Wow!! This cruise exceeded our expectations in every respect! We had only cruised once before, (to Alaska on Norwegian Cruise Lines in 2005) and that was enjoyable, but we hadn't sailed from the UK and didn't know what to expect.

We arrived at Southampton at noon (for 1.30 pm boarding). We were impressed by the efficiency of the whole operation. We were directed to where we dropped off the baggage (we didn't have to lift a thing), parked the car, checked in, had a glass of bubbly and were in our cabin by 1.00 pm. We went straight to the Oceanview Cafe for lunch and to meet friends, then went back to our cabin - the baggage was waiting for us and we were able to unpack. An excellent start to the holiday.

We had booked Celebrity Select dining and found it really good. On the first night at Moonlight Sonata on 4th Floor there were about 10 people in front of us. We booked for 7.00 pm for the rest of the cruise, but changed to a different time when it suited us and never had to wait. We had the same table for 4 of us every night (or one next to it), the same waiter and wine waiter, both of whom were excellent, friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. The menu was excellent, with fixed classic dishes and a different 4-course menu each day - we enjoyed everything we ate! We dined at Qsine one night and Murano one night. Both were enjoyable experiences, but we felt that the Moonlight Sonata was so good we wouldn't bother again. Read more