Getting concerned

[Smartcookie]

We have 4 cabins on hold...and the reviews so far aren't making me feel good about putting a deposit down. I want to cruise to Bermuda and I wanted to cruise on Celebrity.

 

It looks like we've determined that the cruise "isn't really luxury" and the "food is no better, maybe worse" than the mainstream lines." The entertainment isn't nearly as good, so tell me again why we're paying premium prices for a cruise that so far, doesn't sound like a premium product?

 

Is Azamara/Celebrity reading here? I certainly hope so, they need to get their act together.

[roomba]

Hi,

 

We returned today from our 1 week "Journey" to Bermuda and had a great time. But I guess it's all relative and it's based on your expectations. We stayed in 2 SS's which were really nice. It was not as big as the suite we had on Princess, but the layout was much better. The bathroom was really big, and while the shower setup is silly, once we figured out how to not flood the bathroom it was fine. The views were terrific.

 

The food was very good and we really liked Aqualina which we ate in twice. Prime C was nice too. The regular dining room had good food as well but I agree with others that the tables were a bit close. And the buffet was good but not nearly as large as others. It was fine for us.

 

There was only 1 pool but it never seemed too crowded. In fact, most areas were not crowded most of the time. It will be nice when they replace the chaises.

 

The gym was great; good equipment and clean. The spa was ok; not as good as land spas but nice.

 

The overall service was good; the butler not as attentive as what I remember on Princess but prompt and courteous; kept the rooms clean and delivered our nightly canapes.

 

I liked the small ship. It seemed quieter and much easier to get around. It wasn't better or worse, just different. We liked open seating and the casual dress. The 2 comedians we saw were very good and I liked being in a smaller theatre.

 

So I guess it depends on expectations and we haven't cruised enough to really compare. This was equal to/slightly better than our Alaskan Princess trip (excluding the scenery!), and MUCH better than Disney.

[SheilaNC]

I agree with Roomba; as I posted in my trip report, only you know what you are looking for in a cruise. For us, the smaller ship with lovely rooms and no crowds worked well and seemed perfect for a destination like Bermuda. The sea days down and back were wonderful for unwinding, relaxing, reading and enjoying the activities onboard. Most days in port were spent exploring the lovely island, enjoying the ferry and bus service and getting comfortable with a port that was new to us. We thought the food was good (and very good to excellent in the specialty restaurants). So....guess it depends on your desires and expectations. Note: I'm not being critical - just suggesting that you do what works best for you and your group.

[Estcstgrl]

Totally agree with Roomba and Spengle. We just returned from the 6/9-16 sailing. Having sailed Zenith twice before I was trying not to compare. The experience on Journey was wonderful and not the same as the Zenith. I did miss the production shows. We were a party of 7 and never once waited more then 3 minutes to be seated in the dining room. We all thought the food was great and beautifully presented. We ate once in Prime C which was also very good. The ship is stunning and the crew is the best I have encountered. I don't know how they do it but the remember your names and always greet you with a smile. My family had a wonderful experience sailing Journey. There are somethings that need work but certainly not anything that would spoil a vacation. It is my experience, having worked in customer service, that you can't please all of the people all of the time. (ex. there was one woman who complained because the fresh flowers in her room shattered when she brushed against them:confused:.) Yes we had fresh flowers in our rooms, fresh fruit in our room every day, chocolate covered strawberries some nites, etc. etc. If there was something you needed you just asked and they would bring it. My husband and I have sailed over 7 times and this was right up there with the best of them. We would sail Azamara again. Oh and Bermuda was great too!!

[Wheeler63]

I, too, just got back. Don't be concerned. Whatever problems there might have been before are fixed or slight. The food is very, very good. The entre crew is superb. While there may not be production shows, the enertainmet they have is top quality in both the theater and lounges. Go with an open mind.

[Nutrioso]

Can hardly wait till our Quest cruise in January. I am sure they will get it up and running to the max just like they did the Journey.

[Smartcookie]

Thank you everyone for the replies, I took the cabins off hold and am going to wait a few more weeks to see if things improve.

 

I don't mind "going with an open mind", especially if the cruise is a great price, but considering we will be paying top dollar, it has to be better than just okay, it has to be wonderful. I've talked the cruise up to my friends since I love Celebrity, but I don't want them to be disappointed or for me to look silly for touting this as an upscale cruise that's worth the premium price if it isn't.