Celebrity Reflection January 14 to 21 2017

[Bimmer09]

Norris. ...u are from Chicago? ! Us too! Where about? ?

 

Yes, 3 blocks west of Grant Park and the lake. But keep it a secret.

 

Welcome!

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

After breakfast I went up to the lawn again. I love the glass elevators that allow you to see into the various decks as you ascend or descend. People were already sunbathing.

 

 

 

 

 

Away in the distance Independence of the Seas heads towards Cozumel

 

 

We had an alcove booked for the day (9 a.m to 9 p.m) @ $149, booked online prior to sailing, and I checked that it was being set up and arranged to meet Carol there after the Officers vs Passengers Bocce Ball challenge on the lawn.

[Pier290]

I'M NEWTONORRIS!

As I just joined these boards a,few weeks ago. Sailed Summit to Bermuda and Silhouette out of Venice.....next is Equinox in April.....NORRIS. ....ANY EQUINOX REVIEWS FROM U?

If so where can I find the pleasure of finding them?

Also....we are taking our 2 kids under 11 this time. I see u chose Aft....we hv Verandas way at the Aft.....your personal pros/cons?

All advice appreciated. ...nervous bringing the kiddos along! ;)

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Forums mobile app

[Bimmer09]

I like how the Officers mingle with the passengers on X. Very different from Princess where they look right through you or jump into a lifeboat and play possum if they meet you on Promenade deck.

 

The Bocce Ball event is good clean fun

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bimmer09]

I'M NEWTONORRIS!

As I just joined these boards a,few weeks ago. Sailed Summit to Bermuda and Silhouette out of Venice.....next is Equinox in April.....NORRIS. ....ANY EQUINOX REVIEWS FROM U?

If so where can I find the pleasure of finding them?

Also....we are taking our 2 kids under 11 this time. I see u chose Aft....we hv Verandas way at the Aft.....your personal pros/cons?

All advice appreciated. ...nervous bringing the kiddos along! ;)

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Forums mobile app

 

All my reviews are listed in my signature and I will add my Equinox one....but not until January 2019 (yikes!) when we sail her for the first time.

 

All the way aft pros are; no foot traffic past your door=quiet

Sheltered from the wind as the ship cuts through it at 20 mph

The sound and view of the wake and a 180 degree view of the ocean

 

Cons are; long walk from elevators

Wake noise (but we like that)

Engine and thruster vibrations when docking.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

There are 10 Alcoves for rent as opposed to the 8 on Silhouette. Our tranquility was compromised by some gents who played their own Bocce game on the lawn.

 

 

Carol settles in for a day of doing nothing but reading her Kindle and napping.

 

 

Next interruption to our Fortress of Solitude was the Captain officiating at the wedding of a British couple.

 

 

 

 

The bride's daughters were cute and getting a lot of attention. I heard many British accents on board and of course Australian and Canadian.Of course there were foreign tongues too including Norwegian and Russian.

 

There's a phone in each Alcove. Pick it up and order a drink if you are parched.

A generous fruit plate and cheese plate will be delivered as a matter of course.

Bottles of water and an ice bucket too. Towels are waiting for you.

 

Norris

[sandc4e]

Loving your review and your stories of your time working on a ship. Makes me excited for our upcoming trip on Silhouette.

 

Keep the pics coming!

[Pier290]

Thanks Norris for your prompt responses! Guess I'll have to review the Equinox for u! ;)

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Forums mobile app

[wallie5446]

Thanks Norris for your prompt responses! Guess I'll have to review the Equinox for u! ;)

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Forums mobile app

 

Here is a Dec video Review of the Equinox you will enjoy.

[MisterMet]

I like how the Officers mingle with the passengers on X. Very different from Princess where they look right through you or jump into a lifeboat and play possum if they meet you on Promenade deck.

 

 

 

 

The Bocce Ball event is good clean fun

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Norris,

 

The interaction of the crew was one of the best things about Celebrity and Princess could learn from them.

 

Trip

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Edited January 29, 2017 by MisterMet

[sammygoose]

fantastic many thanks for your efforts!!!!!!

[watchdiva]

]

 

 

 

We had an alcove booked for the day (9 a.m to 9 p.m) @ $149, booked online prior to sailing, and I checked that it was being set up and arranged to meet Carol there after the Officers vs Passengers Bocce Ball challenge on the lawn.

 

 

Which Alcove did you select and why? We have booked an Alcove for one sea day and one port day...

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[LandonCat]

Hi Norris,

 

I am a newbie to your reviews and am just in awe of all that you have posted and your photos have certainly helped me get excited for our Reflection Trip (2/11/17). Your itinerary is the same one we will be following. A question....is there any chance you have and/or would be willing to post the dailies/Celebrity Todays from your Reflection trip?

 

Thank you so much for your review and I am eager to share with my husband (we are sailing for his 50th). I received notice of your review from another Celebrity CC board so excitedly clicked over.:D

[Bimmer09]

]

 

 

 

We had an alcove booked for the day (9 a.m to 9 p.m) @ $149, booked online prior to sailing, and I checked that it was being set up and arranged to meet Carol there after the Officers vs Passengers Bocce Ball challenge on the lawn.

 

 

Which Alcove did you select and why? We have booked an Alcove for one sea day and one port day...

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

For the first booking we had port side closest to Sunset bar as I am a smoker. Drawback was people would stop and chat on that corner.

 

For the 2nd we moved One closer to LCG and solved the corner chatting issue.

 

Welcome and thanks for the question!

 

Norris

[Lois R]

Hi Norris,

 

I am a newbie to your reviews and am just in awe of all that you have posted and your photos have certainly helped me get excited for our Reflection Trip (2/11/17). Your itinerary is the same one we will be following. A question....is there any chance you have and/or would be willing to post the dailies/Celebrity Todays from your Reflection trip?

 

Thank you so much for your review and I am eager to share with my husband (we are sailing for his 50th). I received notice of your review from another Celebrity CC board so excitedly clicked over.:D

 

I am sailing her this Saturday so I will be disembarking as you are boarding.

Hope you have a great time:)

[sajlm045]

Norris, what is your preferred breakfast venue, Blu or Sabatini's/Crown grill for suite guests?

[Jasperdo]

I love the glass elevators that allow you to see into the various decks as you ascend or descend. People were already sunbathing.

Royal Caribbean is the same. I find it much more interesting than the way Princess does their glass elevators. The three decks overlooking the Piazza are glass, but have a lattice work that prevents you from seeing much. After that all you get are those weird bubbles. Defeats the whole purpose of a glass elevator. On RCCL riding the glass elevator is a treat. A wonderful view of the Royal Promenade and Centrum all the way up to the top.

[DancerOT]

After breakfast I went up to the lawn again. I love the glass elevators that allow you to see into the various decks as you ascend or descend. People were already sunbathing.

 

 

 

 

 

Away in the distance Independence of the Seas heads towards Cozumel

 

 

We had an alcove booked for the day (9 a.m to 9 p.m) @ $149, booked online prior to sailing, and I checked that it was being set up and arranged to meet Carol there after the Officers vs Passengers Bocce Ball challenge on the lawn.

I was one of those sunbathers!! Totally just played "Where's Waldo" and found my brother, future SIL, and my right leg (hahaha....recognized my swimsuit bottom). So fun!

[LandonCat]

Have an amazing time Lois R.! Our trip can't come soon enough :).

[long time lurker]

Hi Norrris--

Thank you for your wonderful review. I have been lurking (as my screen name indicates) and living vicariously through your review as we have a little over a year until we board the Reflection. We enjoyed the Alcoves so much on our Silhouette cruise that we have already booked them for our Reflection cruise. My question is, you mentioned that there are 10 aboard the Reflection as opposed to 8 on the Silhouette. Do the Alcoves seem "packed tighter" on the Reflection? Did you still feel that you still had your own private space?

 

Thanks again for taking the time to share your trip with us.

[Bimmer09]

Norris, what is your preferred breakfast venue, Blu or Sabatini's/Crown grill for suite guests?

 

Sabatini's (I haven't had a suite breakfast in CG but it's not a beautiful room in the way that Sabs is.) Sabs is quiet-we usually eat there at 9 but the difference between Sabs and Blu at that time is night and day. Blu is a hubbub, a din, a racket. At most I've seen 4 tables occupied in Sabs-maybe 12 people total. Blu 4 times that number.

 

I don't know if it's the same in Blu but in Sabs you can order anything that is being cooked in any kitchen at that time or you can special order say a steak if you give them a days notice. The food in both is very good, but the quiet, save for the Italian opera and Neapolitan songs playing softly and the fountain outside the window lead to a very relaxing intro to a new day in Sabatini's. Service is impeccable in Sabatini's. In Blu it is good (as they are rushed in comparison.)

 

When it comes to dazzling Suite Pax Celebrity has an edge over Princess I'd say in service, with the Butler and most of all Michaels if there's a good Host there.

Sadly Anca has left the company before they could clone her. Luminae was a master stroke.

 

But on Princess we have a free minibar, free laundry with priority and no restrictions, shoeshine and a DVD player in our room and a huge suite with a huge separate bathroom that two people can use at once-not the case on X in the Sky suites we like.

 

Bottom line though is-and I can only speak for myself, not Carol- I love cruising on both lines as they each offer a fantastic product for a reasonable price.

 

I don't even need a more "Luxurious" Line but am always open-minded. I think we get great value from the suite experience (and below in mini suites). I would sail Azamara for the overnights-not a perceived better service or food. I enjoyed most of what I ate on X (ditto on Princess). We love Michelin Star cooking but also like to eat at Five Guys and Popeyes.

 

I hope I have answered your question. Thanks for asking it!

 

Norris

[hockeyguru32]

Norwegian Escape

 

 

Three Breadwinners

 

 

It's uuuuuuge....

 

 

 

 

 

I have and will be on every ship that was in port with you(with the exception of the X factor). I will complete the Davina in April and Vista in October this year.

[Buckcruise]

The nap was one of those "I'm just going to lay down for a minute and close my eyes" which became, due to the swooshing sound of the wake, the gentle motion of the ship and the approaching darkness a 90 minute spelunking into warm dark caverns of sleep.

 

I woke first at 6.59 p.m due to an innate sense of time even when I am asleep and realized that the 7 p.m comedy show would have to start without us. We would see the same comic later that week.

 

I picked up the phone message that had been blinking at us since we got to the room at 1 p.m and it was to notify us that we would get 50% off the price in any of the Specialty restaurants tonight. I had booked the Lawn Club Grill earlier in the day.

 

Here are some photos taken between 4.30 and 9 p.m on that Saturday evening...

 

 

LCG early in the evening

 

 

 

 

Elevator's-eye view of the Library on deck 10

 

 

The little-used outdoor room just outside the deck 15 elevator, port side.

 

 

Norris

 

The last pic....is that the Porch?

[wallie5446]

The last pic....is that the Porch?

 

The Pourch is on the other side, same place as the Studio 2 pics up.

Edited January 30, 2017 by wallie5446

[Bimmer09]

Hi Norrris--

Thank you for your wonderful review. I have been lurking (as my screen name indicates) and living vicariously through your review as we have a little over a year until we board the Reflection. We enjoyed the Alcoves so much on our Silhouette cruise that we have already booked them for our Reflection cruise. My question is, you mentioned that there are 10 aboard the Reflection as opposed to 8 on the Silhouette. Do the Alcoves seem "packed tighter" on the Reflection? Did you still feel that you still had your own private space?

 

Thanks again for taking the time to share your trip with us.

 

The 10 Alcoves on Reflection are packed into the same space as the 8 on Silly

and Carol (Alcove Girl) says they have put the last row closer to the Sunset Bar with the hammocks, which were often used by passers-by taking a nap,in our line of view. Here's a pic from the aftmost Alcove on Silly....

 

and from the aftmost on Reflection

 

 

Those stainless steel bars are the hammock supports. Photo is with a zoom so they look closer than they really are-but they are in your line of sight.

 

Your name will be on your Alcove the morning of your booking so if you get there early (8.30 or so) see where you are placed and speak to the Superintendent and have him switch you. The Super works in Lawn Club Grill so see him the night before and tell him your preferred location. For our 2nd booking he had put us closest to the LCG on the Starboard side and I asked him to change it back to the one we had before. All the Alcoves had names on them but he said two had cancelled and we took our pick of the two-this time we took the 2nd from the aft on Port side and that took us away from the corner where the stop and chat people congregated-the chatters were the only real detriment to our relaxation. This was done way after 9 a.m when bookers could have come by and seen their selection so he was only safe to give us cancelled Alcoves.

 

Go to the LCG host stand the day before and speak to the Alcove super and pick your spot.

 

I'm glad you stepped out of the lurking shadows! Thanks for the question too- I hope it helps others which is what CC is all about.

 

Norris