Zenith secrets?

[Guindalf]

Hi All,

 

We're headed for the Zenith on 1/28 (can't wait!). This is our first venture into the world of Celebrity having done Royal Caribbean (yeah) and Carnival (Yuck) before.

 

I wondered if anyone has any secrets they would like to part with?

 

TIA

[Ships R Great]

It is not a secret that Zenith has a fantastic crew (with one exception). Juli, in the Martini Bar, makes a wicked martini. Say hello for us, from her f"aithful two" on 12/12/ and 12/17.

[constantcruiser]

Have fun, but try not to judge the whole Celebrity line by the Zenith. She's a smaller, older ship with her own style and charm...take it for what it is. Be sure to visit Cova Cafe--my favorite coffee bar afloat.

[BSeaBob]

the mid ship elevator doesn't go to the pool deck. Stops underneath the pool on a cabin floor. It will take you a week at least to get used to just that. :)

[alpal1993]

the mid ship elevator doesn't go to the pool deck. Stops underneath the pool on a cabin floor. It will take you a week at least to get used to just that. :)

Thanks I'll try to remember that and pass it on to my fellow May 27 cruising partners.

[Lmack]

We'll be sailing on the Zenith on Feb 11. This is our first Celebrity cruise. We've always sailed RCCL and have always had a fabulous time!

 

Looking forward to hearing about more secrets.

Lynn

[vaccardi]

1. The Fleet Bar on the pool deck is beautiful, and never crowded.

2. Michael's Club, next to the library on the (Deck 8) has a fireplace and is beautifully. Used as a cigar and piano bar at night, it is usually empty during the day.

3. They serve sushi every day. We had late dinner, so we had a few servings before getting ready for diner.

4. The chairs in the Rendez-Vouz Lounge on deck 7, could be among the most uncomfortable I have ever sat in, but there are some through pillows that help a lot. Look for them.

5. There are no balcony cabins, but several of the decks have a aft deck that makes a real nice place to sit and watch other cruise ships at night.

[patrioticgirl]

....be sure to find the excellent stir-fry bar! (I believe Zenith is the only Celebrity ship that offers this feature.) It is located next to the burger grill on deck 11 aft. The stir-fry offerings at lunch rank right up there with the made to order waffles available at breakfast in the buffet area each morning! :) ;) UMMMMM!:D

[greeneg]

Just add, in addition to the Fleet Bar with its quiet and wonderful view, the Hot Tubs on Deck 12 Aft are a great place to "soak and Smooze" in the afternoon before Afternoon Tea one deck down.

 

Zenith may be smaller and older, but she is like an old friend to us.

[alpal1993]

....be sure to find the excellent stir-fry bar! (I believe Zenith is the only Celebrity ship that offers this feature.) It is located next to the burger grill on deck 11 aft. The stir-fry offerings at lunch rank right up there with the made to order waffles available at breakfast in the buffet area each morning! :) ;) UMMMMM!:D

 

I so agree the waffles not only smell wonderful they taste GREAT! only 5 more months and I can taste them already.Thanks for the suggestion for stir fry sounds wonderful.

[Ships R Great]

Back where they make the waffles for breakfast, at lunch they set up a pasta station. I eat from there 95% of the time at lunch. Each day they offer two types of pasta and three to four sauces. The four-cheese is my favorite. But I have to remember to ask them not to make too much pasta. Their servings are enormous! Alittle salad from the salad station (very near) and you are set.

[Mysteryreader]

I don't know how secret these are but...:

 

There's an outdoor dining area aft of the Windsurf cafe/bar/grill on the Marina deck. There's a stairway down from there to a smaller outdoor area on the Atlantic deck. We found this a nice quiet area to enjoy the sun and read a good bk without the noise of other outdoor venues.

 

We liked the Rendez-vous Lounge for a pre- or post-dinner drink. It's smaller with some cozy alcoves and more inviting than its counterpart on the M-class ships. The chairs are not designed for the human body, but a little squiggling around usually produced a tolerable--if not comfortable--position.

 

The library has the most comfortable chairs on the entire ship, but on our cruise it was cold cold cold and the comfortable chairs didn't compensate for frostbite.

 

Don't count on charging staff gratuities. On our Nov cruise this was cash-only deal which is unlike other X cruises.

 

Wine steward Mike had two (on our cruise) seminars. (I learned I have a hopeless tongue which cannot distinguish diddly.) Dh who knows a little about the subject thought they were very worthwhile. Mike is very knowledgeable, and the seminars were well attended so if you're interested get there early or you may find yourself wedged in at a small table by the door.

 

If you've asked to have the beds put together, one side is going to be up against the wall with the only access on hands and knees from the bottom of the bed. If you're not very agile, you may want to ask that the beds be separate.

 

We loved Zenith. The crew was absolutely wonderful. If Dervis is your waiter, pass on our regards.

 

M/R

[zebra36]

Ditto on Viccardi's(?) item 5. Several of the upper passenger cabin decks have nice little open deck spaces aft that generally are under used, at least for the first few days until folks discover these areas.

 

Have a great cruise,

 

Frank

[Ships R Great]

But beware cabin 9109 and 9107. they are over the disco. Unless you are down there having fun you won't get much sleep until they shut the disco down for the night.

[bsdmhutch]

You can order room service on the television in your room. We ordered coffee and croissants the night before. You just tell them what time you want it. They call you right before they bring it to you to make sure you are up. It was great to have some coffee and a little "snack" while we were getting ready for breakfast.

[SherBr]

But beware cabin 9109 and 9107. they are over the disco. Unless you are down there having fun you won't get much sleep until they shut the disco down for the night.

 

 

Could you please provide me more detailed info on this - I am in room 9107 for an upcoming cruise and when I contacted the cruise line regarding this "problem" they pretty much blew me off that this was not a problem on noise level in this room from the disco!!

[Lady Hawke]

Be sure to tell Josie in the Future Sales Office that Fred & Susan said Hello. She is the greatest!!

[jessemon]

Hi All,

 

We're headed for the Zenith on 1/28 (can't wait!). This is our first venture into the world of Celebrity having done Royal Caribbean (yeah) and Carnival (Yuck) before.

 

I wondered if anyone has any secrets they would like to part with?

 

TIA

Guindalf,

Everyone has given great ideas. It is all what you would like. We have sailed on both the Zenith and sister ship Horizon. We love these size ships. This is not RCCL type cruising. We have sailed 3 times on RCCL. OnZenith you'll find more smiling faces. More hellos from the crew. If you meet someone on the first day, you usually see them all the time. It is a meet and greet cruise ship.

I love the Fleet Bar in the late afternoon after I wake the wife from her nap. Especially if the waves are a little rough. Looking out over the bow and watching the sea one minute and the sky the next...and sometimes the green faces.:D

The pool bar is always a hit during the day for deck chair wars. I love to watch people move things (not theirs) from one place to another so people can't hog a lounge chair.

If you like wine and they do a wine tasting paired with food (for a nominal price) do it. I was surprised. 4 or 5 wines with different foods. Amazing how food can ruin a wine. If they only have a wine tasting...do it also.

They have a dessert called a "Blue Mountian Coffee" something or other. Order TWO!!!!:eek: To start. Yum...yum.

If you drink and like Martinis...regular or fancy...hit the Martini Bar before dinner. Small tucked away area by the "Rendez-vous Lounge". All martinis are shaken...not stirred. (Bond, James Bond)

I could go on and on about this class of ship. It is not big or glitzy. It is a cruise ship. Not a resort in Vegas or a shopping mall. Activities are ample but not extreme. It is a place to get away from it all...and we love it.:)

Jessemon

PS: We are gong on the Christmas Cruise on the Zenith this year for 11 nights. This will be our third crise on this class ship (Zenith/Horizon) in 4 years.

[tomatopa]

Jessemom, Have you been on the larger celebrity ships? would you say you like the bigger or smaller. we have just sailed once with X on the summit and thought the whole cruise experience was excellent. thanks, Judy

[momofmeg]

I don't know how secret these are but...:

 

.

 

If you've asked to have the beds put together, one side is going to be up against the wall with the only access on hands and knees from the bottom of the bed. If you're not very agile, you may want to ask that the beds be separate.

 

We loved Zenith. The crew was absolutely wonderful. If Dervis is your waiter, pass on our regards.

 

M/R

 

 

My friends had inside cabin 9003 and they had a better setup. Their bed was together but there was walk around space on both sides and a night stand on each side of the bed. Hubby and I kept our beds seperate as in our stateroom 9077 one side would be against the wall.

 

Their cabin was about the same price as ours (we had an obstrcted oceanview)-our other friends on deck 4 paid $100 a person more for their oceanview cabin.

 

We are considering a Zenith cruise next winter out of Tampa. If we do book a cruise-we will probally just go for the inside cabin on deck 9. I liked the layout of our friend's room.

[jessemon]

Jessemom, Have you been on the larger celebrity ships? would you say you like the bigger or smaller. we have just sailed once with X on the summit and thought the whole cruise experience was excellent. thanks, Judy

Hey tomatopa,

Couldn't resist the title.

In answer to your question, we have not cruised on the "M" class ships. We have cruised on ships in other fleets of simular size and they are nice. We prefer this size class ship. We have been on 18 cruises and find the "Zenith" size and the departed "Horizon" in this fleet just right. We also like the "Statendam" class in Holland America a good size. Wife and I like to see the same people every day. You have 1300 people as opposed to 2000. Ships are more cozy and service seems much better. Food always seems hotter also.

I could go on and on. We are not into spas. That seems to be a big reason for alot of cruisers to like the bigger ships. And how many different types of bars do you need on a ship? I can have just as much fun with 3 as I can with 13. :D The best thing is all the bartenders know me after the first day...:eek: They have different dining venues at night. Diningroom...sushi and casual. No specialty restaurant. All other daily food venues are there also. Even those great finger sandwiches at 4:00. LOVE THEM...YUM!!!!

The last time we were on the "Horizon" (sister of the "Zenith) we new 5 staff from a previous cruise on "Zenith". In ST. Marteen I had a fellow walk up to me on the "Horizon" (the Connie was in port too) he was from the "Connie" and said HI. He said I am Eric...you cruised with me on the "Zenith" for Thanksgiving 2001. Then he said how are you "Mr. Jeff". I almost fell off the poolside barstool. Yes...he is a bartender.

To end this up, the question I guess is do we like these smaller size ships...

We are booked on the "Zenith" for Christmas this year. 11 nights out of Tampa for the eastern Caribbean. It only cost $200.00 more to do it then as opposed to a few weeks earlier. We had an absolutley wonderful time two years ago on the "Horizon" at Christmas. We even got presents.

Judy...I hope this helps.

MOMOFMEG,

Hpe ths helped you too. See you said you wanted to do a winter cruise...how about Christmas?

HO-HO-HO:)

[Lmack]

We sailed on the Zenith Feb 11th & had a wonderful relaxing & restful time. This was our first Celebrity cruise since we've sailed RCCL 11 times. Although I had read this some of the postings here before going, apparently I didn't pay as close attention or other tips were posted after we sailed. We missed some of the great things mentioned here. This afternoon I'm going to make a listing of the great things mentioned here so that I can reference it later.

 

We will say that the embarkation and debarkation was the best we've ever experienced!

 

We thought the food was great but not any better than RCCL. I did have some absolutely wonderful omelets for breakfast prepared to order! We had heard about the great service but frankly our cabin steward was the worst we've ever had. He kept forgetting to leave things in our cabin. 3 days before the end of the cruise we couldn't find the blue book in the cabin with all the information & phone numbers. We had glanced at it the first day but then couldn't find it. We spent so much wasted time searching for it. The morning of our departure I said something to our cabin steward (We didn't want to be charged for a missing book.) & he informed us that he had taken it because it was going to be replaced with a new one. He had forgotten to put it back in our cabin. Our trash cans weren't emptied out every day but no big deal - they weren't full (We don't empty them out at home every day either!).

 

Our phone didn't work in our cabin (Lots of others were having the same problem.). Although it was reported & repaired, a couple of hrs later it didn't work.

 

The unfortunate thing about our cruise is that the weather was very very cool & very very windy - we had to wear light jackets. So no swimming pool for us. We did try to sit by the pool (in the sunshine) wearing our jackets & used pool towels as blankets. We enjoyed the beautiful weather only wished it could have been warm (In all fairness most of the country was having the worse snow storm in yrs. Since we live in NC, they were having their share of cold weather too!)

 

We had a great cabin - Deck 6 Oceanview mid-ship. The seas were very rough (folks kept complaining about the rocking and getting sick) but we didn't feel any movement in our cabin. We would highly recommend mid-ship.

 

I think this cruise was so relaxing & restful because it didn't offer as many activities as many of the other ships do, & we weren't running around trying to do it all. We stayed out late dancing (Chances is a terrific band!) and really enjoyed ourselves. The Zenith is showing its age - looking a bit worn. We love to cruise and we'll ALWAYS have an outstanding cruise on any ship!

 

We booked the Zenith for a 10-day cruise on Dec 8th out of Tampa. We'll be cruising with some friends & I know we're going to have a GREAT time! We'll then be better able to evaluate her on this longer cruise. In the meantime, we'll be planning for the Dec 8th cruise. If anyone has any advise on Tampa as a departure city (where to stay, (is there a hotel where you can park for free & they provide free transportation to & from the pier like the Radisson on the Port in Port Canaveral), eat, etc.) please let us know.

 

In the meantime, enjoy the Zenith.

Lynn

[jessemon]

Hey Lynn,

Hope this helps.

Check this thread. Pre and post cruise for ports. Look for the one for Tampa.

You can't miss it. It has 27,000 hits and many answers about Tampa. It will take about 2 to 3 hours to go through it. Hotels, dining, things to do, safe areas to stay, transportation to and from airport to hotels and dock and much more. A fellow here in Tampa does a great job.

Wife and I live in Tampa and he is on the money.

We booked the "Zenith" for Christmas this year (we have cruised on her before and the "Horizon" and loved them both) 11 nights eastern Caribbean. We did this cruise two years ago on the "Horizon". It was wonderful. The great thing is the cruise only costs about $200.00 more at that time oof year.

Make sure you check out that thread when you have time.

Have a great time.:)

Jeff/Jessemon

[tomatopa]

Jessemom, thanks for all the help. i enjoyed reading your post. i will be checking out the precruise board. we like to come in and spend the night before the cruise. in La wwe had a package...picked us up at airport, 1 night stay with breakfast, took us to the ship, and then picked us up from ship and took us to the airport. it was so nice to have evrything taken care of. will be looking for that in tampa...but we have a while..sailing February 19, 2007.

 

thanks, Judy

[tomatopa]

Lynn, thanks to you also for the good info. i know i will be reading evrything and making notes.....Judy