Celebrity Milliennium Cruise Information

My wife and I are going on the Millennium the end of the month (2/29).
I've created a document using reviews and this newsgroup to create a
list of ideas and thought I would share it. If anyone has additional
ideas, I would love to hear them.
So here it goes.
Cruise Information to Bring with us on the Millie.


• On Board (At Sea)
o One unique area of the Aquaspa is called the Persian Garden which
offers fragrant showers, Turkish steam rooms and relaxation areas. A 7
day pass was offered for $99. or you could use it on a daily basis.
o Check out Michael’s Club, which used to be the cigar bar, but is now a
piano lounge. It is the most beautiful lounge on the ship. The piano is
a great idea, but the lounge was not designed for this and the piano had
to be set up away from the seats, so forget about sing-a-long.
o The Ocean Bar would also feature a guitarist in the early evening who
had soothing sound and was just perfect for an early evening
“chill-out”. He performed outdoors when the weather permitted.
• Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic
o Previous reviews and bulletin boards had reported that this was a
waste of time, so I decided t remain on board the ship where the main
pool area had cleared out to a handful of people and what was a very
crowded place before we docked became a perfect place to relax and enjoy
the empty pool and whirlpools. That evening was open seating in the
dining so I had booked a reservation at the Olympic Restaurant.
o Yes, Celebrity does offer a complimentary shuttle to Altos de Chavon
(we were on Millie at Easter this past year) and it's quite easy to walk
around once you get there, and picturesque. Nothing but shops and
crafts people (not much else to do), but it was a pleasant waste of an
hour or two. They have a nice cigar shop there if anyone in your party
partakes of them. Buy coffee to take home.
• San Juan
o Late departu Have dinner at a restaurant, go to a bar. Parrot Club,
Hard Rock Cafe, Senior Frogs. Go to a casino. Parrot Club: It is in Old
San Juan. 363 Calle Fortaleza. It is a Restaurant and bar. High energy
type place. I would call the food new latin style. And really good
drinks. The Parrot Club. Located in the trendy SoFo area (San Juan’s
version of South Beach in Miami) next to the Plaza de Colon, this is one
of my favorite stops while in Puerto Rico. This upscale, but friendly,
establishment has great ambiance and also serves some of the best food
in Old San Juan, not to mention they make an excellent mojito. On this
visit, we had the pleasure of being served at the bar by a very
personable and friendly young lady. In fact, after sampling her perfect
mojito, she kindly treated us to her specialty, a coquito, which is a
traditional Puerto Rican drink made with rum and anise liquor. As an
alternative to the Puerto Rican fare served here, I might suggest that
if you are in search of an absolutely fabulous meal, although a bit
pricey, try the nearby Trois Cent Onze. We ended our visit to Old San
Juan with a brief stop at Senõr Frogs.
o The Bioluminescent Bay kayak tour. Having experienced this magical
trip at nearby Mosquito Bay on Vieques it is a phenomenal event, not to
be missed (especially on a moonless night).
• St. Thomas
o A private tour of the island with our taxi driver (Terrance Todman,
cell: 690-2676) He knew all the history of the island and gave us a
great tour.
o BOB, Breathable underwater Observation Bubble, the BOB was like
something out of a 1969 Johnny Quest cartoon. It was loads of fun. Best
excursion yet. Shopping is the best here.
o Don't forget the best linens for the best prices at Mr. Tablecloth.
• St John
o We took the ferry (red hook) to St John from St Thomas when we were
there in February. We picked up a taxi (15min ride to the ferry from
pier) at the pier to the ferry and then took the ferry across to St
John. We also rented a jeep and spent maybe 5 hrs driving around St
John. It was the BEST part/day of our cruise! We visited Trunk Bay and
ate lunch at Skinny Legs in Coral Bay. We loved the scenic views while
driving and St John is much less populated then St Thomas was. You
should have enough time to do what you'd like over there. We arrived in
St John about 9am, picked up the jeep and dropped it off about 2pm in
order to catch the ferry back to St Thomas and be able to do some
shopping. Got back to St Thomas dock about 3pm give or take and did
some final shopping (right at the pier) before we went back to the ship.
Our ship didn't leave til I think 5pm or so. You should be fine but
just remember the Red Hook ferry runs every hour on the hour so don't
time it too close....take the one an hour early so you can pick up a
taxi to get your back to the ship in time.

o The ferry from Red Hook leaves every hour on the hour. The taxi ride
to Red Hook is 20 to 25 minutes, so make sure you hassle your taxi
driver to get you there in time for the ferry. Tell him you need to
make, for example, the 9:00 ferry or the 10:00 ferry. They tend to want
to wait and fill the bus, but if you hassle them, they will get you
there in time. There is also a ferry leaving from Charlotte Amalie at
9:00 AM. Whether you can make that ferry (which is much longer, 45
minutes and relatively choppy) depends on when you get off the ship, and
whether you can get a taxi to take you to the ferry dock (it is probably
too lose to be a good fare, but a tad far to walk). My experience, at
least on NCL cruises, is that although the ship arrives n time, it is
not cleared in time to make that ferry. We usually catch the 10:00
ferry from Red Hook. Once in St. John you easily find a taxi to take you
to Trunk Bay, or any other beach you like. Trunk Bay is a good place to
go if logistics are a concern; it's a National Park, it has lots of
taxis ans the like, and it is only about 15 minutes by taxi from Cruz
Bay. You'll be at Trunk Bay before 11:00. We usually take the ferry back
from St. John to Charlotte Amalie. There is a ferry at 2:15 and 3:45 PM.
That gives us, after a 45 minute ferry ride and a five minute taxi
ride plenty of time to get on the boat before it leaves, typically 5 or
6 in the afternoon.
o The web page for inter-island transport between St. John, including
info on water taxis, is at: http://www.st-thomas.com/week/ferries.html
o In St Thomas pick up a taxi (at the pier) and have them take you to
the Red Hook Ferry. Take that over to St John and tour the island
yourself (either by taxi or rent a jeep). We rented a jeep for the day,
picked it up about 9am and dropped it back off about 2pm and caught the
ferry back to St Thomas in enough time to do a little shopping at the
shops near the pier. We drove all over St John, stopped at Trunk Bay to
swim, and ate at Skinny Legs in Coral Bay. Really cool day and had a
great time! Don't miss St John!! Very Beautiful.

• Nassau
o Cruise ships dock at Prince George Wharf in the heart of downtown
Nassau. Once you leave the pier, you will walk directly into Rawson
Square, which is the center of town. Metered taxis are readily
available, but most charge a flat fee to popular destinations. The 5
minute taxi ride to Atlantis on Paradise Island will cost $2-3 per
person. A water taxi, located at the pier, also provides transportation
to Paradise Island for about the same price. This can be an enjoyable
alternative to a cab ride, but be aware that the ride takes about 20
minutes and the ferry does not leave the dock until it has a full
passenger load.
o The "Yellowbird Party Boat." It was a fun outing – I can see why it's
sold out long in advance. Great view of the harbor, of beautiful homes,
and turquoise waters. They took us to a place called (I think) Pearl
Island, which has a little lighthouse and a great beach. All the way
there and back, there was a live reggae-type band. People really got
into the spirit and danced and did limbo. They do serve "free rum punch"
but the lines are so long you can only get one or two before the boat
arrives and they have to quit serving.
o Catch one of the scheduled ferries from the Paradise Island
Marina/Ferry Terminal to Blue Lagoon Island to enjoy one of the 7
marvelous beaches. Here you can swim with the dolphins, snorkel with
stingray, parasail, kayak, enjoy a luncheon buffet, or lounge in a
hammock. The island also has a children’s playground and changing
facilities. If you are interested in swimming with the dolphins or
snorkeling with the stingrays, reservations should be made before you
leave home, or take the ship’s excursions. These activities are very
popular and space is usually sold out in advance. Find a spot on Cable
Beach, Paradise Beach, or Cabbage Beach and people-watch as you soak up
the sun. Jet ski rental and parasailing are available on all these
beaches. These popular beaches can get very crowded, but if you wander
to the northwest end of Cabbage Beach it is a bit quieter. One of my
favorite activities is a catamaran trip to Rose Island for some
excellent snorkeling. There are numerous catamaran operators located at
the ferry terminal on Paradise Island that offer snorkeling trips or
sunset excursions.
• Demarkation:
o 11:45Am Flight: We have sailed out of Fort Lauderdale at least five
times and I know what you mean about the caps at the port. It can be a
zoo. Obviously this doesn't work if you're short on time to catch a
flight. In this case you want to get off as quickly as possible to try
to beat the rush.

In article , Allen Lutz
wrote:

The 5 minute taxi ride to Atlantis on Paradise Island will cost $2-3
per person. A water taxi, located at the pier, also provides
transportation to Paradise Island for about the same price. This can
be an enjoyable alternative to a cab ride, but be aware that the ride
takes about 20 minutes and the ferry does not leave the dock until it
has a full passenger load.

The taxis are $4 for the cab. Plus there is $1 bridge toll for the
vehicle and the driver will ask for that at the toll booth. I don't
recommend the water taxi because they cram everyone in until it is
full. I have a safety concern from what I observed.

--
Charles

Charles, I agree -- we waited a half hour for the loading -- and it was very
crouded -- annoying ---take the taxi !!

Bill Wright

"Charles" wrote in message
d...
In article , Allen Lutz
wrote:

The 5 minute taxi ride to Atlantis on Paradise Island will cost $2-3
per person. A water taxi, located at the pier, also provides
transportation to Paradise Island for about the same price. This can
be an enjoyable alternative to a cab ride, but be aware that the ride
takes about 20 minutes and the ferry does not leave the dock until it
has a full passenger load.

The taxis are $4 for the cab. Plus there is $1 bridge toll for the
vehicle and the driver will ask for that at the toll booth. I don't
recommend the water taxi because they cram everyone in until it is
full. I have a safety concern from what I observed.

--
Charles

The Hard Rock Cafe in San Juan had a fire and is closed.

There was a long rainy season in Puerto Rico this past year and there are
supposedly a LOT of mosquitoes. I've been warned by locals and those who
travel there a lot to be careful of the mosquitoes, since some can carry
nasty things like type 3 Hemorhragic (Dengue) Fever. It might not be a good
time to go into wet grassy areas (like the Bioluminescent Bay) at night.

--Tom


"Allen Lutz" wrote in message
news
My wife and I are going on the Millennium the end of the month (2/29).
I've created a document using reviews and this newsgroup to create a
list of ideas and thought I would share it. If anyone has additional
ideas, I would love to hear them.
So here it goes.
Cruise Information to Bring with us on the Millie.


• On Board (At Sea)
o One unique area of the Aquaspa is called the Persian Garden which
offers fragrant showers, Turkish steam rooms and relaxation areas. A 7
day pass was offered for $99. or you could use it on a daily basis.
o Check out Michael’s Club, which used to be the cigar bar, but is now a
piano lounge. It is the most beautiful lounge on the ship. The piano is
a great idea, but the lounge was not designed for this and the piano had
to be set up away from the seats, so forget about sing-a-long.
o The Ocean Bar would also feature a guitarist in the early evening who
had soothing sound and was just perfect for an early evening
“chill-out”. He performed outdoors when the weather permitted.
• Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic
o Previous reviews and bulletin boards had reported that this was a
waste of time, so I decided t remain on board the ship where the main
pool area had cleared out to a handful of people and what was a very
crowded place before we docked became a perfect place to relax and enjoy
the empty pool and whirlpools. That evening was open seating in the
dining so I had booked a reservation at the Olympic Restaurant.
o Yes, Celebrity does offer a complimentary shuttle to Altos de Chavon
(we were on Millie at Easter this past year) and it's quite easy to walk
around once you get there, and picturesque. Nothing but shops and
crafts people (not much else to do), but it was a pleasant waste of an
hour or two. They have a nice cigar shop there if anyone in your party
partakes of them. Buy coffee to take home.
• San Juan
o Late departu Have dinner at a restaurant, go to a bar. Parrot Club,
Hard Rock Cafe, Senior Frogs. Go to a casino. Parrot Club: It is in Old
San Juan. 363 Calle Fortaleza. It is a Restaurant and bar. High energy
type place. I would call the food new latin style. And really good
drinks. The Parrot Club. Located in the trendy SoFo area (San Juan’s
version of South Beach in Miami) next to the Plaza de Colon, this is one
of my favorite stops while in Puerto Rico. This upscale, but friendly,
establishment has great ambiance and also serves some of the best food
in Old San Juan, not to mention they make an excellent mojito. On this
visit, we had the pleasure of being served at the bar by a very
personable and friendly young lady. In fact, after sampling her perfect
mojito, she kindly treated us to her specialty, a coquito, which is a
traditional Puerto Rican drink made with rum and anise liquor. As an
alternative to the Puerto Rican fare served here, I might suggest that
if you are in search of an absolutely fabulous meal, although a bit
pricey, try the nearby Trois Cent Onze. We ended our visit to Old San
Juan with a brief stop at Senõr Frogs.
o The Bioluminescent Bay kayak tour. Having experienced this magical
trip at nearby Mosquito Bay on Vieques it is a phenomenal event, not to
be missed (especially on a moonless night).
• St. Thomas
o A private tour of the island with our taxi driver (Terrance Todman,
cell: 690-2676) He knew all the history of the island and gave us a
great tour.
o BOB, Breathable underwater Observation Bubble, the BOB was like
something out of a 1969 Johnny Quest cartoon. It was loads of fun. Best
excursion yet. Shopping is the best here.
o Don't forget the best linens for the best prices at Mr. Tablecloth.
• St John
o We took the ferry (red hook) to St John from St Thomas when we were
there in February. We picked up a taxi (15min ride to the ferry from
pier) at the pier to the ferry and then took the ferry across to St
John. We also rented a jeep and spent maybe 5 hrs driving around St
John. It was the BEST part/day of our cruise! We visited Trunk Bay and
ate lunch at Skinny Legs in Coral Bay. We loved the scenic views while
driving and St John is much less populated then St Thomas was. You
should have enough time to do what you'd like over there. We arrived in
St John about 9am, picked up the jeep and dropped it off about 2pm in
order to catch the ferry back to St Thomas and be able to do some
shopping. Got back to St Thomas dock about 3pm give or take and did
some final shopping (right at the pier) before we went back to the ship.
Our ship didn't leave til I think 5pm or so. You should be fine but
just remember the Red Hook ferry runs every hour on the hour so don't
time it too close....take the one an hour early so you can pick up a
taxi to get your back to the ship in time.

o The ferry from Red Hook leaves every hour on the hour. The taxi ride
to Red Hook is 20 to 25 minutes, so make sure you hassle your taxi
driver to get you there in time for the ferry. Tell him you need to
make, for example, the 9:00 ferry or the 10:00 ferry. They tend to want
to wait and fill the bus, but if you hassle them, they will get you
there in time. There is also a ferry leaving from Charlotte Amalie at
9:00 AM. Whether you can make that ferry (which is much longer, 45
minutes and relatively choppy) depends on when you get off the ship, and
whether you can get a taxi to take you to the ferry dock (it is probably
too lose to be a good fare, but a tad far to walk). My experience, at
least on NCL cruises, is that although the ship arrives n time, it is
not cleared in time to make that ferry. We usually catch the 10:00
ferry from Red Hook. Once in St. John you easily find a taxi to take you
to Trunk Bay, or any other beach you like. Trunk Bay is a good place to
go if logistics are a concern; it's a National Park, it has lots of
taxis ans the like, and it is only about 15 minutes by taxi from Cruz
Bay. You'll be at Trunk Bay before 11:00. We usually take the ferry back
from St. John to Charlotte Amalie. There is a ferry at 2:15 and 3:45 PM.
That gives us, after a 45 minute ferry ride and a five minute taxi
ride plenty of time to get on the boat before it leaves, typically 5 or
6 in the afternoon.
o The web page for inter-island transport between St. John, including
info on water taxis, is at: http://www.st-thomas.com/week/ferries.html
o In St Thomas pick up a taxi (at the pier) and have them take you to
the Red Hook Ferry. Take that over to St John and tour the island
yourself (either by taxi or rent a jeep). We rented a jeep for the day,
picked it up about 9am and dropped it back off about 2pm and caught the
ferry back to St Thomas in enough time to do a little shopping at the
shops near the pier. We drove all over St John, stopped at Trunk Bay to
swim, and ate at Skinny Legs in Coral Bay. Really cool day and had a
great time! Don't miss St John!! Very Beautiful.

• Nassau
o Cruise ships dock at Prince George Wharf in the heart of downtown
Nassau. Once you leave the pier, you will walk directly into Rawson
Square, which is the center of town. Metered taxis are readily
available, but most charge a flat fee to popular destinations. The 5
minute taxi ride to Atlantis on Paradise Island will cost $2-3 per
person. A water taxi, located at the pier, also provides transportation
to Paradise Island for about the same price. This can be an enjoyable
alternative to a cab ride, but be aware that the ride takes about 20
minutes and the ferry does not leave the dock until it has a full
passenger load.
o The "Yellowbird Party Boat." It was a fun outing – I can see why it's
sold out long in advance. Great view of the harbor, of beautiful homes,
and turquoise waters. They took us to a place called (I think) Pearl
Island, which has a little lighthouse and a great beach. All the way
there and back, there was a live reggae-type band. People really got
into the spirit and danced and did limbo. They do serve "free rum punch"
but the lines are so long you can only get one or two before the boat
arrives and they have to quit serving.
o Catch one of the scheduled ferries from the Paradise Island
Marina/Ferry Terminal to Blue Lagoon Island to enjoy one of the 7
marvelous beaches. Here you can swim with the dolphins, snorkel with
stingray, parasail, kayak, enjoy a luncheon buffet, or lounge in a
hammock. The island also has a children’s playground and changing
facilities. If you are interested in swimming with the dolphins or
snorkeling with the stingrays, reservations should be made before you
leave home, or take the ship’s excursions. These activities are very
popular and space is usually sold out in advance. Find a spot on Cable
Beach, Paradise Beach, or Cabbage Beach and people-watch as you soak up
the sun. Jet ski rental and parasailing are available on all these
beaches. These popular beaches can get very crowded, but if you wander
to the northwest end of Cabbage Beach it is a bit quieter. One of my
favorite activities is a catamaran trip to Rose Island for some
excellent snorkeling. There are numerous catamaran operators located at
the ferry terminal on Paradise Island that offer snorkeling trips or
sunset excursions.
• Demarkation:
o 11:45Am Flight: We have sailed out of Fort Lauderdale at least five
times and I know what you mean about the caps at the port. It can be a
zoo. Obviously this doesn't work if you're short on time to catch a
flight. In this case you want to get off as quickly as possible to try
to beat the rush.

Although we have no plans to do a similar itinerary to the one you posted, I am
very appreciative of your post and have saved it for future reference.

Have a great trip!