Galaxy get the ax ?!?!

[bububr]

Or at least it looks like it....

 

Just got the email for Europe 2009. Looks like Equinox has taken over for Galaxy....now I could be wrong.....

 

Maybe they are sticking it into a different market? Longer Caribbean sailings maybe since Century will be in Europe during the summer also?

 

Anybody's guess.

 

Dave:eek:

[hajekfam]

Isn't the Galaxy going in for a major refurbishment - I remember reading a press release.

MIAMI, March 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrity Cruises, known for providing "star treatment" to its guests, plans to offer star treatment to one of its ships. Celebrity Galaxy will undergo an approximately $4-million makeover during its scheduled drydock in Freeport, Bahamas, from April 18 through May 2. During that time:

 

The ship's two-level main dining room will be completely refurbished, with new, contemporary carpeting, reupholstered and newly varnished chairs, new waiter stations, and entirely new floor-to-ceiling columns.

The adjacent RendezVous Lounge will be enhanced with entirely new upholstery, as will the Martini Bar, one of the Celebrity brand's most popular signature spaces.

Not to be upstaged, the Celebrity Theater will be completely refurbished, with new carpeting and upholstery throughout.

The casual dining and buffet areas will be entirely revitalized, with new chairs, carpeting, upholstery and lighting.

The neighboring pool deck area will be made even more inviting, with new teak bolidt decking, and striking new glass tiles surrounding the pool.

The retail area also will be enhanced, with entirely refurbished jewelry boutiques and brighter, more contemporary new product-display areas throughout.

The Stratosphere Lounge - an observation area by day and dance club by night - will feature entirely new carpets and lounge seating upholstery.

Contemporary new carpeting will be laid in 250 staterooms, and new sinks and new upholstery will complement the same work that already has been completed in the balance of the ship's staterooms.

Additionally, Celebrity Galaxy's Michael's Club jazz/piano bar -- a Celebrity signature favorite across the fleet -- already has been entirely refurbished.

As far as the Equinox taking over for the Galaxy - it is doing its maiden voyage in Europe in August 2009 - so for the first part of the Europe season, there will only be 4 Celebrity ships.

[Lois R]

Hi Dave, speculation has been rampant about Galaxy and Mercury

"getting the axe":eek:

[chessbriar]

Solstice is taking over the Galaxy's itinerary in Europe in 2009. Also, the refurbishment of Galaxy this spring has been cut down. Guests coming off the Galaxy have stated it was mentioned while on board next Caribbean season will be Galaxy's last with Celebrity.

 

Leaving Galaxy out of the mix for Europe boosts the speculation. Mercury is likely to depart either spring of 2009 or after the Alaska season.

[Lois R]

Hi Rick, always nice to see you:)

 

I asked more than once about this while I was on board too.

First I was told 2009 Caribbean would be her last then I was

told the end of the year (2009).

Who knows?

 

Hope you and the family are doing well.:)

[Schplinky]

I wonder if these older ships will move to Pullmantur or the new RCL French line? I don't think the company is averse to smaller ships but I think the older ships are having a harder time competing for attention now that large ships with more bells and whistles are doing shorter cruises, too.

[richsea]

I would hope that Celebrity would keep Galaxy & Mercury & expand their itineraries. Why not keep a ship sailing to the Caribbean during the summer season? Why not sail from NY (Bayonne) like Princess & NCL. There are many who miss the Bermuda cruises out of NY in the summer & would still love to enjoy the Celebrity experience. Many people are averse to flying, especially with the security hassles & baggage restrictions. There is a TA in the NY area that advertises weekly in the local papers with the headline "Hate to Fly?" followed by details of cruises sailing from NYC. I am sure people will flock to X, especially if the Caribbean run would include a stop at Bermuda's West End.

 

To me, it doesn't make sense to add new ships & contract a fleet that is already spread too thin.

[TAXLADY070]

Rich,

I agree with you 100%, keep the Galaxy and the Mercury and home port one of them in NJ or NY. Really miss the 7 day to Bermuda, 5 on RCI is just not enough time. Remember when they just had the Meridian, Horizon and Zenith. They sailed to Bermuda during the season and I remember sailing on the Zenith to the Caribbean in July.

[pattycakes]

yes please, can I have some Celebrity in NY too? Miss them horribly.

[Ken1359]

I was told on a recent Galaxy cruise that she would be leaving the fleet by the end of 2009 latest.

[caribbeanboy]

No wonder they put the option for a fifth solstice class ship in firm order.

[caviargal]

as Richard Fain told us - a large group of TAs - it is all about economies of scale. It is cheaper to operate a fleet of large ships that require less staff for more people and have more revenue generating outlets ala Voyager and Freedom and Freedom class, than to operate smaller ships that require more staff and hold fewer passengers.

 

It would not be a surprise at all to see X get rid of the smaller ships. Just as RCI has no plans to build additional Radiance class ships - some of the most beautiful ships out there IMO and with a legion of fans, much like M class - X is not likely to invest in the smaller, older ships which would have to compete against the monster ships in the Caribbean.

 

Sad but true.

[tom_uk]

Galaxy's refit is actually a very small, low-cost one. Century's refit a couple of years cost about 10 times as much.

 

Galaxy's refit isn't much more than a wash'n'brush-up. Anecdotally, the suggestion is that it has been greatly scaled-down in the last 9 months or so; at one time it was hoped/expected that she would get similar treatment to Century. But it's not going to happen, and when that became clear it also became pretty clear that she's not going to be in the fleet for long. It's very hard to see how Celebrity could market ships with the range of facilities from Galaxy/Mercury (limited, by latest standards) to Solstice/Equinox (lavish) in a consistent manner.

[Nymue]

Why not move the Galaxy BACK to Baltimore :D That's a Port that is crying out for more ships and the Galaxy was a Perfect Match for it before, running 10 & 11 night cruises. The only proplem before was the port itself was ill equipped. However now they have a beautiful new, fully funtional, Terminal :p

 

Anne

 

Rich,

I agree with you 100%, keep the Galaxy and the Mercury and home port one of them in NJ or NY. Really miss the 7 day to Bermuda, 5 on RCI is just not enough time. Remember when they just had the Meridian, Horizon and Zenith. They sailed to Bermuda during the season and I remember sailing on the Zenith to the Caribbean in July.

[C 2 C]

I believe that Celebrity has an image they wish to project and that image will not mesh with older ships. The Eurozone will find cruising much cheaper because of the depreciated dollar and Celebrity wants to develop this growing market. Celebrity's new exterior color is white; blue is out.

I think that the German built ships without the specialty restaurants... Mercury and Galaxy are going to Germany:

 

http://www.modernagent.com/Resources/Editorial.aspx?n=33687

[Karynanne]

We were told on Mercury 2 weeks ago, that both the Mercury and Galaxy will be gone from the fleet.

 

The vision of the company is to offer their passengers ammenties that were consistant on all their ships. And these two C-Class ships don't do fit the visionalized program. The costs to retrofit the ships was not cost effective for them to do so.

 

We have a Hawaii R/T booked on Mercury for 3/09, and there isn't much booked after that period...so that may be the time frame to see this ship move on. I'm not sure of the Galaxy.

[Lois R]

We were told on Mercury 2 weeks ago, that both the Mercury and Galaxy will be gone from the fleet.

 

The vision of the company is to offer their passengers ammenties that were consistant on all their ships. And these two C-Class ships don't do fit the visionalized program. The costs to retrofit the ships was not cost effective for them to do so.

 

We have a Hawaii R/T booked on Mercury for 3/09, and there isn't much booked after that period...so that may be the time frame to see this ship move on. I'm not sure of the Galaxy.

 

Hi Karen:)

 

She sure will be missed by many of us:(

I am glad I booked her again as it really does sound like

she is leaving the fleet:(. I guess we Mercury lovers feel

the same way as those Zenith folks felt when she left......

sad....

Problem for me is $...if these new ships are going to be lots

more $ I will have to look in another direction......

[Kruizefan]

I think that the German built ships without the specialty restaurants... Mercury and Galaxy are going to Germany:

 

http://www.modernagent.com/Resources/Editorial.aspx?n=33687

 

As the German cruise market is very fast growing (10 percent p. a.) RCI made a joint venture with German based TUI Cruises recently.

[richsea]

Actually, if you look closely at the revised "improvements", it's not much more than replacing carpets & some upholstery, which does not require drydock. Sadly, it looks like the end of Galaxy's tenure with Celebrity is, indeed, near.:(

[hajekfam]

Solstice is taking over the Galaxy's itinerary in Europe in 2009. Also, the refurbishment of Galaxy this spring has been cut down. Guests coming off the Galaxy have stated it was mentioned while on board next Caribbean season will be Galaxy's last with Celebrity.

 

Leaving Galaxy out of the mix for Europe boosts the speculation. Mercury is likely to depart either spring of 2009 or after the Alaska season.

Since that press release about the Galaxy refurbishment I posted was dated March 5, it seems odd that they would sink that much (including new sinks) into a ship that they are getting rid of in a year.

[dkjretired]

Since that press release about the Galaxy refurbishment I posted was dated March 5, it seems odd that they would sink that much (including new sinks) into a ship that they are getting rid of in a year.

 

They are only putting less than 5Million into the ship and that actually makes sense. They need the ship for a year or so until the Solstice ships start to roll out and then one of the rumors will come true. Remember, they spent over 50 m on the Century and less than 5 M on Galaxy. I think the most telling thing was no Specialty restaurants on either ship....That's when I first thought they were both going...

[FinelyCruising]

Its odd for me to think about what they are doing for the cost. In my world what they are doing would cost infinitely many times more. Its a great value for the spend, and for the passengers who sail following the work and improvements, it will be a good time for as long as it lasts.

[ward10]

and its a spend by the parent company into a product that will be spun off to a subsidiary so I suppose its a long term investment.

[judyfssw]

If Celebrity/RCCL don't want smaller sized ships, why did they bring out the Azamara line? Why don't they convert Mercury and Galaxy into the Azamara line? Just a thought.

[jer_l]

Our first cruise was on the Mercury and she has remained our favorite ship. I wish X would use her for cruises to the Mexican Riviera again. That was a wonderful itenerary.