Millennium 1/6/08 Review (A long one!)

[Cruising Bill]

My partner and I just returned from the 7-day Eastern Caribbean on the Millie. I hope this short review is helpful.

 

EMBARKATION

 

As others have noted, the embarkation process was a complete mess. It was almost as though someone decided to study the check-in system at the Miami airport and emulate it—a blend of Southern efficiency and Northern charm, along with an Island Time attitude… That said, it was over in an hour or so, and we arrived on a gleaming ship. We were greeted (as we expected) with champagne and welcomes all around. My partner and I were with another couple, and neither of our rooms were ready, so we wandered the ship a bit. We had been on the Constellation, so were familiar with the layout, and we showed our friends around. Somehow our tour kept looping around back to deck 3 where the champagne was flowing, but we didn’t complain.

 

A NOTE ON OUR PHILOSOPHY

 

Our philosophy on cruising is pretty simple. We generally don’t complain and will not let things that we are dissatisfied with ruin our vacation. If we do have a complaint, we quickly decide what to do about it—solve it or simply move on. Usually that means move on. As others have said more eloquently, whatever the problem is, being on a floating luxury cruise ship beats the alternative most any day. We work so that we can cruise.

 

Our other main philosophy is that if other people complain, we don’t like it, but we don’t complain about it (that much). We just change seats.

 

OUR ROOMS

 

Our friends were in one of the special Concierge Class rooms on deck 6 aft, nestled amongst the suites. Their room, as billed, was lovely. Based on my scientific measurements, it is one foot (my foot) wider than a typically Concierge Class cabin, and the deck is twice as deep and outfitted in teak. They were in fact next door to the soon to be (I hope) famous guest traveling with her lap dog. (!) (Our friends’ stateroom attendant and our waiter could not explain the dog’s presence. I would really love to know what Celebrity’s policy on pets is; are you allowed to bring your dog if you show up with it on the pier with it? Does your dog qualify as a service dog simply because you might miss it? I also would like to know whether you have to pay extra to have your dog sit at its own chair in the restaurant every night, as this one did. What about at the casino, its own chair at the Black Jack table (as this one also did)? I have a feeling this is a separate thread…)

 

We were in one of the coveted aft cabins on deck 7. Both this room and our friend’s were booked as a result of my diligent research on these boards. The aft cabin was everything it had been billed to be, and more. The room was great; a typical CC cabin. The balcony was essentially the size of the room; it had a small table with two chairs, perfect for breakfast or coffee. In addition, it had four (count ‘em) chaise lounges, with no crowding. We spent a great deal of time out there enjoying the space, the view, the wake. Several times we napped on the chaise lounges in the late afternoon. (Two had padded cushions; two did not.)

 

Our room attendant was Gaston—I thought he was efficient and attentive, but not overbearing. I ran into him early the second day, and told him we were early risers and would typically be gone from the room by about 8:00—he seemed to appreciate that so he could get our room done while he waited for others to stir.

 

We also overlooked the incredible terrace of one of the Penthouse Suites. It appeared to have some people related to some business group on the ship. I heard a rumor that a group of sellers of sex toys were on board (no kidding), though that was unverified. I do not know whether the Penthouse Suite below me was related to this group, but I had my suspicions.

 

We both loved our cabin—in fact we have the same cabin booked on the Constellation a year from now. I would tell you which cabin it is, but I hope to book it so much that it will never be available on any of the Millennium class ships, and if it is then it will simply be borrowed from me.

 

ONBOARD ACTIVITIES

There were Friends of Dorothy meetings schedule almost every night, always at 5:00. I only went the first day, and met a few people there that we ran into and spent time with throughout the cruise. Being at the late seating for dinner, I would have preferred it if at least some of the get-togethers had been scheduled later in the day -- say 8:00, to catch the early eaters after dinner and the late eaters before. (I realize I could have asked the Cruise Director for this, but I didn’t. By the way, Dru, the Cruise Director, was great, and stopped and chatted with us on Labadee.)

 

There was a Cruise Critic meet up that was fairly well attended on the first sea day. Host Star was there; in fact she was in aft cabin above mine and we often waved to each other while we both marveled at the views from the aft. She had forgotten her Cruise Critic giveaways at home, so didn’t have those to offer—just smiles and chatting. I suspect she is selling those trinkets on the open market (just kidding!). Celebrity did provide nice pastries and coffee, as well as a welcoming chat from one of their activities staff.

 

We found the public spaces to all be in fine shape. We forgot until the last day that some people have found this ship to be shabby, so we diligently looked around, but could only find a mildly chipped tile in our shower to complain about. Since we have a nearly 100 year old bathroom at home, we decided not to complain. Seriously, we thought the ship was in very good condition, and did not notice any significant upkeep issues (but certainly realize that keeping a ship like this tip-top is a constant job. We saw painting, varnishing and cleaning going on throughout.)

 

Chair hogs were indeed rampant on the sea days, but seating was pretty open on the port days. As we are relatively early risers, we generally got to the pool early and were able to get good seats. Later in the mornings I did notice a fair amount of people wandering around searching for seating amongst a sea of saved chairs. I also saw one couple who were saving two seats by the pool while they also lounged higher up on the second level. We thought that was a bit selfish.

 

THE PORTS

 

This was not an incredibly port intensive cruise—we stopped in San Juan, Tortola, Casa de Campo, and Labadee. We are not huge excursion people or shoppers, so my report around the ports is relatively sparse. We did not get off the ship in Casa de Campo, choosing a lovely day by the pool enjoying the sun and chatting with our new and old friends. We made friends, among others, with a few Cruise Critic posters (Hi Joe and Dave and Andrew and Jeff!). Our traveling partners did go on the Sail and Snorkel excursion, and had a great time, fueled in part by apparently unlimited rum. In fact, later that day, before we saw our friends again, we met a couple who had been on the same excursion who were so drunk it was difficult to understand what they were saying. They were so drunk that even I cannot remember their names.

 

We have been to San Juan many times, so we just got off the ship and strolled Old San Juan. It is lovely and retains that tinge of old Europe that makes you want to stay a few days.

 

In Tortola, our traveling friends arranged a power boat rental, and we motored to Jost Van Dyke to have drinks and lunch at the Soggy Dollar Bar, and then snorkeling at another place (the name of which I can’t remember—one of the more famous snorkeling places off Cooper or Peter Island, I think.) This was loads of fun..but a little nerve-wracking in that our friends tend to have a devil-may-care attitude, and seemed less concerned than us about whether we missed the ship’s departure or not. We were silly to worry, as we arrived back in plenty of time---with about 7 or 8 minutes to spare (!). Soon, we were happily ensconced back on deck 10 at the T-pool melting more cares away. (By the way, we enjoyed “the waters”, as we called the T-pool, every afternoon. It is a soothing and simply nice way to relax at the end of a day of sun.)

 

 

Finally, we spent a day at Labadee. What fun! Beautiful beaches, and interesting shopping. As I had read here, some of the merchants are a little pushy. I mentioned before that we don’t complain. We thus were prepared and managed to walk through the crafts markets with a slightly dazed smile, and only responded to badgering with confused stares and grins. It seemed to work, although my partner did manage to snag a few “bargains”.

 

DINING

 

Breakfast was pretty consistent. Some of the omelet lines could get a little long if you didn’t notice there were others with no one in them. I primarily marveled at the cook’s ability to make over-easy eggs without a spatula. I would like to try that at home, but don’t think it would go over very well if I got egg on the ceiling fan. We did notice some surprising selfishness by some of the other guests in the line; on one occasion, a husband and wife who had been waiting in line decided to get out of line to go get waffles, only to return about five minutes later (with waffles in tow) and ask if they could retake their original place in line in front of us. We allowed them to, but were a little taken aback by their request.

 

At lunch, we often got meals from the spa area. I found the dishes (and particularly the desserts) to be inventive and delicious. One in particular—cinnamon couscous—I hope to translate into a dessert that I surprise friends with. I did try the waffles one day, and they are in fact excellent. I was also happy to meet the CC’er Acey, who I know appreciates the waffles as well. He was happy walking around, taking in the sights, and apparently eating waffles (not that you could tell by looking at him.)

 

We dined in the Metropolitan all but the last night, and generally had excellent meals and service. I have already forgotten our waiter’s name, but will try to find out from our friends. We requested a plate of steamed vegetables each night, and he was glad to oblige. On the second formal night, most of us ordered two entrees, AND the wait staff had the Baked Alaska parade to tend to. That night, he forgot our vegetables. We (being non-complainers) didn’t say anything, but the next night the first thing he did was apologize for having forgotten. I thought that was one of those touches that make Celebrity and its staff notable.

 

My partner likes to order the NY strip most nights, but did find that meat a bit tough the few times he did so this year. That led him to branch out a little bit and try new things; overall he was happy with his meal experience.

 

The table next to us included the party with the little lap dog. The dog had its own seat next to the railing. The owners did not seem pleased when one of our friends – a major dog lover – approached them to ask the dog’s name—in fact they seemed a little snotty and rebuffed attempts at conversation. The waiters were also unable to explain what the dog was doing onboard, and it almost seemed as though none of the staff were allowed to talk about it. Regardless, our consensus was that the dog was cute and well-behaved, but no one could understand why these people seemed to be given special treatment by being allowed to bring their pet with them.

 

On the last night, the four of us went to the Olympic, and all had the wine pairings. This is a menu of a few choices for each course, with a wine paired (and included) with each course. The price for the Olympic is $30, and it is an additional $25 or $30 for the wine pairings (I can’t remember for sure because, well, I did the wine pairings.) I think all of us agreed that this meal, which was incredible, exquisite and just plain delicious in its flavors, execution and service, was one of the highlights of the cruise. They added a few items to the typical pairings menu, and I had a couple of those, including a special escargot appetizer and Filet au poivre. Yum.

 

DEBARKATION

 

We had an early flight, and my sister and brother-in-law were picking us up to take us to the airport at breakneck speed. I had indicated our flight time on the forms, but got a later debarkation time. When I went downstairs (to adjust, not complain), I was immediately given tags for the first debarkation. Despite that slight hiccup, the disembarkation process was uneventful; chatted for a bit with a nice couple from North Carolina, and Joe and Dave from Dallas, and then got off the ship (and to our flight) without too much more ado. (I cannot say the same for the Miami airport, which was truly a nightmare.)

 

SUMMARY

 

We both loved the cruise. We were on the Constellation two years ago, and enjoyed that as well, but we both felt the Millennium was nicer, the service better, the food better, just all around better. We are booked on the Constellation next year, and I hope and expect to feel the same way then.

 

If not, I won’t complain.

[MEcruzr]

VERY nice cruise review! Thank you.

 

The "little dog" was probably a service dog. Many people have them for things other than sight now. They are used to alert the owner of an impending seisure... or even for anxiety disorders. I met a woman on a cruise once who had a small lap dog. She explained that the dog was a service animal for her anxiety disorder. The only time a dog is allowed into a food service area, by law, is if it's a service animal... so that one must have been.

[MOYSHA]

Just a thank you for a very nice review. It's a pleasure to "meet" someone who doesn't like to complain

[Muushka]

Yes, thank you for your review. A pleasure to read.

I have a feeling that you would enjoy just about anything, and that is a good thing!:)

[Xcruiser]

Thanks Cruising Bill, Great review and it comes in good timing. I’ll be onboard Millie on Sunday in one of the CC Cabins aft on Deck 6 between the suites. As long as it has a bed and running water and takes me out to sea I’ll be happy.:)

[nps001]

I was on Deck 6 this past week. CC 6126. If you are fortunate enough to meet Salome (Attendant) or Nelson (Butler) please tell them that Joe and David said hello and that we miss them already.

 

In the pictures I posted on my review, both of them are shown.

 

Joe

[Xcruiser]

I was on Deck 6 this past week. CC 6126. If you are fortunate enough to meet Salome (Attendant) or Nelson (Butler) please tell them that Joe and David said hello and that we miss them already.

 

In the pictures I posted on my review, both of them are shown.

 

Joe

I’ll be happy to say hello from you and David and tell them they are missed. I hope we are lucky enough have Salome as are attendant as she comes highly recommended to us from others as well. We are in CC6143 so unless we are really fortunate we won’t have Nelson’s services, but I’ll look for him. I believe your stateroom was a sky suite SS right? Glad to hear you really enjoyed your cruise.:)

 

Joel

[dutchess43]

What a pleasant review to read thank you. I was last on the Mille feb 07 & also enjoyed having an aft cabin.

[CatServants]

Cruising Bill - Thanks for sharing your review and wit - I'll have to remember "Southern efficiency and Northern charm" so I can use it!;)

 

I'm sure MEcruzr is right about the little dog. I once met a commercial pilot who told me about a man with a very large pig. The airline (and the pilot telling the story) had to fly the man AND the very large pig because the pig was a service animal for the man's anxiety (documentation in hand). I'm sure a pig is an unusual service animal, but if it helped the man...more power to him!:)

 

Thanks again for the review. I'm glad you had such a great cruise!

 

Happy cruising!

 

Denise

[Cruising Bill]

Thanks for the nice comments! The "Southern efficiency" and "Northern charm" is actually a description of Washington DC by John F. Kennedy, if I'm not mistaken, so I borrowed it!

 

Happy cruising to everyone

[sunpsyche]

Terrific review that still has me smiling...in anticipation for my upcoming cruise and in appreciation of your joy of life. Thanks.

 

Suzi

[Literary Lynne]

:) Thanks for the great review and I'm glad that you too thought Millie to be in good condition. We were on her just before Christmas and everything sparkled and gleamed, dispelling some of my fears about the state of the ship that I had been reading.

 

We are looking forward to Constellation in May but wouldn't hesitate to sail on Millie anytime.

 

Lynne

[osiebosie]

Yay!! A nice review for Millie! I am so glad ya'll (yep, southern) had a good cruise. We'll be cruising on her in October, exactly nine months from today. We were hoping to get one of the coveted aft cabins, but, alas, they were already taken. So we are very close by.

 

Aaahh... I canNOT wait!

 

Shay

[Texed]

Thanks for the review. Glad you liked the waffles. ;)

[carlat78]

Great review! I will sailing the Millie on Apr 6th with my boyfriend and your thoughts were great to read!! You have me fantisizing about your room you described it to be so nice, but I completely understand you not giving up the room # ( I dont think i would either):D

[Cameron-by-the-Sea]

Hi Bill,

Thanks for the wonderful review. We are on the Millie in March and I was curious about your debarkation time. I may be cutting it too close b/c our airline tickets are for 10:45 am out of Ft.Lauderdale. What time were you off the ship and in the airport?

Thank you for your help!

[Cruising Bill]

I was off the ship by about 8:50, and at the airport by about a half an hour later

[Tos]

Great review. I'm heading back out on the Millie at the end of March. The last time I sailed her I tripped and fell at the top of the gangway and broke my foot and ankle. I don't know what hurt more...my foot or the embarrassment. To add insult to injury, an infection set in 2 days later. The broken bones would require surgery that was not available on the ship. But like you Bill, I find that complaining about things just ruin vacations. The wonderful ship Dr's kept me pain free although the antibiotics didn't allow too much direct sunlight so we had to seek entertainment in other areas. The theraputic pool and the wonderful little deserts that they served up front kept me happy.

 

We've travelled the caribbean so often, most of the shops know my wife by my credit card. She loves the shopping and spends almost as much time telling me about the days bargain as she spends actually shopping. I enjoy the ship. Whether walking around or wheel-chairing around, the cruise...not the destination..is my vacation.

 

One final thought is about cronic complainers. And there are always a fair share of them on each and every cruise. When I hear someone complain in a buffet line...I purposely complement the staff loud enough for the complainer to hear. If they complain about the decor, I loudly say something to my wife about how beatiful the ship looks. If I hear complaining about cabin stewards, I make sure to say how immaculate my room is. And the majority of the time...my comments are true...the ships are nice, the food is good and the service is great. I travel (sales) for a living and I've stayed in more hotels, eaten more meals away from home and visited more cities and counties that I'd care to count in the last 30 years. And when all is said and done, the cruise industry does one heck of a job. I only hope that I live long enough to spend the next 40 or 50 years taking cruise vacations.

 

I'll send my cruise critic evaluation when I get back at the end of March Bill. I will follow your template and let others experience the joys of not needlessly complaining.

[Host Star]

thanks for a great review!..it was a pleasure to meet you and the other CCer's that showed up at the get together.. I loved our aft balcony!!!.. pool?.. was there a pool onboard?.. there was no way you could get me off that balc except for waffles :).... I also saw the cute little dog being carried around.. its the first time i've seen a service dog being carried...but living in florida I'm aware that a way around having pets in condos that restrict pets is to have a dr. prescribe a pet for anxiety , psychological reasons..maybe it works on cruiseships also.. hey doc, are you listening?.. LOL...our weather was fantastic!! the weeks before us were so rough several ports were missed and the swells reached the 3rd deck and from what I hear the weather this week is not so wonderful.. we found most of the dinners to be good but found the dining experience in the olympic to be outstanding..Bill, if you email me your address i'll be happy to send you a few CC momentos, of course if they haven't been already sold on ebay :)...