New Celebrity "Journey" Cruise Ship

[MJN&JC]

Hi Everyone! I was just reading up on the post below in regards to the recent change from Zenith to Journey. A couple months ago about 35 guests and my fiance and I booked this cruise for next June 2007. I am getting married in Bermuda. So, I was very shocked and excited when I received a phone call from my TA today telling me of this change. The more I read about it, the more I realize that I really lucked out! They are honoring all of our guest prices (which are very reasonable considering we got them so early), and many guests will actually receive an upgrade, since approximately 92% of the ship has oceanview rooms. I'm crossing my fingers hoping that Celebrity continues to be so accomodating. I'm having a hard time finding ANY pictures of the R-6 Blue Dream (Celebrity Journey)......specifically the inside of the ship.

 

Just wanted to let you all know that your comments are extremely helpful....and let you in on what I know about the changes made so far.

[Guest LoveMyBoxer]

Congratulations on your upcoming marriage. You picked the perfect place to get married. Here is a link, she looks like a beautiful ship:

 

http://www.pullmanturcruises.com/r6.html

[SheilaNC]

Just remember that the interior will be changed somewhat since she's going to drydock for a refurbishing prior to sailing for X. We'll be on her on May 26 sailing and will take good care of her for you. What a lovely way to get married!!

[amyr]

I think this is great news. We keep booking our long cruises on Princess, not necessarily because we love them, but because we love those R ships. They are very, very comfortable for long voyages and really feel "homey" - at least to me.

 

I wonder how much they will change? Princess didn't do anything except add refrigerators, but I know Oceania did a bit more. Didn't they replace all the outdoor furniture and flooring with teak decking? They also replaced all the bedding, but the cabins still show (in the virtual tours) the same sofas, pillows, and draperies. IMO, that's really all that needs to be done to the ships.

 

I'll also be curious to see (as suggested on the other thread) if X will follow Oceania's open seating plan. Princess, having experience at "anytime dining" doesn't. Of course, they only open the two specialty restaurants on alternate nights.

 

I can't wait to see the itineraries. I hope they take over both R ships and send one of them to Asia. I know in many Asian ports, Princess is able to berth Pacific in much better locations in because of size than Sapphire.

 

How exciting to have those lovely ships available for booking with three different cruise lines!

[dmarch@islc.net]

Hate to say it but by the looks of the Journey I don't think I'll miss her one bit! Congratulations and congratulations.

 

David

[CruznTom]

Here is that site in English.

Limk

[MJN&JC]

Thanks everyone!

[Susan-M]

How exciting to have those lovely ships available for booking with three different cruise lines!

 

I agree!

[Drew B]

Oy! I hope they intend to change the carpet/curtains/bedspread combination in the cabins! I got a headache just looking at the pictures!

[Redsgj]

I'm having a hard time finding ANY pictures of the R-6 Blue Dream (Celebrity Journey)......specifically the inside of the ship.

I don't know if you saw this post but the link in it shows a number of virtual tours of the inside of the ship.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=436734

[amyr]

LOL, Drew, that's exactly what I thought when I saw pictures of the cabins in Infinity before our first cruise on her. I was worried all the orange would make me nuts, but it was fine. Our cabin on Pacific Princess, which looked just like the pictures, turned out to be fine as well.

 

I know that Oceania has replaced the bedspreds with dark blue covers and white duvets. I think that once if the bedspreads are removed and there's nothing for the curtains to "fight" with, the cabin colors would be quite soothing. Let's hope that's what X does.

[Melady]

Does anyone know how big the bathrooms are on the Journey? Are they the same size as the Zenith? If anyone has pictures/photos of an oceanview room/bathroom area please post them. Am booked for Bermuda 6/16/07. Thanks!:)

[MJN&JC]

Does anyone know how big the bathrooms are on the Journey? Are they the same size as the Zenith? If anyone has pictures/photos of an oceanview room/bathroom area please post them. Am booked for Bermuda 6/16/07. Thanks!:)

 

Melady, June 16, 2007 is actually our wedding cruise date.....you will be there with all of us if you remained booked on Journey. There will be about 35 of us....we won't be hard to find!

 

Again, thanks everyone for all your input.....it's great! I'm also a lil' concerned about the inside cabin decor, but I have a pretty good feeling that they will replace them with something much nicer!!!

[Richard Stein]

Shocking that when they transfer the Horizon and Zenith out of the fleet and refurbish it for European taste they can put balconies on it, but they cannot retain it and put balconies on it for us. I sailed these two ships to Bermuda 4 times, no more. The ship they are getting is smaller with smaller cabins and they say they will generate more money. Who is in charge at Celebrity?

[ocngypz]

Shocking that when they transfer the Horizon and Zenith out of the fleet and refurbish it for European taste they can put balconies on it, but they cannot retain it and put balconies on it for us. I sailed these two ships to Bermuda 4 times, no more. The ship they are getting is smaller with smaller cabins and they say they will generate more money. Who is in charge at Celebrity?

 

I have sailed several of the former R ships.. and hands down, they beat Zenith. It was a no brainer. These 8 former Renaissance ships in their various guises with Princess. Oceania, etc. sell out and sell out at great per diems for their owners, something Zenith and her former running mate Horizon have/had not been able to do in years.

 

Don't knock the ship, until you try it!

[BrooklynGirl2]

Who is to say that if they completely refurbished Horizon and Zenith and added the balconies for the American market they would not sell out? This is what the loyal pax of these ships had asked for for a number of years. Instead they give us smaller ships, which will be more expensive, with smaller cabins and bathrooms, with no kids facilities and very few cabins to accommodate 3 or more. Oh, I forgot...none of this matters if you can afford a suite and don't have children.

 

First X abandons the Caribbean in summer and now they refurbish Zenith and send her to Pullantur. Thanks Celebrity.:mad:

[ocngypz]

Who is to say that if they completely refurbished Horizon and Zenith and added the balconies for the American market they would not sell out? This is what the loyal pax of these ships had asked for for a number of years. Instead they give us smaller ships, which will be more expensive, with smaller cabins and bathrooms, with no kids facilities and very few cabins to accommodate 3 or more. Oh, I forgot...none of this matters if you can afford a suite and don't have children.

 

First X abandons the Caribbean in summer and now they refurbish Zenith and send her to Pullantur. Thanks Celebrity.:mad:

 

Why would any business place their assets in a market where they don't make money? That's what happens in the Caribbean in the summer. HAL isn't there either. 2007 RCL is reducing their assets in the Caribbean as well. Ditto Princess.

 

In order to amortize the cost of adding balconies to Horizon, they also added staterooms thus increasing her density, something which is the norm on European ships, but contrary to North American standards - especially Celebrity's.

 

I fully expect Journey to deploy to more exotic itineraries.. not your run of the mill Caribbean sailings. Seeing how soft South America bookings are on Infinity, it wouldn't surprise me to see Journey head south winter of 07/08 to replace Infinity.

 

The marketplace has shown that this particular R-build does very well.. and commands higher per diems; Ssmething which has alluded Celebrity in their attempt to become a "premium" cruiseline. The "premium" market is not about children's facilities, family cabins, run of the mill Caribbean itineraries, cruising for "everyperson". It is all about niche cruising.

 

Oh, I've received rates for my previously booked Zenith groups, and I was very pleasantly surprised at the rate structure.

[BrooklynGirl2]

If X wants to become a "premium" cruise line then why are they building 3 new huge 2800+ pax ships. Are they planning to omit children's facilities and family cabins on these ships also?

 

And are you saying that if you travel with a child you are not entitled to "premium" cruising? What if your family appreciates fine dining, excellent service, quiet elegance and no announcements? And you are looking for a Port in the northeast?

 

Perhaps couples in their 40s and 50s with children yet don't fit into Celebrity's new "niche" cruise market...but it really will not be good business to alienate us either because one day we will be empty-nesters, with disposable income and lots of free time.

 

And as for the new fee structure on Journey...will they only apply to the pax holding Zenith reservations or will they be offered to all going forward?

[joeinsb]

Having sailed on Infinity and on Oceania's Nautica, sister to Journey, I throw my lot in with those who like the R-ships. They are a nice size, and as someone said, "Homey." They have a luxurious look and their library (libraries) are truly posh--more than those on any other ship.

 

Big ships are nice too, and I can't knock Infinity and its sisters, or Century, Mercury and the others. Bottom line, they are all nice in their own way. But to say that Journey is a bust, never having even seen it, is a bit silly.

 

BTW, in addition to Summit, Century, Mercury and Island Princess, we are booked on two former Rs--Ocenia's Regatta and Tahitian Princess--so it's not like we're playing favorites.

[amyr]

 

Perhaps couples in their 40s and 50s with children yet don't fit into Celebrity's new "niche" cruise market...but it really will not be good business to alienate us either because one day we will be empty-nesters, with disposable income and lots of free time.

 

But I think that's just it. When you become an empty nester with time and money on your hands, they want somewhere for you to go. I'm sure X is well aware that they're losing those people to Oceania and even Princess with their longer itineraries, not to mention HAL, which has been handling that particular demographic very well for years.

 

Wouldn't surprise me a bit if they pulled one of the C class ships to a port in the Northeast to handle Bermuda if they can make more money that way. Who knows.

[Andy]

I fully expect Journey to deploy to more exotic itineraries.. not your run of the mill Caribbean sailings. Seeing how soft South America bookings are on Infinity, it wouldn't surprise me to see Journey head south winter of 07/08 to replace Infinity.

 

Hi Ocngypz !

 

I have been very surprised just how soft South America is of late. I figured bookings would be down, but they seem to be waaaayyy down.

 

Journey to South America would make a lot of sense. This would free up an M-Class ship (Infinity) to do something else. If South America bookings remain soft, Celebrity should consider Journey or perhaps a C-Class ship for that itinerary.

[florisdekort]

I have been very surprised just how soft South America is of late. I figured bookings would be down, but they seem to be waaaayyy down.

 

Note that Infinity made only 1 roundtrip around the horn in 2004/2005 (2 cruises, one each way), Millennium made 2 roundtrips (4 cruises) last year, and Infinity makes 3 roundtrips (6 cruises) this year. That's a huge increase in capacity.

 

Also, the price per cabin is way above what they can charge for let's say 2 seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruises. So even is the ship is not at full capacity, they might still make more revenue.

 

Best Regards,

Floris

[ocngypz]

Hi Ocngypz !

 

I have been very surprised just how soft South America is of late. I figured bookings would be down, but they seem to be waaaayyy down.

 

Journey to South America would make a lot of sense. This would free up an M-Class ship (Infinity) to do something else. If South America bookings remain soft, Celebrity should consider Journey or perhaps a C-Class ship for that itinerary.

 

Well, Mercury was the first ship on the itinerary. Then she was replaced by Zenith, then Zenith replaced by Infinity....I would put Journey on the run.. change the itineraries to include a couple of sailings up the Amazon to Manaus (sp?). Journey can fit. Only ship doing the Amazon 07 is the Regal Princess... and balconies are sold out!!!

[Andy]

Note that Infinity made only 1 roundtrip around the horn in 2004/2005 (2 cruises, one each way), Millennium made 2 roundtrips (4 cruises) last year, and Infinity makes 3 roundtrips (6 cruises) this year. That's a huge increase in capacity.

 

Also, the price per cabin is way above what they can charge for let's say 2 seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruises. So even is the ship is not at full capacity, they might still make more revenue.

 

Best Regards,

Floris

 

Hi Floris !

 

That's an excellent point. I didnt the extra sailings into consideration when I made my comments. I still feel that perhaps Celebrity should consider a smaller ship for next season. Journey might fill that slot perfectly. Time will tell.

[bermudabride5]

My Fiance and I are also taking the cruise to Bermuda in June to be married. We are leaving from Cape Liberity on June 9th. How about you? We have 20-30 guests coming along with us as well. I do think we have lucked out with getting the Journey. My only worry is the ship capacity is so much smaller. I'm hoping there is no way we will be bumped. We are having our wedding ceramony at a hotel, so we don't want to lose our money. Does anyone know if the itinerary has changed?