LIVE Blog! MILLENNIUM, SE Asia - Dec 8, 2018

[mickey_d_mouse]

When you went to C'est La Vie did you have to pay to go up, I booked and got an email saying we had to buy a ticket?

[Addicted2Ships]

10 hours ago, mickey_d_mouse said:

When you went to C'est La Vie did you have to pay to go up, I booked and got an email saying we had to buy a ticket?

Yes. You pay $20 but you get a $20 voucher to spend on drinks or food. 

[mickey_d_mouse]

thanks and thanks for the information,  is there a page in the daily with restaurant times.

[ourjetboat]

Loving your blog!

Who did you use for your Bangkok port transportation?

Thx

Tom

[Addicted2Ships]

22 hours ago, mickey_d_mouse said:

thanks and thanks for the information,  is there a page in the daily with restaurant times.

Yes... 😊

 

[Addicted2Ships]

We had an early express breakfast in the MDR yesterday morning before queuing up to disembark at Laemchabang. Although the queue snaked up to deck 4 from the gangway on 1, we were off the ship within 15-20 minutes. The longest wait was the line for immigration at the terminal. 

 

Once through immigration, we boarded out private minibus and headed for the 2-2.5 hour journey to Bangkok. 

 

It took a while to get our bearings when got off the minibus but we made it to our hotel, (Amara Bangkok) via the BTS Skytrain and checked in then headed out. 

We went straight to Chao Phraya river and got the express ferry to Tha Chang Pier and entered the Grand Palace. The place is pretty spectacular! 

We had lots planned but time ran away from us. After a quick trip across to the other side of the river we headed back to our hotel. We found an unexpected little gem of a restaurant just across the road from our hotel. We were looking for a snack but ended up having a meal. My Thai Green Curry was delicious. 

 

In the evening we went on a mini bar crawl on Silom Soi 4. We didn't have too much of a late night but it was a nice evening. 

This morning we visited the Reclining Buddha. The size of the statue had me gobsmacked. I wasn't expecting it to take up the full length of the room!

We had planned to see more again but we were stuck in a taxi for over an hour. We decided to check out of our hotel and make our way to MBK Shopping Centre for our return transfer back to Millie. 

 

Sailaway was at 5pm and I got some lovely shots of the sunset within the next hour.  Here is one of them. 

Tonight we have an interactive theme party in Cosmos - Night of the Dragon. Sounds like fun! 

Edited December 13, 2018 by 1sttimecruisee

[Addicted2Ships]

15 hours ago, ourjetboat said:

Loving your blog!

Who did you use for your Bangkok port transportation?

Thx

Tom

Thanks Tom. We used a company called Mekhe. Very good. 

[ourjetboat]

Thank you....I have a request into them.

Safe travels!

Tom

[Lexie59]

Just started reading your blog. Loving it! I and several friends will be on the Millennium on March 2, 2019. Enjoying your posts and pictures. Enjoy your cruise. I will make sure to check back frequently. 

[Addicted2Ships]

Itinerary changes were announced by the captain this morning. All private tours have been rearranged pretty easily. My only concern is my Klook ticket to Ba Na Hills which was booked for 17th. If I have to buy another ticket, so be it. 

With waves of up to 20ft and 40 knot winds it is understandable the change had to be made. 

 

It means we get 2 sea days following Ho Chi Minh tomorrow and just 1 before arriving into Hong Kong, instead of the 2 originally planned. 

 

 

[Addicted2Ships]

Here are more dailies Apologies for the orientation once again. Not quite sure how it's happening!

 

Tuesday December 11

 

Edited December 14, 2018 by 1sttimecruisee

[Addicted2Ships]

Wednesday December 12

[Addicted2Ships]

The rest will follow as uploads keep failing currently. 

Edited December 14, 2018 by 1sttimecruisee

[ourjetboat]

Loving your blog.

I booked your recommendation for Bangkok transportation...thank you.

What time did you reserve your driver...and was that a good time?

Tom

[Addicted2Ships]

7 hours ago, ourjetboat said:

Loving your blog.

I booked your recommendation for Bangkok transportation...thank you.

What time did you reserve your driver...and was that a good time?

Tom

Thanks. 

 

We booked for 8am. I would say queue up from 7am as if it's like our sailing you will set off later. We left at 8.30 and arrived around 11am.

[mickey_d_mouse]

Hi I would love to see a MDR or bar menu if you get a chance .

 

How has the weather been?  Just packing now.

 

enjoying your posts

 

Michelle

 

 

[Pennstateman]

Was wondering if you needed any visas for this trip

thanks

[Addicted2Ships]

16 hours ago, mickey_d_mouse said:

Hi I would love to see a MDR or bar menu if you get a chance .

 

How has the weather been?  Just packing now.

 

enjoying your posts

 

Michelle

 

 

I will get a menu pic sorted over the next few days. Tonight was a bit of a rush after returning from Ho Chi Minh. 

 

The weather has been great generally. Very hot. It was mostly cloudy in Singapore but it has been fine everywhere else. 

[Addicted2Ships]

9 hours ago, Pennstateman said:

Was wondering if you needed any visas for this trip

thanks

If you are not already part of the visa waiver scheme for Vietnam, the ship will arrange for much less cost than you could get elsewhere. 

[mickey_d_mouse]

Thanks so much hope you enjoyed Ho Chi Minh we have been a few times before so we will just wander around when we go.  The menus were requested by my son (22) so the parties and bars are his main concern 🙂  Packed and repacked over the weekend 5 days to go.  Tank you so much for this.

[Addicted2Ships]

I've tried writing this update several times but a dodgy internet connection and rough seas have delayed it. I can't stare at the screen too long when we are badly rocking and rolling without feeling nauseous! 

 

I had an early start to the day on Saturday. Awake at 5.30am and off the ship at 7.00am after a quick breakfast in Ocean View. 

 

We were in Ho Chi Minh by 9.00am.

 

We visited a lacquer factory which I found quite dull and a 4 story pagoda which was stunning. 

A 30 minute Cylo ride was next, which was great fun! 

The lunch stop was at Batalis and the food was delicious, especially the soup. 

After lunch we went to the Reunification Palace

Then Ben Thanh Market for a little retail therapy. I had to buy a hat of course!

Finally, it was up to the roof top bar at Rex Hotel. The heavens opened just as we got up there. It had been to hottest, sunniest and most humid day of anywhere in Asia up to that point. 

We left Ho Chi Minh around 4.30pm and returned to Millie just before 6.00pm.

 

The seas have been very rough for the last few days. The pool has been spilling over constantly and is currently closed, as are upper balconies. What a fun way to be welcomed to the world of cruising! 

 

The evening was spent drinking many different cocktails and dancing in Cosmos until the small hours, which I paid for yesterday 😂

[Addicted2Ships]

Yesterday was a lazy sea day. I spent most of it up on deck 10 where I could keep and eye on the horizon and get some fresh air. Both helped with the motion of the ocean! 

 

We went to Qsine last night. I have to say it was a spectacle. They certainly put on a show. I wasn't as impressed with the food as I thought I would be. It could just be that I was feeling nauseous and struggled to get it down but I much preferred Tuscan. I may do that again on the last night. 

 

Here are various pics of the food. 

 

After Qsine, we caught the 9.00pm show in the theatre which was Boogie Wonderland. It was good, but I enjoyed Elysium more. 

 

I popped to Martini Bar and caught up with a few new friends from our roll call and got a reasonably early night. 

 

[Addicted2Ships]

I will attempt to get pics of the menu in the MDR tonight. 

 

I have decided I will wait until I get to Hong Kong or back to the UK and post all of the dailies together. I keep losing wifi connection when trying to post too many together. 

 

Early dinner tonight and an early night ready for a 5.30am start to visit Ba Na Hills, Marble Mountains and Hoi An. 

[Addicted2Ships]

Last night's Dinner menu in the MDR.. 

The dessert menu already had that mark on it. I'm not guilty! 

[mickey_d_mouse]

Thanks so much for the menus I can see 1 New Zealand wine, rest looks pretty similar to what we are used to on RCI.

Thanks for all the information.