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Our most recent cruise was unique in many ways as it allowed passengers to sail to Hawaii and disembark there, which, because of an archaic 1920 maritime law, can’t be done unless you start out from a foreign port, which we did, Ensenada, Mexico. Passengers needed to get to San Diego to be taken across the border. It didn’t begin so seamlessly, with massive delays in San Diego, where 600 passengers waited to be bused across the U.S. border. But once we got underway it was smooth sailing across the Pacific to the heavenly Hawaiian islands.
The food, especially at night in the Oceanview Café on deck 11, is some of the best buffet-style dining afloat — much of it made to order.
Mr. B smiled broadly as we entered the Olympic restaurant. The charming, Turkish-born maître d’ is proud of his reservations-only room where passengers pay a surcharge of $45 each (exclusive of wine, $89 with pairings) to dine. Once you sample the perfectly prepared fare, you can understand Mr. B’s enthusiasm. The service is seamless and the courses are outstanding for a ship restaurant. According to Mr. B, many guests return for encores during any given cruise. Past passengers, he says, especially return for the Dover sole, chateaubriand, Olympic lobster, soufflés, crepes and French artisan cheeses served at the perfect degree of ripeness and temperature.
We dined at Olympic at a table for two by the window, hovered over by attentive waiters. We did the whole nine yards from a wild forest mushroom cappuccino and a warm goat cheese soufflé to Dover sole, Loup De Mer, an assortment of mouthwatering cheeses and crepes cooked at our table. There are more options, of course, but they would have to wait for the next visit. In fact, we already know we will order the chateaubriand and the seared milk-fed veal tenderloin.
We loved the quirky, hyper-eclectic Qsine, where everything is different, from the fine thin-walled wine tumblers placed just so on their sides when you sit down to the iPads used to order dinner. You should put aside preconceived notions of what fine dining should be and just submit to the fun and the food.
The iPad menu lists 20 individual small-plate dishes drawn from multiple cuisines, mixed and matched in intriguing ways. Each course has its own presentation eccentricity. For instance, the Vegetable Du Jatour is a half dozen small glass jars, each filled with a different purred vegetable and eaten with small spoons. Slider Party is two little patties topped with cheddar presented still sizzling on cast iron and accompanied by little brioche buns and the usual burger condiments. Another course is offered in what looks like a shadow box with many compartments. The dessert menu is on a Rubik’s Cube-like device. That’s right, quirky.
The glass-encased Qsine, which sits on the topmost deck, has a dedicated galley staffed by a half dozen very hard-working cooks. Each dish is prepared to order — the French say a la minute — and immediately served. Anyone who has suffered through cruise ship dishes made earlier and served less than hot will cheer this attribute. One good example is Spring Rolls — the pork filled one is delicious — which arrived crunchy-hot. Maitre d’ Alex, who opened the restaurant when it debuted in 2010, is caring and welcoming, and the wait staff provides a joyous dining experience. With so much on the menu to try, come hungry. And with so much that is unusual, bring your sense of exploration too.
Wherever you dine aboard the ship, you can expect contemporary menus created by a James Beard-featured chef that offer a good balance of classic favorites and global tastes. Additional options aboard Celebrity Millennium include:
Because specialty dining is popular, you might miss out on getting a reservation if you wait to book when you get on the ship. One way around this is to purchase a Specialty Dining Package ahead of time. (Ask for it when you contact a Cruiseable travel advocate.)
Also, if you have a special diet, make sure to tell your travel consultant because Celebrity Cruises is happy to accommodate many different kinds of dietary needs including vegetarian, kosher, no-sugar-added desserts, food allergies and other dietary needs. They just need advance notice.
This ship is jampacked with fun and games from bingo to disco and beyond -- it's all listed in your daily newspaper that's placed in your stateroom.
During our sailing, we enjoyed five glorious days at sea while spending time at the fitness center and pool, reading, attending lectures and getting pampered at the spa.
The ship offers three Broadway-caliber production shows per night, with 6:15 and 8:30 pm seatings. You'll also find a teen disco for children ages 13 to 17, theme parties for adults and comics and musicians in the lounges and nightclubs.
You have a wide selection of bars and lounges to choose from, several with talented bartenders who put on a high-energy show preparing a mix of classic and contemporary martinis. You might want to pair a rare vodka with a portfolio of fine caviars.
Tip: Inquire about pre-paid drinks packages to get extra savings on your favorite beverages.
One by one we arrive at the heavenly Hawaiian islands of Kauai, the Big Island, Maui and Oahu. We are regular visitors to the islands so we never book a shore excursion from a cruise line, we go off on our own, usually to the beach or a few favorite restaurants. But just about every passenger did take a shore excursion as evinced by the crowds in the lounges waiting for tours to be called.
While other guests head off on organized tours of Volcano National Park, ziplines, botanical gardens and Hilo Hattie, we hit our favorite lunch spot, Hilo Bay Café, about a five-minute drive from where the ship docked. On Kauai we always race off to the Marriott Hotel (by foot, although there's always a shuttle) and swim, then we go over to Mariachis across the street for margaritas, chips and guacamole. On the Kona side of the Big Island we meet friends who take us to an amazing beachfront restaurant called Lava Lava Beach Club, where the food is to die for. In Maui we shuttle to shore and walk around Lahaina for a little retail therapy (great little shops) and stop for a drink at Fleetwood's on Front Street.
Of course, Hawaii is just one of the many destinations Celebrity Millennium visits, so check out Cruiseable's travel guides for the ports you have in mind.
Don't be shy about using the services of your own Celebrity Personal Concierge, who's available to handle all your cruise details from making special dinner reservations to recommending spa services to knowing if you like Perrier Jouet with two crystal flutes delivered to your room at sunset. Available to all guests, the service can only be arranged once you get on board.
There are 1,079 cabins to accommodate 2,138 passengers. What's nice about Celebrity Millennium is that there are cabins to suit a wide range of budgets. The largest category available is oceanview staterooms (867 are oceanview, and 623 of those have balconies). The ship also offers 50 suites, ranging from deluxe penthouses to elegant Sky Suites. All staterooms and suites come with the luxurious Reverie mattress, with its patented airflow design, a safe, mini-bar, air conditioning and complimentary use of terrycloth robes.
I've sailed on Celebrity Millennium twice. On its maiden voyage, we had a fabulous suite in the back of the ship where we could watch the wake, which we did at breakfast and during a few dinners we had sent in.
On our second sailing two years ago, we had a Signature Stateroom with balcony. Our stateroom was surprisingly comfortable for this seafaring couple more used to suites. Our room featured a balcony, big bed, small flat-screen TV, robes, plenty of towels, mini-fridge, hairdryer, shower and a few Hydro-Minerale Aquatic Spa toiletries. Our two pleasant room attendants, Gratiela and Allen, were efficient at keeping our stateroom shipshape.
These spa-inspired staterooms feature indulgent amenities like a Hansgrohe shower tower and custom-blended bath products to help guests feel renewed. An AquaClass Spa Concierge can help arrange all your spa appointments. You'll also get complimentary access to the relaxing Persian Garden as well as exclusive access to the Blu restaurant, which serves breakfast and dinner.
There is wi-fi available for a fee and a very accommodating Internet staff to help set it up. It does work at a snail’s pace, so plan on spending a few bucks each time you email home or friends. If you have an Apple device that you need help with, there is a shop on board dedicated to the brand.
The fitness center suited us well with enough equipment to ward off gaining cruise pounds. There’s also a lavish spa and salon.
Expect a mostly older group of middle income passengers with a sprinkling of young couples. (Celebrity is not widely known as a family-friendly line, but the ship does come outfitted with programs and personnel to accommodate families with young children.) North Americans make up the majority of passengers, though your mileage may vary depending on the itinerary, of course.
Some exasperating moments, of which there were a few:
Considering this ship? I'm a travel writer, not a travel agent, but a Cruiseable travel advocate can provide the expert advice you're looking for.
How about you? Have you sailed on Celebrity Millennium? We'd love to hear about your experience or see your photos!
For pricing, itinerary information and to reserve your spot on Celebrity Millennium, contact a Cruiseable travel consultant by email or call 1-877-322-3773.
