Celebrity Reflection- Live! (Sort of)

[tx121]

Here’s my attempt of a sort of Live! Day by Day Review.We booked this cruise 11 night cruise on the Celebrity Reflection because we wanted to try a Solstice Class ship and also for the itinerary with the following ports of call: Cartagena, Colombia; Grand Cayman, Aruba, Curacao, and Bonaire. We haven’t done a southern Caribbean cruise for some time, so this was a cruise we have been looking forward to.

 

 

Day 1- Embarkation

We arrived to Port Everglades around 11:30am; dropped off our bags to the porters, went through security, and checked in. Total it took us 30 minutes for the whole check in which was great! But soon things changed as we headed up the escalator to board the ship. The waiting area was very full with many confused people. We were told to keep our passports in hand and that they were going to be checked as we board the ship which is odd. There was no organization whatsoever in the waiting area and the staff there were useless. People were trying to cut in front of each other and there was no one guiding or enforcing anything. With the terminal waiting area already crowded and unhappy guests,a group of Park West VIP cruisers with name badges came and jumped the whole line. This didn’t go well with the others who have been waiting for an hour. People started to scream and yell out “Hold on... we were here first” and “No no no”! It was quite entertaining to see people get so worked up and think that the incompetent staff in the terminal will actually listen to them. So about 5 minutes pass and all of a sudden a fire alarm goes off and an automated announcement saying there is a fire in the building, everyone please evacuate. Of course usually when people hear an announcement like this, people would rush to the nearest exit. Nope not this group. Everyone kept hanging around until the police officers had to come in and evacuate the terminal! I swear some people are so stubborn and just want their way. Some of the guests were saying we won’t leave until we see smoke! Really?? Anyway these grown adults who were acting like children eventually vacated the terminal. Everyone was pushed out and was told to back away from the building by the police. Fire trucks came and nothing was found. We later heard from the captain during the muster drill that there was a small fire in the bathroom and the alarm was pulled. Wouldn’t surprise me if it was pulled by a disgruntled guest who wasn’t happy about the VIP art people cutting the line. Lol!

So after about 20 minutes, they let people back in to the building and you guessed it, it was a mad house. People rushing towards the entrance to try to get back in and others who hadn’t checked in yet trying to get inside. The angry mob who was staying close to the doors they exited thought they could go through the same door as they came out... wrong! Of course you had to go back through security since you exited the terminal people, which was the check in entrance. So there was chaos with everyone trying to go through one door. Finally a smart worker in the terminal made an announcement and said if you have already checked in and have your card, to come to the entrance and to go through security. Everyone who had not checked in would enter after all the check in people came through. So back in to the terminal we went and back up the escalator. When we got there finally one of the workers took charge and finally organized everyone as they entered the waiting room. Once our row got called, we hadn’t to get our passports checked and then were allowed to head to the ship. Weird thing was they had to retake everyone’s photo again at the security area before going inside the ship. Just a weird embarkation. We were on the ship by 1pm - 1.5 hours from arrival.

After an adventurous check in, the rooms were ready so we dropped off our carryons and then headed to the buffet. It was so empty as most people were still in the terminal. It was nice change of pace of the usual crowded buffet on embarkation day. After we finished our lunch, we wandered the ship and still there was hardly anyone onboard. Very strange again but welcomed. Lol!

The mandatory drill was delayed for 30 min because of the fire alarm incident. The drill seemed to last forever as they had to show a stupid James Bond type safety video, a captains message video and then a announcement made by the captain. This was the longest drill I’ve been through on a cruise. It took 45 minutes.

Once the drill was done, we stayed on Deck 5 to watch the sail away as we didn’t want to compete with the crowds trying to get to the top deck for the sail away party.

We were pursuaded to do a specialty dinner at Murano for a 30% discount on the 1st day of the cruise. For $35 we took it as the original price is usually $50. The dinner was very good and the service was top notch! We left feeling full and satisfied.

We then headed to the theater for a comedy show. The comedian was not that funny and I even fell asleep. Many people either walked out or were taking a nap like me. lol!

After the show we decided to call it a night after a long day!

To be continued...

[mahdnc]

Your story about your embarkation is very unusual, indeed! Our next cruise is aboard Reflection sailing out of Port Everglades but it's not until Jan.

[schiff1997]

Wow what a start ! Looking forward to reading your day by day review, we will be doing this exact cruise this time next year 😊

[tx121]

Day 2-at sea

Today we woke up to a sunny sky and calm seas! Couldn’t ask for a more perfect sea day. The chair hogs were in full force early in the morning and most chairs were taken by 10am. Now I am not a all day sun bathing person and I usually go around 4pm when everyone starts to pack up and get ready for dinner. But one thing I noticed while walking the deck was that on this ship, there is not much lounge chair space due to the Lawn club. This area takes a lot of deck space and limits the lounge chairs available. Again a lot of people were becoming frustrated not being able to find a lounger on deck or in the inside pool. You can hear the conversations in the ocean view buffet about the cruise not starting off right.

We attended the destination talk to hear about the ports of call and get some information. Also because they give out prizes for these types of lectures. Usually a raffle ticket is given to you as you walk into the theater for the prizes. Not this time. After hearing the whole presentation the speaker says so everyone is here for the prizes right? He says there are no raffle tickets but if you check under your seat and there is an envelope, then you are a winner! So basically if you go to one of these lectures just for the prizes, look under your seats to see if there are envelopes taped under. Lol!

After the presentation we went to the officers vs guest bocce game which was fun. Now I can say I used the lawn! Next we went to the casino and donated some money. A big plus is that this casino is non smoking which is great! I hate coming out after I’m done smelling like a ash tray. I think all cruise lines should follow suit and ban smoking in all indoor spaces like the casino.

In the late afternoon, it was pool and sunbathing time. By this time the pool deck emptied out enough and there were plenty of chairs to choose from.

Next up was the headliner show Divas 3 which is a girl group singing songs from diva artist like Whitney Houston, Dolly Parton, Aretha Franklin. The show was very entertaining and all the singers had great voices.

After the show we headed to dinner in the main dining room. Food was good but not as great as our last Celebrity cruise 2 years ago. It seems like the menu has been cut down and there’s less variety offered. Cost cutting is my guess.

We then headed to the Silent Disco Party which was lots of fun. Now we are exhausted and heading to bed. Tomorrow is Grand Cayman! 7 mile beach is the plan. Until tomorrow...

Edited April 4, 2018 by tx121

[tx121]

Your story about your embarkation is very unusual, indeed! Our next cruise is aboard Reflection sailing out of Port Everglades but it's not until Jan.

A very unusual embarkation indeed! Lol! Hopefully your cruise embarkation goes smoothly!

[tx121]

Wow what a start ! Looking forward to reading your day by day review, we will be doing this exact cruise this time next year 😊

 

Will try my best to give you as much information so you are prepared for your cruise next year!

[tx121]

Day 3- Grand Cayman

Woke up to beautiful sunny skies and warm weather! We decided to get off the ship early today before the crowds. We grabbed a quick breakfast at the buffet and then headed to the tender boats around 8:30am. There were no lines at all and hopped right on. We didn’t have a tour booked and were thinking to just tour the shops and port area. As we exited the tender there were island tours going to see all the highlights of Grand Cayman for $20 per person. The tour included stops to the Govenors mansion, turtle farm and dolphin discovery, rum tasting, “hell”, and 7 mile beach as the last stop. If you wanted to stay at the beach you could. You would just have to take a $5 taxi back to the pier terminal. To us, the tour was ok/good. For $20 we thought we got our monies worth to see the sites. On the ship the same tour was going for $65! Way too pricey. We did some shopping downtown after the tour and now we are up on the pool deck relaxing and taking in a swim. Pool deck is quiet and not crowded as everyone else is still off the ship. Will enjoy while it lasts! :)

[tx121]

Day 3 continued...Tonight was evening chic night. Had a mixture of people dressed in tuxedos and gowns and others wearing jeans and a button down shirt.

We went to the early show with illusionist Ryan Joyce. I saw his show on NCL two months ago and it was the same. He is entertaining.

Our first dinner in the main dining room. It was ok. I ordered the duck course and it wasn’t that great. However the escargot and creme brûlée was very good. Others on the table had rack of lamb and said it was good.

We headed to the Frisky Feud event after dinner that is adults only. Richard Spacey did a great job hosting and had so much patience with the “not so bright” contestants on stage. Overall the show is ok, but seems like it would work more for a Carnival Cruise younger crowd.

After the game show we watched a little of Mama Mia in the Movie theater and then headed to bed.

[Esprit]

We'll be returning to Reflection in July after a five year break so enjoy reading your live reports.

 

Thank you

[tx121]

We'll be returning to Reflection in July after a five year break so enjoy reading your live reports.

 

Thank you

 

You’re welcome! :)

[tx121]

Day 4- At Sea

 

Another great weather day at sea! After having a quick breakfast at the buffet, we saw that the pool deck still had a lot of open chairs, so we took advantage and got one of those large sofa type loungers by the pool. They are very comfortable indeed. During this time, around 8:30am, it was perfect weather. Got our Vitamin D from the sun and took a swim in a uncrowded pool. As the pool deck was filling up, we decided to head back inside. And yes, once we got up, someone was right there to take our spots.

There was an archery event happening at the deck 4 atrium. It was a lot of fun and highly recommend participating! Of course I didn’t do so well but it’s all in good fun. Stopped in the casino after and got some money that I “deposited “ the sea day before. Woohoo!

After lunch we decided to check out the officers vs guest pool volleyball competition. The area was so crowded by the pool deck so we watched from the deck above. I wish I had gotten there earlier so I could participate, but hopefully they have it again on the next sea day.

Feeling lucky, I went back to the casino and entered the $500 blackjack tournament. You can say I deposited more money into my fortunes casino bank. Lol. Oh well, still had fun.

Had a rest before dinner. Dinner was at Qsine tonight featuring the Little Chef experience. On the reservation card it says to show up 15 min before the reservation. Once we got there, we checked in and were asked if we would like to share a table or have a private table. We were seated and the show began about 15 minutes later. Not going into too much detail, an animation is projected onto your table where the little chef prepares your meal. After the 2 minute clip, the waiters bring out your dish that the little chef prepared in the video. There were 5 pre fixe courses but there are alternative options to each if you do not like what the chef prepares in the clip. The food was very good! The animation here is genius and we were well entertained. I highly recommend trying this experience out. Some say it is a one and done meal but to me the food was actually really good and think it is the same if you went to another specialty restaurant on your last cruise and had the same dishes. Yes the animation will be the same, but the food is what I go for. Very enjoyable dinner experience.

Next up was the production show Elsyium. The music choices were good and the singers and dancers were top notch! However, I did not enjoy the theme to the show. Celebrity likes to have these fairy tale type shows which I think are kind of outdated. If I want to see a real prince and princess show, I’d go on Disney. But as I said, the Celebrity singers and dancers were excellent!

The next event was the Abba sing along and dance event on deck 4. Soooo much fun! Great time was had by all. After getting a quick snack at the buffet, we then called it a night. Next up- Cartagena, Colombia!

[Esprit]

You seem to be really enjoying the on board activities. Should you bump into Valentina (activities manager) please say "Hi" from her Dad.

 

Peter

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Enjoying your almost live review. We are doing this itinerary on Reflection in November.

[tx121]

You seem to be really enjoying the on board activities. Should you bump into Valentina (activities manager) please say "Hi" from her Dad.

 

Peter

Will do :)

[tx121]

Enjoying your almost live review. We are doing this itinerary on Reflection in November.

Thanks! You will have a good time I’m sure!

[cricketlover]

E docs and luggage tags received 😄😄

[tx121]

Day 5- Cartagena, ColombiaToday we woke up to high humidity and an overcast sky. It worked out to our advantage that it was a cloudy day since I think the sun with the humidity could be unbearable. Temperature around 80-85. We had booked Cartagena Highlights with the company Tours with Dora. It was a small group of 12 people which allowed us to go to certain places the large cruise ship tours couldn’t. The first stop we visited was the monestary on the hill which has a awesome view of the city. Dora provided information to the group about the monestary and described the artifacts in it. Next we went for a photo opportunity in front of the fort. Dora again provided us with the history of the city and the strategy used to protect the city in the past. Here there are a lot of vendors trying to sell you stuff. A simple no turns them away but when there’s 20 of them, you are constantly surrounded. Dora does her best to turn them a way. There’s also police in the area that help out if needed. Our next stop was to the walled city. We first stopped by the dungeons area where political prisoners were held. They have now been converted into small shops to buy souvenirs. You can also walk up the ramp and get a good view of the ocean and the wall. Next we did a walking tour inside the city where we visited the churches and some museums. The Spanish architecture is very similar to Old San Juan/ Cuba. We had time after the walking tour to go off on our own to explore the city. We then drove back to the ship. The tour was about 4.5 hrs in total. The tour is much cheaper than the small group private excursions they have on the cruise ship. It is around the same price as a larger tour with the cruise ship but you have 40 other people with you. I rather go with a small intimate group.

Returning to the ship you pass through a small zoo area where you can see flamingos, monkeys, parrots and other native animals. This area is free to visit which is nice.

We were back on the ship in time for lunch. It seemed like most tours ended around 12:30 or people didn’t get off the ship since the buffet was busy at that time. After lunch we decided to lay out by the pool which wasn’t too busy. Took a quick swim and feel asleep on the red comfy loungers on the sides under the deck. Good thing we chose this area since it started to rain hard later in the afternoon. On our tour, Dora did mention that April is the beginning of the rainy season. So we were lucky that it didn’t rain while we were touring the city. We stayed at the pool deck until sail away and then got ready for dinner at the buffet as we were too tired to get dressed for the dining room. Food was basically the same as other nights with a few changes. We had a quick meal before the show which was a guy who did impersonations. He was entertaining and funny. He got a standing ovation at the end. There really wasn’t anything else going on around the ship after the early show so we decided to donate more money to the casino. Oh dear! Lol! They did do a raffle to pick 5 people to participate in the officers vs guest blackjack tournament which was free. Guest winner got $100 towards free play at the tables. I was one of the lucky raffle winners but did horribly in the tournament but it was good fun.

The last event we attended was the “Masque” show happening on Deck 4 atrium. It was the dancers from the show performing to Rocky Horror songs dressed like old English high society. Again the dancers were very good but what is with the theme? Someone needs to change the entertainment coordinator/designer in the head office in my opinion.

We were exhausted after the performance and we are now calling it a night. Tomorrow Aruba!!

[FlorenceItaly]

Enjoying your review. It sounds like you are having a wonderful time. We toured with Dora last year while on our PC cruise. We enjoyed the tour very much. Thank you for posting.

[tx121]

Enjoying your review. It sounds like you are having a wonderful time. We toured with Dora last year while on our PC cruise. We enjoyed the tour very much. Thank you for posting.

Thanks and you're wellcome! Yes Dora was a great guide and loves her city! Tour is recommended!

[tx121]

Day 6- Aruba

Today was a half sea day / half port day as we had a late arrival into port at 3pm. Again the perfect weather at sea -sunny and calm. Our day started off by exercising at the gym and trying to work off some of the calories consumed since Day 1. Lol! After the gym we grabbed a quick breakfast at the buffet and then went to the indoor pool for some rest and relaxation. We got there early enough to get a good seat by the pool. I love how the water in the pools are fresh water and not salt water on this ship. We stayed for a few hours and then went back to the room to get ready for the rest of the day in port.

Once we were cleared to get off the ship, we headed to town and took a local bus along the hotel route to Palm beach. The beach here is beautiful! We got there around 4pm which was perfect because a lot of beach goers were leaving the beach at this time. The water was warm and calm. We decided to stay for the sunset which was around 7pm. What a sight to see from the beach— just beautiful! We then decided to take a taxi back to the ship and get ready for our dinner reservation at the Tuscan Grill at 8pm. We actually had a reservation scheduled for Day 11 with a 20% discount which comes out to $36. We got a message on our phone that said if you dine at Tuscan Grille tonight it will be $30. So we cancelled day 11 reservation and booked for tonight.

Well we just finished dinner and have to say it was very good. We ordered the fried calamari and crab cakes, meatballs for starters, a half order of the lobster pasta and the rib eye steaks. Everything was cooked to perfection and it was delicious. For dessert we had the pistachio creme brûlée and the pistachio donuts with ice cream. Again both desserts were great.

There was one show tonight featuring a Beatles cover band. Since we were at dinner we missed the show. We heard they were really good. They will be performing again later tonight at the Sky lounge, so we will plan to see them then. Anyway tomorrow is Day 2 in Aruba . We don’t have any plans yet but we will probably just stay close to the pier. Goodnight for now!

Edited April 8, 2018 by tx121

[mahdnc]

Right now we have a nice live view of Reflection on the Port of Aruba webcam http:// http://www.portarubawebcam.com/.

[tx121]

Day 7- Aruba

Woke up today to you guessed it , Sunny skies! Loving this weather! We decided to have a beach day, so we took the local bus to Eagle Beach. Using the bus system is very easy as the bus depot is across the street from the cruise terminal. It costs $2.60 US each way which is much cheaper than the taxis. At the bus depot there are lanes showing the departure times and route numbers. Bus number 10 goes along the hotel route and brings you to Eagle Beach or Palm Beach. We decided on Eagle Beach as it is more quieter than the high rise hotel beaches of Palm Beach. We rented lounge chairs for $10 each. There was an option to get an umbrella as well for $25 but we passed since we were there to tan anyways. They also offered beach floating mats for $5 if you wanted. This beach is beautiful with crystal clear water and white powder sand. The only critique I have for this beach is that there is no food available on the beach or bathroom facilities. You have to go to the hotels across the street for both. They do have porter pottys on the beach but we don’t care to use them. The beach did become more popular around noon but not too crowded.We spent about 3.5 hours at the beach and then took the local bus back to the ship. The last stop on the bus route is at the bus depot so all you have to do is stay on until the end. Since it was Sunday, most local shops were closed. There are some straw market vendors and restaurants by the pier that are open for business.

We headed back to the ship and had a late lunch and decided to take an afternoon nap. Being in the sun is exhausting! Lol! There was a deal for the Lawn Club Grill tonight for 30% off which comes out to $31.50. Original price is $45. So we decided to dine here tonight. My advice is to actually wait last minute to book the restaurants as there are always discounts happening throughout the cruise. I guess it depends on the demand, but for a 10 night cruise we got deals for all 4 restaurants.

Before dinner we saw the show in the main theater which was a juggler. He was good but wouldn’t be disappointed if we missed it. We then went for dinner at the Lawn Club Grille. The meal was very good again. They start off with a choice of flatbreads/ pizza. We decided on half BBQ chicken and half sausage and peppers. You have the option to make your own flatbread but we were there to eat and not cook. Lol. The kid in the restaurant seemed to enjoy this. They have a small salad bar which is self serve before your flatbread came out. The waiter than comes to take your order for what kind of meats you want for the table. We decided on the veal chop, lamb chops and ribeye steak. They were cooked to our liking and enjoyed the fresh grille taste on the meats. The chimmichuri sauce is very good with the meats. They also have a BBQ sauce and steak sauce for dipping. The sides were just ok- we had the creamed corn, dirty rice and lobster Mac and cheese. The highlight for me was the dessert! A bowl size warm soft chocolate chip cookie with a vanilla bean ice cream melting on top. Such a simple and ordinary dessert but so rich and good! We enjoyed our dinner tonight.

Went to the casino after dinner and entered the $1 slot tournament, but did not win. Oh well! Played some table games for a little bit and now we are ready for bed. Next up Curacao! No plans yet for this port but we will wander around and try to find something! Nite!

[tx121]

Right now we have a nice live view of Reflection on the Port of Aruba webcam http://www.portarubawebcam.com/.

Love how the ships shine at night :)

[tx121]

Day 8-Curaçao

The weather again was great! We decided to just stay in the Willemstad city area and admire the European/Caribbean feel of this town. The city is very walkable and most of the shops are near the terminal. There is also a fort that has been converted into a shopping mall and restaurants. There is also a Marriott hotel and casino across from the fort that offers free WiFi.After taking some photos and purchasing our bottle of Blue Curacao, we decided to head back to the ship. We decided to use our pass for the Persian Garden which is a relaxing area in the spa that has an aromatic steam room, cold room, dry sauna and comfortable thermal chairs. This was a perfect way to spend the afternoon just relaxing and resting our aching bones. Lol! After the Persian Garden, we went to the Solarium pool to take a quick swim and relax in the jacuzzi.

After having a lazy day we got ready for the show which was a performer John Bressler who doesn’t have the greatest voice but is an excellent entertainer.

After eating in so many specialty restaurants this cruise, we gave our stomach a break and got salads for dinner at the buffet. Lol!

There will be another silent disco party in the Solarium. We had so much fun at the first party that we will definitely be checking this one out.

Tonight there is also a win a cruise slot tournament! Fingers crossed!

Tomorrow- last port Bonaire!

[tx121]

Day 9- Bonaire

Woke up early for our shore excursion which was a sail and snorkel tour today. Again the weather was as good as it gets however the locations we were to snorkel in had large amounts of jellyfish. They were about to cancel the excursion until they brought us to one last spot which was jellyfish free! I have to say this was the BEST snorkeling ever! It even beats Belize and Grand Cayman! The waters are protected here for the past 30 years and it really shows . The drop off point is so deep you can see far down in to the sea. Saw lots of fish, stingrays, sea turtles, etc! This was the highlight of the cruise so far. A must do in Bonaire!

After our excursion we walked around town. There’s not much to do around the port except some shopping on the main road or craft market. We were hungry after our tour so we saw a place in the market selling Indonesian food— go figure! Lol! It was sooo good! BBQ chicken with a peanut sauce and fried rice. Definitely recommend. You get a large portion for only $6!

After window shopping we went back to the ship and laid out by the indoor solarium pool. Felt nice going in the jacuzzi and relaxing for the rest of the day.

Today’s show was a vocalist who performed a selection of music. It was a ok show. No doubt he had a good voice but his song selections were not the best for his type of voice. After the show we had dinner in the buffet. I highly recommend getting the meat cooked to order.They have a selection of fish, pork chops, steak etc. all meats come out with that nice grill taste and they have a selection of dipping sauces. To me, I think prefer the buffet over the dining room.

We went to the casino afterwards and won! Hit a nice small jackpot of $300. Wish I had bet the max! Lol. Oh well— a win is a win!

They had the singers and dancers perform a routine in the atrium which was a mixture of dancing through the decades variety. It was good fun watching and dancing along with them after the number.

Exhausted we called it a night.