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Name: Tom Kirvin
Email: kirvint@bis.adp.com
Age: 36
Occupation: Manager
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Century
SailingDate: 28 March 98
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 96
CruiseDirector: 92
CabinComfort: 97
FoodRoomService: 88
CruiseStaff: 96
CabinAmenities: 92
FoodLidoDeck: 93
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 86
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService: 92
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 94
TenderService: 92
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 93
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 94
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 94
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 97
CruiseActivities: 93
Casino: 91
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 88
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 15 Apr 1998
Time: 07:33:27
Remote Name: 206.4.14.15
Remote User:
Comments
To start, We were and still are a group of six friends, all of us single and in our
mid-thirties. Five of the group were first time cruisers and the sixth
had cruised one previous time, That being on carnival cruise lines about five years ago. I
sent out an open invitation to friends and family looking to
take a cruise vacation in the Caribbean. Then after visiting several web sites, this being
one of them, talking with travel agents, and the reading of
several travel articles I chose this itinerary. It gave us a balance of travel time at sea
(three days) and a balance of ports (four ports). To cut to the
chase every one in the group stated they enjoyed the cruise experience on this ship and we
all plan to cruise again. In my book that a positive
recommendation. One note. While as a group we had a great time; this cruise was not geared
towards our group, I’d say 40 –45% of the passages
were over the age of 55 and another 40% were late 30’s to mid 50’s traveling
with their mid teens to early 20’s children. While not a problem, the
clubs did empty early of the few people that were in them. The DJ didn’t help the
situation either. He could use to expand his range of music and
control of the dance floor. Now let’s cover the experience we had. (Yes I’m
taking the liberty to speak for the group.) Five of us flew from New York
down to Ft. Lauderdale, One from Nashville; TN. Our flight from N.Y. left at 07:00 and
arrived in FT. Lauderdale at 10:20. While we were meet at the
gate, we ended up sitting around the airport for about half an hour waiting on
transportation to the pier. The pier turned out to be less then a
10-minute bus ride away. For the $289 air/transportation price we would have been better
served making our own flight plans and taking a taxi from
the airport to the pier. The one benefit was once we checked our bags at the airport in
N.Y. we did not have to handle them again until they were
delivered to our room on the ship that afternoon. Once we arrived at the Embarkation
terminal just after 11:00 we were informed that we would not
be able to board the ship until 1:30 PM. Sitting around for the next two and a half hours
was not the best way to get a first impression of Celebrity.
Although one of the staff, Shannon a dancer (hey it’s what her name tag said) from
the ship was helpful answering our questions and we were
issued boarding pass number one seeing as we were part of the first group to arrive at the
terminal. My rating of the categories was from the
following experiences… We chose the late seating (8:30PM) for diner so as not to be
rushed if we chose to sit around after we finished our meal,
Most night we did not depart the dining room until almost 11:00 PM and at that never did
we feel rushed to do so. On the first night when we went
down to the dining room we found that two of us were seated at one table and the other
four at another table. I was taken to a manager and within
five minutes he placed us at a table for ten which only had two couples at it, one for
Chicago and the other also from N.Y., Both of which I’m sure we
will keep in touch with for some time to come. We ended up spending a lot of our deck
time, and hooked up on a shore excursion together. The
dining room service was wonderful, Our Waiter Ivo, Johnson our Busboy, and Julie the Wine
Steward were never more then a turn of the head away.
Their service and attitude were tops, on par with any of the better restaurants I’ve
eaten in, in N.Y., Hong Kong, or Europe. Prior to taking the cruise
I read several positive reports on Celebrities dining experience, I can state all proved
true. The main dining room for diner was above reproach,
others reported breakfast and lunch in the main dining were excellent, Myself I’m
more of a buffet guy early in the day. The breakfast and lunch
buffets were more then enough every time we hit them. Being from N.Y. the pizza each
afternoon from 2:00 – 7:00 PM on the pool deck was great.
One drawback was anytime you wanted a soda they hit you for a $1.75 a can, Come on put a
soda fountain machine next to the free juice (apple,
fruit punch, etc…) machine its not going to break the bank. Since several of our
group had travel to the Caribbean before we chose to travel on our
own on each Island. The ship arrives in San Juan around 4:30 PM, If you wish to see either
of the Fort’s get there quick, as they close right at 5:00
PM. Old San Juan is great for walking around if you like walking, There are a lot of steep
narrow roads. We had an early diner in a local family
restaurant but went back to the ship for our main diner. On St. Thomas we went on our own
to St. John’s Trunk Bay, Round trip taxi’s and ferries cost
us $22.00, the Ship’s shore Exc. Listed it at $35.00, They arrived at the beach after
us and departed before us. We still arrived back in St. Thomas
with a couple of hour’s left to shop. St. Marrten, four of us spent the day with
friends who were there on vacation, The other two join our new friends
from Chicago on the America’s cup Yacht Excursion, $72.00. All said it was worth it
and that they had a great time. On Nassau, We went over to
Paradise Island to take a look at the Atlantis Hotel, Whoa what a layout. We took a taxi
back to the ship and ended up stuck in traffic for almost an
hour. We felt as if we were already back in N.Y. All in all I was looking to get a little
taste of the Islands for future vacations and this gave me just what
I was looking for, not much time for anything else. On ship activities… The weather
was great the entire trip, With this said the only time I felt the true
number of people on the ship was while we were at sea and the pool deck was full. Any
other time anywhere else on the ship I never noticed the
volume of people. Prodigy one of the two music groups that played poolside most afternoons
as well as in the disco several nights was a high point.
The Cruise Director did a well enough job considering the age range that there was. Pool
volleyball was great even though we lost to the cruise staff
but in our defense so did everyone else who played against them. I used the gym several
days and except for the two biking machines that were not
fully functional (I think they had to wait until we returned to Ft. Lauderdale to get them
repaired) the work out was fine. As I was leaving one morning
there looked to be around 15 people in the aerobics class, some mornings there was a wait
list for the tread mills. Shopping on board was higher
priced then I expected; a polo shirt with Celebrities logo was almost $50.00. The Casino
staff was great, as they took you money; none of us came
out ahead. If you had to go to the pool side bar, service seamed to be non existence, Four
people back there but no one would take the lead or
remembered where the basics were. On the other hand you never really needed to get out of
your lounge chair bar waiters were on top of you all
the time almost to a fault. Rita in the Hemisphere lounge was great, she got to know us
the first night and was there for us each time we came back.
As for the formal nights if you don’t mind getting dressed up, meaning a tux for the
majority of the men on the cruise and full gown for the women,
most people stayed that way even after diner into the clubs and casino. Basics… Cabin
comfort was fine; the room 172 sq. ft. (deck 9 we had one
inside and two outside rooms) was comfortable for two adults in each room. One problem was
as the ship rocked / shifted the furniture would
squeak. (We were told by people we meet onboard who have cruised several times that this
ship rocked a lot, As a first time cruiser I did not feel it
was at all that bad.) At times it was annoying but that’s all. As for cleanliness of
the room, Elizabeth did a great job, we would be out of the room for
just a short time and when you stopped back she would have it back in shape with fresh
towels back on the rack. Ships cleanliness in general was
amazing any more said would just be overkill. As for the ships photo staff they are great
bunch, between the six of them it never felt as if they were
overbearing, let them take all the pictures they want. Your not required to purchase any
but you may be surprised and find a couple you like. We
sure did. Well the one thing left is the disembarkment, we arrived back at 07:00 and they
want you out of your room by 08:00. We sat in one of the
lounges until out number ‘sixteen’ was called around 09:30 and back at the
airport by 10:15 all in all very smooth. Hopefully this has answered some
of your questions, I thank you for taking the time to read it and hope that you feel it
was worth the time.
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