Celebrity Millennium - Berlitz Cruising & Cruise Ships 2017 (Berlitz Cruise Guide) (2016)

Berlitz Cruising & Cruise Ships 2017 (Berlitz Cruise Guide) (2016)

Celebrity Millennium

★★★★

Berlitz’s Ratings

Ship: 389 out of 500

Accommodation: 161 out of 200

Food: 285 out of 400

Service: 298 out of 400

Entertainment: 74 out of 100

Cruise: 288 out of 400

Overall Score: 1495 out of 2000

Celebrity Millennium Statistics

Size: Large Resort Ship

Tonnage: 90,940

Lifestyle: Premium

Cruise Line: Celebrity Cruises

Former Names: Millennium

IMO Number: 9189419

Builder: Chantiers de l’Atlantique (France)

Original Cost: $350 million

Entered Service: Jun 2000

Registry: Malta

Length (ft/m): 964.5/294.0

Beam (ft/m): 105.6/32.2

Draft (ft/m): 26.2/8.0

Propulsion/Propellers: gas turbine (39,000kW)/2 azimuthing pods

Passenger Decks: 11

Total Crew: 999

Passengers (lower beds): 2,158

Passenger Space Ratio (lower beds): 42.1

Passenger/Crew Ratio (lower beds): 2.1

Cabins (total): 1,079

Size Range (sq ft/m): 170.0-2,350.0/15.7-235.0

Cabins (for one person): 0

Cabins (with private balcony): 606

Cabins (wheelchair accessible): 26

Wheelchair accessibility: Best

Cabin Current: 110 and 220 volts

Elevators: 12

Casino (gaming tables): Yes

Slot Machines: Yes

Swimming Pools: 3 (1 w/ sliding glass dome)

Hot Tubs (on deck): 4

Self-Service Launderette: No

Dedicated Cinema/Seats: Yes/368

Library: Yes

Onboard currency: US$

Celebrity_Millennium_03

This mid-size, family-friendly ship has a touch of class

Overview. Celebrity Millennium delivers a well-defined North American cruise vacation at a modest price. A zero-announcement policy means there is little intrusion. Although two-seating dining and two nightly shows detract from an otherwise good product, this ship (like sisters Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Infinity, and Celebrity Summit) provides a premium cruise experience.

The Ship. Unfortunately, there is no walk-around wooden promenade deck outdoors. There are cushioned pads for poolside deck lounge chairs only, but not for chairs on other outside decks. Passenger participation activities are mostly amateurish.

Inside, the ship has an understated elegance, with the same high-class decor and materials (lots of wood, glass, and marble) and a four-deck-high atrium. It houses the reception desk, tour operator’s desk, and bank. Four glass-walled elevators travel through 10 passenger decks (including the tender stations).

A 70-person capacity sports bar, Extreme, just doesn’t, somehow, belong; it is located directly in front of the main funnel and has glass walls overlooking the ship’s side.

Gaming sports include the ship’s overly large Fortunes Casino, with blackjack, roulette, and slot machines, bright lights, and action. New AquaClass veranda cabins and Blu, a Mediterranean-themed specialty restaurant exclusively for AquaClass passengers, were added in a ‘Solsticizing’ of the ship in 2012. Also added were a Celebrity iLounge (for the latest Apple products, computer classes and Internet connection); a Martini Bar with a frosted bar top; a Cellar-Masters wine bar; QSine, an extra-cost fine-dining venue with iPad menus; and a Bistro on Five crêperie.

Families. The Fun Factory is designed for young children and The Tower caters to teenagers. Children’s counselors and youth activities staff provide a wide range of supervised activities. Interconnecting doors on two Celebrity Suites allow them to be used as one unit; as there is no balcony, they are ideal for those with small children.

Accommodation. Choose from either suite-grade or non-suite-grade accommodation, depending on your preference for the size and location. Suites, naturally, have more space, butler service, and more amenities. If you can afford it, book a suite-category cabin for its many extra benefits. Occupants in Penthouse, Royal, Celebrity, and Sky Suites also get welcome Champagne; a full personal computer in each suite, including a printer and Internet access (on request in the Sky Suites); choice of films from a video library; personalized stationery; tote bag; priority dining room seating preferences; private portrait sitting, and bathrobe; and in-suite massage service. Note that If you choose a balcony cabin on one of the upper decks, note that could be shaded under the pool deck, which extends over the ship’s side - and many balconies (so, not good for private sunbathing).

Penthouse Suites. On Penthouse Deck, these are the largest suites. Each occupies one half of the ship’s beam, and overlooks the stern. Each measures a huge 2,530 sq ft (235 sq m): 1,432 sq ft (133 sq m) of living space, plus a huge wraparound balcony measuring 1,098 sq ft (102 sq m) with 180° views plus a wet bar, hot tub, and whirlpool tub. Much of this terrace, however, can be overlooked by passengers on decks above, so it’s not exactly private.

Royal Suites. These suites, each 733 sq ft (68 sq m), are located towards the ship’s aft (four each on the port and starboard sides). The decor in each is different and is geographically themed: Africa, China, Mexico, France, India, Italy, Morocco, and Portugal. Each has a separate living room with dining and lounge areas (with refrigerator, minibar, and Bang & Olufsen CD audio system), and a separate bedroom. There are two entertainment centers with DVD players, and TVs in the living area and bedroom, and a large walk-in closet, with vanity desk. The marble-clad bathroom has a whirlpool tub with integral shower, and there is also a separate shower enclosure, two washbasins, and toilet. The teak balcony is extensive - large enough for on-deck massage - and also has a whirlpool hot tub.

Celebrity Suites. These measure 467 sq ft (44 sq m), have floor-to-ceiling windows, a separate living room with dining and lounge areas, two flat-screen infotainment centers, and a walk-in closet with vanity desk. The marble-clad bathroom has a whirlpool tub with integral shower - a window with movable shade lets you look out of the bathroom through the lounge to the large ocean-view windows.

Sky Suites. Each is 308 sq ft (28.6 sq m), including the private balcony - some balconies may be larger than others, depending on location. Although designated as suites, they’re just large cabins with a marble-clad bathroom with tub/shower combination. The suites have a TV set, and a larger lounge area than standard cabins, and separate sleeping area.

Butler service, in all suite-grade accommodation, includes full breakfast, in-suite lunch and dinner service (as required), afternoon tea service, evening hors d’oeuvres, free espresso and cappuccino, daily news delivery, shoeshine, and other personal touches.

Concierge Class. Concierge Class offers added value to these ‘middle-class’ cabins, as does a new ‘AquaClass,’ added in 2012, with spa-healthy dining in Blu Restaurant, and complimentary access to the Persian Garden (thermal suite) and Relaxation Room in the spa, plus daily delivery of bottled water and herbal teas (infusions), and a host of spa-related personal amenities.

Standard outside-view/interior cabins. All outside-view and interior cabins have a lounge area with sofa or convertible sofa bed, sleeping area with twin beds that convert to a double, good closet and drawer space, personal safe, minibar/refrigerator (all items cost extra), interactive television, and bathroom. Even the smallest interior cabin has a good-size bathroom and shower enclosure.

Wheelchair-accessible accommodation. These are located in the most practical parts of the ship, close to elevators for good accessibility. All have doorways and bathroom doorways and showers that are wheelchair-accessible.

Dining. The 1,224-seat Metropolitan Restaurant is the ship’s main dining room. Two decks high, it has a grand staircase connecting the two levels, a huge glass wall aft overlooking the sea, and a small ‘musicians’ gallery’ on the upper level. There are two dinner seatings (open seating for breakfast and lunch), at tables for two-10. Menu variety is good, the food has taste, and it is attractively presented. Full service in-cabin dining is also available, with dinner menu items from the Metropolitan Restaurant.

Blu, located on the port side of the upper level entrance of the Metropolitan dining room, is exclusively for the use of occupants of AquaClass accommodation.

Other dining options. Celebrity Cruises created its first ‘alternative’ restaurant aboard this ship. The Olympic Restaurant is named after White Star Line’s transatlantic ocean liner (sister ship to Titanic, Olympic sailed between 1911 and 1935). It is adjacent to the atrium lobby, and has a dining lounge that contains figured French walnut wood paneling from the à la carte dining room of the Olympic, which was decorated in Louis XVI splendor.

Tableside preparation is part of the attraction, with classic French cuisine and service. This is, indeed, a room for a full degustation, and not just a dinner. The wine list is extensive, with more than 400 labels, but the real treat for connoisseurs is an additional list of rare vintage wines. However, with just 134 seats, it’s best to make reservations early (a cover charge applies). There’s also a dine-in wine cellar and a demonstration galley.

QSine, which features its menus and wine list on iPads, is another extra-cost, fine-dining venue (added in 2010), and reservations are required.

Ocean Café is a self-serve 754-seat buffet-style eatery. At the aft end of the Ocean Buffet, a separate pasta bar, sushi counter, grill/rotisserie, and pizza station provide freshly made items. Pizzas are made on board from pizza dough and do not come ready made for reheating, as with many cruise lines. There is also an outdoor grill, adjacent to the swimming pool, for fast food items.

Café al Bacio and Geleteria, located on the third level of the atrium lobby, is the place to see and be seen, for extra-cost coffees, pastries, cakes, and gelato all in a trendy setting.

Entertainment. The 900-seat Celebrity Theater is a three-deck-high showlounge for production shows and major cabaret acts. It is located forward, with seating on all levels. The stage is equipped with a full fly loft behind its proscenium.

Spa/Fitness. Canyon Ranch SpaClub at Sea measures 24,219 sq ft (2,250 sq m). It features a large thalassotherapy pool under a large solarium dome, with a health bar for light breakfast and lunch items and fresh squeezed fruit and vegetable juices.