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Celebrity Century

Setting the pace again with a £30m upgrade

Celebrity Cruises' 320 million-dollar superliner Celebrity may have set a new quality benchmark for the cruising industry when she was launched in December 1995, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to keep up with the times.

So in May 2006 she underwent a £30million revitalisation with 314 new verandas being added along with 24 suites and staterooms, a specialty restaurant, teen centre and other features.

The drydock work took place in Europe, with Century emerging with 393 veranda cabins, 14 new Sky Suites and an additional ten staterooms.

The specialty restaurant, with menus by celebrity chef Michel Roux and featuring tableside preparations, was added on Deck 5. The Lido dining was expanded to include a casual Mediterranean Cafe, a Sushi Cafe and an al fresco seating area. The ship’s spa gained a Spa Cafe with healthy cuisine, and the Sports Bar was transformed into a Martini Bar.

A new teen facility is now in a corner of the Deck 7 aft lounge. On-board boutiques were expanded, Century gained an art gallery, the ‘Acupuncture at Sea’ programme got a permanent space and the Millennium-class ‘High Seas Computing’ concept found a home on the ship, with the number of terminals increasing to 25. Internet connectivity, including WiFi in suites, was added, along with flat-screen televisions throughout the vessel.

Passengers can appreciate particularly Century’s spaciousness, and the exceptionally high level of personal service offered by her crew.

Among the highlights of the “new” Century were:

A new specialty restaurant presenting the elegant dining experience with a menu designed by Celebrity’s long-time culinary and wine consultant, Master Chef Michel Roux. The venue follows the style of Celebrity’s Olympic, SS United States, Normandie and Ocean Liners restaurants, which presented the industry’s first tableside cooking, carving and flambe.

The Casual Dining Boulevard on the lido deck is expanded to include a Sushi Cafe, made-to-order Pasta and Pizza Bar, and small ice cream parlour, along with buffet breakfasts, themed lunches, and dinner service with a casual dress code.

Fans of light, healthy spa cuisine will find what they’re seeking in a new Spa Cafe inspired by the venue of the same name on CelebrityÕs Millennium-class ships.

For evening cocktails, a sophisticated new Martini Bar offers Celebrity’s famed menu of more than 30 versions of the popular libation, while outside on the aft deck, a new bandstand and bar complete with tapas carts will offer the ultimate setting for romantic sailaways at sunset, complete with live music.

High Seas Computing finds a home in a newly dedicated space offering Internet access and courses ranging from basic computer use to website creation to digital photography.

As on the Millennium-class fleet, Century’s new art gallery joins the array of trendy boutiques in The Boulevard, allowing art aficionados to purchase one-of-a-kind works.

The Fun Factory children’s area is expanded, with a new teen room added to offer a variety of new activities geared exclusively toward that age group.

The Acupuncture at Sea programme has a permanent home on Century as it does on the four Millennium-class ships, offering guests acupuncture treatments, therapies and enrichment lectures by licensed doctors of Oriental Medicine.

The AquaSpa is expanded significantly to allow for a number of new features yet to be announced.

Vital statistics

Operated by: Celebrity Cruises
Built by: Meyer Werft, Germany
Entered service: December 20, 1995
Refurbished: 2006
Registered: The Bahamas
Gross tonnage: 71,545 tons
Passengers: 1,814
Passenger decks: 10
Lifts: 9
Crew: 858 international
Officer nationality: Greek
Cabins: 885 including:

• 371 with balcony
• 194 with ocean view
• 320 inside
• 8 with wheelchair access

Length: 815ft
Width: 105ft
Draught: 25ft
Engines: Diesel

Facilities

One two-level main dining room (two sittings), alternative dining options, eleven bars, four lounges, casino, theatre, disco, card room, library, conference centre, boutiques, beauty shop, two outside swimming pools, fitness centre, laundry service, self-service laundry.