LIVE from Reflection 8th to 19th June

[gcgold]

Apologies for not providing updates live from the Boat.

 

One of our group sustained a serious leg injury onboard as the boat was sailing towards the first destination. This became the main focus of attention.

 

I then 'lost ' my iphone [emoji32] so couldn't provide any updates. Once his was resolved the wifi on the boat was so lousy that I simply gave up.

 

sorry [emoji32]

[gcgold]

Emoji overdose.

 

 

 

Phil

 

 

really sorry about the emoji's[emoji24]

[emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji13][emoji13][emoji12][emoji12]

[gcgold]

This OP created a lot of expectation on me... I feel cheated.

 

 

sorry. i didnt manage to deliver.

[gcgold]

Do sky suites contain bvlgari toiletries? If so, are they the range with the slightly feminine odour? Or the range with added 'lynx effect'?

 

 

there were 2 bvlgari items , conditioner and body lotion . the rest were standard

[emoji41]

[gcgold]

Chris

 

 

 

I would be very interested to know if many of the men wear black tie in Luminae on formal nights.

 

 

Sorry but we only dined in Luminae once in the evening . I doubt many black ties as the we were in some were wearing shorts [emoji32]

[gcgold]

We'll be following you in July so very interested to see your reports:)

 

 

 

Would love to see the lunch and breakfast menus in Luminae

 

 

sorry couldn't get pics due to my iphone going walkies [emoji23]

 

It would appear that breakfast and lunch is just a shortened version of what is available in MDR when they have b'fast and/ or lunch. they are served on beautiful crockery though [emoji41]

[gcgold]

I look forward to what your thoughts of the different design of the Sunset on the Reflection is. We liked it more than the set up on the Equinox.

 

EW

 

 

Personally i liked it better than the set up on the others . However SWMBO prefers the other setup.

 

Therefore the Sunset setup on reflection is not as good as the others [emoji33][emoji33][emoji33][emoji33][emoji33]

[gcgold]

I'm also looking forward to your post. Have not seen much posted about Reflections. Especially interested in your Luminea. Are you also sailing in a suite that has access to Michael's Club?

 

 

 

Jim

 

 

Luminae is beautiful. but the food is no different than the MDR really(which is usually excellent anyway.

 

all the hoorah about the launch perhaps built up my expectations too much but I have asked fir it to be renamed 'Shakespeare'

 

[emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12][emoji12]

Edited June 21, 2015 by gcgold

[gcgold]

I'm sure the food on the SHIP will be good.

 

Please don't call it a boat, reminds me of a rowing boat on a lido and I certainly don't want to be rowing across the Atlantic in October.:eek:

 

 

You call it a ship if you want , I call it a boat - its a free country [emoji12]

Edited June 21, 2015 by gcgold

[gcgold]

A boat is what you get in when the ship is sinking;)

 

 

 

Phil

 

 

I think you get in a lifeboat in that unlikely circumstance.

[gcgold]

Knowing the OP like I do I'm guessing it might have something to do with the drinks package... [emoji483][emoji485][emoji482][emoji484] [emoji23]

 

 

Not completely correct but I fully understand why you would have thought that ! [emoji12][emoji12]

 

[emoji636][emoji636][emoji636][emoji485][emoji485][emoji485][emoji484][emoji484][emoji484][emoji482][emoji482][emoji482][emoji485][emoji485][emoji484][emoji484]

[gcgold]

Maybe the captain of Reflection heard him call his ship a boat, so he put him in a boat. :D

 

 

The Captain ( who by the way was very visible and tried to speak to anyone) and I had 2 conversations . During one I mentioned the cruise snobs anger over people referring to boats . He said we could call them whatever we liked as long as we enjoyed the cruise[emoji41]. He then said calling it a pedaloe was a bit much but really it is a 'poyo' or a 'marine vessel'

 

[emoji12][emoji12][emoji12]

Edited June 21, 2015 by gcgold

[hillsprint]

Sorry to hear of you double misfortune, I hope you were able to make the most of the cruise, despite your caring duties.

 

We are on Reflection in August, did you find see any of the much talked about issues with wait times for the MDR?

 

Cheers

 

 

Michael

[gcgold]

Quick Summary of the Cruise:

 

Overall - fantastic[emoji41]

 

Ship compared to others -

 

Sunset Bar better IMHO but Boss Lady thought the opposite. Therefore worse [emoji32]

 

Extra Deck. Can cause confusion if one is familiar with the other boats ( Marine Vessels [emoji12]). particularly if leaving Martini Bar and heading for Sky Lounge .

 

Sky Lounge far inferior on Reflection IMHO as no longer a panoramic view.

 

Other things.

 

Molecular Bar is now a joke . only 5 items available and staff were reprimanded for making variations on the first night - apparently contractual issues with the Franchisee.

 

Bar and Waiting Staff fantastic .

 

Captain was very visible and approachable - best I have ever experienced.

 

Luminae - Much ado about Nothing IMHO

 

Guest Relations & Captain's Club Host - couldnt organise a. booze up in a brewery

 

Passengers. Great mix of Nationalities. As usual 90% + were obviously happy and engaging . But as usual a few miserable so & so's . As one of the Barnen said " Mr Chris Celebrity will stop them coming again". I asked "how will that be achieved ?". He replied "we gonna have a happy hour every day" [emoji2]

[gcgold]

Sorry to hear of you double misfortune, I hope you were able to make the most of the cruise, despite your caring duties.

 

 

 

We are on Reflection in August, did you find see any of the much talked about issues with wait times for the MDR?

 

 

 

Cheers

 

 

 

 

 

Michael

 

 

We had a ball [emoji41]. It was just that the issues prevented me from posting ( not to mention getting value from the Premium package [emoji41][emoji485][emoji484][emoji482])

 

We always do fixed dining ( late ) so can only provide anecdotal experienced . some people were unhappy about a wait of over an hour others said they never had to wait.

 

Perhaps post in the Cruise Roll call june 8th relection ?

 

[emoji41][emoji485][emoji482][emoji636]

[Newbury newbie]

Good on ya gcgold - pleased to see your on-boat misfortune didn't dampen your humour!!

 

We're on Reflection end of July. Pity you couldn't post photos.

 

Presuming you flew into Rome FCO? Did you have any hassles as a result of the fire they had in May?

[gcgold]

Good on ya gcgold - pleased to see your on-boat misfortune didn't dampen your humour!!

 

 

 

We're on Reflection end of July. Pity you couldn't post photos.

 

 

 

Presuming you flew into Rome FCO? Did you have any hassles as a result of the fire they had in May?

 

 

Cheers [emoji41]

 

Think I might have a few pics of the boat - could take a few days as my family are going to share their pics once we get things sorted [emoji12]

 

FCO wasnt too bad going in - for Europeans [emoji33]. The nonEEC peoples had to queue for over an hour at Passport control.

 

Flight back was delayed for over hour and half because of issues associated with the chaos of the post fire building closures and confusion over which terminal lights were leaving from.

 

one word of Caution . the penultimate day a very clear announcement was made over the PA system advising that 2 flights had been changed to another AIRPORT. ( Ciampino). This was repeated twice. we emailed our transfer Company and arranged the change. Fortunately our brilliant van driver doubted this and made several calls . Stopped at FCO just in case, just as well [emoji12]. we left from FCO

 

You cannot beat Celebrity's misinformation system[emoji33]

 

Cruise was great though [emoji41]

 

[emoji636][emoji636][emoji299]️[emoji485][emoji482][emoji485][emoji33][emoji41]

[Newbury newbie]

Cheers [emoji41]

 

FCO wasnt too bad going in - for Europeans [emoji33]. The nonEEC peoples had to queue for over an hour at Passport control.

 

OMG I bet the "nonEEC" peoples didn't like that!! The irony of it all!!

 

🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇺🇸🏈⚾️🏀🇺🇸🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

 

;);)

Edited June 21, 2015 by Newbury newbie

[lvssushi]

Thanks for sharing your experience!

 

I was planning on getting the unlimited internet plan. But if service is that bad/spotty, I can't imagine how they can justify even offering it!

[gcgold]

OMG I bet the "nonEEC" peoples didn't like that!! The irony of it all!!

 

 

 

[emoji636][emoji636][emoji636][emoji636][emoji636][emoji636][emoji636][emoji636][emoji636][emoji631][emoji458][emoji461]️[emoji459][emoji631][emoji636][emoji636][emoji636][emoji636][emoji636][emoji636][emoji636][emoji636][emoji636]

 

 

 

;);)

 

 

To be fair a couple of Non Eec 's I spoke to did see the irony.

 

Perhaps the answer is for us all to campaign to get the same deal as our Irish friends. I understand if one is USA bound from ,say, Dublin then one clears immigration in Dublin and lands 'cleared' .

 

i am led to believe the same applies in reverse.

 

we should get the overpaid cheating politicians on both sides of the pond to travel same way as us - they will soon change the system [emoji32][emoji32]

[Pipo]

sorry. i didnt manage to deliver.

 

Hey there! Welcome to 'terra firma'. My two questions:

 

1- Are they doing small martinis for classic package at the Martini Bar?

 

2- What cruise terminal is the Reflection using at Piraeus, A or B?

[gcgold]

Hey there! Welcome to 'terra firma'. My two questions:

 

 

 

1- Are they doing small martinis for classic package at the Martini Bar?

 

 

 

2- What cruise terminal is the Reflection using at Piraeus, A or B?

 

 

I dont know about the martinis as i had prepaid the upgrade to premium ($11.8 per day inc grats). I didnt see any small glasses but that isnt a definitive answer[emoji32]

 

we docked at B . We got on a bus (x80 i seem to remember ) straight outside the terminal €4. The ticket covers 24 hours on any public transport (bus tram metro)

 

the bus stopped at A then dropped us very close to the Acropolis

 

 

Let me know If I can help with anything else[emoji41][emoji636]

[Sue10england]

We are going on this cruise 20 July and would love to know your views regarding shore excursions. We've booked the Celebrity Santorini tour but for the other ports we really only want to do half day tours rather than full day trips e.g. Pompeii. Also is it easy to do your own thing in Athens and Istanbul or better to book a tour?

Thanks, any advice appreciated!

[gcgold]

We are going on this cruise 20 July and would love to know your views regarding shore excursions. We've booked the Celebrity Santorini tour but for the other ports we really only want to do half day tours rather than full day trips e.g. Pompeii. Also is it easy to do your own thing in Athens and Istanbul or better to book a tour?

Thanks, any advice appreciated!

 

 

We dont do celebrity tours for a variety of reasons.

 

Pompeii can be accessed via train ( we did it on a previous occasion then Sorrento for a stroll around and jetfoil back)

 

Istanbul is very easy DIY . Tram costs 4TL (approx £1) most attractions , blue mosque, aghia sofia grand bazaar etc within easy walking of the stop ' sultanahmet',

there is a very old traditional hamam right beside this stop where we have a turkish bath and massage

 

athens. we get the bus ( think it is the X80) leaving from the terminal B drops you very close to the acropolis. The day ticket costs €4 and covers all public transport for 24 hours. validate the ticket for each journey in the machine on the bus or tram or when entering the metro.

 

let me know if i can help further [emoji41]

[hillsprint]

gcgold

 

Thanks for all this great info, we're on the 10th August 11 night cruise, can you remember which nights were the formal ones?

Cheers

Michael

Edited June 22, 2015 by hillsprint