Favorite memories on Celebrity's past ships..... Zenith, Horizon, Galaxy, Mercury??

[njhh]

Although the Constellation is my favorite ship, I think the Horizon wins the prize for most sentimental. I loved that bar at the top and forward (The Admirals Cup?) so cozy and the primo spot for a full view. Wood teak, royal blue, did I already mention cozy and the best view on the ship? So quiet, tranquil and beautiful. I have not experienced the same feeling since my sailings on her...

[riredsox]

The Horizon was my boyfriends first cruise. We had 20 foot seas over and back to Bermuda and it rained every day but one. I thought Oh No he'll never cruise again but he fell in love with it. We then did the Galaxy 5 times to the Caribbean and the Mercury 8 times in the last year including the farewell cruise. I will miss these small ships, you actually knew you were on a ship and not a floating city! The crew on all three ships were amazing and I will miss them more than the ships.......

[bighairtexan]

I was on the Zenith in I believe 1992, which I think was its inaugural year. LOVED that ship. As we were returning to the ship, they were trying to direct foot traffic as there were several ships in port. The person directing us to the Zenith was British so kept repeating ZEN-ith ZEN..ith. My ex husband just looked at them and shook his head and said "NO, we're on Celebrity!". Even my 10 year old daughter looked at him as if he had lost his mind. 19 years later the kids and I will randomly say "No, we're on Celebrity."

[TravelerThom]

Although the Constellation is my favorite ship, I think the Horizon wins the prize for most sentimental. I loved that bar at the top and forward (The Admirals Cup?) so cozy and the primo spot for a full view. Wood teak, royal blue, did I already mention cozy and the best view on the ship? So quiet, tranquil and beautiful. I have not experienced the same feeling since my sailings on her...

I think that lounge was "America's Cup" and had pictures and models of boats that had won that famous sailing race. It was a beautiful lounge.

 

Thom

[Ma Bell]

Actually I could have used some "choicer" words:eek:, but made an effort to make my comments less than X [and I don't mean Celebrity;)].

 

On the recent Mercury Farewell cruise I was riding in the elevator and considering how much better elevators were on the "old" ships. I know everything ends up being a function of cost, but having longer ships with more passengers dealing with S-class' two banks of elevators versus Mercury's [and H-class and M-class] three banks of elevators is certainly a step down [rather contrary to Celebrity's old "a step above" tag line]. I also enjoyed the relative peace and quiet of the Mercury elevator; after one week on Solstice I would have gladly strangled the "elevator lady" who each and every floor announced "Deck 6" "door opening" "door closing" and should there be a late arrival who aborts the door closing once again "door opening" "door closing". I'll put up with a deck announcement, but really wish they would otherwise shut up and leave me in peace. After all a significant reason I travel with Celebrity is the absence of announcements other than at noon. One of my early cruises was on NCL, and the continual announcements were so intrusive, they in themselves were enough to make me not want to go back. I will once again concede the beauty of S-class, but IMO quite a number of items [some of which I have specified] are a decided step down from the older ships.

 

Thom

 

 

I imagine it has something to do with trying to make it more efficient. People who don't see well are able to move off and on the elevators with more confidence. It sure cuts down on the indecision at each floor.

 

Our first Celebrity cruise was on Horizon in 1994. We've sailed on all Celebrity's ships since then and have had many memorable experiences. We did the BTB Australia-NZ-South Pacific cruise with Karynlass and had an absolutely wonderful, memorable time!

[phinn]

I was on the Zenith when she was just 4 months "new". Then, the pools and hot tubs were open all night and we spent a number of them in the hot tub at 1am watching the stars. My favorite memory of that ship was our waiter, who found out one of the nights was our anniversary so he went into town when we docked and got us a card. I was so impressed with his thoughtfullness. That crew and ship was amazing.

[mrshark]

we did Zenith to Bermuda in 2006 I think wish I would have sailed on her sooner, what a great little ship, I don't need all the fancy bells and whistles, I want relaxation and good service, and it was tops on that ship.

[Cruiser Susie]

Our first cruise on the Galaxy was supposed to be in March of 1997. Unfortunately, we couldn't find a sitter for our three teenagers at the time, and couldn't bring them along for other reasons, so we canceled that trip. We finally made it aboard her 10 years later. We had a phenomenal time; loved the ship, the thalossotherapy pool and the small and always packed Martini Bar. We had such a good time we came back a year later, shortly before she was to leave the fleet. We met the Hotel Director one evening when the diamond suddenly fell out of my engagement ring, which I'd worn for over 30 years. We had been in the Martini Bar prior to dinner, when I noticed it was missing. Our waiter and assistant waiter were under the table with flashlights, trying to see if it was there. It was not. We went back to the Martini Bar where Damien O'Connor was sitting in the seat I had been in. Trying to be unobtrusive, I was attempting to look under his chair without interfering in his conversation. I think he wondered what on earth I was doing as he soon paused and asked me if he could help me. When I explained what had happened, he also got down on the floor with a flashlight and looked, and looked for it. It was never found, but I will never forget how courteous and genuinely concerned he was about that diamond. I have hoped to sail with him again at some point, but we keep missing him by a month or so. So, in case he happens to see this, I wanted to say thank you again to him.

 

We saw the Galaxy (Mein Schiff) in Grenada last year, and found it intriguing that the balconies (some of them) had hammocks swinging on them!

[RSVE821]

Looks like I'm the only poster so far to have sailed Celebrity's first ship, the Meridian (formerly the Galileo pulled from the Chandris fleet and refitted for Celebrity). We were on the second sailing in 1990. She was an old ship already, built in the early 60's but the refit was nicely done. This was the first introduction of a famous chef, Michel Roux, creating menu's for Celebrity and I remember being quite impressed.

 

The ship was sold in 1997 to Sun Cruises and sadly, caught fire and sank off of Malaysia. Fortunatley all passengers and crew escaped unharmed.

 

Here is a link to the ships history.....

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Galileo_Galilei

[hencoll]

We sailed the Meridian in 1997 - R/T Baltimore to Bermuda. It was my eldest DDs first cruise, she was about 18months. I remember a travel agent trying to discourage us from taking her because according to her "children were not welcomed" on Celebrity. It was the the cruise my mom chose and she was treating me and DD. We had an absolute blast, the crew treated her like a princess. Beautiful old ship but our cabin was an oddly shaped inside.

 

We also sailed the Galaxy in 2002. 10 Night Caribbean from Baltimore. Once again it was my mom, me and my eldest DD again. She was 6 this time. Once again a great cruise on a beautiful old ship. My DD enjoyed the kids club and my mom and I loved going to one of the lounges to listen to music and talk.

[LeftcoastBC]

I loved the hot tubs on the back deck on the Zenith. Sitting in them and watching the wake was just wonderful.

 

Met great friends on both the Horizon and the Zenith.

 

Need another "Like Button" for this one too.

 

I distinctly recall sailing down the coast of Jamaica sitting in those tubs, top aft and enjoying drinks and socializing with everyone..in the warm weather of the Caribbean.... man that was great.

 

Now the Horizon's tubs were a much different issue....cause they were gone by the time we sailed her.

[TravelerThom]

The first Celebrity ship we sailed on was Horizon, and we enjoyed our three times on board. In 2005 it was chartered by Island Cruises and operated as Island Star. In April 2009 it became Pullmantur's Pacific Dream. I see in the RCL Annual Report that as of October 2010 the ship has reverted to Horizon [still with Pullmantur].

 

Zenith and Horizon still have the metal Chandris / Celebrity "X" on the funnel, painted over but readily visible. Mein Schiff seems to have removed the metal "X". Was the "X" less firmly attached to the later ships?

 

Thom

[Tucker in Texas]

Our first experience was, also, the Chandris Amerkanis out of New York to Bermuda. Our boys were 6 and 11 then and shared a cabin with us. They were free! Well, we had to pay $24 each for port charges. As my husband told the TA, my boys can eat $24 worth during one visit to Mickey D's. We were too dumb to know that the seas could be rough on that itinerary, and, fortunately, they weren't. Remember how they used to blow the horn 1/2 an hour before departure and then again 15 minutes before to notify everyone on shore they were about to leave?

 

However, my favorite one would be the Mercury when it was new-1998 I had discovered rtc at that point and we had lively postings going on between "regulars."

 

Someone pondered that it would be nice for us to take a "group cruise" and put a face to the posters. Another person jumped on it and arranged one and, hence, the first G(reat) G(roup) C(ruise) became reality. An opportunity to "meet old friends for the first time." My friends thought I was crazy cruising with potential "axe murderers" that I knew nothing about, giving money to a TA who operated out of Arkansas that I didn't know, etc.

 

Fast forward to 2011 and I just completed another annual GGC with 100 of my BFFs on the Eclipse. There were several that were on the original one plus others that we have picked up along the way. If you ever have the opportunity, take one of the GGC's. Good prices, good amenities, good fun.

 

I don't participate in rtc anymore--they are NASTY over there--but I'll always treasure the friends I have made on these cruises. We are like family.

 

Tucker in Texas

[richsea]

Another here who's first cruise memory was aboard Celebrity's Meridian in 1996 on our first cruise, NY to Bermuda. She was an old, small ship, but she seemed so larger to us!

I'll never forget sailing past the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor for the first time, in the days when X sailed out of NY instead of Bayonne:eek:. Or sailing on Zenith past the site of the World Trade Center in 2002, & experiencing the dead silence as we sailed past lower Manhattan, with the only sound being ship blowing her horn in salute.

I also remember the first feeling of being at sea, & the complete serenity of the experience.

Subsequently, we sailed Zenith 5 times,including her last under the Celebrity flag, which was one of our favorite cruises. Galaxy 3 times, & Mercury twice.

 

But, truth be told, while I miss the older ships, I can think of special memories on all the ships from all of our cruises.

[#1grammy]

We were on Meridian also in 1994. A cruise from Wilmington to Bermuda. We took our kids and my husbands parents. A wonderful cruise. Our kids were 14,13, and 10 at the time and seemed like the only kids on board. They were treated like royalty and have wonderful memories of this cruise.

 

We didn't know at the time that it was a small ship. No balconies that I remember, but FANTASTIC service.

[CKBob]

The Meridan was also our first Celebrity Cruise. It was 1990 and Celebrity was just introducing itself to New York City. The deal was the two kids sailed free with Mom and Dad. Could not pass that up and here we are today 22 Celebrity Cruises's later.

[keyslass]

I worked for Chadris, which became Chadris Celebrity, then just celebrity.

 

The Britannis was my first ship, and my love of cruising blossomed.

Also the Amerikanis and the Galileo, which I think became the Zenith (Or the Meridian not sure).

 

I think the new solstice class ships although large, have maintained some of the intimate flavor of the ships of bygone years which has been lost on many of the new mega ships.

 

Our first X (sort of) was on the Britannis when it was Chandriss cruise line. But we were hooked after that and have sailed on Galaxy, Horizon, Century, Constellation and Zenith (3 times). Our most memorable was our last Zenith cruise about 4 years ago. We invited my DB and SIL who was recovering from lung cancer treatment. They hadn't been on a cruise in over 20 years so this was special for them. To our surprise and delight we were invited to the Captain's table (3rd time for that and have no idea why??) and were told to bring our traveling companions along, as well. This was the highlight of our cruise, and it was so heartwarming to see DB and SIL having a wonderful time after the rough year they had been through.

We're looking forward to another Century sailing in a few weeks. Can't wait!