musik07

14 hours ago, chicagopaul said:

 

We have the higher one, the excelerate. Pictures upload pretty well. From what I’ve read on here is that if you have the lower one you’d still be able to upload photos but I can’t personally attest to it. If I find anyone who has it I’ll ask them.   

Thanks we had the higher one this summer as a perk. They are just trying to figure out if it is worth it to get the lower one on a cruise with no perks. 

Looking for this info too? Is the mower cost package adequate to check email, social media, send messages and read the paper online? My parents won’t use it for more than this and basically get it to check in on my grandma while they are away. We had the more expensive package as a perk this summer and could Facebook voice and FaceTime. I even streamed a bit from FloSports but this isn’t really necessary. 

Random Question-

What type of internet do you have? The lower one or higher one. My parents are wondering if you can upload pictures on the lower one to somewhere like facebook.

18 hours ago, chicagopaul said:

I realized I didn’t post the Daily for today. Here you go! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have time to get to any of Celia's presentations go! She is wonderful. We attended all but one of her presentations on the Aug. 2 sailing and it truly enhanced our trip. She is a great mix of knowledge and entertainment. She is also extremely personable and was willing to answer questions anytime we saw her. We took a mad dash from deck 4 to 11 with her to try to see an Orca! 

3 hours ago, dhream said:

Hi guys, we' re thrilled to find this blog, and almost as excited as you are, just to be following along from this live embarkation day.

We'll be doing a 14 day Japan Shanghai Taiwan Hong Kong in late November, as Millie newbies, we will likely ask trivial housekeeping questions, such as, does the sea pass have a punch-hole to dangle from a lanyard? 🙂 We're also looking forward to all the excitement ahead on your transpacific, a crossing is definitely on our wish list for 2020/21. You got a steal with AQ for that price, we're paying somewhat more and grateful just to have a scored a seaview stateroom, although that came with a 'go best' package of : premium drinks, unlimited WiFi, gratuities, and onboard credit. I think we've a fully sold out ship already!

Will n Meow 🐱

We were on the Millie on Aug. 2. There was no hole in our cards, but I did see some teens with them punched. I did read online somewhere that you can't do it because of the RFID in the card but I think that was incorrect. Mine would open the door to our cabin when in my thin fabric wristlet. I only ended up taking it out at the bar and to get on and off the ship. 

I am so glad you are back. Your review of your Alaska cruise was great as we cruised the Millie on Aug. 2 and it gave me tons of info. No Transpacific planned (maybe after I retire from teaching in 30 years?) but I am excited to follow along. Especially since the marathon review of the people who booked 7 nights and ended up on the Harmony for 14 nights.  Enjoy your cruise!

I know this is funny, however, I have been a State Farm customer since I turned 18 and bought my first car in 1967, since then , more and more cars, trucks, boats, 2 homes and they have been there for me if I needed them.  When Hurricane Michael hit us on Oct.10, 2018, I filed a claim and immediately we had 2 adjusters come to our house and spend over 4 hours assessing our damages.  In a few weeks we received 1 check to get started buying tarps and things to protect our property and in another week or two, we received a very large check to start repairing and replacing, then as projects got repaired or replaced we sent the completed invoice and was reimbursed  for the actual cash value, no depreciation .  Also got checks for the Toyota truck and the Hyundai Sonata.  We got contents check also,  My She Shed was split in half , so I got a new She Shed for $10,000 built on my property.  I am 71 years old and will probably die being a State Farm customer,
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I didn’t forget about you all! The first few weeks back at school is crazy. To be honest my suitcase still has some things in it and is on the guest room bed. I am almost settled now so I will hopefully get back to this for a few days, until kiddos come on Monday!! 

Cruise Day 2- Cruising Inside Passage

My mom has really enjoyed cruising the inside passage on her first cruise (Southbound on the Radiance) so I was looking forward to this day. Unfortunately we went through much of the skinnier part of the inside passage overnight and in the very early morning hours. Also, when we woke up it was so foggy you couldn’t see the water and the fog horn was going. It took until mid-afternoon to clear.  Regardless we started with breakfast in the buffet. I almost always get the eggs Benedict but I was disappointed. However the bacon and French toast I replaced it with was enjoyable! Our sommelier from the evening before saw us sitting down and came over to see if we wanted any drinks. I felt spoiled already! A latte please😍!  After breakfast we went back to our cabin and had a notice that our table for dinner had been changed, which was great! We attended a naturalist talk and then went up to the solarium with books until lunch! After lunch we changed into swim suits, attempted to use the small heated kiddie pools (hot tubs) and then relaxed some more. After two travel days, and a crazy summer before it was needed. I know it was evening chic night but I have no idea what we ate but looking at pictures I think it was steak! We also did the senior officers party. I will say that there wasn’t a single night where I disliked my meal. After dinner we started a routine of going to the naturalist and then the show. We also started trying new drinks before the naturalist presentation. I had never had a Gin and Tonic but it is now my new ‘go-to’. The show that night was a Motown show and while I wasn’t super excited I actually really enjoyed it!! 

I didn't take a lot of pictures that day but I will leave you with these. 

3 hours ago, Anita Latte said:

Welcome back! I’d love to see all your photos! I really enjoy trip reports over time so without feeling pressure to do too much too quickly, looking forward to reading about your trip.

Thanks! I don't have all of the pictures uploaded anywhere and I need to delete a lot of the whale watching ones that just show water but maybe eventually I will get an album up! I got thrown a curveball when I got to school this morning and I am going to be having a much bigger caseload this school year than I anticipated. I need a run to the teacher store at some point and I need to get my DonorsChoose project up on social tonight since Bill and Melinda Gates foundation is doing something with donations tomorrow to double them and I need to figure out a schedule and classroom layout to accommodate my new larger numbers. I haven't even completely unpacked and I am already in PJ's and ready for bed! 

We were on the same sailing. It's interesting to hear a different perspective. 

Cruise Day 1-

After our later than anticipated arrival into Vancouver we were BEAT. We went to bed quite early (my mom says I was out by 9:15) but that lead us to be up extremely early the next morning. I struggle with sleep and time changes (daylight savings does me in) so I as worried about this change. I was up around 4:15am and it was wet and windy out. After some more sleep I was able to catch the ship coming in between buildings



I ended up dozing a bit more but mom and I finally decided we were hungry and needed to eat breakfast. It was looking nicer out so we decided to eat, walk down to the waterfront before we headed to the port. The Tim Hortons near the hotel had at least 20 people in line so we went to McDonalds and used the screens to order. We were able to bypass a long line using the screens to order. It wasn’t a fancy breakfast but it worked and we knew we would be onboard for lunch! We then walked down to the waterfront area. My mom has been to Vancouver twice before but I had never been. We saw Canada Place, the float planes and the Olympic torch. I am a GIGANTIC Olympic nerd so seeing the torch was huge. I am already saving to go to the LA games in 2028!


After that we walked back to the hotel and made a stop at a pharmacy for last minute supplies and coffee crisp bars (like a coffee KitKat and only sold in Canada!). We packed, checked out and were ready to head to the ship right on time for our 10:30 to 11 am check in time. From the hotel to onboard it was about 45 minutes to an hour. Workers at the hotel hailed our taxi and it cost about 14 (with tip) to the port from the Hyatt Place. The check in was easy, especially with having our set sail passes ready and the keys being at our door. We didn’t love that you had to go up and down and all around to get through the stations. Also the US Customs computer didn’t like my passport so we had a few tense minutes while it was worked out. We stepped onboard to our drink and I was immediately questioned about my age (I am 30.) and ended up with OJ. No big deal because I had the classic package and could get whatever I wanted. I did carry my license all week Incase there were other issues. With the new system of check on we could go right to our rooms and drop our things. Our inside cabin on deck 8 was already ready and we took a few minutes to put items in the safe. Our room was nice and other than in the bathroom we thought there was a lot of storage. The USB plugs at 3 spots helped keep everything organized.
Next we set up our internet (we needed to keep in touch with home due to my elderly grandmother) and checked out our dining table. We were immediately displeased as if was just inside the doorway to the dining room shoved against a wall. Dinner the first night was not super enjoyable as we had waiters and people rising by our table. We put in a request for a new table and were told the dining room was over capacity, which was why we were stuck in a hall. Luckily the next morning we found our table had been changed! After this we headed to the buffet for lunch and some beers. We also were able to use WiFi calling to give my Dad a call and check on things at home and the pups. They were helping him work from home all weekend.

The rest of the afternoon was uneventful. Our luggage came by 2 and we unpacked before muster. Then we went to deck 12 on the back for sail away. It was crowded but we never felt overcrowded!
After that we changed for dinner and headed to our table. I didn’t take menu pictures but this is from night one!

After dinner we went to Cosmos for a game show and then to the comedian. After we were still a bit jet lagged so we went to Cafe al Baccio for a warm drink and headed to bed.

More to come. I head. Back to work on the morning so I need to put away laundry and get to bed. 5:45 will come early!

If you have any questions or want a specific picture let me know. I took over 3000 so I may just have it!!




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I didn't forget!! I just didn't realize how busy an Alaska cruise is (not much time to sit by the pool or anywhere and relax!). We just got in yesterday afternoon and I go back to school (teacher) for the fall tomorrow morning so I am trying to get caught up with laundry. 

To answer the questions I saw already:

United Club- No explanation was given, I actually walked to another one (there is an area where you go under a runway to another part of a terminal and I walked back to the one in our first terminal and was going to call my mom to come over) and they didn't accept them either. Both had a large sign outside. We went in the first one and they said no passes and didn't elaborate. I didn't even go in the 2nd one but I saw the same sign.

The Old Spaghetti Factory- I will disagree that it is a 'low-end US chain restaurant'. The food was absolutely delicious. My seafood alfredo had more seafood than you would get at a high end seafood restaurant near me for about the same price. The service was excellent, food was delicious and we were served quickly. Since it had been 9 hours since our last meal (and that was airport food) we wanted something filling and when looking at menus both online and before we left this fit the bill. If I was comparing it to the pasta at my local non-chain Italian restaurant it was far superior, and it obviously beats the pasta at both Olive Garden and the Cheesecake Factory. I am very picky and like to eat well (ignore that we ate at McDonalds for breakfast in Vancouver, that's what happens when you are jet lagged and wake up before 5 and are starving) so I wouldn't be raving about it if it wasn't delicious! 

I will try to post a bit while my laundry is running and if not in the evenings after work this week. It was absolutely the most amazing trip I have ever been on

August 1

Travel day 2

We left from Harrisburg International Airport to y to Vancouver. Our flight was at 8:15 and getting to the airport at 6:10 was far to early for this tiny airport! We checked our bags and were through TSA by 6:30 (with pre-check). We grabbed coffee at Dunkin’ and waited at the gate. We had possibly the best flight ever to Chicago (nice newish plane, direct tv in seat, no wait to takeoff and very smooth). In Chicago we had planned to use one time passes to the United Club but they didn’t allow it so we just hung around our gate for what ended up being almost 4 hours! We had an hour delay out of Chicago due to the pilot coming from another flight that had been delayed. He boarded the plane after the passengers! The flight to Vancouver was very bumpy and uncomfortable but we made it. Customs went quickly and we taxied to the Hyatt Regency in downtown.

After checking in we were starving so we walked to Gastown for dinner. We saw the steam clock and ate at The Old Spaghetti Factory. We were seated in the train car and the food was very good. I had seafood fettuccine Alfredo. It came with bread, salad/soup, ice cream and coffee! We were stuffed. We did a bit of roaming around shops and then took the Expo line back to the hotel because we were exhausted and couldn’t fathom the walk up the hill!


I love everything moose so be ready!!! I could have spent $1000 yesterday in shops!



We saw the steam clock at 6:15 it was less exciting than I expected!


Our dinner spot!


When in Canada. Eat Tim’s and wear moose PJ’s



Now that I am caught up time to get ready to board.


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July 31

Travel day 1

I live about an hour from my parents and they are two hours from our airport so this was the day of lots of driving! After a haircut I drove to my parents and had lunch with my Dad. When my Mom got home from work my Dad drove both of us out to my brother and sister in laws place in the Harrisburg area. They would be taking us to the airport the next day.

We were able to play with their new pup/ the furry nephew and get dinner as a family at a local brewery before my Dad headed back home and we settled in. It was nice to just chill out and see my brother and sister in law.



Craft beer stop!



Lots of snuggles from my new furry nephew!


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My mom and I are leaving today for the northbound Alaska. Since we have WiFi I will try to post!!

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We are traveling on the same cruise. Unfortunately due to work schedules (My mom works until 1 next Wednesday and the school I teach at requires teachers to be back on Aug. 12) we can only fly out the day before and are flying home at 8pm the night the cruise is over (a redeye back to Newark). I am 30 and my mom is in her early 60's. We were supposed to go on a cruise out of San Juan but the flights were more than our flights to Alaska. We were looking at 700-900 per person to San Juan and found great deals for Alaska with a bit of a wonky itinerary. 

No clue, however when we were in Aqua last summer on day 1 we went to see where the  Persian Gardens were and it was completely packed with people walking around, the door was actually propped open. I don't think it would be relaxing to be in tehre to actually use the loungers. 

Does it seem like there is a particular time of day that you get acceptance or rejection e-mails? Someone posted they got rejection at 2:41pm two days before the cruise. Do they do the same with acceptances? 

We just bid for the Millie to Alaska (Aug. 2) we bid from our inside to Veranda (175pp) and Family Veranda (230pp) hoping we will hear something soon enough to reprint documents before traveling. We won't have cell service in Vancouver to know if we won a bid or reprint! 

• Ship:   Millenium
• Length of Cruise: 7 Days
• Cruise Sail Date: Aug. 2 2019
• Date email offer received: Our TA received on July 2- we had access to it on Cruise Planner mid June
• Captain’s Club Tier [“PREVIEW” = first Celebrity Cruise]: Elite
• Booked through Celebrity Direct OR via TA:  TA
• Current Cabin: Inside
• Bid?  Yes/No: Y

If YES -  Bidding Details:

• Cabin Category: place winning category, if accepted (all category offers, can be mentioned in comments) Veranda and Family Veranda
• Bid Offer: Veranda-$175 and Family Veranda $230
• Notification Date:
• Accepted / Rejected

General Comments (offer details, etc.)

We just bid today with no immediate rejection. Cruise is sold out for insides and has one OceanView guarantee left. Options to bid for OceanView, Veranda, Family Veranda, Concierge and Aqua. Minimum bids 100, 150, 200, 300, 400  respectively. Bid slightly over minimum. 

On 7/4/2019 at 8:54 AM, TeeRick said:

Since you are post final payment you should be able to call Celebrity (or have your TA do it) and just upgrade to a specific balcony of your choice if the open ones are listed on the website. To check price and availability try a mock booking. Or try the UK website for a complete list of availability for your sailing.  The upgrade just needs to be more than you already paid.  This will not work if only the balcony guarantee is available since you will not know your cabin location which seems important to you.  Also you need to look at the direct upgrade price vs the minimum bid price.  They might be very close.  Direct upgrading even if slightly more expensive at least takes the risk out of knowing where your cabin will be located.

Unfortunately even though prices have dropped they are still about $800-1000 more than what we paid when including the two perks. We are going to wait a few more days and then bid unless prices drop. We are not too picky about our cabin location (we just really don't want a low deck ocean view), it is just easier for my mom if she is close to an elevator. It looks like there are 3 sets of elevators so we won't be too far no matter where we are! 

26 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

You are on the right track.  I would probably put in my best bid for a balcony.  However, if you need to be close to an elevator it may not be a good idea.  I only mention this because you stated you liked the fact that your inside is close to the elevator.  For this sailing, I do not believe the minimum bids will decrease because there are not THAT many balcony cabins open.  If it were me, I would put my best bid in now and continue to monitor the website for price drops.  We just got back from the Summit in an OV.  I thought I may have a good chance for moving up, BUT, about 30 days out they drastically reduced the prices(with no perks) and filled the cabins.  Like you, the price with my perks was cost prohibitive to just outright move myself up.  Good luck!

Tomorrow is 30 days. I may wait until Sunday. My mom has a knee replacement and is often sore in the morning/end of day so the close cabin is nice for her, however it wouldn't be a game changer. The ocean views are down on deck  3 and far forward. I would honestly be happy in the inside except that day at Hubbard Glacier. I am worried about open space on deck for good views with the deck 12 forward area now taken by the retreat. We actually talked about doing deck 4 on the promenade area instead and just getting there super early. It is covered and should have good views. Only a deck up for Cafe Al Bacio runs too! 

We are sailing on the Millennium on August 2nd. We never got an e-mail for Move Up but it is accessible from our reservation. We are currently in an inside on deck 8 (very convenient to the elevators). Prices have gone up since we have booked (we have 2 perks) so upgrading would be about 700 per person. We have offers for ocean view through aqua. Ocean View Minimum is 100. Balcony is 150. Family Veranda is 200. Concierge is 250. Aqua is  350. Considering bidding for the Balcony and maybe Family Veranda. My dad is a TA and there are very few ocean views left in less desirable positions on the ship, which is leading me to consider the balconies. Do these prices for move up tend to drop closer to sailings (we had an Aqua last summer and felt no need to even look at bidding to move up). The only reason I am really considering bidding is the more limited space for hubbard glacier day due to the retreat sundeck being at the front of 12. Am I better to assume the price will drop or bid now, I know it is all hypothetical. Most of the move up bids for Alaska I have read about have been suites.  Any input is helpful. 

Any info on just needing a return trip? We have a whale watching excursion in the morning and they will drop us at the galcier after. The buses $45 per person round trip but we wouldn't need a round trip. Can we just purchase a 1 way? It is just two of us that will need transportation and my mom won't want to walk the mile to catch the city bus. 

23 hours ago, plagmah said:

 

Here are some photos of our 2 inside cabins. We truly appreciated the balcony and if you can upgrade it might be worth it. Glacier day was amazing.

 

 

Thanks. The upgrades look amazing. Right now (while prices have dropped across the board), we would still be paying about 1500 more for a balcony so it won't be happening. We are going to bid on a balcony at some point with the move up thing, but I think we will wait until a bit closer. Hoping when the sale is over tonight prices will change.