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Celebrity Cruise Line

MV Century

Your Rating:
Reviewed by: Cheryl Richardson
# previous cruises: 1
Date of Trip: December 16, 2000
Itinerary: Caribbean - Western

This was our first cruise, and we had a great time. I was very pleased with our choice. I'd definitely take Celebrity again although I wouldn't mind trying other, comparable, cruise lines. This is a great line for those in their 30's and up. 20 year-olds may like it if they are not the partying type.

I thought the ship was very classy. I liked the teak wood decks, and all the wood trim. I had some trouble finding my way around, but my husband figured it all out in no time. There was so much to see, and some of the areas were not so easy to find--which was great if you wanted privacy. Often we could find a nook or cranny where we could be alone. We were still finding new areas the last night of the cruise. We liked Michaels club-the cigar bar-although we've heard complaints about it. Frankly, we were excited to try a cuban cigar even though we don't normally smoke, and the atmosphere in there was great. The casino was great, and the casino staff were very fun to talk with. The atmosphere in the Casino was very relaxed, not like Vegas at all. I felt comfortable trying new card games and being a newbie at it. The pool was very crowded on sea days, but I had heard this ahead of time. We spent the early part of these days in the spa, gym, casino and other parts of the ship (or napping). Then, we headed for the pool around 3 to 3:30 after the crowd died down. It kept us from getting burned, and worked out fairly well. By the way--it is the pool area that is crowded-the deck chairs-but the pools themselves were never crowded. I liked the saltwater pools b/c they made it easier to swim. The hot tubs were great and often crowded, but we enjoyed them often.

The service was great overall. Our room attendant was the best (after a shaky start--no soap in my room.) She was super friendly and very helpful. She even called late in the a.m. the first day to see if my spouse was all right since he was still sleeping (He had a cold; I went to the gym.) She was really concerned. I found all the staff very friendly. I think Celebrity treats their staff well. They had tv specials that aired about their staff-the entertainment staff, anyhow and it was kind of interesting. Also, they have a private pool just for the staff. I think this shows up in their staff's attitude. Our waiter and his assistant seemed very, very busy and there were some minor mistakes, but they put in a lot of effort and always remembered our preferences. We thought the formal dining room had the best food, but the buffets were good too. The alternative dining was okay, but I'd recommend going to the formal room. As far as I was concerned the food was plentiful. There was room service 24/7 and pizza every day from 3-7 and 10- 3 am. I never got to try the daily tea or midnight buffets. Also, they had low fat/calorie choices that were very good. Skip the buffet scrambled eggs and go for the omelettes!

The cabin had a lot of storage space and wood trim and accents. The bathroom was large, and the shower large enough. The window was huge and there was a nice view from it. Our cabin was on the 10th floor next to all the penthouses. We checked these out and they were nice, although our neighbors said the deck was windy and so they didn't use it so much, and certainly not to eat out on. We could hear our neighbors through the walls, but it wasn't as bad when we were not in port b/c of engine noise (like white noise-it did not keep me awake.)

The shows were fine, although shows aren't so important to me. There were several vegas like shows, a comedian and a magician. The singers were very good. The shows tried to appeal to all ages.

The excursions we took were the catamaran/snorkel/Dunns' River falls in Jamaica and the Chichen Itza tour in Cozumel. The catamaran/snorkel was fun. The staff were very good and capable. The captain led the snorkel and he made an effort to explain the fish and coral we saw. If you love snorkeling or are a pro, then this is not the excursion for you. I'd wait until Grand Cayman or Cozumel. The fish and coral are better. But, it was good exercise and I always felt safe. The water was warm and the sailing was fun. The staff will try and sell you stuff like pictures and braid your hair, etc, but I felt comfortable saying no thanks. The guides a Dunns falls were great. They hold your cameras and take pictures for you. It was mildly challenging and totally worth it. Chichen Itza was expensive compared to other tours b/c you have to fly there--it was totally worth it!! Our guide, Felipe, was wonderful. I liked the shopping in Grand Cayman, and the public beach was cheap and the water was wonderful. No waves but clean and clear. I felt totally safe on Grand Cayman, while Jamaica was a little dicey if you weren't with a tour. We got a little tired of saying "no thank you" all the time and the barbed wire and armed guards/police are a little intimidating. Key West was well, Key West. We are American so were weren't so excited, really, but the international staff, especially British, had great things to say about it.

We met the greatest people. I'm not normally outgoing with strangers, but I felt very comfortable. We've exchanged cards with the couples we met. I enjoyed being with an older crowd. There were no partying 20 somethings, at least no one having shot contests and the like. A lot of partying 30-somethings and up, which was perfect for us. Almost no kids (only 40, I heard) and I only saw 10 total the whole cruise, and the ones I did see were very well-behaved. I've only been on one cruise, but I think I've figured something out: don't go on a cruise at vacation/spring break times if you don't want to deal with screaming youngsters and out of control teens. Duh!