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

[Arubamoose]

39 minutes ago, LouChamp said:

Aloha. Schwab is good as well I agree. In Hawaii we do not have mainland banks so I use Bank of Hawaii which handles a lot of foreign transactions But Morgan Stanley Private Bank is my go to in NY.

I also agree - the Schwab debit card is my go to.  I have a checking account with them with a small amount of money that I just use for travel purposes.

[Miaminice]

2023 – Japan – Celebrity Millennium – Day 11 - Jeju, South Korea 

We had been to Jeju a couple of times before and all those times we had done excursions to the various nice attractions of the island. But we had actually never visited Jeju City itself. So we decided to catch up on that. After taking our time in the morning, we took the free shuttle to the city, which dropped us off at the temple like former government house.
 

 

Just a few steps down the road we reached the famous Dongmun Market. It is absolutely huge… you can buy just about everything at the market. From produce grown in local fields to fish and seafood caught in the seas around Jeju. It also has meat, clothing, snacks, and of course, Jeju mandarins. Walking along rows and rows of colorful merchandise and fish tanks is something we love doing.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 4, 2023 by Miaminice

[Miaminice]

We left the market and followed a suggested route along the river, spanned with wooden bridges. In front of every bridge there was a statue of a Dol Hareubang guarding the entrance. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

We continued the route through Black Pork Street and reached Sashimi Street, where your meal still swims around in the fish tank before you order. Although it was almost noon, most places where still closed.

 

 

 

[Miaminice]

The wide seafront promenade took us to the fashion and shopping street and eventually back to the market where we met some friends from the ship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Together we walked up the hill to Samseonghyeol Park where, according to legend, three demigods emerged from the ground to become the founding fathers of the ancient kingdom of Tamna and its people.

 

 

 

 

 

On the way down from the Park we looked at an old watchtower next to the street.

 

 

[Miaminice]

When we reached the market again it was time to give into the temptation of the local street food. We picked Black Pork Roll filled with Kimchi and it was freshly flamed for us.
 

 

 

For dessert we bought a Peanut Butter Bun. We had our lunch on a bench by the river and enjoyed the lively atmosphere around us.

 

 

 

Filled by the delicious local delights we decided to walk back to the ship - the 30 minute walk soothing our bad conscience. Back on board we gave into another temptation and successfully visited the Future Cruise Sales Office.

 

 

 

 

Later in the evening we had dinner with friends at the Tuscan Grill and had a nightcap outside on the deck of the Sunset Bar - enjoying the mild temperatures before we go back home to winter on Monday.

 

[Jim_Iain]

21 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 I agree 100%.  We are only taking a number of ship sponsored tours as we have a lot of OBC to go through. 

 

 I was stationed in Japan for 10 years while in the Navy.  Me, dated, fell in love with, and married a wonderful Japanese lady almost 51 years ago.  She is wonderful at helping make purchases and get around on the trains, buses, and taxi's.  🙂   

 

 

 

You are cheating.   LOL.     I'm sure you have your own PA (Personal Assistant).

 

Iain speaks French fluently so really helps out when in France.

[Arubamoose]

Just loving your report.  We do this cruise in March of 2025.  Supposed to have done it in 2021 and then booked it for 2024 but they cancelled one of our B2B's and we convinced them to Lift and Shift to 2025.

[floridatravelersforlife]

Welcome back cruisers. Was  just watching the Osanbashi Web Cam and saw the first pax rolling their luggage down the ramp from the terminal towards the metro. 

 

We really enjoyed the photos.  My DW and I were packing for this cruise, but on Oct 8,  I had a fall and broke my nose.  Had to cancel due to Doctors orders. At least I saw some of the sights I had planned to visit.

 

 

[DaKahuna]

1 hour ago, floridatravelersforlife said:

Welcome back cruisers. Was  just watching the Osanbashi Web Cam and saw the first pax rolling their luggage down the ramp from the terminal towards the metro. 

 

We really enjoyed the photos.  My DW and I were packing for this cruise, but on Oct 8,  I had a fall and broke my nose.  Had to cancel due to Doctors orders. At least I saw some of the sights I had planned to visit.

 

 

 

So sorry to hear you did not make this cruise.  I looked simply amazing.  I only hope we can do half the things OP was able to accomplish during their cruise.  We have to wait until May to find out.  

 

[micruiser2002]

On 11/4/2023 at 1:47 AM, DaKahuna said:

 

 That's great timing.  The Japanese are very efficient when they want to be. Was this on your own or were you on a ship sponsored tour? 

 

We toured on our own.

[Miaminice]

2023 – Japan – Celebrity Millennium – Day 12 & Day 13 - Kagoshima & At Sea

When we woke up in the morning, we were already sailing in the Kagoshima Bay and got a nice look at Kagoshima’s prominent landmark, the Sakurajima Volcano. The highly active volcano forms an island only four kilometers away from the city. Sakurajima is in deed a very busy volcano. The volcano smokes constantly, and minor eruptions often take place multiple times per day. In 2022 alone, 235 eruptions were counted. The people of Kagoshima have learned to live with the volcano and the constant cover of ash. One lady told us, they worry when the volcano is quiet.

 

 

[Miaminice]

Eventually we reached the city center and found out that the unexpected festival was a curse and a blessing. The main roads were closed to traffic. But now they were filled by thousands of dancers in beautiful and colorful costumes forming a parade. On the crossroads we could watch Japanese taiko drumming by - as the descriptions said - “Kagoshima’s attractive and gallant women”.
 

 

 

 

The highlight of the festival, the So-odori, features up to 20,000 dancers in costumes of different team colors. It is  is a dance to the popular Kagoshima folk song “Ohara Melody.” All of participants singing along and parading along the roads doing the same dance. It was spectacular to watch. Not just the parade, but also the joy and pride of the dancers. From little kids to the quite elderly women of the “Kagoshima Senior High School” they were all happy to perform the dance and smiled and laughed with pride when they noticed us Westerners enjoying the performance and taking photos.

Once again we were happy and lucky travelers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 7, 2023 by Miaminice

[Miaminice]

Forcing ourselves away from the spectacle and the enticing food stalls, we took a taxi to the Sengan-En Gardens. Sengan-en is a traditional garden and stately home built in 1658 by powerful Shimadzu family. Sengan-en uses the principle of "borrowed landscape", and incorporates the background elements of Sakurajima and the bay to be a visual part of the gardens. Again there are no words to describe the beauty and tranquility of the gardens and I will leave it to the photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Later in the afternoon we returned to the stop for the shuttle bus by cab and headed back to the ship.

 

When Millennium pushed away from the pier, we got to enjoy another heartwarming Japanese sendoff for the last time of this cruise.

 

 

 

 

[Miaminice]

The last day of the cruise was a sea day. A day to relax and to sort all the fantastic experiences of the cruise into the different drawers of our minds - and to enjoy the “Taste of Asia” buffet for lunch. It seemed as if everyone wanted to take the last chance to literally take in one more bit and bite of Japan. The two Ramen stations were extremely popular and had long lines.

 

As you all know, the last day also has a sad part. It was also a day to say goodbye to friends made on the cruise and to some of Millennium’s fabulous crew.

But don’t walk away yet… we still had a day in Yokohama which turned out to be sort of a Grand Finale. 😉

 

 

 

 

Edited November 7, 2023 by Miaminice

[DaKahuna]

1 hour ago, Miaminice said:

 

But don’t walk away yet… we still had a day in Yokohama which turned out to be sort of a Grand Finale. 😉

 

 

 Can't wait for the grand finale.  You have certainly set the bar so high for those of us on Japan cruises following this one.  Simple amazing pictures and clear and concise descriptions of the sights and sounds you experienced on your amazing journey. 

 

 Anxiously awaiting what follows. 

 

[poppymum]

Thankyou! What a great cruise diary! Such brilliant photos. Lovely to be travelling alongside you virtually!

[hcat]

great photos and commentary!

One of the all time  best Cruise Critic reviews.  

[Ciaranaman]

10 hours ago, Miaminice said:

Forcing ourselves away from the spectacle and the enticing food stalls, we took a taxi to the Sengan-En Gardens. Sengan-en is a traditional garden and stately home built in 1658 by powerful Shimadzu family. Sengan-en uses the principle of "borrowed landscape", and incorporates the background elements of Sakurajima and the bay to be a visual part of the gardens. Again there are no words to describe the beauty and tranquility of the gardens and I will leave it to the photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Later in the afternoon we returned to the stop for the shuttle bus by cab and headed back to the ship.

 

When Millennium pushed away from the pier, we got to enjoy another heartwarming Japanese sendoff for the last time of this cruise.

 

 

 

IMG_6399.mov 140.1 MB · 1 download  

 

IMG_6398.mov 228.52 MB · 1 download  

So beautiful!  

~Bernadette

[loveladyc]

I am interested in what the process was like entering the country of Korea ?

[micruiser2002]

21 minutes ago, loveladyc said:

I am interested in what the process was like entering the country of Korea ?

Not sure if it depends where in South Korea but we stopped at Jeju Island and it was very smooth.  We just went through immigration in the cruise terminal.  It was a bit of a crowd getting off because everyone was getting off at the same time.  Even with that we were off and through immigration in less than 30 minutes.  

Edited November 7, 2023 by micruiser2002

[Miaminice]

Yes, South Korea was very smooth. Go through the terminal, show passport… over.

[Miaminice]

Oh, I just noticed that this paragraph was missing in the Kagoshima text. I missed it when I pasted it. So for the full info, here it is…

Since returned to Japan from South Korea, we had to go through immigration in the terminal. Our arrival time was 10am and the immigration slot assigned to us was 11:30am. So this time the time we had on land was too short to visit the island and we had other plans. After initial delays immigration was swift and punctual. At 11:25am our number was called and we joined the constantly moving queue. It was only when we left the terminal for the shuttle bus, when everything came to a halt and we had to wait. Due to the Ohara Festival taking place on that day, traffic was bad and the buses had to crawl there way through.

[micruiser2002]

2 hours ago, Miaminice said:

Oh, I just noticed that this paragraph was missing in the Kagoshima text. I missed it when I pasted it. So for the full info, here it is…

Since returned to Japan from South Korea, we had to go through immigration in the terminal. Our arrival time was 10am and the immigration slot assigned to us was 11:30am. So this time the time we had on land was too short to visit the island and we had other plans. After initial delays immigration was swift and punctual. At 11:25am our number was called and we joined the constantly moving queue. It was only when we left the terminal for the shuttle bus, when everything came to a halt and we had to wait. Due to the Ohara Festival taking place on that day, traffic was bad and the buses had to crawl there way through.

The ship was actually cleared an hour early.  We were able to get off I believe a little after 9 and were on the shuttle in less than 30 minutes.  We lucked out and got some of the last seats on the last shuttle that was still at the port going to town.  I think it might have bit a little longer waiting for the shuttle buses to return from the first set of drop offs.

[loveladyc]

17 hours ago, Miaminice said:

Yes, South Korea was very smooth. Go through the terminal, show passport… over.

no paperwork to complete- no visa required etc???

[Miaminice]

26 minutes ago, loveladyc said:

no paperwork to complete- no visa required etc???

 

No, just passport control and that´s it.