Overview
Galaxy, the second in a series of three vessels, debuted in December 1996. Century was first in the series in 1995 and Mercury followed in 1997. Celebrity positions itself as a premium level cruise line, meaning that their target guest is looking for a cruise experience that includes some of the amenities and refinements of the luxury lines without losing the element of fun. Galaxy accomplishes this admirably by concentrating on sophisticated levels of food and beverage service most often associated with pricier lines: martini and champagne bars, cigar lounges and caviar service, while not skimping on shipboard activities for passengers who like to let their hair down. Galaxy's extensive multimillion dollar art collection was hand picked by Christina Chandris, wife of the former Chairman of the line with the assistance of the Marlborough Gallery in New York.

Many improvements were made to Galaxy over Century including a slight increase in size of ship and public rooms, a high-tech atrium paneled with a 40-foot video panel, a retractable glass dome covering the aft swimming pool -- an area that is particularly popular with patrons of the pizzeria and the Oasis Cafe buffet.

Public Rooms
Besides piquing passenger interest, Galaxy's wide spectrum of design serves to satisfy different preferences in different people, and, after a few days, most everyone finds a room which appeals most to his or her individual tastes, which spreads passenger load across the whole ship. We found little overcrowding and few lines. At one extreme are Galaxy's dramatic, large public rooms, the Celebrity Theater (showroom) in muted tones of beige and gold and Sports Deck's spectacular Stratosphere, her top-of-the-ship, forward-looking observation lounge. There is an elevated bar and additional seating area in the center, so that even those who don't stake out window side tables aren't deprived of an unobstructed view. We found our niche in the smaller, intimate lounges peppered around the main public gathering areas of the vessel. Rendezvous Square, one such area fronts the two-deck entrances to the to the Orion Restaurant with its sweeping stairway and piano music, and makes and excellent pre-dinner cocktail and meeting spot.

Entertainment
Celebrity Theater, Galaxy's two-level main show lounge, is one of the best designed we've seen. The absence of obstructing columns combined with a fairly steeply raked floor; create a room with no bad seats. The ornate second level balconies, broken into separate units descending along the sides of the room, reminded us of the private boxes of classic opera houses, becoming part of the decor as well as being functional. The stage has adequate bells and whistles, though the constant use of the video wall system as a background scenic element began to get distracting after a while. The production shows, though improved over prior seasons, are still your basic cruise fare. The ship did have, however, an extensive slate of individual performers and lounge acts, including two comedians, two pianists (with very different repertoires), individual singers, and an a capella group. We also liked the presence of the String Quartet, which provided the soothing counterpoint of classical music at various times and places throughout the ship

Fortunes Casino is quite small for a ship this size, having a few blackjack tables, one craps and one roulette table, plus the ubiquitous video poker and slot machines. The ability to gamble in-cabin through Galaxy's interactive TV system might own up to why the casino didn't seem overcrowded.

Family
Celebrity offers the basics, and its programs are downright dynamic but Celebrity is light on the kind of services strollers-for-rent, stores selling emergency supplies, etc., that can really make it easy for families to cruise. Children pay the third-or-fourth person per cabin rate. Under the age of 12, Celebrity recommends kids pay half of the usual tip amount. Celebrity Youth Program covers ages 3 - 17. Ship Mates (3 - 6), Celebrity Cadets (7 - 9), Ensigns (10 - 12), and Admiral T's (13 - 17) operating 9 a.m. - noon; 2 - 5:30 p.m., 7:30 - 10 p.m. on sea and port days. In-cabin sitting is available for $8 per hour (two kids max); requests must be made onboard through the ship's Guest Relations or Stateroom Services departments. Group baby-sitting is available in the children's playroom for ages 3-12 from 10 p.m. - 1 a.m.; cost is $3 per hour for one child, $5 per hour for two or more kids in the same family. "Parent's Night Out" is a formal-night only program where counselors host kids for a pizza party; there's no charge. Passengers who need to request high chairs and cribs, etc., must call Celebrity's Special Services department (800-242-6374) no later than 72 hours prior to sailing. Celebrity has an "unlimited soft drinks" program for those under 18; cost is $4.50 per day plus 15 percent tip.

Fitness and Recreation
The AquaSpa, a signature element of Celebrity Cruises, is a huge fitness/spa facility found on all the Century class ships. Operated by Steiner's of London, these facilities are far larger in area and offer a far more extensive array of services than a typical shipboard fitness/beauty/massage center. The centerpiece of the fitness area is the giant Thalassotherapy pool, a kind of massive, saltwater jacuzzi. This airy room is highly atmospheric, relaxing, and gives the sense of having retreated into a different world altogether. There are numerous smaller rooms for Rasul, facials, seaweed wraps, massage, etc. The gym on Galaxy is well equipped with treadmills, Stairmasters and other exercise machines. The equipment was all up-to-date and state of the art.

The main pool and sunning area is amidships, with two pools and whirlpools with plenty of deck chairs. Other fitness offerings include a golf simulator and a short jogging track on Sunrise Deck, which, because it doesn't top passenger cabins, has no time limitations.

There are numerous daytime activities, even on port days, including all the standard cruise fare. Daily movies are offered in the onboard cinema, augmenting those shown on the ships video system.

Fellow Passengers
Celebrity Galaxy attracts passengers looking for a premium cruise experience. Mostly couples and families from the US and Canada between the ages of 35-65.

Dining
If there is one thing the name Celebrity is synonymous with it is cuisine. A menu designed by Michelin 3-star chef, Michel Roux makes it clear why Celebrity ships are at the top of their game for their price range. Fresh seafood and produce are provisioned on the fly, and much of the food is cooked to order and delicious. The cuisine is consistent with Roux's publicized rejection of many of the trendier trappings of contemporary cuisine as being gimmicks; this is basic, classical cuisine, well executed, but don't look for sculpted presentations or unusual multicultural fusions. The menu features nightly spa and vegetarian choices. There is a children's menu on request, and special diets can be accommodated if requested at the time of booking.

There are two facilities serving the pool area, the Oasis Cafe and the Grill. The Cafe is the basic lunch and dinner buffet operation, with a good variety. There are a handful of assistants available to help passengers to their tables. The Grill serves tea in the afternoon and pizza at various times during the day. They also do burgers and hot dogs at lunchtime. The grill also serves an alternative casual sit-down dinner on long port days, for which reservations must be made. A limited room service menu is available 24-hours a day. Galaxy's midnight buffet extremely well done and varying themes keep passengers going back nightly -- some themes are served pool side, Mexican and Caribbean in particular, to encourage an all out party atmosphere with dancing and a live band. Two types of tea are served onboard, an elegant tea in the dining room once a week and a casual afternoon tea in the Oasis Cafe.

Dress Code
Standard designations of Formal, Informal and Casual. On our sailing there were two each Formal and Informal and three Casual evenings. About 50% of the men wore tuxes.

Gratuity
Recommended amount is $10.25 per person per day as follows: Stateroom Attendant: $3.50 pp/pd; Dining Room Waiter: $3.50 pp/pd; Assistant Waiter: $2.00 pp/pd; Dining Room Manager: $0.75 pp/pd; Chief Housekeeper: $0.50 pp/pd.