Just off the Millennium (March 18-25)

[NevadaCruiser2023]

Hello all, 

We just left the Millennium a few days ago.  We went for a Sky Suite and the Retreat Experience.  First the good: 

We arrived in San Juan a few days early and stayed in Old San Juan.  If you can do so before a cruise, highly recommended. 

Embarkation:  We arrived at the Pan American Pier after Hotel Check out (around 12:30pm) on Saturday.  The Retreat Check in area wasn't as visible as it could have been, we checked our luggage into regular bag check before we spotted the Retreat Check-in.  We told them where our luggage was and someone went over to the bag check area and retrieved our suitcases. 

 

From the moment we gave our passports to the agent at check in, until we were stepping foot onto the deck of the Millennium was 6 minutes and 30 seconds. ✔️

We made our way to our stateroom (6102 Sky Suite) and grabbed our sea pass cards, opened the door and dropped off our carryon.  Luminae was still open for lunch, so we made our way down and introduced ourselves to the Maitre'd (the only time we had to the entire cruise) and was immediately seated at a window table. The food was outstanding as was the service.  Prawn Ceviche and Seared Bronzino for me and Pea Soup and Lobster Roll for by DW.  ✔️

I won't go into what we had every day in Luminae (except for Day 4 when we went to Le Petit Chef), however each day was amazing and on Lobster night, the lobster was regular sized (the table next to us got one from MDR and it was huge too).  I also want to nominate for a nobel peace prize, the Yellow Beet Risotto.  That was the best risotto I have ever had, even better than the Hells Kitchen Lobster Risotto. ✔️

 

Our Butler (Push), Room Attendant Arnel were great. We didn't really ask for much, but they dropped by several times a day to see if we needed anything.  We always had a bottle of wine and cheese plates every day. ✔️

 

There was a downside and it's not really Celebrities fault.  The retreat sundeck was always WINDY and not just a little windy, they could have performed aerodynamic tests of air-frames up there. It was never crowded, even on sea-day, we saw that maybe 10 people were up there.  Kind of a shame, I think on the newer ships, the windbreaks are much higher than on the Millennium. ⬇️

 

Martini Bar was entertaining and the bartenders have the multi glass pour down to a science.  But it wasn't something that we really felt we couldn't wait to get back to.  I actually preferred the Rendezvous Lounge for a pre-dinner drink.   

 

Le Petit Chef was - interesting - but nothing like the video of it made it out to be.  It was cute, but the food wasn't great and I didn't really get the sense that the plates were "prepared" by the little guy.  The video makes it seem as though the little chef makes the food on your animation and then it becomes "live" when the waiters present the plate in front of you.  It wasn't like that.  It was a nice one time thing, but I don't think we'd ever do it again.  ❌

 

The Sky Lounge had the rudest bartender I have ever experienced. I actually had to say "excuse me, what did you just say?" and she repeated it. I ordered drinks for us as there was no waiter in sight and she said "go sit down and someone will be over ". I felt like a child being reprimanded. I mentioned it and her in my after cruise review.  We never set foot in the Sky Lounge again after that.  ❌ ❌   I won't mention her name here, but that kinda ticked me off for a few hours.  

 

Overall:  Loved the ship, loved the ports and the people were fantastic, except for the Sky Lounge bartender mentioned before.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[peanut head]

Thank you for the review!  Funny thing is that  a few years back the rudest staff member I ever met was a bartender in the Sky Lounge.  Hmmmm.🤔

[Stem to Stern]

Thank you for your report.  I will have to try the yellow beet risotto.  Sorry about the salty greeting you received in the Sky Lounge.  Good to know the rest of the crew was in better form. 

 

Question for you:  I have always been curious about the verandah of this particular Sky Suite adjacent to Celebrity Suite 6104.  Did it seem less private?  It seems like it would be from the deck plans and how the added Celebrity Suite verandah extends out from the ship.  Do you have any pictures of your verandah to share?  Thanks again.

[NevadaCruiser2023]

1 minute ago, Stem to Stern said:

Thank you for your report.  I will have to try the yellow beet risotto.  Sorry about the salty greeting you received in the Sky Lounge.  Good to know the rest of the crew was in better form. 

 

Question for you:  I have always been curious about the verandah of this particular Sky Suite adjacent to Celebrity Suite 6104.  Did it seem less private?  It seems like it would be from the deck plans and how the added Celebrity Suite verandah extends out from the ship.  Do you have any pictures of your verandah to share?  Thanks again.

I do, but they're still in my phone and I haven't uploaded them yet. I can tell you that I was worried about that "bump" too, but the partition between the Royal verandah and 6102 was frosted and there was no way - absent them hanging over the edge of their balcony and then peering over their shoulder, could they see into ours. 

[DaKahuna]

@NevadaCruiser2023 Quick question - we are sailing in #6100 next month and occasionally like to have breakfast or lunch in our stateroom.  From the pictures i have seen, it appears that there is no table really big enough in the room or on the balcony to hold breakfast or lunch service for two.  Is my impression correct or would we be comfortable dining in the room and or on the balcony? 

 

[NevadaCruiser2023]

4 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

@NevadaCruiser2023 Quick question - we are sailing in #6100 next month and occasionally like to have breakfast or lunch in our stateroom.  From the pictures i have seen, it appears that there is no table really big enough in the room or on the balcony to hold breakfast or lunch service for two.  Is my impression correct or would we be comfortable dining in the room and or on the balcony? 

 

I don't think the table on the balcony is big enough for a full breakfast spread.  Coffee for 2 with a few plates is doable. As to the room itself, I don't recall seeing any table in the room.  You can always ask your butler how to go about it. They can maybe bring in a table, but it's not something we explored. 

[George C]

We were on sister ship summit last week in a royal suite , Le Petit Chef was by far best meals we had , went twice but should have went three times, 4 course meal all were delicious. Tuscan was extremely mediocre, Sushi at 5 was really nice did most lunches there ( our royal suite gives us free specialty restaurants ) . Luminae is definitely not as good as previous cruises , we love the lobster roll on first days lunch and it’s nice that you can order from mdr menu . Service in suite lounge was totally outstanding, outdoor retreat is a joke , no pool , no bar.

[Honolulu Blue]

49 minutes ago, George C said:

We were on sister ship summit last week in a royal suite , Le Petit Chef was by far best meals we had , went twice but should have went three times, 4 course meal all were delicious. Tuscan was extremely mediocre, Sushi at 5 was really nice did most lunches there ( our royal suite gives us free specialty restaurants ) . Luminae is definitely not as good as previous cruises , we love the lobster roll on first days lunch and it’s nice that you can order from mdr menu . Service in suite lounge was totally outstanding, outdoor retreat is a joke , no pool , no bar.

Thanks for the report.  My next cruise on an M-class ship is next year (maybe), so I'll have to keep these notes in mind.  It'll likely be in steerage, so that limits my dining options quite a bit. ☹️

[DaKahuna]

3 hours ago, NevadaCruiser2023 said:

I don't think the table on the balcony is big enough for a full breakfast spread.  Coffee for 2 with a few plates is doable. As to the room itself, I don't recall seeing any table in the room.  You can always ask your butler how to go about it. They can maybe bring in a table, but it's not something we explored. 

 

Thank you for the response.

 

In picture I have seen there has been a small table at the couch that looks like a TV Tray table and was curious if it was bigger than it seemed. 

 

[Moochi]

5 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

Thank you for the response.

 

In picture I have seen there has been a small table at the couch that looks like a TV Tray table and was curious if it was bigger than it seemed. 

 

The TV tray table (such an accurate description lol) next to the couch holds a dinner plate, a bread plate, and two beer bottles if you are good at puzzle games and sober.

 

I do not have a good picture but you can tell how small it is from the photo below. BTW I was taking a picture for my husband’s favorite drink with his afternoon shrimp cocktail, Corona with a shot of tequila and a lime wedge. 
 

 

[DaKahuna]

13 hours ago, Moochi said:

The TV tray table (such an accurate description lol) next to the couch holds a dinner plate, a bread plate, and two beer bottles if you are good at puzzle games and sober.

 

I do not have a good picture but you can tell how small it is from the photo below. BTW I was taking a picture for my husband’s favorite drink with his afternoon shrimp cocktail, Corona with a shot of tequila and a lime wedge. 
 

 

 

 

Thank you.  That's what I was afraid of.  It may end up me eating on the balcony and my wife dining on the TV tray table.  I am definitely adding this to my post cruise survey as well as brining it up with the Hotel Director onboard, should we happen to encounter her/him. 

 

[horseymike]

On 3/28/2023 at 2:22 PM, peanut head said:

Thank you for the review!  Funny thing is that  a few years back the rudest staff member I ever met was a bartender in the Sky Lounge.  Hmmmm.🤔

Guess they don’t like their job. Not to worry, they will not have it much longer.

[horseymike]

Thanks for your review.

[cachouonacruise]

2 hours ago, horseymike said:

Guess they don’t like their job. Not to worry, they will not have it much longer.

 

 

On 3/28/2023 at 2:18 PM, NevadaCruiser2023 said:

  ❌The Sky Lounge had the rudest bartender I have ever experienced. I actually had to say "excuse me, what did you just say?" and she repeated it. I ordered drinks for us as there was no waiter in sight and she said "go sit down and someone will be over ". I felt like a child being reprimanded. I mentioned it and her in my after cruise review.  We never set foot in the Sky Lounge again after that.  ❌ ❌   I won't mention her name here, but that kinda ticked me off for a few hours.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were on the Millenium in March as well and went to the Sky Lounge a few times.

 

I believe I know, which employee NevadaCruiser20 is referring to. We met her. 
 

I may be wrong, but I am suspecting strongly that the employee did not intend to be rude, on the contrary. I believe she was trying to offer the guest a better service, by providing table service.

 

The issue is, I believe, the way the server likely expressed her intent. I strongly believe that the employee's English is extremely limited, and I can understand well, why it could be perceived very negatively by a person, who's mother tongue is English, such as NevadaCruiser20.

 

I also found my first contact with that server, a bit ... surprising. However, she was very kind in her own way, when she delivered the drinks.

 

It is sad, that a communication barrier had a negative impact on a guest's cruise, but as guests, may be we tend to forget that ship's staff from all over the world, may not be completely competent in Shakespeare's language.

Food for thought! 

 

 

 

[horseymike]

Definitely a different perspective. I guess time will tell. Hopefully a positive outcome.

[dv71617]

Where can we have lunch if we board after 2:30pm other than the bar grill ?

 

Thanks ! 

[DaKahuna]

3 hours ago, dv71617 said:

Where can we have lunch if we board after 2:30pm other than the bar grill ?

 

Thanks 

 

 

Unfortunately that is the only thing I am showing open beyond 1430 that serves food. 
 

[Cruise a holic]

Has the ship undergone a recent dry dock?  What is the condition of the ship and the staterooms?  Thanks

[cachouonacruise]

The Millenium was completely refurbished, just before the pandemic I believe. Our balcony stateroom and the ship were in excellent condition. We really had nothing to complain about!