Celebrity Millennium

Celebrity Millennium is a Millennium-class cruise ship operated by Celebrity Cruises, a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group. Originally named Millennium, the vessel was developed as the first ship in a new class intended to extend Celebrity Cruises' Century-class design with a larger ship, updated passenger facilities, and a gas-turbine-based propulsion system. It became the first new-build vessel delivered to Celebrity after the company's combination with Royal Caribbean and was the first Celebrity new-build constructed by Chantiers de l'Atlantique rather than Meyer Werft. Planning began in the late 1990s, when Royal Caribbean signed an agreement with Chantiers de l'Atlantique for two ships, with options for additional vessels. The class was initially conceived at approximately 85,000 gross tons with capacity for about 1,900 guests. Millennium was launched in November 1999, completed sea trials in April 2000, and entered service after delivery in June of that year. She was christened in Southampton by Robyn Roux, the wife of French chef Michel Roux, and began her maiden voyage from Amsterdam on 1 July 2000, visiting Baltic ports. The ship's early commercial program alternated between European and North American deployment. After her inaugural European season, she entered the North American market from New York in November 2000 and then moved to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale for winter Caribbean cruises. Subsequent itineraries included the Mediterranean, Europe, the Caribbean, Australasia, Alaska, and Asia. Singapore became an important winter base after the ship's Asian debut in December 2012, while Alaska became a recurring summer market. In 2021, Millennium helped Celebrity resume North American cruising after the COVID-19 shutdown, initially operating from St. Maarten and later from Seattle for Alaska voyages. Millennium was notable for its turbo-electric combined gas-and-steam, or COGES, power plant. At the time of delivery, it was described as the first cruise ship to use this type of system, which recovered heat from gas-turbine exhaust to generate steam and improve energy efficiency. Propulsion was supplied through Mermaid azimuth pod units. The ship also introduced several distinctive passenger features, including the Olympic Restaurant, which incorporated preserved walnut panels from the former ocean liner RMS Olympic; Notes, described as the first music library at sea; and ocean-view glass elevators. The vessel experienced repeated technical difficulties involving its pod-propulsion equipment. Bearing failures soon after delivery led to an emergency repair period in December 2000. Further incidents affected Mediterranean cruises in 2007 and Alaska cruises in 2013. These events produced cancelled sailings, repair periods, and litigation involving Royal Caribbean and the pod suppliers. The litigation was eventually settled in 2010. A substantial refurbishment in Singapore in early 2019 added 30 passenger cabins and updated parts of the ship. In 2020, the pandemic caused Celebrity to cancel Millennium's planned Asian cruises and reassign the ship to Los Angeles for proposed complimentary sailings for first responders and military personnel. Those voyages were cancelled when cruise operations were suspended in March. The ship remained berthed or anchored near San Diego for much of the shutdown, while the company worked to repatriate crew. Millennium returned to service in 2021 and remains an operating member of Celebrity Cruises' fleet, as well as its oldest operating ship according to the cited reference material.

Celebrity Millennium was conceived in the late 1990s as the lead ship of a new Celebrity Cruises class. In February 1998, Royal Caribbean agreed with Chantiers de l'Atlantique to construct two ships, with options for two more. The proposed vessels were intended to evolve the Century-class formula, with an estimated size of roughly 85,000 gross tons and accommodations for approximately 1,900 guests. The project was significant for Celebrity because Millennium was the brand's first new-build following its combination with Royal Caribbean and its first new-build constructed outside Meyer Werft. The ship was launched on 7 November 1999 and completed two sets of sea trials in April 2000. Delivery, initially expected in May, took place on 22 June 2000. She was christened at Southampton on 26 June by Robyn Roux, wife of chef Michel Roux, and initially registered in Monrovia, Liberia. Her maiden voyage departed Amsterdam on 1 July 2000 and visited Baltic ports. After the inaugural European season, she entered the North American market from New York in November and then moved to Port Everglades for Caribbean winter itineraries. Mediterranean cruises followed in the summer, and the ship subsequently developed a broad international operating pattern encompassing Europe, the Caribbean, Australasia, Asia, and Alaska. Millennium's technical identity was central to the class's launch. She used a combined gas-and-steam turbine power plant in which exhaust heat from gas turbines generated steam, recovering energy that would otherwise have been lost. At delivery, the ship was described as the first cruise ship to use a turbo-electric COGES system. Two Mermaid azimuth pod-propulsion units provided propulsion. The vessel also offered several unusual design and heritage elements: the Olympic Restaurant contained preserved walnut panels from RMS Olympic, Notes was presented as the first music library at sea, and the ship included ocean-facing glass elevators. The propulsion system proved troublesome during the vessel's operating life. Bearing problems appeared within months of delivery and led to cancelled voyages and an emergency repair period in December 2000. In 2003, Royal Caribbean brought a lawsuit against Rolls-Royce and Alstom concerning the pod failures, seeking recovery of lost income and associated costs; the case was settled in January 2010. A 2007 incident near Villefranche-sur-Mer damaged the propellers after contact with a submerged rock during an electrical malfunction, disrupting Mediterranean cruises. In 2013, electrical problems in the pod motors caused the cancellation of the remaining Alaska season and another emergency dry dock. The ship continued to receive new deployments and product updates. In December 2012, it debuted in Asia from Singapore, which became a recurring winter base, while summers were increasingly associated with Alaska. A 35-day refurbishment in Singapore in early 2019 added 30 passenger cabins. The COVID-19 pandemic then interrupted operations. Planned Asian cruises were cancelled in February 2020, and Celebrity proposed moving the vessel to Los Angeles for complimentary cruises for first responders and military personnel, but all sailings were cancelled after the industry-wide suspension on 13 March. Millennium spent much of the shutdown near San Diego, with crew repatriation taking months. In 2021, Millennium became one of the early Celebrity ships to resume North American operations. After a limited program from St. Maarten, she moved to Seattle and resumed Alaska cruises in July. She remains an active Celebrity Cruises vessel and, according to the cited reference, is the oldest operating ship in the company's fleet.

• 2021

  Operations resume after the pandemic suspension

  [1]Celebrity Millenniumen.wikipedia.org

  Millennium restarted with sailings from St. Maarten and later resumed Alaska cruises from Seattle.

• 2019

  Major refurbishment in Singapore

  [1]Celebrity Millenniumen.wikipedia.org

  A 35-day dry dock added 30 passenger cabins and refreshed the ship.

• 2012

  Asian deployment begins

  [1]Celebrity Millenniumen.wikipedia.org

  The ship arrived in Singapore and began operating recurring Asian itineraries.

• 2000

  Delivery, christening, and maiden voyage

  [1]Celebrity Millenniumen.wikipedia.org

  Millennium was delivered in June, christened at Southampton, and began its first cruise from Amsterdam on 1 July.

• 1999

  Ship is launched

  [1]Celebrity Millenniumen.wikipedia.org

  The vessel was launched from the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard on 7 November.

• 1998

  Millennium-class construction agreement is signed

  [1]Celebrity Millenniumen.wikipedia.org

  Royal Caribbean signed a letter of intent with Chantiers de l'Atlantique for two new Celebrity ships, with options for two additional vessels.

A premium cruise ship combining Celebrity Cruises' upscale hospitality proposition with international destination itineraries, specialty dining, entertainment, and distinctive Millennium-class design features.

• Cruise travel · 2000

  Celebrity Millennium cruise vacations

  The ship's core offering is multi-day cruise travel combining accommodation, dining, entertainment, onboard recreation, and visits to destination ports. Its historical itinerary portfolio has included Baltic and wider European voyages, Mediterranean cruises, Caribbean winter programs, Asian sailings from Singapore, Australasia, and Alaska cruises from the Pacific Northwest.

• Hospitality and dining · 2000

  Onboard dining and heritage venues

  Celebrity Millennium was designed with specialty and destination-oriented onboard spaces, including the Olympic Restaurant, whose walnut paneling came from the former RMS Olympic. Other distinctive features included Notes, a music library, and ocean-view glass elevators, helping differentiate the ship's premium hospitality proposition.

• Cruise itinerary

  Alaska itineraries

  Alaska became one of Millennium's recurring seasonal markets, particularly after its later deployment from Seattle. The ship returned to Alaska in 2021 as part of the early restart of North American cruising following the COVID-19 suspension.

• 2021

  Post-pandemic North American restartStrategy

  Background

  Celebrity sought to restore operations after the cruise industry's COVID-19 suspension.

  Action taken

  Millennium operated limited sailings from St. Maarten before repositioning to Seattle for Alaska cruises.

  Aftermath

  The ship became one of the early vessels to resume North American cruise operations and Alaska service.

  Source

• 2019

  Singapore dry-dock refurbishmentOther

  Background

  Celebrity updated the ship during a 35-day dry dock to refresh its passenger product and accommodation capacity.

  Action taken

  The refurbishment added 30 passenger cabins and made other changes to the vessel.

  Aftermath

  Millennium returned to international service with expanded accommodation.

  Source

• 2003

  Legal action over pod-propulsion failuresOther

  Background

  Repeated failures involving the ship's pod-propulsion equipment caused repairs, cancelled voyages, and lost revenue.

  Action taken

  Royal Caribbean filed a lawsuit against Rolls-Royce and Alstom seeking compensation for lost revenue and related costs.

  Aftermath

  The dispute was settled in January 2010.

  Source

1. 1Celebrity Millenniumen.wikipedia.org