Cruises are expensive, with that in mind; you want your cruise to be worth every penny. After taking Royal Caribbean and Princess Cruise line - I have a good perspective on what I expect from a cruise. My review of Celebrity?
Celebrity was mediocre. The food was really good and delicious. Desserts were decent, could be better. Their Baked Alaska was disappointing, at best. But, their entrees were magnificent! The whole dining experience was the best the cruise line had to offer.
Their two tiny pools and 5 hot tubs were very small and only open until 8PM, which felt like Vegas (at least Vegas has an excuse for closing their pools at 7 or 8PM, they want you out there gambling)! Their children activities were boring and poorly planned. Because their activities for teenagers were incredibly lacking, the pool and especially hot tubs were constantly mobbed with 14-18 year olds. Both of my children would rather spend time in their stateroom watching television or playing with their handheld video games than with the activities that were planned, which is saying a lot because they loved the activities on the other cruise lines. My son, who is 13 and daughter who is almost 10 - tried their activities and frequently left them due to boredom.
The dining room staff was excellent, polite, and very attending to your needs; however, the rest of the staff left something to be desired. The bartenders were rude, REALLY watered down the drinks, and did not know how to communicate effectively. One bartender argued with my husband when he asked for a little more alcohol in his incredibly weak drink. I mean, you are paying $8-12 for a drink, you expect to have a little alcohol in it!
Overall, Celebrity has plenty of improvements to fulfill before I ever go on another cruise. Although their dinners were superb, their desserts were bland and disappointing. I’m a baker, so my standards are high with desserts and baked goods. I will stick with Princess Cruises, since they have 4-star service all-round with a fantastic staff!