Zenith Make over

[tuggers]

I LOVE the Z and will continue to sail on her as long as she is part of the fleet. There is just something about the small ships, a family type feeling that the bigger ships can not match.:D

[Host Anne]

I do agree with BratDet that it's much easier for people to complain than compliment. But if you go back and read my reviews (Mercury in February and Zenith in March -- along with other reviews I've written over the past several years), I'd like to think that I provide honest, balanced reviews that assist others when deciding on a future cruise. When things are great and compliments are deserved (as they were on Mercury in February), I'm the first to let everyone know how great things were. But likewise, when they are well below Celebrity standards (as our March Zenith cruise was) I'm not going to hestitate to point out the shortfalls we experience, either. I hope, in the long run, that makes people read my reviews and know I only want the best possible cruise experience for both us as passengers and crew, who provide the service.

 

When we got off Mercury, I was ready to sail only Celebrity for the foreseeable future. After we got off Zenith, we have changed our mind. Allowing passengers to be thrown into the pool while sitting on a deck chair and allowing another passenger to use vulgar language and curse at a passenger at the guest relations desk isn't acceptable. This type of behavior was pretty much ignored by the crew on our cruise (granted....they were exhausted from dealing with this type of behavior for a couple of cruises). It's unfortunate, but the entire experience turned my thinking around in just one short month.

 

I'm not saying we won't cruise Celebrity but they could have done a lot more to keep our loyalty.

[C 2 C]

I LOVE the Z and will continue to sail on her as long as she is part of the fleet. There is just something about the small ships, a family type feeling that the bigger ships can not match.:D

 

That's the way we feel about Century. Our 4th experience with Zenith in March of last year resembled your Mercury experience this year.

And if you like the smaller ships then you should give HAL a try. We were on Veendam the two weeks prior to Zenith, it was also suffering the Norwalk but it surpassed our Zenith experience in almost every category. Having said all that we have cruised Century, Summit, and Mercury for 90 days of cruising since our Zenith cruise. Zenith showed us (almost) all of the warts Celebrity has to offer... (No dunking of passengers) rudderless management..

[DGF]

Host Anne

 

Constructive criticism as per your article on the Zenith is always welcome. Keep up the great work

[Host Anne]

DGF ~ thanks for the kind note. No one loves Celebrity more than me. But I have to be honest when things are up to their normal standards. Just makes you begin to wonder what really does and doesn't matter. Let's hope that the tough spell some of the Celebrity ships have gone through recently are behind them and that brighter days are ahead for everyone sailing down the road. :)

[DGF]

Host Anne

 

Your welcome- one couple in our group have decided to drop out from the 2006 New Year Eve cruise- now six of us still proceeding forward on the Zenith; but we are now more closely monitoring

 

I note the recent posting http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=336462

 

We travel a lot and have run into unclean accommodations once and a while but normally the management is quick to response. The lack of response from guest relations they received is troublesome

 

Dean

[DGF]

C2C

 

If you are ever in French Polynesian Islands or have some airmiles to get you there, recommend the Tahitian Princess Cruise= a small ship with the big ship amenities- 200 balcony cabins, two alternative dining rooms, outside deck eating area, entertainment from the local "villagers" when visiting each island- http://www.princess.com/ships/ta/index.html.

 

For comparison Zenith is 47,255 tons, 9 decks, 1378-1,800 passengers (entered service 1992) and Tahitian Princess is 30,277 tons, 9 decks, 688-826 passengers (entered service 1999 and major retrofit when took over by Princess in 2002)

 

The itinerary takes you thru some of the most scenic islands in the world- the lagoons in Bora Bora are the most spectacular that we have seen.