What do you call a place that offers world-class restaurants, Broadway-style shows, a luxurious spa and amenities that rival the grandest hotel on land? We call her Celebrity Millennium; you’ll call her magnificent. Our Flightie, and former cruise ship worker Troy MacRae sets sail on a Celebrity Alaskan Cruise and has plenty of good things to say about the experience:
Having worked on cruise ships for about 3 years and having sailed this exact itinerary before, I wasn’t sure I would enjoy this cruise. However, Celebrity put that all to rest and I had a fantastic time.
A co-worker and I flew to Anchorage the night before the cruise and the next morning we got up bright and early and caught the Alaskan Railroad to meet up with our ship in Seward which was about 4 hours away. I definitely recommend the train over the bus as it is such a unique experience.
Since I had sailed this route before, my focus was not so much on the ports of call or even being in Alaska, but it was more about the ship experience I was looking to enjoy it in a whole new way as this was my first time sailing on a ship as a guest and not a worker. We sailed on the Millennium which was built in 2002. By far it was nicest ship up in Alaska and it made the other ships in port pale in comparison. The rooms were very modern for a ship of this age and I was in an ocean view which I recommend as well as the price difference from an inside cabin is very minimal.
The ship board experience was overall excellent. The staff were always attentive, polite and always looking for the extra way to wow you. The ship was clean and well taken care of. There were also plenty of activities to keep guests busy. From yoga and pilates, to bingo, to a simple game of cards, it was hard to not find something to do. One thing that I was surprised to see on ships in the spa were botox treatments! You really can do it all on ships.
Now for my main point. I am not a big eater and a very slim guy. But ships are definitely about the food. I have never eaten so much in my life. Every dinner was at least a 4 course adventure of the palate. You could keep it simple and have such things as hamburgers, nachos and hot dogs but why would you when you are surrounded by all these delicious foods you don’t eat every day? From escargot to lobster to fillet mignon, you really can have it all! But be forewarned, I put on 5 pounds in a week and that is huge for me.
If you do sail the Millennium I recommend doing the specialty restaurant which is called the Olympic. They have original wood paneling in the restaurant from the MS Olympic which is the sister ship to the Titanic so it is very unique. There is a charge for this but it is worth every penny as the attention to detail is exquisite.
All in all, Celebrity cruises amazed a somewhat jaded past worker of ships and I would definitely recommend them to anyone considering a cruise. One word of advice…bring your appetite!
Looking for more information on an Alaskan cruise vacation? Contact connecting with him online, visiting him in-store, or calling 1-866-299-5614.