Cuisine and dining on Celebrity cruises
The dining rooms aboard all Celebrity ships are non-smoking areas. There are two seatings for dinner (open seating for breakfast and lunch). Table settings are excellent, with fine quality linen, china and glassware.
Tables for two are available (there are far more than most of the other major lines). What sets Celebrity apart from the others is the superior training and supervision of dining room waiters, and the service.
The food represents a wide range of culinary influences; it is based on classical French cuisine, modified to appeal to North Americans and European alike. Menus are standardized across the fleet, and were completely refreshed in 2004. The menu variety in the main dining rooms is good, the food has taste, and it is very attractively presented and served in a well orchestrated operation that displays fine European traditions and training. Full service in-cabin dining is also available for all meals (including dinner).
Casual Eateries: Casual self-serve buffets are found aboard all Celebrity Cruises’ ships. Most are laid-out in continuous lines, which does mean that lines form at peak times (when morning shore excursions return, for example, by lunchtime). However, Celebrity is trying to be more creative with these buffets, and, like other cruise lines, has stations for pasta, sushi, salads, grilled and rotisserie items, and hot food items.
Cova Café: All ships have a Cova Café, a seagoing version of the original Café di Milano that was located next to La Scala Opera House in Milan. If you order espresso/cappuccino coffees in the dining room, there is a charge (treated like a bar item).
Entertainment on Celebrity cruise ships
All showlounges are non-smoking venues. The company has little cohesive policy regarding big production shows, and cannot seem to get them right. With different standards of productions aboard its ships, there is no consistency.
While some are quite decent, with good costuming and lighting, they are, for the most part, dated and are presented without story line, flow or connectivity. Each ship carries its own resident troupe of singers/dancers and audio-visual support staff. Bar service, which is supplied throughout shows, disrupts concentration.
There is little to distinguish Celebrity Cruises in the entertainment department. While some cabaret acts are good, they are the same ones seen aboard many ships. Celebrity vessels have a variety of bands and small musical units, although there is very little music for social dancing, other than disco and pop music.
Spa and fitness facilities on Celebrity
Celebrity Cruises knows that spas and fitness facilities are in, and has been busy making its facilities better. Spa/fitness programs are staffed and operated by Steiner Leisure, a specialist concession, whose enthusiastic staff will try to and sell you Steiner’s own-brand beauty products (spa girls have sales targets). Some fitness classes are free, while some, such as yoga, and kickboxing, cost US$10 per class. However, being aboard will give you an opportunity to try some of the more exotic treatments (particularly some of the massages available).
Massage (including exotic massages such as Aroma Stone massage, Chakra Balancing massage and other well-being massages), facials, pedicures, and beauty salon treatments are at extra cost. Examples of treatment costs: massage at $120 (50 minutes), facial at $120, seaweed wrap (75 minutes) $190 – all plus a gratuity of 10 percent. Do make appointments as early as possible, perhaps even on your first day aboard, as time slots go quickly.
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