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Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: mitch maiman
Email: mitchm@nais.com
Age: 47
Occupation: VP Engineering
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Zenith
SailingDate: July 29, 2000
Itinerary: Bermuda
Cabin: 1045
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 90
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 75
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 75
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 06 Aug 2000
Time: 15:33:58
Remote Name: ppp44-46.nais.com
Remote User:
Comments
This was our 2nd cruise and our 2nd on Celebrity. The 'we' includes my wife and two kids (son 18,
daughter 15). The first cruise, 2 summers ago, was on the Century to the Western Carribean. We
thoroughly enjoyed that vacation. It hooked us on cruising, and Celebrity. In this review, I'll tell you
about our Zenith experience and compare this to the Century. Also, I'll contrast Bermuda with the
Western Carrib. ports of call.
In a nutshell, we thoroughly enjoyed the Zenith and Bermuda. The Zenith is a smaller but attractive
ship, the food is good and Bermuda is a prettier site than any of those on the Western Carrib route
(Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Key West). For comparison, you can refer to my
8/98 review of the Century. Nothing is perfect so expect I will include some negatives which I will be
happy to share. (I'll look back later and see if I mellowed in my criticism). By the way, my numeric
scoring will probably be lower than most other reviews. It's not that I think poorly of the experience.
On the contrary, I just don't "give away" bonus points based on the glow of the overall experience.
A general comment: Some folks may disagree with me on this but ... I say, let's lose the formal nights.
It's completely unnecessary and dated. It's not 1928 anymore and most of the vacation travel is not
by the Astor's and Vanderbilt's (at least not on Celebrity). Dressy fashion has pretty much gone away
from the workplace so who needs it on vacation? I want to be at least as relaxed in dress on vacation
as I am at work. At least, dress should be optional.
Embarkation: This was actually a lot smoother than the Century experience. A few reasons (and
guesses) here. First, we live on Long Island so the 'commute' to the ship was made easy by a limo
ride into NY. Lots less stress and time wasted than flying to Florida. Second, we joined the Captains
Club after the last cruise ($30 for life, if I recall) for one reason only ... bypassing the lines at
embarkation and debarkation. In the former, it proved worth the $30. We arrived at the pier and
completely bypassed a line of probably 100 people going directly to the check-in station. (Sorry for
those who were on the line). Third, and this is conjecture, the ship is a lot smaller than the Century
and, as such, has far fewer passengers. Hence, the embarkation/debarkation problem is easier to
handle. The terminal itself is like what it is ... an old NY pier/warehouse but who cares? We weren't in
their for more than 15 minutes.
The Ship: As other reviewers pointed out, this ship is not as new or as elegant as the Century.
However, it is still quite attractive and extremely well maintained. We had an outside cabin on level 10
(somehow, we got a 'bump' upgrade from level 9). Space was adequate and the cabin was neat as a
pin. The only downside to this location is that we were midship. This means we were right under the
pool area on deck 11. You would often hear a racket at night from the deck above with the partying
or clean up crew dragging deck chairs back into place. We were in a similar spot on the Century but I
don't recall the racket there. It wasn't terrible but it was noticeable. I'm a good sleeper so it didn't
really affect me but it is something to be aware of. I suspect the more expensive Zenith suites next
door experienced the same thing. Perhaps because it's much smaller, the Zenith seems more
intimate and personal than the Century.
Being a much smaller ship, the on board facilities are more limited. Sure ... there's plenty of bars and
lounges. But their was less shopping on board. I didn't care but my daughter, who is addicted to
malls, missed the shopping experience on the Century. The main dining room is attractive as any
nice restaurant but doesn't have the 180 degree view of the ocean like the Century. This is because
the restaurant is not located at the absolute rear of the ship. I suspect the Century's dining room is
more indicative of the more modern styling trend in cruise ships. The Zenith also doesn't have the
'Titanic-like' grand staircase going into the dining room. It's just a little less dramatic. A little nitpic ...
the tables seemed a little smaller. It was tough to get the breadbasket and flower arrangement on the
same table with all the silverware, plates and glasses! The buffet cafeteria also seemed more
congested than the similar facility on the Century. They also seemed to have fewer waiters available
to carry your tray (my wife missed this).
I have a few new things to say about the pool deck. In general, my dissapointment here is the same
as with the Century (see the 8/98 review). In a nutshell ... too crowded, salt water in the pool, pool
closes way to early. Let me also add a comment about inconsiderate passengers. (You know who
you are!) On the days at sea, there is a mad scramble to 'stake out territory' on the poolside chairs.
I'm an early riser. On the sea days, before breakfast, I go out to the deck early on my way to the
buffet finding 'invisible guests' have already staked a claim to 90% of the pool chairs. There's
probably more than 200 chairs out there but there weren't more than 10 people in or about the pool.
Where are the rest? In the bathroom? I doubt it. The cruise line's policy is not to have guests reserve
chairs when they are not at the pool. Many guests ignore this and the cruise line is content to look
the other way. Didn't the parents of these guests teach them about sharing? As if this weren't bad
enough, even when people were clearly through with the chairs, they leave them littered with used
pool towels. This leaves you guessing as to whether or not they are coming back. I hate being rude
but we tended to take our best guess as to the vacant chairs and to stake our own claim to these
chairs when needed. This leaves us in the uneviable position of having to remove other people's
dirty used towels. We accept the risk of having guests returning in the believe we violated their
'rights' to the chairs for the day. I know we're all on vacation and, G-d forbid, we should have to lift a
finger to clean up after ourselves. But, when the pool area is crowded and short of chairs, guests
should have the consideration to remove their towels to the apporpriate bins. Two positives. First, the
return trip sea day was a little cloudy and damp. This kept people from crowding the hot tub area. It
worked in favor of my daughter and I who hate sitting in a hot tub on a hot sunny day and also hate
crowds. We had this area to ourselves. It was perfect ... hot and peaceful in the tubs, cool and cloudy
(but dry) air outside. Second, the water in the pool is not the temperature of tepid bathwater as it is in
the warm Carribean.
The Food: We thought the dinners were excellent. My wife, son and I liked the variety and selections
we chose. My daughter did not always agree as she tends to prefer 'plainer' food. Sometimes, she
ordered from the childrens menu. Service -- pretty good. We liked our waiter and support staff
though, at times, it was hard to find them. On the Century, there seemed to be fewer passengers per
waiter so the service was a little better. Wine choices are good but way overpriced. Alas, we had wine
every night anyway.
The buffet lunches and breafasts were also pretty good. The fish dishes were pretty bland but there
were always many other great choices. A nice addition was the fresh cooked pasta station. It lends a
nice scent of garlic (I like garlic) to the cafeteria. By the way, how does the ship get so many sweet,
juicy melons? I can't seem to find there equal in the local supermarkets. Loved the bakery items ...
croissants, pastries, strawberry tarts, soft rolls. The late afternoon pizza is enjoyable. Forget the
burgers ... they're over-cooked to the consistency of shoe leather. At breafast, the omlet station is
nice however I was disappointed to see they use frozen, not fresh, scrambled eggs. The pre-cooked
scrambled eggs in the buffet are also disappointing (I like eggs cooked fresh). My kids liked the
afternoon tea time for frozen yogurt, cookies, finger sandwiches, pizza, etc.
Midnight buffets were fun. We only went to the theme events ... Tex/Mex, the carved melon buffet,
grand buffet. They do a few nights of 'gourmet bites' which we passed (too much food, too tired, etc.)
The Entertainment: A mixed bag here. They had a very entertaining illusionist and a decent
comedian. There was also an allegedly comic juggler (who wasn't). Disappointing were the
production numbers by the Matrix Dancers and singers. Other reviewers praised these shows.
Frankly, they were not good. The dance routines were very lame ... I've seen my daughter's dance
school do much more complex dance shows. At first, I thought they were probably hired as singers
more than dancers until I noticed that, on many songs, they weren't even doing the singing! It was
pre-taped and they were lip synching! Particularly bad, was the production show on the last night of
the cruise. I'm no spring chicken but this show must have been designed for my grandparents to see
in the Catskills ... tacky, dated, blech! I believe the shows were better on the Century. Here's my
theory -- since there is no on-board enterainment (other than the lounges) while in Bermuda, there
are fewer opportunities to use a top quality dance troupe. They probably save them for the larger
ships in the Carribean, Europe, etc.
The lounge entertainment was OK but often dull and uninspired. The games, karaoke, bingo, etc.
were fun. The cruise director and his staff really want to do a good job. They're trying.
By the way (Celebrity are you listening?), they could do more for the teens on board. My kids
seemed a little bored at times. Not much sincere organizing going on here. The little kids seem to
easily get into the spirit of the organized activities however.
Bermuda: In a word -- gorgeous. In particular, we loved swimming in Horseshoe Bay. It's clearly the
most beautiful beach we've ever seen. Did the glass bottom boat/snorkeling excursion. This was
quite enjoyable. Went to Tobacco bay. Good snorkeling there, water is clean but the beach is way
over-crowded. It just wasn't meant to handle the instant outpouring of thousands of tourists from the
FIVE cruise ships in Bermuda. Hamilton is just OK. St. George at least has some personality. The
local residents are pleasant ... none of the resentment, selling pressure and hositility you get in some
places like Jamaica. It's nice to go someplace where they don't seem to hate Americans. It's nice to
have a few days in one spot compared to the Carribean cruises where you really only get a few
hours in each port. I would return for a land based vacation in Bermuda where I would not be tempted
to do so at any of the stops on the Western Carribean cruise (OK ... maybe Cozumel, Mexico).
Debarkation: This seemed to go better than in Florida. Perhaps it's because the terminal seems so
much more spacious. Maybe it's that there's a lot fewer passengers to debark. Everyone seemed to
be out within 45 minutes of the first debarkation. From dock to home was a breeze via return limo.
Well, that's the whole story. Another great vacation, another great cruise. We'd do Celebrity again.
However, we need to try another line if only for comparison sake. Next summer, we may try Royal
Carribean or Princess to the Eastern Carribean. We want to try out one of the mega-ships that make
the Century look small! Someday, we'd also like to do an Alaska and Euro cruise (without the kids!).
I'd be happy to get into more details or hear contrasting opinions via e-mail (mitchm@nais.com).
Name: Everett YAPS
Email: eyaps@erols.com
Age: 73
Occupation: Retired
NumberOfCruises: 10
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Zenith
SailingDate: 09/23/00
Itinerary: Bermuda
Cabin: 6097
FoodDiningRoom: 75
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 70
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 75
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 75
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities:
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 02 Oct 2000
Time: 20:20:42
Remote Name: 208-58-249-240.s240.tnt1.nwhv.ct.dialup.rcn.com
Remote User:
Comments
This was to be our third consecutive cruise to Bermuda via Celebrity's Zenith. Predicated on the
wonderful experience we had in 1998 and 1999 we not only booked another Bermuda cruise for
September 2000 but a Spring cruise on the Mercury in March 2000 and the Millenium in March 2001. The
cruise in March on the Mercury was a harbinger of things to come and we told our agent that we were
looking forward to the Zenith cruise to make up for what we felt was lacking on the Mercury. Our trip by
bus was uneventful, but for the first time one of our pieces of luggage was missing. This is somewhat
unusual as the luggage is placed aboard the bus while you are watching and there are no stops until we
reach the ship. Being Captain's Club members got us on board quickly but it did nothing in locating our
missing luggage until after the ship sailed and we were told it could not be found and then it showed up.
The afternoon buffet was mediocre in quality and there was a shortage of stewards so the clearing of the
tables to allow new diners was painfully slow. This was evident throughout the trip as Zenith seems to
have instituted an assigned seating program in the formal dining area and the wait-staff had to be at
assigned tables rather than a few handling a limited number of tables as in 'open-seating'. This also
presented a time problem because early diners ate first, gardless of how many showed up and late
dinners waited their turn or all opted for the Windsurf Cafe and buffet dining.
Our cabin steward made the
prefunctory call the first night but on the second night he forgot to make up our bed and when we
returned to our cabin after late dining and entertainment at 10:45pm, we had to call the desk to get
someone to make the bed and supply us with towels and ice. We received neither an apology or
acknowledgement of the omission. With our previous cruises the cabin steward was always visible and
when we would leave and return we would find that he had straightened up the bed or supplied fresh
towels or made sure the ice bucket was filled. Not this cruise. Cabins were attended to twice a day and if
you took a nap and a shower during the day, the bed and towels remained unchecked until evening. On
the last Friday, they finished the cabin at 11:55 am. The Windsurf Cafe presented a monotonous
assortment of offerings for both breakfast and lunch. The only item made fresh in the morning was an
omelet. Pancakes, waffles all sat limply in steam tables. The one dolop of cream cheese I tried made me
wonder if it should have had a 'sell by' date on it. At dinner the entree's were often being returned with
requests to try something that may have been more appetizing. On the last night, my wife was served a
piece of beef that defied all the cutlery on the table. She ended up by sharing a slice of my pork roast.
The entertainment was insipid. A comedian of mediocre talent. A magician and his wife doing parlor tricks
that have long since ceased to mystify and a 'Liberace wanna-be' who needed the loud accompaniment
to cover the wrong notes he was playing. The Matrix players were good, but we had seem the same show
on the Mercury six months earlier. I would think six months is long enough to develop some new material.
All in all, it was not the cruise we expected or wanted. We were still under the spell of the two previous
Bermuda cruises,same ship,same destination. How could things be so different? We will never know
because we are canceling or cruise on the Millenium and are not booking any more Celebrity Cruises for
a long while.
Name: John Booth
Email: doc@womensgarage.com
Age: 60
Occupation: Automotive Consultant
NumberOfCruises: 1st
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Zenith
SailingDate: September 23rd 2000
Itinerary: Bermuda
Cabin: 5132
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 93
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess: 85
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 100
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 85
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 13 Oct 2000
Time: 14:29:55
Remote Name: pc-booth-a1.admin.mcmaster.ca
Remote User:
Comments
As part of a group we left Hamilton,On,Canada for our first cruise. Getting into the port was exacting as
there was a lot of construction around the port, however once our Bus had stopped a very friendly
longshoreman removed our luggage expeditiously and embarkation was very easy, much easier than at
Toronto Airport.
We were met at the entrance to the ship and was quickly introduced to a white gloved attendant who
showed us to our cabin. We were pleasantly surprised at the spaciousness of the cabin, (inside) plenty of
room to store all our belongings.
We met the cabin steward who said that he was happy to serve us and anything we needed we should
ask him.
Having packed away our clothes, we went up to the Windsurfer deck for a welcome aboard buffet lunch.
The food display was fantastic and tasted great. We had lunch and then it was time for the lifesaving drill,
which was over with within 1 hour.
Leaving New York harbour was wonderful, the statue of Liberty a focal point for our cameras! A trip
around the ship to find where various locations and to find our sea legs. We had main seating and met
some of our bus companions so all being Canadians we had plenty to talk about. We were amazed at the
choice in the Menu, five courses, each course having several selections and never the same menu twice
during the whole trip. Our waiter Deniz was very helpful and later we learned had many talents one of
which was to fold napkins in all sorts of displays, he kept all of us amused after dinner with his creations
and tricks!. Such service, we were never kept waiting for anything and if one of us wanted an extra
portion of another dish to sample it was wisked to our table in no time.
A nightly trip to a lounge for the entertainment, the bands were very good and in each lounge there was
different types of music to suit all ages. The entertainment Director Simon Weir was outstanding and his
staff. The shows in the Celebrity Lounge were very good and well received. We met many interesting
people on board from all over the USA, most had been on other cruises before, but said this ship the
'Zenith' was one of the best they had been on.
The day at sea, Monday, was very turbulent as there was a force 10 storm. Many people were sick and
areas of the ship were deserted, as most people kept to their cabins. The Captain was very considerate
of his passengers and slowed the ship down so the effects of the storm were not so evident. Actually we
got to Bermuda perhaps 1 hour later than usual but no one minded that. Fortunately my husband and I
were not sick and managed to sway around the ship marvelling in the scene outside and the high waves.
The next day Tuesday, we arrived in Bermuda, the weather was perfect and the waters were calm. The
entrance to Hamilton and the sight of all those little houses (no skyscrapers, no large buildings of any
kind to be seen). The scene was very similar to Cornwall in England (being British by birth it brought back
many memories!). We docked right up against the pier in Hamilton and disembarkation was very easy,
straight from the ship to the shore.
The people of Bermuda are so friendly, most of all greet you and are quite willing to talk. We took a tour
of the west part of the island by Taxi, a three hour trip, a wonderful taxi driver by the name of Bob took us
around and showed us the sights, stopping to pick some fraggapanni from a tree for me, the scent was
exquisite. The beaches were really pink and the sea was turquoise, the air filled with the scent of exotic
flowers, I thought I was in Paradise, it was everything I had expected and more. the rest of the day was
spent exploring the quaint little shops along Front Street.
The next stop was in St George, this is such a perfect little town, everything is so clean, the people
friendly. In the evening we saw the local Regiment band playing in the town square in front of the Mayor,
this show was 1 hour and also involved a band of Scotsguards complete with bagpipes. A little rain did not
spoil the event.
The last day at sea was spent around the ship's pool watching the entertainment committee arrange
water sports, while sipping a cool Bahama-Mama. Disembarkation was well organised by the ship's crew
and we left the ship by 11 am.
This Celebrity cruise will no doubt spoil us for any other cruiseline as we intend to do the same thing in
2002! Well recommended.
Name: Robert Sellers
Email: lsellers@erols.com
Age: 55
Occupation: Writer/Editor
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Celebrity-Zenith
SailingDate: October 7
Itinerary: New York to Bermuda and return
Cabin: 5114/inside
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 88
CabinComfort: 92
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 92
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 93
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 96
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 96
ShoreExcValue: 93
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 92
LoungeService: 92
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 96
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 96
WheelchairAccess: 88
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 96
OverallPortsofCall: 96
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 96
CruiseActivities: 93
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace:
Stabilization: 92
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 16 Oct 2000
Time: 11:16:47
Remote Name: sellers-g3.nrl.navy.mil
Remote User:
Comments
As this was the first significant cruise for my wife and myself (the other was a short passage from Florida
to the Bahamas several years ago), this review represents the viewpoint of a relative new comer. Overall,
it was one of the highlights of 30+ years of marriage. We took the 7-day cruise on Celebrity's Zenith from
New York to Bermuda and return. We departed by bus from Baltimore, MD (the bus trip was part of our
package). We felt that embarcation went very smoothly. We arrived at the ship before noon and departed
at about 3:30 pm on Saturday, October 7. We occupied an inside cabin (5114), which contained two
single beds (we're not sure why it wasn't a double bed, but this little glitch may have been a
communications breakdown between us, the travel agent, and the cruise line. However, it worked out well,
as the single beds seemed somewhat firmer than the double beds (my brother-in-law and his wife had a
double bed, so I did a comparison). Although my wife has back problems that are aggravated by soft
beds, she had no problem during the cruise.
During my career, I have been an instructor in Total Quality Management and Customer Satisfaction, so I
do have some credentials to comment. Based on my experience during the cruise, Celebrity appears to
have successfully integrated the concepts into their day-to-day operations. Service was excellent. What
impressed me most was the obvious attention to detail. Our cabin steward kept our cabin fresh and clean;
ice in the ice bucket was refreshed every day, without asking; the ships bulletin was delivered on
schedule; sheets and pillow cases were crisp and clean; we found a chocolate on our turned down beds
each evening. Yet, he was never intrusive. Things just happened quietly and efficiently. Ships crew was
invariably pleasant and helpful, demonstrating a great deal of patience.
The folks in the cabin next to us (who also sat at our table during dinner) had special needs. He had back
problems, and didn't get out of bed on some days until noon. The steward dutifully worked around his
schedule.
Food service was, in my opinion, nothing short of spectacular. One of the qualities that most impressed
me was flexibility. Passengers could choose from formal sitdown dining, a buffet, pizza, a line containing
hamburgers, hotdogs, and french fries. There was something to please almost everyone. The sit down
dining was the most impressive. The linen napkins and table cloths were always crisp and spotless; the
glassware sparkled. The menu was varied, and every dish I had during the week was worthy of a 5-star
restaurant. Lobster, filet mignon, Alaska salmon, etc. Appetizers and soups (both hot and cold selections)
were excellent. Vegetables were cooked crisp-tender to perfection. Presentation was excellent. The wine
steward was most helpful and engaging, and I believe our waiter could have held his own in any
restaurant in the world. He was never intrusive, and yet every need was efficiently satisfied with a smile.
One event really impressed me because it was indicative of the level of attention afforded. The gentleman
with back problems was taking medication that caused his hands to tremble. One evening, he ordered
filet mignon, and was having problems using the knife. Without a word and without drawing attention to
himself, the waiter came to his side and cut his meat for him.
The offerings were varied on buffet line for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The had some sugar-free items
for diabetics, and low-fat offerings as well. I appreciated the fact that they offered skim milk; surprisingly,
that is not always the case. Coffee was always available.
We were both impressed by the overall presentation of food. The Zenith has three personnel from the
Philippines who have expertise in ice, vegetable, and fruit carving. I know that, because we attended a
presentation in which they demonstrated some relatively simple carvings that we might do at home. The
buffet tables featured roses with petals made of thinly shaved apples, watermelon carvings of Norsemen,
animals carved from fruits and vegetables, ice sculptures, etc.
The late-night events around the pool were enjoyable. One night was Tex-Mex, one night had a 50's
theme, etc. The young crew members who led the entertainment were vibrant and full of energy. As
always, the food was bountiful and well presented. Drinks were of good quality and well prepared.
Entertainment was also very professional. The dance company was well trained and the shows sharply
coreographed. A really excellent magician/illusionist and a juggler presented high quality shows, and the
passenger talent show was a great deal of fun. Entertainment also reflected an effort to provide variety.
The various bars/lounges contained live music ranging from classical string, to contemporary "easy
listening" piano, to popular music of today.
Activities are varied. There is a library to accommodate readers, a physical fitness center, a massage
area, scheduled movies, a casino.
Another aspect that impressed me was cleanliness. Ships crew was always polishing, cleaning,
vacuuming, etc. I took a tour of the galley, and you could have literally eaten off the floors and any of the
stainless steel. The galley crew and the organization of food preparation was very impressive. Everything
is fresh, and all pastries, breads, etc. are made on board. Food handling safety was obviously of great
concern.
We went on several tours/activities in Bermuda, which we arranged for aboard ship. All tours occurred on
schedule and without a hitch. Incidentially, Bermuda is a fantastic place to vacation. The environment is
clean, the residents are helpful and very civil. It is a very civilized island, which still maintains a British
flavor (afternoon teas, cricket, etc.)
The cruise to Bermuda was somewhat rough at points, although Celebrity certainly cannot control sea
conditions. Overall, the ship is well stabilized. I never was sea-sick, and I slept very well. However, to be
objective, I know that some passengers did experience some problems. The return trip was as smooth as
glass.
Problems were very few, although I will mention several. Access to the on-board elevators is sometimes
difficult, and some passengers grumbled about the time elapsing between calling for an elevator and its
arrival. Elevators were very crowded, and the elevator air conditioning failed, so they were hot.
Occasionally, the elevators would fail to stop on selected floors. The crowding of the elevators was
aggravated by the rather large number of wheel-chair bound passengers on the cruise.
Overall, handicap access was good. However, a note of caution: as I understand it, wheelchairs provided
by the cruise line cannot be taken off the ship at the destination. I imagine this may be related to legal
liability issues. I suggest that mobility impaired passengers take their own wheelchairs or rent from an
outside medical equipment supplier for the trip. The motorized scooter type devices are much more
convenient, and they provide a far greater range of mobility for disabled passengers.
It appears obvious that the cruise line has made a decision not to use styrofoam products. I imagine this
is tied to environmental concerns. However, if you are a confirmed coffee drinker, the relatively small
china cups are somewhat inconvenient if you want your coffee 'to go'. I found that I tended to slop coffee
over the sides and onto the carpets, which I definitely wanted to avoid. I would suggest that the cruise line
might investigate getting some type of larger insulated mugs for the convenience of the passengers and
to reduce maintenance. Short of that, I would suggest that passengers take their own insulated cups. So
far as sodas are concerned, I do think that Celebrity should consider providing them at no charge. Also,
on several occasions, I had trouble finding diet drinks (I am diabetic).
Overall, I would rate the experience as excellent. In fact, we are already planning to sign on for next year
aboard Celebrity. Congratulations on a very professional organization!
Bob Sellers 2567 Cheval Dr. Davidsonville, MD 410-721-3142
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