Celebrity Millenium 8167 or 9040

We just booked our first cruise-we can go either Northbound or Southbound-depending on which is the best cabin. Any help would be greatly appreciated-we really don't know much about cruising! Thank you very much!:)

Welcome to Cruise Critic. Please use the boards for you will find terrific assistance with all of your questions. Search for Alaskan excursions and port information on the Destinations boards. Join your fellow ship mates on the Roll Call. Go to Celebrity, find your ship and then your sailing. Join the group and participate in the Meet and Mingle.

Now....

We have sailed on the Millennium. We call her Millie. We have also been to Alaska on another Celebrity ship.

If I may I would suggest that you carefully compare the itineraries. If you have a longer day in Skagway I would recommend that itinerary. The excursions at this port in particular are awe inspiring and you will enhance your experience with a longer day there.

Now for the cabins. You have chosen Concierge Class cabins. We generally sail in that category. For a first time cruiser I would recommend either a lower deck midship in a Cat E cabin or an aft CC cabin. 8167 would be my choice. Both cabins are the same size but there are some CC cabins that have either a larger cabin - 6135/6136, 6143/6144 or larger balconies. The larger balcony cabins are all of the aft cabins (the 12 at the very back of the ship) or 8045/8046 9038/9042. These are generally the first CC cabins booked by repeat cruisers but it never hurts to ask if any are available. 6143/6144 are the biggest CC cabins with the larger balconies.

Ask all of the questions you have. Someone will be glad to help.

Thank you so much for your help. I did check and we are spending all day in Skagway, which is good. Now, we have another question for you. You suggested a lower deck cabin-why is lower deck preferable? Is it because of less movement? We still have options available regarding cabin selection, so I am definitely open to any and all suggestion! Once again, thank you so much.

Mrs. PB, the rule of thumb, especially for first time cruisers concerned about rough seas and mal de mer, is low and mid ship. Indeed our first cruise was in an inside cabin mid ship in the bowels of a ship a fraction of the size of the Millie with no stabilizers. We have come a long way from that "golden era." The modern ships are far more comfortable. When the seas are rough you will feel it no matter where your cabin is located. And, it isn't always a bad thing.

I still think that 8167 is the better located of the two cabins you mentioned. If any of the cabins I noted yesterday are available I would highly recommend you make a swap. If by the fortunes of the sea goddesses you could snag one of the aft cabins sailing the inside passages in Alaska will be that much sweeter.

By the way we just had a wonderful conversation with a cruising buddy tonight who returned on the 13th from an Australian cruise on the Millie. She said the ship was in very good shape and they enjoyed their cruise. This was their second cruise on this ship so they could compare it to a sailing we shared with them three or four years ago.

PS I am not a travel agent just an aging sea dog.