Cruise Weekly editor Louise Goldsbury is cruising along the Californian coast onboard Celebrity Century for a sneak preview before the ship is deployed to Sydney for its final season with the fleet.
Does life get any better than sunshine, a pool butler, a Celebrity burger (that’s a cheeseburger with the lot) and a band performing Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” with a Malaysian accent? I think not.
Such is the intimacy of this smaller ship, the size of the pool deck reminds me of Seabourn – except it has two pools (one heated), three spas, a bigger poolside bar and a stage for live music. For a lot of Aussies, that quadruple whammy makes it even better! The vibe is much calmer than something like P&O or Carnival. Celebrity is classy, just one notch under luxury.
With the ship leaving the fleet next year, you may wonder if the maintenance has been neglected. Reviews I read on another website mentioned frayed upholstery and rusty railings but I saw nothing worth complaining about. The carpet in my cabin was a little worn but it’s a 1995-built ship that was refurbished in 2006, so you can expect a little wear and tear but you really have to go looking for it. Some areas, such as the ice-topped martini bar, look brand new. I want one of these furry snow-white chairs for Christmas.
Century’s flair bartenders are hilarious. If I can give you one hot tip for nightlife, go watch them put on a cocktail-making show, while the Rhythm Kings are playing, and order the martini flight (6 small glasses for US$16).
Treat yourself to dinner at Murano (US$45 per person or buy a dining package). The food is sublime, the waiters are fantastic, and several dishes are cooked tableside. Ask for the table in the wine room.
We had dinner at the Captain’s table on formal night, which was a privilege and great fun. Normally I find the menu can be a bit hit-and-miss in some ships’ main restaurants but Century nailed it.
There’s also a standalone AquaSpa café for healthy food, a sushi café, a specialty coffee and liqueur bar, plenty of other bars in the usual places (outdoors, observation deck, and at the stern outside the buffet with a nice view of the ship’s wake). The cinema is nothing special – it’s a too-small projector screen but they showed recent releases.
A few readers asked me to inspect the kids and teens clubs. I’m happy to report the activities looked like fun (divided into ages 3-5, 6-8, 9-11, 12-17) and the facilities are in good condition but are quite basic. No wow factor. These are the programs from day one. My voyage only had around 30 children but the staff said normally it’s 200+.