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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. |
#2
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Celebrity Milliennium Cruise Information
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 |
#3
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Celebrity Milliennium Cruise Information
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 |
#4
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Celebrity Milliennium Cruise Information
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. |
#5
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Celebrity Milliennium Cruise Information
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! |
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