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In this age of ultra mega liners plying the bigger-and-newer-is-better seas, what is a cruise line to do with a 10-year-old ship that’s functional but perhaps eclipsed by the flash and cache of the competition?
The answer from Celebrity Cruises was to send the ship to Sicily – no, not to sleep with the fishes, but to undertake a $55 million refurbishment on its mid-size vessel Century. The results? A ship that competes on par with her turn of the (21st) century counterparts with flair and grace, while maintaining an intimate atmosphere that many newer ships have simply foregone.
Having seen online photos and virtual tours of the revitalised Century, we’d originally eyed her for a Mediterranean jaunt in October 2007, thinking we’d try a different direction (perhaps Holland America or Norwegian) for the 2006 holiday season. A price drop on Century’s nine-day Christmas sailing out of Miami, however, was an offer we couldn’t refuse.
Our last holiday travel venture featured an all day delay in Detroit and baggage that we’d barely received prior to the cruise sailing, so we knew the travel gods were smiling when our flight touched down in sunny Miami on time and our bags arrived with us and intact. We now had over 24 hours before sailing, and went about our time soaking in some South Beach ambience.
An upgraded room at the Royal Palm gave us a welcoming ocean view, and provided a great base to explore the Art Deco district. Our walk was a mix of beach sands and Ocean Drive people-watching, until we reached Joe’s Stone Crab where a snack wasn’t at least a major financial setback. The walk continued up Collins Avenue and then once again on Ocean Drive, as the sun was setting and the lights were coming on, and South Beach nightlife was beginning to rumble – or was it a rumba?! Later we walked the trendy Lincoln Road mall, where shops and galleries open late amidst an inviting atmosphere of street performers, sidewalk cafes, and hands down the most attractive people in the States.
Jen spotted a Cuban restaurant, David’s, whose name rang a bell from some online reading. “Half an hour,” the host/waiter said when tried to get a table – not that they were crowded, but at eight thirty weren’t yet open. We walked a bit more, and had a café Cubano at the counter next door while waiting for the staff to finish cleaning from a party that had apparently been thrown earlier. Silly me, with my northern industrial paradigm, I’d taken ‘half an hour’ to mean just that, forgetting that we were now on ‘Latin time’ and such estimates could easily be doubled without any intent of malice. Que sera sera. The meal was worth every minute of the wait, with Cuban tamales whetting our appetite, followed by succulent pollo asado and a memorable palomilla steak, complemented so well by the ever-present sides of maduros (plantains), black beans, and rice. Room for dessert? You can’t go wrong with the flan, but the tres leches was the real winner here, the Latin favourite cake soaked in evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream. An after-dinner drink at the chic Delano, the pilot of urban resorts with its all-white lobby of massive columns and billowy shears, and we were most definitely in the zone.
The next morning we awoke to sunny skies and a pounding ocean surf, and from the elevator lobby could see that our ship had come in, literally, with Century’s smokestack and profile standing out in front of the Miami skyline. After experiencing an Ocean Drive morning, the locals and tourists having breakfast out on the sidewalk cafes, watching the beautiful people and soaking in life, we took a taxi to the port and were aboard Century by 1pm. Champagne in hand, we were offered a white-gloved escort to our stateroom, the Celebrity signature touches. We spent the afternoon having lunch on the terrace (a decent buffet offering, actually, considering the buffet can sometimes be Celebrity’s culinary Achilles’ heel) and exploring the ship (more later on Century and her revitalised offerings), and sailed out of Government Cut at sunset, the lights of Miami and South Beach eventually trailing off in the distance as steamed out into the Atlantic. Docked across from us had been Oceania Cruises’ Regatta, the last ship that we’d sailed on together and from which we had great memories of an Athens to Istanbul sailing earlier the same year. So the bar was set high for Century, in our minds, as on Regatta we’d experienced fine dining and a refined atmosphere, albeit on a ship less than half the size.
Click to see the trip photos
That night we entered late seating at the Grand Dining Room with anticipation, only to find our table for twelve wedged near the entrance. It wasn’t the ambience we’d been hoping for, being accustomed to tables of six (or even two or four with anytime dining on Regatta and Grand Princess). So, despite a nice meal with two tablemate couples from our Cruisecritic group (and three other couples we could barely hear thanks to the large table), we asked the maitre’d to switch us to early seating and a smaller table. Our wish was granted the next day, as, after a relaxing day at sea featuring the usual onboard activities, we showed up for early seating to a table of six, two couples travelling together with whom we got on well right away. We enjoyed our evenings together for the remainder of the cruise, and would spend time with Chris and Paula ashore in Ocho Rios and in Cozumel.
The Ports
Having “done” Ocho Rios before, we saw the first port as a chance for some shopping and authentic local “jerk chicken” before spending the rest of the day on the ship. The jerk was quite good, had the right spice, and definitely local as one or two pieces of pork still had some hair on the skin. I fell asleep by the pool that afternoon – nothing like a good snore to drive off a couple of chair hogs – and awoke to the band playing as we prepared to set sail.
Grand Cayman was our next stop, and I’d arranged a private excursion to Stingray City while Jen would do some shopping. The last time we’d been here, as is not uncommon, the winds were too high for any of the smaller craft to get our for excursions. So the second time was the charm, and I joined a handful of others from the Cruisecritic group aboard Native Way’s “Reefs, Rays, and Rum” day tour. The first stop was along Grand Cayman’s barrier reef, a nice foray into the underwater life of this diving hotspot, where we snorkelled and saw hundreds of colourful tropical fish along with the occasional gar and ray. The highlight of the day was up next, and as we approached the famous sandbar and anchored along side a handful of other boats, thoughts of Steve Irwin were at least in the backs of our minds. But the creatures at Stingray City are indeed of a different breed, and are accustomed to people bringing them food every day. Jumping into the water teeming with dasyatids swimming back and forth, the initial feeling of having a stingray slide along my leg was not unnerving but rather curious. I donned the mask and snorkel, and proceeded to swim alongside these docile creatures around the shallow waters, the geometric patterns of the sandy bottom occasionally interrupted by a ray burrowing up a cloud. It was clear that some of the excursion pax still had some trepidation about the rays, and only a minority were actually feeding these guys, so I grabbed a handful of squid and, one by one, offered lunch to my new friends. At one point I had several rays swimming around me – sometimes right into me, in fact, again a feeling of wonder as they were more like pets looking for a treat. The mouth of a stingray is at the front of its underside, so when receiving food the ray will swim towards you with its eyes level, and then shift upwards at the last minute as it sucks the squid right out of your thumb and forefinger. The time at Stingray City went by so quickly, and too soon we were back on the boat, drying off in the warm breeze, making our way to the last stop of the day, Rum Point. Here we had lunch on the beach, family style at picnic tables, a nice spread of fresh mahi mahi, the catch of the day, along with rice, corn, and coleslaw. Too soon once again we were on our way back across the bay towards George Town and the cruise ships, bidding adieu to Captain Scheister and his crew as we wrapped up a great excursion.
Christmas Day we spent at sea, with a turkey lunch in the buffet (sweet potatoes and stuffing, of course); Santa Claus in the ship’s atrium; Christmas dinner in the Grand; and a tree-trimmer midnight buffet featuring gingerbread houses, mountains of shrimp cocktail, salmon wellington, and scrumptious desserts that took hundred of labour-hours to prepare and a matter of minutes for the passengers to devour.
Boxing Day (that’s the 26th of December for my American friends) saw us docking in Cozumel, where, along with Chris and Paula, we rented a Jeep and explored the less-travelled eastern side of the island and its near-empty beaches. Our first stop in the morning was at Mezcalito’s, a beach bar on Playa Oriente featuring quintessential palapas and a “naked beach” where, as the day progresses, imbibed patrons have pictures taken for posterity on the bar’s wall of fame. I ordered huevos rancheros and a Tecate (it was, after all, five o’clock somewhere), and, although the staff finally decided they didn’t have any eggs, we enjoyed our beverages under a palapa as we tried to shake off some overly friendly black flies.
We drove down the island ring road, palm jungle on our right (with damage still evident over a year after Hurricane Wilma) and desolate beaches with pounding surf on our left, ending up at Coconuts, a bar and grill perched on the island’s highest cliff. A natural photo-op with views of beach after beach below and sitting atop a hill of palms and stone steps, Coconuts easily fit a definition of paradise as we sat at an umbrella table overlooking the Caribbean, eating chips and guacamole and fish tacos, sipping Dos Equis Amber and margaritas.
Later we found a stretch of Playa Chen Rio, popular with locals, that was still uncrowded, and took in the lukewarm Caribbean waters and white sand beaches. Thanks to Chris for doing the driving – leave it to a Bostonian to negotiate Mexican streets and roadways – as we finished our day with a tour of the town and its “San Francisco de Asis” (St Francis of Assisi) supermarket, offerings and prices on par with Wal-Mart and its peers. As we were docked in Cozumel well into the evening, Jen and I strolled along the waterfront shops, and enjoyed a more local dinner at La Choza, whose salsa verde and sopa de tortilla fed well into a bittersweet chicken mole and an outstanding whole fish sauteed in garlic. We caught the folklorico show as we boarded the ship, and went to bed early knowing we’d have a full day in store.
We arose before dawn as Century was approaching Playa del Carmen, and had homemade waffles and fruit to the sounds of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass (got to love a Jewish guy playing a Greek song, heard on a Bahamian-registered ship owned by an American company, off the coast of Mexico) as we awaited the tender operations to begin. As our private excursion guide was to meet us on the docks at 7:30am, our goal was to make the first tender ashore, but we were delayed an hour by what Celebrity blamed on ‘local authorities’. Oh well. We were met by our guide and were on the road by a quarter to nine, driving past one resort after another, this being the popular Riviera Maya tourist destination.
Within 45 minutes or so we had reached Tulum, the most frequented Mayan site due mainly to its proximity to the resort zone and cruise ships. On its own merit, Tulum was not as paramount to the Mayans when compared to other sites such as Chichen Itza, Tikal, etc. What makes Tulum spectacular is its setting, a field of ruins leading to the main temple complex perched atop a cliff overlooking the Caribbean. You can’t climb El Castillo these days, and an hour or so of site-seeing, as it were, turned out to be sufficient. We could have brought our bathing suits and enjoyed the beach here, which was unique in that it was surrounded by cliffs with a Mayan temple at the top, but we had other plans for the day.
After confirming that our time line was still intact, despite the tendering delay, our guide drove us inland, through the Yucatan jungle, and in an hour we were at Coba. An ancient city that prospered in the years 500-1000 A.D., Coba was a major centre of trade ans had links to Mayan communities from Yucatan to Belize and further south. Here we hired a local guide, in Spanish, spent two hours seeing the various complexes of ruins, including: La Iglesia pyramid (20m high); Conjunto Las Pinturas (Temple of the Paintings); and the deadly poc ta poc ball court. For the highlight of Coba, and of the day, we were escorted by a pedicab through the jungle to the Nohoch Mul group, where the 42-metre high pyramid stands, perhaps not as gracefully as the pyramid at Chichen Itza, but in fact higher and also offering the opportunity to climb. Taking time on each step, one finally reaches the apex and is treated to an unforgettable view, far above the trees and surrounded by jungle, lakes, and an occasional pyramid sticking out here and there. After soaking it all on, take plenty of care on the descent, as the view can be quite the distraction, and those steps can be steep and uneven. We drove back to Playa del Carmen, and although we hadn’t enough time to enjoy the Yucatecan meal we’d hoped for and instead had a mojito and caught the last tender back to the ship, the day had been fulfilling indeed.
After another sea day, which we always enjoy but sometimes find ourselves looking for something to do – yes, life could be worse – we called on our last port of this sailing, Coco Cay. Located in the Berry Island chain of the Bahamas, Coco Cay is an island owned by RCCL and developed for cruise passengers on Royal Caribbean – and occasionally on sister line Celebrity – to enjoy as a ‘resort’ and/or ‘beach’ day. High winds sometimes prevent anchoring off these islands, so we considered ourselves lucky to have made both Grand Cayman and Coco Cay. Tendering ashore, we were treated to a barbecue, where we enjoyed lunch under the palm trees in, had we not known otherwise, would have passed for a Caribbean resort locale. The clear blue water and powdery white sands were an attraction for all, and while many congregated in the beach areas closest to the marina and food setup, we made our way through a nature trail – stopping to relax in the hammocks – down the shore where very few people had reached. Here we had lounge chairs and a nearly private beach, the sounds of the tide interspersing with faint reggae and party music from the band back at the main area. Coco Cay is clean, well maintained, and offers enough in the way of activities and diversions for those seeking that, as well as stretches of white sand beaches for those of us content to find a spot in the sun. Our first private island experience, this was a fantastic way to end what had been a great cruise.
Always sad to have to leave the ship (detailed review of Century follows below), we nonetheless thoroughly enjoyed our two post-cruise days in Miami, easing our transition to life back on land with a stay at the newly-reopened Fairmont Turnberry Isle resort just off Miami Beach. Situated on the Intracoastal, the Turnberry is a beautiful property with two golf courses and Fairmont luxury. Unfortunately the reopening was a bit of a shakedown, and service issues abounded for nearly every guest. Still, our rooms (we opted to switch to a new building) were fantastic, with the second more like a luxury condo, complete with a living room featuring a large plasma TV, a view of the golf course, and a marble 5-piece ensuite with separate washroom and its own TV. We were sure to dine at the nearby Rascal House, a long established deli which sadly will be closing its doors this year to make way for new real estate development, a sign of the times in these parts, as Trump and Meridien have already opened up down the street.
We also partook in a Brazilian rodizio meal (the famous skewers of endless meat) and a floor show in Boca (“Del Boca Vista!”) that offered dances of Samba, Lambada, etc in outlandish costumes; a tribute to Carmen Miranda; and captivating demonstrations of the Brazilian martial art / dance known as Capoeira that had the audience in amazement at the agility and timing of the performers. Couldn’t miss out on a good Cuban meal again, this time at the Key Biscayne branch of the ubiquitous La Carreta, amidts our day of sightseeing that included downtown Miami, Key Biscayne, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, and Little Havana. Miami is great, isn't it, with its connection to the water apparent at nearly every turn, and its Latin American and European influences making this one of the most cosmopolitan and colourful cities in North America. Finally we wrapped up the holiday with a New Year’s Day pre-flight stop at Charley’s Crab, where we dined on crab cakes and fresh fish while watching the yachts go by on the Fort Lauderdale canals. All good things must come to an end, we knew, and this had been one hell of a good thing.
The Ship
This was our first experience on Celebrity’s Century class of ships, with our two previous times with this line spent onboard larger and newer Millennium class ships Summit (whoever chose that ship’s artwork should walk the plank, but otherwise a fine vessel) and Constellation (still our best cruise ever). We’d seen the pictures and virtual tours of Century and from that had a certain expectation in mind. For our part, we were not disappointed.
Stepping aboard Century, one first notices the Grand Foyer, different from M-class in that this one is vertically oriented, a round atrium of shops and eateries with guest relations and specialty dining Murano located at the bottom. Of course this being the season, the lobby held a large Christmas tree as well as a fully lit menorah, and many guests were already making reservations for shore excursions as well as for dining. Rather than offering bold open spaces such as those found on M-class, Century has smaller, more intimate spaces, such as the Martini Bar with its changing colours; a quaint Michael’s Club cigar lounge turned into a piano bar; the single-level Rendezvous Lounge that, despite the aisles that pass through heading back to the dining room maintains a sense of ambience. The Celebrity Theatre is not as deep as those on M-class and the sight lines from the upper level aren’t the best, but an added feature is the Crystal Room, an added lounge located aft that is ideal for music, dancing, group meetings, karaoke, and the like – this is missing on M-class ships.
The Grand Dining Room is comparable to the restaurants on M-class, with classic 2-tier dining and a staircase that’s made for a grand entrance on formal nights. The upstairs buffet is visually pleasing, with dining areas separated by glass bamboo-esque partitions, though some parts here felt muggy. The food offering in the buffet remained largely standard for Celebrity, with a few dishes standing out but most simply usual fare. Century’s pool area is much like those on M-class, with the usual chair hogs in force on this holiday cruise. The remodel added a Spa Café, which offered lighter fare inculding the favourite poached salmon. The forward Hemisphere is also quite nice, a bit smaller than those on M-class, but to be honest we spent little time in this room. Above this is a sun deck that makes for ideal viewing when sailing into port. The deck continues aft of the pool, with largely unused space that gives a quiet area in contrast to that around the pool. Continuing to the very aft and down a flight (past some not-so-private verandahs) is the Sunset Bar, an outdoor aft patio which we’ve always enjoyed on Celebrity (and Oceania) ships. Down from here is a series of stairways both port and starboard that has landings on each deck with intimate nooks and crannies, such as open corner decks with great aft views, leading down to the teak promenade aft on Deck 7, and down the stairs alongside Deck 6. Much like the M-class ships, Century does not have a full wraparound promenade.
We found the offerings in the Grand Dining Room to be consistent with what the top of the mass market cruise lines should have, at least from what we’d ordered. Meat dishes were cooked properly and served at the right temperature, not always an easy feat when dining on this scale, and the fish and seafood entrees were good as well. Anytime menu items now include escargots, as well as my everyday shrimp cocktail, while salmon and a New York steak are always available. The desserts were also given a thumbs up from Jen, which for those who know her is saying a lot. The pinnacle of dining onboard Century, though, is Murano, a newly opened specialty restaurant in an intimate setting and the same menu as those on Millennium Class. Murano is a bit darker, though, and quite smaller, and if you’re seated in the romantic alcove – which we were both times – it adds to the ambience. The service here is always highly attentive, and tableside preparations of Caesar salad and Steak Diane are something special. Maitre’d Dominic is a charming and welcoming host, and his preparation of the Steak Diane is not to be missed – the steak itself is as tender as we’ve ever had, and the sauce is done perfectement. We always start with the foie gras, seared just right and complemented nicely with orange and grapefruit shears, and following the main course is one of my favourite times, the cheese cart. I forget where Dominic said the fromagerie was in Paris, but the selection and the quality were excellent both visits. Jen of course had her beloved ganache as one dessert, a marriage of flavours of chocolate and banana alongside coconut ice cream; we also partook of the Grand Marnier souffle, always a hit, and an assortment of small desserts and pastries for both visits. These are our favourite restaurants at sea, if not anywhere. Still, we enjoyed our dining experience overall, and were very fortunate to have great tablemates in the Grand Dining Room – Terry, Nancy, Chris, Paula – if you’re reading, it was our pleasure.
On this sailing our service experience was satisfactory, though we did know of people who had more negative experiences in their staterooms and elsewhere, and found Guest Relations to be unresponsive to these situations. I’d read about some air conditioning issues with Century, and we found that, while most of the ship on this sailing was fine and the public areas were quite comfortable, a couple of the passenger decks (Eight and Nine in particular) did seem muggy. Some minor technical issues occurred, such as the television (already a weak offering from Celebrity) not having all channels functioning, or the guest lecturer (an entertaining handwriting and personality analysis expert) not having a functioning projector, but these did not detract from our enjoyment of the cruise. Captain Pagonis was personable and always gave good information (in flawless English) in his daily talks, and it was great to see cruise director Dru Pavlov, whom we knew from our cruise on Constellation, and with whom we had nice chats about Ottawa (where he grew up), Canada, cruising, and, of course, hockey. Overall we’d rate this Century cruise second among those we’ve taken, and would gladly sail again on her.
Click to see the ship photos
