Dr. Pam

Ship:  Reflection

length of cruise: 10 days

sail date:  21 Feb 20 (MardiGras cruise)

offer received:  14 Dec 19

Captains Club level: Elite

Booked thru TA

Bid:  no. 

Penthouse: 750 pp minimum bid

Reflection: 900pp minimum bid

Comments:  We originally reserved a Celebrity Suite and watched the price come down almost $4000. I did not want to move up to Signature Suite but was interested in the Royal suite. The RS dropped dramatically this past week  and i had my TA contact Celebrity and we ended up paying less than 900 for both of us to upgrade! 

8 minutes ago, lissie said:

Because they don't understand  that you can't sue for an accident in NZ - we have no-fault accident insurance here - got rid of the ambulance chasers many, many years ago. ACC does have its down sides but a time like this you realise how wonderfully it works - all those people in hospital - they aren't paying for it (nor are  their insurance companies - if they have one) - its paid by the NZ tax payer. 

Thank you.  We are similar to NZ accident policies and hospital coverage for all in Canada.

Prayers for all involved.  Enough said.  Please take care.

I am Canadian and I always reserve land and sea in US dollars.  I always reserve the cruise directly from the cruiseline company and then I shop around for the best US TA that has a good reputation and will offer me the best OBC.  I am currently using a TA out of Florida that has provided me with great service and fantastic OBC on my past few cruises. I have recommended him to my friends and he continues to work with me to provide the very best OBC. Canadian TA's just cannot touch these offers.  ABoatNerd has it right.  Open a US account at your bank, discuss with the bank associate what CC's are offered with this new account that might provide good travel insurance and then start watching our CDN$ vs. the US$ and start a good savings plan in your new account.  You will be golden by the time of final payment.

As an aside, many Canadian cruisers using their CC's for US charges do not realize that their Credit Card company is not only charging the exchange rate, but may be adding a percentage "service fee" for the exchange.  This is very prevalent with cards issued by the big banks......they are in the biz of making money. 

Another option if you want to reduce your cruising fares is to check out the  big box store that sells everything both here and in the US.  They have some great cruise fares here in Canada that most TA's in Canada would be very hard pressed to match.

Reserve your cruise directly through Celebrity.  Keep checking on fares and phone in to adjust to lower fares and added perks.  Cruise Critic Celebrity boards are a great resource to keep up to date on promotions and price drops. You have lots of time.  I would recommend not transferring to a TA yet because they may charge you a cancellation fee if you need to change your plans.  Start a US bank account here in Canada.  Just my $0.02......oh wait, we do not have pennies in Canada anymore!!!

Happy and Safe Travels,

Pam

1 hour ago, 4774Papa said:

I try to wear shits with collars going to a restaurant.

Impressive!  But I will assume this is a typo! 😉

For the record, I  do agree with all the above posts that it is nice to provide a dining experience with decorum!

2 hours ago, Blazerboy said:

Well, I really liked the personally engraved drinking glasses...and the caviar and Dom Perignon service at 6:00 every evening.  🍾🥃🥂

 

The personal secretary to type up my cruise musing was only so-so...she could only type 70 words per minute, and my creative genius needs a much quicker response.  🤔

 

I found the tuck-in service from the Captain a little creepy, though.  For me, perhaps because it was Captain Kate...still in her costume. Send one of the tall Greeks next time, and I might change my mind.  😁

 

The golf cart for getting from one end of the ship to the other was nice.  But I was never really able to get going very fast in the Ski-doo in the spa pool. Sad.🙄

 

The free convertible upon arrival home was a nice touch...but why so chintzy?  A Mercedes?  Like having to travel steerage.  I gave it to the upstairs maid.😎

 

As I'm quadruple Zenith, I think the program needs work.😉

 

 

OMG!!!! LOL!  Best post in a very long time!

16 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

But no cabanas, correct?

Not that I recall. 

I was just on the Symphony on the March 30 sailing.  Yes, there is a hot tub and it is hot! Put my hand in and  that was a no go! 😲It is situated close to the bar, so those who decided to brave the hot water would have refreshments close at hand. 😄 Regarding availability of loungers, etc. on sea days it was obvious that the chair hogs also reside in suites.  😏  To my dismay, it seemed that there was no monitoring of the situation.  We decided to stay on the ship in Nassau, and had a chance to enjoy the Suite deck.  Also, I should mention that when we were up there on a sea day and finally found a place to park, it was quite breezy.  Ladies, I might suggest bringing a hat that fits securely on your head with not too large of a brim!  Also, Suite Deck entrance was very secure.   Enjoy!

Another suggestion if I may.....you might perhaps please ask these knowledgeable CC members what the email addresses of the Suite Concierge team onboard the Harmony.   I did just that a few weeks before our sail date on the Symphony at the end of March.  Type A traveler that I am, I had made all of my specialty dining reservations and comedy show reservation on my cruise planner ahead of time.  However, I was able to contact Rahul and Jennie  (Symphony Suite team) prior to them reaching out to me a week before the cruise.  :) All of my CK dining reservations were secured..no problem! 

Great review! Thank you.  We are just off the Symphony and convinced 2 families that are our best-est friends to try the Oasis class ships.  I helped them decide and the Allure worked best for their dates.  They will be onboard this August.  So glad that my recommendation is supported! Again, thank you for such a detailed review.

Pam 

Hi!:) Have been there and done that!  GS to OV balcony.  How old are your children?  IF there are under 18, the Suite Lounge/Coastal Kitchen are more amenable to extending privileges.  I think that Royal execs should take a look at the bottom line of you reserving another room for 2 additional guests which is considerably more than having all of you share a Grand suite.  Also, it is very difficult to reserve a grand suite 2 bedroom for 4 people unless the sailing is less crowded.  You might check out the cost of a Crown Loft in comparison.  Soooo,  Technically no.....however, depending on childrens' ages and how full the ship/CK is, your suite concierges' thoughts will determine the outcome.  

Pam

It has been a while since I posted a review but felt compelled because of my overall amazing experience! My husband, myself and our 23 year old son boarded the Symphony of the Seas on March 30, 2019 out of Miami. Here are my thoughts based on a my perspective as a Type A organization and Luxe traveller. 

Embarkation:

So easy and fast!  We arrived by Uber to the new RCCL terminal and were deposited at the Suite Line at approximately 12:30 PM/  My first impression walking in to the building was, "WOW!"  the lightness and amazing propeller artwork made us stop and look around even though we were being ushered to take the elevator up to the suite check in.  I had completed all of the pre-checkin and had our setsail passes in hand.  We exited into a lounge area where I thought there might be a lineup.  NOPE!  Royal had their associates come to us as we sat down and checked us in in under 2 minutes! No time for tea and cookies!  No problem....the Symphony beckoned! I am not kidding when I say that it was 10 minutes from our curbside drop off to boarding our ship.  Well done Royal!

 I must give some background info so that any readers have perspective.  We have sailed in suites on the Oasis twice and the Allure once in the past as well as on other Royal Caribbean ships.  Our family all has Diamond status.  We are familiar with the layout of this beautiful mega ship and did not need to tour around to discover our bearings.  We walked through the Promenade and took the aft elevators up to the Suite Lounge/Coastal Kitchen on the 17th floor where I knew it would be less hectic and we could order lunch in a calm environment.  We met our most incredible suite concierges, Rahul and Jennie.  Simply, they are amazing!  Excellent ambassadors for the Royal Caribbean brand, smart, savvy, engaging, intelligent and will do their upmost to make your vacation special and memorable.  

We were seated immediately for lunch and I recognized one of waiters from a past cruise on the Allure! Bogdan! :)  He became our favorite waiter once again in the CK! Excellent service always with a smile!  We also met our most special barkeeps in the Suite Lounge, Koko and Max! Again, such amazing staff!  

We finished our lunch (BTW, CK salads are delish...beet salad, spinach and shrimp, wedge....They became my go-to for lunch everyday!) My DH and DS declared the Warm Chicken breast sandwich one of the best ever, which was apparent as they continued to order this dish several times during our week onboard.  Also, if you have not sailed in a suite on the "big ships", there is gratis wine and beer from 11am-11pm(?) that our bartenders and waiters would serve while having lunch. Nice.  The Suite Lounge also serves cocktails between 4:30-8:00PM.  This is certainly a "suite perk. We left the CK Lounge and proceeded to our Crown Loft Suite on the same floor.

Crown Loft Suite:

We were in a CL1 with a wonderful view of the ocean! On arrival, our suite was immaculately clean and everything was well laid out.  Our room keys and Royal bands were waiting for us! I always cruise in suite (don't flame me :) ) but this was the first in a loft suite.  I must say the view looking out the 2 stories of windows onto our deck and downtown Miami was quite incredible.  We chose this suite as the 2 bedroom Grand Suites were not available.  We appreciate having 2 washrooms when everyone is trying to get ready and out the door.  I found that there was adequate closet and storage space, and it was convenient to move the sliding table to the wall to free up more space.  The hide-abed on the main floor, was actually queen size and my 23 year old son stated that it was quite comfortable.  I found our king bed in the loft to be a bit on the firm side, but again this is all personal preference.  My only criticism of the suite, was that the lighting in the loft vanity area was dim and a lit vanity mirror would have been very welcomed. Our suite attendants, Phil and Chris were great!  We always came back to a fresh room and some fun towel animals! Thank you guys!

Restaurants:

So, I must preface that my family is well traveled and have experienced some amazing restaurants including Michelin starred establishments. Only mentioning this so you understand my perspective on the ship's dining venues. And again, food is very subjective.  I will also add that although we did not always enjoy the food, we always appreciated the wonderful servers and did not create a fuss when dishes were not up to our expectations. (LOL.  Sorry, polite Canadians!) We always tipped our servers well.

Windjammer:  Never stepped foot in the place.  I do not care to join long lines to find what I want to eat and then try to find a place to sit.  Just not my thing. Sorry. 

Main Dining Room:  Sorry, we were no shows here as well.  Our previous experiences (the food NOT the waiters) in the MDR have been below expectations.

Wonderland: Meh? OK. Glad we checked it out. Neat decor, great cocktails, fun visit from the MadHatter but the food.......appies were the best out of all the dishes. Will not repeat.

Jamie's Kitchen: We enjoyed.  Great calamari starter, great salads, and good mains.  My son had the chocolate brownie for dessert! He said it was fantastic. Recommend this venue.

Izumi: We dined here twice (not the hibachi side.) Now it is not Nobu, but we love fish and sushi and enjoyed our time here.

Hooked: Just pass!!! Take Red Lobster down a few notches and you have Hooked! My DH and DS ordered an assortment of raw oysters to start.  They both said that the offerings had been frozen prior to serving....watery and not good.  Our Maine Lobster was obviously baked in too much oil. YUCK!  Our waiter here was great but sadly the food was not!

El Loco Fresh: I had a salad that was prepackaged ( I do not care for buffets) but my DS and DH loaded up on some Mexican fajitas and said they were good! I think as stated before, that the Royal staff should clean up more often around the condiment sections.  Looks a bit messy=unappetizing.

Chops: We had reservations and cancelled based on some friends we had met in the Suite Lounge.  We already had an amazing filet prepared perfectly in the Coastal Kitchen on our first night (absolutely recommended by Bogdan) and we were impressed.

105 Central Park:  Did not have a good experience on our last cruise on Allure.  This restaurant was not in the running.

Coastal Kitchen: WOW! WOW! WOW!

Ok, we figured this out very quickly.  Best food IMHO on the ship served by very attentive and engaging waiters.  This was OUR restaurant!  The view and vibe only contributed more to the delicious dishes that were served to us.  Truly the CK, Suite Lounge and the Suite Concierges are the reason to sail in a suite.  It truly just elevates the experience. We are able to decide on which line we wish to cruise (which includes the luxury end ships.) However, we like all the activities and shows that the RCCL's Oasis class ships offer!  Our suite experiences keep us coming back.  Kudos to the chef and all of the staff at the CK and Lounge.  Thank you!

Shows:

Just go to all of them!  Another reason why we love Royal's big ships.  Excellent productions! Enjoyed all of them including 1977 (ice show) which I had hesitated in attending.  SO so glad I did.  It was fantastic. A note to my readers, as a suite guest we did not need reservations except for the comedy show.  We saw the long lines for guests who had not made reservations.  Please make your rezzies ahead of time so that you will not miss all the wonderful shows.

We did try out the casino for one night and left our token contribution.  We are not big gamblers but like to pull the slots a couple times and play a little Blackjack.  It is harder to win here compared to  Vegas because of Royals' set odds/winnings at the tables.  We did not return as even the non-smoking side became more smoky as the days went on!  Enough to keep us out.

Excursions:

St. Maarten:  Did a Royal excursion for beginning Scuba Divers.  Well run and safe.  Also did a bit of shopping.

St. Thomas:  Did another Royal excursion "Champagne Snorkelling and Catamaran Sail."  Would recommend.

Nassau: We have been here several times (both with cruises and island resorts.)  There were 5 or 6 ships in port that day. We chose to stay onboard and enjoy the Symphony.  

Disembarkation:

Our flight back to Canada out of MIA did not leave until noon.  We had left all of our luggage except one suitcase out the night before. We had breakfast in the CK on departure morning. We finished packing and said goodbye to our lovely suite and vowed that we will return. As a suite guest, Rahul and Jennie were taking turns escorting suite guests off the ship, thereby passing some long lines. We exited to the terminal, quickly found our luggage in a suite section and then went to clear customs.  Now here is our only snafu.  American citizens were quickly filed into very fast moving facial recognition lines.  Canadians and other non-US citizens had to go into another long line with 2 border agents.  There was no fast track.  Made our exit a bit disappointing.  

In summary, we had a great time on this beautiful ship.  We enjoyed meeting new people who have become friends. We appreciated the very hard work provided with a smile that we found with all of the staff, EVERYWHERE!  Again, this review is catered to people who chose to cruise in a suite.  I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending the Symphony's "Suiteness!"  Happy and safe travels to all.

:)Pam

Meh......Not on Oasis Class Ships

WOW!! Merci Beaucoup!

Being prepared= relaxed happy travelers 

Each to their own.....

I think in this day and age if you are travelling outside of your own country, that one should have a passport. Things can happen beyond our control and I would suggest being prepared. Obviously there is a risk that some people are willing to take.  Not me.

Happy and safe travels,

Pam

Just checking in to see if anyone might have the email for one or both of the Suite Concierges onboard the Symphony of the Seas.  We have a special celebration that I wanted to plan in advance.  Any help is appreciated.

Thank you,

Pam

Ok....I am always just amazed that if people are willing to travel, that they would consider shortchanging themselves on a valid passport.  C'MON!  REALLY?  

Further... Where are we not able to use our 3 Diamond gratis drinks that are loaded on our seapass? Are they valid in comedy club, main theater?

Thank you!

24 minutes ago, jannan said:

Our first cruise with kids.  The plan says ship docks at 8AM (serenade of seas) in Stockholm.  Can I disembark and get to airport to catch 11 AM or 12 PM flight?  How long after 8AM can I get off the ship?

We were on the Serenade few years ago and embarked and disembarked in Stockholm.  We did not opt to carry our luggage off so we had to claim it once off the ship.  What I do remember is a very congested exiting terminal with snaking lines outside waiting for a taxi.  It was a slow process.  The Stockholm airport is probably a 45 minute drive away.  I would opt for the 12 PM flight just to be on the safe side!

Happy and Safe Travels,

Pam

1 minute ago, tinmantim said:

Just got off the Symphony a week ago. There is no chefs table on her. We did ask. We dined at Wonderland one night and enjoyed it. A truly unique experience.

Thank you! I hope that you enjoyed your cruise.

Hey vacationlover! I know that you live in the COLD area of "southern Canada!"  We both  need our fix of warm weather vacays! I just do not know if I can wait until the end of March for our cruise.  We are just so darn gosh cold with so much snow this year that we are all getting a little cabin crazy!

Pam

Thank you for taking us all along. Truly enjoyed the journey!

Congrats!  I have been to Barcelona a few times and it is one of my fav cities.  TAPAS in Las Ramblas and evenings (they dine and party very very late) on the Boardwalk.  Enjoy!

Hi Vacationlover! Thank you for you reply.  We are tentatively reserved at Wonderland for this cruise.  We are from Cold COLD COLD Canada and we in Alberta know our beef too!   I will keep you posted....LOL.  I will also be on the look out for Ishram as I have seen his name quite a bit on the boards.  Do you recommend Wonderland over Chef's Table experiences that you have had on other ships?

Good morn.  We will be on the Symphony in March and I have not heard anything about the Chef's Table Dinner being offered onboard? If it is, where are they holding it? And also, would past guests recommend CT over Wonderland?

We have usually enjoyed CT during many of our past cruises, some more than others.  I did not care for their dining experience on the Navigator two years ago, as they held the dinner in WJ (no ambience). We enjoyed CT because of the atmosphere on the Serenade (private room) and on the Allure and the Oasis.  Any insight would be appreciated.  Thank you.

Pam