Live From Celebrity Reflection: 6 Day Caribbean 1/28-2/3/24

[Itchy&Scratchy]

5 hours ago, exlondoner said:

I shall be interested to know if you are able to find quiet spaces in the daytime on your next behemoth

Central park - I found that to be a wonderful and serene location. We stay on deck 8 on Oasis class so we can cross from forward to aft through it and for easy access to the park. I usually read books there. In the evening there is usually a musician of some kind for a couple of hours, but other than that it's lovely and quiet. Even with a musician or other music playing, it's still a lovely spot.

 

During lunch it may be difficult to find a place to sit down because a lot of people go the Park Cafe for a quick bite/lunch and sit outside as well.

 

There is a library right off of Central park, but on that one sailing I found many teens going in and out all the time, which is distracting. They weren't there for reading - they socialized. 

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

Central park - I found that to be a wonderful and serene location. We stay on deck 8 on Oasis class so we can cross from forward to aft through it and for easy access to the park. I usually read books there. In the evening there is usually a musician of some kind for a couple of hours, but other than that it's lovely and quiet. Even with a musician or other music playing, it's still a lovely spot.

 

During lunch it may be difficult to find a place to sit down because a lot of people go the Park Cafe for a quick bite/lunch and sit outside as well.

 

There is a library right off of Central park, but on that one sailing I found many teens going in and out all the time, which is distracting. They weren't there for reading - they socialized. 

Thank you, but I need to be able to see the sea. Will that also be possible? Not that it is is likely to arise for me, but it is good to know of the existence of somewhere peaceful.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

7 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Thank you, but I need to be able to see the sea. Will that also be possible? Not that it is is likely to arise for me, but it is good to know of the existence of somewhere peaceful.

ah, yes, Oasis class ships aren't very well known for their ocean views due to their peculiar design. But we found the Central Park to be a wonderful spot.

 

I also found these nice tiny "coves" outside the bbq place with the view of the ocean. Port side, aft. When the place is not open for lunch, or when it is open, but doesn't have live music, it's quiet. People do walk back and forth all the time, but when I am reading, I don't care. If I am not reading, I people and ocean watch. I found a photo of that spot online:

 

 

 

 

 

You can see my Oasis review in my signature - it's a year old, but we had a great time.

 

 

[exlondoner]

20 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

ah, yes, Oasis class ships aren't very well known for their ocean views due to their peculiar design. But we found the Central Park to be a wonderful spot.

 

I also found these nice tiny "coves" outside the bbq place with the view of the ocean. Port side, aft. When the place is not open for lunch, or when it is open, but doesn't have live music, it's quiet. People do walk back and forth all the time, but when I am reading, I don't care. If I am not reading, I people and ocean watch. I found a photo of that spot online:

 

 

 

 

 

You can see my Oasis review in my signature - it's a year old, but we had a great time.

 

 

Thank you. Much of the MDR food looks really nice, but, alas, you don’t seem to have got a photo with the salt and pepper in. 😀

[Itchy&Scratchy]

54 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Thank you. Much of the MDR food looks really nice, but, alas, you don’t seem to have got a photo with the salt and pepper in. 😀

not sure what all the fuss is about, but here you go, lol: 

 

 

 

 

[exlondoner]

Thank you. They do appear to match, but are there other types available? The fact that the ones in the Lido didn’t all match seems to have been one of the things that most annoyed a dissatisfied Cunard passenger, so you can see the importance. 😀😀 Incidentally, it is interesting that the table is laid up properly, with a cloth and all the cutlery at once. Lots of lines don’t do that, I think.

[jam19872016]

22 hours ago, kiwichick62 said:

Finally caught up with all the posts.  Thanks so much, very interesting and enjoyable to read.

Thanks for reading along! Glad you enjoyed it as I enjoy doing 🙂

 

19 hours ago, exlondoner said:

One thing that seems to be the case with nearly all the ships except QE is the amount of noise in public spaces, even open decks, which you yourself have commented on a number of times. I shall be interested to know if you are able to find quiet spaces in the daytime on your next behemoth, preferably not by finding the off switch, though that obviously works. For me, calm and serenity is one of the great attractions of a voyage.

I don't mind noise when it makes sense. I think the level of noise on a "premium" line such as Celebrity is a bit out of place. And that racket in an empty lounge where I figured out how to flip the off switch was certainly out of place. Pool decks, night clubs and the like it makes a bit more sense.

 

That said, in my experience, nobody has the volume up louder than Royal Caribbean. When I watch vlogs it is constantly distracting over the narrator who I cannot hear over the background music. It frequently leads to copyright strikes to the creator who has to watch where they film because the music is so loud YouTube treats it as a copyright infringement. 

 

I have been reading of the travels of those on the world cruise, and the volume in the theater was up so high it caused cell phone dangerous volume alerts to go off. One man had his hearing aid's popped out and still had to leave the theater as it was too loud. I've come to expect it on Royal.

 

But I still manage to find a quiet nook which I really only crave when I'm enjoying my daily caffeine fix. The Crown Lounge is almost always deserted because it is only open to people with a certain loyalty status (and that status level is determined on a case by case basis based on how many loyalty members are onboard). Because of it's poor location in the bottom of the ship with no view to the outside, not many people care to visit outside of happy hour when they put out snacks.

 

There is also Music Hall which has a great view overlooking the Boardwalk but it's frequently closed for a private event if it's a sea day and then port days it sometimes suffers from the same issue of loud overhead music for no apparent reason since it is simply an empty room. I have not discovered the off switch yet but I keep looking 🙂

 

The adults only solarium is another good option if I don't mind being around people. It's usually very peaceful in there as long as the fellow passengers aren't too rowdy. Not usually a problem with Royal. The rowdy bunch on Royal tends to be the kids, not the adults. And they are not allowed in this space.

 

Cunard has the quiet spaces thing for sure. It was very relaxing without all the background noise. I still had trouble finding a spot away from people as sometimes I find that disruptive to my enjoyment of a quiet peaceful time sipping my coffee. The lounge at the top of the ship whose name escapes me now (commodore club?) was my best bet, but I was surprised how busy that space often was as it's closest equal on Royal is the Viking Crown Lounge and it is almost always empty, though not a venue on the class of ship I will be on next). But that is a me problem and I hardly blame other people (unless they are being too obnoxious) or the cruise line (unless the music is in an inappropriate setting).

 

Somehow, I manage although I suspect I may become the youngest person to ever yell at some kid to get off his lawn and turn down that music 😂

[jam19872016]

14 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

Central park - I found that to be a wonderful and serene location. We stay on deck 8 on Oasis class so we can cross from forward to aft through it and for easy access to the park. I usually read books there. In the evening there is usually a musician of some kind for a couple of hours, but other than that it's lovely and quiet. Even with a musician or other music playing, it's still a lovely spot.

 

During lunch it may be difficult to find a place to sit down because a lot of people go the Park Cafe for a quick bite/lunch and sit outside as well.

 

There is a library right off of Central park, but on that one sailing I found many teens going in and out all the time, which is distracting. They weren't there for reading - they socialized. 

I love Central Park. Hands down my favorite concept on any cruise ship, any line, period. Such a cool space. I am not an outside person typically and will usually just enjoy a stroll. With the piped in bird and cricket noises, it is certainly peaceful and more welcoming than piped in music, but usually too hot for me to enjoy except in small doses. This time of year might be ok, I will of course need to avoid meal times as you mentioned as it does get quite crowded.

 

13 hours ago, exlondoner said:

Thank you, but I need to be able to see the sea. Will that also be possible? Not that it is is likely to arise for me, but it is good to know of the existence of somewhere peaceful.

No sea view as pointed out unfortunately. Oasis class really loses it's connection to the sea. In this case the interior of the ship mimics an outdoor space, in this case Central Park, which is not nearly as nice as the sea but still enjoyable. It is a shame all the views are inwards when you have such amazing scenery right outside, but that was the design they went with when building the ship and at least the inside delivers a true wow factor, for those into those sorts of things.

 

Solarium is my go to when I want some peaceful time to be able to gaze outside. I will usually hang out there in the evening hours when it's late enough to enjoy a drink, but too early for the music to be kicked up yet.

[jam19872016]

13 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

ah, yes, Oasis class ships aren't very well known for their ocean views due to their peculiar design. But we found the Central Park to be a wonderful spot.

 

I also found these nice tiny "coves" outside the bbq place with the view of the ocean. Port side, aft. When the place is not open for lunch, or when it is open, but doesn't have live music, it's quiet. People do walk back and forth all the time, but when I am reading, I don't care. If I am not reading, I people and ocean watch. I found a photo of that spot online:

 

 

 

 

 

You can see my Oasis review in my signature - it's a year old, but we had a great time.

 

 

I've enjoyed many a BBQ lunch in that area. Best BBQ at sea IMHO and usually quieter than sitting inside 🙂

 

I can't justify the cost of the Ultimate Dining Plan this go around so I'll be paying as I go but I will definitely still be hitting up Portside BBQ. Amazing food there, even though they keep trying to price me out of it 😂. 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

9 hours ago, jam19872016 said:

Solarium is my go to when I want some peaceful time to be able to gaze outside.

oh, yes, I forgot about the Solarium. Probably because we travel with a kid who is not allowed in there. Also a very lovely place with great ocean views.

[jam19872016]

On 2/7/2024 at 10:36 AM, Itchy&Scratchy said:

ah, yes, Oasis class ships aren't very well known for their ocean views due to their peculiar design. But we found the Central Park to be a wonderful spot.

 

I also found these nice tiny "coves" outside the bbq place with the view of the ocean. Port side, aft. When the place is not open for lunch, or when it is open, but doesn't have live music, it's quiet. People do walk back and forth all the time, but when I am reading, I don't care. If I am not reading, I people and ocean watch. I found a photo of that spot online:

 

 

 

 

 

You can see my Oasis review in my signature - it's a year old, but we had a great time.

 

 

Clicked on it, turns out I already read it 😄. Read it again and enjoyed the food pics. I am still not really sure what my plans are dinner  I like the new dinner menus even though most of the Royal folks seem to be up arms, my issue is the terrible way they handle MTD. Guess I will play it by ear when it comes to dinner.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

8 hours ago, jam19872016 said:

my issue is the terrible way they handle MTD.

it was only bad on the second night - it was a formal one. And considering that we always sail during spring break and it's full to the brim - it's not bad. However, we do not play it by ear and make reservations for around the same time every day - when we like to eat. If you like your waiting team and the time on the first night, you can then reserve the same table for the rest of the nights.

 

Or you can do you and play it by ears. I think I mentioned that we missed some musical performances because they interfered with dinner, but family dinners on a cruise are special to us. 🙂

 

The menus and the food were good by RCI standards. We were quite happy with the MDR food.

 

8 hours ago, jam19872016 said:

Clicked on it, turns out I already read it 😄. Read it again and enjoyed the food pics.

thank you!!!!!

[jam19872016]

8 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

it was only bad on the second night - it was a formal one. And considering that we always sail during spring break and it's full to the brim - it's not bad. However, we do not play it by ear and make reservations for around the same time every day - when we like to eat. If you like your waiting team and the time on the first night, you can then reserve the same table for the rest of the nights.

 

Or you can do you and play it by ears. I think I mentioned that we missed some musical performances because they interfered with dinner, but family dinners on a cruise are special to us. 🙂

 

The menus and the food were good by RCI standards. We were quite happy with the MDR food.

 

thank you!!!!!

I don't like making reservations. Defeats the purpose for me of MTD. I'd like to show up when I'm hungry and of course if I show up at a popular time, I would expect a wait and I have zero expectations of the same wait staff each night. The problem is, by not starting MTD until 6:45 everyone who wishes to eat early is lined up at the same time as the typical 7 dinner rush and the line never really clears.

 

When I did Oasis with my mom who cannot stand in that line, we signed up for early dining. Our cabin was on the same deck as the dining room and the line was backed up most nights past the elevator banks and into the passenger hallways. This would not be an issue if they started MTD at a normal time like every other cruise line.

 

On Voyager/Freedom class I've found I can show up early and be accommodated while early dining is still going on. I have not tried that on Oasis class, but again I am a slave to the clock. If I am not quite hungry I still know it's now or wait in a line that won't begin to clear out until 8:30. If I could eat that late without eating again it would be fine, but after a night of drinking I am going to eat before I turn in for the night either way. Did I nibble earlier to hold out until dinner? If so, now I have increased my calories.

 

All first world problems, and like I said I will see how things go. Maybe the line up is no longer an issue. I have noticed it's gotten better over time (as people have switched to early dining to avoid the line up I suspect). Maybe I will not be hungry until late, maybe I will be content with the Windjammer or fast casual upcharge dining. In the end it will all work out, I just wish Royal didn't have to complicate something that other lines manage to execute much better.

[jam19872016]

I don't remember who asked now but someone earlier wanted to know when my mom would make another appearance. I just got off the phone with her today and she indicated she was ready to cruise again. She will now be joining me in March on Celebrity Constellation for a 12 day Ultimate Caribbean & The Americas cruise out of Tampa!

 

I'm excited she will be joining me for this one, when I booked it I thought it would be a perfect trip for her because it has a lot of unique ports and will return to Cartagena which had a wonderful shopping experience for her right at the port as well as that very fascinating animal sanctuary right there at the port. Then she wasn't ready to travel so it became a solo trip. Happy to see her ready to tag along as like I said, I think it will have a lot of ports that will interest her.

[travelloverontario]

You are an amazing son to be so happy and excited that your Mom is going with you!!!

I have one son who died just over a year ago from cancer (age 31) and another son who barely talks to me!!

I cannot imagine him ever wanting to travel with me.. although when he was young he did family cruises with us 

 

So... your Mom is a lucky woman.. good for you!!!

[jam19872016]

1 hour ago, travelloverontario said:

You are an amazing son to be so happy and excited that your Mom is going with you!!!

I have one son who died just over a year ago from cancer (age 31) and another son who barely talks to me!!

I cannot imagine him ever wanting to travel with me.. although when he was young he did family cruises with us 

 

So... your Mom is a lucky woman.. good for you!!!

That is so sad to hear. That is so so young, not that it would be any easier if he were older. Nothing is more important than family 🙂. I hope you and your son get to travel together someday, maybe as he gets older and wiser he will also realize the importance of family.

 

My mom and I don't always get along, especially in such a confined space like a cruise ship, but I know that I am creating memories that I will treasure long after I no longer have the option to cruise with my mother.

 

 

[jam19872016]

The dinner situation on the Royal cruise just worked itself out. Caught the Unlimited Dining Plan on sale today. It was still slightly higher than what I wanted to pay, but close enough (and the best deal I will probably see again) that I went for it. 

 

I've definitely got to work on my pre cruise weight loss now since I will have unlimited specialty dining 🤪

[jam19872016]

I've started my next review. I would love to see everyone who isn't sick of my ramblings yet to come join me for another week as I sail on board one of my favorite ships and favorite class of ship in the world, the mighty Oasis of the Seas!!

 

 

[hcat]

 

This was a nice review .. Hooe you enjoy the big Oasis!

 

For us Oasis was a one, and how soon can it be done.  Just  not our style. Dining/ foid/ service was just okay

(The Deli that was long touted at Central Park smelled like wet dog..could not eat there!)

 

Best spots for us were the Adult Solarium area... and the nightly Diamond event Awesome!

 

Good ship for families and more active types..zip line  wave pool etc  Too many lines and crowds.

 

Glad we tried  it but,  E Class on X hugely outshines!

[jam19872016]

23 minutes ago, hcat said:

 

This was a nice review .. Hooe you enjoy the big Oasis!

 

For us Oasis was a one, and how soon can it be done.  Just  not our style. Dining/ foid/ service was just okay

(The Deli that was long touted at Central Park smelled like wet dog..could not eat there!)

 

Best spots for us were the Adult Solarium area... and the nightly Diamond event Awesome!

 

Good ship for families and more active types..zip line  wave pool etc  Too many lines and crowds.

 

Glad we tried  it but,  E Class on X hugely outshines!

It's definitely a different product than X with a different demographic. I enjoy so many different types of cruises but for different reasons. The zip lines and rock walls don't interest me, but I admit to enjoying the merry-go-round 😁.

 

I would love to try the E class someday they do look very nice!

[Storm730]

On 1/24/2024 at 12:33 PM, jam19872016 said:

Hello everyone!

 

I'm getting ready to sail out for another adventure on Sunday and I plan to do a live review of my time on board. This time I will be sailing on the Celebrity Reflection for six days. After two of my last three trips were 26, and 56 days, this cruise is going to fly by in the blink of an eye, but I am excited for a little mini adventure none the less.

 

I'm 36 and live less than two hours away from the big three ports in Florida. Port Canaveral is my favorite as it is easy to get in and out of but Ft. Lauderdale is not terrible. Miami is a beast. Traffic should not be too bad on Sunday in Ft. Lauderdale, but one accident on 95 and all bets go out the window. At least I am close either way.

 

This will be a solo trip for me. Most of my cruises are solo and I enjoy the flexibility of doing whatever I want, whenever I want. Since I travel on casino rates, I don't pay double most times so that is an added bonus and makes solo travel more affordable, especially since Celebrity seems to be charging MORE than 200% to sail solo. Outrageous.

 

Port stops this trip are Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Bimini. I have no formal plans for any of the ports. I will likely take a quick stroll around Cozumel and possibly Bimini if it's not too hot and I haven't partied too hard the night before. Grand Cayman has about a 90% chance of being a stay on the ship day. I have never used my elite port day spa pass benefit even though I always say I am going to, so this will be a good day to take advantage of it.

 

If you have any questions about the ship feel free to ask away and I will do my best to find out. I won't have much insight to the ports since I do not plan on doing much, if anything. I also won't have access to the retreat or be able to answer any questions about that area or the people working there.

 

Here is a link to my last review, to get a feel for what this trip will be like and determine if its something you are interested in (please say yes, I love a big and engaging audience to banter with along the way 🙂) 

 

 

 

Like that one, this will be mostly eating and drinking and obsessing over how much weight I am putting on 😮. Not a lot of technical details and tips to help the obsessive planner out, but if you have a specific question, like I said ask away and I will do my best. This one will of course be much shorter, since it will be 6 days instead of 26 😁

 

I hope you will join me for this cruise onboard the beautiful Celebrity Reflection!

 

Hi! I'll be sailing on the Reflection on the same itinerary in a couple weeks.  Are there any theme party or events in the evening we should know about?

[rrraydon]

On 1/24/2024 at 10:54 PM, jam19872016 said:

I love piano bar. They don't have that on Celebrity but another favorite of mine is silent disco which they offered every single night on my last cruise.

 

I love listening to music in general while enjoying a beverage and then I remembered one of my favorite things about the celebrity app, it loads before the cruise.

 

So I had to take a peek.

 

Looks like this time on Sunday I will be winding down silent disco and about to head to the sky lounge for some more live music.

 

 

For now the only music is in my car as I head into work for an overnight shift 😞

 

Say my name 🎶 

Just found and starting this review. I’m sailing Celebrity for the first time in April and have booked Refection as it fits in to my schedule perfectly. I too work overnights, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. I’m going straight to the airport when I get off of work on Monday morning and flying out. Risky, I know! Cruising Monday through Friday morning and hopping back on the plane to get back in time to start my Friday night shift! Hoping to learn a few things from you here about sailing with Celebrity and about Reflection. I’ll get back to reading! 

[hcat]

btw..ASCENT had piano bar in EDEN..

They are upping their offerings on E Class..

[jam19872016]

14 hours ago, Storm730 said:

 

Hi! I'll be sailing on the Reflection on the same itinerary in a couple weeks.  Are there any theme party or events in the evening we should know about?

There was an 80's party that I saw a lot of people dressed up for. That was the only one I recall seeing people dressed up. There was also an Abba party and a Queen party but I did not see anyone dressed for the occasion.

 

Silent disco was a favorite of mine! 

 

There will be some kind of party each night in the Grand Foyer, but if it is at 8PM you need to arrive early if you want a good spot. The 10pm events seemed to be passed enough people's bedtimes that they were not too crowded if you got there 5-10 minutes ahead of time.

 

Enjoy your cruise! Reflection was a wonderful ship!

[jam19872016]

1 hour ago, rrraydon said:

Just found and starting this review. I’m sailing Celebrity for the first time in April and have booked Refection as it fits in to my schedule perfectly. I too work overnights, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. I’m going straight to the airport when I get off of work on Monday morning and flying out. Risky, I know! Cruising Monday through Friday morning and hopping back on the plane to get back in time to start my Friday night shift! Hoping to learn a few things from you here about sailing with Celebrity and about Reflection. I’ll get back to reading! 

Thankfully I don't work overnight full time. I did for many years in my 20's but it certainly gets harder with age. I am not sure how some of my former coworkers in their 60's and 70's did it.

 

I would be worried about being too tired that first day to enjoy myself, especially since I usually need a nap as it is that first day. But if that allows less vacation time, and thus more vacations, I'm sure it will be a fair tradeoff!

 

Enjoy your trip! I loved my time on Reflection.