Century Review - 1/23 - 1/28

[kannna]

The thing was we weren't in Select Dining. We were in regular early seating ;)

[kate0305]

Wow, I was on this same cruise with my SIL and had a completely opposite experience.

I spent most of the cruise at a bar. The bartenders were fabulous...would chat with you if they had time, but if people were around, they were WORKING. Paul (from Jamaica) was really good at remembering names and drink of choice. On the pool buffet night, I was eyeballing a coconut on a waiters tray, and he walked across the pool deck to ask if I was smiling at the coconut, and would I like one. Before the dessert thing in the Crystal Room, no one was in the Crystal Room, so I spoke at length with Nenad....and he did express concern that his english was shaky and he got nervous when he did not understand.

Our cabin attendant (and we were low down on deck 4) was so fantastic-brought me lots of water after my evening in the Crystal Room....lets call it 'motion' sickness. He also had large pool towels for us every day-fresh ones!! And towel animals :)

Our waiter Wayan and his assistant Milan were attentive without hovering. And Milan is just the cutest thing ever- struck up a convo in the Island Cafe when we strolled in around lunch time the second day.

As for the pool chair hogs- and aside from the first WINDY day (departure day) I rarely saw an empty chair on the main deck- and I mean full of bodies, not unattended stuff.

I will agree on the length of time it took to address mischarges- we had pre-paid packages and there were 3 drink charges on the first day when there should have had none. It took reminding Leroy and Benito (the bar managers) to get it taken care of. But it was taken off before the end of the cruise.

The rudest person I encountered was in the spa. But Tanya (manager) came over and smoothed it all over.

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience.....ours was so fabulous, I am thinking about a trip in May to go see all the staff we made friends with, and continue to email or facebook with.

[ehrlichpuppy]

Wow, I was on this same cruise with my SIL and had a completely opposite experience.

 

I also had a wonderful time on the Jan 23rd sailing - just a few minor misunderstandings which were addressed quickly. I actually posted my own review on this board.

[librarylady19]

I don't know why so many posters are expressing surprise/disbelief that the OP had a lousy experience while their cruise was wonderful. First off, unless it's something that affects a large percentage of the passengers, i.e. bad weather, Norovirus, change in itinerary, etc.. experiences will vary greatly. As has been repeated many times on CC, opinions and reactions vary. While Celebrity surely tries to maintain a consistent standard of service and facilities, some staff are better than others, some cabins are in better shape than others. We have different issues that set us off. I personally don't like noisy, unruly kids or smoking so if I encountered either of these, it would aggravate me and negatively impact my experience. Others aren't bothered by these things but have their own pet peeves.

I do not doubt that there are negative experiences on cruises, but unless they accumulate to the point where most reviews are negative, don't stress.

If posters are beaten up for negative comments, this will become "Cruise Cheerleader."

[Kre8tiv1]

Thank you Librarylady.

 

I find it very inconsiderate that some posters feel the need to “hijack” my review by posting (in the thread that I created) that they were on the same cruise and had a great experience, as if to somehow prove me wrong. This is not a contest. There is no right or wrong. I wouldn’t post on your thread that I had more negative experience and direct others to read my review -- as if to discount your opinion. As Librarylady pointed out, there many employees on a cruise ship. Some better than others. Folks will have different experiences.

 

If you really take the time to read what I wrote, you will see that I stressed that no single incident in itself was major (except for the double charging of gratuities). But when you add them up, for me it exhibited a lack of attention to detail and customer service. And based on the standards that I expect when I vacation, I will not choose Celebrity again.

 

Kate – no disrespect but, it makes sense that the bartenders were attentive to you since you were obviously lining their pockets. But for me, who only ordered an occasional drink, the service was not satisfactory.

 

I will repeat, I had Select Dining. It was the first time it was offered on the Century and it was a mess. To all of you who insist on reiterating that your wait staff was great, that’s fabulous, but you didn’t have Select Dining so PLEASE stop comparing apples to oranges.

 

I encourage everyone who cruises to take the time to post their own review and to be mindful not to criticize others whose experience might have been different than yours (either good or bad).

[kannna]

When you post on this "discussion" board it opens your review up for discussion. People talk about it. They respond to what you have to say by expressing thier opinion and alternate experiences be they be the same as yours or otherwise. That is how this joint works. If you didn't want anyone to express themselves in relation to your review or the same cruise or ship, you should've just posted a review on the review board where no one can respond. I'm not trying to sound malicious. Just stating how things are.

[fernem]

see posting below ... double posted by mistake! :eek:

[fernem]

It is, in my opinion, a silly idea ... a naive idea, to soften it ... to think this forum is a place where your opinions cannot be legitimately responded to with other opinions. This thread idea is, in actuality, an on line conversation. It is not a monologue.

 

I do think the OP presented a very negative experience on the Century ... tempered days later with a comment that they did also have fun. It was not a balanced take on the ship, it was one woman's perhaps angry exigesis on why she would never return to Celebrity. The OP is entitled to this perspective ... she earned it with her less than stellar Celebrity experience. Fine. Take the money and run. Go elsewhere. Enjoy.

 

But to suggest we need to support this perspective to the point of not contributing other experiences borders on hubris ... or, again, naivety.

 

Many people enjoy Century. The OP did not.

 

fern

[Kre8tiv1]

Kanna,

For your information, I did post on the review board.

Femen,

Who exactly are you to deem that my observations were unbalanced? Were you on this cruise? If so, please share your experience.

While I am absolutely in favor of intelligent and constructive dialogue, the tone of this particular thread has become “I’m right, you’re wrong”. Which, I might add, can clearly be seen by others, prompting them to post in my defense.

It is sad that some are so lacking in astuteness and insightfulness as to not see this.

It is not an uncommon phenomenon on boards such as these -- people feel the need to jump to the defense of Celebrity (or whomever) with such vigor, it's as if any negative post was a direct insult to them personally.

[hannibal54]

Regardless of all of this talk back and forth between good and bad, I am still going to be on the Century next month. This way I will be able to make my own decision on how my cruise was. I like reading both sides.

[kate0305]

UGH. So done with discussion boards.

 

People 'hijacking' threads to offer alternative opinions.....OMG is this a DISCUSSION board, or someone's personal blog.

 

I believe, more often than not people who are unhappy with their experiences, it is just another symptom of their life as a whole.

 

Attitude is everything my friends. I have a sunny disposition. I smile and show interest in people. Whether I line their pockets or not, people respond to me in a positive manner because they sense that I have genuine enthusiasm. I expect respect, because I give it.

 

And before people jump on how they are treated by service folk...think about how you treat them. Having put myself through college and graduate school by working in bars and restaurants, it can be quite difficult to smile and be attentive to rude and demanding customers. Especially when you work at least 14 hours a day, seven days a week, for six months....which you probably don't know about cruise ship staff because you were too busy worrying about how you were being treated instead of treating staff like real people.

[ehrlichpuppy]

Kate-

You sound like a lot of fun, I wish we had met you onboard.

[kate0305]

Kate-

You sound like a lot of fun, I wish we had met you onboard.

 

And I would have bought you a drink and proceeded to make you talk to me ;)

 

 

I'm still not sure if it is good or bad that lots of the staff knew my SIL and I by name!!!

[num1crewsfam]

I was on the same cruise...just posted my review and then found yours. Seems as though we had the same cruise experience. Thank you for posting.