Celebrity Reflection -To pre-book alcohol or dining packages or wait until aboard

[Inzievar]

Party of 8 in 4 veranda cabins with select dining going to Greek Islands, Turkey and Italy in April.

 

I have organised this trip and discovered this website and am amazed how generous people with lots of cruise experience are with their time and advice.

Apologies if I ask the same questions as others but here goes:

 

* Is the currency on board $ or £ or Euros?

* Where can I find out how much the drinks on board are?

* Is it best to buy a drinks package now or wait until we sail?

* Can one person in a cabin buy a package if the other does not drink?

* Would you recommend buying the speciality dining packages?

* What is the best time to eat on select dining?

* Are tea and coffee complimentary?

* What time do the shows start at?

Thank you for your help - it saves me making expensive mistakes.

Moira

[ailetoile]

Party of 8 in 4 veranda cabins with select dining going to Greek Islands, Turkey and Italy in April.

 

I have organised this trip and discovered this website and am amazed how generous people with lots of cruise experience are with their time and advice.

Apologies if I ask the same questions as others but here goes:

 

* Is the currency on board $ or £ or Euros? Dollars ($)

* Where can I find out how much the drinks on board are? I have put together an entire comprehensive FAQ about the subject of drinks and drink packages. You can find it here (download the PDF).

* Is it best to buy a drinks package now or wait until we sail? See above

* Can one person in a cabin buy a package if the other does not drink? See above

* Would you recommend buying the speciality dining packages? The food in the MDR is generally good to excellent, but specialty dining can bring a new element of awesome to your trip. No one can recommend the appropriate answer for your group because everyone's opinions are different, but you will see people say that it depends on the length of your sailing and your taste in food.

* What is the best time to eat on select dining? You may find that you have to wait a little bit (10-15 minutes seems to be the norm if there's a wait at all) if you wish to eat during the busy times -- 7-8 seems to be the worst congestion. If you go earlier or later, or if you make a reservation your wait will be minimal if at all.

* Are tea and coffee complimentary? See the PDF about beverages and beverage packages.

* What time do the shows start at? There are two shows each night that accommodate early and late fixed dining times. The show times vary, so you will have to check your copy of Celebrity Today when you are on board to get that night's show time. There are many copies of Celebrity Today pamphlets from previous cruises floating around if you do a search on Cruise Critic.

Thank you for your help - it saves me making expensive mistakes.

Moira

 

See my answers in green above. I hope that you enjoy your trip :)

[Inzievar]

Thank you so much for all this information. I will make copies to give to all my friends so they can make informed decisions. We are all looking forward to our cruise and hope to have lots of fun and laughs.

 

I appreciate the time you took to answer my questions

 

Best wishes

 

Moira

[Meanderer]

Moira,

 

A couple add on tips from the otherwise excellent advice you have already received.

 

1. If when you booked you received on board credit, that may be used towards a drink package. Celebrity has a fair number of different packages, you may wish to look them over first but the price is the same whether you book now or later.

2. Celebrity's food in the main dining room is very good. It's also nice getting to know your table as well. But do look over the other restaurants and maybe once or twice sample something different. If you booked Aqua class, the Blu restaurant is a treat in itself. You can have breakfast there also.

3. There may be coffee and/or tea offered at dinner but it isn't that good. The coffee at the Bistro on Five is excellent though. BUT that is extra. So complimentary coffee is - meh, specialty coffee is good. Plan your drink package accordingly to accommodate. Specialty teas are available at the Bistro on five as well.

4. You have a great itinerary! Take a good camera! Santorini was my favorite Greek Isle but Mikonos has charm too. You will be pleased with Turkey as well. Happy sailing!

[kenevenpar]

Reflection is a great ship, I hope you enjoy.

 

They recently (December?) changed coffee brands, and we found it much better than previous cruises.

 

If you need more on Reflection, let us know

 

Ken

 

[waterbug123]

I will add that if you do decide to purchase a dining package, I would do it sooner than later. My understanding is that they sell a limited number of them so if you wait, it may not be available for purchase.

 

On our first Reflection cruise we didn't know about the dining package, but found our soon after boarding. They were available for purchase and we bought the ultimate package, which allowed us to eat in a specialty restaurant every night, plus also enjoy unlimited meals at the Porch and Bistro on 5. We thoroughly enjoyed, but have also eaten in the MDR and found it to be very good for what it is. On our last Reflection cruise, we ate dinner in the buffet one night (first time ever to do that, on any cruise) and really enjoyed the made-to-order pasta station and salad bar. We'll be on Equinox in July and will be spending more time in port than usual, and I'm actually planning to just go to the buffet a couple of nights, on days when we have been gone all day and want a low key evening.

[Inzievar]

Thank you so much for the information you have sent. I am having a dinner party for my friends who are coming with us and can pass on all advice. I think I would like to try Qsine but not sure if others will feel the same. Our package includes gratuities and select dining but no credit or drink package so if I let everyone know how much everything is then they can make informed decisions - hopefully!!

 

Hope you enjoy your next cruise on Equinox.

 

Kind regards

 

Moira

[Inzievar]

Thank you for getting in touch - lovely picture - just puts me in the mood.

 

My husband is a real tea jenny and I wondered are there facilities in the cabin to make tea, are there tea stations on the ship, or do you have to buy from one of the restaurants?

 

I am holding a dinner party soon for my friends who are travelling with us and will pass on any other information you think would be helpful.

 

We are not very experienced cruisers so I am doing some research about arranging private trips to Mykinos, Santorini, Istanbul and Naples. So any information on any of these would be great

 

Kind regards

 

Moira

[Inzievar]

Meanderer,

 

Thank you for the information - I will pass on to my friends who are coming for dinner soon. Did you arrange your own trips to Santorini, Mykinos or Istanbul or join Celebrity's.

 

Kind Regards

 

Moira

[Azulann]

Thank you for getting in touch - lovely picture - just puts me in the mood.

 

My husband is a real tea jenny and I wondered are there facilities in the cabin to make tea, are there tea stations on the ship, or do you have to buy from one of the restaurants?

 

I am holding a dinner party soon for my friends who are travelling with us and will pass on any other information you think would be helpful.

 

We are not very experienced cruisers so I am doing some research about arranging private trips to Mykinos, Santorini, Istanbul and Naples. So any information on any of these would be great

 

Kind regards

 

Moira

 

For the best information about private excursions and things to do at the ports of call, go to the PORT of CALL forum on the first page of Cruise Critic.

Click on Eastern Med and you will find all sorts of recommendations. :D

[waterbug123]

We are not very experienced cruisers so I am doing some research about arranging private trips to Mykinos, Santorini, Istanbul and Naples. So any information on any of these would be great

 

 

Of the places you listed, the only one I've been to so far is Naples, when we spent 5 days on the Amalfi Coast a few years ago. Be careful about what you plan for Naples. There are a LOT of options and some can be combined into one day, but it is VERY easy to try to do too much and end up rushing through the whole day.

 

Combo tours will frequently only allow 2 hours or so at Pompeii. That's fine if you are just looking to check it off a list and say "yep, Pompeii, been there." But I took two years of Latin and am extremely fascinated by Roman culture and really wish I'd had at least 4 hours there, as it's huge.

 

You may hear people talking about doing Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast, but Sorrento is on one side of the Sorrentine peninsula and the Amalfi Coast is on the other, and while it looks like it's just a few minutes from one side to the other, it can take a while to get from one to the other due to the terrain. Likewise, driving the length of the Amalfi Coast (and back again) can take all day if you actually want to stop in any of the towns (and who wouldn't?!) Then if you want to combine either or both of those with something else (Capri, Pompeii, or even walking around in Naples) you will probably wish later that you'd limited yourself to more time at one or two places instead of trying to "do it all."

 

Capri can be nice, and is easily accessible by ferry from Naples, Sorrento or some of the Amalfi Coast towns, but you will have to allow time for the actual ferry ride there and back, and work around the ferry schedule.

 

Finally, understand that there are two places where ships can dock in "Naples." There's the main cruise port on the bay of Naples, which is walking distance from the historic city center and right by the ferry terminal, making ferry trips to Sorrento or Capri very easy. Most ships will dock here. Then there is the port at Salerno, on the other side of the Sorrentine peninsula, which makes an Amalfi Coast drive very convenient. Pompeii can be accessed from either port by train. Less likely to dock here, but it happens. (I will be on Equinox in July and it will be docking in Salerno)

 

On a prior trip, my BF had a cruise stop in Naples and did an excursion that combined Pompeii, Capri (plus a trip to the Blue Grotto), and Sorrento. He said it was a very long day with lots of rushing from place to place. If he had it to do over, he'd pick 2 of the 3. When we go this summer, we have a private driver to take us down the Amalfi Coast and back. I'm hoping to have time to backtrack a bit to Paestum after the coast, but the driver seems very hesitant about whether or not that will be possible, particularly if we go all the way to Positano (which we want to do) on our drive and enjoy leisurely stops in some of the towns (which we also want to do.)

 

Whatever you decide to do, it's a beautiful area. Enjoy!

[Inzievar]

Waterbug 123

 

Thank you so much for the information on Naples, Sorrento, Pompeii, Capri etc. I think I would rather really enjoy a few places than try to do too much - it is a good excuse to come back for a holiday!! I will find out which port we will dock at then decide. Hope you enjoy Greece and Italy on the Equinox. Moira.

[waterbug123]

Waterbug 123

 

Thank you so much for the information on Naples, Sorrento, Pompeii, Capri etc. I think I would rather really enjoy a few places than try to do too much - it is a good excuse to come back for a holiday!! I will find out which port we will dock at then decide. Hope you enjoy Greece and Italy on the Equinox. Moira.

 

You're very welcome. It's a beautiful area, and I think you'll be much happier in the end by limiting what you try to do. Just figure out what you would truly enjoy, vs. including things simply because "people say you have to go to blah blah blah."

As you say, you can always go back! It was after the previously mentioned "cram it all in one excursion" episode that my BF decided he wanted to go back and spend several days there to really take the time to enjoy what he'd seen and more. We spent 5 days but even then we easily could have spent more.

[LabGuy64]

One thought on Turkey if you have not been.....Not sure how ship tours handle it but, it you book your own tour you will probably be offered an "oppertunity" to see a school where rugs are made.

If you choose to do this...just understand that you will be in for a VERY hard sell on the rugs. Items in the 4,000 to 20,000 range. just be aware.You of course, do not have to buy them...you can sit...have the tea they offer and look at all the rugs...but they will push..and it will generally take an hour or more

[Inzievar]

LabGuy64

 

Thank you for letting me know about this. I have been to Kusadasi and Ephasus so I will be taking the chance to have a quiet day on the Reflection but others in my party may want to arrange trips so I will let them know.

 

Thanks again. Moira

[Inzievar]

Waterbug123

 

My daughter went on honeymoon to Sorrento and they recommended Pompeii too. So I am not sure if our whole group would like to go there but I think I will take the opportunity.

 

Thanks again for your advice

 

Moira

[helen haywood]

In an answer to your tea question, no, there are not facilities for making tea in your staterooms. There is coffee and tea available 24/7 both in the Oceanview Cafe and the Hideaway. Various types of tea bags. If one is very picky about a specific tea perhaps you should bring some with you.

[Texed]

(I will be on Equinox in July and it will be docking in Salerno.)

 

So are we. :)

Edited March 15, 2015 by Texed

[PCWalton1]

Hi,

Not to hijack this but I am hoping to get a couple questions answered. My wife and I just booked our first Celebrity cruise and it will be on Reflection. Albeit it's almost 2 years from now so things can change, but I have questions about specialty dining and internet.

 

How many specialty dining venues are there on Reflections for dinner? I see specialty dining packages for 4 and 5 night but I really would not want to double up.

 

Is an unlimited WiFi package offered and if so what is the usual price? My wife and I are Diamond on Royal Caribbean which translates to Elite on Celebrity. I only mention that because I think between us we would get about 3 hours of free internet as Elite. But I like to do live reports during my cruise so hoping unlimited is offered.

 

thanks

[waterbug123]

Reflection has the Lawn Club Grill, Murano, Qsine and Tuscan Grille. I know you said you don't want to double up, but chances are you will enjoy a couple of them enough to go back.

Edited March 17, 2015 by waterbug123

[Meanderer]

Bill,

 

You can look online at www.celebritycruises.com and find out exactly what dining options there are. I'll try to pop them off the top of my head but I'm sure I'll forget one or two.

1. Murano - an upscale restaurant. Nice menu, good food.

2. Lawn Club Grill - Outdoor grill restaurant. I haven't tried it yet but it looks good.

3. QSine - An interesting view on food. As much an experience as a meal.

4. Tuscan Grill - Like a steakhouse

5. The Main Dining Room - surprisingly excellent! Spend the extra money on specialty dining if you wish but this free option won't disappoint.

6. Blu - This is an excellent restaurant for Aqua Class and above only. A little "lighter" and "healthier" but very good. And breakfast too.

7. Not sure if Silk Harvest is still in the lineup but a nice Asian themed restaurant.

8. Bistro on Five - Really good for those specialty coffees. Also pastries are available. Coffee costs money, pastries are free. All covered under the appropriate drink package. Teas as well.

 

Would I spend the $ on a dining package? Well.. No I wouldn't. I would select one or two restaurants to go to on the nights the main dining room specials are not what I like or if I want a special occasion event with more privacy. The main dining room is large and you will share a table with others. It's nice to meet new folks but sometimes you just want the two of you to go out. If you are traveling with another couple, link up the accounts with Celebrity to seat you together.

 

A couple of notes:

1. Traveling with another couple = more fun! You spend time together when you want to and do your own thing when you want to but yet you share the memories with friends for life.

2. When dining at any restaurant, you can order anything and as much as you like. It may say you get one 16oz Ribeye but if you want two, ask and ye shall receive. Want shrimp with that? Ask and ye shall receive. Want two desserts? Well, you get the idea. They really work hard to make sure you want for nothing.

3. Try the molecular bar! Fun new drinks that are surprisingly good!

[Iamthesea]

I see specialty dining packages for 4 and 5 night but I really would not want to double up.

 

I also recently noticed that the dining packages offered online for the Reflection were only for 4 and 5 nights. We only wanted a 3 night package.

 

Does anyone know if a 3 night package is offered on the ship, and if we book the package on the ship, is the price the same or more than booking online? I know that the individual restaurant bookings are less if booked online.

 

The main dining room is large and you will share a table with others.

 

Not if the OP request a table for 2. ;)

 

. If you are traveling with another couple, link up the accounts with Celebrity to seat you together.

 

Traveling with another couple = more fun! You spend time together when you want to and do your own thing when you want to but yet you share the memories with friends for life.

 

The above reminded me of another question. We have relatives sailing with us, and they will have Select Dining. We have Traditional 8:30 seating, but supposedly are to dine in Luminae.:rolleyes: Our reservations are not linked with relatives. Can we sit with our relatives in Select if we cannot work it out that we all dine together in the MDR at 8:30?

[waterbug123]

7. Not sure if Silk Harvest is still in the lineup but a nice Asian themed restaurant.

8. Bistro on Five - Really good for those specialty coffees. Also pastries are available. Coffee costs money, pastries are free. All covered under the appropriate drink package. Teas as well.

 

 

Silk Harvest has never been an option on Reflection, only on Solstice and Equinox I believe.

 

Bistro on Five is an option, but not generally considered one of the choices for dinner when one has a specialty dining package. It costs much less than the others, so even if it's an option, it would be a poor value choice for dinner.

[PCWalton1]

Thanks, I appreciate the information. :)

[minnow04]

I also recently noticed that the dining packages offered online for the Reflection were only for 4 and 5 nights. We only wanted a 3 night package.

 

Does anyone know if a 3 night package is offered on the ship, and if we book the package on the ship, is the price the same or more than booking online? I know that the individual restaurant bookings are less if booked online.

 

I called about the 3 night specialty dining package on our upcoming Reflection 7-day cruise. I was told the 3 night package is only for 5-day cruises. It was not offered on a 7-day cruise.