Trip Report: ALASKA. Northbound Hubbard Glacier. Millennium. June 22, 2018.

[martincath]

Thank you!

 

To be clear...Marty has BEEN a tour guide in the past. Where he lived prior to moving to Vancouver. He is not officially a tour guide right now. And absolutely...he has great information, not only because he just does...he can relate what he knows to travelers in a way that is extremely helpful. He's an asset on the forum for sure...in person, he is just that much better!

 

Also...to be clear...we parted ways when he had landed us on the waterfront area in sight of the entrance to the ferry dock. He didn't tour Granville Island with us.

 

There is so much to like about Vancouver! I could easily spend more time there. So much to see and do. I would definitely return to Granville Island.

You're too kind Anita - and yes, I had fun with your bunch! My official guiding days were years ago, back in Toronto, though I do get folks suggesting I start my own tours here in Vancouver quite often. Frankly I enjoy retirement too much to take on even irregular work again, and volunteering keeps me plenty busy except in July/August, but after the success of this ad hoc meetup & minitour I think I could be persuaded to meet up with some other folks now & again - Medina brekkies are very persuasive;-)

 

I misunderstood your plans for Granville Island - I thought it was going to be all about the shopping for you, souvenirs and picnic assembly. If I'd known that wasn't the case I'd have suggested some of the public art installations, houseboats from the dock side, and the empty campus of Emily Carr college - but that would have been even more walking for Mr Bad Knees so perhaps it was for the best after all!

 

>I wonder…should you just call them GEESE when you are in Canada?

We generally refer to them as "those bar-stewards that crap all over the seawall" but after this tweet did the rounds last month the term 'Cobra Chicken' has definitely gained in popularity!!!!

Edited July 11, 2018 by martincath

[Anita Latte]

You're too kind Anita - and yes, I had fun with your bunch! My official guiding days were years ago, back in Toronto, though I do get folks suggesting I start my own tours here in Vancouver quite often. Frankly I enjoy retirement too much to take on even irregular work again, and volunteering keeps me plenty busy except in July/August, but after the success of this ad hoc meetup & minitour I think I could be persuaded to meet up with some other folks now & again - Medina brekkies are very persuasive;-)

 

I misunderstood your plans for Granville Island - I thought it was going to be all about the shopping for you, souvenirs and picnic assembly. If I'd known that wasn't the case I'd have suggested some of the public art installations, houseboats from the dock side, and the empty campus of Emily Carr college - but that would have been even more walking for Mr Bad Knees so perhaps it was for the best after all!

 

>I wonder…should you just call them GEESE when you are in Canada?

We generally refer to them as "those bar-stewards that crap all over the seawall" but after this tweet did the rounds last month the term 'Cobra Chicken' has definitely gained in popularity!!!!

 

Let me be the first to offer my endorsement of the Marty Morning in Vancouver!! I think that's a great idea. I'm sure you know, but it bears putting into words...there's nothing like being able to meet with someone who is local. And when that someone is a friendly and easy to be with as you, Marty, the time together is a great memory.

 

The thing is...that WAS our plans for Granville. But when we saw Bridges...we were ready to eat and sit and enjoy the beautiful day! We were just going with the flow of the day and that was all just lovely. I think DH also thought that having a bit of a sit would be a good thing...but I think he stiffened up during that break rather than feeling rejuvenated...and so the whole walk around and explore was dampened.

 

But we did explore. And we did walk around.

 

I think I'm giving a sadder impression of the day with my narrative...I think I'm making it sound like all we did was look at each other wondering what to do all afternoon, but that wasn't the case at all. We headed for the Public Market and walked all around that.

 

Mom and I were talking earlier today...two things were kind of holding us back from the gathering of yummy tasties to eat later: 1. We weren't hungry, so as appetizing as everything looked, it was hard imagine eating...even knowing that hunger will come again eventually. 2. We didn't want to cart around any purchases.

 

That's what motivated us to leave the market and branch out.

 

As I mentioned, I was really surprised that there wasn't a map or something readily available (there could have been one that I just couldn't find). I didn't have an accurate expectation of what Granville Island was all about. For instance...I was very surprised to see all the road traffic. Somehow, I had in mind that the Island was more of a pedestrian mall type environment...I don't know how or why I had this expectation. I just did. Because I did, I didn't do a tremendous amount of research into what all was around and so I didn't really see anything that would correct that impression.

 

Also, the lack of internet access was a hardship. I learned that I rely more on my phone in the moment than I thought I did. Again, with my impression...I thought there would be readily seen maps or something that would indicate what all was in the area...so I wasn't too concerned with touring preparation or the lack of internet consultation to fuel our on the spot, let's decide what is appealing to do.

 

The look at each in indecision moment was literally one moment, after we had reached the brewery...and from the exterior, the atmosphere wasn't inviting...and when no one really cared about having a beer, it seemed a ridiculous thing to do. And that's when it was like, what else should we do?

 

Coffee gave us a new purpose...and that was all fine and dandy.

 

To add to my first response to the idea of leaving DH and DS at coffee and exploring on our own...probably one reason why the thought of splitting up never crossed our minds was the lack of phone service. It's amazing how much you come to rely on that instant ability to communicate and find people. We were talking about only an hour or so before I thought we needed to head over to Bard so...it wasn't a big deal really.

 

I guess I include this interlude, rather than glossing over it, because I wanted to share how things really unfold when you are finally ON your trip. These are the moments that are really beneficial to read about in a trip report IMO because reading about how someone would improve upon what happened can truly benefit those currently planning.

 

It's helpful for me to even write this rather long response here because I can picture how our touring of Granville Island could have been completely different if I had internet access. There might have been a free WiFi around that I could have logged onto, and likely there was at Bridges. IDK. I'm still of that generation that doesn't just sit and look at their phone all the time...I do use it as a resource...but I had kind of blocked the idea of using it in my mind because I didn't have an international plan.

 

And we couldn't know that DH wasn't going to really benefit from being off his feet for a bit during the meal.

 

In short...were I to go back to Granville Island...I would do a bit more research into what was there. As a planner...and having planned so much for this trip overall...I had thought just getting to Granville Island was a good enough plan...I do try to not micromanage the details to allow us to have flexibility and a bit of discovery when we travel.

 

ALSO...I would find out where the available WiFI would be on the island to help with more on the fly exploration.

 

And OMG!!! Cobra Chicken!!!

 

I hadn't seen that...I'm so glad you shared that.

[Anita Latte]

That pleasant tiredness because you’ve laughed so hard for so long? It feels good. Laughter really is good medicine.

 

We left the play in high spirits and hopes of finding our taxi waiting for us.

 

I had consulted with guest services prior to the performance. I was assured that the manager, or whoever was in charge of such things, calls all the taxi services near the end of the play alerting them to the timing of the evening…therefore, there would be taxis waiting post performance.

 

I expressed concern over the fact that we were a party of 5. Five. FIVE. Would there be a taxi available that could accommodate our party?

 

The lady took my name and said that they would specifically request a larger taxi for us.

 

Thank you very much.

 

We headed toward the street in front of the tents…where a line was forming for taxis that were NO WHERE in sight.

 

We waited.

 

The manager, or whatever his title was, came out to us to say that he HAD called for taxis. And he had called them AGAIN. Hopefully…

 

We watched as a taxi finally came down the road!

A single man on the opposite side of the parking lot flagged that taxi down…effectively cutting to the front of the line…and road off in triumph as we all watched that lone taxi disappear on the deserted backway of Vanier Park.

 

Sigh.

 

The thought of Uber or Lyft came up…but again…no internet service.

 

The solution to the problem was to walk to a main road where we would at least have a chance of flagging down a ride. We delayed giving up on the taxi line and taking matters into our own hands hoping that somehow, magically, taxis would appear and we could save DH from more walking.

 

DH was not complaining. It’s that situation that I’m sure everyone has been party to where someone is having to deal with something unpleasant. They don’t want their own problem to affect the group…meanwhile the group cares about that person and can’t help but be affected a bit…so everyone is making the effort to be accommodating to each other. That’s all.

 

Standing in this line, this is when we would have benefitted from purchasing something at the Public Market. Here we were, hungry again…and facing a late night dining situation.

 

Toyota Prius.

 

Just about every taxi seen is a Toyota Prius.

 

Maximum seating of 4…3 comfortably.

 

We had just reached Cornwall Avenue…we were discussing the need to split up…but we didn’t have the opportunity to discuss because two taxis were suddenly available…and we didn’t want to miss out on these rides.

 

Just like that, suddenly, we three were crossing the road and entering a taxi while Mom and Dad were crossing a different road to enter a different taxi.

 

Bye bye!

 

Oh my!

 

We headed to our hotel.

 

I did try to log onto the available WiFi in the taxi. The ride was so short though…no chance of going through the sign in and acceptance before arriving back at Delta Suites.

 

The bathroom was calling…

 

We had to answer.

 

To our room we went.

 

I was texting Mom and Dad.

 

Meanwhile…Mom and Dad didn’t know our hotel address…I guess there is more than one Delta hotel. So they went to their hotel…from which they immediately decided to walk to our hotel.

 

Only we weren’t in the lobby.

 

Because we were in the potty.

 

They couldn’t log onto the WiFi at our hotel so they walked back to their hotel to get on the WiFi to be able to communicate.

 

Meanwhile…I’m thinking that they might just come to our hotel.

 

So I go back down to the lobby.

 

But they had already left.

 

So now we are texting…Mom from her hotel room and me from the lobby.

 

OMG!!

 

I’m telling you…you rely on those phones…when they are limited…it can be frustrating.

 

We were more hungry than frustrated though. I think that everyone was just rolling with the situation as best we could…

 

I remembered seeing chicken wings on the Late Night Dining menu at Steamworks.

 

SOLD!

 

We all met up at Steamworks for another late night meal.

 

I believe the Late Night Menu is a combination of the Pub Favorites and Pizza sections.

 

Mom and Dad shared a Hawaiian pizza. DH and DS ordered the spicy wings. I ordered the garlic chili wings.

 

Thumbs up again on the food.

 

The spicy wings WERE spicy.

 

We like spicy food. DH and I met in college in Texas…have spent the majority of our adult years living in Texas. We also love other spicy foods…Indian, Thai, etc. We have high heat tolerances.

 

Both DH and DS were feeling the heat from the wings…especially with little else to eat to break from it.

 

If you like spicy…these are great wings!

 

The taps had changed from even the night before…but the Stout was still available. The Pilsner. And the one IPA.

 

We closed the Brew Pub down.

A nice casual, leisurely meal with great conversation fueled by our fun day with Marty, the performance, and talk of embarkation day.

The chairs were ON the tables when we finally left the restaurant.

 

The plan was to meet up at the Sunset Bar after Muster for sailaway.

 

Our mornings were our own for getting to the ship and navigating through the embarkation process.

[Anita Latte]

Mission Sushi.

 

The only thing on DS’ mind on this, our last day in Vancouver.

 

It was make or break time.

 

DS gets an idea. An expectation. Once set, if that expectation isn’t met…

 

Not to say DS isn’t flexible…or high maintenance. He isn’t really.

 

You just have to manage those expectations.

 

And today’s expectation was that he was finally going to get to eat sushi in Vancouver.

 

I wasn’t in a hurry to get on board the ship.

 

Many are. Many seem to want to get onboard as soon as boarding is available. For my part…given our circumstances…that being our pre-cruise DIY Vancouver tour…I was happy to put off getting on board and maximize the land portion of my vacay. We planned to board well before the cut off time…but certainly not any earlier than absolutely necessary.

 

Millennium was the only ship at Canada Place this day. We felt comfortable shooting for a 2 pm arrival to Canada Place.

 

DS understood that his sushi options would be limited to what was readily accessible in the area surrounding the hotel.

 

But first…COFFEE.

 

Or should I say…coffee flavored drinks, at least for me.

 

We have a thing…now that we’ve lived in a downtown area and have had such fun with our local coffee shops. We like to check out the Non-Starbucks downtown options available when we travel.

 

We had passed by Waves many times. Located right across the street.

 

https://wavescoffee.com/style-board/about

 

It’s a local franchise…so not an independent shop…but this location WAS the first one so…

 

They offer Belgium Chocolate Mocha.

 

If you have ever been privileged enough to have a bite of NON-American chocolate…

 

Everyone I have ever met that wasn’t born in the US who first tasted chocolate outside the US despises American chocolate. Can’t. Stand. It.

 

I didn't know until meeting all my lovely Brit lady friends in Georgia.

 

It’s like drinking European wine which doesn’t add Sulfites.

 

You just can’t believe the difference in taste between US purchased wine and wine abroad. Same for chocolate.

 

It’s AMAZING.

 

It’ll BLOW you away.

 

Provided that you like chocolate.

 

Perhaps it would make you LIKE chocolate if you didn’t already.

 

I’ve never had to specify my preferred chocolate when ordering a mocha before.

 

White, milk, or dark?

 

Oooo….DARK, please.

 

DS and I agreed. Best mocha we’ve EVER had.

 

Lattes for breakfast…it was immediately time for lunch.

 

I’ll admit that we did walk back to MoMo Sushi in the hopes of eating at what we had concluded was the recommended sushi place in Gastown. It’s a popular spot though. The wait was long. We opted out of the wait and the time crunch that could put on our morning.

 

DS said he would be well satisfied just going to the place that he had spied across from the hotel.

 

Kita no Donburi.

 

https://kita-no-donburi.com

 

The place was busy…exactly what you want to see. Business was good which boded well for the quality of the meals served.

 

The tables were full but as we were directly across the street from our lovely suite…we ordered take out. A popular option.

 

While waiting, I snapped some photos on the street.

 

The unimpressive entrance to the Delta Suites where taxis pick up and drop off.

 

 

Looking down Hastings Street:

 

 

The Delta Suites is directly across from the Harbour Center. The building responsible for partially blocking my water view. The main floor appears to be a sort of mall. The top floor is a 360-degree platform for viewing Vancouver from an elevation higher than my 23rdfloor hotel suite. It’s called the Vancouver Lookout. Pay for the privilege of the view.

 

http://vancouverlookout.com

 

As seen from my suite around 10:00 PM:

 

 

As seen from the street. The glass building is the Delta Suites Hotel. We were the corner room on the top floor:

 

 

In due course, our take out was ready. We headed back to our suite to lunch with the World Cup.

 

Note…we were taking advantage of DH’s loyalty status with Marriott…being able to have a late 4:00 PM check out.

 

DS was happy with his sushi. DH was happy with his noodle dish. I was happy with my Bibimbap.

 

Overall, a leisurely wake up with lunch for breakfast. DH went down for a luggage cart, asking for a taxi to be called at that time.

 

One last shot from above from the elevator lobby:

 

Right on schedule, we were waiting for a ride to Canada Place. The day was bright under the overcast sky…the darker rainclouds that had sprinkled periodically on the city below had given way to brighter, whiter clouds. The wind was still. The temperature was pleasant.

 

We were headed to the ship.

 

Already it was a great day.

[Anita Latte]

Some final thoughts on the Delta Suites.

 

GREAT location. Very convenient. Good food choices within walking distance. Short rides to many local attractions if walking a couple miles is rough.

 

The queen bedroom suite is well suited for a traveling family with older children. Having a door to create private space in your hotel room is the best.

 

Nice bathroom. The shower only isn’t friendly for younger children that might prefer a tub for bathing…but it was a welcome sight for us. The supplied bath products were shampoo, conditioner, AND bath gel. All were of such quality that I was tempted to take what was left over from our stay.

 

Having a living area made takeout food a viable and pleasant dining option. This can help to lower the cost of dining as you don’t have to tip service for a meal.

 

There is construction happening catty corner to the hotel.

 

The soundproofing of the hotel was good, but we could still hear it. We currently live catty corner to construction, so this isn’t a disturbing sound for us…we have become accustomed to it, so were not bothered. Others may be though, so it’s worth noting and researching if you are. I recall seeing a 2019 date for the grand opening for whatever was being constructed…but my memory needs to be confirmed.

 

The biggest difference in sound between our own downtown and Vancouver’s was the lack of sirens. I don’t recall hearing one. Whereas, at home, we usually hear several daily.

 

I would gladly stay here again.

[Italy52]

Hi Anita, still following and loving your posts. One question for you regarding your hotel: You mentioned your husband has loyalty status with Marriott. Do you know if the Delta Suites has a Concierge Lounge? I know Marriott Pinnacle does, just didn't know if the DS did.

[Anita Latte]

Hi Anita, still following and loving your posts. One question for you regarding your hotel: You mentioned your husband has loyalty status with Marriott. Do you know if the Delta Suites has a Concierge Lounge? I know Marriott Pinnacle does, just didn't know if the DS did.

 

Thank you. I appreciate the feedback!

 

The Delta Suites does not have a lounge. Because it didn't, we were offered the option for two breakfast vouchers per night OR earning however many points per night for our stay as compensation when we checked in. Because we had plans for Medina for breakfast, we opted to earn points while staying on points.

 

Also, to correct myself, I said a Queen Suite but I should have said KING suite. DH and I sleep on a king at home so it's a bit of a downgrade on vacation to sleep on a smaller bed.

[Italy52]

Thank you. I appreciate the feedback!

 

The Delta Suites does not have a lounge. Because it didn't, we were offered the option for two breakfast vouchers per night OR earning however many points per night for our stay as compensation when we checked in. Because we had plans for Medina for breakfast, we opted to earn points while staying on points.

 

Also, to correct myself, I said a Queen Suite but I should have said KING suite. DH and I sleep on a king at home so it's a bit of a downgrade on vacation to sleep on a smaller bed.

 

Thanks, Anita. Good information for us just in case we can't get into the Marriott Pinnacle during future visits.

[martincath]

ALSO...I would find out where the available WiFI would be on the island to help with more on the fly exploration.

I must not have mentioned the city-wide free WiFi network to you - for next time around, you can find details of the many, many hotspots here. There's a little booth with visitor info - actually staffed by real people, as well as having maps to grab during unmanned hours - but it's at the road entrance to the 'island' rather than near the boat docks, just where the road splits into two so very easily spotted when driving or walking in.

 

Traffic congestion on GI is so bad that this year they brought in some pretty hefty fees to be allowed to bring tour buses onto GI - since every tour company except the HOHO has been stopping at the exact same spot for years and dumping tons of people about the same time of day without any attempt to 'spread the love' by mixing up their routes.

 

 

Charging them was deemed the only way to get them to pay attention to the problems they're causing - all the tour companies complained that it was done with short notice so their prices were already set for the season - to which I say 'Good Job by CMHC' as this way it actually hurts the companies, instead of allowing them all to just jack up their tour prices and pass the fee on to the consumers! Hopefully there will now be an actual discussion, and some sensible 'off peak' fee reductions to spread the load for future years rather than all tours going up in price and nothing changing for the 2019 season...

 

 

NB: it's always much quieter by the afternoon as both Pre and Post-cruise buses are long gone, and they're the worst offenders as both sets run approx 9am-1pm, whereas at least the multi-day coach tour folks tend to arrive in the city later in the day and so do their tours in the afternoon. Had your original timing worked out, and I sent you right to the ferry instead of walking around, you'd have found it much harder to move around inside the Public Market especially!

[Member123]

Meanwhile... back at the Auberge Hotel...

 

http://www.aubergevancouver.com

 

We've been in Vancouver quite a number of times and have always enjoyed Sutton Place Hotel (which I highly recommend). We had other priorities for this visit, however, as you can readily surmise in reading Anita's Trip Report. We wanted to be within walking distance of whatever hotel was chosen by them. Of course, ideally, we would have preferred to be at the same hotel, but the conflict of using points for accommodations and paying out of pocket necessitated a different booking.

 

I thought I'd help readers of Anita's report to give some information on the Auberge, as well. I will preface these comments by saying that we didn't really take advantage of any of the hotel's amenities and, to be quite honest, we would consider staying there again for one night, but wouldn't want to occupy for a more lengthy visit to Vancouver. Just a personal preference.

 

PRO for the Auberge is its location. Really a wonderful location. We took the SkyTrain from the Vancouver airport. The station that is closest to the Auberge is at the end of the line, Waterfront Station. It's then a 2-minute walk to the hotel. Could not be easier.

 

The Auberge is a hotel within a residence, I believe. When you enter the elevator you have dual exit opportunities. If you hit the buttons on one side, you'll have access to hotel rooms, but if you hit the buttons on the other side, you'll enter residence access. Secured with the access key, so the floors are only available to screened people. There's a breakfast room on the Fourth Floor; it's Continental with a bowl of hard-boiled eggs, so only something that is a nibble and not a fortifying breakfast. The room came with a bar area that had a refrigerator, microwave, coffee pod maker, sink. I can't recall the type of coffee maker because I didn't have water that I would have used to make a cup, so I didn't actually use the machine.

 

It's situated across the street from Starbucks. There's a Murchies Tea Shop next door. As an aside: I was SO excited to see the Murchies sign as my latest stop at Murchies was in Victoria and OMG the pastries! Sadly (for me) this is a tea retail shop, only. But, if you're a tea fan, you owe it to yourself to stop into this store and pick up some tea to sample at home. It's wonderful, wonderful tea.

 

There are many, many more restaurants available than the Steamworks that we frequented twice! LOL. It was just fabulous that we had access to a tasty menu with tasty beer at such late night hours, I have to say. But, for the sake of discussion, there are quite a number of recommended restaurants in the Waterfront area.

 

And, for us... on embarkation day. Our checkout time was 11:00am. We just went to Starbucks for a simple breakfast of latte, hot chocolate, and a few pastries before heading to the ship. That was a matter of exiting the lobby area, turning left and making a left at the corner a few paces away. Walking to the pier took us 10 minutes, tops.

 

Edited to Add: And, of course, it solved the desire to get within walking distance to the Delta Suites. There was quite a bit of walking FROM the Auberge Hotel TO the Delta Suites. I don't think our family even saw the Auberge lobby! And, I also wanted to add that there was security at the hotel for after hours, as we came back really late a number of times. You had to insert your key card into a slot by the side entrance door and push a buzzer to alert security; when they saw you, they would buzz you in.

Edited July 12, 2018 by Member123
Lack of coffee

[Anita Latte]

@Karen...I'm happy to help.

@Marty...thank YOU for all that info!

 

@Member123...MOM!! Please add to this report as you see fit. Information sharing is what this is all about!

[Anita Latte]

Waiting for a taxi…

 

A Delta Suites employee was with us. Passing the time engaged in conversation, we still noticed another guest exit the hotel and stand off to the other side…where a taxi pulled up and she hopped in.

 

No big.

 

The employee made sure that another taxi was on its way…we usually allow for what we call the “margin of error”…padding our travel times…which ultimately reduces the stress of travel.

 

When our Toyota Prius arrived…and I can’t stress this enough…IF you are taxi bound for your luggage…be prepared for the limited luggage capacity of these taxis. We attempted to load the taxi as we had from the airport. IDK if I missed how our previous taxi driver adjusted his vehicle to accommodate our luggage? THIS taxi needed to pop the back seats out of their locked and somewhat leaned back position to allow our duffle bags to fit side by side by side across the bottom of the trunk area.

 

The back seats felt normal when DS and I entered them. DH sat in the front again. All the smaller carry on type items and personal items were in the cab with us as before.

 

The ride to Canada Place was extremely short. The fare around $5.

 

Entering the port area, the taxi drove into what appeared to be an underground garage. There was a clear area where the taxis could back up where porters were waiting with luggage carts to take our baggage off our hands. We “checked” our three duffle bags, the red roller bag carry on, and my Motherlode backpack.

 

I had waited until nearly the last minute to do the online check in. So no luggage tags received prior to leaving. They were waiting in the mail after we arrived home from our vacation. I had printed out three of the luggage tag graphics, knowing that we would hand off the three duffle bags. The porter created two more tags for us…and he attached and stapled all the tags for us. I didn’t have anything on the luggage prior to going to Canada Place.

 

It’s worth noting that there was one other shuttle style van at this drop off. As our taxi departed, another taxi arrived. Several porters were at the ready. There was NO CROWD.

 

Walking into the actual building, we were the only passengers there.

 

With Millennium being the only ship in port this day…arriving later in the day so that we were among the very, very FEW passengers going through check in…the whole process was very, very clear. I had read about all the back and forth that is Canada Place…it all makes perfect sense.

 

First, you head up the escalators to the Celebrity check in area. The way is outlined with those temporary path boundaries found in any adjustable queue. In other words, the wrong way is blocked off…the only way you can go is the way to go. Follow along.

 

There is a bathroom directly across from the Celebrity check in room.

 

Check in.

 

There was perhaps one party at each available counter check in station. We weren’t the only passengers in the room, but the room felt EMPTY. Maybe there was one party waiting in the line to be called forward.

 

We are low, low, low on the totem pole of priority with Celebrity…we headed to the line furthest from the door, snaked through the empty queue, and walked directly up to a check in person with no wait at all.

 

Having proved that it was now necessary to go through immigration…follow the directions to exit the building…back track along the outside of the building…there are still the markers designating the path!...reenter the building and head back down the escalators to go to immigration.

 

Which was basically empty again with maybe one party per immigration officer.

 

Now you can board the ship.

 

It was all very clear…especially as so few others were there to confuse the issue.

 

Present your Sea Pass card for the first time…

 

Here that sound that heralds the beginning of the cruise!

 

Receive a glass of pink bubbly…

 

And decide what you want to do now.

 

Knowing that the cabins should have been available as of 1:00 PM…we headed straight to our stateroom…9000…to drop off our carry-ons and possibly meet our steward.

 

9000.

 

At the risk of repeating myself from earlier in this thread…this is FORWARD Oceanview Stateroom. I believe an OV4. The maximum occupancy is 3. It is over oversized. It is the LAST cabin on the outside of the ship before crew enter the bridge.

 

It’s as far forward as you can get.

 

I scoped it out on this very handy site…if you are not familiar.

 

https://www.cruisedeckplans.com/DP/deckplans/deckbydeck.php?ship=Celebrity-Millennium&deck=9

 

You have to be a member to be able to click on the photo icons on the deck plan…HOWEVER…if you enlarge the menu on the right side of the page…in one of the gray boxes…”Cabin Pictures”….you can select the staterooms by number to see what other passengers have uploaded.

 

What I appreciate about this site, as far as Celebrity ships are concerned…is that they will list ALL the M-class staterooms when you select ANY M-class ship. It’s interesting because you can see the different décor on the different ships…and also see, as is the case with 9000…how the furnishings are NOT the same ship to ship.

 

I’m pleased to report that the photos on that site for 9000 were accurate. The only difference being that one sofa table was not in our room. It could be that it was removed in advance of the need for that space for the sofa bed solely for our sailing and our party. OR…it’s just now gone altogether for who knows why.

 

Even as I documented the room…I wondered why to bother doing so knowing that Millenium would go into dry dock early next year IIRC…but I did anyway.

 

The room is especially deep. What would be veranda space for every other stateroom on this deck was interior space for this cabin.

 

There is an oversized chair…like a 1.5 seater…the bed configuration with night stands on either side…and a two cushion loveseat nearest the window. The seating area with the bigger loveseat is typical with the sofa table, the desk and desk chair.

 

The porthole is large. It’s covered for the purposes of these pictures, but the circle is as large as the square area for the window. There is a sort of window box created on the stateroom side…with what could be described as a window sill forming a recessed area where you could store things like…Hiking boots…and the wall forming the recess was very handy for airing out things like…Smartwool socks.

 

 

It’s been awhile since our last Celebrity sailing…but I think 4 panels of mirror is one more than is typical in a standard sized stateroom.

 

 

Not quite comfortable for two…not quite comfortable for one to lay prone on…the oversized chair:

 

 

The larger loveseat…more comfortable for stretching out on…

 

 

The desk and chair.

 

[Anita Latte]

For the benefit of anyone who hasn’t sailed on Celebrity…the storage situation.

 

Entering the stateroom, the bathroom door is on the right side. On the left side is the closet, accessible by three doors.

 

There is a corner unit where the TV sits above an open shelf and a cabinet which holds the fridge (or cooler, I’ve heard it called) and a single drawer. Note…this drawer inside the lower cabinet and the shelf above are HEATED from the workings of the fridge. DS had clothing items in here and they always felt like they were fresh out of the dryer.

 

Above the TV is a two-shelf cabinet. It’s deep and hard to reach.

 

 

The closet doors nearest the entry door both open into the hanging closet space. I was very surprised to see the two robes. I had thought that robes were a perk of concierge or aqua. I reasoned that they were included here because the majority of the staterooms on Deck 9 ARE concierge or aqua class rooms.

 

 

The other closet door has shelving above with the room safe and the supplied hair dryer:

 

 

And drawers below:

 

 

It’s worth noting that there is a shelf above the closet cabinet. On one side, the lifevests are stored…and the rest of the shelf is available for storage. We found two shirts a previous passenger had left behind up there.

[Anita Latte]

There is also a huge amount of storage under the bed, as almost the entirety of that under bed space is open. We also found a bag left behind there from a previous passenger. We found it when double checking the stateroom before debarking.

 

The nightstands each have two drawers. I think there may be a Bible and a Book of Mormon contained therein…but otherwise, these are also available:

 

 

The desk also has hidden storage. A rather odd shape, but we found it to be very handy for shoes.

 

 

Outlets are limited in these staterooms. The only outlets in the room are by the desk. None in the bathroom.

 

[Anita Latte]

The bathroom is efficient. In real estate speak…COZY.

 

 

Once you cruise, you get used to the fact that the light is outside the bathroom AND you have to step over the threshold. There is a night light in the bathroom…very helpful for nocturnal bathroom visits to not disturb the room with a blast of light.

 

There is plenty of lower storage:

 

 

And some upper shelf storage. We simply remove the Evian bottles to the desk. And we also use the cups for storage:

 

 

The best thing about the shower is that I’ve never not had hot water…never run out of hot water. To get to the really hot water…it could burn you, literally…you press a button to be able to turn the dial further in the direction of hot.

 

Two small shelves in the shower. And a clothes line.

 

 

The back of the bathroom door has four hooks that resemble drawer pulls more than hooks. They work best with thin straps…a nightgown…a cami…belt loops. There are also two two-pronged hooks on the corner cabinet, one on either side. In the picture, my purple raincoat and DS’ blue raincoat are hanging on those hooks.

 

Here I have pictured how DS and I dress when we are both in the room. You keep the shelf/drawer closet door open…and also the bathroom door open. You will likely have the other closet doors open as well to have access to the clothes that you are changing into. Two closet doors kind of sandwich the bathroom door. It all forms a bit of a dressing room. A bit cramped…but effective for creating visual privacy:

 

 

This is especially handy because dressing in the bathroom after showers is rough business. The bathroom is so steamy…you need to come out and cool off and completely dry off a bit before getting dressed.

 

Sometimes, we leave the person primping in the stateroom alone. Sometimes, if it isn’t shower time, the bathroom is used. Sometimes, DS is still sleeping and I just dress modestly in the dark…using techniques mastered from years ago in junior and high schools. Just wanted to SHOW the one option.

 

All the initial picture taking completed…it was time to head to Café Bacio…also dubbed Latte Land on previous sailings…one of our favorite places to hang out.

[Anita Latte]

I interrupt this Trip Report with this singular post.

 

I had really hoped that our travels to Alaska would reignite that spark that motivated DH and myself to get back into the outdoors.

 

When we moved to North Carolina last summer...the outdoors opportunities seemed near. Not too far to the mountains OR the ocean! And plenty of places in between to enjoy. DH and I purchased kayaks for ourselves for our 20th wedding anniversary last year. We relocated here with high hopes of becoming the outdoorsy people we like to think we are and have been in the past.

 

DH and I have spent the past two days kayaking! We finally got out to this one lake that I've been wanting to check out. On the second day...we even bought our fishing licenses and some bass lures to be able to drop in a few lines.

 

That's why I haven't updated this thread in two days.

 

I'm feeling so good right now because Alaska wasn't just a stunning place to visit and experience...I'm believing that the spirit of Alaska came home with us and we can continue to let that adventure to the Last Frontier influence our lives here in the lower 48.

 

I share this so that you will know that I will finish this trip report. I may have a day or two where I choose to take a break from the computer...but I WILL return.

[Anita Latte]

Ahhhh. Café al Bacio.

 

One of my favorite places to hang out.

 

If you like to sit and enjoy your coffee flavored drink with a view…the yellow wing back chairs in the large bay window are an ideal oasis outside the traffic pattern to sit and sip and be serviced. The nicest, most friendly service can be found at Bacio.

 

They will find you! Even if you can’t see service anywhere. Sit. Relax. Your latte arrives in a ceramic cup. On a saucer. With a bit of biscotti.

 

I usually end up with a flavor of the sailing. This sailing was caramel. One almond milk latte with caramel. DH was ordering cappuccinos. DS was ordering double espressos.

 

 

I never pictured DS’ double espresso…but it is quite a production. You receive your own mini tray with an espresso sized-cup and saucer, with a juice glass…or extra-large shot glass…of plain water, the little bowl with sweet additive packets, and the biscotti.

 

We had snagged a grouping of the large yellow wing back chairs by the window…poor DS sitting on that hard, not comfy at all, straight-backed chair…enjoying the very easy to enjoy mellow sounds of Two In A Boat, the acoustic duo…

 

 

 

Time Stamp. When I take a photo…such as the previous one of Two In A Boat…for the sole purpose of bookmarking my day. Similar to the accordion player at the ferry dock. More practice with my zoom! This is my better journalling methodology.

 

I try to maintain a travel diary. It's a struggle to spend my precious vacation time reliving the time when I just want to live and live and live IN the time. Early mornings. Late nights. When to do it? I have had more success with Time Stamps. I recreate the trip at home, when I really DO want to relive my time away.

 

Lo and behold…Mom and Dad arrive.

 

We had arranged to meet at the Sunset bar after muster…but it’s no surprise that we should cross paths here in Latte Land…as we all have our favorites here.

 

Dad is the one NON-coffee drinker in the bunch. He prefers hot chocolate…also available at Bacio…and anything sweet…available in ABUNDANCE at Bacio.

 

We adjusted our seating to be more large party appropriate…retiring the highly coveted yellow window chairs for the bench seating.

 

Mom and DS…

 

 

Dad and myself…

 

 

Note to self…purchase non-whitening sunscreen for face…

 

It had been hours…HOURS I tell you!...since DS had eaten that sushi. It was time to scope out the Oceanview Café…what Mom and Dad affectionately call Pigout Palace…otherwise known around the forum as the Buffet.

[Anita Latte]

Ahhh. The Sunset Bar.

 

Another favorite place.

 

Bacio is my favorite inside place. Sunset Bar my favorite outside place.

 

My only beef with the Sunset Bar is that it is one of the few areas on the ship where smoking is allowed. I especially like to dine al fresco…so that can be bothersome. I didn’t notice much smoke on this particular sailing.

 

We did grab a table on the non-smoking side.

 

DS grabbed some food.

 

We grabbed some adult libation.

 

Available beverages are always a point of interest. The changes in pricing to the premium beverage package raised some concerns in our household regarding what whiskies would be available on board.

 

DH likes his whisky. And his bourbon.

 

We were thrilled to see Laophroaig at the Sunset Bar! For no additional charge with the Premium Package.

 

Now the frustrating thing about Millennium…and most cruises that I have sailed…is that not every bar is stocked with every wine, beer or liquor available on the ship. You may have to continually seek out your beverage of choice. OR…you will need to speak up and ask for your preferred beverage to be available in your preferred venue.

 

We learned the asking about part later in Rendezvous.

 

Rendezvous is where we have previously found Fuller’s London Pride. We found it there it again. However…on our second venture to Rendezvous, we learned that Cellar Masters is where Fuller’s was stored. Service high tailed it up there on our behalf…but the bartender said that there was one passenger in particular that had requested it to be stocked in Rendezvous because he frequented that particular bar. Why we found it there earlier. So the beer run upstairs was not only for our benefit.

 

Mom and Dad had a favorite wine in Cellar Masters. They were often in Cellar Masters so they didn’t request it to be anywhere else…but they would make wine runs to Cellar Masters all throughout the sailing.

 

This time at the Sunset Bar was no exception.

 

Meanwhile…I was happy to finally taste an Alaskan Brewing Company brew!

 

 

Thumbs up on the Freeride Pale Ale!

 

I admit that I have seen Alaskan Brewing Company available is stores somewhere…whether in my new locale or on one of many roadtrips that we’ve recently taken…but I abstained from the purchase so I could first taste it on this cruise.

 

I hadn’t thought I was really hungry…but seeing DS eat…and passing by the offerrings on a necessary run…I opted for a happy hour appropriate snack before muster. I doctored up some of the guacamole with more tomatoes and jalapenos from the taco bar. Grabbed a handful of tortilla chips…add the ocean view...my crew and my brew…

 

Glorious.

 

Be warned. The ship basically shuts down at muster. During previous muster drills…I also recall not being able to keep my cocktail.

 

Muster was approaching.

 

3:45 PM.

 

We were located in the Theater. Check in at the Deck 5 entrance. Enter theater and search for seat. Crew directed flow so that most everyone had a seat during the drill.

 

I praise God with my whole heart that the horrible wash your hands video had no audio. Stupid, catchy, annoying, stick in your head song…

 

Don’t think about it!

 

Muster was painless. Sit. Wait. Listen.

 

You hear the sound that you hope to never hear again while sailing.

 

We were asked to exit the theater in an orderly fashion. As if we had all assembled and were now being escorted to the lifeboats. Everyone’s chance to prove that they had graduated from Kindergarten and could wait their turn to exit their row.

 

We were to meet up again at the Sunset Bar for Sailaway after stopping at our cabin to see if luggage had arrived.

[Anita Latte]

My only beef with the Sunset Bar is that it is one of the few areas on the ship where smoking is allowed. I especially like to dine al fresco…so that can be bothersome. I didn’t notice much smoke on this particular sailing.

 

I'm correcting myself. Mom called my attention to the fact that there is no longer smoking allowed at the Sunset Bar.

 

No wonder I didn't notice it!

[Anita Latte]

It’s a happy moment when you see your luggage.

 

Like the last puzzle piece…all things are in place. Nothing more to worry about.

 

We didn’t waste longer than the time absolutely necessary to locate all our bags and get them into our room before heading back up to the Sunset Bar.

 

There was plenty of seating available. We had beat the crowd…not that any crowd developed here later.

 

DS didn’t last long…he wasn’t enthused about Sailaway. Bed was calling his name. Naptime.

 

Mom and Dad, DH and I stayed. And enjoyed.

 

DH tried the Alaskan Brew. Mom and Dad had their wine.

 

 

Looking at the sky line…seeing the expanse of Stanley Park…brings home how little you can see of a city in such a short time.

 

 

The Lions Gate Bridge is a feature of Sailaway from Vancouver.

 

I’ve read that the ship clearance is 200 feet. Millennium is said to have an air draft of 180 feet. Air draft being the height of the ship at the tallest point above the water.

 

One fall break, we cruised on Carnival’s Fascination out of Jacksonville…another instance where a bridge has JUST ENOUGH clearance for a ship. We found the tallest uncovered area on the Fascination opposite the tallest point on the ship…just to see how close that clearance was.

 

It’s a fun thing to do if you never have…but having done that…I had no urge to witness that moment…it was enough to pass under the bridge where we were:

 

 

I don’t know the history…the maritime tradition…but people wave at ships as they sail away. Lions Gate Bridge is a good wave spot.

 

[Anita Latte]

Time passes. Finally, the span of the bridge in one shot!

 

 

The bridge is also the perfect point of reference for watching Vancouver shrink from view. I would periodically bounce up from our table to snap a few photos.

 

 

The shoreline becomes more rugged and less urban.

 

 

 

 

We were in the shade…as the evening progressed and we lost the sun…we all donned a layer with long sleeves. Layers! Pack layers!

 

DH was still wearing shorts. While we know it is acceptable to wear shorts in the MDR on the first night, DH opted to change into pants for dinner…if only to spare the crew from the discomfort of having to educate a passenger as to proper dining room attire for future nights.

 

We agreed to meet for a later dinner.

 

DS had been dosing and watching World Cup.

 

A bit of a relax and then we headed to Deck 4, where the check in was for Select Dining.

 

Even with the later hour…or perhaps because of the later hour…we still had just a bit of a wait for dinner. Presto Strings…a modern string duo…was playing in Cellar Masters. We headed up there with a buzzer.

 

It wasn’t a long wait.

 

We were seated at a round 6-top table.

 

I must admit. Dinner for a party of 5 is really annoying. The sixth setting is removed from the table…but oh, how I wish they could also remove the chair. It creates an odd dynamic around the table with that empty spot between two all the time.

 

I’m somewhat used to the oddness because a party of 3 is little better at many 4-tops.

 

Regardless. It still bugs me. But I get why they don’t.

 

On one of our first sailings…DS was trying to decide between two dishes. It was a real dilemma. Dad offered great Grandpa advice. “Why not get both?”

 

Why not, indeed?

 

Now it seems to be a tradition…get two.

 

At least in the appetizer department.

 

Most of our party does. I think it’s because we all happen to enjoy a good salad. I also love soup. But a hot appetizer is more appealing.

 

Why decide indeed? We usually end up ordering a salad (or a soup) and a more complicated, less likely to be eaten at home type of starter.

 

For DS…he will ALWAYS order escargot. He first had it on a cruise ship. He associates it with cruise ships. He knows it’s not a dish he will likely EVER be served at home. And so…standing order…escargot plus something else.

 

I sometimes have a hard time with restaurant food. Like I mentioned…I can cook. Without boasting, I am KNOWN for cooking. When I order food…I generally try to order something beyond my normal budget. Something complicated…even if I could prepare it…I wouldn’t take the time to prepare it. Or something simply beyond my skill.

 

I didn’t follow my own guidelines tonight…I made a poor choice.

 

For loving soup…I ordered the mushroom. The flavor was fine but it was a bit thin. The one I had on Allure at Chops was superior.

 

For salad…I ordered a beet, citrus, feta cheese and arugula salad. It was fine, but I would have enjoyed more feta.

 

For entrees…I wanted spicy…so I took a chance on the jerk chicken. It wasn’t spicy at all. I wouldn’t even call it jerk chicken. It was seasoned? I received an entire half of chicken. The dark meat was juicy. The white meat was very dry.

 

I don’t have a huge sweet tooth…I had guava sorbet for dessert. Can’t go wrong with sorbet.

 

It’s been a long time since I have eaten on the main floor of the dining room. We’ve always chosen select on Celebrity…previously on Deck 5. Dining on Deck 4 is much louder than I recall the MDR being.

 

Service was friendly. But slow.

 

Overall…I would say that my entrée was a poor choice. The saving grace was that I wasn’t tempted to eat the whole thing.

 

Mom also ordered the jerk chicken. She agreed that the spice was lame.

 

Where I wanted spicy…DH wanted steak. Our server tried to steer him to the Prime Rib…but DH wanted a grilled steak…he was in a mood to not be told what to order. He ordered the steak off the everyday classics…ALSO a poor choice.

 

That is the thinnest, saddest piece of beef.

 

Dad ordered the salmon on the classic menu…which was fine, but nothing special.

 

DS ordered the Prime Rib…the clear winner at the table.

 

I learned that I should have stuck with my general guidelines. I have never cooked Prime Rib, will likely never cook Prime Rib…so I should have ordered the Prime Rib…forget being in the mood for spicy…when you make something so well at home…the restaurant will not live up to your own standard.

 

DH learned to listen to service when they try to steer you away from your order.

 

Now we needed to learn what all was happening on the ship…because we weren’t quite ready for bed yet.

 

Who had the daily?

[JBSteelerfan]

We have learned over the years, that the servers recommendations are usually the best options!

[Anita Latte]

We have learned over the years, that the servers recommendations are usually the best options!

 

It's true! Confirmed later on this sailing!

[Anita Latte]

DS is usually the keeper of the Daily for we three.

Find the pdf of today's Daily here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rjlCXIDg52YhxM88ZWHzy_NbF2ub2Zyv/view?usp=sharing

 

I haven’t tried using google drive to share anything on the forum yet…so let me know if there are issues! I have ALL the Dailies and will be posting them. If there is a better way to share these pdfs…please advise!

 

Dinner had taken a while.

 

I don’t wear a watch…so I didn’t note when dinner started exactly. It had to be between 7:45 and 8:30 PM, based on the set time for the string duo. We were in Cellar Masters when they set up. They had played a handful of songs when we left to be seated.

 

Dinner complete…Silent Disco at 9:45 PM was either about to begin or had just begun.

 

Definitely a 90+ minute dinner service…but less than 2 hours.

 

It was late…but I was excited for Silent Disco!

 

Mom and Dad have talked about Silent Disco so many times, but I have never participated before.

 

So. Much. Fun.

 

Our Silent Disco was in the Cosmos Lounge.

 

These days...I only get to dance on a cruise ship!

 

Several years ago now, I was a Zumba instructor.

 

Prior to my 40th birthday…not only was I motivated for health and fitness…but also I had the time and ability to dedicate to finding something…ANYTHING…that I could enjoy enough to consistently do. I had a goal associated with my milestone birthday. We were in the Houston area…so not too much in the way of hiking was available to me. I love to dance…so when I found Zumba…I had found “my thing.”

 

I gifted myself with the instructor training for my 39th birthday…and then I started teaching my own classes.

 

I really love to dance!

 

Fast forward to moving to Georgia…knee injury…and I no longer teach, let alone attend Zumba classes…

 

I miss it.

 

Anyway…I get excited to dance on the cruise ships!

 

Silent Disco is the best dancing. People seem freer to move however they move… Sometimes you are in sync with the majority…but by and large…the dance floor is moving to a variety of rhythms…you can’t tell who is really on the beat…no one is a stand out because EVERYONE is standing out, so to speak.

 

For Silent Disco…everyone is wearing headphones. Pretty comfortable, completely cover your ears style headphones. Three different channels available, with each channel dedicated to a genre of music. Red, green or blue lights indicate which channel everyone is listening to.

 

 

IIRC…Blue was oldies…or classics? These were fun songs but for some reason…the channel would crackle on my headset. That classic not quite in tune radio sound OR that background sound from an LP…either way…pretty annoying in the ears.

 

I never stayed long on blue.

 

Green had more current songs. I think the DJ was working the green channel…

 

Red had more club/Latin/Zumba like songs!!!

 

People will sing out loud…

 

Or yell.

 

Or shout.

 

Or clap their hands….clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap…

 

If you aren’t on the channel…and you see the booty shaking going on…and you want to join in on the Wobble…change your channel.

 

Just like that.

 

Bad song.

 

Change the channel.

 

My guys don’t dance…but that’s okay. Sometimes DH or DS would hear a great song and wave and indicate that I should join in. Good times.

 

We shut down the disco!

 

Which meant that we were still awake at 11:30 PM.

 

Time to call it a night.

 

Mom and Dad headed off to their room…

 

My guys were interested in some snacks…

 

I mean. Dinner was HOURS ago…

 

Oh my.

 

We headed across the ship to the Buffet to check out the late night offerings.

[Anita Latte]

I wasn’t hungry…nor was I interested in any snack.

 

But...FRESH pizza....

 

Starboard side…aft buffet. There is an isolated station. Distinguished by the fact that food can be cooked and/or prepared right there behind the buffet front.

 

In the morning hours…the Breakfast Buffet time slot, usually ending at 10:00 AM…this station offers Poached Eggs. You could also call it an Eggs Benedict station…because you can order a variety of Benedicts here. They will be prepared at your request.

 

From 12 noon to 1:00 AM…this is the pizza station.

 

Pizzas are continually made fresh as demand dictates. Usually a cheese and a pepperoni were offered along with two other specialties that changed daily.

 

After Silent Disco late night is a higher demand time…pizzas were hot from the oven…oooeeyy and goooeeeyy with melted cheese stretching with each separated slice. The pizza is a thinner crust but not too crispy…a pretty good offering for a late night snack. Not quite as filling as a thicker crust would be...

YUM. I had a bite...

Back to the OTHER side of the ship AGAIN to go “home” for the night.

 

A big disappointment was awaiting us in our room…

 

DS’ bed had been made.

 

OMG. I had no idea that the sofa bed would be so NARROW. You couldn’t call it a twin…I would dub it a SINGLE bed. DS’ has a camping cot that is wider…

 

The mattress was also exceptionally SHORT.

 

I didn’t recall the sofa beds being so short. My guess is that the double sofa beds allowed for a bit of diagonal sleeping that allowed for the shorter mattress to be less noticeable…more workable…

 

But this bed was truly awful.

 

I will fast forward here to the request for a resolution on the following day.

 

Silly me…it’s been so long since I have cruised…and I don’t travel that often. I thought to go to Guest Services before I ever thought to ask our steward for help. That was the first question Guest Services asked me. Did I talk to my steward?

 

Oh my. I didn’t even think of that…

 

Guest Services said they would talk to Andi to see what could be done.

 

Andi, our Steward, rigged the bed as best he could…engineering an acceptable solution. He dragged the mattress to cover the gap and the metal bar at the foot of the bed…shoving pillows into the head space…thereby increasing the sleepable space…making it the length of a normal bed.

 

 

You had to be careful if you rolled over…

 

I think it was rough sleeping for DS…but he didn’t complain.

 

Major KUDOS to Andi for finding a workable solution. I was seriously considering how we could put our sleeping pads and sleeping bags to use for DS if we couldn’t make it work…

 

That said…I do NOT recommend this stateroom for 3 adults…or 3 adult sized peoples. If the third person would be comfortable sleeping on a bed that is slightly narrower than a standard sized pillow…and less than 6’ long (when I laid down on the bed…if I put my head to the very edge of the top of the mattress…my feet barely stayed on the mattress)…then go for the room.

 

Two people? Especially two friends? And you want to separate the main bed? IDEAL room.

 

Good for a couple too…

 

But thumbs down for a normal capacity of 3.

 

Enchantment of the Seas OV is STILL the winning room for 3 in the cruise ship wars…

 

I will add here…

 

It’s time to replace the mattresses on Millennium. I hope that is a part of the dry dock next year…because our bed was uncomfortable. We could have requested a mattress pad…I believe…but we didn’t. It wasn’t THAT bad…too firm is better than too soft…but the bed was really hard. It had lost the spring in its step...

 

Continuing the critique…the only other problem we had with the room wasn’t noticed until the second to last night when we really wanted the air conditioning to work better than it had been. We had the setting cranked to cold but it was NOT cold.

 

This time I did talk to Andi first and he had maintenance fixing it within a couple hours.

Meanwhile...back on embarkation night...

We didn’t set our alarms.

 

Tomorrow was a Sea Day.

 

No reason to wake up at any other time than when we would naturally.