 Expert Review |  | | | | |
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When Celebrity Millennium made its debut in 2000, it brought a new era of cruising to Celebrity. The first of its class, built after Celebrity Cruises was acquired by Royal Caribbean International, the ship made news by incorporating, among other things, the first gas propulsion system on a cruise ship (thus the label GTS, for Gas Turbine Ship, Millennium, rather than MS, for Motor Ship). The GTS system is unique in that it reduces emissions and burns cleaner, creates less noise and vibration, and allows the ship to reach speeds of up to 24 knots. (It is not, alas, as fuel-efficient as was hoped at the time it was designed.) It was also the first ship to use exterior elevators, a feature that has been adopted ever since by several cruise lines. Today, the ship has nearly identical siblings Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Summit and Celebrity Constellation. Millennium is ... pretty. That's not a word used very often when discussing seagoing vessels, but it's the simplest and most accurate word to describe Millennium. The soft hues and stately public spaces; the tortoise-shell onyx stairway at the center of the ship; the diverse art around every turn; the stunning space in the Cosmos Lounge with its wrap-around floor-to-ceiling windows, contemporary design, glittery dance floor, Art Deco-style lighting system and light woods; the clubby, homey feeling of Michael's Club; and the contemporary-mixed-with-Deco design of the Metropolitan Restaurant offer an eclectic experience, but all of it is soft ... and pretty. One might imagine it's impossible to feel so at home on a ship this large -- at 91,000 tons, it carries 1,950 passengers. A decade later, it's far from the largest ship at sea, but it's definitely still big. Somehow, though, the feeling of an intimate experience prevails. The layout and accessibility are excellent, with 14 elevators and a design that makes getting from one point of interest to another easy and enjoyable. Lots of outside deck space and promenades help in this regard, as well. One thing we learned on this voyage is that, as Celebrity continues to grow and build larger ships -- referring to Celebrity's innovative, 122,000-ton, 2,850-passenger Solstice-class vessels -- there's no concern about being bored or unimpressed while sailing on Millennium, which by now is considered one of the line's "smaller" ships. In fact, repeat cruises on Millennium are delightful. | | |  top | | | | Dining
All of the food selections -- from the always-available pizza and pasta to the delectable savories in the Olympic Restaurant -- were very good, beautifully presented and served with a smile and a flourish. Although there is only one "alternative" restaurant, Millennium essentially has four dining spots -- five, if you count the casual restaurant that's located at the aft port side of the Ocean Grill in the evenings. The Metropolitan, Millennium's main restaurant, is a two-deck-high room located at the aft of the ship; the entire back wall is glass. When it isn't yet dark outside, the views from almost anywhere in the restaurant are stunning. And, when darkness falls, Millennium uses a series of drop-down screens to hide the windows and the glare from the inside lighting. Two things stand out about the Metropolitan dining room: The decor, a mix of contemporary and Art Deco, is lovely and elegant, setting the stage for the equally elegant dining experience. Although it's a large space, it's been designed in a way that makes it quiet enough to actually enjoy conversation. In fact, when seated at a large table in the middle of the lower level, probably the least favorite spot in any dining venue because of noise and activity, you'll be able to speak to and actually hear your dining companions. Menu options run the gamut from chi-chi French-inspired cuisine, such as filet mignon with foie gras and bleu cheese topping and escargots, to more plebian roast chicken and grilled fish. Service in the main restaurant is excellent and traditional. There are two options for dinner in the Metropolitan. Passengers can go with traditional, set seating (two times to dine) or opt for the more flexible Celebrity Select dining option, which was introduced in early 2010. With Celebrity Select, passengers have the option to dine any time between 6 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. and to decide whether they want to eat with their own party or at a mixed table with other passengers. They can also make specific dinner reservations for each day of their cruise online in advance, make reservations onboard or simply show up when ready to eat. Unique to Celebrity's Millennium-class ships is the AquaSpa Cafe, located in the AquaSpa. It serves light, healthy meals in a cafe surrounding the thalassotherapy pool. Fresh fruit and vegetables are available until 2 p.m. Just before entry to the Resort Deck's massive cafeteria-style restaurant -- the Ocean Grill, just aft of the main pool -- is the Riviera Grill, which serves hamburgers, hot dogs and at least one daily special (i.e. ribs, fajitas, grilled chicken breast). It's a perfect spot to grab a bite while enjoying the pool deck. The Ocean Grill has something available nearly 24 hours a day. Pizza and pasta are freshly made; you can choose your own ingredients. From 6:30 to 9 p.m., what is a sandwich station during the day becomes a sushi bar with a range of items from California rolls to tekka maki. Ginger, wasabi and soy sauce are all available, too. On the port side of the Ocean Grill, between 6 and 10 p.m., is the alternative casual dining option, which has table service and offers regional specialties. A suggested gratuity of $2 per person is recommended. A note: No one was ever presented with a bill, so try to have a couple of dollars with you when you go, and tip in cash. The creme de la creme of dining spots on Millennium is the exquisite Olympic Restaurant, the ship's sole for-charge alternative restaurant. It's $35 per person to eat there. Adorned with original panels from the MS Olympic, sister ship to the Titanic, the atmosphere and presentation is as magnificent as the cuisine. I'm usually too impatient to enjoy the pomp and circumstance of this kind of atmosphere, but the well-trained teams in the Olympic made it showy and fun. The menu, which doesn't change, is wonderful, is very French and offers selections for every type of diner. The most commonly ordered entree is the melt-in-your-mouth filet mignon, preceded by a prepared-at-the-table Caesar salad, so garlicky that you'd better hope all of your dinner companions get one, too. The dessert platter, with small portions of pastry, creme brulee, cake and tiramisu was so beautiful that it was a shame to eat it -- but we did, with gusto. Note: The Caesars are made traditionally with one exception -- raw eggs are not included for health reasons. Room service is available 24/7; guests can order selections from the menu during dinner, and a door-hung card assures you'll get breakfast when ordered. I love the fact that they phone before delivery -- breakfast and an alarm! Tipping for room service is customary and greatly appreciated. | | | | top | | | | Public Rooms
From bow to stern, the public areas on this ship offer both surprises and charm, whether it's the unique (and often unexpected) modern art around every corner, the wow factor when entering Cosmos for the first time or the clubby, calming surroundings in Michael's Club. This is one classy vessel. The decor is an eclectic mix of contemporary, Old World, Art Deco and resort chic, which could, if done poorly, create a schizophrenic ambiance. But, that's not the case here; everything fits and flows smoothly from one venue to another, and the most impressive attribute is the use of natural light whenever possible. Cosmos, the forward-facing lounge at the top of the ship, is surrounded with floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides. It's used during the day as an observation station and for various activities. At night, it's turned into a fabulous disco/dance hall. Just outside its doors is the Conservatory, a flower shop that doubles as a Zen-like respite from all the hoopla on the rest of the ship. Unfortunately, it's open only during the florist's hours, so you may have to seek your Zen elsewhere. No worries -- there are plenty of spots for that, as well, including Words, the ship's two-story library, which features a spiral staircase, glass walls and deep armchairs. Seeking calm solitude is one thing, but anyone looking for some excitement and camaraderie can easily find it in the Rendezvous Lounge, lined with windows opening onto the promenade, which is great during the day. In the evenings, people actually dance on the center wood floor and sing karaoke until the wee hours. Both the Martini Bar and the Champagne Bar, located on the Entertainment Deck, make great pre-dinner cocktail spots. My favorite has to be the Cova Cafe di Milano, midship, surrounding the Grand Foyer one floor below. A coffee and wine bar, it's designed to replicate the Italian original. Most nights, the entertainment alternates between a soothing classical quartet and a pianist. Forward of the Cova Cafe is Millennium's enormous shopping venue, the Emporium. Along with the usual logo shops and duty-free items, there are several jewelry and watch shops, and, instead of cluttering the aisles with specials as on most ships, there is a circular central kiosk area for the daily discount offerings. The Celebrity Theater at the very front of the ship has comfortable banquette seating and excellent, non-obstructed views. There are also several meeting rooms, a movie theater (which can double as a meeting/presentation venue) and an Internet center and computer lab. Passengers on Celebrity Millennium can surf the Web in the cyber cafe at a flat rate of 75 cents per minute or package rates of 100 minutes for $70, 200 minutes for $120, and 500 minutes for $250. This rate applies to both the desktops in the Internet center and to your own laptops when using Wi-Fi. | | | | top | | | | Cabins
Of the 1,059 cabins aboard Millennium, 853 are oceanview, and 538 of those have balconies. The ship also offers 50 suites, ranging from the uber-luxe penthouses (at 1,690 square feet, bigger than some houses) to more petite but elegant Sky Suites, as well as 26 accommodations that are fully ADA-compliant and wheelchair-accessible. Millennium's standard cabins, from the least expensive insides to outside balcony cabins, are beautifully configured and nicely decorated with soft hues, elegant furnishings, those cute rounded-end beds and comfortable seating options. They serve as oases of calm away from all other ship activities. Standard cabins come in at about 170 square feet. (Some insides are a bit smaller.) Balconies add an average of 41 square feet. They are certainly not the largest staterooms afloat, to be sure, but the way they are configured and the calmness of their decor make them wholly appealing. Millennium's "Concierge" cabins are about a foot longer than the standard staterooms down the hall. There were some additional perks afforded to Concierge passengers, including a pillow menu, daily fresh fruit, nightly hors d'oeuvres, use of binoculars, robes, Hansgrohe shower heads, hand-held hair dryers and expanded room service breakfast menus. Also included are priority check-in, express luggage delivery, priority embarkation and disembarkation at each port, shoeshine service, a Celebrity Cruises tote bag and main/specialty restaurant seating preference. The stateroom decor consists of light woods and cool pastels, with added luxuries like little throw pillows on the sofa. Storage space is more than adequate for two people for a longer cruise, with several closets for hanging clothing, small shelves next to the desk/vanity for books and other items, and two large cupboards under it. The only drawers are in the nightstands, which also have lamps attached to the top. It's nice having a side-night-table light, rather than the one that's affixed to the wall overhead, but in some staterooms, the bedside lamps keep you from putting "stuff" on the tables. Happily, that is not the case here; the lamps were tall enough to stack books and lotions and other bedtime things on the stand. The bathroom is large and very well-lit, with plenty of storage space for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Standard accommodations and concierge-level cabins have roomy showers, while suites have whirlpool baths. There are wall-mounted hair dryers in the standard cabins; concierge-level and suite guests get handheld dryers, but there are no outlets for them in the bathrooms. You have to use them in the desk/vanity areas, which is kind of a pain if you aren't using that area for grooming. There are two 110-volt outlets and two 220-volt outlets at the desk. If you bring a converter kit, you can convert one of the 220's to a 110, giving you three outlets to use for sundry electronics like laptops, digital cameras and cell phone chargers. Balconies in standard verandah staterooms and most concierge-level staterooms are comfortably large and nicely furnished with strapped chairs and small tables; concierge-level balcony furniture has canvas pad covers, and suite guests get a mix of mesh and wooden furniture. Millennium's "Resort Deck" has an inordinately large overhang toward the forward part of the ship and a series of angled overhangs toward the aft. They are so big that the ship was built with a row of stanchions that angle down from the overhangs. Rooms at the top level under the Resort Deck, therefore, get interrupted views and very little sun. Although such rooms are great in almost all respects, they would be better with more sun and less interference with the outdoor vista. Also, while soundproofing is excellent from room to room, this is not the case with the ceilings, and being right under the Resort Deck can make for a very noisy trip. All standard cabins come equipped with mini-bar fridges (check prices before using the goodies), safes, telephones and interactive televisions with excellent programming (including CNN, ESPN, several movie channels, several in-house channels and TNT). The "interactive" part includes ordering room service (works really well!), checking your daily bill balance and playing video slots and blackjack (for those who are really bored and need to spend money gambling on a television). | | | | top | | | | Entertainment
Most of the shows in the Celebrity Theater are typical cruise fare (no Cirque de Soleil onboard) with a live orchestra and "The Celebrity Singers and Dancers." In late 2009, Celebrity introduced a new enrichment and activities program called Celebrity Life onboard Millennium. Programming is divided into three themes. "Savor" focuses on culinary themes and features wine-tasting and appreciation classes, mixology (including "Molecular Mixology" workshops developed by The Liquid Chef, who creates high-end cocktails and muddled drinks with unusual ingredients), cooking demos and cooking competitions. "Renew" combines fitness classes (like body-sculpting, strength-training, yoga and tai chi), spa treatments, medi-spa cosmetic services (BOTOX and anti-aging facials) and wellness seminars (on topics such as youth-enhancing lifestyle tips, nutrition and stress management). The "Discover" program has the broadest reach, as Celebrity has partnered with several well-known companies to offer a wide variety of educational opportunities to its cruise passengers. Lecturers from Smithsonian Journeys, the Smithsonian Institution's educational travel program, will come onboard to teach about history, culture, art, architecture and nature. Passengers can learn languages onboard with Rosetta Stone, study star-gazing and astronomy, preserve vacation photos and memories by scrapbooking with the StoryTellersClub, take technology classes (everything from iPods to Photoshop) through the line's "digITal" series and enjoy ballroom and world dance classes and competitions hosted by Celebrity's professional dancers. Days at sea provide opportunities to rest and to participate in the onboard activities; during the day there are dance lessons. (Salsa, tango and meringue were unique to this destination, but swing and ballroom were also offered). Trivia contests, Pictionary, brain teasers and charades, napkin-folding, and arts and crafts classes were all well-attended, bested in participation only by the nightly karaoke. The casino, located midship, seems impossibly small for a vessel of this size, and although the tables were busy most evenings, the slots -- older and pretty boring -- didn't get much use. Everything seemed to be jammed together, and it gets really hot and stuffy. Naturally, there are bingo sessions and art auctions just about every day, as well as specialty wine auctions. | | | | top | | | | Fitness and Recreation
"Renew" is the line's new name for the spa and health aspect of Celebrity Life. Renew combines fitness classes, spa treatments and wellness seminars to help travelers "feel better, live longer and look younger." Seminars offering youth-enhancing lifestyle tips and stress management, medi-spa cosmetic services (BOTOX and anti-aging facials), body-sculpting and strength-training classes, nutrition seminars, acupuncture, yoga and tai chi are all available to help Celebrity cruisers feel and look good -- not to mention keep them away from the dessert buffet. The program is broken down into three categories: "Ageless" (medi-spa stuff like Botox), "Longevity" (pain management options like acupuncture) and "Energy" (fitness classes). In addition, there are some special Renew events, such as the free Breakfast with the Guru, which is basically a combination breakfast and wellness seminar. Passengers can sample smoothies, get quick neck massages and meet experts from the three renew categories. Celebrity Millennium's spa facilities are excellent. Unlike the spa areas on many ships, with a fitness room and treatment rooms hidden behind some New Age-y doors and tables draped with batik fabrics, Millennium's AquaSpa is practically a destination of its own. It takes up a large portion of the Resort Deck, forward of the main pool, and includes the AquaSpa Cafe, the thalassotherapy pool (free of charge to use), comfy seating areas, the spa service and treatment areas, a beauty shop, a steam and sauna room called the Persian Garden (for-fee) and a forward-facing gymnasium and fitness center that is very appealing. Spa services at the Steiner of London-operated facility include facials, massages, wraps and scrubs with specials offered on shore days. More unusual options include the Bamboo Massage, where bamboo shoots of various sizes are rolled and used to massage muscles. Celebrity also has a trained acupuncturist onboard Millennium. In fact, it was one of the first lines to introduce the now-standard cruise spa option. Celebrity Millennium has licensed doctors onboard and offers Restylane(R) and Perlane(R) treatments, as well as Botox. Classes in "Chilates" (Celebrity's name for Pilates) and yoga are offered with an additional fee of $12 per person, but some of the best workouts are to be found at the dance classes, which are offered free of charge. The AquaSpa area is for adults only, and -- thank goodness -- this seemed to be enforced. However, kids have the use of the Riviera, the ship's main pool, which is located on the Resort Deck and is divided into a shallow end for dipping and a deeper end for swimming. Anyone who wants to swim laps can do so early in the morning before the pools get busy. There are two hot tubs. There is a jogging track and table tennis room one deck up on the Sunrise Deck, as well as a basketball court on the Sports Deck at the top of the ship. | | | | top | | | | Family
The well-equipped, bright and cheerful Fun Factory is located at the aft of the Sunrise Deck, and it has programs for kids, ages 3 to 17. Note: There are no facilities for teens, however, except for the adjacent video game room. (Teens do have their own full menu of programs though, called X Club). Participation in the kids' program is complimentary (with some exceptions) and is broken nicely into compatible age groups. Potty-trained children are welcomed from age 3 and join the Ship's Mates (3- to 5-year-olds). Cadets (6 to 8), Ensigns (9 to 11) and Teens (12 to 17) make up the balance of the groups. Age-appropriate activities are available for each, and trained counselors are in attendance. Activities include dinosaur studies, sushi-making, miniature boat-building and treasure hunts, while indoor/outdoor Fun Factory facilities include climbing frames and ball pools, paddling pools and water chutes, computer areas (offering plug-in guitar lessons) and The Tower -- a tall, large-windowed space for teens at the prow end of Deck 11. Parents with children younger than 3 are invited to accompany their toddlers into the playrooms. (Infants who sail must be at least 6 months old as of the first day of the cruise. However, for transatlantic, transpacific, select South America and other select cruises, infants must be at least 12 months old.) It's $6 per hour, per child, to participate in the "Afternoon Party" from noon to 2 p.m. on port days and/or the nighttime Slumber Party from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily. In-cabin baby-sitting is available for $8 per hour, for up to two children (12 months minimum) within the same family. | | | | top | | | | Fellow Passengers
Celebrity Millennium passengers tend to be sophisticated, well-traveled adults in the 45 to 65 age range, and indeed, the Celebrity experience is ideal for the "baby boom" generation. Most of the guests are North American, with Britain and other European countries represented. | | | | top | | | | Dress Code
Depending on the destination, the dress is usually casual during the day and resort casual in the evening. On transatlantic voyages, guests tend to be dressier, even during the day. Celebrity is a traditional cruise line, and the typical Millennium guest likes the tradition of dressing up for supper. Plan for two formal nights on a seven- to 11-night cruises and three on cruises of more than 12 nights, with several "informal" evenings, as well. Formal nights find most of the ladies in beaded or flowing gowns and men in tuxes; on informal evenings, women wear cocktail attire, and men wear suits with ties. There are casual dining options for those who choose not to dress up on formal nights, including the ever-present pizza and pasta, the sushi bar and the dining option on the port side of the Ocean Cafe and Grill. | | | | top | | | | Gratuity
Celebrity automatically adds gratuities for your restaurant and cabin services to your onboard Seapass account on a daily basis in the following amounts: $11.50 per person, per day, if you're in a standard cabin; $12.00 per person, per day, if you're in Concierge Class; and $15.00 per person, per day, for guests in suites. --by Cruise Critic contributor Jana Jones; updated by Dan Askin, Associate Editor | | | | top | | | | | Expert reviews are provided by CruiseCritic.com, an award-winning cruise community. This objective information can help you choose just the right ship for your next cruise vacation. | |  | |
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