S
sailboat
Guest
We've got a cruise booked for Constellation in December. Anyone who has sailed on Constellation on this board? I'd be interested in hearing your overall impressions of this ship.
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W
wayneair
Guest
Absolutely amazing. I sailed the Constellation last Thanksgiving and loved it so much I booked another cruise on her before disembarking. I am returning this Thanksgiving as well. The ship is tastefully decorated and has plently of deck space. I say you will enjoy the X experience.
T
Ted_D
Guest
Deborah,
You will like Constellation. She is a lovely ship, and just the right size. She is big enough to have many great features, but small enough to avoid the mega-ship lines and crowding. We are going on Connie again this November.
Things we particularly enjoy include:
1) Ocean Liners specialty restaurant. Well worth the extra $30 in our opinion. It's a fine meal with old fashioned service. Goat cheese soufle is memorable.
2) The ice cream bar, located near the back of the Seaside Cafe. It serves home made ice cream and sorbets daily. Sinfully good.
3) The Spa Cafe, located under the domed roof of the T-Pool area on the way to the spa. They serve healthy breakfasts and lunches here as alternatives to the grill, the buffet, the pizza bar, or the San Marco restaurant. Having a light alternative was particularly nice for lunch after a big breakfast and before a big dinner!
4) The Sushi Bar, located near the back of the Seaside Cafe, near the casual dining alternative in the evenings. It serves fresh sushi, made before you as in any good place.
5) The Martini Bar. Before going on Connie, I had never had a martini in my life and would have sworn I'd never have one. WRONG! It is a fun place to gather before dinner. They serve an amazing variety of martinis. The first night of your cruise they have a sampler special where they serve you 5-6 small sample martinis of different flavors for a nominal fee.
6) The Cova Cafe where knock your socks off free pastries can be obtained along with specialty coffees, for a fee. A must stop on mornings of sea days.
7) The covered rear deck area and outside bar on the resort deck. It's a great place to watch sail away, since it is out of the wind. And, an evening sunset there as the ship is moving on sea days is wonderful.
We have not yet seen the Cirque du Solei Bar at the Edge of the Earth, and are anxious to find out about it. Early reviews were poor, but more recent ones have been favorable, so it's at least obvious that they heard the adverse feedback and acted.
If you have any specific questions I'd try to answer them for you.
Ted
You will like Constellation. She is a lovely ship, and just the right size. She is big enough to have many great features, but small enough to avoid the mega-ship lines and crowding. We are going on Connie again this November.
Things we particularly enjoy include:
1) Ocean Liners specialty restaurant. Well worth the extra $30 in our opinion. It's a fine meal with old fashioned service. Goat cheese soufle is memorable.
2) The ice cream bar, located near the back of the Seaside Cafe. It serves home made ice cream and sorbets daily. Sinfully good.
3) The Spa Cafe, located under the domed roof of the T-Pool area on the way to the spa. They serve healthy breakfasts and lunches here as alternatives to the grill, the buffet, the pizza bar, or the San Marco restaurant. Having a light alternative was particularly nice for lunch after a big breakfast and before a big dinner!
4) The Sushi Bar, located near the back of the Seaside Cafe, near the casual dining alternative in the evenings. It serves fresh sushi, made before you as in any good place.
5) The Martini Bar. Before going on Connie, I had never had a martini in my life and would have sworn I'd never have one. WRONG! It is a fun place to gather before dinner. They serve an amazing variety of martinis. The first night of your cruise they have a sampler special where they serve you 5-6 small sample martinis of different flavors for a nominal fee.
6) The Cova Cafe where knock your socks off free pastries can be obtained along with specialty coffees, for a fee. A must stop on mornings of sea days.
7) The covered rear deck area and outside bar on the resort deck. It's a great place to watch sail away, since it is out of the wind. And, an evening sunset there as the ship is moving on sea days is wonderful.
We have not yet seen the Cirque du Solei Bar at the Edge of the Earth, and are anxious to find out about it. Early reviews were poor, but more recent ones have been favorable, so it's at least obvious that they heard the adverse feedback and acted.
If you have any specific questions I'd try to answer them for you.
Ted
S
sailboat
Guest
Wow. Thanks for the feedback and information wayneair.
Ted: I adore martinis, but oddly enough, only drink them on cruise ships! For some reason they don't taste the same elsewhere--must be the sea air. So I am looking forward to trying out both the Martini Bar and Spa Cafe I appreciate your thorough and balanced descriptions of the ship. You must be a long-time cruiser.Hubby and I have booked a back to back cruise on the Connie as you call her and I am glad to hear such nice things about her. By T pool, do you mean the Thallasotheraphy pool? I know I misspelled it, but is it that pool with all the wave and massage action?
Ted: I adore martinis, but oddly enough, only drink them on cruise ships! For some reason they don't taste the same elsewhere--must be the sea air. So I am looking forward to trying out both the Martini Bar and Spa Cafe I appreciate your thorough and balanced descriptions of the ship. You must be a long-time cruiser.Hubby and I have booked a back to back cruise on the Connie as you call her and I am glad to hear such nice things about her. By T pool, do you mean the Thallasotheraphy pool? I know I misspelled it, but is it that pool with all the wave and massage action?
T
Ted_D
Guest
Yes, I do mean the Thall . . . . . phy Pool. Since I can't spell it, I have taken to simply calling it the T-Pool. On Constellation, it is quite a bit larger than on most other ships, and is open to the adult public free. I believe the age cut-off is 18. It is covered by a glass roof, and the space contains a number of palm trees, a few small tables, and the Spa Cafe. All in all, it's a really nice space. It's only drawback is that the huge size of the pool itself makes the jet circulation less pronounced than in a smaller pool. On the plus side, though, it's large enough that you don't have to endure semi-intimate encounters with total strangers as unfortunately occurs in small T-pools.
And, yes I have cruised for a number of years. My first one was in 1984 on Nordic Prince.
Ted
And, yes I have cruised for a number of years. My first one was in 1984 on Nordic Prince.
Ted
S
sailboat
Guest
Thanks again. As a long-time cruiser which of the latest cruising trends do you think are good, which do you think are ill-conceived? For example, I know that at one time you had limited choices for where to eat on board (although certainly not limited opportunities!). What do you think about free-style dining?
T
Ted_D
Guest
There are two trends that I dislike immensely.
The first is what I call the "averaging down" of cruising. There used to be fairly large distinctions between cruise lines and their ships / itineraries. If you wanted a "party" cruise you could book one. If you wanted an older crowd with more sedate activities, you could book that. If you wanted a ship with really formal dinners and assurances that the chap next to you wouldn't be dressed in jeans, you could book that. All of the options were there. They were just different. Now that ships have gotten so very large, all of the cruise lines are under enormous pressure to sell every room, and to do so has resulted in all of the lines moving toward the mythical average. It is getting more and more difficult to tell the difference between the lines, except for the very exclusive top end lines like Seabourn. There are, of course, differences remaining between lines and itineraries, but they are blurring rapidly.
The second trend I dislike is related. To keep the base fares as low as possible (appealing to the greatest slice of population), most mainstream lines have withdrawn nice extra touches to economize
Where these are available at all, they are frequently offered at addiitional fees. It used to be that a cruise was very nearly all inclusive, with the exception of tips, liquor, photos, and excursions. Now, you can add and endless number of other extras that begin with bottled water, premium ice cream, specialty restaurants, etc, etc, etc.
A trend that I think improves cruising is the proliferation of balconies, which I think add considerably to most cruises. I also think that entertainment on cruise ships is a lot more varied and more professional than only a few years ago. Another great development is how easy it has become to stay in touch with family, business, friends etc on modern cruise ships. There are internet cafes, ship-to-shore telephone service, and now even some ships with cell phone service while at sea. Perhaps the single greatest improvement in cruising over the 20 years I've been doing it is the smoothness of the ride. It partially comes from the size of the ships, naturally. But, it also has to do with improved propulsions systems, technological innovations with stabilizers, computer navigation systems to avoid bad weather, etc. The old days of pitching around in rough seas still exist, but they are rare.
When are you two on Connie?
Ted
The first is what I call the "averaging down" of cruising. There used to be fairly large distinctions between cruise lines and their ships / itineraries. If you wanted a "party" cruise you could book one. If you wanted an older crowd with more sedate activities, you could book that. If you wanted a ship with really formal dinners and assurances that the chap next to you wouldn't be dressed in jeans, you could book that. All of the options were there. They were just different. Now that ships have gotten so very large, all of the cruise lines are under enormous pressure to sell every room, and to do so has resulted in all of the lines moving toward the mythical average. It is getting more and more difficult to tell the difference between the lines, except for the very exclusive top end lines like Seabourn. There are, of course, differences remaining between lines and itineraries, but they are blurring rapidly.
The second trend I dislike is related. To keep the base fares as low as possible (appealing to the greatest slice of population), most mainstream lines have withdrawn nice extra touches to economize
Where these are available at all, they are frequently offered at addiitional fees. It used to be that a cruise was very nearly all inclusive, with the exception of tips, liquor, photos, and excursions. Now, you can add and endless number of other extras that begin with bottled water, premium ice cream, specialty restaurants, etc, etc, etc.
A trend that I think improves cruising is the proliferation of balconies, which I think add considerably to most cruises. I also think that entertainment on cruise ships is a lot more varied and more professional than only a few years ago. Another great development is how easy it has become to stay in touch with family, business, friends etc on modern cruise ships. There are internet cafes, ship-to-shore telephone service, and now even some ships with cell phone service while at sea. Perhaps the single greatest improvement in cruising over the 20 years I've been doing it is the smoothness of the ride. It partially comes from the size of the ships, naturally. But, it also has to do with improved propulsions systems, technological innovations with stabilizers, computer navigation systems to avoid bad weather, etc. The old days of pitching around in rough seas still exist, but they are rare.
When are you two on Connie?
Ted
S
sailboat
Guest
We are going the first part of December--a pretty good time to cruise we have found. Everything from the ship to the ports of call seems quieter, and more relaxed than in high season. Also, the ship's crew are often happily decorating for the upcoming holiday cruises and that lends a lighthearted and festive air to everything. It's like the holidays, but without all the extra hype. And is there any site more lovely than wild pointsettias glowing in the Caribbean sunshine? It makes the nearly purple things we get at the garden center here look tired and sad.
T
Ted_D
Guest
We will be disembarking on 12/3, so we may pass you in the San Juan airport! I know you've not sailed
on Constellation before, but I have no idea if you are familiar with Celebrity. Seriously consider making a reservation for Ocean Liners when you first board. Or, if you are a Captain's Club member, then you already know you can book reservations 60 days ahead of sailing. Choice times and evenings will sell out early, so if you have any interest at all make the reservation. You can always cancel later if you change your mind. The same advice applies to hair / nail appointments if you are inclined prior to formal nights. They go early.
Ted
on Constellation before, but I have no idea if you are familiar with Celebrity. Seriously consider making a reservation for Ocean Liners when you first board. Or, if you are a Captain's Club member, then you already know you can book reservations 60 days ahead of sailing. Choice times and evenings will sell out early, so if you have any interest at all make the reservation. You can always cancel later if you change your mind. The same advice applies to hair / nail appointments if you are inclined prior to formal nights. They go early.
Ted
S
sailboat
Guest
Thanks. Will do.
K
kenjoe1
Guest
I know its been months since you put this thread in but I am scrutinizing things closely since we are leaving in 2 weeks now & I just wanted to say Thank You for your suggestions and observations. I have copied your thread so that I can reread the recommendations while on board - thanks again & it s great to have this site to check things our -
We are going on the Connie Feb 4-11 2006 from San Juan for the Souther Caribbean for 1 week and
are really excited---
Thanks again
Jose (kenjoe)
We are going on the Connie Feb 4-11 2006 from San Juan for the Souther Caribbean for 1 week and
are really excited---
Thanks again
Jose (kenjoe)
S
sailboat
Guest
Hey Kenjoe
I see that you are going on the Constellation in February. We LOVED our two weeks on board. Definitely book early if you wish to go to Ocean Liners. We had such a good time with our dinner companions that we never got around to booking, but I heard from others that it gets harder to book if you wait too long. Ocean Liners is small and beautifully decorated with vintage china and artifacts from the great ocean liners. Here are other favorite spots:
The two-story library-- a tiny work of art. Good for when you want some quiet time.
The T-Pool and Spa. Spacious and gracious--you could spend a lot of time here. We did. Be on the lookout for off-price specials offered when the ship is in port.
The Martini Bar -- the wait staff took a lot of pleasure in filling the glass to the brim. You have to lean forward and slurp (discretely of course), but you certainly get a full drink!
The Cova Cafe; Lovely coffees and teas, cookies and tarts, and little cakes -- oh baby! There's a charge for the specialty coffee and tea; goodies are free.
If you don't feel like going to the main dining room, Connie offers a casual dining option for a modest cover charge (I think it's $2.00 per person) in the casual eating area.You get wait service and it's a nice option for folks who want to eat with their kids in a less formal setting or just people who don't feel like a more formal dinner.
When eating in the casual dining area be aware that you have lots of options -- there's the main buffet line, but also an omelet station and a pancake and waffle station at breakfast, a pizza station. a soup and sandwhich station, and a fresh pasta bar at lunch. And if you are watching your calories, check out the spa dining cafe in the T-Pool area.Of course, there is also outdoor dining -- hamburgers, salads, and fries.
And it's good to know that there's a topside jogging deck and a big gym overlooking the water.
I could go on and on. And we probably will go on Connie again when the itinerary and timing are right. Have a great time!
I see that you are going on the Constellation in February. We LOVED our two weeks on board. Definitely book early if you wish to go to Ocean Liners. We had such a good time with our dinner companions that we never got around to booking, but I heard from others that it gets harder to book if you wait too long. Ocean Liners is small and beautifully decorated with vintage china and artifacts from the great ocean liners. Here are other favorite spots:
The two-story library-- a tiny work of art. Good for when you want some quiet time.
The T-Pool and Spa. Spacious and gracious--you could spend a lot of time here. We did. Be on the lookout for off-price specials offered when the ship is in port.
The Martini Bar -- the wait staff took a lot of pleasure in filling the glass to the brim. You have to lean forward and slurp (discretely of course), but you certainly get a full drink!
The Cova Cafe; Lovely coffees and teas, cookies and tarts, and little cakes -- oh baby! There's a charge for the specialty coffee and tea; goodies are free.
If you don't feel like going to the main dining room, Connie offers a casual dining option for a modest cover charge (I think it's $2.00 per person) in the casual eating area.You get wait service and it's a nice option for folks who want to eat with their kids in a less formal setting or just people who don't feel like a more formal dinner.
When eating in the casual dining area be aware that you have lots of options -- there's the main buffet line, but also an omelet station and a pancake and waffle station at breakfast, a pizza station. a soup and sandwhich station, and a fresh pasta bar at lunch. And if you are watching your calories, check out the spa dining cafe in the T-Pool area.Of course, there is also outdoor dining -- hamburgers, salads, and fries.
And it's good to know that there's a topside jogging deck and a big gym overlooking the water.
I could go on and on. And we probably will go on Connie again when the itinerary and timing are right. Have a great time!
P
popsec
Guest
My husband and I just got back from our first cruise....5 nights on the Zenith......and now we're hooked. We're looking at an 11 day cruise on the Constellation the end of Oct. Can you give me your input as to balconies vs just ocean view and which floors/rooms would be least desirable?.... (there aren't many room choices left). Thanks in advance! Linda
P
popsec
Guest
My husband and I just got back from our first cruise....5 nights on the Zenith......and now we're hooked. We're looking at an 11 day cruise on the Constellation the end of Oct. Can you give me your input as to balconies vs just ocean view and which floors/rooms would be least desirable?.... (there aren't many room choices left). Thanks in advance! Linda
T
Ted_D
Guest
Linda,
If you liked Zenith (and I do, too), you're going to be blown away by Constellation. It is my favorite ship.
You asked about balconies versus ocean view rooms. Boy, there are as many opinions about whether a balcony is worth the extra $$$ as there are cruisers. Personally, I love a balcony and use it for morning coffee, sunsets, quiet time before dinner while my dear wife continues primping, etc. On your particular cruise, you have a 50 / 50 chance in October that it may be a little too cool on your first day out of Bayonne for much use of the balcony. Ditto your last day. Otherwise, the weather in the Caribbean in October will be delightfully warm and a balcony will be useful, in my opinion. Again, though, many others may think them not worth the price.
The only advice I would give you about which deck and/or location, is that I would not want a balcony on the Sky deck which is directly under the pool, buffet, spa, etc. In short, you could have morning noise, late night noise, and mid-day noise from above. I find the Penthouse deck to be my favorite. It has balconies that are the furtherest from the noise, and the rooms are just one deck away from the dining room, theater, shops, AND MY PERSONAL FAVORITE -- the martini bar.
Enjoy your cruise.
Ted
If you liked Zenith (and I do, too), you're going to be blown away by Constellation. It is my favorite ship.
You asked about balconies versus ocean view rooms. Boy, there are as many opinions about whether a balcony is worth the extra $$$ as there are cruisers. Personally, I love a balcony and use it for morning coffee, sunsets, quiet time before dinner while my dear wife continues primping, etc. On your particular cruise, you have a 50 / 50 chance in October that it may be a little too cool on your first day out of Bayonne for much use of the balcony. Ditto your last day. Otherwise, the weather in the Caribbean in October will be delightfully warm and a balcony will be useful, in my opinion. Again, though, many others may think them not worth the price.
The only advice I would give you about which deck and/or location, is that I would not want a balcony on the Sky deck which is directly under the pool, buffet, spa, etc. In short, you could have morning noise, late night noise, and mid-day noise from above. I find the Penthouse deck to be my favorite. It has balconies that are the furtherest from the noise, and the rooms are just one deck away from the dining room, theater, shops, AND MY PERSONAL FAVORITE -- the martini bar.
Enjoy your cruise.
Ted
T
Ted_D
Guest
Linda,
If you liked Zenith (and I do, too), you're going to be blown away by Constellation. It is my favorite ship.
You asked about balconies versus ocean view rooms. Boy, there are as many opinions about whether a balcony is worth the extra $$$ as there are cruisers. Personally, I love a balcony and use it for morning coffee, sunsets, quiet time before dinner while my dear wife continues primping, etc. On your particular cruise, you have a 50 / 50 chance in October that it may be a little too cool on your first day out of Bayonne for much use of the balcony. Ditto your last day. Otherwise, the weather in the Caribbean in October will be delightfully warm and a balcony will be useful, in my opinion. Again, though, many others may think them not worth the price.
The only advice I would give you about which deck and/or location, is that I would not want a balcony on the Sky deck which is directly under the pool, buffet, spa, etc. In short, you could have morning noise, late night noise, and mid-day noise from above. I find the Penthouse deck to be my favorite. It has balconies that are the furtherest from the noise, and the rooms are just one deck away from the dining room, theater, shops, AND MY PERSONAL FAVORITE -- the martini bar.
Enjoy your cruise.
Ted
If you liked Zenith (and I do, too), you're going to be blown away by Constellation. It is my favorite ship.
You asked about balconies versus ocean view rooms. Boy, there are as many opinions about whether a balcony is worth the extra $$$ as there are cruisers. Personally, I love a balcony and use it for morning coffee, sunsets, quiet time before dinner while my dear wife continues primping, etc. On your particular cruise, you have a 50 / 50 chance in October that it may be a little too cool on your first day out of Bayonne for much use of the balcony. Ditto your last day. Otherwise, the weather in the Caribbean in October will be delightfully warm and a balcony will be useful, in my opinion. Again, though, many others may think them not worth the price.
The only advice I would give you about which deck and/or location, is that I would not want a balcony on the Sky deck which is directly under the pool, buffet, spa, etc. In short, you could have morning noise, late night noise, and mid-day noise from above. I find the Penthouse deck to be my favorite. It has balconies that are the furtherest from the noise, and the rooms are just one deck away from the dining room, theater, shops, AND MY PERSONAL FAVORITE -- the martini bar.
Enjoy your cruise.
Ted
P
popsec
Guest
Thanks Ted! We're going to go ahead and book today and there are some balcony rooms left on the Penthouse deck so we'll go with that. I can hardly wait for our next cruise out! Also, great to have this forum to go to while waiting for the time to pass til our next cruise :daisy
P
popsec
Guest
Thanks Ted! We're going to go ahead and book today and there are some balcony rooms left on the Penthouse deck so we'll go with that. I can hardly wait for our next cruise out! Also, great to have this forum to go to while waiting for the time to pass til our next cruise :daisy
P
popsec
Guest
Just checking to see if my ticker works...
P
popsec
Guest
Just checking to see if my ticker works...
