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Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: Kerri
Email: kerrid26@yahoo.com
Age: 27
Occupation: Administrative Assistant
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Zenith
SailingDate: 9/4/99
Itinerary: NY to Bermuda
Cabin: 6079/9
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 75
CabinSteward: 80
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 85
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 75
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 21 Sep 1999
Time: 10:20:47
Remote Name: hrfr-sh11-port179.snet.net
Remote User:
Comments
This was my fourth cruise and my first on Celebrity. My husband & I chose celebrity
over the others due to the great
reviews we found on the internet. We had previously been to Bermuda 2 years ago on RCCL -
Song of America.
Embarkation: Very slow - very long line. It was great to have the purchase card done at
the check in desk so that was
one less thing to do once on board and we could get right into vacation mode.
Once on board we were directed to our cabin, but not escorted as some others were. Our
cabin was located on the
6th deck - Cabin # 6079. Cabin was of ample size. Only problem the TV was on the desk
which was next to the bed, so
we couldn't watch TV unless we sat at a weird angle. There was plenty of closet space and
drawers. The in-room safe
came in handy. The bathroom was of good size also - there was a shampoo dispenser in the
shower along with a
retractable clothes line. There was also a lotion dispenser and a hairdryer on the wall. I
would recommend bringing
your own hairdryer because this one was not very powerful. I have long thick hair and it
would have taken me 3 hours
to blow dry it if I had to use the one in the cabin! There were two Celebrity robes in the
closet for use during the cruise
and you could purchase them also if wanted. WE didn't use the robes as we were hardly in
our room.
Cabin Steward: Our Cabin Steward never introduced himself and on 3 separate occassions
came right into our room
after a quick knock and hewe didn't have enough time to respond. The first time, he
quickly knocked and not very
loudly - we weren't sure if it was someone or not - then he proceeded to come right in and
replaced our water and put
ice in the bucket. He did appologize - but thank goodness we were decent! The second time,
I was in the shower
getting ready for dinner, my husband was watching tv and didn't hear the knock so again
the cabin steward came right
in and quickly left. After the third time on the second day - we put our Do Not Disturb
Sign out whenever we were in the
room.
Food: Dining Room Food - Excellent - lived up to our expectations. The Wind Surfer Cafe
food was fair to midland.
Powdered eggs in the morning - yuck. We ate there 3 times and felt queesy after each time.
Being a cafeteria style -
by the time we got to a table to eat, the food was cold. The danish and pastries were
delicious and there was a lot of
fruit. Which we both loved. Coffee was excellent. I'm an avid coffee drinker and
surprisingly it was good coffee. The
pizza which is served in the Wind Surfer Cafe was great. We looked forward to that
everyday at 3 pm (it was served
from 3-7 pm and 10 pm to 1 am).
Lounge Service: Not that great. Whenever we ordered a drink, we had to wait 10 to 15
minutes to receive it. We found
the lounge staff to be slow, but the wait staff out on deck was fast and prompt. The mixed
drinks were very good - not
watered down at all!
Wait Staff: Our waiter, Sebastian, was very prompt and friendly. Cracking jokes all the
time, we looked forward to going
to dinner to get a few good laughs. We sat at a table w/5 other people. Great bunch of
people to talk with and we had
a lot of fun with them.
Public areas: Very clean. Someone was always vacuuming and polishing the brass. We found
the Zenith to be a
beautiful ship and very comfortable. The ship was not overly crowded on this cruise. Two
of the public restrooms on
board, were not that clean, with papertowels all over the place and toilets not working
properly. The pool area was
very clean with lots of deck chairs and space.
Entertainment: Voltz the steel band was excellent. Show lounge entertainment was good. We
saw the cruise director
twice on the cruise. The Assistant Cruise Director seemed to be doing all the work and we
was very good at it and very
amusing.
Bermuda: Very beautiful clean island with friendly people. We had been before and
therefore didn't participate in any
of the ship excursions. I would recommend Horshoe Bay for swimming and also Tobacco Bay
for snorkeling. Water
temp. was 84 and we had great weather the entire cruise.
My husband was overly impressed with Celebrity and isn't much of a ship person, but we had
a great time and would
cruise Celebrity again but probably on a newer ship. Any specific questions, you can
e-mail me.
Name: Theresa Talian
Email: t.talian@worldnet.att.net
Age: 38
Occupation: title insurance producer
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Zenith
SailingDate: August 7-14, 1999
Itinerary: Bermuda
Cabin: 4137
FoodDiningRoom: 100
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 100
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 100
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 70
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 70
OverallCruiseValue: 100
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 25 Sep 1999
Time: 18:26:45
Remote Name: 116.newark-23-24rs.nj.dial-access.att.net
Remote User:
Comments
This was our first cruise, second time to Bermuda. We left from our home in New Jersey to
New York, with no problem.
Waiting in line for about 40 minutes. Very impressed with our room. Inside cabin. Travel
agent suggested an inside
room because there is not a lot of cruising time to Bermuda. Bathroom water pressure was
wonderful, room was quite
roomy for the 2 of us. Only problem, If you are in the bathroom, you could here with
people in the next cabin talking.
Easy, smooth sail to Bermuda. Food at the Caravelle was superb. My husband and I enjoy
fine dining and found the
Caravelle to meet all of our expectations. John the Wine Seward was very helpful and my
husband enjoyed his
recommendations. We did a wine tasting and a martini tasting that was fun. Our waiter
Robert was charming and our
busboy Raisis should be the cruise director. We enjoyed the lounges, Harry's Tavern and
the Rendevous Lounge the
best. The entertainment could have been more available. The deck area should have had
music nonstop, expecially
during the day. Elevators were slow. We choose the stairs most of the time. Service was
excellent. Our cabin steward
was great. Everytime we came back to our room, it was clean and straighted up.
Bermuda is my favorite place in the world. We loved Horseshoe Bay and Tobacco Bay. My
husband loved getting a
chance to smoke Cuban cigars and for me the shopping was fun. I would go to Bermuda for
every vacation if I could.
We plan to cruise again in the Summer of 2000. This time going to Nova Scotia. By, in
2001, we are back to Bermuda
and we would take a Celebrity cruise again. It was such a relaxing and wonderful vacation.
We felt very pampered. I
recommend it to any one. There is nothing not to love about cruising.
Name: Penny Maroldo
Email: pennypit@adelphia.net
Age: 52
Occupation: RN
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Zenith
SailingDate: April 24, 1999
Itinerary: Bermuda
Cabin: outside/deck 6
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 85
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 95
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark:
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 27 Sep 1999
Time: 20:30:13
Remote Name: dynamic-b-1102.dov.adelphia.net
Remote User:
Comments
I had a most momentous cruise on the Zenith. The highlight was dinner seated at the right
hand of the captain for
the Captain's Welcome Dinner. Captain Karatzas is most amiable and charming and he went
out of his way to make
me feel special. The food was exquisite, I enjoyed the dining room fare as well as the
buffet luncheons and
breakfasts. Midnight buffets were extraordinary, with marvelous ice and food sculptures. I
took numerous photos to
share with my daughter in Culinary Arts School. The activities were so numerous and varied
that no one should
ever be bored on the Zenith. I took part in Trivia (even won finally), cooking classes,
scarf tying and napkin folding,
and enjoyed most of the shows in the lounges and the main theatre. The young performers
were very talented and
full of enthusiasm. The stars were also very entertaining. I availed myself of a spa
package that I purchased prior to
sailing. Here was the only disappointment. I had a fine manicure, a very good fancy hair
do for the Captain's Dinner
and a great facial. But the so-called full body massage left a lot to be desired. I am
used to much better here in the
states. In all fairness, though, we were in a storm and the poor girl was seasick!! We had
a very rough passage
from Bermuda to NYC. Many never left their cabins for the full crossing. As for me, I love
to 'Rock and Roll' so I was
having the time of my life!! All in all this was a marvelous cruise and I hope to sail
with the Zenith again soon.
Name: Pete and Betty Hanson
Email: phewnj@gti.net
Age: 55
Occupation: Computer Consultant
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: AmericanHawaii-Independence
SailingDate: 09/11/1999
Itinerary: Bermuda
Cabin: 1024 / 2
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 100
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 75
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 50
LoungeService: 50
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 60
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 75
Casino: 75
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 60
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 75
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 75
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 03 Oct 1999
Time: 11:54:24
Remote Name: ts2-hcks-nj.gti.net
Remote User:
Comments
PETE - My experience with the Zenith was somewhat like the little girl with the curl in
the middle of her forehead -
when it was good it was very, very good, and when it was bad it was horrid!
Embarkation - we had booked a suite, so after a moderate wait at various points we were
wisked through
embarkation with the obligatory photo op, and shown to our cabin.
Accomodations - I was amazed by the spaciousness and the appointments. The floor plan was
excellent, the lighting
more than adequate, and there was ample room in drawers and closets, although the
motel-type hangers were
something of a nuisance and the furnishings had seen better days. Mac, our butler, showed
up promptly,
introduced himself, and gave us instructions on how to reach him via the cabin telephone.
BETTY - You forgot the bathroom which was beautifully appointed with marble and a
whirlpool tub. The water
however was more like a mud bath. Apparently the pipes are getting somewhat rusty and the
water that initially flows
from the taps is a lovely shade of sienna.
PETE - No, I haven't forgotten the orange stains on the tile and the recalcitrant
whirlpool...but I hate to be totally
negative...
Our first hours were lost in a mist of Bahama Mamas...at $6.25 a glass...either the
glasses or their contents
appeared to me to be somewhat over-priced, but they were good, and the servers were
inescapable.
Food - The dining room fare was gourmet in appearance, so-so in palatability, with the
exception of the soups which
we found to be excellent, and bread sticks which were to die for. The Wind Surf Cafe,
however, was a different
story. If one could picture a Denny's in Hell, you would approximate both the service and
food. If you were mobile,
you were totally on your own service-wise...and after a twenty minute wait in line at
that. The breakfast was vile
beyond reason...dry everything, and bacon that could be charitably compared to smoked cat.
Juices were many
times non-existent and a second cup of coffee required that you be built like a nose
tackle to bull your way through
the hordes of fellow-cruisers trying to obtain a first cup. Service of any variety was
just not to be had.
BETTY - Oh come on..it wasn't that bad...well, yeah, the cat bacon was pretty awful and
the eggs WERE dry, but
that was just on that first morning and there WERE waiters who carried the ladies' trays.
We breakfasted in our suite
after that and just did the toast/croissant/coffee thing until the next to last morning
when we had a pretty decent
breakfast. Being from the South, I love grits and the grits at the Wind Surf were
excellent. We never tried the
omelettes either, but heard they were very good. We had an excellent breakfast and lunch
in the dining room on
Friday - the only day we ate anything there except dinner - and found everything to be
very tasty - - - Your turn...
PETE - Service - The dining and cabin service was excellent. Our waiter Sam was attentive
(and funny), and our
butler Mac, and housekeeper Magie were courteous and proficient. (She kept curtseying!)
The cabin was always
ready for us, and a clown made from a bathrobe and my sunglasses added just the right
touch of humor. Meals in
our cabin were served promptly, and tea and hors d'ouveres were delicious. The lounge and
casino service was an
entirely different matter...we waited far too long at Harry's Tavern and in the
Rendez-Vous Lounge for any kind of
service...and the servers were much quicker asking for the signature cards than they were
with our orders...the
exception was the Fleet Bar, where the servers were absolutely first class.
Entertainment - We're not night-owls so we missed many of the shows and activities...we
did, however, manage to
make the sing-along in Harry's Tavern (led by ex-cheerleader, Leigh) which introduced us
to GARY, the piano
player. Gary brought new meaning to the term 'atonal'. His playing was adequate, his voice
was somewhat less
adequate, and his phrasing was so poor as to actually be painful. The Fleet Bar, however,
provided a wonderful
duo - when they were there - and Voltz, the ubiquitous Reggae band, was both professional
in presentation and
varied in content.
BETTY - Although we are by no means Fred and Ginger, we do enjoy dancing on occasion, and
there was a lack of
dance floor space as well as dance bands. We are not teenagers so the disco was out. (I
hear they are changing it
to something called "Michael's Club", a cigar-bar as they have on the
"Horizon") The Fleet Bar duo, as Pete has
mentioned was great, except that every time we got there they were through for the
evening. We had chosen late
seating and it seemed as if nothing much was happening at the time we finished dinner. One
evening they had a
50's Rock and Roll party, which sounded like fun, but it was in the show lounge where
there was no smoking and a
distinct lack of bar service. Besides, who wants to dance "on stage" unless they
are a paid performer?
PETE - Ports Of Call - Both Hamilton and Saint George were everything we had been led to
believe...On our first
day in Hamilton we had a fine luncheon at the Hog Penny Pub, as well as a stroll through
scenic Victoria Park
followed by a wonderful time at Horseshoe Bay. Our second day took us to Elbow Beach
(where Dinty's Lunch
Wagon provided excellent hamburgers - with everything!). In Saint George we took the 'Swim
and Sail' excursion
which was delightful, and later had lunch at The Wharf with some very tasty local beers to
accompany it. Being
beach people (and being unable to book any other excursions - they sold out far too
quickly) we spent most of our
time on the more popular beaches which we found to be both clean and uncrowded at this
time of the season.
BETTY - You really didn't say enough about the Swim And Sail excursion, Pete. Captain Jeff
lead our group of 20+
to what seemed like a VERY small sailboat, but he said it was 44' long. We all crowded
aboard for a lovely sail out of
St. George harbor and headed for a little cove where he provided snorkel gear. You just
choose to ignore it
because you and snorkeling didn't seem to be a good mix. Maybe it was your mustache that
got in the way of a
good seal on your mouthpiece, but you just couldn't get it together! I had a great time
swimming with the beautiful
parrot fish, sergeant fish and others, the names of which escape me, while you, mouth full
of salt water, climbed
back aboard for a chat with Captain Jeff. We were treated to a roller-coaster ride on the
way back due to 6' swells
and a brisk wind. It was a delightful trip and well worth the price of $47 per person.
PETE - So I never could snorkel - put me in snorkel prison!
Debarkation - To coin a phrase - The Day From Hell...We were an hour late arriving in New
York (which was blamed
on hurricane Floyd - by then far up the coast of Canada) and rather than instruct us to
wait an hour before
cramming into a confined area with not enough seating , no beverages, no ANYTHING, we
heeded the instructions
and sat...and sat...and sat...We were given a debarkation number, 2 in this case, and when
(finally) the numbers
were read off at 10:40, we joined another 300 passengers who not only had 2, but 1 and 3
as well. Another long
wait...both on the stairs and in the lobby as 300 people tried to funnel through a 2-foot
wide exit and gangplank. Ah,
but the acme of the event was the 'luggage search'. Bags had been tagged the night before
with various hues, the
idea being that they would all end up in the same place under a banner of a color matching
the tag...yeah, right!
After thirty minutes of fruitless searching and finding two of our four bags, we were
directed to an 'unclaimed
baggage' area where bags from which the tags had been ripped were assembled. Needless to
say, there were FAR
more people in this area than there were under the colored banners. If there is one area
which destroyed any
desire to sail the Celebrity Line again it was this five hours on the last day of an
otherwise enjoyable cruise.
BETTY - You DO tend to exaggerate! It was only 3 hours, not 5. And there were only 20 or
so people in the
'unclaimed luggage section'. You were just cranky because the bar wasn't open! Really
though, there were
supposed to be soft drinks available in the Rendez-Vous Lounge, but all we saw were
customs agents drinking
coffee in the card room across the way. Next time we'll bring a book and a sports bottle!
BETTY and PETE: Overall the experience was not to be forgotten...We really had a great
time despite the fact that
several things could have made our cruise more enjoyable. We are looking forward to our
next cruise, but we may
investigate another cruise line.
Name: Megan
Email: Meggiewegs@aol.com
Age: 22
Occupation: Corr.Assistant
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Zenith
SailingDate: Sept.25, 1999
Itinerary: Bermyda
Cabin: 1046-Atlantic Deck
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities:
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 05 Oct 1999
Time: 21:39:25
Remote Name: spider-ta088.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:
Comments
I just came back from my very first cruise on Celebrity's Zenith. It was my favorite
vacation. I would definitely do it
again! I was told to get to the ship early for the easiest embarking, but I actually got
there at 2:30 and had a simple
time with everything. The cabin was small, as I had expected, but the window was excellent
and I didn't feel cramped
in the slightest. The bathroom was tiny, and I could hear what the people next door to me
were saying when I would
go in, but besides showering, I didn't spend much time in there! . There was plenty of
closet space for both my
fiancee' and myself. The beds were seperated into 2 twins when we arrived, but as soon as
we called the cabin
attendant, they came right over to fix it. I gave most things in the review 90's, and a
few 85's. That is because I
thought this ship was wonderful, being my first cruise. I was slightly disappointed in the
midnight buffets, because
they had quite a few finger food nights, and we ended up ordering room service for pizza
because we needed
something more! The entertainment was very good, but being a dancer and performer myself,
I was more picky
than the other people I was with. They thought the shows were fine for the type of
performances they were: musical
reviews. We would have liked to have seen a short play, or something with a plot, though.
The only other complaint I
had was the selection of clothing and articles in the boutique. Almost everything seemed
geared towards a much
older crowd. The service throughout the ship was more than I could have asked for. Our
waiter and assistant knew
exactly what we wanted after the 2nd day, and called us by name. The lovely woman who
cleaned our cabin,
Isabella, was perfect! She always went out of her way to make sure we didn't need
anything. I had a wonderful time,
the island itself was amazing and I would go back in a second. If anyone has any
questions, please feel free to
e-mail me! I'll be glad to answer all of your questions.
Name: Art Friedman
Email: settle2000@msn.com
Age: 56
Occupation: Attorney
NumberOfCruises: 13
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Zenith
SailingDate: 5/8/99
Itinerary: Bermuda
Cabin: 4009
FoodDiningRoom: 75
CruiseDirector: 50
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 50
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 60
DiningRoomService: 0
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 75
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 70
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 0
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 50
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 70
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace:
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 60
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 19 Oct 1999
Time: 13:15:18
Remote Name: 199.115.11.212
Remote User:
Comments
Rae Ann Wright Cruise Holidays Solana Beach, California
This letter will expand upon Bonnie's conversation with you last week concerning our
cruise on the Zenith May 1, to
Bermuda. In one sentence, it was the worst cruise ever of the 13 we have taken on a
variety of lines. We are
bringing this to your attention because you recommended Celebrity over NCL that we had
inquired about.
To itemize the reasons is difficult. It would be easier to tell what was right about it.
About the only positive aspect
was the entertainment and the boat drill.
The ship is attractive, but nothing special and the cabins are the same size as the Sun
Princess we recently sailed
on. But they are no where near as plush! Our Princess inside cabin was a true knock your
socks off. The Zenith
was about what you would find in a Holiday Inn Select or Comfort Inn. Very plain. We were
given an outside cabin,
but given the weather over and the location of the cabin - five from the bow (Cabin 4009)
- we would have preferred
an inside cabin midships. Moreover, the cabin was over the bow thrusters which woke us up
with a start promptly at
6:00AM on the day we moved to St. George. They are unbelievably noisy, but wouldn't be a
problem except for the
early departure.
It was a very rough trip over and most of the ship was ill. I am assuming that as a result
many seasick bags were
placed in toilets which are the vacu-flush variety. For 4 of the next 5 days we had
intermittent toilet operation. At
one point ours backed up to the point of making the bathroom unusable. One evening the
pipes outside our cabin
in the ceiling were apparently taken apart to clear a blockage above and as a result
sewage was all over the walls
and carpet. We did not have an alternate route but to walk thru it although it had been
dusted with sand. What
makes it all the more a problem is we were in dance shoes for the evening. Also when
Bonnie went to talk to
housekeeping they did not seem to have any real interest and the response was always the
same - they were
working on it. Now Celebrity will undoubtedly blame the passengers and they were likely
the cause. But the North
Atlantic is usually rough and they should be prepared to deal with problems like this.
Otherwise the cabin service
was OK. We were bothered twice by the attendant -- once when we had not vacated the cabin
by late morning and
he apparently wanted to clean.
The dining room is another story and even worse. We had all but one of our breakfasts and
lunches in the upstairs
buffet. The food at breakfast and lunch is some of the worst I have had anywhere. Most of
it was unidentifiable and
poor in quality, taste and presentation. The one day we ate in the dining room for
breakfast it was the same food
and no better. Dinners ranged from very good to mediocre. Dining room service was
absolutely dismal. Our table
made three complaints that I am aware of. After several days of waiting 40 minutes from
the time we arrived --
promptly at 8:30 -- to receiving the first course, a complaint was made to the maitre'd.
That improved the wait to
around 30 minutes -- still an unacceptably long time. On the day we had breakfast -- at
our table, not open seating
as on every other ship we've been on -- one of out table mates asked for lox and bagels.
She was brought toast
and told there were no bagels. That would have been OK, but on the way out I noticed a
tray of bagels on one of
the serving stands and pointed them out to her. At the Captain's Circle party (frankly,
its hard to imagine they have
one) she relayed this to one of the staff who did investigate, apologize and sent a bottle
of wine for dinner. At dinner
however, the waiter on at least 3-4 occasions mentioned that bagels were available and was
quite obviously
sarcastic because this was apparently brought to his attention. There was another
complaint made, but I can't
recall. Other dining problems: Often the table cloth was not replaced, but reused after a
meal even though soiled.
There was live music, but we could not hear it at our table due to its location. Requests
were often made for things
at dinner that never arrived or we were simply told it was not available. The waiter was
usually gone to pick up trays
or elsewhere and no one was available to see to guests needs. Dinner dragged out until
nearly 11:00PM each
evening and was sometimes curtailed to see the shows.
At the buffet they had waiters to carry the ladies trays. While a nice touch, it is of
little consequence because the
tables are close. But with all of the waiters available, not a single one on any day came
around with coffee refills.
Unbelievable! They were noticeably absent on the morning we arrived in New York. I guess
once that tip envelope is
delivered there is no reason to be nice to guests!
The scheduling was terrible. Bonnie and I are dancers. There is nothing -- no music, no
entertainment, nothing --
from 6:00PM to 7:45PM each evening!!! On Princess there were two bands that alternated
from 5:30PM until
1:00AM every evening in addition to music elsewhere. The dance floors they have are small
and there is music in
two locations that have no dance floors at all.
Most aggravating to those of us who know better are the constant self promotion by the
Cruise Director and others
about what great food and what a great ship and all the awards they have won. Any ship or
dining critic would find
this entire operation unacceptable. It is obvious these people have not been on other
lines recently. They also
seem to think they are in some premium category of cruise line above the so called mass
market lines. This is just
wishful thinking. Even if everything went as it should and we had no complaints, this ship
is at best average.
Many requests were made over the week by us and others. The response was nearly always the
same - NO. There
was no attempt to accommodate our needs at all. The attitude was clear that we were a
necessary inconvenience.
There were too many people cleaning carpet and other areas when passengers were around.
They were in the
way. The staff never yielded the right of way to passengers -- something done on every
ship we have been on. We
were apparently in their way. The ship was dirty, the glass was dirty, paper was left on
the glass from working on the
railing. It was also worn in many places and exhibited lack of care. Bonnie's clothes were
soiled on more than one
occasion, perhaps as a result of permitting uncontrolled smoking.
Smoking was one of the worst problems. We have never been on a ship where this was such a
problem. There was
smoking all over the ship. This is not a big ship and it was difficult to avoid. No effort
was made to control or contain
it. It made for a number of unpleasant experiences.
At some point after picking up our luggage on the last night, it got wet. As a result
Bonnie has several clothing items
that are stained. I had one of my golf shirts spotted with something that won't come out.
One of our bags lost its
color tag and was not in the correct area. We spent a considerable time looking for it.
There was no baggage
control at all.
Many of these problems are small in nature. But what they demonstrate to us is a total
lack of management,
oversight and attention to detail. Most of these things have never happened to us before
on any cruise. And it is all
the more galling that they constantly remind was they think they are a premium cruise
line. Nothing could be farther
from fact. One of the best cruises we ever had was on Dolphin (now Premier) line's Ocean
Breeze. This was a 50
year old ship that started out as a freighter. It is probably the cleanest ship we have
ever been on. The service was
only rivaled by that on the QE2 in 1979 when we really traveled in first class. Our waiter
always asked how things
were. An answer of "very good" was unacceptable. It had to be
"Excellent" and what was required to get that
response from us. We learned the last evening that unless the staff received excellent
ratings on their evaluations
they did not continue on the next voyage. Simple, but effective. Celebrity could take some
lessons from a cruise line
they would probably sneer at. The maitre'd told us our waiter would receive more training.
On Dolphin he would
have received unemployment. Personally, I hold the maitre'd and the hotel manager and the
staff captain
responsible. It is their job to see that things go right. That would probably be a better
place to start replacing
employees. I am a firm believer that effective management starts at the top! Princess and
Nordstroms operate the
way they do because of direction from the top. (Perhaps you are aware that no employee
other than the store
manager at Nordstroms can say NO to a customer!) This kind of philosophy permeates the
organization and as a
result the store basks in a well deserved reputation that they don't have to tell anyone.
The same with Princess.
You cannot orchestrate over 2000 passengers for 10 days and keep everyone happy, never
feeling crowded and
have everything work correctly unless management at the top sets the standard and plans
for every conceivable
contingency. Perhaps Celebrity executives should take a trip on Princess -- after a week
on the Zenith.
NOTE 1: This letter was sent to Celebrity by our travel agent. The response was received a
little over a month later.
It was a two paragraph form letter that said nothing and addressed none of our concerns.
It included a $300
certificate for a future cruise. Anyone who would like the certificate is welcome to
e-mail me. We would never travel
on any Celebrity cruise again.
NOTE 2: We just returned from a cruise on the Splendor of the Seas, Royal Caribbean, that
bought Celebrity last
year and it was great.
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