Speciality restaurants on Celebrity Constellation and Reflection

[kfowinst]

Hi there

 

We were due to honeymoon on b2b Celebrity summit out of san juan but because our flight gets into too late and the US authorities will not let us board in St Croix, we had to cancel the cruise. :( we were looking forward to our honeymoon and very disappointed.

 

Our TA instead has arranged alternative b2b on 2 celebrity ships out of miami. Itineraries not as exiciting but assure us the Reflection is a better ships and we will enjoy sea days.

 

First 5 days on constellation 17th march. Followed by 22nd march on Reflection. We have to travel between Fort Lauderdale and Miami but it doesn't look too far on the map (we will use bus if available?). Are we doing the right way round?

 

My questions are: What is available on Constellation post-refurb? Can;'t find much info on here. should we look to do speciality restaurants? We had planned to do Qsine and Normandie on Summit. What would you recommend on which ships? We are keen to eat posh romantic meal (it is a honeymoon) maybe Qsine as it sounds fun. We have classic package with 1-2-3 promo and I would like to upgrade for a while to appreciate the martini bar - would you recomend waiting til Reflection to do this?

 

About us: we are from England, have never cruised before. In our 30s and like to drink a bit and have fun, love food! Like to explore on holiday too, so a bit disappointed we only have 5 stops (Cozumel, Key West, San Juan, St Thomas, St Maarten). However, by the time we travel i will have been on first cruise - on Costa for 3 days (Luminosa med in 2 weeks) - I wanted to try out a ship because I do get sea sick and am really worried I will spend my honeymoon unwell. So this is just a test to see if I like being on the Ocean!

 

Any advice much appreciated.

Kerry

[kfowinst]

p.s. The Costa cruise is with my mum not husband - she booked it. My mum has never been on Costa (she is royal loyal) but she says it is not comparable to Celebrity. However as we are used to travelling around by train and bus in Italy etc we are used to no queues and fighting to get on bus etc and smoking etc, so non of the usual complaints about Costa would bother us seasoned European travellers. I love the way of Italian life so much so we got married on the Amalfi Coast this summer! Nothing went to plan but it was fabulous because we went with the flow and got lots of nice surprises!

[librarylady19]

Well, you will be sailing on 2 different classes of ships so you will definitely notice major differences in size, layout and amenities between them. Constellation is an older m class ship that has been refurbished. The reflection is Celebrity's newest S class ship, and it's largest.

I haven't been on Connie but have sailed on Summit (a similar ship) twice and I personally prefer the S class ships for design, Aqua class amenities , choice of bars and layout - others will have different opinions. You will get to try both, and draw your own conclusion.

I would definitely book Aqua class on both ships.

[ladylemondrop]

Congratulations!

 

I think this all sounds fabulous, two ships is twice the fun!

 

For me, I think the Constellation first, then Reflection is exactly the right way round, start small, then go big! Constellation has Normandie and Qsine, and Tuscan.

 

Muranos on Reflection will be very romantic, the food is fantastic. Qsine as you say is fun, Tuscan is very nice for ambience and food, and we also love the Lawn Club on the larger ships, for casual, fun dining.

[kfowinst]

Thanks Sandi - i have started to read your review of Reflection and really appreciated all the photos and information.

 

Unfortunately we can't afford AQ but we have managed to get a 2D balcony on Reflection and we are over the moon with this! The balcony looks quite big (6209).

 

I think it is a better way round to go from old to new. I am realy into art and design and love all the chairs and artwork. It is something I appreciate and the decor put me off RCL when I started looking at cruises (too old fashioned for my tastes!)

[Project_gal]

To answer the OP's specific questions about the specialty dinning: Constellation has two [Ocean Liners [equivalent to Normandie on Summit] and the Tuscan Grille rather than Qsine - presonally, I much prefer the Tuscan Grille over Qsine] where as Reflection has Murano [= Normandie], the Tuscan Grille and Qsine as well as the grill [sorry cannot remember the name] where you can cook your own steak if you choose. Both ships have Bistro on Five and Reflection also have the Porch - but these serve light meals/snacks rather than dinner.

 

As for trying out cruising on a 3 day Costa cruise in the Med, please understand that it can be much rougher in the Med than you are likely to experience in the Caribbean. Even if you feel seasick on the Costa ship will not mean that you will on the Celebrity ships.

 

Trying out both Constellation [an M-class ship like Summit] and Reflection [an S-class ship] will allow you to decide which you prefer. Some people prefer one class and others the other. There have been some reports that Reflection seems crowded compared to the other S-class ships [because they have add extra rooms] but my cousin who went on Reflection and has not been on her sister ships said that it seemed fine to her and it was only those used to the other S-class ships who complained.

 

Havng just read you post again, I cannot understand why your TA did not suggest that you just flew in for the Summit cruise a day early. I had assumed that you were flying out straight after your wedding and could not, therefore fly earlier. However, I would not be concerned about having more seadays sailing from Florida. Many people discover that they prefer seadays to port days. Getting a mix, such as you are, will allow you to decide for yourselves.

 

As for the beverage package: you should be able to purchase some cocktails from the Martini Bar on your classic package so why not see how you get on during the first cruise and then decide whether to upgrade.

 

Have a great honeymoon.

 

Sue

[Xport]

Constellation has Normandie and Qsine, and Tuscan.

 

Constellation has Ocean Liners--its the equivalent specialty restaurant to Normandie on Summit--and both are equivalent to Murano on all Solstice -Class ships [like Reflection] and on Century... Same menu and same dining experience; different names...

 

Constellation has Tuscan Grille but not Qsine [which is available on three of the five Solstice-Class ships--Eclipse, Silhouette, and Reflection]... Summit has Qsine but not Tuscan Grille...

 

You'll find lots of information about Specialty Dining options--including menus--on the Celebrity website... Here's the link...

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard/level2.do?pagename=onboard_celebrity_restaurants_cafes

[Member123]

Hi there

 

 

Our TA instead has arranged alternative b2b on 2 celebrity ships out of miami. Itineraries not as exiciting but assure us the Reflection is a better ships and we will enjoy sea days.

 

First 5 days on constellation 17th march. Followed by 22nd march on Reflection. We have to travel between Fort Lauderdale and Miami but it doesn't look too far on the map (we will use bus if available?). Are we doing the right way round?

 

 

Any advice much appreciated.

Kerry

 

Kerry, Congratulations!

 

You didn't ask much about the arrangements that you could make between Ft Lauderdale and Miami. You're right about it being a fairly easy thing to do, but I don't recommend that you try it by "bus," if you really mean "bus" as in public transportation. There is a possibility that you could get Celebrity to assist you with a transfer since you are going ship-to-ship; will you be disembarking in Ft Lauderdale and embarking in Miami on the same day? If a Celebrity transfer isn't something they will offer port-to-port, then I would suggest booking with a shuttle service so that you can travel in comfort and not worry about messing with your luggage by yourselves. There will probably be some people who might be traveling from Ft Lauderdale to stay in Miami, post-cruise (check your Roll Call) and you could share a limo.

 

Just an opinion, as others have expressed. I think you are doing the right order of sailing: first the Constellation and followed by the Reflection. An opinion about the classic vs premium beverage package: check out the bar menus for your favorite drinks / beer and see if the price of those drinks will fall into your classic package, on the Constellation. If so, you could save a bit of money. When you board the Reflection, head to Michaels Club to check out the beer selection and pricing and head to the Molecular Bar to check out those fancy, fantastic cocktails and determine if you'd enjoy them. If so, then an upgrade to the premium package would probably be a nice addition to your honeymoon memories.

[Lsimon]

Sounds like a good plan. Don't know when your honeymoon is but did you consider the 14 night cruise on the Eclipse as opposed to 2 back to back cruises. The ports you have are a great selection and are all fun. San Juan is perhaps the least exciting activity wise but an interesting city to walk around the old town.

 

I read that at one time Celebrity offered free transfers between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale for those who were transferring from one ship to another, But they've apparently stopped the practice this year although it couldn't hurt to ask about this at guest relations on board your first cruise - do it early so they have some time to check on it. If they won't do that then I do not think you'll find a bus going between the two ports. The easiest method would be to just grab a taxi at the port - cost will probably be in the $70 to $80 range. The least expensive would be to arrange a "shuttle" (shared van) Google Miami Shuttle and there will be a lot of companies who you can pre arrange this through, and probably some shuttle recommendations here on Cruise Critic in the Florida Departures forum: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=495 The ride is about 40 miles and will take about an hour.

 

Seasickness: Try ginger if you're having problems. It has the least side effects of anything you can take. We use ginger tablets found in the vitamin/suppliment department of pharmacies and health food stores here. Next strongest medicine is Meclizine HCL, marketed here in the USA under the Bonine or Dramamine label. If you think you might need this then try it out sometime before you cruise so you'll be aware of the side effects on you before you get on a ship!! In a pinch I think they often have these available in single doses at no charge at guest relations on board.

 

Most people have only minor sea sickness issues, at worst, and something as simple as ginger takes care of the problem. It will all depend on the condition of the seas as many cruises are on calm waters and there is no issue at all.

 

For a posh romantic meal try Ocean Liners on Constellation or Muranos on Reflection (same menu and similar atmosphere). Tuscan Grill on Constellation is also pretty nice but more casual. Qsine on Reflection will be a bit whimsical and food isn't as polished but is great due to the variety and unique presentation. I'd call Qsine more "fun" than "posh".

 

And don't give up on the main dining room, especially on formal nights when the atmosphere is nicer and the menus are usually top notch.

 

Beverage packages can be purchased on board, or upgraded on board, at a prorated rate prior to the second or third day before the end of each cruise.

[kfowinst]

Congratulations!

 

I think this all sounds fabulous, two ships is twice the fun!

 

For me, I think the Constellation first, then Reflection is exactly the right way round, start small, then go big! Constellation has Normandie and Qsine, and Tuscan.

 

Muranos on Reflection will be very romantic, the food is fantastic. Qsine as you say is fun, Tuscan is very nice for ambience and food, and we also love the Lawn Club on the larger ships, for casual, fun dining.

 

Thanks for this - it should be a good trip and good to know we are going small to large - I thought the ships were all the same size, just some newer than others. We are really looking forward to the lawn club!

[kfowinst]

To answer the OP's specific questions about the specialty dinning: Constellation has two [Ocean Liners [equivalent to Normandie on Summit] and the Tuscan Grille rather than Qsine - presonally, I much prefer the Tuscan Grille over Qsine] where as Reflection has Murano [= Normandie], the Tuscan Grille and Qsine as well as the grill [sorry cannot remember the name] where you can cook your own steak if you choose. Both ships have Bistro on Five and Reflection also have the Porch - but these serve light meals/snacks rather than dinner.

 

As for trying out cruising on a 3 day Costa cruise in the Med, please understand that it can be much rougher in the Med than you are likely to experience in the Caribbean. Even if you feel seasick on the Costa ship will not mean that you will on the Celebrity ships.

 

Trying out both Constellation [an M-class ship like Summit] and Reflection [an S-class ship] will allow you to decide which you prefer. Some people prefer one class and others the other. There have been some reports that Reflection seems crowded compared to the other S-class ships [because they have add extra rooms] but my cousin who went on Reflection and has not been on her sister ships said that it seemed fine to her and it was only those used to the other S-class ships who complained.

 

Havng just read you post again, I cannot understand why your TA did not suggest that you just flew in for the Summit cruise a day early. I had assumed that you were flying out straight after your wedding and could not, therefore fly earlier. However, I would not be concerned about having more seadays sailing from Florida. Many people discover that they prefer seadays to port days. Getting a mix, such as you are, will allow you to decide for yourselves.

 

As for the beverage package: you should be able to purchase some cocktails from the Martini Bar on your classic package so why not see how you get on during the first cruise and then decide whether to upgrade.

 

Have a great honeymoon.

 

Sue

 

Thanks Sue! It's actually my fault about the flights, not the TA! We got married this summer and our honeymoon is belated.

 

I bought tickets for the wrong date with British Airways, when I went to change them they had gone up in price significantly. So we asked Celebrity to join the cruise in St Croix, but we are not allowed due to immigration laws I think (it is still part of the US). So BA are re-routed to Miami at a cost of $400. The Connie cruise is much cheaper but Reflection slightly more, so it all balances out overall.

 

Thanks for the info about specialities, I think we will wait until Reflection to eat in these as Muranos and Qsine sound like the best options for us. We'll be happy enough with the MDR on Connie and Bistro on Five sounds really nice too. I'm so excited I can't contain myself! My husband hasn't done any research and knows very little about it all, so I think he is going to get a nice suprise when he boards the ship! I have made him buy a tux recently for the cruise, he looks lovely in it so hope he feels comfortable as I understand he will be in the minority wearing it.

 

That's useful advice about the med and sea-sickness, I would have assumed the med is quite calm. The largest ship I have been on is the small ferry between UK and France, so I don't know how I will be affected. My mum assures me you can't feel it after a few hours. I do hope so

[kfowinst]

Constellation has Ocean Liners--its the equivalent specialty restaurant to Normandie on Summit--and both are equivalent to Murano on all Solstice -Class ships [like Reflection] and on Century... Same menu and same dining experience; different names...

 

Constellation has Tuscan Grille but not Qsine [which is available on three of the five Solstice-Class ships--Eclipse, Silhouette, and Reflection]... Summit has Qsine but not Tuscan Grille...

 

You'll find lots of information about Specialty Dining options--including menus--on the Celebrity website... Here's the link...

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard/level2.do?pagename=onboard_celebrity_restaurants_cafes

 

Thanks for claryfying which restaurants are on which ship. I understand now Connie has creperie (Bistro on Five), an upscale European restaurant and the Italian Steakhouse. Reflection has all the Celebrity dining options except the Asian restaurant featured on some ships.

[kfowinst]

Kerry, Congratulations!

 

You didn't ask much about the arrangements that you could make between Ft Lauderdale and Miami. You're right about it being a fairly easy thing to do, but I don't recommend that you try it by "bus," if you really mean "bus" as in public transportation. There is a possibility that you could get Celebrity to assist you with a transfer since you are going ship-to-ship; will you be disembarking in Ft Lauderdale and embarking in Miami on the same day? If a Celebrity transfer isn't something they will offer port-to-port, then I would suggest booking with a shuttle service so that you can travel in comfort and not worry about messing with your luggage by yourselves. There will probably be some people who might be traveling from Ft Lauderdale to stay in Miami, post-cruise (check your Roll Call) and you could share a limo.

 

Just an opinion, as others have expressed. I think you are doing the right order of sailing: first the Constellation and followed by the Reflection. An opinion about the classic vs premium beverage package: check out the bar menus for your favorite drinks / beer and see if the price of those drinks will fall into your classic package, on the Constellation. If so, you could save a bit of money. When you board the Reflection, head to Michaels Club to check out the beer selection and pricing and head to the Molecular Bar to check out those fancy, fantastic cocktails and determine if you'd enjoy them. If so, then an upgrade to the premium package would probably be a nice addition to your honeymoon memories.

 

Lol! Yes I mean bus as in the public bus, sorry us Brits rely on public transport for getting around and just assume the rest of the world is the same! I'm too much of a tight-wad to pay for taxis if there is a bus or train, but if that's the only option I guess we will have to pay.

 

I haven't actually investigated transport between ports yet, but that's interesting that you think Celebrity might provide transport - I'll talk to my TA. Yes we will be disembarking in FL and embarking in Miami on the same day. We're staying in FL for 2 days before getting on Connie (wanted a bit of a buffer as we are travelling from London and I have never been to the US).

 

Ooh beer sounds good, hope they have some real ales and good belgian beer on board, I assume this will only be in the premier package so we would probably wait to Reflection to upgrade. I saw they have Samual Adams on the classic package and that's a really nice American beer. We come from Cambridge and there are a lot of craft beers here in East Anglia so we're pretty spoilt and fussy when it comes to beer!

 

Other than beer, my favourite drinks are White Russians, Cosmopolitans and Gin and tonics which I assumed would be available with the classic package non-premium spirits. I also like Sauv Blanc wine (preferably Marlborough) but I assume this will be a premium wine. I had a look at the Molecular menu and those drinks sound really creative, I would definately like to try them all by upgrading. Agree it will make a great honeymoon treat!

 

Thanks again for all the great tips and advice!

[kfowinst]

Sounds like a good plan. Don't know when your honeymoon is but did you consider the 14 night cruise on the Eclipse as opposed to 2 back to back cruises. The ports you have are a great selection and are all fun. San Juan is perhaps the least exciting activity wise but an interesting city to walk around the old town.

 

I read that at one time Celebrity offered free transfers between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale for those who were transferring from one ship to another, But they've apparently stopped the practice this year although it couldn't hurt to ask about this at guest relations on board your first cruise - do it early so they have some time to check on it. If they won't do that then I do not think you'll find a bus going between the two ports. The easiest method would be to just grab a taxi at the port - cost will probably be in the $70 to $80 range. The least expensive would be to arrange a "shuttle" (shared van) Google Miami Shuttle and there will be a lot of companies who you can pre arrange this through, and probably some shuttle recommendations here on Cruise Critic in the Florida Departures forum: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=495 The ride is about 40 miles and will take about an hour.

 

Seasickness: Try ginger if you're having problems. It has the least side effects of anything you can take. We use ginger tablets found in the vitamin/suppliment department of pharmacies and health food stores here. Next strongest medicine is Meclizine HCL, marketed here in the USA under the Bonine or Dramamine label. If you think you might need this then try it out sometime before you cruise so you'll be aware of the side effects on you before you get on a ship!! In a pinch I think they often have these available in single doses at no charge at guest relations on board.

 

Most people have only minor sea sickness issues, at worst, and something as simple as ginger takes care of the problem. It will all depend on the condition of the seas as many cruises are on calm waters and there is no issue at all.

 

For a posh romantic meal try Ocean Liners on Constellation or Muranos on Reflection (same menu and similar atmosphere). Tuscan Grill on Constellation is also pretty nice but more casual. Qsine on Reflection will be a bit whimsical and food isn't as polished but is great due to the variety and unique presentation. I'd call Qsine more "fun" than "posh".

 

And don't give up on the main dining room, especially on formal nights when the atmosphere is nicer and the menus are usually top notch.

 

Beverage packages can be purchased on board, or upgraded on board, at a prorated rate prior to the second or third day before the end of each cruise.

 

Thanks Larry. We did consider the 14 night Eclipse cruise - it is a fab cruise - but we have been to Central America 3 times on extended trips (Costa Rica, Belize, Honduras Nicaragua) and our favourite places are difficult to access for cruisers or not easy to do on your own. So better to explore new places in the caribbean which offer better access for day trips (which keeps the price down too).

 

This is what we are planning to do:

Cozumel: take the ferry to Playa del carmen and a taxi to the cenotes for snorkelling (Hidden Worlds). Then spend some time in Playa dc on the beach before taking ferry back to cozumel.

Key West: apparently not good for beach, it is somewhere with history and culture to explore? Bike tour?

San Juan: want to take the ships tour to see bioluminesence as this was the main reason for choosing Puerto Rico for our honeymoon in the first place. If anyone has been on this trip can you let me know if it's any good or not please?

St Maarten: Go to a nice beach by taxi and stop on the way back to see the airplanes at Maho beach

St Thomas: we have to visit honeymoon beach and go snorkelling. Perhaps a boat trip?

 

Apart from Puerto Rico do any of these places have rainforest within easy reach? We don't get into PR until 3pm so we can't visit the rainforest there. Too late.

 

Thanks for your advice about seasickness (definately getting ginger tabs) celebrity transport (which we will try), taxis, and shuttles which offer cheaper alternative to taxi. I can't believe there is no public transport option between FL and Miami - how do commuters get to work?!

[Project_gal]

That's useful advice about the med and sea-sickness, I would have assumed the med is quite calm. The largest ship I have been on is the small ferry between UK and France, so I don't know how I will be affected. My mum assures me you can't feel it after a few hours. I do hope so

 

If the ferry is what you are basing your experience on, don't worry you'll probably be fine. Cruising is nothing at all like a cross-channel ferry!

 

Sue

[mickey89]

Another option worthy of your consideration is to use the TRI-RAIL train. Fort lauderdale to Miami costs $3.75 pp - we use it all the time when we arrive at Miami Airport and take a cruise out of FL.