Constellation buffet questions
 

We are considering the Constellation for our vacation. What should we expect at the buffet?

Does the menu change regularly or do they have same breakfast every day? Do you get to serve yourself? Do you get to carry your own tray or plate? What kind of drinks do they have - anything other than coffee or tea available without purchase? We don't mind the cost, we just like to drink what we like and get refills ourselves rather than wait for a server to bring things and sign with the cruise card. We enjoy the freedom of self serve.

Have read that NCL requires hand sanitation and does not allow self service. Does Celebrity require hand sanitation? If so, what is the process (gel, wipes, spray)?

Is there pizza? When is it available?

Yes, we like the dining room for dinner, formal nights and all that. Even enjoy the upcharge dinner restaurants. But for breakfast, most lunches and snacks we end up at the buffet.

Thanks for any help and info.

We were on the Constellation 2 years ago. Unless it has changed, the breakfast was a huge buffet with anything you can imagine. We also served ourselves and were allowed to seat ourselves. Drinks,included, lemonade and ice tea. O.J. cranberry and apple juices for breakfast. We never ate lunch as we were on tours of different Islands for the day. It was a wonderful ship. We enjoyed our cruise on Celebrity.

We were just on the Constellation last April - wonderful ship. I only ate at the breakfast buffet once or twice, but it had everything, including a Belgian waffle area and yes, you do carry your own tray and get your own drinks. They also have room service - no extra charge. What I enjoyed more than the buffet was the spa cafe - also self serve - they had lovely fruit plates, yogurt etc for breakfast, poached salmon, salads and other interesting dishes for lunch. We had breakfast and lunch there nearly every day. There is a pizza by the slice outside at the grill. It's also possible that they have pizza at the pasta bar in the buffet area. I did not like the pizza. One of the very few things that I didn't like!

To Ellenbw and Diann,

Thanks a lot for the very informative replies.

It looks like we will be very happy with the buffet. We also plan to try the spa cafe.

Any other tips or suggestions for the Constellation?

Last question, is there a color theme on the ship in the cabins or main areas? Our favorite is blue, especially all the beautiful ocean shades of teal, turquoise etc.

Thanks again

I was just on the Constellation at the end of May and beginning of June. Breakfast at the buffet was pretty much the same every day, but there was a huge variety of food. Sometimes there were specialty breads (the Norbrod was especially delicious-served when we were stopping at the Scandinavian ports I believe). The specialty bread was sliced for you by someone who stood at that section of the cafeteria line just for the purpose of slicing breads (and cheeses at lunch). The fruit medley did vary. It was often mixed berries (frozen, not fresh), sometimes with other fruit added. They always seemed to have platters of sliced melon and other fruit also, as well as grapefruit halves, etc. The pineapple was consistently fantastic and I'm from Hawaii! At least once there was a selection of donuts which went very quickly. I noticed that sticky buns, the day I saw them, as well as the donuts and some other special breakfast pastries, were on a big tray set up at the beginning of the serving line where you pick up your tray. So even if you don't plan to go through the entire buffet line it's worth checking this area for daily special offerings. The best advice I have for breakfast on the Constellation is to be sure to head to the Cova Cafe when they make their (free) pastries available which is twice a day. The warm almond croissants with almond filling are outstanding. Coffee, tea, and drinks there are quite expensive, but at least the specialty coffees come with an exquisite Cova Cafe chocolate, and that is about the only time you get to taste them unless you are a member of the Captain's club in which case you receive an "amenity" the second night out- a small box of these delicacies. (These are not to be confused with the ordinary Celebrity chocolates everyone receives on their pillow nightly). I did learn from my first Celebrity cruise to be sure to attend the welcome aboard celebration in the theater when the Captain introduces himself and the crew, as they offer you one of the Cova chocolates as you enter along with a glass of champagne. While you can't purchase the Cova chocolates on the ship they are offered in the pre-cruise document brochure as a bon voyage gift one could purchase for a departing passenger, to be delivered to the cabin, though my experience purchasing flowers from the brochure was not a good one. The Cova Cafe's morning hours are something like 8:30 to 11 am, and then afternoon pastries (fresh fruit tarts, cakes, and cookies) around tea time.
I remember having great healthy breakfasts with a great muesli at the AquaSpa cafe on the Infinity but I never got to that cafe on the Constellation somehow even though I had planned to try it a few mornings. It was such a port intensive (Baltic) cruise we were always racing to get off the ship and make the most of our many port days.
Hand sanitation is in the form of a Purell dispenser located at the entrance of the Seaside Cafe near the beginning of the serving line. I had to look for it once I heard they provided it (it isn't mandatory). We brought our own wet-wipes and used them frequently. While we could carry our own trays, there were serving people (our waiters from the dining room) who would take your tray to your table once filled. In some cases I heard them take orders for coffee or tea and bring it but this didn't seem to be common. We found the pizza delicious-especially the four-cheese pizza of the day. The pizza station was in the Seaside Cafe next to the pasta station and available at lunch as well as at other times that may have been noted in the daily program . Note, my nephew pronounced the ice cream the worst he'd ever had. I had a soft serve and I thought it was ok but not great. I always enjoy the food on Celebrity. But on this 14 day cruise I did find I tired of the same offerings at the cafe. I recall they told us in the dining room that the only things on their breakfast menu that were not available at the buffet were baked apples and eggs benedict. Hope this helps.

TARTANGAL,

Wow, thanks for all the great information. The detail is amazing.

Do you have any general advice about the Constellation or Celebrity?

Thanks in advance.

We are also planning a Scandinavian Cruise on the Constallation, and have several questions.

First. I am intensely allergic to cigarette smoke. Depending on the ship, on some we have experienced seepage into our cabin from a smoking neighbor's cabin. Would this be a problem on the Constellation, or is their venilation system much better?

Second - the materials state that "some" beverages and "most" meals are included. What does that mean? Must water be purchased?

Finally, for those of you who have taken the baltic/scandinavian cruise: what were the "best" shore excursions?

Thank you in advance.

To Chocolate, Water, Ice,
General advice about Celebrity? Well, on the subject of food I can say that our first cruise (on Infinity) my husband and I had faxed special dietary requests to the ship in advance and called Celebrity until they could report that the fax had indeed reached the proper people. There was a note in our cabin when we boarded asking us to meet with the chef and restaurant manager at a specific time to go over our dietary requests. We were extrememly impressed with the personal attention which continued (to the envy of our tablemates and family) throughout the cruise. We felt our food was given extra attention and the result was quite extraordinary. On the last cruise (Constellation) this past May and June, I didn't bother to fax a special request even though I did make sure Celebrity knew I wanted vegetarian meals. (I knew they offered a vegetarian menu at each meal in the dining room, and I was too busy with other trip arrangemants to go to the lengths I had previously.) This time there was a note which seemed more mass-produced rather than personal, asking me to meet the chef between 5:15 and 6 (a time frame that included the sailaway). I took the note with me to the dining room where the staff were busy trying to get ready for the first dinner seating. They seemed puzzled when I told them I was to meet the chef there, even when I produced the letter. When one server took the letter away to show someone else, I was repeatedly asked what I was doing there by other waiters (who clearly doubted my story and I no longer had my letter to prove it), and asked to sit to the side while I waited. I gave up waiting after about 20 minutes, and left feeling there were some organizational issues that needed addressing on this ship. The service I received was not what I had experienced previously. And while the food was generally good, I can't say it was excellent, with just a few exceptions. I would definitely take the time in future to make my food request in writing.
To Begete:
The only drinks I know of besides alcoholic ones that you pay for on Celebrity are sodas and, from the Cova Cafe, any specialty teas or coffees. Also on the Alaska cruise, several years ago had waiters on the outdoor decks during the glacier viewings with hot chocolate which you had to pay for. The only meals not covered in the cruise price, to my knowledge, are at the specialty restaurants, where the cost this Spring on the Constellation had gone to $30 and was well worth it. On the Infinity in 03 it was $25 to eat in the specialty restaurant.