Celebrity Millenium
Many of you know that I was the Director of Incentive Sales for Celebrity Cruises for five years. Celebrity has always been near and dear to my heart, and I am happy to report that Celebrity has not lost its touch, even since the merger with Royal Caribbean some six years ago. Sure, there have been changes - but the overall ambiance and great food and service still stands! I don't think you can beat the value of Celebrity. Since Royal Caribbean still seems to view her as the "little sister", her pricing is generally a bargain. When you consider what you get onboard, it is hard to choose any other product in the "mass" market - particularly in the Caribbean.
Walk onboard the Millenium, and you are greeted with white glove service and a glass of champagne. This art deco masterpiece is sure to please everyone. She is elegant and understated, and you will feel at home immediately.
Her food and service is second to none in this category. The two-tiered Metropolitan Restaurant is elegant and beautiful. A staff of primarily European waiters are eager to please. And the food selections - from the appetizers to the soups, the main courses and the mouth-watering desserts - are all freshly made and delicious. Apollo Ship Chandlers - who have been providing both the cuilinary products and the service personnel for Celebrity (and most recently Oceania) since the cruise line's inception in the late 1980's does a spectacular job. And of course master chef Michel Roux continues to create the menus and to make sure the product is as consistent as ever. Just glance at the daily bread assortment, and you know you are in for a treat. Even the ultra-deluxe cruise companies don't offer such a fantastic variety. Celebrity's alternative dinner choice - the Olympic Restaurant (which was created using wood panels from the dining room on the Olympic - sister ship to the Titanic and Brittanic) is perhaps the finest and most luxurious cuilinary experience afloat! For a $25 pp surcharge, you feel as if you have been transported back in time. Chefs prepare each meal in the viewing galley, and a wait staff finishes the items off tableside. The food is truly spectacular. The desserts are decadent. The entire evening at the Olympic is legendary, and well worth the price of admission! And once a week, for VIPs, the ship hosts an elegant high tea in the Olympic. Better than Harrods!
Celebrity has added quite a number of interesting options to their casual dining program. During the day, breakfast and lunch can be enjoyed casually in the Ocean Grill and by the pool. Hot action stations have offered variety - such as the omelet station at breakfast and the pasta bar at lunch. The freshly made pizzas are delicious day and night. From 6 pm until 10 pm, a sushi bar is open. An ice cream bar is open throughout the day with both soft and hand dipped selections. Near the AquaSpa, the ship offers "spa cuisine" for those looking for healthy selections. Here you will find fruit soup, tropical fruit and cheese platters, gourmet lean and light desserts, tea sandwiches, and other treats. And if you don't want to follow the evening dress code, or want a casual dinner, there is a limited menu available in the Ocean Grill. Meals are served to you course by course in a small section of the room. This is available from 6 to 10 pm, and is a great way to break up the cruise if you tire of the dining room fanfare. There is no charge for any of these items.
I was particularly impressed with the service around the pool during the day. First of all, waiters are constantly circulating to sell bar drinks. You never feel hounded, but always serviced. Better than that..all throughout the day, the "pool butlers" bring around ice cold face towels. On the days at sea, they offer "sorbet on parade". Dozens of waiters walk around the pool deck with orange or apple halves frozen with a huge portion of fruit sorbet in the middle. These are passed around to all guests, complete with an ice cream spoon. What a treat! In addition, they walk around with trays of complimentary lemonade, fruit punch and ice water. It really makes the passengers feel special, and it is something I have yet to see on any other cruise line.
The Cova Café Milano is Millenium's answer to Starbucks. You do pay for the "custom" coffee drinks, but pastries are complimentary. At certain times during the day, a harpist serenades the passengers! Truly unique!
The Platinum Club and its Martini Bar make up the most beautiful lounge on the vessel. Done in shades of silver, gray and purple - with spectacular art deco chandeliers, you can see why passengers spend at least a half hour before dinner enjoying the ambiance! Just one deck below is the more traditional Rendez-vous lounge - home to pre and post dinner entertainment, which can be heard in the Platinum Club. Most enjoyable is Michael's Club. Formerly a cigar lounge, this gorgeous leather and wood salon is much more versatile as a piano bar. Enjoy fine wine, brandy, cognac and listen to jazz piano for a few hours. I would be remiss if I did not mention the Celebrity Show Lounge. Designed to accommodate about half the ship's compliment, this state-of-the-art theater is delightful. Full sight lines from every seat. I found the production shows to be entertaining and as good as any I have seen on the mega ships.
The cabins and suites onboard the Millenium are wonderful. Average outside cabin square footage is 172 - making them larger than RCCL and smaller than HAL - but more than adequate with excellent storage space. Celebrity has created a new onboard category called "concierge level". This is a way of upgrading from balcony cabin, without paying for a suite. Basically, you buy the largest balcony staterooms onboard - in category 1A and you receive additional services such as: welcome champagne, fresh fruit, flowers, a menu of pillows, pillow-top mattresses, leather key holder, personalized stationery, tote bag, umbrella, frette bathrobes, hansgrohe showerhead, salon quality hairdryer, a selection of bath products, and a whole host of other onboard VIP services. It is still not the butler treatment you get in the suites, but definitely a lot of extra goodies to make your trip special! This is a great level to upgrade your group VIPs to, without paying much more than the veranda rates.
The AquaSpa and fitness center are just perfect! A huge thalasso (Greek for "of the sea") therapy pool and whirlpools are open to anyone over the age of 16 without charge. For more excitement, visit the Persian Garden for $18 pp. This Turkish sanctuary is a series of steam rooms, aromatherapy showers and heated tile lounges. A must see and experience! And of course don't miss out on a huge variety of spa treatments at a variety of prices.
The Millenium currently sails seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries out of Fort Lauderdale in the winter, and longer Mediterranean itineraries in the summer.
For more detailed information on Celebrity Cruises, go to their website at www.celebritycruises.com. Please let me know if you would like a quote for an upcoming incentive program.
