12/18 Century cruise report

[ocngypz]

Suzanne:

 

Yes, using the stabilizers does use more fuel. When they are deployed, they create drag, thus decreasing fuel efficiency.

 

Of course, much depends upon the sea conditions at hand. I've been on many a ship when stabilizers have been deployed....and frankly......they didn't help. Too much pitch.. with the roll.

[Host Walt]

I was on the cruise that left on 12/24. In the program for the day it said we were going to leave late because they were fixing the mechanical problem- which I think they fixed in time- we wound up leaving late because there were plane loads of passengers that were delayed.

We had rough seas and for the first time I was seasick. I heard from an X employee that the captain doesn't like to activate the stabilizers on the ship because its too expensive- it causes the ship to use more fuel. I really hope that isn't true! Does anyone have further info on this?

Suzanne

That's highly unlikely. The Captain has no responsibility for fuel costs but has total responsibility for passenger safety on board. A rocking ship caused by a failure to deploy stabilizers can be a whole lot more of a problem to the Captain than using a few extra gallons of Bunker C fuel, especially if a passenger is injured as a result.

[tatkinson]

I had the opportunity to dine with the Cheif Engineer on the 12/24 sailing. He explained the problem to us and said he hadn't slept for a day and a half because of the problem. I had a great time, but as for the bug problem...we saw ants on the urinal in a public bathroom the first day, and bugs in the salt shakers at the Island Cafe. From what I'm reading here this is normal? My fourth cruise, but never have seen so many bugs.

[Goonhilly]

Can you please:p summarise the problem. I have seen lost of speculation but not much in the way of facts. I was not even aware that underwater items could be fixed until I saw the divers at work in Fort Lauderdale.

[sammiedawg]

The Century failed the CDC inspection in November and bugs were one of the major citations.

[Bisous3]

I didn't see any bugs....

Suzanne

[leerobbs]

Sammiedawg, the record is skipping and skipping and skipping, CDC report, bugs, CDC report Bugs, bugs, bugs, bugs. The problem Sammiedawg is that several of us have recently cruised on this ship and did not see any BUGS, and had a wonderful time and did not get sick and were not overcome by the thick black smoke belching from the smokestacks (I guess it was because we all were wearing gasmasks). Your account just does not even remotely describe mine. I am not a blind Celebrity fan, this ship is almost 10 years old and is not new and does not look new, but it is well cared for. You need to get a grip.

[dkjretired]

Sammiedawg, the record is skipping and skipping and skipping, CDC report, bugs, CDC report Bugs, bugs, bugs, bugs. The problem Sammiedawg is that several of us have recently cruised on this ship and did not see any BUGS, and had a wonderful time and did not get sick and were not overcome by the thick black smoke belching from the smokestacks (I guess it was because we all were wearing gasmasks). Your account just does not even remotely describe mine. I am not a blind Celebrity fan, this ship is almost 10 years old and is not new and does not look new, but it is well cared for. You need to get a grip.

 

Lee:

 

I tend to agree with you, finding fault is one thing but this has been going on for over a month. I will bet the same comments are not repeated once the re-inspection report comes through.

 

Let us try and put this into perspective. There were some roaches found on the Century and no one on these boards would have known about them if the CDC didn't have its inspection program. There would be no complaining or anything and life would have just gone on as always. I am sure they were gone five minutes after the inspectors left and from what I have read the senior staff on board responsible was relieved of their duties. The reason I bring up about nobody knowing about the roaches does not make it right but in reality they are everywhere. As a retired Police Officer I have entered many a restaurant and food facility in the middle of the night on alarms and what you see would surprise most. This is old news about the Century and t lets hear from people who are on the ship now and since the inspection.

 

Don

[bellasorella]

sorry for those of you on the 12/18 sailing. I agree that better notification in Grand Cayman and a better resolution of your skipped port and early arrival would have been warranted.

 

We were on the 12/24 sailing, and for those of you interested in the resolution, we were told there was a rope wrapped around the prop that needed to be removed and it was done in FLL port -- divers, etc. We own a (much, much smaller) boat and had this problem last year -- it can happen without going onto a sandbar, or damaging the shaft, so I wouldn't be so quick to blame the captain for that. We did leave FLL much later than scheduled so they could complete the repair -- at 10 PM rather than 4:30, which did somewhat curtail the Christmas eve festivities....

 

I will write a longer report as soon as I have time (just back) but I basically agree with previous posters: Service, food and staffing still very good; ship IS showing some signs of wear on tiles, fittings, wood surfaces, etc. that should be addressed. But there is definitely something amiss in terms of overall ship management, altho I don't know where the fault properly lies. Little stuff -- but it all adds up to lack of attention to detail: Ice machines and water dispensers broken and not fixed for the whole cruise, hot tubs not hot, dishes not always sparkling clean when you get them at the buffet line (or even in the dining room), broken window in the gym not repaired --- stuff like that. I was very alert to "food" issues and certainly saw no bugs in the shakers at the Island Cafe -- but come to think of it, I don't salt my food. Eek. Anyway, a good cruise with good people and generally very pleasant staff. Celebrity IS slipping, in an accumulation of small ways, but it still delivers a pretty good product -- for now.

[sammiedawg]

I didn't say I saw bugs. someone on the 12/24 cruise saw bugs and asked if this was normal on a cruise ship. I posted that Bugs were a problem on the CDC inspection in November. .

For your information, the CDC end of year list came out, the Century is still a 79, there has been no repeat inspection so my concerns are still valid, esp when someone reports they;re seeing bugs around the ship..