The Millenium, Vancouver to Seward

So, now I get to repay all the wonderful folks who made our cruise so great thanks to the information they shared. Let me say right away that we thoroughly enjoyed the cruise and Alaska is something wonderful to behold. We were dazzled by the beauty and the animals. It wasn't perfect, but few things are, so I'll be honest about what we loved, liked and didn't like so much. There was nothing we hated. If you are heading to Alaska, thinking about Alaska, or putting it on your bucket list you are doing the right thing. It would be a shame to miss it! I feel so blessed to have seen it in this lifetime!

This is going to be a review in pieces because we got back last night at about 8 p.m., and I started a new job today. So, bear with me and I will try to make it worth your time to read about the trip. Will also post photos that may inspire or help you! (But not tonight).

A little about us so you'll have a frame of reference; we've been on many cruises with Carnival, Princess, a few on Holland, and on the Equinox, the Summit, Millenium and next March we'll be on the Infinity. We're early 60's, pretty easy going about cruises and never expect it to be ideal. We're not super picky and we're not into shows...a case of been there and done that. So, if you're anxious to hear about the evening entertainment, I can't help you! I've lost count but I think we've been on about 15 cruises and only one would we rate as really not good. There were definitely cruises we enjoyed more than others, though....We said good-bye to Carnival and Princess and Holland for many reasons, primarily a declining value and lack of service....and once we discovered Celebrity we have been two happy campers. We like the service and the ships, especially the S class, (ironic that we will have sailed 3 M class in a row), but tops for us is the lack of smoking. That is high, high value to us and adds tremendously to our enjoyment of our cruise.

A few overall comments; we had the premium alcohol package purchased with the recent great promotion. We had purchased it previously at full price when we sailed on the Summit and loved it. I can tell you that there was NO difference even though we paid far less for it. We thoroughly enjoyed it, and the service in the bars was just as good this time as it was the last time on the Summit. The Martini Bar is a lot of fun and a great way to start the evening.

The Millennium is showing a little age for sure; but we enjoyed the ship and the age spots didn't affect our cruise in the least. There were places where the staff training wasn't up to the usual we have come to expect on Celebrity. For instance, one day at lunch we got a small plate with a few desserts on it. We ate one or two and left the plate uncovered on the coffee table in the cabin. It remained there all evening and through the next morning even though everything on it was yucky and stale. It finally went away after sitting around for 24 hours.

The balcony furniture wasn't cleaned for two days, so I think they must be run off their feet....too much to do, and too few people. However, some service issues can be fixed with training or with hiring people who understand the idea of making guests feel noticed or remembered. In Cafe al Bacio on the Summit the server recognized us by day two and remembered that we always got two Cafe Americanos. By day three she automatically would ask, "The same?" and she'd bring it. It was just nice!

In contrast, on the Millennium the server never remembered for 7 straight days that we got the same thing every day; every day she brought the coffee without the bowl of Equal/sugar, etc., even when we asked for it, and every day she asked if we wanted cream or milk as if she'd never laid eyes on us before. Every day for the first 3 or 4 days I would sit with the black coffee getting cold while waiting for the rest of the order. Finally i learned to go get it myself. Easier. There were more than a few instances like this here and there on the ship, and while they DID NOT have a negative effect on our enjoyment of the cruise, they were noticeable due to how different the service was than that on the Summit or Equinox. Again, not a big deal but noticeable.

Now, on to the cruise. We flew out of Atlanta. We actually live 90 minutes minimum north of Atlanta (and this is only if this is your really lucky day, and if it is, you should also buy a lottery ticket). So, make that two hours. Our flight left what my husband used to call "o-dark-early", so we have learned to stay at the Drury Inn near the airport. In case you don't know, you can stay one night at the DI and you can leave your car parked for the duration of your trip. Take the free shuttle to and from the airport back to the DI and pick up your car at the end. No extra charge. Is the DI our favorite? No, but it's cheaper than paying the parking any other way, and it's perfectly serviceable for one night. And, we don't have to get up at 3 a.m. to try to hope and pray you make it to the airport in time.

Speaking of airports and time, can I just tell you that you should never, no, never take a flight to a location on the same day your ship sails? There were a few people on our flight, which went from Atlanta to Chicago to Vancouver who were leaving that evening around 5 p.m. and the flight was 90 minutes late leaving Chicago. Talk about stress! Why start a vacation that way? I was so stressed for them and it wasn't even my cruise!

Vancouver was easy-peasy to navigate. We stayed at the Pan Pacific, which is right above Canada Place where the ship leaves. More about that later. It is a very, very nice airport. When you leave the airport baggage section, walk out the doors, cross the street and you will see an escalator on the right. There is also an elevator on the left. Either will take you to the platform for the SkyTrain. Easy to purchase tickets using a credit card. Hop on the train, ride to the end and get off! It was clean, easy, hassle free and easier, I would think, than fighting taxis and traffic. We enjoyed it. We walked 3 blocks with our luggage and there we were! The Pan Pacific is very nice; we liked everything about it. Great view of the harbor.

Once we threw our luggage in the room we headed out walking about two blocks to Steamworks Brewery. My husband loved the beer and we had a nice meal. I had the Bombay Butter Curry (I think that's the right name) and it was excellent. Can't remember what my husband had, but he enjoyed it. Then we walked around the Gastown section for a while before falling half dead into bed due to the time change.

The next morning we stopped for coffee and a muffin at Tim Hortons, which is like Dunkin Donuts, then walked a few miles to where the water taxis take you over to Granville Island. Some people have written that they spent an hour or so there; we spent about 5 hours there! We are foodies and both of us love wandering around looking at food, flowers, etc. For those who love to wander it is a great place to try new foods, etc. Also a good place for souvenirs, food gift items, future stocking stuffers.... We had read on CC that the food at Go Fish was great....and it is. It's worth figuring out where it is; and if you threatened me with bodily harm I couldn't lead you back there again no matter what! I don't know how we found it, but if you keep asking people, you'll get there. Excellent fish and chips...haddock or cod, soups, fish tacos. Apparently there is usually a big line, but on this day we were about 5th in line. It was fun. Then we walked back to the water taxis and then on to the hotel. We loved Vancouver. Beautiful city, lovely people. We had fantastic weather the whole trip. Unbelievably blessed with the weather.

For Alaska, it's anyone's guess, apparently, as to whether it will rain, snow, freeze you, roast you, no matter if it's May, June, July, or whatever. We had a tiny bit of drizzle our second evening in Vancouver, and then a little rain in Anchorage. Other than that, it was sunny or partly cloudy and warmer than usual. Anyhow, that evening we just wandered around seeing the city and since we weren't hungry for a whole meal, we went back to Steamworks so my hubby could have the beer again. We had calamari, which I wouldn't recommend....kind of limp and doughy. Then we walked around and stumbled into a gelato shop that has won awards...all I can tell you is that it is near Canada Place...about one block away from the waterfront. We had already had a great vacation and the cruise was still on the horizon!

More about that tomorrow. As a heads-up....remember the traffic I talked about? Well, we both still work in Atlanta. We get up at 4:30 every morning so my husband can leave by 5:15. I get up with him but leave later...so I am rarely on CC late in the evening, and in fact, I'm usually in bed by 9:00, so I'm already losing sleep! :)

Tomorrow I'll fill you in on the embarkation and first impressions of the Millenium.

We will be on Millennium in just over 2 weeks...I can't wait to read more of your review!

Well, the fire alarm went off at 2:40 this morning, so I am up early, having given up on the fight to get back to sleep. :(

Cruise Day One started bright and sunny, and Vancouver is beautiful in the early morning. We had a leisurely start to the day...there is a Starbucks so getting something light is easy. We had been tipped by previous posters that if you stay at the Pan Pacific, all you have to do is call the bellman, tip him, and away he goes with your bags to give them to the ship porters. It worked just as advertised...we said goodbye to our bags at the hotel door and next saw them in our cabin. Now, that makes for a hassle-free start to a cruise!

I had read some horror stories about Vancouver, but we were on board in an hour. The whole time was spent moving from line to line...we never sat and waited anywhere....just stood and waited. But, it was easy and you always felt you were getting somewhere. There was a glitch with the credit card scanner at the check-in desk and the man said we needed to go to guest relations to get it finalized....we anticipated that there would be a huge line but there was not. It took only a minute and we were set. There was the usual glass of faux bubbly or juice...we looked around a bit and then headed to Bistro on Five...not crowded. By now it was about 11:45.

We had a nice lunch at the Bistro...if you haven't tried it, I suggest you do! $5 per person, salads, soups, all kinds of crepes, paninis, desserts, including creme brulee, my favorite... wines, drinks. A nice, low key way to start the vacation, and always we've found the servers to be super nice and attentive and with great personalities.

I'm going to try to figure out how to post some photos. Back soon...

I officially give up on posting photos. Cannot figure it out. So sorry.

Rooms were ready at about 12:30, which I thought was pretty early. Our room was standard inside, but one of the sweet 16 re: the balcony size. We certainly enjoyed the size. Our balcony had two chairs and two loungers, though we didn't use them. The additional balcony size made moving around much easier, for sure. The only drawback is the lack of overhead cover if it rains, but you could certainly step back to the covered section. We spent a good amount of time on the balcony or on the deck, and I would say that if you can possibly splurge on a balcony, Alaska is where you'd want to do it. Based on our experience, if you get one once, it's hard to go back to an inside...so there's your warning! :D My husband says that first balcony for our 25th anniversary has cost him a fortune since then!

One thing we noticed about our room (6028) was that near the vanity desk, the floor actually sank in when you stepped in several places. It felt like there had once been a leak and the flooring underneath was weakened. We got used to it, but it points back to the overall age of the ship. The only other negative to what was a typical standard balcony room was that in the beginning of the cruise there was a distinct unpleasant smell in the bathroom...not a sewer smell, but a different pungent smell. We did not complain about it, feeling there was nothing the poor room steward could do about it. It went away the last half of the cruise. The last thing I would not say is a negative, but a matter of opinion. The bed was, for both of us, hard as a rock. Neither of us ever got friendly with that bed and it remained as hard on the last night as it was on the first. There is the typical duvet arrangement on the bed...the kind all hotels now use, which is usually just too much covers no matter how cold it is. The room steward will bring you a blanket to use instead, and that was much more comfortable temperature-wise for us both.

Every evening found us in the Martini Bar, which we really enjoyed prior to dinner. Great staff, fun to watch, eager to please, nice drinks that were fun to try. Nice views and just a nice atmosphere. We usually went to dinner at about 8 p.m.

We had Select Dining, and have chosen that for our last 5 or 6 cruises. We just like the flexibility of being able to come and go as we please and not have "deadlines". The pros of Select are the flexibility; we never had trouble getting a table for two; we got to know the staff since they seated us more or less in the same two areas. The negatives are that the Select Dining is upstairs in the dining room, and it was hot most nights. This is pretty significant for me to say because I am usually cold, especially in air conditioning, and usually carry a sweater around. I heard others complain about how hot it was several times. I don't know the temperature situation for the folks seated downstairs. if you choose Select you must pay tips prior to the cruise, which we like. Then we tip additionally for those who we feel deserve more.

The first night the service was slow and that was understandable. We have learned that it takes them a minute to get things going. But because we didn't have much interest in the shows we had no issues with a long meal. Things were speedier after that first night. This was the first cruise where we decided to forego the specialty restaurants. We normally do the specials at least twice, but having been to them all before multiple times, we just decided to take our chances in the main d.room. And, we were pleasantly surprised. Our favorite meal was the first one. We both got the pork chop and it was great. After that we had some good meals (found the meats to be nicely done, fish to be overcooked, pastas were good) and a few that were not great. If we didn't like it we asked for something else and it was no problem. If you are new to cruising, know that the staff want you to be happy and if you don't like something they have no issues with you asking for something else. My husband usually got the mushroom/crab appetizer and I usually got the French onion soup, which I enjoyed when it was chilly. Desserts were good, but as I said earlier, I'm a fan of creme brulee, and that was my standby. We both enjoy good food, but are tolerant on cruise ships that sometimes it is hit and miss, it is no big deal to us, not something we get in a fuss about. You can always order something else. The staff really does want to do well and they want you to be pleased.

The sommelier, Melwin, was excellent, and chased down my husband's much loved 20 year old port each evening. We thought the staff did a very nice job. We actually didn't miss the specialty restaurants this time, but if you've never tried them before, I would urge you to give them a whirl... it's fun and festive and a nice chance to be spoiled. :)

Dress in the dining room was much more casual than I've seen in the past. There were lots of jeans, though most people with jeans wore a nice shirt of some kind. A wide variety of dress, most pretty casual. There were mixed results for formal nights...a few tuxes, most men wore suits, most women wore something that ranged from Sunday best to sparkly cocktail. Only saw a few long gowns. I really don't care what people wear, to be honest. I agree that when everyone dresses up it is more festive, but as the years go by more and more passengers seem to be wearing their preferences, and those preferences are not formal.

We usually started the day in Cafe al Bacio and then ended up in the buffet where my husband got his omelet and I got...eggs benedict! Be still, my heart, how much do I love eggs benedict! Every day...eggs benedict = cruise to me. It's pretty much the only time I get them, so I was happy every morning. Lunches found me looking for curry, something I rarely get. I have no idea if it was actually good! Those of you who eat curries often may differ, but I enjoyed what I had. I have seen comments from some folks that the lunches were repetitious, but that wasn't a problem for us...plenty of variety to suit us. And, you can always go to Bistro on Five.

On the last sea day there is a nice brunch in the main dining room; very nicely done, soups and breads, sushi, carving stations, salads, veggies, fruits, omelets and all kinds of breakfast stuff, tons of desserts. Don't miss it...look for it in the daily paper thing.

We were on the starboard side of the ship...and the Inside Passage route comes very close to land. We never really saw wildlife on land while on the ship but did see a school of dolphins or porpoises, not sure which, which was a first from a ship. They were fun to see and set the stage for the sea life that was to come!

Next up is Ketchikan, our first stop. Will be glad to answer questions if I can.

Loving your review of the Millennium -- one of our favorite cruises to Alaska. Looking forward to more, thanks so much for your post.

Thank you for posting, we're doing this cruise in August.

Great review! Thanks for including your thoughts and lots of detail. July will be our first time on Millie, so it's great to hear an experienced cruiser's thoughts.

So, here's my attempt to post a photo. If it works, this is the balcony

And the balcony

And this is the room at the Pan Pacific

The cabin

The bathroom

Bistro on Five

Some Bistro goodies...free to one and all. The coffee is not free but the pastries, etc., are!

So, here's my attempt to post a photo. If it works, this is the balcony

 

 

And the balcony

 

And this is the room at the Pan Pacific

And yet on most cruises, including our recent one on Summit, even if you have the larger balcony Celebrity will not give you loungers. I love Celebrity, but absolutely hate their inconsistency!! We had three to a cabin and had to beg, and then talk to a supervisor, in order to just get a third chair! Geez.

Ok, enough griping. Thanks for your great information. I love cruising Alaska and can't wait to get back there and do it again!

Phoenix, I know. Luck of the draw. I confess that we peeked at the adjacent balconies and we were the only ones with two loungers. :confused: No idea why....

Before I forget; here's some info re: what we brought that was handy. A night light for the bathroom. Strong tape to tape the drapes against the wall to keep out the light. Remember, it is still light at 10:00! Some strong clothespins to keep the drapes shut. Earplugs. Ear muffs..the kind that go around the back of your head. (for the ladies, it doesn't mess up your hair but keeps your ears toasty). Gloves. Good hand cream. Waterproof rain jacket. A highlighter to highlight things in the daily. A few ziploc bags. A small travel size of Downy Wrinkle Release (sold in the grocery store, detergent aisle). Wet Ones in travel size packets to clean as many things as we could...we always clean the tray, buckles, buttons, etc., on the plane and we clean the things we touch in the room. I know, even to me it sounds like a bunch of old geezers! :p But, honestly, I'd rather be a little paranoid than sick and miss the fun. I know wet Ones don't kill Noro, but they help kill a lot of the rest...even a bad cold can wreck your vacation. And we detour TO the guy with the hand cleaner at the buffet, not AWAY from him!

So, Ketchikan! Cute little town. Not a lot there. My husband went fishing from early morning till about 1:00. Caught zip, so he was disappointed, though he knew the chances were low. We had a quick lunch on the ship and then went back out to wander around the town a bit. One thing I found with every Alaskan stop is that there is alot of repetition in souvenirs. ...ulu knives, baskets, trinkets, Christmas ornaments. Russian nesting dolls. Each stop had one or two stores that had some nice, interesting stuff. In Ketchikan the store I most enjoyed was on the street behind and parallel to the main street by the ship. It had interesting carvings, art objects, wall hangings. Really enjoyed that one! We did not get to go out beyond the town, so I can't say we really saw Ketchikan...next time!

Below, the statues are of the people who settled and established the area; the main street...

I'm loving the review and the pictures. Thank you!

This was an interesting stop....a very tiny village, and a slice of real Alaska. We booked a whale watching trip with Misty Bay Lodge, Captain Bob and his wife, Hope. Very nice people. Things started out a little rocky. Our confirmation email from Hope had said she would meet us "one-ish". We got there at 10 till 1. At 1:30 they still hadn't shown up....and we were worried we had messed up somehow. Tried to call several times...no answer. Hope arrived at about 1:35, very nonchalant, while we, in comparison, were still in our "work in the city and be on time mode". She took us to their lodge and we met with the two other couples, headed to the boat, which was very nice and away we went for our first encounters with whales. We chased them all over the place, and had success...let me tell you, they are stunning, magnificent creatures, they just take your breath away...and they certainly made me teary-eyed. I still am in awe that I got to see them.

I promise to post photos of whales...so far the photos have been from my point and shoot. My husband has a DSLR and we rented a gigantic lens that looked like the barrel of a cannon...so his photos are worth waiting for. We enjoyed Icy Strait, but there was even more to see later in the cruise....

Tomorrow is Juneau, a fantastic whale watching tour with Harv and Marv, who we recommend highly....and I promise photos of Orcas!

The village in Icy Strait Point:

Georgiapeach51: Wonderful reviews and great photos. I am looking forward to whale watching in Juneau. It is a surprise birthday gift to me from my DW. LOL, she was sending cruise plans to our friends and her brother, told them to keep the trip a secret. Then she bcc'd me! Oops no more secret!

Looking forward to reviews of the other ports, thanks so much.

LOL, Tawcat! Bless her heart! Giving a surprise cruise is a tough proposition...we've tried it, too, with the same success your wife had! Now I think that the planning and anticipating and dreaming about the cruise is part of the fun and that if you try to wait till the last minute you deprive the other person of that part of the fun.....we always have so much fun planning and talking about it. So, happy early birthday! You're going to love it and I'll be it will one of your all time best birthday gifts. :)

LOL, Tawcat! Bless her heart! Giving a surprise cruise is a tough proposition...we've tried it, too, with the same success your wife had! Now I think that the planning and anticipating and dreaming about the cruise is part of the fun and that if you try to wait till the last minute you deprive the other person of that part of the fun.....we always have so much fun planning and talking about it. So, happy early birthday! You're going to love it and I'll be it will one of your all time best birthday gifts. :)

Sorry for the double post...didn't think it went thru.

We loved Juneau! Nice town, fantastic history, easy to navigate. For us, Juneau was all about whale watching. We booked with Harv and Marv and would highly recommend them. Our captain was Sean and he was just great--fun, enthusiastic. We also had Dirk Younkerman, the naturalist onboard the Millenium and another naturalist, a recent college grad marine biologist, so it was fantastic from an educational standpoint. It's so great to see the whales and even better to learn about them and understand what we were seeing.

BTW, I commend Celebrity that they still provide a naturalist onboard, which has been eliminated (I've been told) on many other cruise lines. I thought he did a fantastic job. When we approached Hubbard Glacier, he was on the loudspeakers discussing what we were seeing; and other times he would pop up as we went into areas where there were whale sightings. We did see whales from the ship, so keep your eyes peeled on the windows! :)

Back to Harv and Marv. We had booked, we thought, the tour that would take us on the whale watch first and then drop us off at the glacier, allowing us time to see Mendenhall and then take the shuttle back to town. We ended up going to Mendenhall first, but for only about 20 minutes, certainly not enough to see what we needed to see. Then we went out in the boat. So, see if you can do what we originally wanted to do. You can walk up to a good view of the glacier, but there's a visitor center and a trail you can watch to get closer. Mendenhall is very approachable and you don't have to have boots to hike to it...just sneakers will do. It is fascinating and also sad to hear how the glacier is receding, as they are all apparently doing. When you talk with Alaskans who have been there for years, they have clear memories of when the glacier was all the way to "here and as high as this", and the changes in their lifetime are startling.

The Harv and Marv operation is good. Their boats are outstanding. We had 6 people, and this would be a splurge place for you. There were some boats like ours with a few people. There were others with people literally packed on the bow shoulder to shoulder...about 45 people all jammed together and the boat's bow actually dipping down significantly into the water. How you would get decent photos or see over all those heads I can't tell you--hard to take photos if you have trouble even raising your arms due to the folks pressed in there with you!

We were able to move around with ease, and the seats on the boat are specially outfitted to reduce the bounce as the boat hits the water....very comfortable. Sorry, can't remember what it's called, but it is like the seats have shocks in them to reduce the slamming against the water. There's a front and back deck for viewing. We saw lots of whales, stellar sea lions, and a pod of Orcas. I was charmed because Sean and Dirk and I think her name was Rebecca, were all as excited as we were to see them. What a thrill! The captains all communicate with each other to let each other know where the whales are, so all passengers benefit. If you get seasick I would go armed with bonine or something. I normally do, but I had no problem on this boat... It was chilly...we both had waterproof raincoats, but on the water it is cooler. Gloves came in handy...

They provide water, soft drinks and snacks. All around, a great day and a fun excursion. Expensive? Yes. Worth it? YES! Here's the thing we felt about Alaska. If you confine yourself to strolling around the towns you will, of course, not have seen Alaska. Even after this cruise we have seen only a miniscule amount of Alaska....the towns, though different, have a lot of similarity in the shops...the real adventure and fun lies outside of the towns and that's where the expense of the excursions comes in. We went all in as much as we could afford, and I suggest you do the same. We couldn't afford to do the fly in experiences, but we talked to some who did, and they loved it....so as you plan, know that the excursions are going to be a significant additional expense and you can plan accordingly.

Here's a photo, not great, inside the Harv and Marv boat:

Hubby at Mendenhall

Orcas! What a thrill! And look at the scenery! (Better photos coming)

Now, a little about the ship. Lots of activities, as you know. No way to be bored...your steward will put the daily for the next day on your bed so when you come back to your cabin each night you can plan for the next day.

We were usually up and out early. So, during the day when in port we don't know what is available, but during sea days there's tons to do...hang out on deck to see the scenery, play bingo, go to the casino, take classes, check up on email, take a kitchen tour...you won't be bored. By the time we got back from excursions we pretty much got ready for the evening, went to the Martini Bar, went to dinner, then either went dancing or to the casino. We enjoyed some of the penny slots. The casino was usually busy, but not jammed, for those of us who are non-smokers it is heaven to not have to put up with smoke and to be able to lose our money in a clean air situation! :D

Here's a picture of the Cosmos Lounge, a great place to dance and at the front of the ship with magnificent views!

Some of the artwork around the ship...this first one is made of folded paper!

I meant to take food photos, and rarely remembered...but here's our first night's pork chop! :-)

And one of a great Martini

Georgiapeach51: You mention dancing, what type music is played and by who?

We enjoyed the Freddie Saints band; they played music thru the decades...a lot of fun. We thought they were very good. There was also a DJ Jaz, who played the Top 40 hits. We didn't actually manage to make it to him because it was so late...usually starting at 11:00 or midnight until "very late". The Freddie Saints band usually started about 9:30 and played until "late".

Let me note that there was a wide range of ages on this cruise...lots of active older folks like us, lots of younger people who appeared to be in their 20's. A really nice range of ages, and I think the music available reflected that. Those people who think Celebrity is just for older, grey-haired passengers would definitely be wrong about that on this cruise at least.

When we sailed the Equinox out of Rome the passengers were older, and we went when younger passengers might be in school. So I'm sure the demographics change based on the calendar, length of cruise and possibly the expense.

There was a string trio called Tango for 3; a guy named Justin Wade who did guitar and vocals; the Garnettes, who did easy listening and jazz; and another guy named Jim Long who did piano and vocals. Also a party band called Magnitude. So, I think you'd be hard pressed not to find something you'd enjoy. So that makes 7 musical options to cover a wide range of tastes.

Not sure how late people were up and about, because we were usually down for the count around 11:00 due to the excursions, but there were lots of late night options, some of which started at 11:00.

Great, thanks. We basically do East Coast swing, Rumba, Waltz, and I stumble through Cha Cha!!! Sounds like we'll have a pretty good music venue to enjoy, thanks so much.

We enjoyed the Freddie Saints band; they played music thru the decades...a lot of fun. We thought they were very good. There was also a DJ Jaz, who played the Top 40 hits. We didn't actually manage to make it to him because it was so late...usually starting at 11:00 or midnight until "very late". The Freddie Saints band usually started about 9:30 and played until "late".

 

Let me note that there was a wide range of ages on this cruise...lots of active older folks like us, lots of younger people who appeared to be in their 20's. A really nice range of ages, and I think the music available reflected that. Those people who think Celebrity is just for older, grey-haired passengers would definitely be wrong about that on this cruise at least.

 

When we sailed the Equinox out of Rome the passengers were older, and we went when younger passengers might be in school. So I'm sure the demographics change based on the calendar, length of cruise and possibly the expense.

 

There was a string trio called Tango for 3; a guy named Justin Wade who did guitar and vocals; the Garnettes, who did easy listening and jazz; and another guy named Jim Long who did piano and vocals. Also a party band called Magnitude. So, I think you'd be hard pressed not to find something you'd enjoy. So that makes 7 musical options to cover a wide range of tastes.

 

Not sure how late people were up and about, because we were usually down for the count around 11:00 due to the excursions, but there were lots of late night options, some of which started at 11:00.

Was there any place that played new or old Country Music to dance to ? :)

Love the review!

4 weeks and we will be on that cruise :D

Staying at Pan Pacific and arriving at YVR too. May try the Skytrain rather than a taxi.