celebrity-centuryjg071198

Name: Jeff Goodman
Email: Goody44@ameritech.net
Age: 45
Occupation: Director of Purchasing
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Century
SailingDate: July 11, 1998
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 99
CruiseDirector: 89
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 89
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 97
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 89
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 92
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 89
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 89
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon: 85
EntertainmentPoolside: 89
CruiseActivities: 89
Casino: 89
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 70
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 21 Jul 1998
Time: 16:32:39
Remote Name: 205.243.67.84
Remote User:

Comments

My wife and I just returned from our first cruise on Celebrity. We have previously sailed on the Carnival Festivale and Royal Caribbean Song of Norway,
Song of America and Legend of the Seas. We found the Century better in some categories, not as good in others. I will try to explain.

Embarkation: Although our tickets listed our time of embarkation at 2:30 p.m., we arrived about an hour earlier thinking we would be one of the first to
board. We were wrong. As we entered the already full waiting room we were handed number 18. We finally made our way through the first waiting room,
then the second waiting room and to the check in station a little past 3:00 p.m. When we went to check in we found that four people in our group of ten
either were assigned to the wrong rooms or were given cards that were not properly activated. The staff at the counter corrected the room problem
promptly although it did take two trips to Guest Relations on the ship to activate the cards. Compared to our other cruises, embarkation is not one of
Celebrities strong points. They did have a crewmember walk you to your room and carry your baggage. Nice!

Food and Dining: The best! The Grand Dining Room is beautiful and the food is as good or better than any we have had in some of the finest restaurants.
Food presentation was unbelievable. Great variety every evening. If we could not decide on an entrée, our waiter brought us one of each so we would not
have to tax our brains making a tough decision. Side dishes were switched if we preferred the vegetable that came with a different entrée. Steaks and
Prime Rib were always served exactly as requested. Rare for me, medium for my wife. Lobster Tail, Veal, Pork, Lamb and Duck, everything was excellent.
Our waiter Kamel and busboy Peter were outstanding. They anticipated our every request and remembered throughout the entire cruise who at our table
of ten drank coffee, decaf, tea, water or milk so they never asked again after the first meal. We were never rushed through a meal, although late seating
may have had something to do with that. The maitre d’ came over every meal and assisted our young nieces in cutting their food. A nice touch. After the
elegance of the Grand Dining Room, I felt that the Island Café looked like nothing more than your average cafeteria, but the food was just as varied and
good as the dining room and someone at the end of the line to carry the tray to your table was again, a nice touch. Then there is The Grill out by the pool
that serves hamburgers and hot dogs in the early afternoon and pizza later to help you get through that long stretch between lunch and dinner. Oh, did I
forget to mention the ice cream every afternoon between the hamburgers and pizza. After a rough afternoon at the pool or out shopping on shore, we
could unwind with tea and cookies. Now about the midnight buffets. The grand buffet one evening was very impressive to see and the food was good. Two
nights the buffet was tied into theme parties by the pool, Island Night and Tex-Mex night. The food was good along with the parties being a lot of fun. One
night was a Chinese buffet in the Island Café with oriental dishes and sushi. Another night it was also held in the Island Cafe but appeared to be nothing
more than leftovers. A disappointment. Two nights they considered waiters wandering the ship with hors d’ oeuvres a midnight buffet. They called it
Gourmet Bites. I don’t think so. After all this eating I only gained six pounds, honest!

Ports of Call: Since we’ve previously been to these ports and done the excursions, this time we only got off the ship, walked around and shopped. Ocho
Rios is awful. Although we did not find it dangerous as others have said, we were constantly harassed by people trying to sell us something or get us to
ride in their cab. They were right in your face and would keep following you. They would not take no for an answer. One even pulled on my arm trying to
get me into his cab. That did it. We went back to the ship. Grand Cayman was pleasant, especially after our experience in Jamaica. We were left alone to
walk and shop in peace. Cozumel was fun. Cabs are organized clean and inexpensive. Drivers are polite and knowledgeable of the island. Carlos and
Charlies was fun and a great place to have a cold margarita on a hot afternoon. Key West is always a good time. Conch train ride is great if you want to
learn about the island. Locals are helpful and very friendly, although some are a little strange, but that is what makes it Key West. Bars around town are
fun and bartenders have many great stories.

Cruise Director, Staff and Activities: Every event starts with one of them yelling ‘ARE YOU HAVING A GOOD TIME?’ After a weak answer back, they yell it
again. I guess that must be lesson number one in the cruise staff handbook. They have loads of energy and try to instill it into the passengers. It works for
a few minutes but after that, talent needs to take over and I am sorry to say in my opinion, they were not that good. I do have to say that many people
seemed to be enjoying themselves so it could have just been me. If you want to learn line dancing this cruise director is for you. It seems like every night
he would try to teach line dancing, one after another, on and on and on and on, yawn!

Ship and Crew: The ship is beautiful, although I do think the Legend of the Seas is more impressive. The layout could be a little better. Some decks dead
end and you have to go up or down to continue forward or back. In addition, it could use more deck space around the pool. On days at sea when
everyone is on board, it was difficult finding a chair. There were plenty of chairs upstairs but not near the pool where you like to jump in every now and
then to cool off. If you like to sit in the shade, those chairs are gone quickly. The Century is the cleanest ship I have ever been on. They never stop
cleaning. Carpets, windows, walls even ceilings. Someone is always wiping something. A scrap of paper, empty cup or fingerprint is never around for more
than a few minutes. The Century has a great policy of trying to separate smokers and non-smokers onto the port and starboard sides of all public rooms;
too bad they do not enforce it. My wife and I dislike smoke and try to compromise, but it seems like there were a high number of smokers on this ship. They
disregarded the request to sit only on the smoking side and crewmembers would not remind them of this, even when asked. Oh, a tip to you smokers. The
deck around the pool is not an ashtray. Crewmembers picked up the butts almost as soon as they were put out on the deck, but a little courtesy on the
part of smokers would have helped. The rooms are spacious and have plenty of closets; drawers and shelves to store everything you could possibly bring.
The crew is great. Always smiling and greeting you each time you pass. It is obvious they have been very well trained and seem to truly enjoy serving you.
They were all a pleasure.

Entertainment: Sorry to say I thought it was only average. Past cruises on Carnival and Royal Caribbean have had much better shows and entertainers. As
before, every show started with the cruise director yelling ‘ARE YOU HAVING A GOOD TIME?’

Aqua-Spa: The spa, gym and hydrotherapy whirlpool was great. The staff was very helpful and friendly. My wife and I both got massages and they were
great but could have been better if more time would have been spent rubbing and less time trying to sell us products.

Debarkation: We were given numbers and told to wait in the lounges. The lounges could not hold everyone and all their carry on baggage. We had to
stand. It did not take long to get hot and stuffy. Although it did move fairly quickly, and we were off in not too long a time. Note to Celebrity; work on
embarkation and debarkation.

I know I have mentioned a few things I did not like about the Century but overall I must say we enjoyed the ship very much and had a great week at sea.
Every cruise and every ship can be whatever you want it to be. If you want to dwell on the few bad points, it can ruin your whole vacation. We disregarded
what we did not care for and thoroughly enjoyed the rest. We would definitely cruise on Celebrity again.

Back to Celebrity Century