastic around it so more difficult for pickpockets. I have my zipped purse that I wear across my body with only about 20 -30 euros in it so not an issue if ever taken. 7) Keep iPhones in airport mode (even when in the safe so they don't pick up wireless signals and charge us). Even in airport mode, you can use your phone at free internet cafes to check emails. You can also send photos by email with free wifi (just not as texts). If you do buy an internet package on the ship, your iphone (still in airplane mode) or iPad (also in airplane mode) is MUCH quicker than using the computers on the ship. Stockholm TIP re taxis: Look at the yellow price sticker clearly shown per law on the outside window of the cab. SEK 290-390 is average from the airport to Central Station. [1 SEK was .12 US dollars. Hence, 330 SEK = $40.23 so a bit more to the hotel from Central station and a bit more for the second passenger.] Stockholm was great. We did the HopOn, HopOff bus including the ferry. Stockholm sights: Everyone in Stockholm was very friendly, helpful and spoke English. Vasa Museum has a guided tour in English. It houses a ship (compared to the Titanic) that sunk 45 minutes into its maiden voyage in 1628. It is the only preserved 17th century ship in the world and was salvaged in 1961 from the water. Gama Stan is the medieval city center (near our hotel). This was the original island. It has a town square called Stortorget. One can see the German church with its steeple jutting into the sky and was said to remind all of the power of the Germans in Europe. Sweden is made up of islands so they call it the archipelago. Most of the places we went to are connected by bridges. History Museum: Stockholm is said to be the birthplace of social security and dynamite. Gustavus Adolphus (Lion of the North) was said to have made Sweden one of Europes top powers and helped Protestants turn tides against Catholics in the 30 years war. Royal Palace: contains museum (warfare and wedding dress of Queen Sophia). Walk past it. However Royals actually live out of town at Drottningholm Palace. Nobel Prize museum: Alfred Nobel invented more than 300 patents including dynamite. 1st ceremony was in 1901, videoclips and pictures. [Someone said if you turn over the heavy chairs you will see they are signed.] Helsinki interesting city. Paid $12 for the ships commuter bus. Others used the HopOn, Hop Off bus just outside terminal. Visited National Museum. Great coffee shop in Stockmans Department store with free internet. St. Petersburg: BOOKING a St Petersburg tour: ALL tour companies arrange for your visa when you provide your info & passport number. The best private tour companies are Alla Tours, TJ Tours, SPB Tours and Denrus. Check online for Reviews! Most private tours do groups of 14-16 but can negotiate for small groups. When exit ship in Russia, you need your passport and your tour ticket along with reservation confirmation. Allow an hour to get off ship and clear immigration. Sites seen: Hermitage Museum called the Winter palace built by Catherine the Great in 1764 on Neva River. Was main winter residence of Russian Tsars. Only 7% of collection (over 3 million art items) is displayed. Because of collection the original Winter Palace was expanded and is now 5 buildings. Interesting to note on our tour: Main staircase called The Jordan Staircase, Stair hall w 18th century depicting the Gods of Olympus, Peter's Room--Peter the a Great Memorial Hall built for Tzar a Nicholas 1 in 1833 & recreated after fire in 1837. Opulent w red velvet throne with painting of a Peter The Great over it & lots of gold. Gold is EVERYWHERE throughout the Hermitage & other palaces. Malachite Room--like Russian mosaic since they do this artwork to make the stone look like one piece--dark green flecks of gold. Peacock clock automated clock w 3 mechanical birds made of gold & gemstones in cage. Amazing Crystal chandeliers everywhere. Leonardo da Vinci Room has 2 original masterpieces. One is Madonna Litta bought in 1865 from Count Antonio Litta in Milan. Also saw gallery (huge hall) replica of Raphael loggias like The Vatican w depictions from the Bible. Briefly saw Knights room w armour. Also saw on Day 1: St Isaacs Cathedral (patron saint of Peter the Great with a huge gold dome on top), Church of the Spilled Blood (blue & gold onion domes built on the site where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated in March 1881), Fortress of Sts Peter & Paul (burial place of Russian Emperors). Yusapi Palace was amazing & not to be missed! More wealthy than royals. Family of Muslim descent originally. Note marble staircase moved from an Italian palace. Grigory Rasputin was murdered here. Heavily influenced the Tsar saying he had supernatural powers initially helping Tsars son with hemophilia but then influencing all Tsars decisions to detriment of Russia in war. In 1916 a group of nobles including a Grand Duke led by Prince Yusupov, conspired to kill Rasputin here by poisoning him. The poison didnt work so eventually he had to shoot him. Exhibit depicts the story. Day 2: City sightseeing tour on canal boat ride to see these huge palaces from the water. Highly recommend! Peterhof (summer royal residence). Gardens were renovated in 2012. At 11am the huge fountains in the gardens of Peterhof start and the music plays with this start. Highlight of visiting Peterhof. The gardens were MUCH nicer than Versailles and the wooded areas near the paths were beautiful. Catherine Palace (including the Amber Room). Summer residence of the Russian tsars. Built in 1717 by Catherine I of Russia. Her daughter, Empress Elizabeth, in 1752 had it demolished (felt outdated) and a new one much grander one was finished in 1756. There is gold everywhere you look. Catherine the Great came and had personal apartments of the Empress added to it. In 1817 Alexander I had the interiors of his grandmothers residence refurbished. The Germans destroyed the palace in WW2 leaving only the shell behind. Most of the reconstruction was done by 2003 but work is still being done. Fundraising events are held in the Grand Hall including concert by Elton John in 2001 and a party in 2005 with guests including Bill Clinton, Tina Turner, Whitney Houston and Sting. Tallinn, Estonia: It has a walled, cobble-stoned old town with a fairy tale atmosphere. There is an Estonian History museum dedicated to 20th century history. Long interesting history and also great views of the harbor from a lookout point near the wall in the old town. We did a great 3.5 hour tour outside of the old town to see former Russian sites which included a burial site for old Russian leaders statutes broken and thrown behind an old building. Think of Stalin and Lenin lying on the lawn with their heads broken or on ground. Berlin, Germany (Warnemunde port) The 3-hour drive from the port was a concern but it did not turn out to be an issue for us. We did a private tour with SPB but those other tour companies also do great tours. The bus was comfortable and most of us (including me) slept until the bus stopped 1 hour before our destination despite 3 cups of coffee! We were SO fortunate to have Arjia as our fantastic Tour guide. She graduated from Hamburg University with an MA in history and is passionate and articulate. Arjia also gives private tours with Berlin locals. The Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp was so very moving especially with Arjias insights. Her grandfather was a Nazi soldier so she has the inside scoop but totally disagrees with racism and what was done in Berlin to people. There is a phrase on the concentration camp entrance gate Work will Set You Free in German. This was to offer new people hope so that they would not rebel and would think working hard would make a difference. (It didnt). To outsiders this meant it was a prison and not a concentration camp and they strived to make it appear so. (Appears are very deceiving.) It was primarily used for political prisoners from 1936 until 1945. Among the prisoners, there was a "hierarchy": at the top, criminals (rapists, murderers), then Communists (red triangles), then homosexuals (pink triangles), Jehovah's Witnesses (purple triangles), and Jews (yellow triangles). Having two badges would be even worse. Sachsenhausen was originally not intended as an extermination camp. In 1942 large numbers of Jewish inmates were relocated to Auschwitz. However the construction of a gas chamber and ovens by camp-commandant Anton Kaindl in March 1943 gave them the ability to kill larger numbers of prisoners. The prisoners thought they were being sent to a medical facility within the camp so they would walk in willingly. The camp was also bordered by an electrified fence upon which some prisoners would throw themselves. In the Spring of 1945 with the Red Army approaching, 33,000 inmates were evacuated and forced to march Northeast. Most were physically exhausted and thousands did not survive this death march. Those who collapsed en route were shot. In April 1945 the camps remaining 3,000 inmates were liberated. On August 12, 1961 a barbed wire fence went up overnight between East and West Berlin. (On November 9, 1989 the Berlin wall finally came down. You can still see pieces of it covered with graffiti.) A man on our cruise said that his parents left East Berlin just before the wall went up. His father was outspoken, and they could see things tightening up. If a spouse/parent went to West Berlin for the day, the other spouse/child had to still be at home in East Berlin. Both spouses could not leave East Berlin at the same time. Guessing what was about to happen, each of his parents went to the two different police areas to leave East Berlin for the day. Since this was before computers and it was thus not coordinated, both parents fortunately made it out of East Berlin before the wall went up. In East Berlin before the wall came down everything was for show. Museum Island was to show off their cultural heritage even though people were hungry. Propaganda everywhere. An outsider with a passport could come into East Berlin through Checkpoint Charlie but couldnt leave a specified area or they would be shot. Construction cranes were visible for appearance of prosperity but were not working or moving. Overall it was a very fascinating day. Many of us were awake on the way back but the drive didnt seem too bad especially with a kindle. Copenhagen, Denmarke Denmarks National Museum, The Little Mermaid on Langelinje Pier, Amalienborg Palace museum (Queen lives in Amalienborg Palace). It consists of four identical buildings spread around the octagonal courtyard. Christiansborg palace-- houses the Danish Parliament, Supreme Court, and Ministry of State. It is also used by the Royal Family for various functions and events. The Great Hall contains the Queen's tapestry series, which depict 1000 years of Danish history. Rosenborg Castle is in the center of Copenhagen. It was originally built as a royal pleasure retreat by King Christian IV, but today it is a museum, displaying 400 years of Royal history. Nyhavn is the boating area on the canal with bars and restaurants everywhere as well as the canal cruises. Kronborg Castle was made famous by Shakespeare's royal tragedy, 'Hamlet'. This is a drive out of the City but we did it two years ago. It is a striking Renaissance castle and monumental military fortress. The grand ballroom and the castle dungeons are impressive. Amsterdam, Netherlands It is about an 8 minute walk up the ramp from the ship to Central Station with luggage. What to see/do: Anne Frank house (IF you can book it AT LEAST 3 months in advance so you dont spend 2 hours waiting in line). It was sold out almost 3 months in advance. If the Anne Frank House it sold out, you might be able to look online and book a tour that includes the no wait line for the Anne Frank house. Canal tour. Our Lord in the Attic museum shows what it was like in the 16th Century and has a secret catholic church into the attic. Originally built in 1663 when Catholics lost the right to worship in public. The lower floors of the building became a museum in 1888 and today contain refurbished rooms, as well as a collection of church silver, various religious artifacts and paintings. Amsterdam (History) Museum was great. The central library (not far from the Central train station past the Double Tree Hotel) has a public caf with sweeping views of Amsterdam on the 7th floor. The self-service food is quite good and there are beverages including beer and wine as well as frozen yogurt. Another interesting restaurant across the street from the train station directly on the canal is Loetje Centraal. On your canal tour you will notice the pink and white umbrellas on the outside eating patio where the canal boats turn around. More upscale is the Hotel Pulitzer located on the Canal fairly close to the Anne Frank House. They have a Tea Room and Bar that is open to the public. If you like art, the Van Gogh Museum is great. The Rijksmuseum has an interesting collection of Dutch art including Rembrandts painting Night Watch.
yryfeliz saw things this way:
Excellent!!, April 18, 2014
Reviewer: yryfeliz
Pros: Cabin Design is best! Also the dining services and show!
Cons: None
Date of cruise: April 6, 2014
Departure port: fort lauderdale
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 6189
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
It is great experience, definitely worth the money. Hope I can go with my whole family next time!
avirivka saw things this way:
Friendliest staff; an awesome, amazing, fantastic ship and entertainment, August 5, 2013
Reviewer: avirivka
Pros: Indoor adult pool amazing, especially in bad weather; great entertainment
Cons: Outdoor pool too deep. Celebrity switched great cruise director before end
Date of cruise: July 19, 2013
Departure port: Venice
Region visited: Mediterranean
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 6157
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
The ship is fabulous. Entertainment was amazing..highly professional. However, the outdoor pool is too deep if you are not a good swimmer. There is no reason for this as there is no life guard. The pool is tiny and is mainly for hanging out so to have a pool with water over your head is ridiculous since most of the people are not really swimming. (It is 5'11" to 6'1"deep.) The shore excursions from the ship were outstanding. The scholar in residence was terrific. Unfortunately, Celebrity decided to send the fabulous cruise director to the Reflection cruise ship SOS and we lost out. They could have waited until the end of the cruise. The house band was amazing. The dining room staff could not do enough for you. Our cabin attendants could have been more attentive and the activities manager needs to tone it down a bit. The outdoor smoking areas are a farce since they are by the pool and the smoke travels everywhere. Smoking is also permitted on the 14th deck outside the buffet which forces joggers, runners, walkers, and buffet eaters to pass the smoking area time and again. This is true for both Deck 5, Deck 12 and Deck 14. Also, there are no free exercise classes in the afternoons which is unfortunate since not everyone is ready to exercise at 7 or 8 a.m. and the other exercise classes other than Zumba you have to pay for. All in all it was a fabulous cruise with amazing ports and shore excursions and entertainment. We had a wonderful time thanks to the terrific staff on board....simply the best!
mvanlaan saw things this way:
A little worn out for a newer ship, March 1, 2013
Reviewer: mvanlaan
Pros: Fitness Center
Cons: Stateroom cleanliness
Date of cruise: February 10, 2013
Departure port: Ft. Lauderdale
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 8249
This was our third cruise on Celebrity and it was, by far, our worst experience -- mainly because of some real negative first impressions. I will say that Guest Relations did a great job of correcting the problems, but we felt like it really took the luster off the typically superior cruise experiences we've had with Celebrity. We showed up and it was obvious that our stateroom had not been thoroughly cleaned. We called to report this. Staff agreed with us and they committed to us that the stateroom would be cleaned while we were at dinner. We came back from dinner and still had a gross stain (left from the previous cruise) on the couch in the stateroom. Had to make another call. They ended up covering the stain with a folded sheet. Sub-excellence. Stateroom had a little bit less storage than our other cruises, but we made it work and no big deal. Very nice balcony. We asked for a dining room table for two (6 p.m. seating). We had a table for two, but it was six inches away from another table for two on one side and six inches away from a table for four on the other side. Very awkward. We asked for a new table for two and we were accommodated with a nice private table for two. Why they just couldn't get us something like this in first place was a mystery. The service at the new table was excellent. The food was excellent. Fitness Center had the best equipment we've seen. All operational and all very clean. This ship is relatively new ... less than two years old. It looked worn for being as new was it was. The coffee shop on deck 5 was awesome. Great for a latte or Americano in the morning and for tea after dinner. Outstanding service. We thought the entertainment was below average. The theater shows were OK, but nothing spectacular. The musical entertainment was below average. Overall, it was a cruise, so it was good. We will give Celebrity another chance because our other experiences with them have been excellent.
Patk0317 saw things this way:
We had a wonderful time!, February 20, 2013
Reviewer: Patk0317
Pros: The staff were wonderful
Cons: Not enough entertainment
Date of cruise: February 3, 2013
Departure port: Ft Lauderdale
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 7200
We sailed from Ft Lauderdale to the Caribbean on Feb 3,2013. We had a balcony room and it was very nice, just a little smaller than other ships we had been on. I also felt the bathroom was tight. When you used the commode you leg was hitting the shower door. Our room steward was wonderful and the room was always very clean. We were disappointed the first night that there was no show since it was Super Bowl Sunday and since it was a girls cruise we were not interested in the game. We would have liked to see a show. There was also a lack of shows later such as the newleywed game or a talent show for singing, etc. They only had the dancing with the stripes, which was very funny. The last day they also always have a talent show with staff and that was missing. We always enjoy the Neptunes but they were not in a lounge where you could go have a drink and listen to them perform for 30 minutes. They were always only performing for 15 minutes where you had to stand and listen to them. The shows were all well done and our only complaint was the last night. They had the illusionist on and then the guest singer, Linda Hamilton, who was wonderful but they showed a video of her performing a song she was nominated for a Tony. She then came out and perfomed. The quality of the video was fair, I would have much rather listened to her sing it in person. My only complaint about the food was the lack of fresh iced tea. It was that syrup that is horrible. I commented on it at dinner and was given fresh brewed with my dinners but that is all that is available for breakfast or lunch. We used the Adults only area in the pool most of the time but were disappointed that they did not have the hydrotherapy pool that we had on the Summit and the Millenium the past two years when we sailed on them. All in all, we had a wonderful time and I would most definitely cruise with Celebrity again. We had a very nice massage in the spa but felt you were then pressured to buy their products. My friend, who had never had a spa treatment in her life, got her first facial and massage the first night. They then told her they were going to get her some of the products they used. She assumed they were bringing her in a sample of the cream they used. Wasn't she surprised when the girl returned with a bag and a bill for $278! She informed her it was our first day of the cruise and she had no intention of spending that kind of money. I had hurt my back they day before we sailed and attended a seminar on back pain with the acupuncturist, Trish, and she was wonderful. I then had three treatments and she really did help my back and my chronic neck pain. She was very friendly and professional. As members of the Captains Club we were invited to an afternoon reception that was to take place from 1:30 to 2:30 but when we arrived a few minutes after 2 the Captain and the officers were all leaving. We thougth we would have had a little more time to meet and greet.
Celebrity Silhouette reviews
Average customer rating:
4.26 / 5
4.26 / 5Average Rating based on 5 Reviews:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
4.60
4.00
3.40
4.25
4.80
4.60
3.67
4.50
4.40
4.00
3.40
4.25
4.80
4.60
3.67
4.50
4.40
teacherka saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
5
4
2
5
4
5
4
4
4
2
5
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5
4
4
Great 12 night Baltic cruise on Celebrity Silhouette including St. Petersburg, June 17, 2015
Reviewer: teacherka
Pros: Great Itinerary
Cons: The entertainment (one evening good singer, Jane Curry. SAME evening good party)
Date of cruise: May 28, 2015
Departure port: Stockholm, Sweden
Region visited: Russia/Central Asia
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 1076
This itinerary is great for people who are active and want to see things every day. Passengers on this cruise have 5 very busy, long days before a sea day. WHAT I WISH I HAD KNOWN BEFORE THE CRUISE (or tips): 1) Our cruise left May 27. Subtract 10 degrees Fahrenheit from whatever the temperature says. Our weather indicated 60 -62 degrees. It felt like 50-52 degrees due to the chill near the water. Many passengers were smart and had down jackets or vests. I ended up buying a wool sweater AND a down jacket in Helsinki. I was SO thankful I had the down jacket in St. Petersburg and wore it through most of the cruise. 2) We did not have rain. However, it rained on and off the cruise before us which I read online so had packed a small light-weight umbrella. 3) Because of the itinerary and cold weather, I never wore my swimsuit. Think of this as an Alaska cruise when planning. I normally pack only one pair of jeans and pack a nice skirt for touring and 2 dresses. HOWEVER, I lived in my 2 pairs of nice jeans and alternated them for touring every day. Those 2 pairs and a nice pair of black pants to dress up or down on the ship would have been all I would have needed. (A dressy sweater jacket or similar over the black pants is what many people were wearing for formal nights. It was not typical to see many very dressed up people as you might on a Caribbean cruise. They just looked nice without being over the top.) 4) Be sure to bring cold medicine. A bad cold went around the ship with many passengers getting it including me. People cough into their hands and then touch the serving spoons or computers. 4) It was VERY helpful that I had a chip in my credit card AND had a card with no foreign transaction fees (which saves the 3% fee for every charge.) I generally use my Capital One card when overseas since they have no foreign transaction fees. However, I called my regular credit card company and they upgraded me to one for a very slight incremental cost. Without a chip in your card, many readers in Europe including train machines cannot handle those swipe credit cards. (I had to pay cash 2 years ago and got chip cards last year when available in the US. Banks will send it to you upon request now.) 5) Was happy I brought 4 clothespins for the drapes in the hotel in Stockholm (20 hours of sunlight) and on the ship. Worked great. 6) We wore hidden waist wallets (learned to do this years ago because of travelling in Italy) with our cash, credit cards and passports. We were surprised that a few people did not know to do this and were robbed in St. Petersburg, Berlin or Amsterdam. It can happen anywhere in Europe. Its recommended that if men want a wallet to keep only the equivalent of 20-30 euros they can afford to lose and keep an elastic around it so more difficult for pickpockets. I have my zipped purse that I wear across my body with only about 20 -30 euros in it so not an issue if ever taken. 7) Keep iPhones in airport mode (even when in the safe so they don't pick up wireless signals and charge us). Even in airport mode, you can use your phone at free internet cafes to check emails. You can also send photos by email with free wifi (just not as texts). If you do buy an internet package on the ship, your iphone (still in airplane mode) or iPad (also in airplane mode) is MUCH quicker than using the computers on the ship. Stockholm TIP re taxis: Look at the yellow price sticker clearly shown per law on the outside window of the cab. SEK 290-390 is average from the airport to Central Station. [1 SEK was .12 US dollars. Hence, 330 SEK = $40.23 so a bit more to the hotel from Central station and a bit more for the second passenger.] Stockholm was great. We did the HopOn, HopOff bus including the ferry. Stockholm sights: Everyone in Stockholm was very friendly, helpful and spoke English. Vasa Museum has a guided tour in English. It houses a ship (compared to the Titanic) that sunk 45 minutes into its maiden voyage in 1628. It is the only preserved 17th century ship in the world and was salvaged in 1961 from the water. Gama Stan is the medieval city center (near our hotel). This was the original island. It has a town square called Stortorget. One can see the German church with its steeple jutting into the sky and was said to remind all of the power of the Germans in Europe. Sweden is made up of islands so they call it the archipelago. Most of the places we went to are connected by bridges. History Museum: Stockholm is said to be the birthplace of social security and dynamite. Gustavus Adolphus (Lion of the North) was said to have made Sweden one of Europes top powers and helped Protestants turn tides against Catholics in the 30 years war. Royal Palace: contains museum (warfare and wedding dress of Queen Sophia). Walk past it. However Royals actually live out of town at Drottningholm Palace. Nobel Prize museum: Alfred Nobel invented more than 300 patents including dynamite. 1st ceremony was in 1901, videoclips and pictures. [Someone said if you turn over the heavy chairs you will see they are signed.] Helsinki interesting city. Paid $12 for the ships commuter bus. Others used the HopOn, Hop Off bus just outside terminal. Visited National Museum. Great coffee shop in Stockmans Department store with free internet. St. Petersburg: BOOKING a St Petersburg tour: ALL tour companies arrange for your visa when you provide your info & passport number. The best private tour companies are Alla Tours, TJ Tours, SPB Tours and Denrus. Check online for Reviews! Most private tours do groups of 14-16 but can negotiate for small groups. When exit ship in Russia, you need your passport and your tour ticket along with reservation confirmation. Allow an hour to get off ship and clear immigration. Sites seen: Hermitage Museum called the Winter palace built by Catherine the Great in 1764 on Neva River. Was main winter residence of Russian Tsars. Only 7% of collection (over 3 million art items) is displayed. Because of collection the original Winter Palace was expanded and is now 5 buildings. Interesting to note on our tour: Main staircase called The Jordan Staircase, Stair hall w 18th century depicting the Gods of Olympus, Peter's Room--Peter the a Great Memorial Hall built for Tzar a Nicholas 1 in 1833 & recreated after fire in 1837. Opulent w red velvet throne with painting of a Peter The Great over it & lots of gold. Gold is EVERYWHERE throughout the Hermitage & other palaces. Malachite Room--like Russian mosaic since they do this artwork to make the stone look like one piece--dark green flecks of gold. Peacock clock automated clock w 3 mechanical birds made of gold & gemstones in cage. Amazing Crystal chandeliers everywhere. Leonardo da Vinci Room has 2 original masterpieces. One is Madonna Litta bought in 1865 from Count Antonio Litta in Milan. Also saw gallery (huge hall) replica of Raphael loggias like The Vatican w depictions from the Bible. Briefly saw Knights room w armour. Also saw on Day 1: St Isaacs Cathedral (patron saint of Peter the Great with a huge gold dome on top), Church of the Spilled Blood (blue & gold onion domes built on the site where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated in March 1881), Fortress of Sts Peter & Paul (burial place of Russian Emperors). Yusapi Palace was amazing & not to be missed! More wealthy than royals. Family of Muslim descent originally. Note marble staircase moved from an Italian palace. Grigory Rasputin was murdered here. Heavily influenced the Tsar saying he had supernatural powers initially helping Tsars son with hemophilia but then influencing all Tsars decisions to detriment of Russia in war. In 1916 a group of nobles including a Grand Duke led by Prince Yusupov, conspired to kill Rasputin here by poisoning him. The poison didnt work so eventually he had to shoot him. Exhibit depicts the story. Day 2: City sightseeing tour on canal boat ride to see these huge palaces from the water. Highly recommend! Peterhof (summer royal residence). Gardens were renovated in 2012. At 11am the huge fountains in the gardens of Peterhof start and the music plays with this start. Highlight of visiting Peterhof. The gardens were MUCH nicer than Versailles and the wooded areas near the paths were beautiful. Catherine Palace (including the Amber Room). Summer residence of the Russian tsars. Built in 1717 by Catherine I of Russia. Her daughter, Empress Elizabeth, in 1752 had it demolished (felt outdated) and a new one much grander one was finished in 1756. There is gold everywhere you look. Catherine the Great came and had personal apartments of the Empress added to it. In 1817 Alexander I had the interiors of his grandmothers residence refurbished. The Germans destroyed the palace in WW2 leaving only the shell behind. Most of the reconstruction was done by 2003 but work is still being done. Fundraising events are held in the Grand Hall including concert by Elton John in 2001 and a party in 2005 with guests including Bill Clinton, Tina Turner, Whitney Houston and Sting. Tallinn, Estonia: It has a walled, cobble-stoned old town with a fairy tale atmosphere. There is an Estonian History museum dedicated to 20th century history. Long interesting history and also great views of the harbor from a lookout point near the wall in the old town. We did a great 3.5 hour tour outside of the old town to see former Russian sites which included a burial site for old Russian leaders statutes broken and thrown behind an old building. Think of Stalin and Lenin lying on the lawn with their heads broken or on ground. Berlin, Germany (Warnemunde port) The 3-hour drive from the port was a concern but it did not turn out to be an issue for us. We did a private tour with SPB but those other tour companies also do great tours. The bus was comfortable and most of us (including me) slept until the bus stopped 1 hour before our destination despite 3 cups of coffee! We were SO fortunate to have Arjia as our fantastic Tour guide. She graduated from Hamburg University with an MA in history and is passionate and articulate. Arjia also gives private tours with Berlin locals. The Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp was so very moving especially with Arjias insights. Her grandfather was a Nazi soldier so she has the inside scoop but totally disagrees with racism and what was done in Berlin to people. There is a phrase on the concentration camp entrance gate Work will Set You Free in German. This was to offer new people hope so that they would not rebel and would think working hard would make a difference. (It didnt). To outsiders this meant it was a prison and not a concentration camp and they strived to make it appear so. (Appears are very deceiving.) It was primarily used for political prisoners from 1936 until 1945. Among the prisoners, there was a "hierarchy": at the top, criminals (rapists, murderers), then Communists (red triangles), then homosexuals (pink triangles), Jehovah's Witnesses (purple triangles), and Jews (yellow triangles). Having two badges would be even worse. Sachsenhausen was originally not intended as an extermination camp. In 1942 large numbers of Jewish inmates were relocated to Auschwitz. However the construction of a gas chamber and ovens by camp-commandant Anton Kaindl in March 1943 gave them the ability to kill larger numbers of prisoners. The prisoners thought they were being sent to a medical facility within the camp so they would walk in willingly. The camp was also bordered by an electrified fence upon which some prisoners would throw themselves. In the Spring of 1945 with the Red Army approaching, 33,000 inmates were evacuated and forced to march Northeast. Most were physically exhausted and thousands did not survive this death march. Those who collapsed en route were shot. In April 1945 the camps remaining 3,000 inmates were liberated. On August 12, 1961 a barbed wire fence went up overnight between East and West Berlin. (On November 9, 1989 the Berlin wall finally came down. You can still see pieces of it covered with graffiti.) A man on our cruise said that his parents left East Berlin just before the wall went up. His father was outspoken, and they could see things tightening up. If a spouse/parent went to West Berlin for the day, the other spouse/child had to still be at home in East Berlin. Both spouses could not leave East Berlin at the same time. Guessing what was about to happen, each of his parents went to the two different police areas to leave East Berlin for the day. Since this was before computers and it was thus not coordinated, both parents fortunately made it out of East Berlin before the wall went up. In East Berlin before the wall came down everything was for show. Museum Island was to show off their cultural heritage even though people were hungry. Propaganda everywhere. An outsider with a passport could come into East Berlin through Checkpoint Charlie but couldnt leave a specified area or they would be shot. Construction cranes were visible for appearance of prosperity but were not working or moving. Overall it was a very fascinating day. Many of us were awake on the way back but the drive didnt seem too bad especially with a kindle. Copenhagen, Denmarke Denmarks National Museum, The Little Mermaid on Langelinje Pier, Amalienborg Palace museum (Queen lives in Amalienborg Palace). It consists of four identical buildings spread around the octagonal courtyard. Christiansborg palace-- houses the Danish Parliament, Supreme Court, and Ministry of State. It is also used by the Royal Family for various functions and events. The Great Hall contains the Queen's tapestry series, which depict 1000 years of Danish history. Rosenborg Castle is in the center of Copenhagen. It was originally built as a royal pleasure retreat by King Christian IV, but today it is a museum, displaying 400 years of Royal history. Nyhavn is the boating area on the canal with bars and restaurants everywhere as well as the canal cruises. Kronborg Castle was made famous by Shakespeare's royal tragedy, 'Hamlet'. This is a drive out of the City but we did it two years ago. It is a striking Renaissance castle and monumental military fortress. The grand ballroom and the castle dungeons are impressive. Amsterdam, Netherlands It is about an 8 minute walk up the ramp from the ship to Central Station with luggage. What to see/do: Anne Frank house (IF you can book it AT LEAST 3 months in advance so you dont spend 2 hours waiting in line). It was sold out almost 3 months in advance. If the Anne Frank House it sold out, you might be able to look online and book a tour that includes the no wait line for the Anne Frank house. Canal tour. Our Lord in the Attic museum shows what it was like in the 16th Century and has a secret catholic church into the attic. Originally built in 1663 when Catholics lost the right to worship in public. The lower floors of the building became a museum in 1888 and today contain refurbished rooms, as well as a collection of church silver, various religious artifacts and paintings. Amsterdam (History) Museum was great. The central library (not far from the Central train station past the Double Tree Hotel) has a public caf with sweeping views of Amsterdam on the 7th floor. The self-service food is quite good and there are beverages including beer and wine as well as frozen yogurt. Another interesting restaurant across the street from the train station directly on the canal is Loetje Centraal. On your canal tour you will notice the pink and white umbrellas on the outside eating patio where the canal boats turn around. More upscale is the Hotel Pulitzer located on the Canal fairly close to the Anne Frank House. They have a Tea Room and Bar that is open to the public. If you like art, the Van Gogh Museum is great. The Rijksmuseum has an interesting collection of Dutch art including Rembrandts painting Night Watch.
yryfeliz saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
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Excellent!!, April 18, 2014
Reviewer: yryfeliz
Pros: Cabin Design is best! Also the dining services and show!
Cons: None
Date of cruise: April 6, 2014
Departure port: fort lauderdale
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 6189
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
It is great experience, definitely worth the money. Hope I can go with my whole family next time!
avirivka saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
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Fitness Center
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Ship Maintenance
Spa
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Cabin Design
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Friendliest staff; an awesome, amazing, fantastic ship and entertainment, August 5, 2013
Reviewer: avirivka
Pros: Indoor adult pool amazing, especially in bad weather; great entertainment
Cons: Outdoor pool too deep. Celebrity switched great cruise director before end
Date of cruise: July 19, 2013
Departure port: Venice
Region visited: Mediterranean
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 6157
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
The ship is fabulous. Entertainment was amazing..highly professional. However, the outdoor pool is too deep if you are not a good swimmer. There is no reason for this as there is no life guard. The pool is tiny and is mainly for hanging out so to have a pool with water over your head is ridiculous since most of the people are not really swimming. (It is 5'11" to 6'1"deep.) The shore excursions from the ship were outstanding. The scholar in residence was terrific. Unfortunately, Celebrity decided to send the fabulous cruise director to the Reflection cruise ship SOS and we lost out. They could have waited until the end of the cruise. The house band was amazing. The dining room staff could not do enough for you. Our cabin attendants could have been more attentive and the activities manager needs to tone it down a bit. The outdoor smoking areas are a farce since they are by the pool and the smoke travels everywhere. Smoking is also permitted on the 14th deck outside the buffet which forces joggers, runners, walkers, and buffet eaters to pass the smoking area time and again. This is true for both Deck 5, Deck 12 and Deck 14. Also, there are no free exercise classes in the afternoons which is unfortunate since not everyone is ready to exercise at 7 or 8 a.m. and the other exercise classes other than Zumba you have to pay for. All in all it was a fabulous cruise with amazing ports and shore excursions and entertainment. We had a wonderful time thanks to the terrific staff on board....simply the best!
mvanlaan saw things this way:
Value For Money
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A little worn out for a newer ship, March 1, 2013
Reviewer: mvanlaan
Pros: Fitness Center
Cons: Stateroom cleanliness
Date of cruise: February 10, 2013
Departure port: Ft. Lauderdale
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 8249
This was our third cruise on Celebrity and it was, by far, our worst experience -- mainly because of some real negative first impressions. I will say that Guest Relations did a great job of correcting the problems, but we felt like it really took the luster off the typically superior cruise experiences we've had with Celebrity. We showed up and it was obvious that our stateroom had not been thoroughly cleaned. We called to report this. Staff agreed with us and they committed to us that the stateroom would be cleaned while we were at dinner. We came back from dinner and still had a gross stain (left from the previous cruise) on the couch in the stateroom. Had to make another call. They ended up covering the stain with a folded sheet. Sub-excellence. Stateroom had a little bit less storage than our other cruises, but we made it work and no big deal. Very nice balcony. We asked for a dining room table for two (6 p.m. seating). We had a table for two, but it was six inches away from another table for two on one side and six inches away from a table for four on the other side. Very awkward. We asked for a new table for two and we were accommodated with a nice private table for two. Why they just couldn't get us something like this in first place was a mystery. The service at the new table was excellent. The food was excellent. Fitness Center had the best equipment we've seen. All operational and all very clean. This ship is relatively new ... less than two years old. It looked worn for being as new was it was. The coffee shop on deck 5 was awesome. Great for a latte or Americano in the morning and for tea after dinner. Outstanding service. We thought the entertainment was below average. The theater shows were OK, but nothing spectacular. The musical entertainment was below average. Overall, it was a cruise, so it was good. We will give Celebrity another chance because our other experiences with them have been excellent.
Patk0317 saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
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We had a wonderful time!, February 20, 2013
Reviewer: Patk0317
Pros: The staff were wonderful
Cons: Not enough entertainment
Date of cruise: February 3, 2013
Departure port: Ft Lauderdale
Region visited: Caribbean - Western
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 7200
We sailed from Ft Lauderdale to the Caribbean on Feb 3,2013. We had a balcony room and it was very nice, just a little smaller than other ships we had been on. I also felt the bathroom was tight. When you used the commode you leg was hitting the shower door. Our room steward was wonderful and the room was always very clean. We were disappointed the first night that there was no show since it was Super Bowl Sunday and since it was a girls cruise we were not interested in the game. We would have liked to see a show. There was also a lack of shows later such as the newleywed game or a talent show for singing, etc. They only had the dancing with the stripes, which was very funny. The last day they also always have a talent show with staff and that was missing. We always enjoy the Neptunes but they were not in a lounge where you could go have a drink and listen to them perform for 30 minutes. They were always only performing for 15 minutes where you had to stand and listen to them. The shows were all well done and our only complaint was the last night. They had the illusionist on and then the guest singer, Linda Hamilton, who was wonderful but they showed a video of her performing a song she was nominated for a Tony. She then came out and perfomed. The quality of the video was fair, I would have much rather listened to her sing it in person. My only complaint about the food was the lack of fresh iced tea. It was that syrup that is horrible. I commented on it at dinner and was given fresh brewed with my dinners but that is all that is available for breakfast or lunch. We used the Adults only area in the pool most of the time but were disappointed that they did not have the hydrotherapy pool that we had on the Summit and the Millenium the past two years when we sailed on them. All in all, we had a wonderful time and I would most definitely cruise with Celebrity again. We had a very nice massage in the spa but felt you were then pressured to buy their products. My friend, who had never had a spa treatment in her life, got her first facial and massage the first night. They then told her they were going to get her some of the products they used. She assumed they were bringing her in a sample of the cream they used. Wasn't she surprised when the girl returned with a bag and a bill for $278! She informed her it was our first day of the cruise and she had no intention of spending that kind of money. I had hurt my back they day before we sailed and attended a seminar on back pain with the acupuncturist, Trish, and she was wonderful. I then had three treatments and she really did help my back and my chronic neck pain. She was very friendly and professional. As members of the Captains Club we were invited to an afternoon reception that was to take place from 1:30 to 2:30 but when we arrived a few minutes after 2 the Captain and the officers were all leaving. We thougth we would have had a little more time to meet and greet.
