Has anyone sailed on Celebrity Millennium recently?

[D. B.]

On 2/3/2023 at 7:36 AM, tomcruiser1234 said:

Hi All,

 

Since the Covid restart, we have sailed on the Milli twice and just got off a 23 day sailing on Infinity. 

 

Milli really looks great. Cabins new look are so nice. 

We ordered food from MDR, Blue and Luminea   All was good. ( on Milli and Infinity ). 

The food top side was not as great i think since the ships were less than half full.  Less verity 

Pizza was bad. However, simply ask them to make you a whole new pizza with the fixin you want and what a difference. 

Also the officers are just all over each ship talking with all passengers. 

 

Lots of changes yes but it’s still our choice to cruise. 

 

Have fun

A little Milli Trivia. It was the First Celebrity Ship to Return to Service after the Covid shutdown.

 When we found out in March 2021 that it would sail in Early June 2021 from St. Maarten to the ABC Islands we booked the first Day sales opened.  When we arrived in St Maarten the day before the Island was a Ghost Town and we found few places open. Embarkation was held in a Tent with Proof of a negative covid test required. Once onboard the Crew were Super Glad to See Us and We to see Them!

   Only 471 guests so our crew to guest ratio was better than any High-priced cruise line?

     The Milli was Also the First X Ship to return to Alaska in July of 2021. Temp. changes to the Jones Act allowed it to sail  from Seattle to Alaska and back without stopping in a Canadian Port.

  On July 23rd. 2021` we were once again welcomed aboard with smiles (behind Masks) and applause by the Crew !  As one of the First large ships arriving in the smaller Alaska Ports like Sitka we were greeted with thankful gratitude for returning. Once again the ship was less than full but both Crew and Guests were Happy to be back.

   I guess those experiences add to our liking Milli ?

 

[Guest TopoChico]

On 2/5/2023 at 4:30 AM, montythecat said:

Unfortunately, I don’t think you know how not to sound rude, but c’est

la vie. Do I care ?  No, of course not but I hope your future cruises do

not cause you the disappointment you experienced on Millennium.

 

On 2/2/2023 at 3:43 AM, montythecat said:

Maybe. That happens. Perhaps you would like to be more specific.

I’m so so sorry and pardon me please but I won’t be repeating my comments and complaints of displeasure when they’re already clearly documented by myself and numerous others. I sincerely hope you will forgive me. Ta ta! 
 

Is that better? 

[JLMcruise]

We sailed on Millie for 14 days in Aug/Sept. the ship was in great shape. We were in  2 different Sky suites.  Our room attendants  were wonderful. We usually don't ask a lot of them. We rarely ate in the OV - but husband really enjoyed the soups for lunch. Luminae restaurant was wonderful and the staff met all our needs before asking. The Aqua spa is a bit small for our liking (S class is better in our opinion) but we did take advantage using it a couple of times. We miss Murano (our favorite speciality restaurant). We ate at Tuscan Grill once and were not impressed. Sushi is on Five is good. I do like the aqua spa cafe for breakfast and lunch. Aqua Spa is a great place to get a cup of coffee in the am and chill. I don't eat a lot so these places fits my needs. I am not a buffet person.  I am  morning walker and enjoyed the early walks around the ship. They crew was always doing maintenance and always happy to greet me in the morning and ask how far did I walked today. It was fun to interact with the maintenance staff.  We do not go to the gym so I can't comment on that.  We enjoyed the interior pool area.  The service on the ship was outstanding and the crew was great. We are not casino folks so can't comment on that. The Martini bar was a blast and almost always full when we went. The bartenders were FANTASTIC! We will be sailing on Millie again in April for 15 nights. The best part of our trips was meeting guest that we have sailed with before on Celebrity and will sail with them again! There was several of us who booked Solstice in October and a few of us who booked Millie in April. We are not internet folks and disconnect when on a cruise. We also don't watch TV when cruising. The shows are OK and the entertainment staff was a lot of fun. We enjoy trivia and joining in on the games provided by the crew. We are half glass full type of folks and just like to have fun when traveling. 

[DaKahuna]

@JLMcruise  Thank you for your comments.  

 

 I believe we are on the same 15 day sailing in April, Panama Canal East to West.  

 

 I am curious what you did for lunch on Port days when Luminae is closed?  I know you said you were not a big eater but I assume you did have lunch somewhere, either ashore or on the ship.  We normally just get off the ship in the mornings and walk around the port area before going back aboard for lunch. 

 

 

[Honolulu Blue]

49 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

  I am curious what you did for lunch on Port days when Luminae is closed?  I know you said you were not a big eater but I assume you did have lunch somewhere, either ashore or on the ship.  We normally just get off the ship in the mornings and walk around the port area before going back aboard for lunch. 

I'm not @JLMcruise and I don't intend to speak for him, but I rarely have lunch on cruises - maybe once or twice a week.  I start with a hearty breakfast like the cereal commercials from back in the day promised and that's usually good enough to last me until 5 or 6 - which is when I eat dinner.

[Schmoe38]

1 hour ago, DaKahuna said:

@JLMcruise  Thank you for your comments.  

 

 I believe we are on the same 15 day sailing in April, Panama Canal East to West.  

 

 I am curious what you did for lunch on Port days when Luminae is closed?  I know you said you were not a big eater but I assume you did have lunch somewhere, either ashore or on the ship.  We normally just get off the ship in the mornings and walk around the port area before going back aboard for lunch. 

 

 

Good Morning John

 

Our upcoming sailing on Millennium is 7 days and is quite port intensive. Luminae is open for lunch on embarkation day and Day 6 only. We are like you in port, lots of wandering and back by lunch.

 

We have no problem hitting the Oceanview or Mast Grill for those days when Luminae is closed. In the Oceanview, we head straight for the Pasta Station as one of our first stops. Our favourite lunchtime spot is Sushi on 5 where the Ramen bowls are out of this world. On board credit comes in handy here.

 

It’s not fancy, but it works for us.

 

Randy

Edited February 8, 2023 by Schmoe38

[JLMcruise]

5 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

@JLMcruise  Thank you for your comments.  

 

 I believe we are on the same 15 day sailing in April, Panama Canal East to West.  

 

 I am curious what you did for lunch on Port days when Luminae is closed?  I know you said you were not a big eater but I assume you did have lunch somewhere, either ashore or on the ship.  We normally just get off the ship in the mornings and walk around the port area before going back aboard for lunch. 

 

 

Yes we are and looking forward!! We are the same type of travelers as you - just get off the ship for a few hours - I found the Aqua Spa Cafe for lunch to my liking and the Mast Grill. Occasionally, we went to the MDR for lunch. The only time I went to the OVC is for an ice cream cone. We did eat lunch a couple of time in port in Alaska. I miss seafood since we live in the Rocky mountains.   

[DaKahuna]

@Honolulu Blue Unfortunately we are fond of three meals and day and very seldom can we go without having our lunch between breakfast and dinner. 

 

@Schmoe38 & @JLMcruise

 

 Thank you both for your input.   From your comments it appears that our current plans to have lunch aboard will work out just fine.  We are both big fans of Sushi on Five and plan to have lunch there a couple of times, even when the ship is at sea.  We will also make a trip to the OVC and see what they are offering.  I am personally a big fan of Indian food and love a good vindaloo, I find they do not made it spicy enough for me. I understand that they have to cater more to the masses and as a result, I do not enjoy it as much as I do in restaurants ashort.  We also plan to check out lunch on the Retreat Sundeck, we have had some good sandwiches on the latter, provided we can find shade.  We have not dined at the Mast Grill in quite a while,  The issue we have there is the same as with the Retreat Sundeck -- we need shade! 

 

 Another alternative is to have our butler bring us lunch to enjoy on our balcony.  From the picture I have seen of the balconies on Millie, it appears they are cozy and smaller than those on the S-class ships but I could be wrong.  One of the best port day lunches we have had was on Silhouette last April.  Hiliaro, our Butler, ran into us as we came back from being ashore and offered us sandwiches and drinks on our balcony.  One of the best sliced turkey breast sandwiches I've had at sea.  He even managed to round up a bowl of potato chips to go with it! 

 

I've only had the pastries, small sandwiches, and smoothies at the Spa Cafe.  We've never tried it for a full 'lunch' venue and I cannot remember the last time we had lunch in the MDR.  We may have to give that a try.   

 

I wonder if they will be having snacks in the Retreat Lounge on port days -- that could be another alternative.  

 

It's a 15-day sailing with only 5 port days so I do not see it being as big of a deal as a more port filled itinerary. 

 

 

[Princess Fi]

On 2/5/2023 at 6:35 PM, Schmoe38 said:

We’re on Millennium in March as well. We’re on March 11th. Are we on the same sailing?

 

Randy

We are on the March 25 sailing. Sorry to miss you. 

[S18278C]

On 2/5/2023 at 7:53 AM, Princess Fi said:

We were on Millennium May 2022 for Pacific Coastal. We were extremely disappointed with premium wine selection and addressed second day. They listened and addressed with bottles of wine for dinner for our group of 10. Didn’t help for wine at bars but clearly there were supply chain issues. We had a chuckle when Kirkland wine appeared at our table night of Astoria. Clearly someone made a trip to Costco. We are sailing Millennium March this year out of San Juan and hope all that will be better. Will make a stop at Cellar Masters for some craft cocktails. 

We are sailing out of San Juan March 18th. Missed you as well.

Edited February 10, 2023 by S18278C
Incorrect info

[RichYak]

7 hours ago, Princess Fi said:

We are on the March 25 sailing. Sorry to miss you. 

Same

[Mark_T]

On 2/8/2023 at 10:38 PM, DaKahuna said:

Another alternative is to have our butler bring us lunch to enjoy on our balcony.  From the picture I have seen of the balconies on Millie, it appears they are cozy and smaller than those on the S-class ships but I could be wrong. 

I can only speak regarding the Sky Suite on Millie, but the problem there was that after the 'Revolution' there was nothing of suitable size/height in the cabin or on the balcony for two people to enjoy eating off of.

 

The balcony table would struggle to accommodate more than 2 glasses, certainly no room for plates, and was too low if I recall correctly.

Edited February 10, 2023 by Mark_T

[DaKahuna]

5 hours ago, Mark_T said:

I can only speak regarding the Sky Suite on Millie, but the problem there was that after the 'Revolution' there was nothing of suitable size/height in the cabin or on the balcony for two people to enjoy eating off of.

 

The balcony table would struggle to accommodate more than 2 glasses, certainly no room for plates, and was too low if I recall correctly.

How was lunch on the Retreat Sundeck ?  Were there any shady spots where two people can dine? 

 

[Fly and Sail]

On 2/8/2023 at 11:54 AM, JLMcruise said:

Yes we are and looking forward!! We are the same type of travelers as you - just get off the ship for a few hours - I found the Aqua Spa Cafe for lunch to my liking and the Mast Grill. Occasionally, we went to the MDR for lunch. The only time I went to the OVC is for an ice cream cone. We did eat lunch a couple of time in port in Alaska. I miss seafood since we live in the Rocky mountains.   

 

Same, and I realized that AQ and CC are fully booked. Some (but not many) suites are left for those who are looking to upgrade.

[Schmoe38]

1 hour ago, DaKahuna said:

How was lunch on the Retreat Sundeck ?  Were there any shady spots where two people can dine? 

 

John

 

There’s a pergola in the Retreat where there are, maybe 8 tables or so directly under it. A pergola does not have a solid roof and as such, does not give you total shade, but it gives you a bit of a break.

 

Randy

[Mark_T]

26 minutes ago, Schmoe38 said:

There’s a pergola in the Retreat where there are, maybe 8 tables or so directly under it. A pergola does not have a solid roof and as such, does not give you total shade, but it gives you a bit of a break.

Also, I wouldn't say the menu up there really amounts to 'dining' nice for a light snack though, or have things changed recently..?

[DaKahuna]

35 minutes ago, Schmoe38 said:

 

There’s a pergola in the Retreat where there are, maybe 8 tables or so directly under it. A pergola does not have a solid roof and as such, does not give you total shade, but it gives you a bit of a break.

 

Randy,

 

 This is similar to what we encountered on the Edge Retreat Sun Deck so I am sure that will be fine.  I am sure we will make the best of it, one way or another.  Worse case scenario is we go grab a table in Sushi on Five.  My wife might prefer that anyway. 

 

 

3 minutes ago, Mark_T said:

Also, I wouldn't say the menu up there really amounts to 'dining' nice for a light snack though, or have things changed recently..?

 

 I have not seen a menu but our past experience was the Luminae Burger and a turkey wrap sandwiches were available.  We are not looking for a three course meal, just something to get us through the day.  

 

We only have five port days, so I am sure we'll figure something out.  The last thing anyone has to worry about is going hungry on a cruise.  It's more about ambiance than the food for us. 

 

 

[Schmoe38]

7 minutes ago, Mark_T said:

Also, I wouldn't say the menu up there really amounts to 'dining' nice for a light snack though, or have things changed recently..?

It’s a limited menu. You can get the Luminae burger, there’s a nice chicken sandwich on the menu as well a turkey wrap. There are a few other items, but I’ve had so much luck with the chicken sandwich, I haven’t explored much more than that.

 

Randy

[Mark_T]

4 hours ago, Schmoe38 said:

It’s a limited menu. You can get the Luminae burger, there’s a nice chicken sandwich on the menu as well a turkey wrap. There are a few other items, but I’ve had so much luck with the chicken sandwich, I haven’t explored much more than that.

Still the same menu then, thanks for confirming.

[sbcs5390]

Got off the Millennium today and good news - service was generally awesome and food high quality, just like I remember it. 

[D. B.]

We just got home from a B2B on Millenium out of San Juan PR.

   I did notice the menu changes talked about.

I mentioned to staff that I would no longer be dining in any specialty dining restaurants because of the higher prices and 18% tips and the deletion of Lobster & Filet in LPC.

   I have never had dinner in the OVC but one night we went up  there about 7PM and looked around and it seemed that there were plenty of choices of things available? I was most happy that Celebrity had Not messed with the Ice Cream and Cookies I dearly Love!  At Lunch every day in the OVC they were carving big cuts of meat and the quality and variety of the food was as good as ever.

   In the MDR I think some portions have been made smaller but overall, we were satisfied and only missed the Prime Rib as it was one of my favorites.

  I found a way around the charge for the 2nd. lobster tail!

 My wife ordered it And a steak while I ordered the Lobster tail. She passed Her's on to Me and had the steak.

  What noticed Most on these Cruises was the feeling that it Finally felt like cruising Pre Covid!

     I had been on Eclipse sailing out of Sydney 2 months before and at that time the Entire Crew were still wearing Masks as were about 30% of the guests. On This cruise the Crew were no longer required to wear masks and the sight of all the Celebrity Smiles was refreshing and welcome.

    I still use the hand washing stations at the entrance to the OVC and I wish more people would also.

  I did like sailing out of San Juan instead of Florida but the Pan Am pier that X uses is by the old airport and a long way from the parts of San Juan most people want to visit.

 

   

 

[DaKahuna]

1 hour ago, D. B. said:

  I have never had dinner in the OVC but one night we went up  there about 7PM and looked around and it seemed that there were plenty of choices of things available? I was most happy that Celebrity had Not messed with the Ice Cream and Cookies I dearly Love!  At Lunch every day in the OVC they were carving big cuts of meat and the quality and variety of the food was as good as ever.

 

 Did you notice whether or not Sushi on Five was open on Port days?  Was looking at pre-sailing reservations and only showing evening hours available for booking.  Not seeing it open for lunch reservations on any of the days of our sailing. 

 

[Schmoe38]

30 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 Did you notice whether or not Sushi on Five was open on Port days?  Was looking at pre-sailing reservations and only showing evening hours available for booking.  Not seeing it open for lunch reservations on any of the days of our sailing. 

 

John

 

On our March 11/23 sailing, Sushi on 5 is showing 12:00pm - 2:30pm on each day for lunch hours.

 

Randy

[RichYak]

1 hour ago, D. B. said:

I did like sailing out of San Juan instead of Florida but the Pan Am pier that X uses is by the old airport and a long way from the parts of San Juan most people want to visit.

I appreciate your review, but having sailed out of San Juan, I would disagree with this. Pan American pier is only a 10 minute cab ride from OSJ. Not a long way by any reasonable measure.

[DaKahuna]

49 minutes ago, Schmoe38 said:

John

 

On our March 11/23 sailing, Sushi on 5 is showing 12:00pm - 2:30pm on each day for lunch hours.

 

Randy

 

 Thanks.  It's not showing yet for our April 21st sailing yet. I will hold off until after check in on March 7 and  check again.  I know we'll want to do it the day we are in Cartagena as all we did the last time we were there was go to the little store at the end of the pier where the Peacocks and Parrots were.