Celebrity Reflection January 14 to 21 2017

[alicat58]

Hi Norris and Carol

 

I love reading your reviews too. Started last year when we were looking at a Baltic cruise on the Silly(?i). Never happened on her but went on our usual Costa instead. I know , they're not for everyone but we look past the decor and cruise for the ports which for us is mainly the Med.

 

We are just back from and amazing 2 weeks cruising in India.

 

Looking forward to reading about your next cruise and drooling over your amazing photos. I just use my phone and hubby is the one with the fancy Canon which he lugs about like you. Too much effort for me and I just managed today to master posting on CC.

 

Best wishes

 

Alicat

[Bimmer09]

With breakfast over we had to get our packed carryon bags and vacate our room, 7358 and leave it to Boban to clean before the next occupants would arrive in 3 hours or so. We made our way to the Hideaway even though Tuscan Grill was our waiting room for our disembarkation call. We like the Hideaway as it's small, cosy and quiet.

 

 

(photos from Silhouette)

 

 



 

Those legs weren't here when we took our places for our two hour wait. It was quiet and we had a coffee and tea station at our disposal. Now with a base camp set up and Carol on guard with her iPad I was free to roam and get the photos I knew I needed to. I eschewed the use of elevators as they were kept busy with people and their luggage. Some were getting on an up elevator to secure a space when it was going down.

Reflection Theater Balcony

 

We enjoyed our time here for those 7 p.m sparsely attended shows. I can't complain about the entertainment here nor around the ship as there was always some music going on. I just never took the time to stop and listen to a whole song. That's my fault. Maybe on the next cruise I will? I never get onboard with a schedule so those ships where you need to book your meals and entertainment in advance don't appeal to me (or us). The theater has decent sight lines (some columns here and there but that's expected with balcony design at sea I guess) and technically is flawless for sound and lighting and effects. No massive digital screens for scenery like Princess but that's OK by me.

Always look on the Breitling side of life

 

I am thankful that I don't aspire to expensive or flashy watches, or rings, or man-bracelets or designer sunglasses. I don't covet my neighbor's ass (in the donkey sense I mean) nor "the Most Interesting man in the World" who drinks Dos Equis. I do like nicely arranged retail stores though and the Celebrity ones definitely reek of Modern Luxury.

If it wasn't for our trips to the Theater and Photo Shop I would spend most of my cruise in the back half of the ship as that's where the Lawn and the LCG and Sunset bar are. It's also where the restaurants are. I'm heading there next...

[Bimmer09]

This is an unused space on the way back to the restaurants on deck 5

 

 



 

It had to be made into an art space of course as this ship is teeming with art. We are entering the Ensemble Lounge, a dark space with a bar and live bands in the evening. It is on a main walkway between cafe Il Bacio and the aft restaurants. I have yet to stop and have a drink listening to a band here.

 

 



 

Michael's Club and Murano are found on the right halfway through the lounge

 

 

Fabulous wall art



 

 

Bar detail



 

More....

[perfect match]

Tenors of Rock conclusion

VmvQI2pL4QM

 

Norris

 

I keep telling CC I'm not a robot, yet my replies keep disappearing! :confused: Maybe the third time is the charm.......

 

Anyway, I showed Barry your video of Music of the Night. You couldn't have picked a better song for us! We both already love Phantom Of The Opera, and love Music of the Night ToR has been booked. I'm sure we will love the show! I had been looking at ToR as a possible show choice for us even before you mentioned it, so thanks for convincing me it was the right choice. :D

[Bimmer09]

We say goodbye to the Ensemble Lounge

 

and move on towards the restaurants, passing through some woods on the way apparently.

 

 



 

No squirrels so I am thinking these are not real trees. What about these?

Next stop Tuscan Grill...

[Jasperdo]

Always look on the Breitling side of life

Just as I suspected ... you used to be a writer for Monty Python!

[Bimmer09]

TUSCAN GRILL

No we didn't eat here this week. We ate in TG on the Silhouette and although the food was good it was unmemorable (apart from dessert!) and while eating we were wondering how many Italians were in the kitchen and we both suggested zero. The chef was brought out to meet us by the Maitre 'd and he was Jamaican.

The waiter was a surly Slav or Ukranian and not once used the phrase "like a mamma used a to a make a" which would have made us feel at ease. There wasn't even a hint of a sous-chef knife fight in the kitchen so passions weren't running high back there. We eat at Sabatini's Italian restaurant on Princess and you can tell there are no Italians in the kitchen there either.

To be fair, on land we don't fare well in finding food cooked by Italians either.





I would definitely eat in Tuscan Grill again as the food was edible and the room is a beauty.



 

A must in every Italian restaurant

 

 



 

 



 

More to follow

[Bimmer09]

 

 

 

 



 

 

BLU



 

 



 

 

We only ate one fine breakfast here before giving Luminae a try.

[weregoingcruising]

Thank you for another fantastic review with incredible pictures. Would really appreciate a link to your Princess and Celebrity comparison.

[silkismom]

We just got off yesterday. By any chance did you notice the picture next to Blu? It is mtns and forest, but moves, a man comes on, walks around, gathers sticks, starts a campfire which gets away and burns up the whole picture, fun to watch, don't know how it works.

[CiaoGina]

Hilarious review of Tuscan Grill I stay away from anything with the word Tuscan in the title

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[pd7277]

Thank you for another fantastic review with incredible pictures. Would really appreciate a link to your Princess and Celebrity comparison.

 

Hi Nick,

 

Norris' links are in his signature block. Just click on the "Expand Signature" button on the bottom right of his posts.

[Bimmer09]

We just got off yesterday. By any chance did you notice the picture next to Blu? It is mtns and forest, but moves, a man comes on, walks around, gathers sticks, starts a campfire which gets away and burns up the whole picture, fun to watch, don't know how it works.

 

 

is it this?

 

I hope you had a great time on your cruise!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Hi Nick,

 

Norris' links are in his signature block. Just click on the "Expand Signature" button on the bottom right of his posts.

 

Thanks for the assist Peggy!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Hi Norris and Carol

 

I love reading your reviews too. Started last year when we were looking at a Baltic cruise on the Silly(?i). Never happened on her but went on our usual Costa instead. I know , they're not for everyone but we look past the decor and cruise for the ports which for us is mainly the Med.

 

We are just back from and amazing 2 weeks cruising in India.

 

Looking forward to reading about your next cruise and drooling over your amazing photos. I just use my phone and hubby is the one with the fancy Canon which he lugs about like you. Too much effort for me and I just managed today to master posting on CC.

 

Best wishes

 

Alicat

 

Thanks for reading my reviews and for letting me know! The next one is Regal Princess and will be started October 22. A new ship to me and one whose design I am critical of....A new itinerary too and I'll have the same cameras but will be better at using them. It will be a long time before my next X review. I'll use this thread to alert anyone interested to the Regal Princess thing.

Will you be writing a review of your India cruise?

Cheers!

Norris

[DavietheScot]

Been following your review all the way Norris really enjoyed it, wetted my appetite for our next cruise which will be our second time on Reflection this August in the Med. So thanks again.

 

Sent from my SM-T800 using Forums mobile app

[Bimmer09]

I keep telling CC I'm not a robot, yet my replies keep disappearing! :confused: Maybe the third time is the charm.......

 

Anyway, I showed Barry your video of Music of the Night. You couldn't have picked a better song for us! We both already love Phantom Of The Opera, and love Music of the Night ToR has been booked. I'm sure we will love the show! I had been looking at ToR as a possible show choice for us even before you mentioned it, so thanks for convincing me it was the right choice. :D

 

Nancy, I'm glad you were convinced by Music of the Night and have tickets for TOR in Harrah's.

When are you there?

We haven't visited Las Vegas since 2009 before City Center and Aria opened. It was a building site nearing completion and bankruptcy.

Have fun!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Just as I suspected ... you used to be a writer for Monty Python!

 

Well spotted re the Life of Brian reference.

I saw the first episode of Monty Python due to my dad. I was already in bed when I heard him howling with knee-slapping laughter downstairs. I got up and joined him and was hooked.

Did you miss the Tom Jones song on the Lawn photo?

Norris

[silkismom]

I temporarily joined "the walker brigade" but am doing better now.

[weregoingcruising]

Hi Nick,

 

Norris' links are in his signature block. Just click on the "Expand Signature" button on the bottom right of his posts.

 

Peggy

Expand my signature past future cruises and you will see that were boarding the day your getting of the Equinox in October. Thanks for the info to find the comparison.

Nick

Edited March 12, 2017 by weregoingcruising
more info

[Jasperdo]

Did you miss the Tom Jones song on the Lawn photo?

I had so scroll back to see what the reference was. Yes, I did miss it. But that Monty Python one hit me right away.

[Bimmer09]

I temporarily joined "the walker brigade" but am doing better now.

 

Oh dear, sorry to hear that. I imagine it really impacted your cruise enjoyment to be slowed down by an injury.

Happy to hear you are on the mend!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Rushed ship tour continued...

Well, not super rushed as I had almost 2 hours of free time since leaving the cabin. Enough time, as I was on deck 5 to pop out with a coffee once or twice and enjoy a smoke looking at sunny Miami. Passengers doing likewise around me would drift off after a while to trek down the gangway and eventually to an airport but we only had to get to South beach and were not in a big hurry. Some were on their phones getting weather reports from the frozen tundras they were flying to. I was guaranteed to be toasty for another 24 or more hours....but there's work to be done.

Another look at the Martini Bar in it's dormant state

 

Some stairwell art as I descend to deck 3

 

 



 

 



 

 

I love the Men's Room design on these ships and used them joyously



 

I'm not seeing many, if any, people on my photo hunt which tells me the clock is ticking on my getting off this ship. Waldo would stand out like a sore thumb.

[perfect match]

Nancy, I'm glad you were convinced by Music of the Night and have tickets for TOR in Harrah's.

When are you there?

We haven't visited Las Vegas since 2009 before City Center and Aria opened. It was a building site nearing completion and bankruptcy.

Have fun!

Norris

 

Our last Vegas trip was in June, 2010. We're excited to be going back! I will be sure to let you know how we liked TOR after we get home, which will be at the end of the first week of May.

[hockeyguru32]

I once had a poster on the Princess board suggest a collection be taken to send me on another cruise so I could write about it-and he has never appeared in one of my reviews since.

If we could we would take another cruise ASAP or at least sooner than our actual next on Regal Princess in October, but we both have jobs. 2 is our maximum until next year when I get 3 weeks vacation but we love our land trips too and I can't see us doing 3 cruises in one year and I'm OK with that. In fact we are already booked for a week of glorious Wagner opera in San Francisco June 2018.

Send me the rum anyway-it will help me think. I hear it's good for your concentration-or am I confusing it with water?

Cheers my friend!

Norris

 

Yes work puts a hamper on some of our plans we wish to accomplish. I'm lucky and thankful for my 2 cruises I will be going on in April and October. As for the thinking process, rum or water whatever works best I say.

 

I hope your trip to San Francisco is a good one, hopefully you will put your adventure on your blog page as I read that as well.

 

Cheers to you as well my friend

Scott