The stateroom was lovely and clean and we had excellent service from our stateroom attendant Harrianto (Harry) and from MJ on the omelette counter in the sea view cafe. Sadly our enjoyment was overshadowed by a few factors, which make us reluctant to book again with Celebrity:
1. The ship rarely docked anywhere near the towns we were visiting (not advertised sufficiently in advance). Shuttle buses were provided but at a large cost (one of the days would have cost us over £100). Where possible we walked into town or used local trams but the heat beat us some days and we reluctantly bought shuttle tickets. Many guests were unhappy about the charges involved, believing the shuttles should be free of charge.
2. Drinks prices were extortionate. 6 USD for a can of soft drink, wine by the glass at least 23 USD. I don’t drink alcohol so this didn’t affect me personally, but it annoyed many guests including American travellers who felt the prices of individual drinks and the drinks packages were daylight robbery.
3. Only one small swimming pool available for families with kids under 16. We were unable to find space to use it on sea days. At night, when fewer people were using it, the water was uncomfortably hot and strongly chlorinated so unpleasant to swim in.
On the positive side, when returning to the ship on port days, all guests were provided with a cold drink and iced face cloths. These were much appreciated on such hot days and we looked forward to receiving them each day!
