Why won't Celebrity fix their ships

[hermang]

Glad you had a great time on your cruises...

...but just like your old shirts and jeans become super-soft so that you want to wear them till they're practically falling apart, all-cotton high-threadcount sheets do indeed get softer w/ each washing. That's their appeal.

 

And why shouldn't we expect better - or at least as good as what the competition provides for the same amount of money?

Yes they will get softer up to a point - but I doubt any of the hotels or cruise lines have a "delicate cycle" in their laundries like we do at home so after being washed in very hot water with industrial strength detergent the average life of those sheets will be far less than what we get at home. Now for example we bought a set of 600 thread count linens for $60 this weekend. Not a bad price - I am sure X can do much better buying in the thousands and going forward they will be upgrading the bedding. Now as far as mattresses are concerned - hopefully the guests will not soil or stain them necessitating early replacement. After all it is not X that damages the merchandise

[Leela]

To answer the question from one who has sailed on many Celebrity cruises, I've never seen any bad looking linens in our cabin.

I am glad you have had this experience. I must admit that reading what you wrote makes me feel like if you are trying to negate my experience. I am not making up what I saw on Zenith. I apologize in advance if your intention is also just to report what you've seen!

[Leela]

Now as far as mattresses are concerned - hopefully the guests will not soil or stain them necessitating early replacement. After all it is not X that damages the merchandise

So wait, it is a seasick guest's "fault" that they have "damaged" the mattress? It's not like people have accidents on purpose just to gross out future passengers. :)

[Ma Bell]

I am glad you have had this experience. I must admit that reading what you wrote makes me feel like if you are trying to negate my experience. I am not making up what I saw on Zenith. I apologize in advance if your intention is also just to report what you've seen!

 

Someone asked a question for people who have been on many Celebrity cruises. It is only my experience and I never noticed your answer. It's just what I've seen.

[Leela]

Cool. Good to know that it's not a common problem.

[Host Anne]

Leela ~ our experience on Zenith in March mirrored yours. I wrote a complete review and posted it here. Our cabin soft goods had not been replaced anytime recently. Our shower had a good-sized (6 - 9 inch in diameter) rusting spot in our shower. There were many rusty areas throughout the ship; the outdoor chairs at the aft outdoor eating area were so bad I didn't want to sit in them; deck railings hadn't been varnished in a long time. The maintenance on Zenith certainly wasn't up to par with the other Celebrity ships we've been on and we were on Mercury just three weeks before getting on Zenith.

 

There were posters who questioned if Zenith was as bad as I felt it was. And that's OK. We all have our own opinions and are free to state them here on Cruise Critic. I know we wouldn't consider sailing Zenith again until she underwent a good overhaul.

[Leela]

I have some good news for you, Anne: when I was on that trip on Zenith, the maintenance crews were varnishing the outside railings, and painting the outside of the ship.

[Ma Bell]

We've never been on Zenith. Only Mercury and the four M-Class ships, but we've sailed 25 weeks on those. We did sail on Horizon but it was in 1996 and of course everything was lovely then.

[Leela]

I've got Summit upcoming. I am looking forward to it. Of course, that brings up the pod issue, but I'm okay with whatever happens. I thought about switching to Crystal Symphony, but I've been reading Crystal versus Celebrity M-Class reviews and once again the price/performance trade off on Celebrity seems too good to pass up.

[Ma Bell]

I agree, that's why we keep coming back to Celebrity. We have always been treated so well by the staff and though nothing is ever perfect, they do a really good job.

 

Our whole family will be on Infinity in a couple of weeks and we have cruises booked on Constellation, Mercury, Millennium and Century. Needless to say we have enjoyed our cruises with Celebrity. We've sailed others as well, but keep coming back.

[BaltiGator]

It really seems as though, pod issue aside, the M-class ships are a completely different breed than the rest of Celebrity's fleet. They're newer, for one thing, and more modern in design.

 

I think there are a lot of people who have sailed mostly or entirely on those newer ships and have no negative comments about Celebrity. Whereas, people who have sailed on the older ships seem to have a more mixed experience.

[cechase]

It really seems as though, pod issue aside, the M-class ships are a completely different breed than the rest of Celebrity's fleet. They're newer, for one thing, and more modern in design.

 

I think there are a lot of people who have sailed mostly or entirely on those newer ships and have no negative comments about Celebrity. Whereas, people who have sailed on the older ships seem to have a more mixed experience.

 

I think you are quite correct. Thinking back, most of the posts on cruise critic indicating a "mixed experience" on a Celebrity cruise have referred to the Century class vessels, except for the pod problems and I believe sewage odors on the Millie. Can't really comment on whether or not the M-class vessels are completely different because we have not cruised on them, at least not until our cruise on Infinity in September.

 

One aspect of the Century class vessels which we have experienced is that they are extremely well laid out, easy to find your way around, and except for the "gaggle" around the dining room door before opening, seem to always be uncrowded. Sure hope that is similiar to the M class vessels.

[Ma Bell]

Oh my, whatever will we do now? One less thing to complain about.

 

http://www.rclinvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=103045&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=861895&highlight=

[cechase]

Oh my, whatever will we do now? One less thing to complain about.

 

http://www.rclinvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=103045&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=861895&highlight=

 

Ma Bell, thanks for the link! As we have expressed before on these forums, Century is our favorite - and if what I read is correct - Wow!

 

However, one little problem for us on the Century class vessels. We always have a RS, and there is noise during the daytime from people moving lounges and running on deck 11. That is why we are trying Infinity, where our RS is between two decks of cabins. But, we probably will not resist the urge to try Century again, but most likely B2b, because 5 day cruises are too short for us.

[xplrcrzn]

Based on Ma Bell's Celebrity press release, it does appear that the company is going to address the bedding issue, starting with Century.

[DaveFr]

Ma Bell, thanks for the link! As we have expressed before on these forums, Century is our favorite - and if what I read is correct - Wow!

 

However, one little problem for us on the Century class vessels. We always have a RS, and there is noise during the daytime from people moving lounges and running on deck 11. That is why we are trying Infinity, where our RS is between two decks of cabins. But, we probably will not resist the urge to try Century again, but most likely B2b, because 5 day cruises are too short for us.

Ma Bell -- Thanks for the link as well. We're on the Millennium TA at the end of November so hopefully our CS will have the new bedding by then.

 

Charlie -- According to the Celebrity deck plans, the RS are above the second floor of the main restaurant. However in looking at photos of the Infinity, I see a row of small windows above the large windows on the second floor of the main restaurant. Is there a crew only deck between decks five and six on the Infinity deck plans?

[xtopher_66]

However in looking at photos of the Infinity, I see a row of small windows above the large windows on the second floor of the main restaurant. Is there a crew only deck between decks five and six on the Infinity deck plans?

The dining room is two levels, so those are just more dining room windows.

 

Chris

[turtlemichael]

Oh my, whatever will we do now? One less thing to complain about.

 

http://www.rclinvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=103045&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=861895&highlight=

 

Hehehe :D Joan you would not want to put a bet on that, would you? ;)

[Ma Bell]

Michael, you're right, it will just be on to the next.:D

[Leela]

Oh my, whatever will we do now? One less thing to complain about.

 

http://www.rclinvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=103045&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=861895&highlight=

What am I going to do now? The answer is clear: book a trip on Century! She was my first Celebrity ship, and is still my favorite. I'm looking forward to seeing her post-rebuild/renovation. Thank you for the good news!

[gatour]

In regards to the amount of time to switch out soft goods.

 

I was on the Zaandam (HAL ship) after they announced the softgood's upgrades a couple of years ago. Based on the schedule, Zaandam was to start receiving her upgrades a few weeks before our cruise. When we arrived back to her home port at the time and while waiting to disembark, I saw that they were loading onboard new mattresses. Since we were "locals" we were the last off the ship (around noon) No way did they load enough new mattresses to replace all of the current mattresses on-board. They were doing a "rolling" install and didn't have to do a dry dock. I imagine it took several weeks of cruises to replace all of the mattresses.

 

I have also been on other ships that weren't scheduled for a drydock in the near future, where there were rolls of carpet "stashed", so obviously they would be installed while underway.

[BaltiGator]

Based on Ma Bell's Celebrity press release, it does appear that the company is going to address the bedding issue, starting with Century.

 

Indeed.

 

Century promises sweet dreams, as the first ship in the Celebrity fleet to present Celebrity's new bedding program -- which will be introduced onboard Galaxy and Millennium later this year, and across the balance of the fleet in 2007. The program features new premium mattresses, 100 percent Egyptian cotton linens, duvets, Euro pillows, colorful bed throws and pillow shams.

 

The question is, when exactly is later this year? Specifically, before or after October 16? :D

 

They were doing a "rolling" install and didn't have to do a dry dock. I imagine it took several weeks of cruises to replace all of the mattresses.

 

Interesting.

[dkjretired]

but if you could check back 6 months or so, I'll bet you would be hard pressed to find any posts regarding bedding. There was the occasional sheet and cover posts but now it seems that everyone is posting about the bedding. What gives all of a sudden.

 

Glad to see they are upgrading but I just don't get it.

[xplrcrzn]

Bedding expectations have been raised because hotel chains and some savy cruiselines are upgrading theirs. If it's not a pillowtop mattress it might as well be straw.

[cechase]

Bedding expectations have been raised because hotel chains and some savy cruiselines are upgrading theirs. If it's not a pillowtop mattress it might as well be straw.

 

You are so right! I think that it was the Starwood group of hotel chains who started this, particularly with the Sheraton chain. In the last two years we have stayed multiple times at Sheraton hotels in Fort Lauderdale, Seattle, San Diego, Rome, Italy and a few others that I can't remember [must be age!], all because of their beds and bedding. This has been picked up by other hotels in the Starwood group as well as Hyatt.

 

However, we have never had any complaints about our beds and bedding on Celebrity - albeit in Royal Suites. I read somewhere here that Celebrity did improve the beds and bedding when they introduced their concierge class cabins. One would hope that they were not short sighted enough to not do the same in all of the lower category cabins.