Millennium Live October 2014

[uktog]

Sadly that looks like a good day smog wise it is an issue few are made aware of in advance and it will impact on health in the next two weeks. Make sure if you are out in it you use plenty lip balm or the next day you look like a Botox case

[Texed]

Thanks for posting. :)

[C 2 C]

Toilet facilites in one stop in Japan:

 

 

and instructions:

 

[Blue Lagoon]

Thanks for the visual.

 

I would be horribly disappointed if there were no 'thunder' button!!

[C 2 C]

It's nearly 3pm on Friday..

 

Seas are relatively calm so far as we head for Shanghai...

 

 

[Andy]

Hi Arno,

 

Thanks very much for your updates. Hope the bad weather stays far away from you. Have a wonderful journey !

[C 2 C]

It is a partially sunny day here in Shanghai and very windy. The river is extremely busy with a continuous flow of barges, tankers and container ships.

Disembarkation was slow this morning, running 30 to 50 minutes behind schedule due to the delayed transfer of luggage to the terminal by Chinese dock workers.

It is just after 2:15 pm here on board and few passengers have arrived as yet.

 

Strangely I can post on Cruise Critic but Hotmail, Gmail, yahoo and fb have all failed to load.

[C 2 C]

 

 

[C 2 C]

 

 

[C 2 C]

The Cruise Terminal:

Is not close to Shanghai. A shuttle would be running to the subway until 11 am. A taxi would be required to return to port.

 

[C 2 C]

We have been in three different cabins on the three segments:

We started in 9096 a Celebrity Suite, 1123 AQ and now 7204 a FV.

If anyone has any questions about those cabins I'll try and resound if the internet allows.

 

Tours that are available for our first stop Tianjin/Beijing

 

 

[shipfriend_max]

WOW, great live report so far! We will be on Millennium in Aug 2015, in Alaska.

How do you like the ship? :)

[CanWeGoYet?]

Toilet facilites in one stop in Japan:

 

 

and instructions:

 

 

We stopped at a lovely sushi restaurant in Osaka - and my first experience with a toilet with more buttons than I'd ever seen before. Honestly, one played a flushing sound, and had adjustable volume. Thank God I finally found what did the job. Most seemed to rely on the run of the mill metal levers, thank goodness. I got freaked out by the myriad buttons.

[C 2 C]

WOW, great live report so far! We will be on Millennium in Aug 2015, in Alaska.

How do you like the ship? :)

 

I love Millennium Class ships more than the new S-Class. Movement horizontally and vertically is so much easier. I also love the Rendezvous Lounge for dancing and listening to live music.

We are also fortunate to call Michael's Club our near-private lounge. Life could not be better.

Millennium has a few rough spots but not enough to detract from our enjoyment.

[uktog]

It is a partially sunny day here in Shanghai and very windy. The river is extremely busy with a continuous flow of barges, tankers and container ships.

Disembarkation was slow this morning, running 30 to 50 minutes behind schedule due to the delayed transfer of luggage to the terminal by Chinese dock workers.

It is just after 2:15 pm here on board and few passengers have arrived as yet.

 

Strangely I can post on Cruise Critic but Hotmail, Gmail, yahoo and fb have all failed to load.

 

In China I can use cruise critic. Facebook is an absolute no no without using a "mask site" to hide where you are. Email such as Hotmail gmail and yahoo can be spotty aol is not bad. From time to time what we call the Great Fire Wall of China blanks out everything for 24 hours plus

 

I suspect embarking passengers will be going through the usual bureaucracy you get at airports and ports to prove they are entitled to leave and have been good people whilst there. China is generally far quicker to get into than out of

[1982CruzStart]

Hi Arno

I would love to hear what you thought of CS 9096. We will be on our first Celebrity cruise next year and we are in the suite right below yours so i am very interested in the good and bad (if any) of the CS and the location. Thanks.

[JennAngel9]

Arno, we haven't been to China in the past year or so (and I understand the current situation might be impacting things), but we've always found that when staying at 5* properties (Peninsula, St. Regis, 4S) we've had access to all US websites (can't swear that google wasn't filtered but gmail worked fine)-- not sure if it is worth your trouble but often if you have a drink at the bar or meal you can get a wifi code-- just in case you need to get to your mail.

 

Given the situation in HK, I would probably recommend asking before diverting your trip for the purpose. :)

[C 2 C]

Hi Arno

I would love to hear what you thought of CS 9096. We will be on our first Celebrity cruise next year and we are in the suite right below yours so i am very interested in the good and bad (if any) of the CS and the location. Thanks.

 

Our suite was noisy and our view restricted by the deck supports. However we loved the suite. The only problem you will have is that you won't want to leave. The huge windows give you wonderful vistas.

 

The only drawback will be climbing into the tub for a shower. In rocky seas it will be dangerous.

[C 2 C]

Neptune and Poseidon are both conspiring to give us a rocky ride. Winds at 45 knots are creating huge waves and a very bumpy ride. Starting about midnight last night things began falling on the floor, a half-filled (empty) water glass, a wine bottle (thankfully unopened and unharmed); closet doors began opening and closing and drawers slamming against the doors made for a very sleep deprived night.

The Cruise Critic meeting was held in Qsine at 9:30 this morning with private tours trying to match up with various members.

 

 

 

 

[C 2 C]

 

 

[1982CruzStart]

Our suite was noisy and our view restricted by the deck supports. However we loved the suite. The only problem you will have is that you won't want to leave. The huge windows give you wonderful vistas.

 

The only drawback will be climbing into the tub for a shower. In rocky seas it will be dangerous.

 

Thank you. hopefully we won't have the same issues with noise and deck supports being 1 deck down. Not happy to hear about the shower/tub as I am vertically challenged but will somehow have to make it work.

[Happy_Traveler_2008]

Thanks for the informative posts! I'm looking forward to boarding the ship in December.

[wwcruisers]

Wow Arno -- those are some rough seas! :eek: Hope things calm down for you, soon.

[Lobbylin]

Excellent posts! Please keep posting:)

I will be embarking in Yokohama at the end of your trip.....

Thanks:)

[AviGirl]

I'm so happy you are posting updates! DH and I had booked this exact cruise to celebrate 25 anniversary but had to cancel due to work, so I will be living vicariously through you for the next two weeks! Enjoy!!