Is the Century going to be stretched?

[Ocruise]

Is there any truth to the rumor that the Century is being stretched? If so, any idea when they will do this?

~ Marina

[Lois R]

Hi thankfully it is only a rumor...a bad one at that...

I spoke to 2 people while on the Mercury...both said she will not be streched...lets hope they are correct! (she was going to be, but they decided not to do it).

 

Next up...HORIZON Sept 18th to Bermuda!

 

See My Century and Mercury Pictures at:

http://community.webshots.com/user/lovescruising

[Danno]

Why would anyone want to take such a fabulous ship and stretch her...I know, revenue. Lets hope that this rumour NEVER becomes a fact.

 

BIGGER IS NOT BETTER...at least when refering to ships.

 

Dan

 

CenturyX1,GalaxyX2,HorizonX5,VolendamX1,

 

Zenith to Bermuda Oct/04

Century to E.Caribbean Feb/05

[usha]

...or waistlines!

[JJPNYC]

Century is fine as-is!!

 

If the whole basis for the stretch is to add a specialty restaurant, why doesn't Celebrity just gut Sky Bar & build a speciality restaurant in that space?

 

RCCL's Sovereign of the Seas /1990 / Eastern Caribbean

HAL's Rotterdam V / 1993 /Alaska

Princess' Royal Princess/ 1998 / Baltic Sea

Celebrity's Century / August 2003 / Eastern Caribbean

Celebrity's Mercury / 11/26/04 / Mexican Riviera -Honeymoon Cruise

[Fang]

It makes sense to build a specialty restaurant in the Sky Bar, but that area is used by the fun factory staff for a lot of kids.

 

I guess Celebrity would have to see what additional revenue a specialty restaurant would be compared to the loss in revenue in families taking vacation on the Century. The fun factory on the Century is very small and will not hold all of the kids.

 

My two daughters use the fun factory everyday and I would rather have them in the Sky bar than doing activites on deck were a lot of people would not want them.

[fllady]

Century is not going to be stretched. Horizon and Zenith will be having balconies added while they are in dry dock. Thats exactly what those ships need. Can't wait to see them finished.

 

Emerald Seas 1980

Norway 1994

Zenith 1995

Royal Majesty 1995

Century 1996, 1999

Ecstasy 1996

Mercury 1997

Horizon 1998

NCL Wind 1998

Grand Princess 1999

Sea Princess 2000

Infinity 2001

NCL Star 2002

Millennium 2003

Summit 2003, 2004

Summit (4 day) April 26,2004

Sun Princess Nov.22, 2004

[Shirley and Les]

Nope, a century will be 100 years long. There are no plans to change its length. You might note that a pound of coffee is now about 13 ounces but we are going to keep a century at 100 years.

I saw there were six responses to this thread and Newt hadn't pointed out th obvious response, sooooo I had to leap into the breach.

Les

[superjerryw]

Just what we needed, backup for Newt.....

 

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<param name="year" value=2004>

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Donuts, is there anything they can't do....

[Ti2m]

It is not a rumor. We sailed in November and at one of the seminars a staff member said X want to make the Century bigger. The current plan floating around is to cut it in half and make it wider.

 

I hope they rethink it and forget it. Just read the majority of Century posts ... the beauty is the size!

 

Timm

 

Timm

 

Celebrity Century 2/02

Carnival Spirit 1/03

Celebrity Century 11/03

Celebrity Millennium 1/05

 

[Lois R]

Hi Tim...maybe they have reconsidered since November...I spoke with a Sr Officer ( I was on the Mercury)...they said it was planned but decided against it.

Lets hope they don't stretch her.

 

Next up...HORIZON Sept 18th to Bermuda!

 

See My Century and Mercury Pictures at:

http://community.webshots.com/user/lovescruising

[tbelian]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ti2m:

It is not a rumor. a staff member said X want to make the Century bigger.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

I disagree. It is a rumor. I seriously doubt 'a staff member' would really know what Miami has planned. Century was in dry dock approximately 1 year ago. If they were going to do it, it would have made sense to do it then. It costs ways too much money to mess with success. Additionally, this rumor has popped up before, and it hasn't happened.

 

IMHO.

 

Regards.

[Ti2m]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by tbelian:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ti2m:

It is not a rumor. a staff member said X want to make the Century bigger.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

I disagree. It is a rumor.

Regards.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

I was there ... you weren't. Simple as that. I know what was stated. It is not an opinion. Besides, I don't think a staff member of Celebrity would be aloud to talk about such a thing in an official capacity if it were not being considered or discussed by X. This was a seminar about the future of Celebrity. The new acquisition of the Galapagos ship, new ports stops, Concierge class, and lots of other things were talked about.

 

Regards,

 

Timm

 

Celebrity Century 2/02

Carnival Spirit 1/03

Celebrity Century 11/03

Celebrity Millennium 1/05

 

[Guest]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ti2m:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by tbelian:

Originally posted by Ti2m:

It is not a rumor. a staff member said X want to make the Century bigger.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

I disagree. It is a rumor.

Regards.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

I was there ... you weren't. Simple as that. I know what was stated. It is not an opinion. Besides, I don't think a staff member of Celebrity would be aloud to talk about such a thing in an official capacity if it were not being considered or discussed by X. This was a seminar about the future of Celebrity. The new acquisition of the Galapagos ship, new ports stops, Concierge class, and lots of other things were talked about.

 

Regards,

 

Timm

 

Timm:

 

No one is disagreeing that someone didn't say this to you it is just the claim being made by the crew member. Contrary to your comment, crew members have been saying these things for years and rumors have been just that rumors. Celebrity has made no comments about stretching any of their ships and a couple of months ago it was commented on by a number of reliable sources that Zenith and Horizon would receive this treatment and they are not.

 

Don

[Ti2m]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by dkjretired:

[

No one is disagreeing that someone didn't say this to you it is just the claim being made by the crew member.

Don<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

Hmmmm ... guess it boils down to the definition of "rumor". I see a rumor as something stated but unconfirmed. Like lots of bull here on these boards.

 

If I hear something discussed in a seminar by a Celebrity staff member, I take that as a future consideration not a rumor.

 

Celebrity Century 2/02

Carnival Spirit 1/03

Celebrity Century 11/03

Celebrity Millennium 1/05

 

[tbelian]

Sounds like someone might be of a mind to wager? Anyone Anyone?

 

Well, since technically gambling is not 'legit' perhaps a gentleman's agreement then? I say no, the century will not be stretched... and I'm willing to make the 'gentleman's agreement' on it based on what makes sense, what it would cost, and how many other times i've seen this 'rumor' (From 'senior shipboard staff', pick hotel manager, restaraunt manager, whatever). Will you take that wager?

 

The fact of the matter is, at the end of the day, the only thing that is 'bull' is that Celebrity, suffering from intense competition, and fleet wide cost cutting measures, would spend the millions to 'stretch' a ship that is virtually always fully booked, and only does the Carribean. They have a success story in Century, and I wager they wont mess with it.

[safein]

The Century is perfect just the way she is!!!!! Better not to fool with a good thing!

 

If she were to be stretched, she would wind up being larger than her sisters, Mercury and Galaxy but smaller than the Millie class. I also asked the same question on our November cruise and at that point, it was not feasible to stretch her, especially at the European shipyards with the dollar exchange not being in the US favor.

 

Anita

 

And now Infinity 2005!

Millennium 2003

Century 2002

Summit 2001

Century 2000

Zenith 1996

Horizon 1994

Horizon 1993

Sunward 1992

Star Princess 1990

Maxim Gorky 1974 & 1975

[Guest]

Tbelian:

 

That is a bet that I would not take, I agree with what you said. So many senior staff have commented that it would be strectched over so many months with so many posts on these boards.

 

Don

[LMKohler]

What fleet-wide cost cutting measures???? I just got off Summit last month and didn't notice anything but improvements.

[tbelian]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by LMKohler:

What fleet-wide cost cutting measures???? I just got off Summit last month and didn't notice anything but improvements.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

oops!, Sorry, I guess maybe I took too much stock in the 'other' rumors I've read here about declining food quality, lousy service, being 'nickle and dimed' to death by Celebrity for everything and anything .... I guess I should have said 'rumored fleet wide cost cutting measures'

[albertiger]

first, while a ship can be stretched lengthwise, (NCL has done many) they CANNOT be widened! as to the Horizon/Zenith balcony rumor, this IS true. I saw the prototype balcony on Horizon while in Nassau on Galaxy 3 weeks ago. also was confirmed by captain at c.c. party. these will be concierge class cabins with totally cool new bathrooms. pictures are available somewhere on this board, do a search. and pertaining to cost cutting, in my opinion they must have cut the food budget because it was very ordinary on Galaxy, NCL Sun was much better this past Dec.!

 

"live long and prosper...so you may cruise!"

[LMKohler]

tbelian -- hahahaha, rumor or not -- last month Summit service was tops, the food better than anything I EVER ate at home and I am an adult, I can watch the "nickel and diming"!!

Lucy

[dougnewmanatsea]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ti2m:

The current plan floating around is to cut it in half and make it wider.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Wider?

 

I can't be positive of course but I am 99.9% sure that any plan "floating around", or at least anything being seriously considered, would be for lengthening the ship, not widening it.

 

For one thing, if they were to widen her, she would be too wide to fit through the Panama Canal.

 

However, albertiger is not correct in saying that "a ship ... CANNOT be widened!" It is quite uncommon and I cannot think of a passenger ship that has been widened, except for one which has been sitting unfinished in Greece for ages, but ships of other kinds have been widened. It is highly unlikely that CENTURY would be widened and on this particular ship it might not even be possible (I'm not a naval architect so I really can't say) but I do know that ships have been widened successfully. In fact if I am not mistaken the largest ship of any kind in the world, the supertanker JAHRE VIKING, was at one point widened (it was at that point that she became the largest ship in the world).

 

Doug Newman

Cruise Critic Message Boards Host

e-mail: shiploverny AT yahoo DOT com

[Lois R]

hi Doug..one correction...the CENTURY doesn't "do the Panama Canal"..she is the only ship in the fleet that stays in the Caribbean..and alternates Eastern/Western all year round.

I can also only go by the information I was given while on the Mercury. (I was speaking with a couple of Sr Officers)...not sure if they would know more than crew on the Century...but I was told, they were planning to do some expansion on her...but then decided not to and will be leaving her as she is....PERFECT to me

 

Next up...HORIZON Sept 18th to Bermuda!

 

See My Century and Mercury Pictures at:

http://community.webshots.com/user/lovescruising

[Guest]

Lois:

 

I think the reference to the Panama Canal is in regards to the Panamax dimensions which would eliminate a ship from going through the canal. Many ships are made to these specs just for that reason. The reason they wouldn't want to change it is in the event the ship changes its itinerary. I don't know if you remember but two years ago the Century was scheduled to do Europe during the summer thus leaving Celebrity with no ships in the Caribbean for that summer. They changed their plans after booking European cruises and Century has done the East and West cruises ever since. Things change but I also love the Century, she is my favorite.

 

Don