The
M/V Galaxy is a
cruise ship operated by
Celebrity Cruises. She was constructed in Papenburg, Germany in 1996, the second in a line that also includes
Century and
Mercury. At 866 feet long by 105 feet wide, the Galaxy weighs a total of 77,713 tons. She was originally registered in
Liberia, but the ship's registration has recently changed to the
Bahamas*. The Galaxy cruises at 21.5
knots while carrying her capacity of 1,870 guests in 935
staterooms; 639 of these cabins have an unobstructed
ocean view while 296 cabins are inside with no view. The 909 crew members of the Galaxy are from many different countries, but the ship's officers are primarily Greek. The ship's main itineraries are the
Caribbean and
Alaska.
Every stateroom on the Galaxy offers a
thermostat, telephone (ship-based calls are free, calls home are $8/minute), television, mini-bar, safe, and hairdryer. Most rooms come with a shower, but suites also offer a Whirlpool bath. The 38 basic suites feature a sitting area,
balcony, and VCR; the 12 premium suites add a
dining room, walk-in closet, and
butler service. There are some items in every cabin that are available for general use during the cruise, but they can also be purchased after the cruise ends. The umbrella ($11), bathrobes ($25), and beach towels ($28) are all available, as are two Celebrity-logo tote bags (free to keep). There are eight
accessible staterooms on the Galaxy.
The primary dining area on board the Galaxy is the
Orion Restaurant, which is to the aft of the ship with entrances on decks 5 and 6. The ceiling features a recreated view of the
night sky, and the primary feature of the restaurant is its grand staircase. Other dining options on the ship include the
Oasis Buffet, which serves three meals a day and ice cream between lunch and dinner. There is also a casual dining "boulevard" featuring sandwiches, pizza, and hamburgers.
Room service is available 24 hours a day on board. The menu is limited for much of the day, but during lunch and dinner hours the full main restaurant menu can be ordered through room service.
The primary source of
entertainment is the Celebrity Theater, which offers two shows nightly (entrances on decks 6 and 7). Also on deck 6 is the Cinema, which is used for showing movies as well as giving informative talks prior to specific
shore excursions. The Fortunes
Casino is located on deck 7 (the "Entertainment" deck), and features gambling from five-cent slot machines to blackjack tables; one corner of the casino is non-smoking. Also on deck 7 are the Galaxy's shops, which offer
duty free jewelry, perfume, and liquor. There is also a Celebrity logo merchandise shop and a store that offers inexpensive jewelry, watches, and
formalwear. There are multiple discos and clubs on the Galaxy, including the Rendezvous Lounge, the Stratosphere Lounge, Michael's Club (a cigar bar), and the Savoy Nightclub.
Activities are provided daily, with fewer options available while the ship is
in port. The activities staff offers bingo, computer classes, pillow fights, and a wide variety of things to keep cruisers busy. There are three pools on the Galaxy, all on deck 11 - two saltwater pools are outside, and there is a freshwater pool under a greenhouse-like roof. There are five
hot tubs outside near the saltwater pools. A gymnasium, with cardiovascular equipment, is available under the supervision of the
AquaSpa staff (deck 11, forward). The spa also offers many personal services, from massages to tooth whitening and facial masks to
thalassotherapy. These services are very expensive, as is the onboard acupuncture service (located on deck 6 midship).
Sources
Personal experience
http://www.cruisedirect.com/ship_galaxy.php
http://www.cruisecritic.com/reviews/review.cfm?ShipID=16
http://www.royalcaribbean4me.com/celebrity_cruises/galaxy/celebrity_cruises_galaxy.htm
* - Various documents in the stateroom were conflicting on this point. The hotel book indicated she was registered in Liberia, but an issue of
Celebrity Today said she was registered in the Bahamas.
A Note on Naming
It took me a long time to find out that M/V means Motor Vessel. I didn't figure it out until the end of the last day of the trip! Also, many cruise aficionados refer to ships without the line in front of them. So this ship may, in various places, be called M/V Galaxy, Celebrity Galaxy, or just Galaxy.