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Itineraries and Ports of Call: Caribbean - Western
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Celebrity Century Review
Even as Celebrity is boldly moving forward with the construction of the fleet's enormous new 118,000-ton, 2,850-passenger Solstice-class ships (second in size only to sister line Royal Caribbean's Freedom-class ships), the company's recent $55 million makeover of Century heralds a new initiative, too.
Widely thought to be a test case for the line -- the success of Century's massive refurbishment will determine whether its siblings Mercury and Galaxy get a new life as well -- this ship returned from five-week dry-dock in early June 2006 with 314 new verandahs.
Other new features include the addition of 14 suites and 10 more standard cabins (ranging from inside to verandah); expansion of Celebrity's ConciergeClass concept; and the introduction of Murano, a new specialty restaurant in the tradition of the Millennium-class' elegant alternative eateries. The existing AquaSpa was completely gutted and re-designed, and it's beautiful, one of the most serene spas in cruise-dom. It too got some new features; most notably the industry's first treatment room for folks with disabilities; the line's only stand-alone AquaSpa Cafe (on other ships it's a buffet line tucked into the solarium pool area); a barber shop for men; and a separate but adjacent home for the fleet's burgeoning Acupuncture at Sea program.
All over the ship, public rooms have been spiffed up, with gorgeous, lush window treatments and fanciful new carpets. The Martini Bar (also dubbed the ice bar for its shivery color scheme) is easily the most popular lounge onboard -- the only shame is that the room is simply too small to handle the demand. The Islands' Cafe, located on the aft section of the Lido, has gotten the refurbishment treatment and serves as the ship's casual yet elegant restaurant at night (it abuts the exotic sushi cafe, which opens at 6 p.m. and is a favorite onboard). The teens have X-treme, their own dedicated hang-out, and the Fun Factory for the younger set has been expanded as a result of the removal of six passenger cabins.
Ultimately, one of the most pleasant new touches is the updating and upgrading of staterooms. Whether inside, outside, verandah or ConciergeClass, the standard staterooms are boutique hotel chic. Instead of simply sticking a new piece of art on the wall and changing bedding, designers have actually given these cabins a whole new vibe. Oak panels cover most of the walls and create an inset into which a new flat-screen television fits perfectly. Above the bed, a dark wood cabinet fixture -- centered by an intriguingly abstract tropical mural in warm colors -- offers a splash of joie de vivre. Bathrooms have the now-popular raised basins.
The refurbishment of Celebrity's Century certainly raises the profile of this 11-year old ship. And it now measures up to the more design-forward vessels of today's contemporary era (save, perhaps, for the casino; while it got new curtains and carpet, and have begun to offer the newer table games, its machines are amusingly of the original Century).
And while a ship of this size can't always compete with its bigger (but not necessarily better, mind you!) counterparts, where Century can excel is in offering a best-of-both-worlds experience -- one featuring a comfortable blend of today's required amenities (from private balconies to alternative dining) along with the more intimate ambience offered by smaller vessels.
To that end, consistency of service on Century is key, and on our trip it wobbled. In some cases, it was excellent -- the staff of Murano is top-notch, the shore excursion department ran the smoothest operation I've encountered, and Celebrity's trademark Michael's Pub is still our favorite cozy bar, in large part because of the sweet (if oft-overwhelmed) bartender who took lovely care of all the patrons.
In other cases, service was so bad it bordered on ridiculous. Being seated alone and largely ignored at a table for six in the Grand Dining Room on the first formal night -- one in which the maitre 'd already knew that fellow tablemates were dining elsewhere that evening -- was an inexcusable lapse. And too many times, staffers -- mostly in the food and beverage area, from the main dining room to the Martini Bar -- ignored patrons, seemingly deigning to take a drink order or proffer a plate at the buffet. Cabin stewards you passed in the hallways looked at the floor rather than greet the passenger. These incidents were off-putting and unsettling.
If Celebrity can fix the service issues, Century is a ship that this fan of mid-sized vessels would return to in a heartbeat. Fail to address them? Then the home court advantage that this ship should enjoy via a size that encourages warmth and intimacy, will fail to materialize. Even with the fabulous new look.
 Read Complete Celebrity Century Review
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Celebrity Ships: Celebrity Century • Celebrity Constellation • Celebrity Eclipse • Celebrity Equinox • Celebrity Infinity • Celebrity Mercury • Celebrity Millennium • Celebrity Silhouette • Celebrity Solstice • Celebrity Summit • Celebrity Xpedition
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