Millennium needs to be dry docked!!!

[charlotte5]

I've read the recent posting by TOS about their Millennium cruise and absolutely agree with many of the points made about the ship. We are by no means difficult or picky travelers, but when you book a "Premier" cruise , which we thought we had (based on Celebrity's promotional brochures and Conde Nast Traveler's recent top cruise issue), you expect a higher level of service than the average cruise. I was amazed to see the number of people who actually disagreed with the TOS review! It made me realize that cruise industry passengers must have different standards than the rest of the travel (and hospitality) industrry. Based on the subpar standards of our recent cruise on Celebrity Millennium, I've written a letter to the president of Celebrity as well as the editor of Conde Nast to dispute the ranking of Millennium as a premier ship and outline some of the problems our fellow passengers experienced recently. While I expected the ship would be run down (based on internet reviews after I booked the cruise), I did not expect it to be in the condition it was in. We travel frequently and stay in 4 or 5 star resorts and hotels -- our expectations are high but reasonable. Had I payed for and expected a lower ranked ship, I would not have been surprised. However, when we pay for a Ritz and expect more than the average Marriott (which was better than this ship!), so too did we expect the Millennium to rise above the competition, at least in service. There was little that was "premier" about the ship (perhaps the aqua spa pool) -- here are just a few observations, and I beg to differ with those who believe that people who look for problems find them -- these problems were unavoidable!

 

* Tar repairs around pool deck which stained many passengers' bathing suits

* Sewage smell throughout ship on various days, especially in Aqua Spa

area (one employee told me this was very common and they asked her to run the shower whenever the smell occurred!)

*Closed and broken playground equipement for entire cruise (not important unless you have a child on the busiest week of the year for families)

* Rusted, peeling railing on private balcony -- we booked a family suite and hosted a small gathering for our tablemates during the cruise and they commented on the subpar condition of the room and railings during the party -- not the best PR for Celebrity

* Indifferent service throughout cruise -- our stateroom steward, maitre'd, waiter and others on RCI and Disney were far above those on Celebrity!

* Average food -- certainly nothing more than we received on any other shipped we sailed (none of them being Celebrity!)

 

While I'm sure I could add to this list, I have a feeling that many cruisers on this ship will say they encountered none of these problems. Maybe some of their staterooms have been renovated and others, such as the family oceanview suites at the aft of the ship with 300 sq. foot balconies (which we booked) were not -- I find that hard to believe, but then again, nothing would surprise me. I was not expecting luxury ( I went to The Breakers in Palm Beach the week before for that), but I certainly hope that cruisers don't have such lax standards that the industry takes them for granted! Reading the posts, I'm beginning to think that's the case. There seems to be a fierce loyalty among many towards certain brands and ships -- I can understand that when the ship is maintained properly and the brand delivers what it promises. However, in this case, Celebrity delivered on very few of it's promises as a Premier cruise ship and I would absolutely choose another ship and cruise line over Celebrity. It's ironic that's Celebrity's parent, RCI, seems to have the service and maintenance issue down for it's "mass-market" cruise ships, but hasn't quite figured it out for it's "premier" line -- maybe it's focusing too much on the Solstice and Azamara. Regardless, passengers onboard the recent Millennium sailing are entitled to at least what they paid for -- and I doubt that many feel they recived that! Ironically, we had a wonderful cruise, due mainly to fabulous weather, great ports and wonderful tablemates -- something we could have found on any number of "non-premier" cruise ships!

[Shirley and Les]

Your thread title was along the lines of 'Millinnium needs to be dry docked!!!' I am curious if there are problems that require the ship to be taken out of the water to repair.

When I first read the title, I was concerned you were going to report a 'pod' failure.

However, after reading the post, I didn't see anything that could not be corrected with better maintenance during normal cruises.

Did I miss something?

We were on the Millie in late January, 2008 and did not see the gross negligence you mention. Part of our selection was based on the price; it was very competiively with those offered by the 'non-premium' lines.

Les

[charlotte5]

No -- there were no problems that I'm aware of with pod failures. But many people on the ship who have cruised on the Millennium before and on other Celebrity ships suggested that the ship should be dry docked for refurbishment -- new carpeting, furniture, pool repairs, fixing the persistent sewage problems smell throughout the ship, etc. While many of these could be fixed during a cruise I guess, I think that ships are normally refurbished more than this one was. And yes, it was competitively priced compared to other ships, but it is still billed as a "premium" ship! Your definition of premium is clearly different than mine and many other passengers that week. This is why Celebrity is able to let it's standards slip on a ship like the Millennium -- when passengers don't expect the level of service and maintenance promised them on a cruise, the cruise line must not feel compelled to deliver. Again, I am not overly picky -- I have cruised on other ships and stayed in many different hotels -- this was the first ship I have felt needed more than the average maintenance. If you read posts in these and other websites, you'll see that there are many Millennium passengers who feel the same.

[louanddave]

Hello

 

Do you mind telling me what your stateroom number was?

We have reserved a FV suite as well.

 

I agree, "sewage" smell is not acceptable!

 

We have sailed on several lines from Carnival to the Cunard

There is no excuse for dirty carpets on any line, especially Celebrity.

The price we paid warrants a clean healthy enviroment.

 

We will go with an open mind and do appreciate all opinions.

 

Thank you

[lysolqn]

With 31 X cruises under our belt, and one next month followed by two more before year's end, we've been around long enough to have noticed some subtle and some not so subtle changes in the X product over the years. No doubt some changes are a reflection of changes in the cruise industry itself, while some are surely the result of pressure brought to bear by the bean counters in Miami.

 

Over the last two years or so we've seen some minor maintenance issues (which we never noticed in the past) which one would think are easy enough to be taken care of on an ongoing basis but which X left undone or at least had not remedied prior to our seeing them. Whether it's no longer company policy to spruce up on an ongoing basis, dollars being spent on Azamara and/or the new builds to the detriment of the current fleet, or the result of slack hotel and/or housekeeping staff is unimportant. Easy fixes are just that and should be tended to routinely. That said, we've never noticed anything offensive or bad enough to ruin a cruise or make us think any less of the cruise line. Having cruised most of the major lines, X remains our cruise line of choice because of the traditional cruise product offered - in particular service, food, passenger demographics and general onboard ambiance.

 

I've no doubt you were disappointed with your Millie cruise but perhaps at least some of your disappointment is the result of unreasonable expectations. You did not pay for a "premier" line but rather for a "premium" line which places X somewhere between "mainstream" and "luxury" in cruise line lingo. Thus, if you boarded expecting the Ritz, you were bound to disappointed from the get-go and that may (just may) have set the tone for your cruise. Also, as the number of berths to fill each cruise continues to grow at an ever-increasing rate, cruise lines are morphing to meet the needs and demands of the cruising public. As a result, cruising today is quite different than it was just twenty years ago, and distinctions between mainstream, premium and luxury lines aren't quite as clear as they once were.

 

Re average food on your cruise, I can't imagine any area other than food that is more subjective, especially because one man's poison is often another man's candy, and vice versa. We've always found the food on X to be very good to excellent and noticeably better than food on other lines we've sailed. Food on cruise ships is no different than food in restauants - some people rave, some complain and some are on the fence - often about the very same meal!

 

I find your assessment of indifferent service on Millie interesting. It's been our experience (and I can only speak from our experience) that service on X is far and above the competition; in fact, it's the one area that really sets X apart from the competition. With few exceptions, we've always found staff and crew to be competent, polite, friendly and eager to please - without being effusive. Perhaps you encountered the "few exceptions."

 

I couldn't agree more with you that "passengers onboard the recent Millennium sailing are entitled to at least what they paid for," however, I think your statement, "I doubt that many feel they received that!" is a bit of an exaggeration based on your particular experience. One only has to read through the thread you referred to in your post to see that many pax on your cruise were very pleased. In fact, many were as perlexed about complaints as those who complained were perplexed about the cheers.

 

I'm glad that despite your disappointment you enjoyed your cruise. Like you, we've also tried some cruise lines that came highly recommended but which fell short of our expectations and like you, we enjoyed those cruises nevertheless. To say that "cruise industry passengers must have different standards than the rest of the travel (and hospitality) industry" is unfair and unnecessarily judgmental. You mentioned your luxury stay at The Breakers but we have dear friends whose stay there about three years ago was so abysmal from beginning to end, the mere mention of the hotel makes them steam! It all boils down to a matter of what makes your particular boat float, and there are certainly enough cruise lines out there for each of us to find our own niche. Thanks for your post.

[chessbriar]

While many of these could be fixed during a cruise I guess, I think that ships are normally refurbished more than this one was.

Are you aware she went into drydock last April

[CatServants]

I'm not disagreeing with anyone about the Millie's condition (although I hope you're all exaggerating!). We board her this Sunday and I'll let you all know our impressions when we get home.

 

I DO, however, disagree with the OP's comparison of X prices with Ritz prices, while getting a Marriott experience (to paraphrase). X IS Marriott prices and quality. I would never expect a Ritz experience from X. Sorry. For a Ritz experience sail Regent/SilverSea/Seabourne/etc.

 

I'm truly sorry to read so many disappointing threads as to the Millie's condition. And I'm sorry so many posters have been unhappy with their cruises.

 

Happy cruising!

 

Denise

[Sky Sweet]

I'm not disagreeing with anyone about the Millie's condition (although I hope you're all exaggerating!). We board her this Sunday and I'll let you all know our impressions when we get home.

 

I DO, however, disagree with the OP's comparison of X prices with Ritz prices, while getting a Marriott experience (to paraphrase). X IS Marriott prices and quality. I would never expect a Ritz experience from X. Sorry. For a Ritz experience sail Regent/SilverSea/Seabourne/etc.

 

I'm truly sorry to read so many disappointing threads as to the Millie's condition. And I'm sorry so many posters have been unhappy with their cruises.

 

Happy cruising!

 

Denise

 

Hi Cats Servants :)

 

I agree with you that Celebrity is more comparable to a Marriott than a Ritz Hotel. Even so, while I don't expect the level of luxary at a Marriott that I would get at a more upscale hotel, if I ever stayed at a Marriott that had serious maintenance issues, I wouldn't stay at that hotel again.

[Peteymil]

I would never expect a Ritz experience from X. Sorry. For a Ritz experience sail Regent/SilverSea/Seabourne/etc.

 

I have to agree that I am sorry that you had issues, but I would never compare what I pay on Celebrity to Ritz or Four Seasons prices, so my expectations are definitely not the same.

[charlotte5]

In my original review of the Millennium, (which reflected comments of several passengers we met on the ship as well), I did not mean to imply that Celebrity is a Ritz -- again, I would go to a Ritz if that is what I'm expecting. I was trying to make an analogy between high end and middle range brands within a company line. I did not expect a Ritz, but what we got was something well below the Marriott we stayed in recently. As the "premium" cruise line within the RCI family, I expected something better on X than on RCI, that's all. Clearly, with 31 X cruises under your belt, you prefer Celebrity and obviously enjoy cruising with them. I may be a novice cruise compared to you, but that does not exempt me from noticing things that are very easy to fix. Whether this is a hotel or a cruise, good service should be the same and general maintenance issues should be kept up. My husband and I are executives within the service industry and understand how important these things are to a company's reputation. This would have been unacceptable in our industries and I would hope that we would have the opportunity to fix the problems before more passengers return with the impression we did! Also, there were many threads on cruise critic before we took our cruise warning us about the condition of the Millennium (so we fully expected many but not all of the problems -- none of which were necessarily major by themselves but when taken as a whole, are unacceptable in ANY industry). Here's a brief list to reiterate some of the problems:

- sewage smell on many days -- my massage therapist at one point had to turn on the shower in the room because she said she felt ill! She said management told her to do that whenever the sewage smell occurs! (My question is why not just fix the problem?)

- Tar-like repairs on pool deck which ruined several passengers bathing suits as they sat on the deck

- Broken and "closed for repairs" playground equipment all week (this is probably one of the biggest "family" weeks for the Millennium, so it was frustrating that my 6 year old couldn't use either playground facility all week

- Worn, dirty stateroom carpeting, masking tape repairs throughout stateroom, ripped sheets and worn railings with splintering wood, rusted peeling balcony furniture

(we hosted a party for our tablemates on our FV balcony 8166 and they noticed the condition without any prompting!)

- Missing railings during cruise that had been replaced by end of cruise after another passenger complained

 

Again, none of these ruined our cruise, but the combination is unacceptable, especially given the poor overall service (which again, I beg to differ with you -- not one of our attendants provided anything remotely "premium" in their service -- perhaps if I had a different room or server, things would have been different, but even some of the staff at Aqua Spa were rude!

 

As long as people believe that these indicate a "premium" cruise (not luxury, which I was aware of as well, but semantics aside...), Celebrity should have no problems keeping the Millennium exactly the way it is!

[raudacruise]

Let me start off by saying we had a wonderful cruise on a TA at beginning of December. Met new and old wonderful friends. Lots of interesting ports. Good food and great service.

 

But, we paid for an RS and while not expecting the Ritz expected a suite in similiar condition to the one on Infinity we had March/April last year. The balcony furniture was a mess. Looked like it hadn't been varnished forever. The lounge chair mats had paint spackles all over them, both were missing the sliding tray and one had a missing arm with a big bolt sticking out (that I dinged myself on several times). The living room drape was shreded, looked like a cat had at it. And the sliding door from the living room to the balcony kept sliding off its tracks.

 

One of the reasons we purchase RS is for the balcony and spend a lot of time there.

 

If they are not going to invest money back into their existing fleet its going to be a hard sell to folks that are hooked to different ships/classes.

[CatServants]

Hi Cats Servants :)

 

I agree with you that Celebrity is more comparable to a Marriott than a Ritz Hotel. Even so, while I don't expect the level of luxary at a Marriott that I would get at a more upscale hotel, if I ever stayed at a Marriott that had serious maintenance issues, I wouldn't stay at that hotel again.

 

Hi, SS!:)

 

I agree 100%. In fact, I'll bet we would all demand a change of room.

 

But I REALLY hope things are better than have been indicated in the reviews lately. We talked my in-laws into this cruse on Sunday. If things are bad..... Oh boy!:eek::rolleyes: I need to click my heels together and say, "No mold, new carpet! No mold, new carpet!";)

 

Happy cruising!

 

Denise

[Fang]

My family just got back from the March 16th sailing. We had two connecting CC cabins, on the 9th deck.

 

It had been two years since I have sailed on Celebrity and since then I have had three cruises on RCI. All I can say is that there is a huge difference between the two lines and while onboard we booked another Celebrity Cruise.

 

I found the food to be good to very good. Our waiter was very good, perhaps one of the best that we have had on our 18 Celebrity Cruises.

 

I thought the buffet area was very crowded, but it was Spring Break. The Asian station of the buffet was not just fantastic, it was excellent.

 

The bar staff and every crew member we meet, were very nice and always said hello etc. The waiters in the Martini Bar knew my wifes and my choice after the first night.

 

Our only major problem, and it was not all that big, was that we had table mates who could not speak english and were always late for dinner (30 to 45 minutes every night, except the last one, I guess so they would not have to tip). I talked to the Matre'D and he did his absolute best to try to find us a new table but could not, due to the cruise being full. He did offer to meet us every night and find a place for four. We did not do this.

 

I asked the waiter if the Swans were available for Dessert? I had not seen them be the second to last night. The Matre'd came by and said they had been taken out of the menu and said that the Pastry Chef would make them for us the last night. He did and they were great. I tipped the Pastry Chef and he came to our table to thank me and told me that it was the first time in 14 years of working on cruise ships that he had ever been tipped.

 

I did however, see some signs of wear and tear. I saw several areas of the carpet in the buffet area that were tore. The chairs in the dinning area were worn. But I would expect that with a ship that has passengers on it 52 weeks a year.

 

I never noticed any sewer smell. But know from expierence that when being home for awhile, the water in the traps of the sink, shower and bathtub can evaporate and let some sewer smell in. I would find it hard for this to happen on a cruise ship that is full most of the time.

 

I am sorry that the OP had such a bad expierence. But for my family and I Celebrity is just very hard to beat, for the price. Now, when school tuition is not being paid, etc., I look forward to trying Radisson, Seaborne, Oceana, but they are not in the same style of cruising as Celebrity.

[Jade13]

 

As long as people believe that these indicate a "premium" cruise (not luxury, which I was aware of as well, but semantics aside...), Celebrity should have no problems keeping the Millennium exactly the way it is!

 

Hmm, I thought Celebrity was a Mass Market Line? Interestingly the Century was very clean and in good shape and while we had a good cabin steward, waiter and Assistant, I found the pre-customer service cruise experiance to be below any "Mass Market" standard and unacceptable. The Guest Services onboard didn't do anything above or beyond what they had too and we had some issues that are not disputable (over 10 cabin lockouts because of key cards not working and children not found in the system upon boarding).

 

But, there are enough reports of poor service and repair on the Millie that it is hard npt to ignore the comments.

[Jade13]

I asked the waiter if the Swans were available for Dessert? I had not seen them be the second to last night. The Matre'd came by and said they had been taken out of the menu and said that the Pastry Chef would make them for us the last night. He did and they were great. I tipped the Pastry Chef and he came to our table to thank me and told me that it was the first time in 14 years of working on cruise ships that he had ever been tipped.quote]

 

Neat. Most people have no idea who the Pastry Chef is and Chefs normally do not get tipped.

[lysolqn]

Charlotte5,

 

Please don't misinterpret my response to your post as my excusing X with respect to the issues you encountered on your cruise. I was simply trying to make that point that your experience may have been quite different from that of other guests onboard, and not because their standards or expectations are any lower than yours. It's not out of the realm of possibilty that some pax may actually have had standards and expectations higher than your own, and that they may have not only been met, but exceded.

 

I wholeheartedly agree that routine maintenance is a must and of late, X seems to be slipping in that department. However, with respect to the "poor overall service" you experienced on your cruise, I'm stymied! I don't think I've ever heard or read anyone describe service on X as "poor overall", not even here on Cruise Critic in some of the most scathing X reviews. Every once in a while someone encounters a room steward that isn't up to snuff or a server who's forgotten how to smile, but an assessment of "poor overall service" is rare, if not altogether unheard of. (No doubt someone will prove me wrong and dig up the one post in which someone reported "poor overall service" on an X ship!!!) I hope you reported your dissatisfaction with the condition of the ship (your cabin/balcony, in particular) and service (or lack thereof) to the Hotel Director while you were still onboard. That might (notice I said "might") have made a big difference in your onboard experience, as well as the impression you were left with after your cruise. As I'm sure you're aware from your own business experience, problems can't be addressed unless and until someone is made aware of them.

 

I commend your decision to write to the president of X, even though it is after the fact when nothing can be done to change what has already transpired. I hope you'll share his response with us when you hear back.

[Fang]

Don't judge a cruise line from the pre-depature customer service. Most of these people, IMHO, are not very aware of what is going on and are not the best at their jobs. Thats why I have a TA who does a very good job, and I don't have to talk to them, for the most part.

 

While cabin keys did not work, Celebritys fault, all passengers should be accounted for. If passengers were not on the manifest, how could they get on the ship? We did run into this on our last cruise when my oldest daughter was not included in the fun factory age group, but she did have cruise contract and it was not big deal, to get her in.

 

Many people look that the "glass is half empty" many others look that the "glass is half full". I would never expect the service and food quality on a ship of +/- 2000 passengers to be the same as a cruise that has +/- 250 or so passengers. The price for the larger cruise should be much less expensive than that on a smaler ship. I can not afford the small ships so I book on Celebrity and know that there are many things that can not be done like on a cruise line as Radisson, Oceana, Sea Dream Yatch Club. I find that fine, as I am not paying the prices for these lines.

 

I will say that Celebrity, in my past cruises, is much better than RCI, HAL Carnival and Costa. I have not sailed Carnival, but had a friend who said that he could not wait to get off the ship to get a good meal. That has never happened to me on Celebrity.

 

I am not saying that Celebrity does not have faults. I believe that before Celebrity was bought by RCI, it was a much better cruise line. But as a "mainstream" line it is one of the best.

[Drew B]

No -- there were no problems that I'm aware of with pod failures. But many people on the ship who have cruised on the Millennium before and on other Celebrity ships suggested that the ship should be dry docked for refurbishment -- new carpeting, furniture, pool repairs, fixing the persistent sewage problems smell throughout the ship, etc. While many of these could be fixed during a cruise I guess, I think that ships are normally refurbished more than this one was. And yes, it was competitively priced compared to other ships, but it is still billed as a "premium" ship! Your definition of premium is clearly different than mine and many other passengers that week. This is why Celebrity is able to let it's standards slip on a ship like the Millennium -- when passengers don't expect the level of service and maintenance promised them on a cruise, the cruise line must not feel compelled to deliver. Again, I am not overly picky -- I have cruised on other ships and stayed in many different hotels -- this was the first ship I have felt needed more than the average maintenance. If you read posts in these and other websites, you'll see that there are many Millennium passengers who feel the same.

 

This is precisely why I object to the use of the word "premium" - or "premier", as you said in your original post. If you're paying the same amount as "mainstream", what you are getting (and what you should EXPECT to get) is mainstream. Yes, there might be some areas that X excels over other mainstream lines, but I'm sure that there are areas where they excel over X, too...

 

I will say that I don't believe that I have ever seen the word "premium" used by X directly. I hear it on this board all the time and occasionally in professional travel reviews/guides. Still, if X is not the one calling themselves "premium", I'm not going to base my expectations on the words others choose to use...

 

All that being said, you did not get an experience commensurate with the money you spent or the reasonable expectations you appear to have had. That has nothing to do with whether the cruise is "premium" or "mainstream". Unacceptable conditions are unacceptable, no matter the arbitrary classification. I'm sorry you didn't have a better experience.

[CatServants]

I really hate hearing all the negative comments about the Millie as I leave on Sunday also. But I have decided no matter what condition she is in, no matter what service I get I AM GOING TO LOVE IT. I am proud to say I am blessed to be one of the people who can go on a cruise. ( I am so glad I do not have to work on one of these ships to support my family.) as for the food, do you know there are people in this world starving and would be glad to have your not so great food. A cruise is what you make it is not what someone else makes it. NO ONE else in this world is responsible for your happiness only YOU. STOP complaining.

 

Denise, that said can't wait to meet you at the connection party. see you Sunday I will be in the Martini bar before late dining.

 

Pattie

 

Pattie - Every day my DH says, "We need a vacation!" Well, I got up at 4:00 this AM and packed! I know we're all going to have a great time!

 

See you on board - I'll be easy to recognize - I'll be the one grinning ear to ear... or will that be you?!;):p

 

Happy cruising!

 

Denise

 

PS - Everyone, when we get back, I will endeavor to give a "fair and balanced" (don't sue me Fox) assessment of the ship/cruise. I'm gonna miss CC while I'm gone. It's an addiction!:eek::rolleyes:

[Sky Sweet]

This is precisely why I object to the use of the word "premium" - or "premier", as you said in your original post. If you're paying the same amount as "mainstream", what you are getting (and what you should EXPECT to get) is mainstream. Yes, there might be some areas that X excels over other mainstream lines, but I'm sure that there are areas where they excel over X, too...

 

I will say that I don't believe that I have ever seen the word "premium" used by X directly. I hear it on this board all the time and occasionally in professional travel reviews/guides. Still, if X is not the one calling themselves "premium", I'm not going to base my expectations on the words others choose to use...

 

All that being said, you did not get an experience commensurate with the money you spent or the reasonable expectations you appear to have had. That has nothing to do with whether the cruise is "premium" or "mainstream". Unacceptable conditions are unacceptable, no matter the arbitrary classification. I'm sorry you didn't have a better experience.

 

Hi Drew :)

 

When we first sailed on Celebrity, it was a step above other mass market cruise lines, in both price and overall cruise experience, but not in the same league as the luxury cruise lines. At that time, the term premium cruise line was frequently used to describe that position.

 

However, at the present time, Celebrity is not very different than other mass market cruise lines in either price or overall cruise experience. In fact, it is often less expensive than Royal Caribbean on similar itineraries, even though it is suppose to be a step up from it.

 

Even though they may do some things better than other mass market cruise lines, there are other things that they don't do as well.

 

Yet, the premium title has stuck, in the same way that some department stores with very average merchandise are called quality stores, because they were at one time.

[ptrician]

you are correct that will be me !!!!!!!!!!!

 

Pattie:)

Pattie - Every day my DH says, "We need a vacation!" Well, I got up at 4:00 this AM and packed! I know we're all going to have a great time!

 

See you on board - I'll be easy to recognize - I'll be the one grinning ear to ear... or will that be you?!;):p

 

Happy cruising!

 

Denise

 

PS - Everyone, when we get back, I will endeavor to give a "fair and balanced" (don't sue me Fox) assessment of the ship/cruise. I'm gonna miss CC while I'm gone. It's an addiction!:eek::rolleyes:

[RickT]

Not to question Charlotte5's opinion of the Millenium but I'm always skeptical when someone with only 3 posts goes on a rant about the condition of a ship. If you want to nitpik you can find something wrong with every ship sailing. Too often you see negative comments that are largely based on incorrect expectations.

 

Sorry you didn't like the condition of the ship but I believe there are thousands who have sailed the Millenium who would gladly sail her again tomorrow.

[d&a Delaware]

Sorry you didn't like the condition of the ship but I believe there are thousands who have sailed the Millenium who would gladly sail her again tomorrow.

 

And I'm one of those people, Rick. I was on the same cruise as TOS (the other referred to thread), thoroughly enjoyed Millie and the food and the service, and would love to be on her right now. But others have had different experiences and perceptions, and while I respect them I won't miss them on my next cruise.

 

David

[cruiseyguy]

The "sewage smell" issue comes up often and it is sometimes a "problem" with all ships. Without getting into great detail, it is a result of the particular type of "disposal" system most ships use which occasionally results in noxious odors in public areas. It is not a malfunction nor a sanitation matter. Seasoned cruisers are familiar with it and ignore it.

[charlotte5]

I don't know why negative reviews are referred to as "rants" and "nitpicking". I do not have multiple posts because I stay in hotels much more frequently than I travel on cruiseships. However, I do not believe that because I did not have 800 plus posts, I am unqualified to make observations about the condition of the ship. I have never before had to "rant" about a hotel stay or any other travel experience -- this was a first for me and I have thoroughly enjoyed my other cruise ship experiences! In fact, I enjoyed our cruise this time but was surprised at the lack of attention paid to many "basics" -- I do believe that some staterooms are in better condition than others, service by some stateroom attendants,waiters and maitre'd's are better than others, etc -- however, we did not encounter any of these on our recent cruise. When combined with broken and closed playground equipment all week, pool decks with tar that stained many passengers bathings suits, and other problems, a less than stellar review is certainly warranted. In fact, there have been many postings on the condition of the Millennium throughout Cruise Critic and other websites -- I'm not the first and unless these problems are addressed, I highly doubt I'll be the last!