Celebrity Millennium

Celebrity Millennium is the name ship of Celebrity's Millennium class, delivered in June 2000 and now the oldest tonnage in the line's main fleet: around 91,000 gross tons, roughly 2,200 guests at lower berths, twelve decks. The design decision that defines her is her power plant. She was the first cruise ship built with a turbo electric gas turbine system, a choice that bought quiet running and then proved costly to fuel, while the pods it drove failed repeatedly in her early years. The more charming detail is in the specialty restaurant, which is panelled in French walnut salvaged from the liner Olympic, elder sister to Titanic, saved when that ship was broken up in 1935. She also carries a footnote in industry history: on 5 June 2021 she sailed from Philipsburg, St Maarten as the first ship to restart cruising in North America after the shutdown. She is no longer a Caribbean ship. Her current deployment is Asian: a Japan season round trip from Tokyo and Yokohama, then a winter of Southeast Asia itineraries out of Singapore and Bali.

What she does well follows from her size. She reaches ports the Edge class cannot, and she is built for long, port heavy voyages rather than sea day entertainment. The Metropolitan Restaurant is a genuinely handsome two deck room with wake views, the Olympic Restaurant is worth the surcharge for the panelling alone, and Blu serves AquaClass guests well. Qsine, Bistro on Five, the Solarium's covered adult pool, the Sunset Bar aft and the Rooftop Terrace are the spaces regulars return for. Service is the most consistently praised element in published reviews.

The criticism is fair and mostly about age. Cruise Critic gives her four out of five and her member average sits at the same figure across some 1,750 reviews, but the written comments are blunter than the number: tired finishes and worn bathroom tiling, cabins that are small on storage, main dining food described as inconsistent and sometimes lukewarm, thin daytime programming with a good share of it fee based, and pool decks that crowd badly on sea days.

On fit, be honest about the money. Celebrity is a premium line and generally prices above Royal Caribbean, and it is adult leaning by design, with no waterslides and few children aboard. It suits couples and solo travellers who want the itinerary and a civilised bar. It does not suit families wanting a resort at sea, or anyone expecting a new ship for the fare.

Cabins matter more here than on a newer ship. Her balconies are conventional and open to the air, which many prefer to the Edge class Infinite Veranda. The trap is vertical. Deck 10 carries the Solarium forward, the Riviera pool midship and the Oceanview Cafe aft, so Deck 9 Sky cabins beneath take scraping and early morning noise, and Deck 11 Sunrise cabins sit under the Deck 12 sports area. Our per cabin quiet and convenience scores are not yet published for this ship, so read the plan yourself.

Look at what sits above and below before you choose.