Be treated like a star on Celebrity (Celebrity Cruises)

Member Name: kellya1

Product:	Celebrity Cruises
Date:	04/10/06 (359 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Exceptional service, lovely food, great itinerary

Disadvantages: The little extras such as drinks that add up

£1 = $1.81
£1 = 1.42 Euro

*** Introduction ***

As many of you know, I love to travel, and cruising for me is the best way to see some of the worlds most impressive sights in style. I have sailed with Ocean Village twice, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCCL) three times all were wonderful, and so Celebrity had a lot to live up to!

I booked the 10-night Balearic Island cruise only option on The Century (sailing 15th September) in March for my boyfriend and I. I booked the flights separate with Easyjet, and booked 3 nights in an apartment near the beach in Barcelona pre cruise.. By booking separately, the whole package cost us £685 each! An absolute bargain!

I booked the holiday with Fast Track, a company that specialises in cruises. They were doing a special deal, for that date only. I initially booked the lowest grade inside accommodation on deck 8. However, as we are Select members of the Captains Club (a loyalty programme that gives you excellent benefits throughout the cruise) we were upgraded to deck 9 free of charge.

*** Information about Celebrity Cruises and Cenutry ***
Celebrity prides itself on being one of the most luxurious brands on the sea, offering you rest and relaxation with lots of decadent touches. Century is one of the brands oldest ships. At 11 years old, it was looking rather tried compared to ships from its sister company Royal Caribbean. Therefore, Celebrity plunged $55 million into a makeover for the ship; in just 34 days in dry dock, the ship returned with 314 new verandas and newly fitted cabins. The introduction of Murano, a new specialty restaurant. The existing Aqua Spa was completely gutted and re-designed, and the line's only stand-alone Aqua Spa Café, a barber shop for men; a martini bar with lights that change colour. All public areas were recarpeted, and these are just a few of the changes! It is amazing how much work was done in a short space of time. It now measures up to the more design-forward vessels of today's contemporary era, but with a capacity of 1750, and 868 crew it maintains its intimate touch.


*** Embarkation ***
We caught a taxi from the harbour to the dock at around 11.15am which cost us 6 euros. We were told not to board until 2pm but on previous cruises, they have always allowed us on earlier. On first impressions, Century looked like an older sister in comparison with Costa Fortune and Carnival that were in dock. When getting out of the taxi walked straight through to the terminal and was checked in with our cruise cards and onboard with a glass of champagne within 15 minutes. Very efficient!

When getting on the ship we were handed a newsletter, which tells you what is going on that day, and over the week, (these are also delivered to your cabin every night along with chocolates on pillows and a map for the port of call for information on the next day). First impressions on the inside of the ship were also much better than I had expected. Everything was clean and looked stylish, a very elegant ship.

*** Cabins ***
Celebrity offers a number of choices when it comes to cabins. The standard size is 175 square ft, with the space maximed to its full potential, making it feel much more spacious than it actually is. Apart from inside cabins, you can also have outside (room with window) Veranda (room with balcony), ConciergeClass (balcony with perks such as Frette bathrobes, fresh flowers, daily hors d'oeuvres, a special Concierge Class breakfast menu including the "signature" dishes, such as granola berry parfait, and baked bananas!). Suites are larger than balcony rooms, and come with a butler, DVD player and sumptuous bathroom! We opted for the inside, as it was cheapest! We were told that our cabins would not be ready until 1pm, but we could not contain our excitement, and popped down at 12pm to find it was ready. All of the cabins were recently refitted to create a boutique hotel chic feel! Oak panels cover the walls and make up the furniture, and warm regal red colours fill the room. There is plenty of drawer and wardrobe space, a flat screen TV with limited channels, (2 movie channels that never worked, Cartoon network, music videos which repeated themselves, CNN and ESPN in addition to the ships own channels) The bathroom is particularly spacious with a modern raised basins, shower and hairdryer. The shower easily fits two. You also get bathrobes, towels, and even shampoo, and body lotion incase you forget, along with cotton wool, cotton buds and a shower cap! The bed was my favourite part…Egyptian cotton sheets with two huge pillows! I could have slept all day in these comfortable beds! Nice touches are the small, individual lamps attached to the walls above the bed allowing one person to read without disturbing the other.

*** Food ***

~~~ The Grand Dining Room ~~~
Century's sprawling, two-story dining room is the ship's primary focal point for dining. It serves open seating breakfast and lunch, and then offers two seating’s for dinner at 6.15 and 8:45p.m (you let your travel agent know which you would like before the cruise) In here you will receive a 5 course dinner every night consisting of Appetiser, Soup, Salad, Entrée and dessert.

The cuisine, overseen by the cruise line's uber-chef, the Michelin-starred Michel Roux, offers a terrific blend with emphasis on classic French cuisine. The highlights me included Escargot (I have had them previously and found the garlic sauce overpowering), the baked Alaska (which included a dance from the waiters) and the rest of the desserts!

The dining room itself is very regal looking, with its huge, two-deck high window on the ship's aft allowing for a perfect view of the sunset.

Service in The Grand was very good. Our waiters, Ronis and Savio were charming and ensured we had everything we needed, my water glass was never empty and I could have more than one appetiser rather than soup and salad. Simon had six helpings of frog’s legs one night!

A note about seating: tables for two are very limited and generally located in some of the less desirable spots. Most tables were for six and eight. We were seated with three other delightful couples, one from Greece, USA, and another from Wales. If you would like to move, you must talk to the maitre d' who will try to arrange something for you.

~~~ Island Café ~~~
The "Casual Dining Boulevard" offers a variety of stations and options, from breakfast's homemade waffles to lunch's sandwich soup and salad bar (in addition to the usual buffet fare). The Pizza and Pasta Centre (just a counter where you can order made-to-specification fare) was dangerously tempting; open from noon to 1 a.m., it was a great place for a before-dinner snack.

Tea, with attendant pastries and sandwiches, is served here from 4 - 5 p.m. (and at The Grand although you must dress appropriately).

There is also a lush Sushi Cafe. Open only from 6 - 10 p.m., it is located at the very end of the "boulevard," right up against the Sunset Bar. The spread of various rolls is beautifully laid out, delicious to taste and the cafe itself, with its black lacquer decor, is atmospherically Asian.

Just beyond the "Boulevard" is a grill open until 7pm, offering hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken sandwiches and fries, along with a special or two every day such as Paella and curry.

At night, a portion of the Lido is transformed into the Island Cafe for casual dining. Reservations are required (which takes the casual out of dining), and you do not have to dress up. Suggested gratuity here is $2.

~~~The Cova Café ~~~
Located on Deck 6, is a small elegant café open from 8:30 a.m. - 11 p.m. You pay for the beverages -- coffees, such as latte, espresso and the like, as well as various teas and a delicious hot chocolate. The snacks, which range from croissant and Danish in the morning to pastries and cookies later, are complimentary. There is a wine tasting some nights between 6 - 8:30 p.m. for a small extra fee. There is often live music (mostly classical) from the ships jazz signer.

~~~ Murano. ~~~
On deck 5 opposite the guest relations department is a speciality restaurant (only 66 seats) with Michele Roux supervising the menu. It looks simply elegant white with glittering chandeliers and candles. A harpist plays gently throughout the meal.

There is a $30 per passenger service charge just to sit down at Murano's but it is worth it! Beyond the fact that the cuisine is of incredibly high quality, the service is personable, professional (five staff serving two of us!) and the main meals are often flambéed by your tableside! The meal took 3 hours; we were still eating at midnight!

Murano’s has two menus. The first is a four-course meal that you order a la carte, one item from each category. It starts with an appetizer (lobster bisque and. goat cheese soufflé are highly recommendable), moves on to an entree (the Dover sole was superb), and then to dessert (Michele Roux surprises or souflee). Portions are appropriate -- not too big, not too small -- so when you move on to the last course -- cheese -- you are not as stuffed as you would think. Just to ensure you are not hungry, the chef sends out a few surprises, and comes out to meet everyone, which was a splendid touch.

If you are feeling adventurous, you can opt for the "exceptional" menu. There is one more course, but each is a bit smaller so as not to overstuff, and they are pretty much chosen for you (rather than the longer list on the standard menu you have a choice of a couple of items in each category). The wines are included in the $100 per person tariff; the usual $30 service fee for Murano was an added charge.

I would recommend booking on embarkation...we left it 2 hours and didn't get our first choice! We spoke to the Matradee who was a lovely gentleman informed us on the last day that there had been several cancellations throughout the week and we would have been able to eat there again.

~~~ Spa Café ~~~

Tucked in a simple, serene space next to the spa, it was my favourite place to eat, offering light and healthy fare for breakfast, lunch and early dinner. Beware it is always full of people! The chefs and wait staff of Murano operate the café, which could be why the quality of the food was much nicer – The blueberry tart…simply divine!

~~~ Room Service ~~~
On a cruise that featured an ultra intensive itinerary, room service was a godsend; at 8am when all we wanted was a croissant when getting ready for an excursion, we could fill out a form and hang it on the door before 4am, or order through our television. The service was prompt, efficient and the food ranged from the kind of 24-hour stuff you usually see -- sandwiches, salads, burgers – to the food on the dining room menus at lunch and dinner.


***Evening Entertainment***

So many bars, so little time! We relaxed with a drink before dinner in the Martini Bar, which features a shivery, ice-like décor in which the lights change colour and the bar is frozen (the waiter also does magic tricks!), and the elegant Michael's Club next door, were popular places for cocktails. The Rendez-Vous Square featured mostly classical music with some dancing, along with the slightly larger Crystal Room. Hemispheres was my favourite, located at the top-of-the-ship, it is an observation lounge and disco that goes on until past 3am! The DJ was superb in the variety of music he played and the requests we made were always aired.

Post-dinner, the main entertainment occurred in the Celebrity Theatre, with shows and concerts such as "Shout", and a tribute to the Broadway shows. They were OK. Other acts in the week included an Irish comedian (his jokes very old fashioned) and pianist Tian Jiang. If not in the theatre, you could find a late night country hoe-down and sock hop, both of which were extremely popular, seeing everyone on the dance floor!.

~~~ The Casino ~~~
This is not the biggest of casinos, but whenever I was in there it was never full. On the outside of the room along the walk ways are the slot machines, taking 25cents – true Las Vegas style! These were always busy. In the middle of the room is a cashiers (you can change money/charge to your account) and the tables include roulette, and blackjack. It's fun to watch, but a bit beyond my limit of $1 minimum bets! The only advice I can offer here is to bring a wad of cash, as the casino only accepts American Dollars, otherwise you can charge your cruise card…but prepare to run up a hefty bill! I didn’t see anyone win, and we spent a lot of time watching. It is open when the ship is at sea, generally until the very early hours of the morning.

~~~ Cinema/Conference room ~~~
A very cosy room showing films such as the Wedding Crashers, and War of The Worlds. There is one film per day shown at three different times of the day. I found it to be much more comfortable than a 'real' cinema, with plenty of leg and bum room! It doubles up as a conference room with lectures of guests, such as a producer from the BBC, and other realms of the entertainment world. I didn’t make any, but they sounded quite interesting.

*** Day Entertainment ***

Entertainment on board, as you can imagine, primarily existed on sea days, consisting of organised bridge games, champagne or wine tasting, and activities' staff events such as table tennis or various trivia games (Name That Tune, Scattergories, Family Fortunes, and you can win prizes!) There are also art auctions where you get a free glass of champagne, oh and you can bid on the art too!


~~~ Gym and Aqua Spa~~~

Like most of the ship, every square inch of the Aqua Spa (deck 11) was remodelled, leaving a very professional looking spa/salon/gym area. I only used the gym twice, far too energetic for me on holiday! The gym area was very big with brand new equipment; most had TV’s so you could enjoy a movie or watch the news during your workout.
In the ladies changing area there is a dry sauna. I used it once, not sure what a dry sauna does, but it was very hot! Gym classes run throughout the cruise - things like Pilates, yoga, and spinning require a fee; stretching and aerobics do not. They were often at inconvenient times (7am or 5pm) meaning I was either asleep or ashore.

The spa area is serene and tranquil. New features include a Persian Garden relaxation room, outfitted with steam showers and heated tile loungers. There's a charge of $15 to use this-- I never got around to it. More interesting was the Barber Shop for men and tooth whitening treatments, a dedicated area that included a heated lounger and flat-screen television. There's also a stand-alone acupuncture facility adjacent to the spa – the first of its kind at sea.

Full ranges of treatments are offered from standard massages and beauty treatments to fancier stuff, like an "Egyptian Ceremony of Milk and Ginger" and a "Tahitian Ceremony of Flowers." The stones treatment looked interesting. Prices did go down during the week, to around $89 for three 20-minute spa treatments. We participated in the couples massage class for $55 per couple, and we received some massage oil to take home and practise what we learnt!


~~~ Sports ~~~

There is a basketball court on deck 14. This was only open twice and only on the sea days, and always used for football. Although there was nowhere that said, I’m guessing you had to ask for the ball from the activities staff if you wanted to play at any other time. For the not so active, like me, shuffleboard is a fun game to play located on deck 6! Alternatively, there is the golf simulator located on deck 13, which was broken during our visit!

~~~ Pools ~~~
There are two pools, pretty much next to each other on deck 11. I only went in the one nearest the four Jacuzzis, which was 6ft deep. The other pool was only 4ft 11 deep, and got most of the shade! The water is a mixture of salt and chlorine, and was always nice and refreshing. On a hot day sitting poolside, the waiters bring out freshly made sorbets for your eating pleasure!


*** Other areas of the ship ***
Online@Celebrity - Internet stations, costing 75cents a minute, and you can also upload your photos onto CD and store them on the hard drive. Also on this deck is Celebrity's High Seas Computing classroom, with rows of terminals and a variety of workshops; options ranged from Adobe Photoshop to Web site design and from basic Introduction to Windows to Microsoft Excel. Classes are $20 apiece.

A card room – A decent size with tables covered in greed felt.

A library – Quite large, it actually spills over into the game room),

*** Children ***
I counted four children on board our cruise! Century has a specific kids programme divided into four age groups: Shipmates (3 - 6), Cadets (7 - 9), Ensigns (10 - 12) and Teens (13 - 17). Activities are held, on sea days and include "party crafts" and "family scavenger hunt" for the Shipmates, "Super Hero Intensive Training" for Cadets, "Scavenger Quest" and a talent show for Ensigns, and "Dodgeball Insanity" for teens.

Teenagers are blessed with the X-treme teen facility, carved out of a portion of the top-of-the-ship Hemisphere's. It's beautifully elegant with dark panelled walls and 1960's streamlined couches and chairs. It also has an arcade where you can select an amount for the kids to spend!


*** Tips (Gratuities) ***

Tips are a big deal on American ships. Celebrity collects gratuities the old-fashioned way. Envelopes are provided for cash tips and recommended amount guidelines are offered. These are $3.50 per day for the room steward and waiter and $2 per day for each of their assistants. There is also an envelope for the "assistant head housekeeper" with a recommended tip amount of $0.50 per day. You can request the tips to be put on your onboard account, or as we did, pre-paid to include it in the price of our holiday, so on the last day of our cruise, we received coupons, which we placed in the envelopes. I find this a lot easier than rummaging around for dollars on the last day of the cruise.


*** Summary ***

Although it wasn’t the best cruise I had, it was still a lovely trip, mainly because of the small touches such as the ice cream by the pool, and the ice cold flannels waiting for you on your return to the ship after a hot day. The food, the itinery, and the cabins are also superb. However, everything on board seemed to exude expense; the martinis costing $10 (plus 15% tax and then gratuity) having to spend $100 in shuttle passes, and the lack of activities really put me off Celebrity. But then that’s the audience for Celebrity. Nevertheless, its makeover will ensure Century’s regin of the seas as it can excel is in offering a best-of-both-worlds experience -- one featuring a comfortable blend of today's required amenities (from private balconies to alternative dining) along with the more intimate ambience offered by smaller vessels.

*** Facts ***

Century is a 5* ship
Tonnage: 70,606
Length: 815 feet
Speed: 22.3 knots
Decks: 14
Drinks and excursions are not included in the price, and both are expensive.
All plugs are American, therefore you will need a converter if taking British electrical goods
The ship takes dollars, although you can settle the bill in Euro’s.
Sea sickness pills are available from the guest relations office on deck 5 free of charge

*** Contact details ***

Telephone No: 0800 018 2525
Fax No: 01932 820286
Email Address: infouk@rccl.com


www.celebritycruises.com


If you are interested in the Mediterranean itinerary, here is what we in our ports of call

**** Ports of Call ***

Marseille
I was probably least excited about this port of call pre-cruise, but it turned out to be one of my favourite places! I was still ill from my cold, so we decided to sleep in a little longer, and not go to Aix-Provence, but to just walk around the old town. It rained in the morning, so we left the ship at around 11am and bought the shuttle tickets ($10) which dropped us off by the harbour. The rain had eased off a little so we caught the little train, which takes you up to the Notre Dame which is also by the harbour It was the best 5 euros we spent! An automated voice tells you in four different languages the various pieces of history to go with the sights, all of the way up to the top of the hill, and drops you off for you to explore and take pictures, then drops you off back at the harbour. The Church was stunning, as were the views. Back at the harbour, we walked up the main street to the shopping centre, had a look at the local market and bought some lavender and soaps, and made our way back to the ship, on board for 3pm.

Rome
As we visited Rome on a previous cruise, we decided to visit just the Vatican. We were off the ship by 8.15am, catching the free shuttle provided by the port authorities to the main road. We turned right here and walked along the coast to the train station. There was a large queue as the Queen Mary 2 was also in dock, but it moved very quickly and we were on the train by 8.45am. Tickets cost around 5 euros each and you must validate the ones you buy from the machine before boarding. For the Vatican, the stop is St Peters, which took 45 minutes. As we walked into the Vatican Square (5 minutes from the station) my heart sank as I saw the queue for The Basillica. I was not feeling great and didn’t want to stand around all day. However, the queue moved quickly and we were inside within 30 minutes. There are no words to describe how beautiful this church is. It is the world’s largest in the world’s smallest state! I was in complete awe and could easily spend all day there. However, we had the Sistine Chapel to see. So we walked around the corner to find an even longer queue for the Vatican museum (where the Sistine chapel is located). I had reserved an official Vatican museum tour (22 euros per person) for 12pm but did not receive confirmation back, so assumed this was not processed. I thought I would try to walk to the front to see if I could enter but I could see no way of getting in, even for reserved tours! So we queued for 45 minutes to get in (the day before was more than 2 hours). Luckily, the line kept moving. If you would like a tour, you have to book 1 month in advance through the Vatican, otherwise there were English-speaking tour guides in the queue who were offering their services for around 25 euros, meaning you did not have to queue. When we were in, I headed to the tour desk who confirmed they DID have reservations for us! So we were kitted out with the headphones to hear our tour guide perfectly without her shouting, and we made our way around the 4 miles worth of Vatican museums and the Sistine Chapel. They are breathtaking! A marvel that you could look at for weeks and still find something new. A tour guide is necessary as there is so much history to understand, and no book or plaque to explain what it means. It was definitely the highlight of my trip! I was still feeling a little poorly, so we headed back (the train journey was longer going back!) and was back on the ship by 4pm. We ate at a pizza place on the way to the station, where the price is worked out by weighing the pizza! We shared a huge slice for less than 5 euros!

Villefranche
We were tendered to shore at around 10am, and I found it to be a very pretty place with a few shops. As it was a Sunday, there was nothing much happening, so we took the train (2.80 Euros return) to Nice taking 10 minutes. We walked from the train station to the Promenade (15 minutes) past all of the big shops which were closed, and stumbled across a market 1 block back from the promenade, with stalls selling everything from lavender (sachets for 1 Euro) to fruit and veg. I had a lovely time pottering around the various stalls. Also along this walkway are several cafes and restaurants, specialising in fish courses. They looked lovely, but we decided to buy a large slab of bread with cheese and tomato and sit on the beach. We walked back down the promenade (after demolishing a chocolate crepe!) and headed to Villefranche where we finished the day on the beach which is located directly in front of the train station. One of my favourite days!

Livorno
As we have previously been to Florence, we decided to visit Lucca, a charming walled city in between Florence and Pisa. We had no problems getting to Lucca (the shuttle bus from the ship to the town $10, then a bus to the train station 1 Euro) although we had to wait an hour for the next train (train cost us around 20 euros, we had to change at a station beginning with V, taking us around 45 minutes) We didn’t get to Lucca until 12pm, and so just had a walk around, admiring the charming market, and the lovely scenery. There are places to hire bikes (although we could not find them) and a few shops to look in, along with a lovely park perfect for picnics. We left at around 2.30pm then had a nightmare getting back as we got on the wrong train (two trains came on the platforms at the same time, we just forgot it wasn’t our platform!) and to cut a long story short, we didn’t get back to the ship until 6.30pm! And to top it off we got in trouble from the police for crossing the tracks to get to the platforms! We saw everyone else doing this, so we thought that’s what you had to do! Despite the disaster, it meant we go to see a charming town, where we ate the most delicious slice of pizza for 1 Euro! I love Italy!

Palma de Mallorca
A very hot day! We were in Palma 3 months previously so we decided to just hit the shops and head back to the ship. We brought the shuttle pass $10 each (a rip off in my opinion as it was only a 10 minute cab ride) which drops you off outside of the Cathedral, and picks you up here also, and we walked into town (C&A, Zara, and Promod are my favourite shops!) We were relieved to get back on the ship and in the pool!

Ibiza
I had originally planned to visit Formentera due to lush beaches. However, we were really feeling tired at this point in the cruise and didn’t make it out of bed until 11.30am. As we had to be back by 4.30pm there was really little point in going, so we decided pay for the $10 shuttle into town (10 minutes ride) and walk up to the castle at the top of the hill. There were stunning views but it is a steep climb. After numerous pictures we headed back down to explore the shops, and watch the world go by over tapas and ice cream!

Valencia
Celebrity was offering a $10 shuttle ride into town (a good 25 minutes from the port) dropping you off at the bullring, where you can have a walk around (there is a lot to cover on foot). However, we were here 6 months previously and so had originally planned to go to the beach (a 20 minute walk from the port or a 5 Euro taxi ride) and maybe to the shopping centre. Typically, it was raining heavily! Therefore, we decided to catch a taxi (6 euros) to the shopping centre, which is opposite the arts centre and the aquarium and spent a few hours browsing the shops. It was still raining at lunchtime, but we decided to head to the beach anyway (6 Euro taxi ride) and visit a fabulous paella restaurant we ate in the last time we were here (Valencia is famous for its rabbit paella). We had a lovely time watching the world go by! We decided to cut our losses come 3pm and head back to the ship to play the trivia games!

Post-cruise shore excursion - Montserrat
Our flight wasn’t leaving until 6.30pm, and of course you must be off the ship before 9am, therefore to save hanging around at the airport for hours, I booked up a half day tour of Montserrat which dropped you at the airport at 1pm. It is a mountain around 1 hour from Barcelona, with a monastery housing the black Madonna. I booked up before we left, and paid the £25 per person, and our tickets were delivered to our cabin 2 days before the end of our cruise. We met with the rest of the group in the crystal lounge, and was handed a purple sticker. At 8.30am we were led off the ship and to the terminal where we claimed our luggage and loaded it onto the coach. Our tour guide was boring in my opinion. Very serious, a dull voice, and no charisma. He gave all the relevant information, a little more history about the Monastery would have been nice before we saw it, but he saved it until we got back on the coach! The views going up the mountain were delightful, and the Monastery itself was stunning. Very peaceful, and serene, I could have spent the whole day watching the world go by! There are a few shops, and a coffee shop to have a drink and buy souvenirs, well worth a visit! At 1pm we were dropped off at the airport, and luckily we were transferred to an earlier flight!

Summary: A charming ship with excellent food and service!