First timer for Celebrity - Need Reassurance:)

[theresef]

Hi All,

I have been on numerous cruises - carnival/princess/disney. The latest on Carnival Glory/Princess Carribean Princess....Anyways - need to do a family type reunion cruise and Alaska is the destination. We will have aproximately 15 members (1 under 18 and 5 over 60 - the rest in between) and we wanted the 10 day cruise from Princess out of San Francisco - between really high pricing, lack of glacier viewing and inside passage - have decided to try another line. So .....Celebrity Millenium on May 19 2008 from SF to Vancouver - 11 days.

 

Several members enjoy gambling...however they are not rich so ussually play lower denomination tables/slots. Are those available on Celebrity?

 

DH and I enjoy hanging out in the dance clubs/bars til about 1-2 am. IS there anything going on that late?

 

We do enjoy commedians and such - not so much the production shows. Are there shows like that on board with Celebrity?

 

How formal is formal? Will a suit/tie do? Whats the difference between casual and informal?

 

Are the buffets open during dinner time for those in my party that do not want to be dressed (have one like that) - dressed up that is :)

 

How would you compare the Millenium/Celebrity to say - Dawn/Sun/Princess?

 

I have heard some negative things about Celebrity and Alaska - alot of folks saying that Pincess/HAL is the way to go - but given timing etc this cruise was appealing. Has anyone done a similar cruise? Any pointers? Good/Bad?

 

We will be getting several CC cabins (have a hold on 6136 for myself which I am led to believe is a nice cabin) and several inside cabins. I have found a thread which lists the balcony/cc cabins that have some differences. Is there a similar thread or list for inside and OV?

 

How are the Celebrity excursions(Alaska)? Should we just make out own arrangements? I have done that for Carribean cruises - never have been to Alaska.

 

Thanks for any help and hoping this is the right cruise for my family!!!

 

Therese

[J-man]

I'll take a crack at some of your questions...

 

Hi All,

Several members enjoy gambling...however they are not rich so ussually play lower denomination tables/slots. Are those available on Celebrity?

Slots, yes. Tables, I'm not so sure. The casino on Millennium only has about a half dozen tables, total, plus a roulette wheel and craps table.

 

DH and I enjoy hanging out in the dance clubs/bars til about 1-2 am. IS there anything going on that late?

The ship gets pretty dead late at night. There is a dance club (Cosmos) that is open, but I'm not sure how long the musicians or DJ play.

 

We do enjoy commedians and such - not so much the production shows. Are there shows like that on board with Celebrity?

There's usually a comic performing on one or two nights. Otherwise, the big shows are pretty much production numbers.

 

How formal is formal? Will a suit/tie do? Whats the difference between casual and informal?

A suit and tie is acceptable for formal nights. The "informal" nights are basically sports jacket & slacks for men -- think business casual plus jacket.

 

Are the buffets open during dinner time for those in my party that do not want to be dressed (have one like that) - dressed up that is :)

There isn't a full dinner buffet, per se, but there are several casual dinner options. For a small surcharge, you can reserve a table in the buffet area, where they have a nice alternative menu and waiter service. You can also get self-serve pizza, pasta, salads, and sushi at night.

 

We will be getting several CC cabins (have a hold on 6136 for myself which I am led to believe is a nice cabin) and several inside cabins. I have found a thread which lists the balcony/cc cabins that have some differences. Is there a similar thread or list for inside and OV?

Funny, we have the same cabin reserved for next February! We'll let you know how we like it. ;) The Celebrity "secrets" sticky at the top of the forum includes a post with the "special" cabin numbers.

 

Good luck and enjoy!

[rebeccalouise]

I love the Millenium! And Alaska is just beautiful. I am doing Millenium to Europe and I like everything about the ship and cruise line. I am not a night owl or a gambler though.

 

I have sailed on Celebrity but never done Celebrity to Alaska (did NCL twice to Alaska and Princess twice to Alaska).

 

If you are looking for nightlife- go with NCL. They are lively ships and I enjoyed both those cruises very much. They are very casual if that is what you are looking for. You can eat when you want.

 

Princess is more tradional but the dress was much more casual than Celebrity. I enjoyed my first cruise to Alaska on the original Crown in 1996 but felt that the Sapphire was to impersonal. Too big.

[hajekfam]

The music ends in most lounges around midnight. Most bars are open until 1am. The nightclub is usually open later. In that lounge, the DJ picks up after the live music and will play until it is empty.

That said, on our Alaskan cruise, we found that the ship wasn't that lively. Most everyone had a full day of tours the next day and the lounges seemed to empty early.

As to your question regarding oceanviews and insides - there really isn't any significant difference in the cabins - they are all basically the same size and layout.

[theresef]

Hey guys/gals..Thanks for the info. Given the itinerary...and the CC aft availability we have decided to book this cruise. Now off to scour the boards for all the tidbits of information.

 

And once I realized we were in so many ports - figured I too would have to get some sleep each nite - so the late hours issue is probably not an issue!!!

 

Thanks Again!

Therese

[kruznkanuk]

I am sure your group will enjoy Millenium--we have been on this ship a few times and prefer Celebrity over Holland America or RCL or Princess. We have not sailed to Alaska, though, as we prefer warm-weather winter destinations.

The evening dining options are extensive and the "surcharge" is generally a gratuity of $2 or $3 per per person. The late nights all depend on a few active cruisers to keep things going... DJ and staff will happily stay until there is noone left to dance. I think you will find 6136 is a lovely cabin with a bit bigger balcony than most, though as a previous reply said, the cabins are pretty similar in any given category.

I am jealous of your future cruise on the Millenium, have fun!

[Host Anne]

Therese ~ we have sailed both Celebrity and Princess interchangable over the years. I think the Sun/Dawn and M-class ships have the same feel. Millennium is newer but overall, we really like both classes of ships. We've been on Sun, Dawn, Millennium and Summit (we did Summit in Alaska and that aft cabin is terrific on this itinerary).

 

I LOVE the Sun class mini-suites (still among my all time favorite cabins) but the aft cabins on Millennium are almost as good and if you snag a corner FV, it's even better (although they now try to book families into those since they hold 5 passengers).

 

If you enjoy Sun and Dawn, I think you'll enjoy Millennium. I agree with all the other comments folks have already posted for you here. Come back and ask questions any time. Alaska is beautiful!

 

HAPPY PLANNING

[world~citizen]

Like you, I was concerned the first time I booked Celebrity as a steady HAL/Cunard cruiser.

 

Now, Celebrity is our favourite line.

 

One suggestion - do not miss the martini bar - the grey goose is smooooth!

 

Smooth sailing to you!

[Jim_Iain]

You and your group will LOVE Millennium. She was the first ship I ever sailed and have been on board her 4 times. I will always have a special place in my heart for her.

 

If you want to check out some pictures of the ship and cabins check out the website for our Cruise Critic group at http://gardens-hoa.com/MIL071202/Millennium.htm

 

We are generally into staying out late and find that Cosmos will be the latest place to play. They have been known to stay active until 3-4 in the morning.

 

There is a different dynamic on a cold weather cruise than a warm water cruise. I have done Alaska twice and find that people are more into day time excursions than staying out playing late and sleeping in. With the size of your group you can get things going on your own.

 

On the Gambling side. They have Nickel, Quarter and Dollar Slots. I generally never gamble more than $20 on a cruise so not real sure about the game tables.

 

Dining Options have been given but make sure to book an evening in the Olympic Specialty Dining Room. It is really a treat.

 

Jim