Every now and then when on board a ship, a tour or excursion catches your attention and this was one of them; the opportunity to get inside access to a Solstice Class ship, a behind the scenes tour.
Me on the Helipad
So should you do it?
Well, I have seen comment in a number of places in the past about tours like this, in the main they are negative because of the cost, $150 per person. I have to admit this seems high, but price alone is never the ultimate decider, it has to depend on what you get back from the experience.
So there are limited numbers on the tour, when I did it there were just 10 of us, and lasted for over 4 hours. And we got:-
Bridge Visit
Helli deck tour
Mooring line deck visit
Back stage at the Theatre
Crew Gym and quarters tour
Engine control room visit
Galley and food storage area visit
Lunch in Tuscan Grill
There is loads of security to get into the sensitive areas, with us being scanned with a hand held scanner when going into both the Bridge and Engine Control Room as well as having to show our passports before we started!
For me its what you learn from chatting with the Officers and crew members during the day; like learning about the Azipods and the way they aid manoeuvrability of the ship: how 'Green' the ship is with regard to treatment of waste water; how they use their own de-salination plant to satisfy the fresh water needs of the ship and how they plan routes to keep everybody safe.
During the whole trip we did not use a lift once, and followed all the 'hidden' to passenger corridors and stairwells - we really do see only a small part of the ship normally!
So just a few photos of some of those bits we don't normally see:-
Port side control panel
Port side view from the Bridge Wing
The Bridge
A volunteer to run out the lines! (Under strict supervision!)
I95
The Engine Control Room
This is how your dinner should look
So would I recommend this, irrespective of the cost thought this was an excellent trip and would happily recommend it. In addition, if I saw this type of experience on another ship I would not hesitate to do again!
If you have read my blog before you know that although I love cruising with Cunard, the entertainment has not in my opinion been up to the standards that I would have expected. So here is a nice story about Cunard's entertainment.
In the last few days with it being Mothers day, my Wife and I have made the journey back to Lancashire to visit family and friends and while there we spent some time talking about things we like to do!
The subject eventually ended up on music, and specifically a group called Beyond the Barricade.
We were introduced to them a couple of years ago, and went to see them at the local Theatre here in Redditch and had an awesome time, I thought the show and songs were excellent and have been looking to go again.
Well, it transpires that they were the headline act on Cunard Queen Elizabeth for New years Eve in Madeira, their first appearance as an act on a cruise ship.
And since this, they are currently on Fred Olsen Black Watch and have dates lined up later this year to appear on Cunard again.
If I was on any ship while they were on board I would definitely not miss that show, and if I knew far enough in advance when they were on a ship I would if I could make a booking just to see them........ next week I will have to head to the local Box Office to book my tickets for November.
Now, if this is the way that Cunard are going to go and take note of some of their past passengers comments then that is a great thing and will be a massive improvement to the quality of entertainment on board the 3 Queens!.
If, like me, you are of a certain age and you remember fondly watching Animal Magic with Johnny Morris on BBC, and in Black & White! With his silly voices for all the different animals.
Perhaps it is this that gave me, and many others a love of animals and a desire to learn more about them.
So go on read on to see the cute animal photos........................
So how does this fit into cruising you might ask? Well, why not look through the excursions offered by the cruise line or search on the internet to see what options you have in your port of call, or have a think about a few of these ideas.
You can swim with Dolphins, see the Stingray, go to a Turtle Santury and go on an airboat in Florida to see the Alligators.
Alligator in the Everglades, from an Airboat!
But having just been to Costa Rica on Celebrity Equinox we decided to go the the Sloth Sanctury, have a look at the video!
What an amazing place, all run by volunteers and the only Sloth Sanctury in the World.
Baby Sloths at rest
Not so sure about the chair!
Buttercup, the original Sloth now just over 20 years old
Around the back they have a part of the Mangrove swamp and jungle and we took a little canoe journey to see what we could see! You can just see the wild monkeys in the trees!
So I know that a number of people don't want to pay the rates the cruise lines charge for excursions, but if it means seeing something you will not see at home or you might not get back to see again then why not?
OK it's a pun, and I have spent all day thinking about it!
As you will possibly know I have just come back off the Celebrity Equinox, why not read my review by click here.
So I was really interested when read the extra facilities that will be aboard the latest and 5th ship in the Solstice Class, Reflection which is scheduled to be launched in October 2012. What have Celebrity added to make this ship better/bigger? Read on............
This spectacular ship will includes an exciting range of new accommodation features: • A new deck to allow for additional staterooms • Celebrity's first ever AquaClass® Suites with 300 square feet of luxurious interior space and spacious 79-square-foot verandas • Celebrity's first "Signature Suites", these five stunning suites can accommodate a family or group of up to 26 guests travelling together • The jaw-dropping new "Reflection Suite", featuring the first ever two bedroom suite, a balcony bath tub and distinctive sea-view bathroom extending out over the edge of the ship • An additional eight luxurious new Sky Suites and 19 new Concierge Class staterooms
For guests booked in Celebrity's Reflection Suite, Signature Suites and Penthouse Suite, Celebrity has partnered with Reverie®, a leading innovator in luxury bedding, to deliver the Reverie® Dream Sleep System. The patented sleep system features a premium Reverie mattress that allows guests to customise the softness of their bed.
Reverie's technology enables the iPod Touch®, iPhone®, iPad® and Reverie Remote app to act as a remote control for the Reverie Sleep System, allowing guests to easily operate massage features and adjust the elevation of the mattress. Guests can enjoy this innovative technology through an iPad provided with integrated remote control technology to turn appliances off or on with the touch of the screen on the iPod Touch®, iPhone®, iPad®.
Celebrity Reflection will also offer: • 245 more loungers on its expanded pool deck to suit the increased overall guest capacity, as well as • 45 additional seats in the Celebrity Theatre • 118 additional seats in Oceanview Café • 24 additional seats each in Blu and in Tuscan Grille • 4 more in Qsine® • 40 additional seats in the main dining room
Certainly worth a go, do you fancy a Reflection Suite? Just give me a call.
So I have now been back for a week and thought it is about time to tell you about my Celebrity Equinox Cruise from Fort Lauderdale. I have to be honest and say I was looking forward to this as I had enjoyed visiting the Eclipse last summer for a day in Southampton, but as I always say the 'proof of the pudding' is in the sailing!
In this job you speak to many different people, both customers and also representatives of the various cruise lines, and the view I was getting was that service and standards beat those of Cunard, so did it really match up to or beat the standards of my favourite ship, Queen Mary 2?
The initial embarkation at Fort Lauderdale was fairly easy, queues were not too long and we got onto the ship with little fuss or hassle. It was a Monday, and we had spent a few days in Florida before the cruise, so I am sure that on a Saturday and Sunday when Royals big sisters are in getting to the port would not quite be so easy!
Equinox in Cartagena, Columbia
So first we went to the Oceanview Cafe, in need of a bit of refreshment - airy, open and excellent food for a buffet. A good start. Will it continue.................
We then headed to the cabin, I had booked a Sunset Balcony cabin - not as big as some cabins we have had, but that was expected, however we chose for the views which were great. The bathroom was certainly the best we had had on any ship with a similar cabin, although we had a couple of niggles about towels and toiletries these were resolved by the Housekeeping staff, and I have to say that Leslie our cabin steward and his assistant were excellent.
Bathroom
View from the Balcony
Now I had written a blog recently about luggage, and commented that irons were banned and I wondered if the cruise line would actually check all the bags. Well, only 2 bags turned up at the cabin and after speaking to our cabin steward we headed to Deck 2, Security, together with the numerous other passengers who were bringing contraband on board! Yes they did find and confiscate, made to feel a bit like a criminal!
I had expected that there would be a feeling of space when on board, although at time this was not the case especially heading towards the Theatre on Deck 4 near the shops, it could get a little busy here. Cellar Masters is a bit dark for me and not really enticing, so The Glass House on Azura wins hands down. And there does not seem to be a buzzing atrium to the ship, there is of course the Grand Lobby and Scenic Elevators but these could be a little clinical at times.
Bistro on five
On deck there was plenty of space, loads of deck chairs and a generally good atmosphere and this was enhanced further if you went into the Solarium, excellent relaxed and of course no children!
Video of the Solarium (just click to play)
So what about the food and service? The quality and variation from the menu in the Silhouette Restaurant was good, and to be honest the food in the Oceanview Cafe was always good. As for the speciality dining, Tuscan Grill was awesome (to coin an Americanism)!
Tuscan Grill
However, we try to do the freestyle or open dining when in the Caribbean, gives greater flexibility for us coming back on ship from a day on shore. On P&O, Princess and NCL if there is no space then you get a pager, it buzzes when there is space. Now I am not sure whether it is just this ship or the staff organising Celebrity Select, but there was nothing but queues and no real system that I saw to make sure people got to their table in an ordered fashion. I do understand the queues, but you have to get people to tables in the order that they book in, and not leave them sat in Cellar Masters without letting them know the table is ready!
Main Restaurant
Dining is a key part to the cruising experience and in my experience, especially as we encountered the problems virtually nightly it was that bad that I would not recommend to my customers or consider the Select option for a future cruise with Celebrity.
Come on Celebrity you do most things great, but in my opinion this let you down, very badly.
Entertainment, was great. Excellent performers as well as good Celebrity Life events in various locations throughout the ship. The Dancing with the Stripes show was the funniest and most amusing hour watching passengers and Officers dance on the Sun Deck one evening in a take on Strictly come Dancing! The whole thing was brought together by an excellent Cruise Director, John Grantham - an ex actor and stuntman, he really brought some atmosphere to the ship.
So Cunard or Celebrity?
It is a close run thing, but just because of my experience on Select dining on this cruise Cunard still has it, but only just. The next question is of course would I sail on Celebrity again, see me next February on the Millennium, but for that cruise I have gone to a fixed dinner seating.
