Our 50 Night Reflection Odyssey

[dpryo319]

Great post from Rory's GF (sorry I don't know your name) to put things in perspective.

As others have said, no need to panic.

It is not only the number of people using Internet but the amont of data (ie videos, photos) they are downloading that overloads the system. Has happened in our library - we had 2 T1 lines and they couldn't keep up with the WIFI demands. With so many portable devices, people want to use Internet everywhere now.

 

 

Thank you ! :) And my name is DaMara, sorry about that !

[SusieV]

Hi Susie,

 

In all honesty, I feel that some folks are overreacting big time. While there have reportedly been a few glitches, I think it's fair to say that glitches are to be expected on a new ship. From what I've read, there was a mechanical problem which reportedly has been resolved. The other issue appears to be the internet, which I presume is why we arent hearing from our dear friends like Arno and others. Hopefully, Arno will check in with us soon.

 

Would I cancel a Reflection sailing based on what has been said so far ? Absolutely not. Just my .02 cents.

 

Thanks Andy. We're not thinking about it ourselves- we loved Silhouette and can't imagine we wouldn't like Reflection. I was just surprised when I saw several members of our Roll Call cancel and reference this thread. I read every page but wondered if I missed something major. We love the S class.

[ariawoman]

Thanks Andy. We're not thinking about it ourselves- we loved Silhouette and can't imagine we wouldn't like Reflection. I was just surprised when I saw several members of our Roll Call cancel and reference this thread. I read every page but wondered if I missed something major. We love the S class.

 

Don't cancel. It's a brand new ship. There are kinks. They will be ironed out. I was on her inaugural and I'd book her again despite the kinks, as she was a beautiful ship and I'm certain that celebrity will address the things they are finding on these last few itineraries.

[alenushka]

November 13th: Catania, Sicily

 

I have come to the conclusion that Reflection is making me sick. My cold, after years of experience, never ran its predictable conclusion. One day my sinuses would be plugged, the next I would have a sore throat, followed by a day without any symptoms only to start the cycle again with a runny nose. .

 

for many years i thought i had frequent colds until i met a very nice doctor who diagnosed me with food allergies which were not revealed by a regular blood work (tomatoes, yeast , wheat and sugar were on that list :eek:)---- are you eating any foods you usually don't eat at home? or something you usually eat but not in same amounts? :rolleyes: That may be the answer to your symptoms. Also, try allergy meds - might help a lot. In any case - feel better and enjoy the rest of the cruise!

[gagirl7143]

November 13th: Catania, Sicily

Not wishing to take the same wrong turn as last cruise, we decided to visit Taormina, a very pleasant historical town about 45 minutes north. On our way to the train station, we were given the option of a taxi ride from the terminal at a cost of 190 Euros for the six of us. When I asked if she knew the cost of the rail alternative, she pleaded ignorance so we knew the train would be cheaper. A 100 feet up the path to the port exit, we were offered a taxi for a 100 Euros, just under 20pp, about half the price of the $47pp Celebrity was charging for an unguided tour. We found out later that the train and bus connection would have been 10 Euros each. The taxi driver dropped us off at the wall in Taormina and told us, in Italian, that he would pick us up in two hours. We all agreed that this was a beautiful walking site with great photo ops. The weather was sunny and warm, perfect touring conditions.

November 14th: Naples

Another sunny and warm day greeted us in Naples, perfect for walking, touring and demonstrating. As we turned the corner three blocks from the ship we were suddenly near a very large crowd of demonstrators carrying banners and placards loudly moving in our direction. The large number of police at every street corner indicated that wise people should walk briskly in a different direction. Since we like boring, uneventful but picturesque touring destinations, we headed back for lunch on board. In the evening, a friend who had visited Sorrento and returned, or tried to return by train, was forced to find alternative transportation when a sudden strike shut down the rail line.

Disembarking in Naples involves a forced long detour. Upon leaving the ship, one enters a building for about 50 feet, exits close to the street but is then “guided” in the opposite direction from your destination. You can see the castle to your right but passengers, (but not crew nor visitors) are required to walk left along the sidewalk back into the building, up several flights of stairs where you can visit several stores before heading down the stairs to the front of the terminal mere yards from where you could have been ten minutes (plus window shopping time) earlier.

November 15th: Civitavecchia

A cool but sunny day welcomed us to the gateway to Rome. We are moored in the industrial port, a little more isolated than our former stopover. There was no direct path to the bus pickup point from the gangway. Rather than walk straight across through the tent-like terminal, we were required to walk left for several 100 ft then right then right again to wind up about 50 feet from our starting point. At 10:30 there was only one bus shuttling people and a line several 100 passengers long with no one in charge to call more buses. We did not want to risk a trip into Rome by train and walked through the local market for our self arranged walking tour. Tomorrow there is a scheduled train strike which will make many taxi drivers extremely happy.

I have come to the conclusion that Reflection is making me sick. My cold, after years of experience, never ran its predictable conclusion. One day my sinuses would be plugged, the next I would have a sore throat, followed by a day without any symptoms only to start the cycle again with a runny nose. Whatever they are spraying is playing havoc with my normal breathing. I have also concluded that I am simply cruising too much on a Celebrity ship. I have developed an allergic reaction to the blue shower gel and today we went shopping for a gentler alternative to the cleanser I have used for years. My arms and legs have not decided whether I’m suffering from measles or adopting polka dots as new camouflage. Fans sailing with Perry Grant may ask about the best way to solve an itch problem that I have developed onboard (his fans will understand).

We never did learn about the actual nature of the mechanical problem that required fixing. Presently fix-it men from Finland are still on board monitoring the situation. Rumours, the fact less basis of so much conversation when the truth is not made available, suggests that the not-invisible divers with the tug boat nearby were fixing the side thrusters or pods (how much fun that would be if we could open that can of worms again.)

Our transit passes for turnover day in Barcelona were available 5 days early as if we were being assured that we would need them when we complete this cruise. I had put an Equinox cabin on hold just in case our cruise ended today. Equinox is in port tomorrow as she starts a new 10 day cruise prior to a transatlantic and an alternative way home.

We have enjoyed menu new menu items in the MDR. There are many new appetizers that would even be great choices for the entree. In addition a T-bone has been added for beef lovers. The dining room and Oceanview team of Marco, Angel, and many other wonderful assistants are the stars of this voyage. We are experiencing the best food choices in quite a while.

There is still no official acknowledgement by Captain’s Club on board of the voucher system to be introduced next cruise despite several back to back cruisers having received official email notice from Celebrity. I have not been notified but I have been shown the email from a fellow passenger. I can only speculate why there is this reluctance to prepare us for the coming change. Do some still think that “ignorance is bliss?”

If Isaac or Nestor or Captain’s Club is monitoring this thread, I am not home to answer the phone and I still do not have the booking number required for on line registration of our upcoming sailing.

 

Come on over to Equinox for the Transatlantic Arno...... lots of your friends are on !!!!!!

[seasearider]

Hi Susie,

 

In all honesty, I feel that some folks are overreacting big time. While there have reportedly been a few glitches, I think it's fair to say that glitches are to be expected on a new ship. From what I've read, there was a mechanical problem which reportedly has been resolved. The other issue appears to be the internet, which I presume is why we arent hearing from our dear friends like Arno and others. Hopefully, Arno will check in with us soon.

 

Would I cancel a Reflection sailing based on what has been said so far ? Absolutely not. Just my .02 cents.

 

Thanks Andy. We're not thinking about it ourselves- we loved Silhouette and can't imagine we wouldn't like Reflection. I was just surprised when I saw several members of our Roll Call cancel and reference this thread. I read every page but wondered if I missed something major. We love the S class.

 

Susie, really? I believe I was the single poster on the February 23rd cruise who canceled because of this thread. Not sure why you decided to turn lonely me into several other than to create a stir on this board.

 

Andy for background info, my husband and I are on the first B2B Reflection cruises out of Miami in December. We absolutely love the S Class ships of Celebrity and our upcoming cruises will be our 7 and 8th trips in this class. One of the reasons we are drawn to this Class is AQ and BLU. Arno has given a very honest review of Blu as being really good but also rushed and often there are long lines do to the additional cabins eligible to dine in Blu. As final payment is due for our Feb cruise while we are onboard the Reflection in December we decided to switch to the Silly on March 3rd, the other S Class ship we haven't been on.

 

Were there other factors in our decision, yes. Reports of overcrowding definitely played a role, but the main reason was Blu.

 

Susie, again not sure of your motive, but please do enjoy you Reflection cruise.

 

Arno, thanks for your input, you have been very helpful.

K

[Mulege]

Some people just get more paranoid and crankier as they get older.

[natshala]

Arno,

Thank you for taking the time in writing your blog. I really appreciate hearing your experiences and honest opinions in near real time.

[ellbon]

Arno

Thanks for the update. I know when we met in the past you either had a cold or felt like you did. also last winter you mention the same thing. I do wonder if it is food or some chemical they are cleaning with.

i would think that if you change cruise ships and needed the rez number the captain host could get you from one ship to the other using their I.D.

I have been on 3 S class ships and I think they are all crowded but I am going for the kids club this time.

[woodsmen]

Yep, I'm the girlfriend! ;) His posts have been getting shorter, but he does what he can to update, for interested readers here is the link :

 

http://roryboltoncruise.blogspot.com

 

...and just to be clear...the internet has ALWAYS been this spotty. When he was on the Silhouette, it was even worse the first couple months :(

 

Azamara, they seem to have the internet problem solved...some how...never were any problems there... :o

 

It's scary not hearing from Rory for days, especially when I log on and see people worried here...

 

Take it as you wish, but PLEASE don't cancel your beloved vacation on board this beautiful ship because of the negativity and uncertainty appearing on the boards! Satellite internet is really crappy, and so are the phones---that's just the way it is, sadly. And problems with new cruise ships... I can tell you how many times I got phone calls when Rory was on the Silhouette notifying me of problems...it happens, on every line, and Celebrity is ESPECIALLY careful and concerned for the safety of it's crew and passengers.

 

I think I may start a board, just to keep to communication going, as best I can...

 

I'm just the girlfriend "left behind" over here ;) take it as you wish !

 

Agreed. Maybe instead of using the internet, they have decided to actually enjoy the cruise and what not? When my wife and I go on cruises, we make it a point not to use the internet. Its called a vacation people. :) My parents on on this cruise as we speak and are having a fantastic time. This is a big ship and there are bound to be some crowding at some point. My suggestion to anyone complaining is to book a trip on a smaller ship. I mean that in a nice way of course.

[C 2 C]

NEWS ALERT:

4pm Saturday November 17th. The following letter was just hand delivered to the stateroom:

As you are aware, during Celebrity Reflection’s previous sailing (!!!) the ship experienced a technical issue, which caused the ship to sail at a reduced rate of speed. Our onboard engineers and additional specialists worked on the issue and corrected part of the problem, but unfortunately, the ships is still travelling at less speed than normal. It should be noted that this issue has no impact on the maneuverability of the ship or on the safety of our guests and crew.

After reviewing our scheduled itinerary and taking the ship’s reduced speed into account, it is necessary to make some adjustments. ....... Reflection will bypass Tenerife on Friday November 23.

Celebrity Cruises will provide your stateroom with an onboard credit.

Sincerely,

(not signed)

Celebrity Cruises.

[mcd1411]

NEWS ALERT:

4pm Saturday November 17th. The following letter was just hand delivered to the stateroom:

As you are aware, during Celebrity Reflection’s previous sailing (!!!) the ship experienced a technical issue, which caused the ship to sail at a reduced rate of speed. Our onboard engineers and additional specialists worked on the issue and corrected part of the problem, but unfortunately, the ships is still travelling at less speed than normal. It should be noted that this issue has no impact on the maneuverability of the ship or on the safety of our guests and crew.

After reviewing our scheduled itinerary and taking the ship’s reduced speed into account, it is necessary to make some adjustments. ....... Reflection will bypass Tenerife on Friday November 23.

Celebrity Cruises will provide your stateroom with an onboard credit.

Sincerely,

(not signed)

Celebrity Cruises.

 

Did it state how much OBC they would be adding to your stateroom!

 

Well 13 nights and 2 ports a long slow cruise.

 

Barry

[kk99]

Hi Arno,

Thanks for posting so we can cancel our private tour in Tenerife. It´s disappointing, but we will still have a great time on the Reflection. It was 60 and rainy today, but still a great day in Barcelona. It is supposed to have intermittent showers tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you again, and all of our friends already on Reflection.

 

Kelcie

[cruiseacecat]

Thanks for the followup Arno. I am getting concerned for the cruises scheduled after Reflections arrival in Fla. May have to book BWI to SJU instead of FLL to SJU. And still no booking number from capt. club. Not a good sign. Good luck to you and Joanne. I do hope you are managing to find things to like and that it is not all negative.

 

Anne

[johhnnyt]

The first few rollout voyages on any new ship are never perfect. Always bound to have some minor issues like these minor ones on Reflection, considering it's size and complexity, but on other hand always fun to be onboard when its brand spanking new, and that's always the allure.

 

Sounds like overall very good as nothing that affected comfort or safety, just a few little bugs that they seem to work out as they get used to her

[ellbon]

Every fall my wanderlust, the result of a defective sedentary gene, "forces" me to take an extended cruising odyssey. My dear wife reluctantly leaves behind her garden, her daily chores and laptop gaming endeavors and tries to keep me out of trouble onboard. This year, for a variety of reasons, we will be sailing on Reflection from Amsterdam on Oct. 12 by way of the Mediterranean to our destination in Miami on Dec. 1st. I have every intention of exploring the ship and enjoying my leisure but if you have any serious concerns I will try to get an answer for you.

 

• Oct. 12: 9 Nights Inaugural European Cruise
   
  
• Departing from Amsterdam, Netherlands; Bruges,(Zeebrugge),Belgium; Paris (Le Havre), France; Gijon, Spain; Vigo, Spain; Malaga, Spain; Barcelona, Spain
  
• Oct. 21: 14 Nights Mediterranean Renaissance
  
• Departing from Barcelona, Spain; Provence (Toulon), France; Cannes, France; Florence, Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Naples, Italy; Catania,sicily,italy; Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey; Rhodes, Greece; Mykonos, Greece; Koper, Slovenia; Venice, Italy
  
• Nov. 04: 14 Nights Mediterranean Empires Cruise
  
• Departing from Venice, Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Rhodes, Greece; Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey; Athens (Piraeus), Greece; Valletta, Malta; Catania,sicily,italy; Naples, Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; Florence, Italy; Provence (Toulon), France; Barcelona, Spain
  
• Nov. 18: 13 Nights Transatlantic Cruise
  
• Departing from Barcelona, Spain; Palma De Mallorca, Spain; Malaga, Spain; Tenerife, Canary Islands; Miami, Florida.
  

 

 

thought you were switching ships and sailing the Big "E". also are you afraid you will run out of pills or what?

 

always a concern when traveling at around 60 days..

[mimito4]

My husband and I have been in Barcelona since the morning of Nov 15. We've had a wonderful visit and plan on boarding the Reflection in the morning. This is the first time I've been online to check anything since a day or so before we left home so I would be lying if I said these entries regarding mechanical troubles don't give me pause. . .

 

Deep breath :eek: Ok, this is one time I'm going to choose to not worry about things I can't fix. I was an HR person and OD consultant in a past life. . .never an engineer of any sort. I am going to trust the management expertise of Celebrity to not proceed if there are any serious worries.

 

Best wishes, good health (and fast wellness Arno) and safe travels to those already enjoying Reflection and to all of us boarding tomorrow morning!

[cwtravel]

The wife and I are also in Barcelona, boarding tomorrow. I hope Celebrity comes up with something, otherwise we have 9 days @ sea from Malaga? Possibly a stop in Funchal or Labadee in the Caribbean? We did a crossing on the Galaxy in 2001 and it was 5 days @ sea from Funchal to San Juan. Usually it is a day from Florida to San Juan.

 

Chris

[mcd1411]

The wife and I are also in Barcelona, boarding tomorrow. I hope Celebrity comes up with something, otherwise we have 9 days @ sea from Malaga? Possibly a stop in Funchal or Labadee in the Caribbean? We did a crossing on the Galaxy in 2001 and it was 5 days @ sea from Funchal to San Juan. Usually it is a day from Florida to San Juan.

 

Chris

 

I don't think they are planning to go

Anywhere extra so just an extra sea day!

[boogs]

The first few rollout voyages on any new ship are never perfect. Always bound to have some minor issues like these minor ones on Reflection, considering it's size and complexity, but on other hand always fun to be onboard when its brand spanking new, and that's always the allure.

 

Sounds like overall very good as nothing that affected comfort or safety, just a few little bugs that they seem to work out as they get used to her

 

I was on Reflection from Oct 21 to Nov 4. I never noticed a single problem with the ship. We made it to each port on time, the functionality of the ship worked perfectly as far as passengers were concerned. Everything worked. I never felt it was overcrowded, in spite of what has been said. In fact, the couple we traveled with, who are Princess fans, were impressed with how uncrowded the ship seemed compared to what they were used to, and wondered if the ship was partially empty. I assured them that it was a sold out cruise, and that Celebrity has done a fantastic job designing the ship to feel uncrowded.

 

I would not hesitate to sail on here again. Perhaps it is because I cruise to have a good time, and not to look for shortcomings with the cruise. :D

[C 2 C]

Perhaps it is because I cruise to have a good time, and not to look for shortcomings with the cruise. :D

 

Can't say that I was intentionally looking for engine problems and the cancellation of ports.

 

Food on board has been wonderful, service great. Unlike previous sailings over the last few years, the elite lounge has not had the HD or CD or any senior officer visiting and chatting with passengers.

 

Somewhere along the line this continuing problem might involve a dry dock. Since X has not been forthcoming about the issue.. a warning device that can't be fixed??? As I have stated before, without facts rumours will fill the gaps.

[cruiseacecat]

Thanks for continuing to try to keep us informed. IMO, Celebrity is doing itself no favors by not being forthcoming about the problem. At the very least, the current psgrs. should be made aware of the problem and of the plans to fix whatever it is. Why on earth would they prefer to let rumor take over rather than simply present the facts and stop the rumors in their tracks. Probably explains why there have been no officers in attendance at the cocktail hour. :rolleyes:

 

Anne

[C 2 C]

November 18th: Barcelona

We arrived in Barcelona before dawn today. Even when we surfaced at 8 the skies were overcast and the sun was not to be seen. The temperature is struggling to get to 60F today. After morning coffee and tea in the Spa Cafe we began packing for our move back to AQ just one deck up and slightly forward of the elevators on the port side. By 9:30 we were fully unpacked and settled in 1535.

Back to back passengers were required to register in the conference centre on deck 4. Even though we arrived at the scheduled time of 9:45am we were not processed until 10:50. There were about 8 or 10 terminals for registration but I heard that there were nearly 600 B2B passengers that required processing. At noon a lunch was provided for B2B guests in the MDR that included a tasty appetizer, salad and filet mignon.

At 1:30pm we proceeded ashore to seek an antihistamine and Hydrocortisone Cream to combat whatever ails me. I’m trying to determine if I have changed my diet sufficiently to develop a serious food allergy. (Oh, I almost forgot that we also picked up a bit of wine in the terminal to tide us over the dry days.) Barcelona is such a civilized departure port in comparison to the warehouses elsewhere. Shop keepers are allowed to sell various items that passengers have forgotten, had confiscated or need replenishing prior to a well-planned voyage.

Despite the cloak of secrecy imposed on last voyage, we were “surprised” today with a letter:

“Dear Elite Member,

We’re glad to welcome you aboard Celebrity Reflection’s first transatlantic voyage. Due to the extraordinary popularity of this sailing with our Elite members, we will be offering you the choice to enjoy your evening cocktail around various bars and lounges across the ship. We hope you take this opportunity to experience each location’s unique ambiance.

Elite Beverage Vouchers:

· Valid from 5:00pm – 7:00pm daily, excluding the evening of embarkation

· For use in bars or lounges, excluding Molecular Bar, Michael’s Club, Cellar Masters and Cafe al Bacio

· Not valid in the main Dining Room or Specialty Restaurants

· Beverages not on the menu will be charged to your Seapass account

· Kindly present your Voucher and Seapass card at the time of ordering

· Vouchers will be delivered on embarkation day and cannot be replaced if lost

· Vouchers are not transferable or redeemable for cash

Please enjoy the selection offered on the Captain’s Club Cocktail Menu:

 

We value your loyalty and thank you for choosing Celebrity Cruises.”

[hmorrow]

Did the letter say how many vouchers each?

We're sailing on the Equinox TA on the 26th, and rumor has it, we too, will have vouchers, due to the number of elites on board.

Helaine

[boogs]

Can't say that I was intentionally looking for engine problems and the cancellation of ports.

 

Food on board has been wonderful, service great. Unlike previous sailings over the last few years, the elite lounge has not had the HD or CD or any senior officer visiting and chatting with passengers.

 

Somewhere along the line this continuing problem might involve a dry dock. Since X has not been forthcoming about the issue.. a warning device that can't be fixed??? As I have stated before, without facts rumours will fill the gaps.

 

No, I don't expect that you were looking for problems, but I do think much of your complaining is about minor things. You seemed to have convinced yourself that the worse will happen and it apparently is affecting your enjoyment of the ship. Instead of worrying about what may happen (or may not happen), why not put it out of your mind and enjoy your cruise until it does happen (if it ever happens at all)?

 

I did not find the ship crowded as you do. But, I am not Elite so do not attend those crowded functions for your group, which is where I think your complaint of crowding is stemming from.

 

Perhaps you cruise too much and no longer can enjoy it as much as we average cruisers do. I don't have as many opportunities as you have to cruise, so I savor every hour I am on a cruise, and don't focus on the problems as you have done on this thread. Cruising may becoming boring for you.