Celebrity Millennium Japan - 10/24/2023 - Live(ish) Report

[Ciaranaman]

Aw, those egg eyes really do look sad!  And I'll admit, I felt that way knowing this was your last report on such a beautiful trip!  Thank you for sharing your adventures.  I'll be keeping an eye out for your next live report 🙂

~Bernadette

[CardowMD]

I enjoyed your Japan adventures, but really look forward to the Singapore to HC trip. I am looking at this itinerary, but going solo. Any insights you all can share will be appreciated!

[Miaminice]

Second week of being back at work and we miss Japan terribly 😁

 

BTW in case you are interested in the travelogues of our previous Japan cruises, here they are:

Japan on Millennium, Fall 2017
https://www.travelandcruise.net/travellove_en/Our-Trips/Celebrity-Millennium-Japan/celebrity-millennium-japan.html

 

Japan on Westerdam, Cherry Blossom Cruise 2019

https://www.travelandcruise.net/travellove_en/Our-Trips/HAL-Westerdam-Japan-01/hal-westerdam-japan-01.html
 

[Coloradocruiser01]

Thanks so much for the great review of your cruise and the information of all the things to do at each of the ports. We will be sailing on the Millennium August 19, 2024 after a 10 day trip on the Beyond in February. Do you suggest doing any of the ship tours or just hiring local guides? I will use your review to help plan our 12 day Best of Japan cruise.

[Miaminice]

9 hours ago, Coloradocruiser01 said:

Thanks so much for the great review of your cruise and the information of all the things to do at each of the ports. We will be sailing on the Millennium August 19, 2024 after a 10 day trip on the Beyond in February. Do you suggest doing any of the ship tours or just hiring local guides? I will use your review to help plan our 12 day Best of Japan cruise.

 

Hi,

tbh I really dislike the ship tours with big groups and following a number.
So I would always recommend a private guide for a small group.
You can always find people to join you on the cruise critic roll calls.

However, you need to be able to manage some stairs and steps. Not just at the sights themselves but also getting there via the train stations etc.

 

Oliver

[bmblob]

@Miaminice This is a bit late to your postings but thank you for a very nice review of your travels in Japan and insights on Millennium this fall.  We are on Millennium in April 2024 with a similar Best of Japan itinerary but with some different ports.  But your tips and photos are great.  Especially your Yokohama excursion to Kamakura, which we may try to replicate.  

[Miaminice]

11 hours ago, bmblob said:

@Miaminice This is a bit late to your postings but thank you for a very nice review of your travels in Japan and insights on Millennium this fall.  We are on Millennium in April 2024 with a similar Best of Japan itinerary but with some different ports.  But your tips and photos are great.  Especially your Yokohama excursion to Kamakura, which we may try to replicate.  

Thank you!
You might find some of your other ports in our older reviews linked in post #178.

I was ready to book another cruise to Japan. Birgit persuaded me to book something different. I am already sorry I listened to her 🙂 

Edited December 4, 2023 by Miaminice

[RinAsami]

Thank you so much for sharing this report and pictures, @Miaminice.

 

We booked the August 31, 2024 trip and was curious about the stops. I've been to Tokyo before but never on a cruise this long and to Japan.

 

Did the ship tend to have more Japanese cuisine on the cruise you took or is similar to other ships with more variety instead of focusing on a destination theme food-wise?

[Miaminice]

10 minutes ago, RinAsami said:

Did the ship tend to have more Japanese cuisine on the cruise you took or is similar to other ships with more variety instead of focusing on a destination theme food-wise?

 

Except for Ramen on the last day`s buffet, there was no focus on Japanese food. It was the usual variety.

[DaKahuna]

1 minute ago, Miaminice said:

 

Except for Ramen on the last day`s buffet, there was no focus on Japanese food. It was the usual variety.

 

 That is one of the disappointing things about Celebrity - menu does not reflect local cuisinces / cultures.   Our current plan is to have all our lunches ashore so we can enjoy as much Japanese food as possible.  Unfortunately, as much as we would love to bring bento's back on the shiip to enjoy, we know they will not let us bring food aboard.  

 

 This will be our first cruise were I do not anticipate us eating at Sushi on 5.  

 

[Miaminice]

26 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 That is one of the disappointing things about Celebrity - menu does not reflect local cuisinces / cultures.   Our current plan is to have all our lunches ashore so we can enjoy as much Japanese food as possible.  Unfortunately, as much as we would love to bring bento's back on the shiip to enjoy, we know they will not let us bring food aboard.  

 

 This will be our first cruise were I do not anticipate us eating at Sushi on 5.  

 

 

I hear you... however, any cruise ship copying local food is still not the real thing 🙂
So having lunch or a snack at local restaurants is just part of the whole experience.
And one thing is guaranteed - you won´t stay hungry in Japan 🙂

[RinAsami]

1 hour ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 That is one of the disappointing things about Celebrity - menu does not reflect local cuisinces / cultures.   Our current plan is to have all our lunches ashore so we can enjoy as much Japanese food as possible.  Unfortunately, as much as we would love to bring bento's back on the shiip to enjoy, we know they will not let us bring food aboard.  

 

 This will be our first cruise were I do not anticipate us eating at Sushi on 5.  

 

I agree, a bit disappointing. But I think we'll do the same and get as many snacks and lunches we can while ashore.

 

And thanks for the quick reply, @Miaminice! 🙂

[Mthomast63]

Sorry replied to the wrong post

Edited January 7 by Mthomast63

[macaroni]

Miaminice…

I have followed and read all your Japan adventures. I know you have stayed in both the Tokyo station area and also the Shinjuku area…..which did you prefer? We will be first time visitors. Coming in from a few days in Kyoto, then staying in Tokyo for a few nights before boarding the Millennium for our Japan cruise.

Any thoughts, preferences, opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[Miaminice]

23 hours ago, macaroni said:

Miaminice…

I have followed and read all your Japan adventures. I know you have stayed in both the Tokyo station area and also the Shinjuku area…..which did you prefer? We will be first time visitors. Coming in from a few days in Kyoto, then staying in Tokyo for a few nights before boarding the Millennium for our Japan cruise.

Any thoughts, preferences, opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

Hmmmhhh, well we did stay in the Shinjuku area again on our last visit. Mainly because we liked the buzz. But in terms of convenient location and getting to places, both areas are great. Maybe Shinjuku station is a bit easier to master than Tokyo Station. Both are not small but Tokyo Station is a maze 🙂

So if you also enjoy a bit of unusual buzz, I´d suggest Shinjuku.
We liked the Gracery Hotel. If you stay longer than a night book a larger room. 

 

Edited January 8 by Miaminice

[macaroni]

Thank you!

[cookiersmom]

Oliver, 

It was great fun to review through your "not really live"!  We had a great time touring around with you and Birgit!  

 

We are now preparing for our adventures to Australia and New Zealand next month!  

 

Laurie 

[RinAsami]

On 10/27/2023 at 5:55 PM, Miaminice said:

Koichi (Koichi Wasa) from Toursbylocals. com.
Just note that you should be able to walk swiftly and manage many steps for the tours. 🙂

I am looking at the different tours that Koichi W. offers on the toursbylocals. Do you mind sharing what your tour(s) were called? There are so many to choose from and we've never been to Kyoto/Osaka.

 

Thanks again for such a great report! We're going in August 2024 and am using your trip as a guide. 🙂

[NMTraveller]

What were the top ports and the highlights of your cruise?

[NMTraveller]

If you could only do one cruise would you do the Japan cruise or your last cruise?

[Miaminice]

1 hour ago, RinAsami said:

I am looking at the different tours that Koichi W. offers on the toursbylocals. Do you mind sharing what your tour(s) were called? There are so many to choose from and we've never been to Kyoto/Osaka.

 

Thanks again for such a great report! We're going in August 2024 and am using your trip as a guide. 🙂

our tours didn’t really have a name. Since we had been there twice before, Koichi created a tour  incl. new things. He can offer customized tours. 
 

Golden Pavillon, Fushimi Inari, and Kiyomizo-dera are beautiful sights… and so many others. But not all are in the same area.

[Miaminice]

31 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

If you could only do one cruise would you do the Japan cruise or your last cruise?

Last cruise as in Vietnam and Thailand?

That’s really a hard question to answer. Both are very different. Japan has so much to offer as a single country. And on Japan cruises, I am glad that it is only Japan, or better that the focus is on Japan.

 

the last one had different things to offer. Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam… 

We would do both again for sure!!!

Edited January 16 by Miaminice

[villauk]

4 hours ago, Miaminice said:

Last cruise as in Vietnam and Thailand?

That’s really a hard question to answer. Both are very different. Japan has so much to offer as a single country. And on Japan cruises, I am glad that it is only Japan, or better that the focus is on Japan.

 

the last one had different things to offer. Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam… 

We would do both again for sure!!!

 

I agree. I think these sort of itineraries offer so much more of an experience. We cruised your Vietnam sailing a few Christmases ago and are doing Japan this year, which we are very much looking forward to. It’s not like comparing one side of the Caribbean to the other. We’ve also booked India and Sri Lanka for next, expecting a totally different sort of experience in those places. All our sailings are on M class ships, it’s a base for us and not the destination like it would be if one was sailing the Caribbean for the nth time.

[Miaminice]

5 hours ago, villauk said:

 

I agree. I think these sort of itineraries offer so much more of an experience. We cruised your Vietnam sailing a few Christmases ago and are doing Japan this year, which we are very much looking forward to. It’s not like comparing one side of the Caribbean to the other. We’ve also booked India and Sri Lanka for next, expecting a totally different sort of experience in those places. All our sailings are on M class ships, it’s a base for us and not the destination like it would be if one was sailing the Caribbean for the nth time.

 

👍 Which is one of the reasons why we do not sail the Caribbean 🙂 
 
@NMTraveller I asked Birgit your question... and she could not answer it as well.
We both lost our heart to Japan. So it will always be special.

Vietnam was also fabulous. We both immediately mentioned and remembered the friendliness of the Vietnamese people right away. Although the people of Vietnam would have enough reasons not to like Americans and Europeans (esp French), they are most welcoming and genuinely friendly. Plus, I think our guide Rose and her team of young guides were outstanding ambassadors for this beautiful and interesting country.

We are seriously considering to cancel a cruise to New Zealand which we have booked for fall 2024 and repeat Asia again. Just haven´t found a good and affordable itinerary yet.

Edited January 16 by Miaminice

[NMTraveller]

2 minutes ago, Miaminice said:

 

👍 Which is one of the reasons why we do not sail the Caribbean 🙂 
 
@NMTraveller I asked Birgit your question... and she could not answer it as well.
We both lost our heart to Japan. So it will always be special.

Vietnam was also fabulous. We both immediately mentioned and remembered the friendliness of the Vietnamese people right away. Although the people of Vietnam would have enough reasons not to like Americans and Europeans (esp French), they are most welcoming and genuinely friendly. Plus, I think our guide Rose and her team of young guides were outstanding ambassadors for this beautiful and interesting country.

We are seriously considering to cancel a cruise to New Zealand which we have booked for fall 2024 and repeat Asia again. Just haven´t found a good and affordable itinerary yet.

Thanks.  My question was more about which itinerary should I do first?  I think that I will go with Japan...