BACKGROUND
We’re a couple in our upper-20s/early-30s, cruising with Celebrity a fourth time and on the Silhouette for our third trip. This time we were accompanied by our dear friends, also a couple in their upper-20s/early-30s. Our prior review of this itinerary from last year is available at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2153360
PRE-CRUISE
North Beach Hotel - Ft. Lauderdale - Another lovely property in the North Beach Village Hotel group. This property contains one of the restaurants for the group, so tends to be a bit busier than its sister the Aqua. We thought it was a good value and would stay again.
Transportation
We are pleased to report that Uber is widely available throughout the county, including at the airport and to and from the pier. The county still favors the traditional yellow cabs over Uber, as Uber cars are limited to specific pick up/drop off areas while the yellow cabs are given more favorable positions.
EMBARKATION
We were one of the first few on the ship when it was cleared. We were taken to the front of the line and as Aqua Class guests, boarded at approximately 10:40 AM while other passengers were seated in a waiting lounge. Cafe al Bacio was up and running, and we sat down for the first of many fabulous coffees upon boarding.
STATEROOM/AQUA CLASS
We had a starboard side A2 right near the forward elevators. This is an excellent location, under the salon, which resulted in a very quiet cabin with no view obstructions. We will talk about Blu separately. Perks we enjoyed included the lip balm, the larger toiletry bottles, and the aromatherapy diffuser, which was subtle and pleasant. Daily teas were a welcome change from water, although we understand how some people dislike these unsweetened, lightly flavored teas.
Our stateroom attendant was on the last week of his contract, and seemed to be going through the motions, doing the bare minimum. He was not as accommodating for special requests as we have experienced in the past, a notable example being his insistence that we did not want the lighter waffle robes, and getting him to provide these for this warm sailing in the Caribbean took some convincing. Additionally, even though we had our minibar cleared out, on the last night of the trip, the water we were storing in there was removed and the bar was locked, which we had not experienced in the past.
We visited the Persian Garden once during the week, and it was enjoyable, especially the aromatic dry sauna. I would visit again, but would not book Aqua based on this perk, nor would I purchase a day pass.
For us, the biggest selling point of Aqua Class was Blu. We believe this was a worthwhile upgrade, but it depends on whether you would expect to make use of Blu and the Persian Gardens, as the other benefits were not substantial.
THE SHIP
The Silhouette is our favorite ship. The location change for the Future Cruise Office, which took over the private place in the Quasar nightclub was disappointing. However, having seen the activity levels in Quasar, we understand why this was the space chosen, but we had looked forward to sitting in the private section of Quasar with our friends. If you are looking for these private areas, they are still available at the Martini Bar.
DINING
Blu - We enjoyed Blu very much, and have said that it is the best food we have ever had at sea, across 4 lines (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Azamara). We enjoyed the wide variety of proteins, especially those that I don’t cook as a matter of routine, like veal, duck, and frog legs. For someone looking for the healthful meals, a similar experience can be had through the spe meals in the main dining room, which we have done in the past. Having experienced most of the spe meals before, we enthusiastically embraced the additional options cooked in this style available in Blu. The dishes were creative, well seasoned, and nicely portioned. Additionally, the staff in Blu handled DH’s food allergies with ease. The wait staff went above and beyond on several occasions, delivering beef tournedo to a companion that wanted filet one night, and bringing up several dishes from the main dining room during Top Chef night. We had asked earlier when the Top Chef night was, and they told us the day, and said that if we looked at that menu before coming to Blu, they could bring us any item we liked from it. Also, one morning at breakfast, we asked for some vitamin water, and the waiter said that she would send someone to retrieve it at Cafe al Bacio.
Additionally, breakfast in Blu is very nice, even to people unable to order the muesli! I liked the smaller sized omelets, and the fingerling potatoes served with them were very nicely cooked and perfectly seasoned. DH enjoys mushrooms with his breakfast and was impressed by the ones offered in Blu, which are much less oily and greasy than the ones provided by room service or in the buffet.
We found the service in Blu to be exceptional all-around. We sailed Azamara over the summer and did not experience the level of service they are known for, but we finally had that expectation met in Blu on the Silhouette. Service was attentive without being stifling, the pacing of the meal was excellent, and we enjoyed the more intimate feeling of the tables meant for parties of 2 and 4, as opposed to the tables for 8 and 10 in the main dining room. We sat at several tables all over the restaurant, and all of the wait staff were exceptional and made a point to come by and say hello at subsequent meals, and also when they were working at other venues at lunchtime.
Room Service - We used room service for breakfast and lunch and found the food consistently good, and delivered all at the same time, even if this required the assistance of an additional crew member. A handwritten request for smoked salmon was fulfilled. However, for eggs, the quantity indication is ambiguous, and one morning a request for 2 poached eggs and 2 over easy eggs resulted in delivery of 4 eggs of each type - as these requests were interpreted as 2 servings of 2 eggs each! One day, DH ordered a dish from the premium room service menu, which is shown in the binder as being available from 11AM to 11PM, but we were told that since this dish came from a specialty restaurant, it would not be available until 5PM (we ordered at 345PM). This policy should be noted on that menu so that customers are aware. Also, we were told that only side salad sized Caesar salads were available through room service and a request for an entree sized salad could not be accommodated. Often, room service aboard ship tends to be inferior to other venues with inconsistent temperatures, but this was not the case here, and the food was just as good as at the other venues on the ship.
Evening Chic - Evening chic appears to be causing a bit of a divide in the Celebrity passenger base. We saw many more people dressed “down”, given the suggestion of nice jeans with a blouse or shirt, an approach we took on the second evening chic night. However, we also saw far more tuxedos and evening gowns than we have seen in the past, perhaps as a demonstration of disappointment in the changes. We enjoyed the freedom afforded us by the new evening chic policy. We try to pack light, and DH prefers to dress down on vacation, as he dresses up fairly often for work, and were happy to save the luggage space a jacket would have taken!
In Blu, the second evening chic night (Labadee) was the night with the menu that includes the warm water lobster tail. We did not find many of the dishes on this menu compelling and chose to dine in Qsine instead.
Qsine - We had dined at Qsine twice in the past, stuffing ourselves beyond capacity on both occasions in a valiant attempt to taste everything DH could eat. On this occasion, we dined with our friends, and can report that it is a much more pleasurable and less stuffing experience with a group of 4 rather than 2! Again, the service was top notch, and the food was extremely well executed, especially the painter’s filet with 3 different temperatures (rare, medium rare, and medium)! We enjoyed the relaxed pace of the experience, but if you are going to sample a good number of dishes (we tried 9 on this occasion), allow for a long dinner, as our dinner here extended for 2 hours and 45 minutes, and that was with a slightly expedited dessert when we realized we might miss the show if we didn’t tell our server we wanted to see it!
Oceanview Cafe - The Oceanview Cafe was one location on the ship where we noticed a significant difference that we believe to be a result of the pervasive beverage packages. Drink service at tables was much more limited than in the past, and drink menus have been removed from buffet tables. Il Secondo Bacio was very busy during main meal times, but several staff members were always stationed here so that the line moved quickly. However, if you wanted an espresso or mimosa with breakfast in the buffet, be prepared to go retrieve it at Il Secondo Bacio rather than have it delivered to your table.
The food was consistent with our experiences on previous cruises, and was good for buffet fare. One thing to note - while most foods containing nuts are labeled that way, mortadella was among cold cuts that were not labeled as containing nuts, an oversight that should be corrected lest someone less familiar with mortadella accidentally eat a pistachio!
BARS
Coffee - We noticed that the seating area at Cafe al Bacio is being used much more than it has in the past, likely because so many passengers are enjoying their drink packages. We went to Cafe al Bacio at least once per day this sailing, having in the past only been once during 2 sailings totaling 18 nights! The coffee at Cafe al Bacio is very good, and they will gladly prepare any of the hot drinks on the menu iced, although this can take a few minutes. Iced citrus mint tea was particularly refreshing. DH always complains about cruise ship coffee and was very happy on this sailing, starting off his morning with a double Americano.
General Bars - Quasar did not really see much use as a nightclub on this sailing, being relegated mostly to karaoke, with most dance parties taking place in the Sky Lounge. One night, we came in to observe karaoke, and there was a fairly sizeable group of people (approximately 25 people) in the lounge, when it was announced that karaoke would end in 15 minutes, even though it was listed as going until “Late”. Why shut down an activity that people are obviously still enjoying? Also, the person directing the karaoke had by this point gotten to know the most active karaoke singers, and defaulted to calling them up to sing, which we felt discouraged others from signing up to participate.
We found the availability of some liquors and mixers to be hit or miss. Diet tonic was not generally available on the ship, although a bartender at Passport Bar made a trip one evening to retrieve some, and we saw it on other occasions in the Ensemble Lounge. We spent much more time in Ensemble Lounge than we have in the past, as it was more in our path of activities. The non-specialty bars also cannot be counted on to have premium brands of liquor, a situation that likely pushes passengers with the Premium package to the Premium only Molecular and Martini Bars. Sunset Bar was an exception to this.
Molecular Bar - We love the Molecular Bar. The molecular bar on Silhouette is currently running an abbreviated menu consisting of 5 drinks you would recognize from the full menu (Lucky Cat, Dragonfly, Tanned Russian, etc.) and then a second page of approximately 10 drinks that are new. Jelena generally does not let you order drinks from this second page, and makes something similar of her own creation with a slightly different balance of the same flavors instead. If you can name any of the other classic Molecular Bar drinks, you can probably order them, with the creamy Indulgence a notable exception. I saw several cocktails throughout the week that resembled the drinks available in the past. Jelena and George can also surprise you with a delicious drink with some minimal prompting. We highly recommend spending time at the Molecular Bar with Jelena and George, as your drink will be unique and delicious. Jelena and George are the best and we hope to encounter them on future cruises.
Martini Bar - We spent very little time at the Martini Bar, preferring the service, cocktails, and atmosphere available at the Molecular Bar. On one of the occasions we did visit, only general cocktails were available to our friend with the Classic Package, and small martinis were not being offered. The curtained off alcoves with sofas are a nice place for a group to sit and enjoy a cocktail without leaning over each other at the bar.
PORTS
Cozumel - Playa Mia Resort - We repeated the same excursion from our sailing last year. Again, the buffet is not overly appealing, so be prepared for a late lunch back onboard. We find that booking with the ship affords us extra time at the Resort, as the excursion arrives before the resort officially opens. The open bar offered at Playa Mia was less valuable to us than last year because of our drink packages, and we did not really use it except for bottled water. As the resort filled up over the course of the day, the internet went down, suggesting that their system cannot handle a large number of people connecting. The beach was beautiful and waiter service is frequent. We also appreciate the included water activities, which included kayaks and paddleboats. We would visit again.
Our starboard room faced the pier, so we engaged in the practice of watching for pier runners. When sailaway time came and went, we started to wonder why we weren’t moving, and several officers could be seen in the bridge wings visibly agitated. 45 minutes after our scheduled sailaway time, a taxi pulls up to the pier and a gentleman got out and boarded the ship with little sense of urgency. We, and others, booed him vigorously. This did not affect our arrival time at Grand Cayman.
Grand Cayman - Turtle Farm - A unique experience, and a fun one! The grounds are extensive and beautiful, with several different areas to observe and interact with sea turtles at different stages of life. Snorkeling with turtles and fish in the lagoon is a highlight, but be aware that the lagoon closes at 2PM, so be sure to plan for that when planning your day at the turtle farm. Getting to catch and hold a baby sea turtle was an adventure that provided a very unique photo opportunity.
We took taxis to and from the turtle farm, having ventured there on our own. Expect the taxi to run you about $3/passenger. There is not a taxi stand at the turtle farm, so get a card from the taxi driver dropping you off so that it can pick you up, as taxis appear to be independently owned rather than centrally dispatched. Public buses also run to the turtle farm, but one of our companions travels with a wheelchair, and the bus driver wanted to charge us for an extra passenger to account for the wheelchair, so please be aware of this if it applies to you!
Falmouth, Jamaica - Hilton Rose Hall through Resort for a Day - We found that Resort for a Day is mainly a bus service provider. We followed the instructions and were sitting on a bus ready to go, but then our bus was held to allow passengers from another ship to board as well. When they found out that our return trip was leaving after theirs, we overheard these passengers planning to take the return bus intended for us and did not want to risk not having a seat, so ended up leaving the resort early in order to guarantee our timely return to port. Also, the bus just drops you off at the resort, and then you are expected to stand in a long line for check-in to get a bracelet. It seems that Resort for a Day should handle all of this for you in order to maximize the time you get to enjoy the resort. We would probably only use Resort for a Day again if there was a particular resort we wished to visit that we could not book on our own.
Hilton Rose Hall was a beautiful resort, with a narrow strip of beach that has padded loungers and crystal clear water, extensive pools, and several casual eateries. The resort seemed very busy, perhaps because of a large number of day clients, and getting a tube for use on the water slide and the lazy river was an adventure. Drinks were good, although many people were getting tri-colored frozen drinks that slowed the line at the bar down considerably. The swim up bar was completely packed the entire time we were there. DH enjoyed trying Red Stripe Light, not a beer we usually see at home, and he says it was extra cold and extra refreshing. We had lunch at the poolside grill and enjoyed a fantastic meal of jerk pork.
Labadee, Haiti - Dragon Coaster - Another experience repeated from last year. The safety briefing was much less extensive this time around, and we were slightly more confident, taking the coaster at a faster and more exhilarating pace.
Labadee, Haiti - Nellie’s Beach Cabana - We secured an over the water cabana at Nellie’s beach. This cabana has a ladder into the water, but the ladder is odd. It consists only of the metal frame one would normally expect on a ladder like this without the flat plastic steps. This makes using the ladder very slippery, especially if either the feet or the ladder are wet, as rungs are round, making it very easy for your feet to slip off. This cabana also has the loungers out in the sun all day. We were given access to the Barefoot Beach buffet for lunch, and this is one of the closer cabanas to that beach. However, we were approximately equidistant from both the Barefoot Beach and Nellie’s Beach restrooms, meaning that either restroom was a bit of a walk, something to keep in mind if anyone in your party is mobility challenged. We enjoyed the private golf cart shuttle service just for cabana guests.
We found that our cabana attendant was rude, inattentive, passive aggressive, and spent a lot of time sitting down texting on his personal cell phone. We asked for snorkel equipment, as the people in the cabana next to us had some, and it took an hour for a single mask and snorkel to be brought that was littered with sand, no vest or fins, for 4 people! He also watched us struggle carrying a wheelchair up/down to/from the cabana. Several of us were given incorrect drinks--when the attendant came around, which was rare--and told “we should enjoy them.” We heard that after we visited Labadee, there were locals protesting. We wondered if this prompted a work slowdown. We notified guest services and showed them pictures of our cabana attendant texting while we waited for drinks/snorkel equipment, and the situation was resolved promptly to our satisfaction.
We had a wonderful time in Labadee, and spent as much time as allowed out on the beach. DH was delighted to be the last passenger back on the ship before we departed to head back to Fort Lauderdale. (He timed this to be on board 1 minute before departure, so there weren’t any boos, like the person delaying the ship at Cozumel!)
ACTIVITIES
A lot of the activities were sorted into teams of port vs. starboard. We participated in 80s music trivia, and were a little disappointed that our group of 4 wouldn’t be its own team, as I am rather competitive and DH and I trust our 80s music skills to grab us a win. Compared to last year, we think one person has been added back to the activities team. However, we didn’t find many of the activities compelling, especially since we were traveling with friends, and preferred to relax in the Solarium or in one of the lounges with live music.
ENTERTAINMENT
We sailed on the week they were installing the new production shows, so we had all headliners. Even though we occasionally comment on the camp factor of the production shows, we found that we missed them! Also, we were a little disappointed in the headliner lineup for a production show-less week. There wasn’t any way to give us a top comedian and perhaps the Tenors of Rock to make up for the lack of a production show? We found that the Beatles tribute band Hard Days’ Night did a great job with the music, but we thought the vocal performance left something to be desired. Also, the 70s party was moved to the foyer due to high winds, and I think the sound team hadn’t balanced the levels for the new cast in that venue yet, leading to some strange sounding numbers at that event.
OVERALL
We found Aqua Class to be a wonderful experience, if just for Blu alone. Also, after having sailed Azamara earlier this year, we have confirmed that for the time being, Celebrity is our cruise line of choice. While onboard, we booked an Eastern Caribbean itinerary on Reflection for next winter!