Reflections on Reflection February 6th-13th

[leisuretraveler223]

Thanks for the review! We will be on Reflection in 20 days and can't wait!

 

I am curious - what is different about the Sunset Bar on Reflection? I have been on Solstice, Equinox and Silhouette and would like to know how it differs? Is it still a smoking area on one side?

 

Thanks!

 

Yes, it's still a smoking area on one side. The bar is an oval that extends off the back of the deck, rather than being against the wall. There is also a different layout with semi private areas on the sides with a step down.

[kayehall]

Yes, it's still a smoking area on one side. The bar is an oval that extends off the back of the deck, rather than being against the wall. There is also a different layout with semi private areas on the sides with a step down.

 

I don't remember being able to get out of the sun while seated at the bar. The same was true for the pool bar. The Sunset Bar on Summit seemed to be more homey, friendly atmosphere ,casual. The Reflection seems more sterile and preppy.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Thanks for the review! I'll be doing my first X cruise on Reflection this equivalent time (Presidents' Week) next year and am super excited!!

 

One genuine question as I usually just get a glass or two of wine during dinner and don't know bottle protocol. Is it uncouth to pour your own from the bottle left at the table? Is that why you'd wait for the server to come back to pour it?

[Eve]

Did you happen to eat here? If so, could you share what's on the menu?

[wowgirl/itguy]

"We all had the premium package and felt we got our money’s worth and enjoyed it."

 

Great review leisuretraveler223. Did you have to pay an uncharge for any of the drinks? We were on Celebrity last year with the Premium package and never once had to pay for a drink (wine or otherwise) but in looking at the drink menus that I have seen posted on Cruise Critic it would appear that may not be the case any longer as it seems the drink prices have increased. What was your experience?

Edited February 15, 2016 by wowgirl/itguy

[SerraG]

"We all had the premium package and felt we got our money’s worth and enjoyed it."

 

Great review leisuretraveler223. Did you have to pay an uncharge for any of the drinks? We were on Celebrity last year with the Premium package and never once had to pay for a drink (wine or otherwise) but in looking at the drink menus that I have seen posted on Cruise Critic it would appear that may not be the case any longer as it seems the drink prices have increased. What was your experience?

 

We were on this sailing, with the premium package and we paid an upcharge of $2-3 several times for wine and once for a fancy cocktail from the World Bar.

[bEwAbG]

One genuine question as I usually just get a glass or two of wine during dinner and don't know bottle protocol. Is it uncouth to pour your own from the bottle left at the table? Is that why you'd wait for the server to come back to pour it?

 

On Celebrity, the sommelier is typically the one tasked with refilling your glass. The problem I've encountered is that there is usually only one sommelier for the restaurant (or when in the MDR, a handful for the whole dining room), so they're usually overworked. YMMV because I've also seen waiters refilling glasses. But the one time I finally just grabbed a bottle because it had been 30 minutes without a refill, the sommelier arrived and gently chided me for doing her job. :rolleyes:

[bEwAbG]

Thanks for your review, OP. We were on this same cruise and really enjoyed it. I made the same comment about how incredibly dark the Ensemble Lounge was. One afternoon I realized that I could see everything because someone had finally turned the lights on! I took a picture of it for posterity. Of course, that evening it was back to being as dark as a cave. It is a really pretty room, so I'm not sure what they're trying to hide. Michael's Club was also too dark except for the blinding light that emanates from the convenience store coolers as well as one very oddly placed task light behind the bar that makes sitting at the bar an unpleasant proposition.

 

I'm still gathering all my thoughts and will post more later but I do agree with you about how disappointing the World Class Bar is. My experience was more or less the same: too long to get a drink and the quality of the cocktails didn't warrant the wait nor the price. Lots of people annoyed at the limited menu and several displeased that everything was priced at $13 or above, which left anyone with a Classic Package with no options (unless they wanted to pay full price). I was there for a drink or two every night before dinner, and it was the same thing all week. There were also lots of consistency issues between the two bartenders. That happens at the other bars, too, but they're trying to position this as a premium bar experience and it's far from it.

Edited February 15, 2016 by bEwAbG

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

On Celebrity, the sommelier is typically the one tasked with refilling your glass. The problem I've encountered is that there is usually only one sommelier for the restaurant (or when in the MDR, a handful for the whole dining room), so they're usually overworked. YMMV because I've also seen waiters refilling glasses. But the one time I finally just grabbed a bottle because it had been 30 minutes without a refill, the sommelier arrived and gently chided me for doing her job. :rolleyes:

 

Thanks. I think I will stick to glasses. I mean, if you have to wait anyway...

 

If I had a bottle and no one bothered to come refill my glass so I did it and then I was "gently chided" I would most likely be sorely tempted to not so gently chide the sommelier for not doing HIS/HER job.

[SWFL Cruisers]

I'm sailing the Reflection on March 19th so I really appreciate your very informative review. Thank you, well done.

[joefromchicago]

We leave on the Reflection this Saturday, our first time with Celebrity, thanks for the great review.

[beltane]

We were on the same cruise.

 

We ate in the MDR 5 times, Tuscan Grill and Lawn Club Grill. Oddly enough, Lawn Club Grill was our hands down FAVOURITE. Service was very good and the food was amazing! We went to the Tuscan Grill on the first Evening Chic night... Hubs and I were having a martini before dinner and a young fellow with a Tuscan Grill menu was working the crowd encouraging folks to try dinner there. I asked him if it was not full because of the Evening Chic dinner in the MDR and he said yes. I asked if we get a discount for an impromptu meal and we were given 20% off. So off we went and enjoyed a very delicious dinner down there.

 

This was our first cruise to have the premium alcohol package, we had classic both other times. I found that in the MDR I had to ask for the wine menu every single lunch and dinner (I didn't drink at breakfast ;) ) After the first 2 days I had to wonder if something was 'going on' as they were swift to fill water and take our entire order from apps to entree to dessert, but every.single.time I had to ask for a wine menu, it was never freely offered as we sat down as in previous cruises. We had select dining with no reservation, so we sat all over the MDR, so this happened in several different areas. I noticed they were really pushing the "Celebrity Kendall Estates" wine to us at each meal and I had to say "I'm not sure, could I please have a wine menu?" which they promptly brought. There was no problem... it was just an interesting, to me, observation.

 

I'm also wondering if any other cruisers noticed they were really pushing the Celebrity brand wine? I tasted the white, rose and red, and it was certainly okay wine... but when I have the premium package, I want to sometimes "go shopping" and have fun tasting wines I normally wouldn't have access to, yanno?

 

As with a previous poster, I also noticed some pushy folks who thought they were entitled to the front of the line. Actually got 'bumped' twice by two different scooters.

 

One therapy dog that I saw. Sweet little well-behaved fellow. The owners were very approachable and it was interesting to learn the intensive clearance required to bring a therapy dog aboard.

 

Overall great cruise. Great weather, calm seas.

[mvaughan]

I'm sailing the Reflection on March 19th so I really appreciate your very informative review. Thank you, well done.

 

 

As are we. The reviews seem to be all ver the place. The reviews are very positive on cruise line. I don't have much faith in cc for celebrity cruises. Seems to be too much negativity.

[leisuretraveler223]

One genuine question as I usually just get a glass or two of wine during dinner and don't know bottle protocol. Is it uncouth to pour your own from the bottle left at the table? Is that why you'd wait for the server to come back to pour it?

 

When drinking wines by the glass, as we did, they don't tend to leave the bottle on the table.

 

Did you happen to eat here? If so, could you share what's on the menu?

 

I did not eat there. The menu has a variety of seafood and sandwiches. I never saw more than one or two tables occupied.

 

Did you have to pay an uncharge for any of the drinks? We were on Celebrity last year with the Premium package and never once had to pay for a drink (wine or otherwise) but in looking at the drink menus that I have seen posted on Cruise Critic it would appear that may not be the case any longer as it seems the drink prices have increased. What was your experience?

 

I only paid an upcharge once. I think it was $2 more.

[helen haywood]

Regarding the Sunset Bar on Reflection, another change they made was moving the staircase that goes to the outside seating area of the OceanView Buffet one deck down, it is now behind the bar and a long banquet sofa. On the other ships it is totally aft and taking up valuable viewing/seating space.

 

Also agree about having wine by the bottle. If you ordered red I guess they might leave it on your table. If it is white they will put it in a communal ice bucket often several tables away. One feels awkward getting up and walking over and rooting around to find your bottle and taking it out and pouring some. Nowadays with the package I just order glass anyway, no problem.

 

One funny story on an S-Class ship, back when I had a bottle and wanted another glass and was looking everywhere in vain for the sommelier, my husband said "There he is!" and was about to speak to him. I said "Stop! That's the Captain!" "Are you sure?" questions my husband. Um, yes. Check out the uniform....

[beltane]

Also agree about having wine by the bottle. If you ordered red I guess they might leave it on your table. If it is white they will put it in a communal ice bucket often several tables away. One feels awkward getting up and walking over and rooting around to find your bottle and taking it out and pouring some. Nowadays with the package I just order glass anyway, no problem.

 

We had the premium package and found that if we were having a Celebrity Kendall Jackson red, they left the bottle on the table. They also frequently dropped the entire bottle of Pellegrino rather than topping up our glass. We don't mind that, I prefer it room temp anyhow. We never ordered an entire bottle of wine.

[kikki21]

Thanks for your review.

 

We'll be sailing on the Reflection very soon. I also love Miami & I'm also planning to go to Smith & Wollensky on the Friday evening to see the cruise ships sail out! It's a great sight! :)

[bEwAbG]

One funny story on an S-Class ship, back when I had a bottle and wanted another glass and was looking everywhere in vain for the sommelier, my husband said "There he is!" and was about to speak to him. I said "Stop! That's the Captain!" "Are you sure?" questions my husband. Um, yes. Check out the uniform....

 

I bet if you had asked the captain to pour your wine, your service from the sommelier would have increased tenfold!

[rakes5]

I had read somewhere that there was some construction at Orient Beach at the clothing optional beach end.

 

Did you notice this, or is it completed?

[leisuretraveler223]

I had read somewhere that there was some construction at Orient Beach at the clothing optional beach end.

 

Did you notice this, or is it completed?

 

I didn't notice any construction, but I didn't walk all the way down.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

As are we. The reviews seem to be all ver the place. The reviews are very positive on cruise line. I don't have much faith in cc for celebrity cruises. Seems to be too much negativity.

 

Sometimes I think people take the "critic" part too seriously...

 

But I also keep in mind the customer service adage that "if someone has a bad experience they will tell at least 10 people, if someone has a good experience they might tell 2". People who have issues are far more likely to post about it than those who have a marvelous cruise. (NOT saying that people who have a marvelous cruise never post - they just get lost in the others.)

 

Also, much as we might like to think we are everyone cruising, the reality is people on boards like this are a TINY portion of those who cruise.

 

I haven't been on X yet - that's next year's Winter Break cruise - but I'm going into it with an open mind and the mindset that I WILL have a wonderful time! When I go into something with hesitations and negative things in my head, invariably that's all I'll see - the problems and issues. But if I go into it with a positive attitude, somehow it makes even the issues that invariably will crop up in anything that much easier to cope with.

[pete_coach]

One thing to add to the comments I had, for those that like to use the internet, the unlimited package was great. The speed was as good as your home. We were even able to Facetime.

It is a huge improvement over the past internet. You only had to log on once a day unless you actually logged off s opposed to the old way where log on was needed each time you used it and it took forever to log on, wasting your minutes.

[suesie]

Thank you for your helpful and informative review.

I'm on the Reflection in June in Europe and am really looking forward to it.:)

[wepacktoomuch]

We too were on the same cruise as you were. Enjoyed your comments especially the ones about the Lawn Club service. We ate there (party of 6) on Thursday night and it was quite windy. That aside, our drink service was no better than miserable. We were drinking wine and in every other restaurant, our glasses never got empty -not here as we had to ask them to fill our empty glass-numerous times! The men in our group did go and choose the steaks and 'help' cook but once cooked, the food took over 20 minutes to arrive at the table! Steaks were delicious though. We were not impressed with the MDR -ate there once and service and food just ok. Had breakfast in our cabin every morning but the last. We were in Concierge with extended breakfast menu so a very enjoyable way to start the day. Favourite restaurant was Murano-exquisite food and service. Tuscan Grill came in 2nd. Qusine a distant 3rd.

[Sonoma fans]

We were on Reflection the week before this review..... Loved it great week. Our review is on here somewhere.

 

The thing I wanted to address arethe comments regarding scooters.

First my DH uses one, he does not consider himself entitled to skip to the head of any line, at any time. That said he also doesn't feel he should wait while people cut in front if him as if he doesn't exist because he requires assistance. Although I must say that on our trip most people were very considerate and payed attention to who was in line first. One lady even said to another group of passengers waiting for an elevator that my DH was there first, when they crowded on to it ahead of him.

He has never intentionally hit anyone, although there have been close calls when someone suddenly stops or changes direction in front of him........ Remember he cannot dodge, or swerve out of the way one a dime like we on two legs can.

 

I'm sorry if I sound like I'm preaching, this scooter business is new to us, and it is certainly an awakening to see how differently people look and behave around you.