Just Back From Zenith March 11 - A "Different" Kind of Cruise

[jeffs55]

Hi Host Ann,

Yes I'd be delighted if you informed Celebrity how much we love Zenith.

Thank You

[GiniB]

Judy~Smack dab in the middle of the US is just outside of Springfield, MO...We're on the 10 day departing February 9, 2007...is that the one you said you're on?

 

Anne~It is so worth the trip to SJ to do the 11-night aboard the Empress...especially because you're so close already. I do remember the crew telling us that the 11-night cruises are a rest period in and of themselves for them. They're alternated with a 3-night cruise that is always totally packed to the gills with partyers. The 11-night cruise is definitely not a party cruise...I think we were among maybe 100 people on board who were under 50. I'd link to my review of it from last February on the RC board, but I don't know how.

 

Skydawg~Yes, I will obsessively research and plan for the next 323 days (minus the 10 days in Cayman {in 188 days} in Sept. and 6 days (in 260 days) on the Jewel in Dec.)! Not that I'm counting!

 

Any comments from anyone about the concierge class room category?

 

Thanks!

Gini

[tomatopa]

Gini, sorry that we are on the 11 night cruise after yours...19th. we live right across the river from st louis. you will have to be sure every thing is ship shape when you get off next year...Judy

[DGF]

Host Anne

 

Question came up from one of our group booked aboard the Zenith- Can you recall what areas were smoke free; any smoking in the cabin corridor areas; is smoking permitted in the cabins; and in which areas was smoking permitted

 

Thanks

[Host Anne]

DGF ~ I didn't mention this in my review because I do think this cruise was not the norm for Celebrity and I didn't want to continue on with negatives. However, there was absolutely no adherance and no enforcement of smoking policies while we were on Zenith. People smoked everywhere (except in the dining room, buffet area and theater). Forget the port side is smoking side during our cruise. The outdoor dining area aft had smokers everywhere. People all over the pool deck smoked freely. I'm sure it will not be like that on your cruise.

 

There was nothing that said you could not smoke in your cabin. It's pretty standard that the port side of the ship is smoking while the starboard side is not. Unfortunately, it just wasn't that way on this while we were on Zenith. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful on this one.

[jessemon]

Host Anne

 

Question came up from one of our group booked aboard the Zenith- Can you recall what areas were smoke free; any smoking in the cabin corridor areas; is smoking permitted in the cabins; and in which areas was smoking permitted

 

Thanks

Smoking policy is as such. We have cruised both "Zenith" & "Horizon".

Smoking is not permitted in the main show lounge. Also not permitted in any dining area. This is a tricky...if you dine on the port side of the ship (on the outer decks) smoking is permitted. Smoking of pipes and cigars is only allowed on port outer decks. The "Michael's Club"" idea didn't work to well I guess. I also noticed that on the "Horizon" the last time we were on her that smoking was not allowed in "Michael's Club". No smoking in hallways. Smoking is allowed in all lounges & casino. Smoking is also allowed in all cabins.

PS: I am a polite smoker and follow all the above rules. As have most people I have ever met on a cruise that smoke. I have gone so far as to say to someone who is not following the rules that we smokers are only allowed to smoke on that side of the room (lounge etc.) we are in or that side of the ship.

Hope this helps.

Jeff

[ChicagoMermaid]

Thanks very much for the information on our cabin location. I am a little concerned about reading Anne's comments about the current state of some of the outside public areas of the ship. (The only other cruise we've been on was a few years ago on the Summit, which I know is a much "glitzier" type of ship and everything there was in great shape.)

 

We are going on this cruise with another family and since I'm the one who suggested this New Year's cruise (I think the ports sound fantastic!) I want to make sure they are comfortable on the Zenith, so I'm hoping that some of those repairs will be made before December...

 

(Anne, I've read so many of your helpful posts here on the board. I think you mentioned you live in Sarasota? We go there quite a bit, as my mom lives near Myakka State Park and my aunt lives on Siesta Key. I'm sure I've been in line behind you at the check-out at Publix!)

 

Looking forward to the cruise (and meeting the other helpful people who posted here, telling me that they will be just down the hallway from us on the same cruise. Here's what you'll notice about me onboard--every day I will be just a little chubbier then the day before! I'm not kidding--if you look at the pics of me from our previous 10 day Summit trip, you can definitely tell which photos were taken before I started having 11 desserts a day and which ones were taken about a week after that special cruise diet!)

 

Thanks again to everyone---and please join me in hoping that the karaoke has been moved on that cruise and isn't right above our cabin...

[vtsnowflake]

Hi to Sharon and Jake! I hope you all are recovered after the zenith experience. My husband and I have both been sick since we came home from Florida. Today will be his first day back to work since the cruise. I haven't had a chance to check in and just wanted to see how everyone was. It seems like everyone has had varied experiences on the zenith and with celebrity. We think we are going to go back to RCCL after our experience. I know alot of what happened had to do with the timing, but our experience with Guest Relations left us with a bad taste for celebrity.

Hope everyone is well and I'll check in later. ~Danielle

[semetz]

Danielle and Ken- I'm glad to hear that you are feeling better. We too had a rough week and are finally feeling rested. I sound like an old fogey! Phew-it was a rough week. It is amazing how much effort and preparation goes into the pre-travel arrangements and facing dirty laundry post-cruise is worse ;thankfully tackled that yesterday.

Danielle, I honestly have to believe that our cruise was totally out of the ordinary for Celebrity. Jake and I have cruised them 5 times in 4 years and all of our others were well above average to excellent. We did write a lengthy letter to Dan Hanrahan detailing what happened but we have not received a response yet and understandably so given what happened in Chile. We were on the Millenium in June of 2004, Barcelona to Venice. My heart broke when I heard about the accident. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and victims of this horrific tragedy. I will let you know what kind of response we get from Celebrity's CEO. I'll let the dust settle for a week before I pursue him again. I sent the letter to 1050 Caribbean Way, Miami, Florida 33132 and I sent it overnight mail. We'll see.

 

Hi Anne- thanks again for such an objective review. Do you think smoking will be restricted on future Celebrity cruises if the rumour of the cause of the Star Princess fire turns out to be factual?

 

Happy Friday !

 

Sharon

[Host Anne]

Jeff ~ thanks so much for being a considerate smoker. There are lots of them out there. One couple we sail with every winter and he is a very considerate smoker. Unfortunately, nothing was going to be enforced during our cruise. Sad but true. Being considerate is all I'd ask of any passenger regarding rules on board. It's a happy ship when folks are considerate of one another. I think for the most part, people are.

 

Chicago ~ how funny....it seems like everyone knows someone down here (at least everyone from the midwest). We love it here. Sunny days and happy people for the most part. You should check in with those on Zenith this week or next week to see if they've moved Karoke. I'm betting that on a "normal" Zenith cruise that Karoke isn't an issue for the cabins below. Don't worry about it. It will be fine!

 

Danielle ~ I'm sorry to hear that you and Ken have both been sick since you got back. I hope you are getting back to normal. You should consider a Celebrity sometime in the future when it's not spring break. They normally do an outstanding job.

 

Sharon ~ I was just finishing my letter when the news broke about the accident involving Millie passengers. I'm going to hold off mailing my letter until sometime next week. Celebrity has so much to deal with at the moment that I'm not sure our letters will get much attention right now (by the way, I think that Celebrity has gone above and beyond in how they have dealt with the Milliennium situation). I do think it is important, however, that we all do write. I'll be anxious to see what you hear back. I'll let you know as well.

 

Great weekend to all!

[Host Anne]

Sharon ~ I forgot to answer your future smoking question. No, I don't think they'll ever ban smoking on ships at least not in the foreseeable future, regardless of the ultimate cause of the Princess fire. It's frightening to think a smoldering cigarette butt could cause a fire like that but the revenue ships generate from people who smoke is far too great to make a change. In other words, I don't think the cruise industry would be willing to risk losing smokers to land-based vacations.

 

If everyone would just be cautious....and think about what they are doing... ahhh...what happy (and safer) ships we'd have. :)

[jessemon]

We have cruised on both Zenith and Horizon on longer cruises. I have a habit of keeping daily activity and events sheets. I went back and looked at them because I didn't remember seeing Karoke on the ships. (THANK GOD) It did not show anything about that type of event on these longer cruises. (10 or 11 nights) This might be something they are doing for the shorter cruises only.

In the Rendez-Vous at night it was always duo or trio type ship group.