Hello from Celebrity Century!

More little things as they come to mind. Buffet staff out on the floor wear long sleeve white shirts and black pants and call you "Madam." Casino is always busy. The ship is very active in the evening with music and entertainment. Shows are reported to be excellent. The Rendez-vous lounge is where the upper crust hangs. I dropped in last evening to get a drink to take to dinner and the captain even waved at me.

There is outside deck on 7 that is obstructed and on 6 with deck chairs. It is dark and unappealing. I miss my promenade deck.

Today is Grand Turk at noon. Only items on my agenda is a Margarita and a lounger in the shade.

Enjoying your posts! We are HAL regulars who sailed for the first (and last) time on the Century in October (Hawaii).

While our Century cruise was very nice, we were not impressed. Know what you mean by "its not home". We wound up doing the same thing - comparing things to our HAL experiences. Unfortunately for us, Century came up short.

Have a great time on the remainder of your cruise!

It was a cloudy and showery day at Grand Turk so I stayed on the ship and read in Hemisphere.

Organization is being to flag in Island Cafe Buffet. Dinner last night was so-so except for the Sacher Torte dessert. Crew is still good, but it's feeling end of cruise-ish.

I'll do a head to head comparison when I get home, but my general opinion is that there is overemphasis on the casino. The bar bands are better. Drinks and laundry are a bit more expensive. I miss classical music and a sense of place. Having said that I would sail Century again and will look at the options before she is transfered in late April 2015. But my heart belongs to HAL.

She is a nice ship. I have no complaints to speak of. Water still isn't hot, but it's no longer a cold shower LOL

 

Had a good morning in Old San Juan. Did some gift shopping. Had my Pina Colada and lunch at Barrachina's and said hello to Big Jose again.

 

Small details. They do have cold towels, ice water and fruit punch for us at the dock at every port so far. The provided toiletries are Aqua Spa's and in small bottles rather than dispensers. On this ship at least the bathroom door doesn't open against the wall where you can fasten it. That may be this class of ships. Food is even with Zuiderdam. Some things are really gourmet, others standard. The vegetarian main courses are quite good.

Wish HAL would do San Juan in the morning.

Arriving at 1 PM puts us out in the hot and humid weather which we have to be careful of.

More little things as they come to mind. Buffet staff out on the floor wear long sleeve white shirts and black pants and call you "Madam." Casino is always busy. The ship is very active in the evening with music and entertainment. Shows are reported to be excellent. The Rendez-vous lounge is where the upper crust hangs. I dropped in last evening to get a drink to take to dinner and the captain even waved at me.

 

There is outside deck on 7 that is obstructed and on 6 with deck chairs. It is dark and unappealing. I miss my promenade deck.

 

Today is Grand Turk at noon. Only items on my agenda is a Margarita and a lounger in the shade.

It was a cloudy and showery day at Grand Turk so I stayed on the ship and read in Hemisphere.

 

Organization is being to flag in Island Cafe Buffet. Dinner last night was so-so except for the Sacher Torte dessert. Crew is still good, but it's feeling end of cruise-ish.

 

I'll do a head to head comparison when I get home, but my general opinion is that there is overemphasis on the casino. The bar bands are better. Drinks and laundry are a bit more expensive. I miss classical music and a sense of place. Having said that I would sail Century again and will look at the options before she is transfered in late April 2015. But my heart belongs to HAL.

Sorry that you had rain in Grand Turk and didn't get to have your Margarita.

The Rendez-vouse Lounge sounds wonderful.

Sorry that you had rain in Grand Turk and didn't get to have your Margarita.

 

The Rendez-vouse Lounge sounds wonderful.

I'd been in Grand Turk in December, so it wasn't a total loss.

Yes Rendez-vous Lounge is the kind of civilized place I remember from my first few cruises. Great oldies and a dance floor. I wish HAL would have better bands.

San Juan is the morning is better, but with a 2pm departure it makes having lunch there a bit tricky. Stores also don't really open until 10am though, but you can start with the cathedral and go from there. I managed though :D

I promised some pictures and a stab at a wrap-up. The fact is I enjoyed Celebrity Century more than I expected. It still feels a bit bland and generic, although as I found more and more of the contemporary art it seemed a classier generic. The feeling of HAL and Celebrity is very different: Dutch elegance vs a more cosmopolitan elegance. Waiters never wore costumes and had a certain "presence" that many HAL waiters lack. I have always considered HAL's crews to be friendly, but on Century there was a real warmth.

You saw officers everywhere. Once I had a question for the front desk and I ran into the Head of Guest Relations who went out of his way to help me. We had a nice chat too as he is from Scotland. Notes on single malts were compared. What I also noticed was that there was never a line at the Front Office. Part of that may have been our ability to see our account on the TV, but I also had the sense there were fewer complaints and/or complainers.

While I liked having Muster in a lounge where I could sit, my muster station was at the other end of the ship from my cabin. In the case of a real emergency that seems potentially problematic. I do understand that not having a specific lifeboat assignment might be practical in a real emergency, but it made me a little uncomfortable as I like to have the information I need.

OK I have pictures. so you can see a bit of Century. If you think this is inappropriate on this forum just holler. But let me get to the officer/passenger water volleyball game before you do. I'll start with some pictures of public spaces.

The Grand Foyer

Hemisphere Lounge It had a wraparound solarium feel. Furniture was dated, but it was a heavenly place to read and snooze.

Glass sculptures were in every stairwell landing. They were handsome, but I missed the variety on HAL. You couldn't remember which stairwell by these.

There were orchids in most women's restrooms. There was one restroom near the dining room where the cleaner added her own towel animals. I ran into her a couple of times. She was a sweetheart.

The Grand Dining Room Very generic and fairly dark, especially under the upstairs seating area. This picture was taken during the Brunch that was offered on our last sea day. The variety of food was overwhelming and I probably saw 1/4 of the offerings.

Thank you for the update. We will be sailing Celebrity for the first time in November. DH was not real excited about not sailing HAL. Already missing the YUM YUM man!

It's a beautiful day out here. It's being an interesting experience finding my way around a different cruise line. On the whole I'd say Century, while bigger, is best compared with our R and S ships. Just a few preliminary notes:

 

The pillow chocolate is better, delicious even.

Hemisphere Lounge (Their Crowbar) has wonderful big windows and comfortable seating. I watched "sailaway" from there until it was our turn. Then I retreated to Sunset Bar to be with my companions.

 

Two general comments.

Century's "transition spaces" on the public decks are more generous and interestingly configured.

BUT the ship's decor is generic. I miss the sense of nationality and "place" that HAL ships give me.

 

Food so far. Islands Cafe seemed more varied and fresher than HAL. They have trays, which will take some time to get used to LOL The MDR food is good to very good, but somewhat uneven. It feels dark and closed in and has no decoration. (Although Zuidy's bread photos were a "miss" in that category). It was the worst first night disorganization I've seen on a ship. My sense is that there were a lot of new staff.

 

The canvas awnings over Sunset bar and other aft outside spaces are not only practical, but attractive.

 

OK that's it for now. So far I'm happy, but I'm not "home."

Does the X Century have a (Wraparound) Promenade Deck? :confused:

Does the X Century have a (Wraparound) Promenade Deck? :confused:

Nope. I thought mentioned the lack earlier, but am happy to reiterate.

NO WRAPAROUND PROMENADE DECK.

Yes I'm shouting LOL. There were two decks with outside spaces along the ship's sides. One had most views blocked with equipment. The other was more classically "Promenade-y." There were deck chairs, but not teak. And it was painted dark blue. Folks, dark-blue belongs on HULLS. Here's the only image I have taken as we were about to leave St. Croix.

Thank you again, for the balanced and honest comparisons. Great pictures too. :) We loved our one Celebrity cruise (have another one booked) but we did miss the wraparound promenade deck. We didn't let that stop us, we still did our walks, we just had to go back and forth or cut through the ship to get to the other side. Still got our walk, but it wasn't the same.

We also thought the officers were more available and eager to please, and we loved having the ability to see our account and order room service in-cabin on the TV.

Thank you for posting. I have fond memories of the Century since my first cruise was on her in '96. I was mesmerized by the beauty of the ship at the time, although I'd imagine the experience to be a bit different nowadays. Nevertheless I'm looking forward to boarding her again next month.

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Sally... thanks for a great synopsis of your cruise. Can you tell me what the smoking policy is on X? After our experience on our last cruise we are looking for an second option for future cruising...

Sally... thanks for a great synopsis of your cruise. Can you tell me what the smoking policy is on X? After our experience on our last cruise we are looking for an second option for future cruising...

I believe that it quite restrictive! :) For example, no smoking is allowed in the staterooms, on the balconies or in the casinos! :);)

Thanks for your comments and for sharing your photos.

Thank you for the kind comments, but I have more. Sorry for the delay, but spent the last week in the middle of some house reconstruction.

Re: smoking. The Sunset Bar permits smoking and, depending on the time of day or winds, it can be bothersome, but for an early breakfast no real problem. Otherwise I didn't see or sniff any other areas that I can recall.

Time to head outside on Century

Midship Pool. It's on the "Resort Deck," but no idea what it's actually called. It does not have a sliding roof.

The Mast Bar. Overlooks said pool area. Is open "weather permitting."

The Sunset Bar. My favorite place on the ship. The "sail" over the area not only provided protection, but was very attractive. There is no Seaview Pool, but the midships pool area looks bigger.

The Officer/Passenger Volleyball Game. This was a lot of fun. Plenty of joking around and shenanigans. The man in the suit is Rich Clessen, our CD. I asked him later if he had a special "swim suit" and said yes. He also took off his shoes and socks. He was a very friendly and available CD.

The Officer/Passenger Volleyball Game

Back inside

Cabin # 9257. An aft inside. It took me a while to figure out the lights. It was a very comfortable place for a single person. I never really used the chairs except as clothes "racks". The bedside lamps were very attraction. The artwork was boring. We finally labelled the ship motion back there as "twerking."

Cabin # 9257. Sitting on the bed looking towards the door. The angles allowed for extra storage and a more interesting space. Minibar is under the TV and the safe is behind the mirror on the left. Closest space seemed less than HAL. Bathroom had a shower the short width of the bathroom. There was actually plenty of room in the shower. The rest was pretty cozy. BTW there was a night light, which was a wonderful touch.

Port Hall, Deck 9, aft towards bow. Seemed narrower, was more dimly lit and had no artwork.

The Island Cafe, which I kept calling "The Lido." It was more open and had less personality. The artwork was oversized Jim Rosenquist lithographs. Sort of odd I thought. There were coffee, tea, juice and water available at self-service stations 24/7.

The Island Cafe

The Island Cafe with a big Rosenquist lithograph.

Shrimp56,

Thanks for coming back and posting some great pictures!

I wonder if we met on the Skyward in the 70's? Probably not, but I sailed her several times back in the day.

Anything is possible Sam.Seattle. We were the two young ladies who would check the activities for the day and then go to the other end of the ship. We hung out in a thatched upper deck aft bar whenever the CD was at the pool and running the "How many ping pong balls could the ladies fit in their bikini tops." On the other hand I DID enjoy the "horse-racing." It has to be one of the most blessedly silly on board game and I miss it.

Now to food. I keep going back and forth on the food and service comparison. Some dishes were much better than HAL, but then others were duds or at least not better than HAL. Overall service was more formal in the sense that the servers clearly knew all the little niceties of correct service. But we've always had more fun with the HAL servers.

Beet/Feta appetizer. This was an example of a beautiful presentation that was short on flavor. Several appetizers had this flaw.

The tulip dessert sounded delicious and looked promising, but the phyllo dough was a bit tough and too thick.

This main course was a winner. Mussels, shrimp and calamari. Very tasty, but a little broth underneath would have helped I think.

Beef Carpaccio. A total appetizer winner. The arugula and parmesan shavings, along with the dots of mayonnaise topped with capers were piquant accompaniments to the beef without overwhelming it.

The gnocchi and sauce were delectable, but the fish was a bit dry and didn't seem to work with the rest.

Lamb Kebob. The best "main" I had. The flavor profile was North African/Middle Eastern and absolutely balanced to the rest of the dish.

Trying to remember the last random bits and pieces as this is my final group of pictures that I will post here. Please ask any questions you have.

Orange Juice: In Island Cafe the OJ in the dispensers is pretty good. Fresh squeezed is extra. The glasses are bigger for all free drinks. Ice Tea seems to be in the dispensers only at lunch.

There is one up escalator between Decks 6 & 7. It leads from the Captain's Club Office to the upper level of the big theater. I'm still wondering why. Maybe it siphons a few people off from the elevators, although I never saw it running any way but up.

One of the "interactive" events was Celebrity's version of "Star Chef." It involved 2 of the ships chefs, 2 pax volunteers, 3 pax judges, the CD and the ship's executive chef (from Portugal). It was a mix of a genuine cooking competition and Keystone Cops. Each team chose its ingredients with the proviso that they use every item that they took. Then they had to switch ingredients. There was chicanery, sleight of hand, and downright pilfering along with informative, hilarious commentary by the CD and Exec. Chef. It's the most fun I've had on a ship since the old days of "Horse Racing." In the three demos I've seen on HAL, only one of the pairs could have kept up with this. To me it is evidence of the Century crew's openness and good will as well as trust in their passengers.

Just a couple images of Century at dock in San Juan.

Giving HAL the final word... Crew members painting Eurodam in port at St Maarten.

Great review Sally... Thanks so much for posting. The photos were helpful. I especially liked the comparisons with HAL. Have a great week...

Thanks 65 Gator.

I suppose the big question is whether I would sail Celebrity again. I was looking for another Century cruise before she leaves the fleet in April 2015, but nothing really worked. If I were to sail Celebrity again it would be the Millennium class ships, not any bigger and it would have to be an itinerary HAL doesn't offer and/or a sale at a time that works for us. It was a wonderful cruise. It was helpful to me to note the differences, both plus and minus. And, whether it's rational or not, my heart belongs to HAL

Thanks 65 Gator.

 

I suppose the big question is whether I would sail Celebrity again. I was looking for another Century cruise before she leaves the fleet in April 2015, but nothing really worked. If I were to sail Celebrity again it would be the Millennium class ships, not any bigger and it would have to be an itinerary HAL doesn't offer and/or a sale at a time that works for us. It was a wonderful cruise. It was helpful to me to note the differences, both plus and minus. And, whether it's rational or not, my heart belongs to HAL

Thank you again for you excellent review and comparisons. I know how you feel. We sail Celebrity but only when the itinerary and timing is something we can't find with HAL.

Thank you for your informative and enjoyable photo review and comparison...we've been on a number of HAL and a Number of Celebrity Cruises. We've had great waiters on both and the worst waiter we've ever had on the Volendam (he was shocked when I tipped him)...but for us, a really bad waiter is extremely rare on any cruise ship. :):):):)

Thanks Shrimp for the comparison review and reporting about your Century cruise. Really enjoyed your photo's.:)