Millennium Drydock

[mattR]

Is the Millennium in drydock soon? If what are there plans other then the usual carpet and engine stuff?

[hobo1937]

The Millie is currently drydocked in France. We are set to board her a week from tomorrow(4/21) in Southampton for a 12 day cruise to Barcelona.

 

Not sure what all is being done other than the engine work and carpeting, but I guess we will see next week.

[Muushka]

So, does anyone know if they will be doing anything to do with the pod? :)

[cruisebunny32]

We were on the Millie for the last Carribean cruise before the TA. We got to visit the bridge since we were Elite Captians Club. One of the officers there was talking about the upcoming drydock and was talking about replacing the pods with Diesel type engines. He said this would be more cost effective. They need the power to run all of the electricity and water on the ship while it is in motion. I think he said they would only replace 1 of the pods. I don't know if this is exactly accurate. He was talking in terms over my head and I was enjoying the view of the bridge.

 

Maybe this helps?

 

The ship was in pretty good shape, I thought. We had sailed her her first year. I did note that they had new bedding. The carpets were worn. And some of the railings. But the ship itself looked fine to me!

[chessbriar]

We were on the Millie for the last Carribean cruise before the TA. We got to visit the bridge since we were Elite Captians Club. One of the officers there was talking about the upcoming drydock and was talking about replacing the pods with Diesel type engines. He said this would be more cost effective. They need the power to run all of the electricity and water on the ship while it is in motion. I think he said they would only replace 1 of the pods. I don't know if this is exactly accurate. He was talking in terms over my head and I was enjoying the view of the bridge.

 

Maybe this helps?

 

I think you got things a little mixed up. You can't replace a pod with and engine.

 

What they are doing is adding a diesel engine to create power while the ship is in port. The fuel used for the gas turbines in too expensive and too inefficient while in port. So they are adding a diesel to run while the ship is in port. It will run to create all the electricity while the ship in in port.

 

If they are going to do anything with the pods while in drydock, it will be to replace the thrust bearing. That is what they have been having repeated problems with.

 

There is also a good chance the will close the hole in the floor/ceiling between the Rondezvous Room and the Martine/Champagne Bar. It has been done on the Infinity and will likely be done on all the M class ships.

[Baglady34]

The Millie is currently drydocked in France. We are set to board her a week from tomorrow(4/21) in Southampton for a 12 day cruise to Barcelona.

 

Not sure what all is being done other than the engine work and carpeting, but I guess we will see next week.

 

think that is all that is getting done. By the way we are also on the same trip .. now it is this week! yes. !

 

we are four professionals.. Boston and NY with a large table at late sitting. We are late 50 ish .... looking to complete our table with nice folks.. if any interest.. tell us more !

 

Fran, Mike, Stu and Michele.

[c-legs]

So, does anyone know if they will be doing anything to do with the pod? :)

Good evening,

Othe than the installation of an auzilliary diesel engine to supplement the turbines ( a refit being installed thoughout the class, as well as RCL's Radiance class ), Millie is going to have the radial thrust bearings replaced on both mermaid pods , with '' new /refit / repaired / re-engineered '' ones, by Rolls-Royce....This is hoped and beleived to be a near premanent fix to the chronic problems that have plagued the class since day one....

Of course, there will be a hord of soft and hard goods and hotel maintenance performed while the ship is out of service and out of water.

Cheers

;)

[Muushka]

Sounds like we will actually make our 'Mille' cruise in December :D

 

 

Thank you all for your great information. Looking forward!:)

[Rev22:17]

cruisebunny32,

 

We were on the Millie for the last Carribean cruise before the TA. We got to visit the bridge since we were Elite Captians Club. One of the officers there was talking about the upcoming drydock and was talking about replacing the pods with Diesel type engines. He said this would be more cost effective. They need the power to run all of the electricity and water on the ship while it is in motion. I think he said they would only replace 1 of the pods. I don't know if this is exactly accurate. He was talking in terms over my head and I was enjoying the view of the bridge.

 

Maybe this helps?

 

Aaarrrggghhhh! %$(*(_^ ignorant deck officers!

 

No, they are not eliminating either of the pods. Rather, they are installing auxilliary diesel generators to supply electricity to the ship's auxilliary systems when the ship is in port. They may also replace the pods with pods of a newer design, but that has nothing to do with the installation of auxilliary diesel generators.

 

Backing up a step, the existing propulsion system consists of gas turbine generators that produce electricity, which in turn goes to electric motors in the pod units that turn the shafts and thus the "screws" (ship's propellers). The problem is that normal shipboard electrical loads consume perhaps 10% of the electricity that the ship can generate, or much less than half of the normal output of one generator. Unfortunately, gas turbines lose efficiency very quickly when operating at less than full load so these generators consume a lot of fuel, relative to the amount of electricity that they generate, when the ship is in port. With today's elevated fuel prices, the company has calculated that the savings in fuel will pay the cost of a diesel generator that's big enough to supply the ship's electricity when the ship is in port, allowing the ship to shut down its gas turbines completely. The beauty of a gas turbine is that you can start it and get underway in less than five minutes, which means that the ship could even restart the gas turbines to supply propulsion if the ship parts her moorings or if some other emergency requires it.

 

The one detail that I can't explain is why the company chose auxilliary diesel generators rather than auxilliary gas turbine generators of the same capacity. The latter would operate near peak power, and thus peak efficiency, and they would have the advantage of using the same technology as the ship's main prime movers. Intuitively, the use of the same technology would offer an advantage of lower training costs for engineering personnel. But perhaps I'm missing something....

 

Norm.

[iandjm]

Hey,

 

I wonder if the new aux diesel is going int he main engine room (big hole in hull to fit and seems a bit involved for a 3 week refit) or in the funnel housing, ahead of the basketball court, where the ships emergency diesel generator is currently installed (I noted this on the ships plans)? I would imagine if the size of the new generator can be kept fairly small installing it in the funnel housing will be the best option, as the services (fuel supply, exhaust system) are already in place for the current emergency engine. I just hope wherever the engine is installed that vibration is kept to a minimum, as I have always found the 'M' class vessels to be vibration free.

 

Ian :D

[Rev22:17]

Ian,

 

Hey,

 

I wonder if the new aux diesel is going int he main engine room (big hole in hull to fit and seems a bit involved for a 3 week refit) or in the funnel housing, ahead of the basketball court, where the ships emergency diesel generator is currently installed (I noted this on the ships plans)? I would imagine if the size of the new generator can be kept fairly small installing it in the funnel housing will be the best option, as the services (fuel supply, exhaust system) are already in place for the current emergency engine. I just hope wherever the engine is installed that vibration is kept to a minimum, as I have always found the 'M' class vessels to be vibration free.

 

I had expected that the diesels would go fairly low in the hull due to their weight and implications for the ship's stability, but others have been adamant they are going into the ships' funnels. In any case, the existing auxilliary systems probably are neither adequate nor configured correctly for the new units.

 

As to putting the new diesel generators low in the hull, it does not take a competent shipyard very long to cut a hole in the hull or to weld the plug back in place when they finish the work, and that part of the job would not even require drydocking. The greater complication may well be installation of cooling water, which may well require drydocking to install new piping with hull penetrations.

 

Norm.

[mattR]

Is the ship completely blue on the lower half or dose it have a big white strip now? Seen pictures of it both ways?

[c-legs]

Is the ship completely blue on the lower half or dose it have a big white strip now? Seen pictures of it both ways?

:) Good evening,

ALL ==X== ships now have a consistent hull paint scheme; the ''M'' class used to be all blue with orangey stripes and lettering. Now have the blue waving upward partway from the water level, the rest further up is all white....like Galaxy & Co....

Cheers

;)

[generaljar]

Does anyone know if the menu has been changed on Millie? I thought I read that they were trying out new dishes -- wondered if it would come with the return from drydock?

 

:) :) :)

[mattR]

:) Good evening,

ALL ==X== ships now have a consistent hull paint scheme; the ''M'' class used to be all blue with orangey stripes and lettering. Now have the blue waving upward partway from the water level, the rest further up is all white....like Galaxy & Co....

Cheers

;)

 

Too bad I liked the solid blue better oh well:)

[c-legs]

Too bad I liked the solid blue better oh well:)

:( Hi,

 

So did I.....a very CLASSY look...in line with ==X==.....

 

Cheers

[c-legs]

Does anyone know if the menu has been changed on Millie? I thought I read that they were trying out new dishes -- wondered if it would come with the return from drydock?

 

:) :) :)

Hi,

My understanding is that new menus were rolled out during the transat prior to current drydock. Whether they're experimental or permanent would likely depend on the reaction that followed the new menus....

 

Cheers

;)

[TravelerThom]

Hi,

My understanding is that new menus were rolled out during the transat prior to current drydock. Whether they're experimental or permanent would likely depend on the reaction that followed the new menus....

;)

I was on the recent Millie TA; mostly in was the familiar menus, but some new dishes. There we always a lot more inqueries than normal about how your food was if you had ordered one of the new dishes. I'm sure there will be lots more new dishes with the new sailing.

[iandjm]

Hi,

 

I took some photos of Millennium sailing form Southampton on Saturday night (see main Celebrity board). In the attached photo you can clearly see the new aux diesel engine exhaust pipes in the funnel.

 

Ian :D

 

[Gitte]

Another picture from the Millennium after the dry dock.

 

Gitte

 

[iandjm]

Another picture from the Millennium after the dry dock.

 

Gitte

 

 

Hey, Have you got anymore Millennium pics taken then? Where was she? Ian :D

[Gitte]

I took a lot more. :D

Gitte

 

gitte107@hotmail.com

[Rev22:17]

Ian,

 

I took some photos of Millennium sailing form Southampton on Saturday night (see main Celebrity board). In the attached photo you can clearly see the new aux diesel engine exhaust pipes in the funnel.

 

Yes, of course the exhaust pipes go out through the funnel. In fact, original funnels were the exhaust pipes from steam boilers -- that was the purpose of the funnel.

 

Nontheless, that does not prove anything as to the physical location of the diesel generator. The best location would be near one of the main switchboards.

 

Norm.

[iandjm]

Ian,

 

 

 

Yes, of course the exhaust pipes go out through the funnel. In fact, original funnels were the exhaust pipes from steam boilers -- that was the purpose of the funnel.

 

Nontheless, that does not prove anything as to the physical location of the diesel generator. The best location would be near one of the main switchboards.

 

Norm.

 

Yep we know that. Will ask when onboard next ;)