We just returned from a great Western Caribbean cruise onboard Celebrity Century. We are highly seasoned cruise travelers expecting quality above value. We have a keen eye for when things go right, other than when they go wrong. We were very curious to find out how well Celebrity accomplished the 55 million dollar revitalization of Century. We are pleased to report that they did a great job, and made the ship very comfortable and welcoming. The ship called at Key West and Grand Cayman. There is plenty of information regarding both ports already posted, so we decided to describe our onboard experience.

Embarkation : Embarkation in Miami was a breeze. There were 15 or so porters accepting luggage. Once we entered the terminal there were separate lines for Captain's Club members, and guests in Suites or Concierge Class. The entire process took less than 10 minutes. We received our Sea Pass cards and entered a big waiting lounge. There were plenty of chairs, and several staff members to direct everyone to a seat prior to the actual embarkation starting. We were able to board at 11:30 a.m. Guests go through two x-ray machines and up the escalator to board the ship. We noticed the Celebrity staff offering extra assistance to folks in wheelchairs, or who had any difficulty walking. Overall, all staff working shore side were very personable and efficient.

We boarded the ship and were greeted with the usual champagne glass. We were informed the staterooms would be available after 1p.m. Celebrity Cruises lives up to its claim that it will treat you like a celebrity. They have indeed mastered the art of making you feel like you are the only one. That's no small task considering the ship carries up to 1750 guests. Celebrity Today, the ship's daily program welcomes you aboard with the headline Welcome to the Dawn of a New Century. It goes on to describe  All of you cruising with us are part of a very elite group. You are amongst the first guests to sail on the Century following completion of an extraordinary, $55-million makeover. This transformation took place in five weeks, while drydocked at Fincantieri shipyard in Palermo, Italy. The program describes the 314 new verandas and 14 new Sky Suites, the new bedding, Samsung flat-screen TVs and wireless internet access, and the renewed bathrooms with surface-mounted sinks and chrome fixtures. Read more