CHICAGOPAUL - LIVE!!!!!!! CRUISE BLOG - November 5th Celebrity Reflection!!!!!!!!!

[Silkroad]

Paul, thanks for posting your splendid testimonial to the crew. Our cruise on Reflection last year was wonderful, and a large part of our enjoyment was due to the lovely crew. Thanks again for taking the time to write this live review. I’m enjoying every minute😎

[Goldens]

Paul,

Following along...

THANKS ...for taking the time to do this ..we board Reflection Nov 16th & looking forward to Corner aft suite , 2208 😀

 reading your posts is really adding to my excitement ‼️

 

ENJOY YOUR CRUISE 😎

 

BTW - our favorite US city is Chicago 👍😁

[chicagopaul]

Good Morning Everyone from the sunset bar. I’m sitting here with Milton serving up drinks and singing Christmas carols. Before I go into last night here is today’s daily. 

 

 

[chicagopaul]

Just as a heads up when I post photos I will do so in a separate post from the explanation. Reason being it is simply easier to do that on the new cruise critic mobile website. 

 

Yesterday we we had lunch in Luminae. They were very crowded. Service was quick but food took a little while to come out. I had the salmon sashimi to start and Edward had the heirloom salad. Then we both had the seafood brochette which was excellent. 

 

After lunch our room was ready so we went to check it out. We’re in 6307 which is deck 6, aft, sky suite with a porthole window. I really like the room layout. The balcony is narrow on this deck but it’s wide and provides one hell of a view. 

 

It was then time for muster so we went to our station which was in Tuscan. We grabbed a nice table by the window and watched the cargo ship docked behind us load containers. It was pretty interesting to watch. 

 

Toward the end of muster I heard “Star Code Star Code Star Code” ugh oh I thought, we already have someone very sick or worse. It turns out it was someone we know who fainted during the muster drill in QSine! She was completely fine and was laughing about it after the fact. 

 

After muster we went back to our rooms. Our luggage was there so we unpacked right away and then took a much needed nap. 

 

We made it to martini bar by 6:45. We knew three of the bartenders as I mentioned last night. They were fantastic and working the busy bar very well. 

 

We were offered 50% off specialty by the luminae hostess so we had dinner in Murano. I had the Dover Sole and Edward had the steak. Service in Murano was excellent. No issues. Quick, efficient, and friendly. 

 

Ill try and post some photos below of all the food. 

[chicagopaul]

Lunch in Luminae 

 

 

[chicagopaul]

Dinner in Murano 

 

 

[AtlFirstTimeCruiser]

Paul,

Thank you for the info you are providing in this blog... Looking forward to read more.

When you get the chance, would you please post pics of the wine list in Cellar Master, and Blu, if possible.

Thanks again

[C 2 C]

20 hours ago, chicagopaul said:

Here is our first daily of the cruise! I must say we’re off to a wonderful start. The weather is gorgeous with a slight breeze. The staff all over has been excellent thus far.

Thank you for the update and the daily.  Reflection will soon be our ocean view condo for an extended stay.

 

[signman]

Paul,  really beautiful post about the hard working crew.  

Edited November 6, 2018 by signman

[taylortime05]

I really enjoy your trip reports.  We will be on the Reflection Dec 14th for our 1st 14 night cruise.   We will have the premium, drink package.  Do you tip extra as you get your drinks or to special bar tenders at the end?

 

Have a great time and can’t wait to read your whole trip report.

 

Thanks

 

Sue

[musicalianne]

Loving your posts and following along!  Have a fabulous cruise!

[ASell]

14 hours ago, chicagopaul said:

I think if the crew that works so damn hard can give that to us, then it is the least we can give to them and you never know how much that can be appreciated.

 

This, as in so much in life, is key.   Be genuinely kind to one another, and yes, I think you are right, you can very easily make a difference with someone.  

[chicagopaul]

2 hours ago, taylortime05 said:

I really enjoy your trip reports.  We will be on the Reflection Dec 14th for our 1st 14 night cruise.   We will have the premium, drink package.  Do you tip extra as you get your drinks or to special bar tenders at the end?

 

Have a great time and can’t wait to read your whole trip report.

 

Thanks

 

Sue

Hi Sue. We definitely tip at the end our favorite bartenders, but many times we do tip as we go along. We usually do this at the martini bar since they have a bucket they put tips in and ring a bell when they get a tip. I like tipping them as we go along as I think it encourages others to do the same. 

[chicagopaul]

We met our butler this morning when he delivered our breakfast. Sorry no breakfast photos, Edward started eating too quickly. 

 

Our butler is Walter. He seems very nice and very eager to help out. He offered to stick our mini bar with any kind of water, soda, or beer and told us it would just become part of our beverage package. He told us he’d happily bring us canapés to our room or could prepare something nicer. He suggested we could have some people over for a little party and he could prepare something. He reminded us he could shine our shoes anytime, take care of our laundry, etc. He really seemed to want to take care of anything. We’re having him stock the fridge with sparkling water, regular water, and ginger ale. We will definitely take him up on the shoe shines. So far so good! 

 

This morning we grabbed a couple drinks at the sunset bar and then one at the pool bar. The pool bar was packed around 11am. Absolutely packed. We saw Singh at the pool bar! He was our pool bartender on our TA on the Reflection in April. While the sunset bar will be our mainstay I will pop down to see him. He’s also working in Sky this cruise as well. 

 

We had lunch in Luminae. It definitely was not as crowded as yesterday during lunch. We both had the hamachi to start and then the short ribs. The hamachi was excellent. The short ribs were very good. They could’ve had a little more flavor in my opinion but the cook point of the meet was great. They were falling apart and there was just a light amount of fat on top which was melting. Quality seemed very good. 

 

 

[CHEZMARYLOU]

The short ribs look good.  If you've been to MC who are the concierges, bar tenders and Suites Manager?

 

We sail in less than 3 weeks and have been enjoying your live from posts.

[C 2 C]

3 hours ago, taylortime05 said:

We will be on the Reflection Dec 14th for our 1st 14 night cruise. 

 

Sue

You might be arriving a week late for your cruise departure.  Our Reflection 14 night cruise leaves on the 7th. ;

[taylortime05]

5 minutes ago, Arno. said:

You might be arriving a week late for your cruise departure.  Our Reflection 14 night cruise leaves on the 7th. ;

Yes, you're right.  We leave Dec 7th - 21.  It's a good thing I got it right when I got my plane tickets, lol. We'll be arriving in Ft. Lauderdale on the 6th.  December can't get here fast enough. 

[psbhappy]

Enjoy your cruise!  I, too, am a lurker who enjoys reading your posts. You were on my Eclipse cruise last year and I never said hello, even when you were often sitting a few stools over at the Passport Bar.  I promise I will introduce myself if we ever cross paths again.  😀 I, too, love to talk to crew about their lives and how their day has been.

[CruisewithTNT]

1 hour ago, psbhappy said:

Enjoy your cruise!  I, too, am a lurker who enjoys reading your posts. You were on my Eclipse cruise last year and I never said hello, even when you were often sitting a few stools over at the Passport Bar.  I promise I will introduce myself if we ever cross paths again.  😀 I, too, love to talk to crew about their lives and how their day has been.

 

2 hours ago, chicagopaul said:

We met our butler this morning when he delivered our breakfast. Sorry no breakfast photos, Edward started eating too quickly. 

 

Our butler is Walter. He seems very nice and very eager to help out. He offered to stick our mini bar with any kind of water, soda, or beer and told us it would just become part of our beverage package. He told us he’d happily bring us canapés to our room or could prepare something nicer. He suggested we could have some people over for a little party and he could prepare something. He reminded us he could shine our shoes anytime, take care of our laundry, etc. He really seemed to want to take care of anything. We’re having him stock the fridge with sparkling water, regular water, and ginger ale. We will definitely take him up on the shoe shines. So far so good! 

 

This morning we grabbed a couple drinks at the sunset bar and then one at the pool bar. The pool bar was packed around 11am. Absolutely packed. We saw Singh at the pool bar! He was our pool bartender on our TA on the Reflection in April. While the sunset bar will be our mainstay I will pop down to see him. He’s also working in Sky this cruise as well. 

 

We had lunch in Luminae. It definitely was not as crowded as yesterday during lunch. We both had the hamachi to start and then the short ribs. The hamachi was excellent. The short ribs were very good. They could’ve had a little more flavor in my opinion but the cook point of the meet was great. They were falling apart and there was just a light amount of fat on top which was melting. Quality seemed very good. 

 

 

Looks delicious!!!

[CruisewithTNT]

I am looking forward to seeing photos of the ship!!!!! I will be on December 7th ❤️⚓️🛳

[Cycles upside]

Hi, just discovered your blog!  Got off Reflection Monday.  Had a great crossing.  You probably know this but just Incase you don’t there is a great coffee service on deck 7 named The Hideaway.  They serve it from 7-5. Most people don’t know about it.  Hope you have a wonderful cruise.  The Captain is the best.  Loved his sense of humor!

[CruisewithTNT]

I’m not seeing the hideaway on deck 7? I love coffee and I am on deck 7. Never cruised on this ship (or celebrity) so anything can help me! Is it in the front of the ship?

[Cycles upside]

It’s in the middle of the ship and looks out over the atrium.  Three floors below the Library.  Let me know if you find it.  You are on the Reflection, right?

[CruisewithTNT]

No, I won’t be on till 30 days from today! I’m getting excited! I will look for it though!

[cruizefam]

13 hours ago, chicagopaul said:

 

 

This morning we grabbed a couple drinks at the sunset bar and then one at the pool bar. The pool bar was packed around 11am. Absolutely packed. We saw Singh at the pool bar! He was our pool bartender on our TA on the Reflection in April. While the sunset bar will be our mainstay I will pop down to see him. He’s also working in Sky this cruise as well. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was a great bartender onboard Refections last December, Campbell, from Guatamala - such a fun witty big guy. He would wear one name tag in the morning, when he worked the pool bar and a different one in the evening when he worked the bar down on deck 4 near the future cruise booking area - I've been wondering if he's still there?    

 

Watch the white stools around the sunset bar if it rains.... they seem to collect some water and it's hard to tell because of the slight dip in them, I may or may not have got a wet bottom from that experience.  

 

I think some of my past crusing friends are on board, you might run into them at the pool bar, Karen & Henry, they are lots of fun! 

Edited November 7, 2018 by cruizefam