Renovation News for Horizon & Zenith

[theawesome1]

From my friend Raoul in Germany, the latest on renovations of the original Celebrity fleet:

 

Celebrity Cruises has equipped one (!) cabin onboard the 46,811 gt "Horizon" with a balcony. The move is in preparation of a major

refurbishment program planned for "Horizon" and her sister ship "Zenith". Celebrity plans to make a number of changes to "Horizon"

during her drydocking scheduled for this November. Dozens of cabins will be equipped with balconies and some new staterooms will be added. A new alternative restaurant will be added, while the spa area is being enlarged. All cabins and suites will receive complete facelift. Similar changes are planned for "Zenith".

 

My logo: When we disembark, I just have to book another!

[donnaw]

Hi,

 

The link in my signature is to pictures of the very first balcony on the Horizon built during the 3/1 cruise. Ship's officers said 100-150 balconies will be added along with refurb of all cabins. There is an earlier link that shows the new interiors.

 

Horizon's First Balcony 3/04

 

http://community.webshots.com/scripts/editPhotos.fcgi?action=viewall&albumID=125594606

 

Donna

 

Cruise Total: 8 Dawn Princess 12/8/01, Dawn Princess 8/19/02, Celebrity Century - 1/04/03, Carnival Fascination 5/2/03 Celebrity Horizon 3/1/04

 

[LMKohler]

We heard on our cruise last week that both Zenith and Horizon will be "stretched" and balconies added.

 

dannaw -- I couldn't access your link!

[donnaw]

Hi,

 

No stretching involved according to the Horizon staff. They will be moving the bridge forward on her though. Sometimes even I can't access it. You can email me or find the prior post which has some additonal links including those to pictures of the remodeled bathrooms.

 

Horizon's First Balcony 3/04

 

http://community.webshots.com/scripts/editPhotos.fcgi?action=viewall&albumID=125594606

 

Donna

 

Cruise Total: 8 Dawn Princess 12/8/01, Dawn Princess 8/19/02, Celebrity Century - 1/04/03, Carnival Fascination 5/2/03 Celebrity Horizon 3/1/04

[btoohill]

Does anyone know if Celebrity's renovation plans for Horizon and Zenith include doing away with the aft(hope that means back of the ship because that's what I mean decks for sunning and reading. That area on Deck 10 was one of our favorite places on the ship -- so relaxing to sit there and watch the ocean and the horizon. On the M class ships, this area has staterooms and balconies so those of us too cheap to pay for those staterooms don't have that pleasure. Hopefully, in this renovation, Celebrity is going to retain what's great about the Horizon -- I much prefer the smaller ships to the mega ones, much cozier and more of a sense of a classic sea voyage.

[seagulls]

Btohill, I don't know what the plans are for either ship. Nevertheless I have to say, I tried sitting on that little aft deck on the Zenith and found it to be too dirty. Towels, chairs, and decking were covered in a thin film of soot that came from the ship's funnel. A few people got it on themselves and complained that it was very difficult to get the stains off their clothes.

[cdbaum]

According to the captain (and other crew members) of the Horizon the renovation will include adding penthouse suites aft on decks 9 & 10 (the sun deck area becomes their veranda), adding balconies on all of deck 10, some of deck 9. The lifeboats and davits are being changed to eliminate the obstructed view and to allow space for the balconies.

 

The Americas cup will be extended forward and the Zodiac will move up there. The spa will be extended aft, a second level will be added and new sun deck area will be on top and aft. On deck 8 everything aft of the show lounge will be gutted and redesigned. The entire ship will get a facelift.

 

The test balcony cabin is very impressive with two tone wood throughout, very nice colors. The bathroom however is incredible with a glass counter with a raised vessel sink and glass shelves, glass bifold shower door and all new linens. The vanity area in the cabin is designed with good lighting and hinged side mirror sections with storage behind.

 

A very nice touch at the bed is the reading lights which can be aimed where you want.

 

The balcony itself has wicker like furniture and a hinged section on the dividing walls (for safety reasons) which allows balconies to be combined.

 

Maybe I will post our pictures of the cabin soon if I get the time.

[Ocean Boy]

I guess renovations are good news if it means keeping Horizon in service. I just hope it doesn't ruin the charm or asthetics of the ship. I like her just the way she is.

[donnaw]

Here is a link to the early bathroom pictures though I am sure cd's are much more complete;

 

New bathrooms and balconies on Horizon

 

Horizon's First Balcony 3/04

 

http://community.webshots.com/scripts/editPhotos.fcgi?action=viewall&albumID=125594606

 

Donna

 

Cruise Total: 8 Dawn Princess 12/8/01, Dawn Princess 8/19/02, Celebrity Century - 1/04/03, Carnival Fascination 5/2/03 Celebrity Horizon 3/1/04

 

[cdbaum]

Donna

 

My pictures are about the same (they are the same area) the only real difference is that the room was complete, all the way down to linens, flowers, water pitcher etc.

[albertiger]

saw it for myself while on Galaxy in nassau last week after hearing the rumors. now ill be more inclined to go to bermuda next year, ive gotten used to having a balcony!

 

"live long and prosper...so you may cruise!"

[flyfan]

How exciting!!! I love the Horizon and bemoan the lack of balconies.

 

Anyone know when the ships will be rennovated?

 

~fly

 

[cdbaum]

The Horizon will go into drydock on October 31 of this year and will emerge a new girl on November 22 officially.

[BSeaBob]

I'm a thinkin' ..that if they add those cabins and keep all the others; that the feeling you have now when those ships are full will be much (too much for me) more crowded. .??

[newtocc]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by cdbaum:

According to the captain (and other crew members) of the Horizon the renovation will include adding penthouse suites aft on decks 9 & 10 (the sun deck area becomes their veranda), adding balconies on all of deck 10, some of deck 9. The lifeboats and davits are being changed to eliminate the obstructed view<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm so glad to hear that, those lifeboats are so annoying, I paid for my cabin, I want to see a view, doesn't everyone know how to swim anyway?

 

This ship 10/91

That ship 11/95

Whatever ship 12/98

here a ship 13/99

there a ship 14/00

everywhere

a

ship ship 15/05

 

<font size="3" color=red>Over 1 year</font> into my LMBO cruise

[nealberk]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>

I'm so glad to hear that, those lifeboats are so annoying, I paid for my cabin, I want to see a view, doesn't everyone know how to swim anyway?

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

The lifeboats are not being eliminated, Newt, the obstructions are. I guess we are going to get transparent lifeboats- or inflatable ones that store easily.

[HPINE1]

I am booked on the Horizon nov 12 and my TA has said nothing obout it to me. Maybe i should talk to her and cancel if this is true.

[mkirch72]

I have been on four cruises, three on Celebrity, and Horizon is by far the best ship I have been on.

 

I am so happy Celebrity is sprucing her up and adding balconies. She is a beautiful ship and just the right size.

 

I loved the pictures and I'm definitetly going to talk to my TA to go back on the Horizon next year.

 

Someone also mentioned not liking deck 10 aft because of soot from the funnel. I personally liked deck 9. No soot and not as many people. However, the ping-pong tables were there and it could get a little noisy if kids were there.

 

Well -- kudos to Celebrity for reinvesting in such great ships!

[ibeejd]

For some reason I can not view photos from the cruise addict link or webshots link. Can someone please eamil me the photos if it isnt too much trouble.

 

Thanks so much

 

Our 1 yr anniversary cruise to Bermuda

 

 

Pride 11/02

Fantasy 10/01

 

"Do what you want and say what you feel because the people that matter dont mind and people that mind dont matter"

Dr. Seuss

[moni]

ibeejd,

I also could not view the photos. Someone on this board told me to turn off my firewall (I have Norton’s) and it worked. Just don’t forget to turn it back on when you’re finished viewing the pics.

Hope it works for you.

 

Holland America-Maasdam 2002

Celebrity-Summit 2003

Princess-Golden 2003

Celebrity-Horizon 2004

[Guest]

I hate to put a damper on all this information coming out about the Zenith and Horizon but a word of caution might be in order. I realize we have all seen the pictures of the veranda and have heard various conflicting reports from crew members. Does it not seem curious to anyone that Celebrity has not made any type of official announcement on these changes. I would hold off on any reservations for Balcony cabins until such announcement is made. I for one would love to go to Bermuda with a veranda and love Horizon and Zenith but I'm inclined right now to not count my chickens before they hatch.

 

Don

[cdbaum]

Would a statement from the captain of the ship be considered an official statement? How about the restaurant manager, the chief housekeeper, staff captain? While we were on the Horizon last month and booking our next cruise the computer system indicated the Horizon being off the schedule in November. If you look at the fleet calendar on the Celebrity website you will see that the ship is not listed through most of November

 

As far as the renovation being a done deal I guess we will just have to wait and see. I would like to think that since they have already done one room fully, including the balcony, and that the guy from the shipyard that is staying in the room states that it will be done that the odds are pretty good. I guess I'm a glass half full sort of guy.

[Guest]

cd:

 

I'm a 1/2 glass full of guy also married to a a 1/2 glass empty however these are the same people who swore that the ship was being stretched along with all these balconies, etc.It is obviously not being stretched. Ever think of all the rumors going around the water cooler at work from people in the know. I know it is going in for the month and am inclined to believe that they are doing something major but that balcony may just be for some sort of test.

 

Don

[jsea]

The renovations are going to be done. Perhaps Celebrity hasn't made any official announcement as of yet because they are waiting for the final payment dates for the majority of the summer Bermuda cruises to pass so that people don't back out and wait until '05 so they can have a balcony and a much-improved ship.

 

Just my opinion.

 

cdbaum, any chance we could see your photos of the finished stateroom? I would love to see it. Thanks.

[Ocean Boy]

I hope it does result in a much improved ship. It is hard to imagine Horizon could be much better than she is.

 

I have to say that, at least from the picture, the addition of the balconies doesn't seem like it will hurt the exterior asthetics of the ship. I am just not sure how much use they will get on Bermuda cruises. It can get pretty cool out on the Atlantic. It is not like a Caribbean cruise.