Zenith 1/09/06 Review...Long Part 1

[PitCritter]

We sailed on Zenith on January 9. This was our first time on X. After reading this board extensively over the past few weeks, I was expecting quite a bit. My honest opinion beforehand was that Celebrity would either blow me away, or disappoint me entirely, no possibility of middle ground. I was wrong. The overall impression is somewhere between those two extremes. Here’s the blow by blow…both good and bad.

 

Day 1 Miami

 

The directions on the sign as you approach the Port of Miami read “Celebrity Zenith, Stay in Right Lane”. If we had blindly followed, we’d still be waiting…two weeks later. The right lane is actually the cargo lane, meant for trucks only. We started off waiting in the convoy, but thankfully some good natured truckers honked and dissuaded us from staying in their line. If you pass the line of trucks on the left, you have the opportunity to cut in right at the bottom of the bridge. After that it’s a simple matter of following signs to the ship. Luggage drop-off and parking was straightforward. It’s inside the terminal that things got interesting. We checked in early, around 11:30. The check-in staff were great. Being Canadian, we had to surrender our passports (last time on Carnival, we got to keep them), but that was no big deal. Having completed the advance online check-in procedure, we were through in 5 minutes. It was after check–in that the disorganization really became apparent. The ship wasn’t ready to board yet (as I said we were early…no problem), but as soon as boarding started, all hell broke loose. A well-meaning (perhaps) lady named Jacqueline was desperately trying to keep everyone in the order in which they had checked in. This was nearly impossible since there were no stanchions or organized line ups. There were simply rows of benches. Human nature dictates the “me-first” mentality in these situations and Jacqueline was determined to keep order. That’s an honorable intention, but not when you start calling passengers who are trying to board “Liar”, when they try to explain why they should be next to board. This was my first taste that all would not be perfect. Despite this we boarded quite quickly and enjoyed our welcome-aboard champagne. We found our cabin easily and were quite satisfied with the size and condition. We found out later that the mattresses had seen better days and really should be replaced. Our Room Steward, Michelle was extremely personable and went out of her way to ensure our comfort. Our TA had sent a welcome gift of wine. She ordered de-alcoholized white; I drink red only (and wine isn’t wine without alcohol). Michelle arranged replacement at no extra charge…very nice. We noticed upon our initial exploration of the ship that the elevators were brutally slow I believe that the main problem was impatient people pressing both up and down buttons while waiting; others ended up stopping for nothing, slowing down whole system. The overwhelming thing we noticed from the first time we stepped onto the ship was a bleach smell EVERYWHERE. We saw, over the course of the next few days, many crew members spraying bleach solution everywhere and letting it dry without wiping. We heard a couple of explanations for this, namely that there had been some “Stomach Trouble” on the previous voyage, or that Zenith was due a health inspection at the conclusion of ours. One way or another, the smell as well as the residue of bleach was somewhat disconcerting. Mirrors looked dirty, although it was simply bleach residue, and people (including my DW) complained of having clothes ruined when forced to touch railings in crowded elevators. In the same vein, we noticed that sanitizing stations were mandatory at buffet lines. The attendant simply wouldn’t give you a tray unless he had seen you sanitize your hands. I understand the idea, but it seemed a little heavy-handed. The lunch buffet gave me pause as well. There were attendants all along the buffet to serve your food to you. I felt embarrassed to ask for another piece of tomato for my salad. I believe that these attendants were there to speed the lines, but they ended up doing just the opposite. Thankfully, these attendants only appeared at one other lunch buffet for the duration of the cruise. They were, however present at the ice cream dispenser for the whole time. The buffet food, I must admit, was wonderful. They definitely use fresh ingredients and offer a great variety. After lunch, I parked my DW at the pool and I went to double-check dinner arrangements, which my TA had arranged to be a table for 2. The maitre d’ told me that we were currently seated at a table for four, but that there were lots of open tables at the late seating. He arranged for us to sit at another table for four, but to dine alone. Later, when we got to dinner, we were the third group trying to claim table 105. After 20 minutes, left standing over other passengers eating their dinners, we were re-seated to “the best seat in house”—right beside a busy bussing station. Our maitre d’ blew his tip at that instant. Luckily, our waiter and his assistant were both friendly and professional. Our bar steward was entertaining at that first dinner; he gave us the wine list, poured water, and disappeared permanently. After reading about it on this board, I asked for a “shrimp salad” in lieu of appetizer and salad. The waiter’s response was, “I could put some shrimp in your salad Mr. John”. He had no idea what I was talking about. I ended up ordering a salad and a Shrimp Cocktail. The cocktail sauce was ketchup, no hint of horseradish at all. My DW ordered a mushroom puff pastry as an appetizer which arrived cold, and our salads were warm. The rest of dinner was unremarkable. The lunch buffet had been far better. The real kicker for us though, was the dinner music duo. Their remarkable repertoire consisted of Chava Nagila, Fiddler on the Roof and How Great Thou Art. The violinist was as funny to look at as to listen to. I think that she thought she was in a heavy metal band. Diners within ten feet of her were in danger of being hit by her thrashing about. The chairs in the Caravelle looked like 80’s rejects, springy chrome with curtain fabric upholstery, although the carpet had been recently replaced and was very nice. I was taken aback to be charged extra for espresso at dessert time. The reason given was that the restaurant couldn’t give away something that the Cova charged for. Last fall on board Glory, there was an extra-charge coffee bar, but espresso in the restaurant was complimentary. We skipped the show this night because we wanted to go and internet chat with our daughter (it was her first time home alone). I went to our cabin to get my laptop, and went to the library. When we got there, we were shocked to find no wireless connectivity. What’s worse, none of the stations in the Internet café would accept my swipe or my DW’s. It turned out the next day that BOTH cards had become demagnetized and that we weren’t the only ones on board to have this problem. We headed for bed, frustrated so far with this upscale line.

 

Day 2 Key West

 

Whew…catch my breath, let’s start fresh. Breakfast this morning was EXCELLENT! Waffles were OK, not as good as others had reported, but overall a pleasant surprise. The omelet station was a huge success. We had a smooth dis/embarkation in Key West and had a great time on Duval Street. Back on board, there was an Italian lunch buffet …nicely done, red &green everywhere, best of all…no buffet attendants. We passed through the Windsurf late in the afternoon to see a couple of officers (white uniforms anyway) enjoying lunch and a couple of Coronas…unusual I thought. Later, we went to Afternoon Tea…don’t miss it, but don’t overdo it either, even with late seating we had no appetite left for dinner. Of course we went to dinner anyway and enjoyed the meal even without an appetite. Later, the Captain’s reception was weak…for such a small ship there was a great opportunity for a receiving line to shake the Captain’s hand, it didn’t happen; just a free glass of champagne and then introductions of senior staff on stage. There was an announcement at 10:00-- not a minute before, that the “Broadway” show was cancelled due to an “accident” backstage involving two key players during early show. A re-schedule was promised for later in the week…it never happened. Instead, we went to the Fleet Bar to see guitarist/singer Art Michaud, he’s really good. Drawbacks, one bartender, one waiter…you couldn’t get a drink. At 11:00, finger foods came out, they were really good, but they should have used one of those two waiters to serve drinks.

[PitCritter]

Day 3 Cozumel

A rough night…rocking and rolling, but we made it through (should be expected of a small vessel I guess) Breakfast was great again this morning. Mexican buffet at lunch…nicely done yet again…my opinion is definitely softening. Smooth tendering into Cozumel…5 minutes on a commuter ferry to San Miguel town dock. Cozumel has recovered wonderfully from Wilma. Tendering back was on a two level party boat…the gangway onto Zenith was from the top deck of the tender, 45 degree angle down, barely 5’ headroom. Seniors and disabled had major trouble…the whole process was slow and unsafe. X needs to stop using this tender. On a completely different topic, I realized today that hot water hasn’t been an issue on board. It’s unusual when I don’t run out at a hotel, I like really hot, long showers…here no problem. We decided to skip dinner in Caravelle tonight…that was a mistake. The buffet was sparse when we went at 8:00. Later we went to the magic show with Jamie Allen. Very good sleight of hand but his illusions were predictable. When we saw “Justin Illusion” last fall on Carnival Glory he set the bar high, probably the best onboard entertainer I’ve ever seen. Early to bed tonight for an early arrival in Costa Maya.

Day 4 Costa Maya

Smoother sailing overnight. We had an early morning since arrival at Costa Maya was scheduled for 8:00am. Same breakfast again…that’s a compliment, not a complaint. I realized today that the coffee has been excellent for the whole cruise. I wish we had these machines at work. Clear to debark was called at 8:10, nicely prompt. We took the bus to Majahual (pronounced Maha-Wall, I had to ask). Three dollars per person to town, two dollars back. The town is a gem! Both sides of the one dirt road lined with tourist trap souvenir shops and bars. Pick a spot on the beach and the closest vendor will take care of you with food and beverages all day. Although there were three ships in port today, we had no trouble getting a prime spot to soak up the abundant sun and be catered to hand and foot. After drinking all day and eating unbelievably fresh nachos and guacamole our bill was a totally reasonable $34. This may be my new favorite port. We were back on the ship in time to have a nap before dinner. Dinner tonight in the Caravelle was Lobster Night. It was also Baked Alaska Night. I don’t enjoy lobster, so I ordered the Prime Rib, only to be told that it comes well-done only. It was good, but could have been spectacular if cooked rare. The Baked Alaska was good, but we had to wait at least twenty minutes for the waiters and musicians to be ready for the spectacle. We went to see the comedian “Noodles Levenstein” later that night. When he came out in a surgical mask and sprayed his microphone stand with a spray bottle of bleach I couldn’t stop laughing. Unfortunately, this was the high point of his act. We actually left halfway through his performance due to sheer boredom.

Day 5 At Sea

A nicely uneventful day at sea today. Earlier in the week, I had discovered a really good deal. You could order 5 Coronas or Beck’s for the price of four. The Beck’s even came with a great little cooler bag and opener. A really good deal for $22. Today, we also discovered room service. Late in the afternoon we were hungry and ordered quesadillas brought to our cabin. It was probably the hottest, best meal that we had on board. We decided to skip the Caravelle dinner tonight and order in. Great idea! The steak was excellent, although still too well done for my liking, the cheesecake was perhaps the best I’ve ever had and the cheese platter was fresh and generous. Later, in the show room, the “Around the World” show was suitably cheesy, but the performers were actually quite talented. We went to see Art Michaud again after the show. He was even better than before…a really engaging entertainer. He played nothing but requests (mostly ours) for his entire set. After Art’s set, we went to the Martini Bar for a drink. We could hardly get a seat since the whole cast of the show was there unwinding. I hope I don’t seem snobbish, but I don’t want to socialize with the crew. We then went to Michael’s club, which it turns out, is no longer a cigar bar. After looking forward to a good stogie all day, I ended up smoking it outside the Windsurf café in the rain. Then it was bedtime for the last time.

Day 6 Miami

We had an early start today to clear immigration in the Rainbow Room at 6:30. All went smoothly and we were processed within fifteen minutes. We had an early debarkation (proof positive, it doesn’t hurt to ask). We met in the show lounge at 7:45 and then it got ugly. After waiting for forty five minutes, no one was moving. On a trip to the bathroom, I heard an announcement that four non US citizens had yet to clear immigration and the ship would not be cleared until they were processed. The announcements were not audible in the theater. After at least three people told crew members that the announcements were not being heard, they finally sent someone to make an announcement in the show room. Our 8:00 am debarkation quickly became 9:30 thanks to a combination of one family’s failure to listen to instructions and the crew’s failure to make appropriate announcements.

Overall, I had very high expectations for this cruise. For the most part they were not fulfilled. I enjoyed myself for the most part, but I would not travel on the Zenith again. I will try X again at some point in the future. I think that the one positive outcome here is that I’ve found out that I’m a big ship fan.

[CaribbeanBound]

Nicely balanced review. We had a better time on Zenith when we sailed her to Bermuda late last year (http://www.lavasurfer.com/info/bermuda.html). Our main "complaint" was the shabby condition of the deck chairs (wouldn't sell at a garage sale) and bedding with holes. Our dining and entertainment experience was very good (we could and did order meats medium rare). Best entertainment package we have ever seen on a ship.

 

Hopefully they can correct the failings from your voyage before we sail her again in November.

 

Question: have they replaced the deck chairs or do they still look really worn out?

[Barry ATL]

Why do Canadians have to give up their passport? I would not want to go ashore in another country without my passport. We have had a couple of threads that discussed missing the ship.

[Ships R Great]

I am sorry your experience was not what you hoped. But you did have some good experiences, I'm glad to read. I ahve to take issue witha few things, however.

 

The bleach/disinfectant was necessary due to "stomach" problems. Yes, it is unsightly to see the misty mirrors and spotted railings. however, it was done to keep down infections spreading. As is the case with the waiters serving the line at the buffet. This is to keep people from spreading germs via the serving utensils. And maybe they did not have the "keep off the rails" signs on your cruise as they did on ours when they were not wiping disinfectant off rails. Too bad.

 

Shaking the Captain's hand at the welcome aboard party. Would be nice but it would take a loooooooong time for each pasenger to "meet and greet". then people would be complaining about having to wait in line for such a long time.

 

The Marinit Bar is a favorite place for the singers and dancers to "unwind" and also on nights they are not performing. I have had delightful conversations on many occasions, finding out about their experiences, where they are from, etc. One lead singer recognized me from another cruise and gave me a kiss on the check. I thought that was sweet. (I probably remind him of his grandmother!)

 

But, as I said, I'm glad there were good times too. One question, since you missed the last night in the Caravelle, how did you handle tipping your waiter and assistant?

 

Hope you will try X again. Maybe a bigger, newer ship would be better for you. I like all the X ships but I have a soft spot in my heart for the Zenith. We are sailing her for the 6th time next month. The crew is the best going IMHO.

[my3kids]

Thanks for the detailed review! I appreciate you taking the time to post all your findings.

 

I hope some more of the 'glitches' get worked out by next Saturday!!!!!

[londonlad35]

Hi

 

I was on this cruise too and was probably listening to the musician in the Fleet Bar with you on the last night!

 

I couldnt agree with you more on the comments you made, good and bad. I am a seasoned X customer and spoke to many others who all commented that this was not the usual X standard. The anomolies like no sushi, steak being cooked only well done, and the appalling customer service we also encountered in the theater for debarkation (and lack of presence of staff - including the Cruise Director who appeared to be in hiding and in silence!) are not normal.

 

Whilst I take on board the previous posters comments about spraying bleach being for good reason, for which I have no doubt, I do find it somewhat disconcerting when the bartenders in Rendez Vous were setting up the tables with the cocktail lists whilst wearing rubber gloves and a face mask. And yes, everyone had bleach over their hands the entire time. Especially when the only official line, according to the embarkation letter was to protect us from "winter flu". Honesty costs nothing..... and we are all a little wiser than given credit for.....

 

I would say this value a "value for money" cruise rather than standard X quality cruise.... It hasnt stopped me cruising X again, but has made me think twice...

[signman]

No Sushi ?????

[PitCritter]

As I said in the original post, I WILL try X again. I agree that for the price I paid, I received exceptional value.

 

As far as the waiter and assistant, (Lester and Jose, I should acknowledge them by name) I did go to the Caravelle during the early seating on the last night to hand them their well deserved tips. I apologize to anyone who saw me in less than acceptable dinner attire in the restaurant that evening <G>. Those guys work hard and I know they earned every penny although we only ate there on three nights.

 

Thanks for reminding me about the sushi. It was a feature that I enjoyed on Carnival and it was sorely missed this time.

 

As far as the deck chairs goes, I was quite satisfied with them. The chairs on Carnival are made of that white resin material and tend to come apart if you move in the chair. These ones are made of aluminum and although they were not new by any stretch the ones by the pool all had decent pads installed and were quite comfortable.

 

Londonload, did you enjoy Art Michaud as much as we did? He was one of the highlights of our cruise.

 

Passports are an interesting issue too. Two years ago on Carnival we had to surrender them. Last fall, we got to keep them. At least on X, they delivered photocopies of them to our cabin on the first evening so that we had some proof of citizenship. It also helped to fill in our declarations at the end of the trip.

[londonlad35]

Hi Pitcruiser,

 

Yes we enjoyed him very much - in fact you are right that the last night was one of the best up there!

 

In terms of the ship's condition, it was virtually faultless (not sure what it would look like after all that bleach tho?!!??!) and this was without doubt excpeptional value.

 

On main seating for dinner there were rather alot of people who didnt dine on the last night. I wonder if this was also because they discovered the excellent room service menu. It was very very extensive. Good stuff.

 

Well, I read on another thread in here that some people got sick. I can gratefully say that even if my hands did smell the entire cruise I did not know anyone who got ill which is the main thing.

 

Glad you enjoyed yourself - the Fleet Bar is a real hideaway - i Loved it!

[marshabear]

nice review...and your honest opinion , which is what these boards are for...

 

we sailed the Zenith in December...had a much better experience than you did...

 

our embarkation was the best we have experienced...only 5 minutes from drop off to on board...no problems with people "lined up" and waiting to be called to board...we just walked right on...and we arrived at 11:30 too...

 

we didn't see any special disinfecting being done, but there were servers at the lunch buffet-didn't bother us-if i wanted something, i just asked...they were very polite...

 

at the main dining room, we had great servers as you did...however, we asked for and received shrimp cocktail every night, and my DH prime rib was cooked medium rare (he was asked how he wanted it cooked)...we even got a second lobster tail on lobster night!!:)

 

i agree, Art was the highlight of the entertainment!! we enjoyed the shows, too, but we listened to Art every night either at the Fleet lounge, or in the Cova Cafe...wherever he was playing....and 1 night the piano player, Michael, who is a friend of Art's, came down after his "gig" was finished and he played and sang with Art for another hour!! :) it was very entertaining!!

 

no complaints about our cabin-nice attendant, very thorough...the beds were comfy, and the whole room was very clean....(and i'm picky about that)

 

we did have sushi-how many nights, i don't know- i am not a sushi eater, i just saw it listed in the Celebrity Today!

 

we had a tropical buffet upon leaving cozumel...well, it was at midnight, but we were at Cozumel that day...fresh fruit, sherbets and ice cream and cookies....and some other hot items...the only thing i remember was the bbq ribs cause my DH had alot of them!! :)

 

some of the shows may have had to be cancelled because of crew illness...i have read that when there is a virus going around a ship, many crew come down with it too...naturally, because of the close contact with so many people...and i know from experiencing it, that you can feel fine one minute, and deathly sick the next....(happened to me at work once-got so sick in a matter of minutes, i had to have my DH pick me up-couldn 't drive!!)

we had the oppertunity to shake hands with the captain, but again, have read that if there has been virus on board, they discontinue doing this...

 

well, i enjoyed reading your review, just wanted to let others know our opinions...

 

hope you will give Celebrity another try- we sure will!! :)

 

Marsha

[southhavenjen]

.

 

The bleach/disinfectant was necessary due to "stomach" problems. Yes, it is unsightly to see the misty mirrors and spotted railings. however, it was done to keep down infections spreading. As is the case with the waiters serving the line at the buffet. This is to keep people from spreading germs via the serving utensils. And maybe they did not have the "keep off the rails" signs on your cruise as they did on ours when they were not wiping disinfectant off rails. Too bad.

 

I am going on Zenith on 2/6 and am freaked out by the many reports of them spraying undiluted bleach on surfaces. This is not the first person who has reported ruined clothing because of the bleach.

 

I work in foodservice and am well-versed in sanitation methods. There are many disinfectants that can be used to kill the germs that would be vastly superior to straight bleach. Bleach is extremely caustic. Just think if you got it on your hand and then inadvertantly rubbed your eye. At the very least, they should be diluting the bleach to the appropriate level so that it will be safe for people (and their clothes) to come in contact with. It's just unbelievable to me that they're spraying undiluted bleach all over the place. It's a safety hazard that should be corrected!

[Barry ATL]

I am going on Zenith on 2/6 and am freaked out by the many reports of them spraying undiluted bleach on surfaces. This is not the first person who has reported ruined clothing because of the bleach.

 

I work in foodservice and am well-versed in sanitation methods. There are many disinfectants that can be used to kill the germs that would be vastly superior to straight bleach. Bleach is extremely caustic. Just think if you got it on your hand and then inadvertantly rubbed your eye. At the very least, they should be diluting the bleach to the appropriate level so that it will be safe for people (and their clothes) to come in contact with. It's just unbelievable to me that they're spraying undiluted bleach all over the place. It's a safety hazard that should be corrected!

 

Bleach seems to be standard practice on a sick ship. I have read some of the same complaints about a cruise over on the Princess board. Maybe it is a CDC requirement. :confused:

[southhavenjen]

It could be. It seems like overkill to me,though. A diluted bleach solution works to kill most germs.

[PitCritter]

I believe that the bleach solution is diluted. My real issue is that it should be wiped afterwards. Southhavenjen, your comments from food service agree with the opinion of a couple of infectious diseases nurses we spoke to on board, "Spray then wipe!" I even remember seeing a TLC special once that talked about the Centers for Disease Control. In their most secure labs where they deal with HIV and Ebola, their standard disinfectant is regular strength Lysol.

[DGF]

Pitcritter

 

Thanks for the time you took to provide an extensive review

 

Might we ask what cabin you were in?

 

Ourselves and two other couples have booked the Zenith New Years cruise out of Tampa on Dec 29, 06; and are monitoring extensive reports such as yours to determine if we have to jump ship and book another cruise.

 

CRUISE TIPS- Perhaps someone might want to start a thread to allow sharing?

 

 

Some thoughts to the readers on our general cruise experiences and how we use to experience a super cruise:

 

Embarkation/ Disembarkation- Some of our embarkation and disembarkation experiences on other cruise lines, especially the larger ships, has been time consuming ("a drag"); but now with a few cruises under our belt we are ready for it and do not let it taint the cruise experience.

 

 

On disembarkation we wait our turn by sitting in an enjoyable location we have found aboard the ship- we never congregate around the gangway- and from time to time check to see which colour code groups are departing. If we are assigned a colour tag that is too late for our schedule, we have always been able to disembark with another departing group (Different coloured tag) without a hassle from the crew and find our luggage in the dock departure areas

 

 

However, on a cruise ship the size of the Zenith with a low number of passengers, there are no excuses for any problems = our experiences on the Tahitian Princess, a similar size ship was excellent- professional, accommodating staff, smooth efficient, no delays

 

 

Being Canadians, the biggest pain in returning to the USA ports, is having to go to a special lounge early in the morning, retrieve our passports, and get immigration clearance. Have not been able to figure out why the Cruise Lines can not get their act together with US immigration on this one

 

Cabins (all outside cabins some with balconies)- We have done the full range from being on the lower decks with to a mini suite on the Star Princess. We have, however, not experienced the troublesome problems being noted on Cruise Critics and other web sites relating to condition of the Zenith cabins and difficulties being experienced with the mattresses. These problems have no place on a "Premium" Cruise line; and we are closely monitoring to see if we jump ship on our booked Dec 29, 06 Zenith New Year's eve cruise

 

 

Anxiously await further reports on this item

 

Entertainment- Our experience has been that entertainment is a mixed bag, some good some not so good and some we have left early = we now do not have high expectations in this area; with one exception- Tahitian Princess where they brought aboard local and adult entertainers = were awesome

 

 

Food- We have discovered that the quality of the food quite often is determined by your waiter- why we do not know

 

On longer cruises (i.e. Star Princess Venice to Ft.Lauderdale), we had to change tables twice and dining room before we were satisfied with the food quality and service experience.

 

Some approaches we have found helpful:

· Always asked the waiter to provide us with his/her recommendations= some are quite forthcoming on which dishes are best

· If the product is not up to standard to have it returned/ replaced; which they have always done.

· On our Tahitian Princess Cruise we noted that some of the tables were having off menu dishes (higher priced suites guests) and were able to order similar off menu items. We always ask if we can have special menu items on the longer cruises

· Quite often, once we get settled in with a good waiter and resulting good food, we have difficulty in making a decision on the main course or the dessert. On the Princess & Royal Caribbean cruises our table (we normally like to sit with 6- 8) would order an extra meal or extra dessert(s) and have the waiter place them in the middle of the table to be shared by all. On the Legend of the Seas, one of our table guests would order several deserts

 

 

Bingo- Gayle's passion. We have found on all cruises the jackpot has never been won before the last day= the best odds are on the last day of the cruise

 

 

DEAN

[DGF]

Londonlad35

 

May we ask you what cabin you were in, was it refurbished, and conditon

 

How did you find the over condition of the ship- i.e. furniture

[PitCritter]

We always book an inside guarantee. My DW likes to sleep in and the window on an outside cabin is no bonus to us. We were in cabin 4137. It's one of the very cheapest cabins on Zenith. That being said, we had absolutely no issues with the cabin, outside of the fact that the mattress needed to be replaced. The extra rocking and engine vibrations that come with these cabins is of minimal impact to us.When we were on Carnival Glory last fall, we were upgraded to an outside cabin. The curtains were good, but the room didn't stay dark in the mornings. If that's ever offered to us again, we'll decline.

[trcori]

Interesting - have not encountered that in any of our six X cruises - but I guess we had the good fortune not to follow a voyage plagued by illness. There's nothing recent reported for Zenith here:

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/GIlist.htm

but maybe it went just below government radar.

[southhavenjen]

We are going to be in a cabin in that general vicinity on an upcoming sailing! We feel the same way about the inside guarantees - I love sleeping in what we call "the cave".

 

Did it look like the carpet and soft goods had been replaced in your cabin?

[PitCritter]

Jen,

I don't know if they had been replaced or not. If they hadn't, they don't need to be. I was happy with the condition of the soft goods.

[DGF]

Pitcritter

 

Any engine noise or vibration in the cabin?

[southhavenjen]

Jen,

I don't know if they had been replaced or not. If they hadn't, they don't need to be. I was happy with the condition of the soft goods.

 

Did you have a solid color comforter or was it patchwork-style? The solid ones are the old ones.

 

I am also curious how bad the engine vibration was.

 

Thanks for taking your time to answer these questions!

[Ships R Great]

Pitcritter and Southhavenjen---I agreee that sleeping in an inside cabin gurantees darkness and even tho we prefer outside we have booked inside gurantees on Zenith before---but never again! We were put in 6084 last cruise. The cabin attendant was surprised we were there. He said, "This is the emergency cabin." The configuration is very different from regular cabins. There was much less storage space. Even tho the floor space was the same as other cabins it felt very small. Fortunatelyn we were moved to an outside cabin on the third morning. but I would not want to be there ever again! Chances are small of course but it could happen. BTW, 6085 is the same.

[PitCritter]

The quilt was a patchwork design. I guess that's new. The vibration was noticable, but not disconcerting. It actually acted as a great alarm clock for me, I'm a light sleeper and I like to watch the ship pull into port from the rail with my first coffee of the day. My DW had no trouble sleeping through it.