My first cruise with Celebrity and I have to say my expectations were not met. We were very disappointed due to the fact that we had read so many glowing reviews stating how great the food and service were on the ship. We thought we would be in great hands. The staff was not friendly or welcoming by any means. Bar service in the Oceanview Café was absolutely shameful. Rarely did they get drinks correct. Warm orange juice was served, along with watered-down cranberry juice. I was given an alcoholic pina colada when I had specifically ordered a non-alcoholic mocktail. Many drinks available in the premium package were scarcely available. Arizona and Honest teas were sparse at best, and always given to you warm with a melting cup of ice. You wouldn’t serve a customer a hot beer with a glass of ice, I would expect the same courtesy for a non-alcoholic beverage. At one point, the bartender in the Oceanview Café argued with me about providing me a canned ginger ale. The package online showed cans available. I was told the beverage was only available in a glass. The situation escalated to the point where I was forced to ask him to stop being combative with me in front of the other guests. A very petty situation to argue over on vacation. In another case, my husband was sitting at the casino bar and the bartender never acknowledged him. It wasn’t until five minutes later, once another gentleman of a different race sat at the bar and implicated that he would like a drink, then my husband was addressed.
My dining experience did not help matters. I understand feeding large groups of people can be very challenging, but it is quite possible to achieve in an organized manner. The food in the main dining room was mostly lukewarm and the portions were very small. We were only given a small dollop of vegetables and the other various sides at a time. I was forced to full up on bread every night because it was the only item readily available. We got tired of eating omelets for breakfast every morning due to a limited buffet selection. I tried a different dining experience for lunch (Silhouette’s) in search of a better outcome. Only to become more agitated and further my negative experience. Mozzarella sticks were cold, and the cobb salad was made with barely cut iceberg lettuce. The food wasn’t of the greatest quality, it was average at best. I really expected more but I unfortunately did not feel as though this was money well spent.
The entertainment on the cruise was lackluster and unstimulating. Most of the show times conflicted with the dining schedule. There were no changes with screen props and the comedians generally catered to the younger audience present on the ship, often changing their punchlines to avoid offending the children. The chosen playlist seemed to be on a constant loop, with the same songs playing over and over. Lastly, I understand that upselling often takes place in the first couple of days if the cruise, however I felt like I was in Vegas being pressured to buy a timeshare throughout my entire vacation.
