My husband booked an inexpensive cruise on Galaxy, sailing in October 2004 from Baltimore to San Juan, and we were quite pleased overall with our experience on this lovely ship. Previously, we sailed on Century in 1999 in Europe, so we expected attentive service, and we were not disappointed. Excellent, friendly service is the hallmark of Celebrity. We would happily take this cruise again.

Cabin: We booked the same cabin grade we had enjoyed on the Century, and found that the Galaxy provided the same level of comfort in our suite, with the exception of rather worn upholstered furniture in the living room and a broken sofa bed. Everything else was in good order. The bedroom mattress was comfortable for those of you who wonder about such things as I do. The suite was quite clean, and our cabin attendants kept it up nicely throughout the trip.

Food: We felt that the quality of the food has slipped a bit from our cruise in 1999. It is inconsistent, but if you rely on your waiter to steer you to good choices, I think you will enjoy most of your meals in the Orion Dining Room. The buffet food is rather ordinary overall, and we chose to eat both lunch and dinner in the Orion Restaurant as a result.
We ate breakfast in our room, and it always arrived on time or a bit early, and was just fine. Overall, I would say that the food was very much like good banquet food, with an occasional outstanding dish, such as the lobster tail dinner. After all, the Galaxy kitchen turns out literally thousands of meals each day, so it is unrealistic to expect to be served gourmet food.

Public Rooms: The Galaxy is a lovely ship, decorated in light, cheerful colors, and it is a pleasure to explore her. She is much prettier, I think, than Century, and well maintained. You will find small signs of wear here and there, but nothing obviously worn or tired looking. Think beautiful, big hotel, and that is what Galaxy is.

Service: In a word, the service aboard Galaxy is excellent. Our waiter and his assistant were outstanding, always anxious to please. Throughout the ship, the staff is friendly and attentive.

Entertainment: We did not expect Broadway quality entertainment, and enjoyed the shows for what they are, cruise style shows. Some of the performers were excellent, and we had a fine time in the beautiful theatre. I was pleasantly surprised at the overall quality of the entertainers, especially the comedian and a charming pianist. The musicians who accompanied the singers were also quite talented. I love live entertainment and have seen many musicals and plays in New York, and throughout the United States and Europe. Celebrity does a decent job of keeping passengers entertained.

Shore Excursions: Overall, we were disappointed in the shore excursions we took through Celebrity, with one exception. Sitting on a bench welded to an old flatbed truck is not my idea of a comfortable tour bus. That’s what we got in St. Thomas. So, ask about the details before you book any tours.

Conclusion: Celebrity gave us value for money spent on this inexpensive cruise. We had a fine time.