Fogtownrog

On 11/14/2023 at 9:29 AM, kwokpot said:

Art gallery quality photos. Bravo on your work and thank you for sharing them with us! 

Thank you for your kind words of encouragement.  I appreciate feedback.  

On 11/13/2023 at 7:17 PM, CardowMD said:

Amazing photos! What camera did you use? The clarity and definition are spectacular!

I use a Nikon Z6 II which is a great camera!!  I also use the back button to lock in focus.  Also I work on contrast in post.  

Weather was great, 70’s with mostly sunny or mostly sunny.  I wore shorts and a polo shirt most of the time and pants and jacket on the cooler or rainy days.  I almost don’t bother with their formal or chic nights as nobody dresses up anymore.  But on those nights I’d wear a dress shirt and dark designer jeans.    On our westbound trans-Atlantic we sailed on HAL for the first time.  In April it was cold and rainy for most of the crossing.  

3 hours ago, Miss SeaBee said:

Stunning photos! Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I am looking forward to sailing Reflection in April. My favorite ship! ❤️

Ours too!

38 minutes ago, JFontaine said:

Beautiful photos. (I looked at some others of yours, and your favorites - they brought me great joy - thank you!)

Thank you!

After a wild limo ride to the dock in Barcelona we arrived around 1PM.  There was a short line that moved quickly. Security and Docs check was fast and I found my perch in the Martini Bar fifteen minutes later, while my better half fixed our late sitting table for two.  I met up with him 10” later after he took care of our table and went up to Deck 5 to complete our Muster check in.  Then to the Mast Grill for a burger and fries.  Not so great, but we weren’t ready to face the crowds in the Oceanview.  Then headed to the Sunset Bar to enjoy the afternoon.  Bar service was 10 out of 10, a notable achievement considering half of the ship seemed to be there!

And thus our cruise began.  I’m not going to bore you with our day to day routine.  I’d just like to say how wonderful it was to be back on the Reflection. I was a bit concerned as this was our first Celebrity Cruise since the pandemic.  But I have to say I was impressed. Not much had changed.  Yes the food selection in the MDR and Oceanview wasn’t as great as it used to be, but the quality was mostly as it was. This is 2023 and the world has changed. I understand that our new CEO is aware and hopefully has resolved the matter. 
 

I was impressed by how well the ship has been maintained with one exception   Our cabin seemed a bit tired as the furniture was worn and frayed. Celebrity needs to fix that soon!

The entertainment has really improved.  Although I find dj music and silent disco boring, there was still a couple of live bands that saved the day.  Halloween was the best night.  Moving the party indoors due to rain really made the party more vibrant and fun as the guests on board, campy, glamorous and fun, played a huge role.  I had so much fun. 
 

I enjoyed our bartenders and servers everywhere.  The crew is definitely Celebrity’s prime asset.  I am so thankful for everything they did from start to finish. 
 

Debark was for the dogs this year.  We had hired a porter as normally they can speed things up, but this time they could not.  We were told that this slow down was due to lack of electronic face recognition.  Hopefully Celebrity and RCL can pressure the port and DHS to innovate and provide better service at the port. 
 

Here is a link to my pictures!  Enjoy!!!

Fall 2023 Westbound Transatlantic

Nieuw Statendam

April 8, 2023 Transatlantic Crossing

In early March we decided to do our first transatlantic crossing. While we are Elite with Celebrity, I thought it would be wise to do some price shopping and found a good fare with Holland America. I had always wanted to give them a go, as I heard mostly excellent reviews especially about the music walk and enrichment programs.  I felt that entertainment on a transatlantic cruise would be a critical contribution for having a great cruise.

So we flew out on Delta from Atlanta the night before. Delta’s reputation for being a reliable and friendly airline shined through as from checking in to picking up our bags went smoothingly well. We spent the night at the Marriott Courtyard and especially enjoyed the hotel cafe. We had a very festive time. I think we had too much of a great time as the next day was a bit rugged.

Embarkation

It took about an hour to board. Check in seemed more tedious as we had to wait in several lines as it appeared that customer service was under staffed. I’d give them a C-

Once on the ship I soon met Ronaldo and Tony at the Ocean Bar and I soon was convinced that we would have a great time.  I was pleasantly surprised to see a Trader Vic’s Original Mai Tai on the bar menu.  After a refreshment we reconfirmed our MDR seating arrangements as we were originally on a waitlist for the second seating. We then found our way to the aft elevator bank and easily found our cabin 5201, an outside Verandah.  I soon fell in love with our stateroom. It was spacious and surprisingly there was adequate storage. There were more than enough outlets and I appreciated the muted colors and use of wood which added a sense of warmth and texture. We soon met our cabin steward who was great throughout the cruise.

We sat on the edge of the bed, watched the safety video and began exploring the ship, then headed to the Lido for some nourishment.  Went to the slicing station and picked up a lovely roast beef sandwich while my husband put together a lovely salad. We found two seats next to the window and enjoyed our lunch.  I particularly enjoyed the table service.

However, I felt the layout of the space seemed awkward.  Everything seemed overly crowded and a bit claustrophobic as the design of blocking the middle of the space for the service areas causes forward to aft human traffic jams  with less room for seating. After the first day, we pretty much avoided the Lido.

Sail Away was a lot of fun with lots of music, a conga line and plenty of refreshments as we headed out to sea for the next two weeks.

Dinner later in the MDR was excellent but  the small portions was notable, but ok with me. No reason to blow up like a pig. However I think the chef went too far with desserts. The cake slices were so small I could barely taste it.

The second day we had reservations at Tamarind. I had the roasted lamb chops which was out of this world whereas my spouse had the duck confit that looked and tasted like a Cornish hen leg. He was not a happy camper. So overall we were disappointed.  The staff and service in all dining venues were excellent at their craft.

On most nights we’d head to the Music Walk or theater to have fun. First of all the BB King show was incredible!  The band was impeccable. They engaged the crowd with every move. The room was packed and fun was had by all.  Then in between the BB King performances we’d head forward to Billboard and the Rolling Stone lounges. The piano duo was a lot of fun as they got the place going with good old fashioned sing along. The rock band was hot as the joint was rockin!  Kudos to the sound engineers at all venues.

Now I saved the best for last.  I have an eclectic taste in music and also enjoy classic music.  The piano quartet at The Lincoln Center were very talented. They packed the room every afternoon and again the sound engineers did a great job.  Bar service at all venues was excellent and I don’t recall ever having to wait over 2 minutes to get a drink.

The entertainment was continual day and night. I was never bored, even for a second. I soon learned why people love Holland America.  We met many people throughout the cruise and after two days I observed a common thread among them. Most everyone seemed to be on a longer voyage beyond this transatlantic  crossing. Many people have been on the ship for many sailings and many are staying on the ship,for several more cruises.  Many passengers were travel savvy: knowledgeable about seeing the world in style.  Not the hee haws you’d see on some other cruise lines.

So that is all I wanted to say about the wonderful advantages of traveling on Holland America.  However, there is an overriding issue which casts a shadow on all the goodness.

After we crossed the Atlantic I was one of the first off the ship upon arrival in Cadiz, Spain. I had looked forward to taking photographs which is my number one favorite pastime.  I began walking through town, walking along the sea for maybe a half mile, and then headed to the farmer’s market. Well worth a visit if cooking and good food interests you.  I did stop and had a bite to eat and headed to the main cathedral.  So I was walking down the sidewalk downhill and noticed there were short steps along the way. Then, as if I was struck by lightning I must have tripped and fell.. the pain was unbearable. Fortunately for me there was a driver who was standing next to his car.  He came to me and asked if I was ok and I told him I couldn’t move my leg without suffering major pain. He offered to call a taxi or ambulance and I chose the second option as I wasn’t sure of the damage caused. All I knew it hurt so bad.

I received decent care at the hospital and took a cab back to the ship. I had texted my spouse and asked him if he would please alert the ship and arrange for a wheel chair to get me back on the ship which they did and I asked to go to the ship’s Medical Center. I received excellent care there but there was only so much they could do. I needed to get home, get a MRI and likely surgery as it was clear that there was a tendon tear as they found no broken bones.

I can’t say enough nice comments about the medical center.  They were most helpful. So back to the cabin were I sat out the remainder of the cruise - 4 nights. Thank goodness for room service and the large screen TV. As well I enjoyed the views from my veranda cabin.

Now for the bad and ugly:

Unfortunately the so called Guest Services team made our lives hell for 3 days. They absolutely would offer me zero assistance to disembark the ship. They informed me that I would need to make my own way off the ship.  I tried to be nice and pleaded with them to help me.  They would not budge.  I realized that their guest services team was not empowered to resolve my problem. We called back again and I asked the agent to escalate this matter and she refused to do so.  I tried to send an email to the Captain and his leadership team. I guessed what Hollands email address protocol is and sent off my email. The server never sent me a bounce message but I never heard back.

I was forced to tell Guest (dis)Service that I would not be vacating my cabin unless they would help me.  I must have given them a hint of seriousness as finally after 3 days they finally agreed to assist. So one of the restaurant waiters came to get me and I was taken off the ship. To drag this decision out for three days was totally unnecessary and out right cold and indifferent.  The delayed response caused us distress and mental anguish.

So he takes me off the ship and left me on a vacant chair 100 yards away from the front door. I wasn’t sure what to do, but try to walk as my husband went ahead to take care of collecting our baggage.  I made it but not after feeling lightheaded thus vulnerable.  I understand that ship personnel cannot take me to the front door, but they should have warned me and offered another solution for those 100 yards. Overall it seemed that proper care of handicapped persons was not a priority at Holland America (Carnival.)

Accordingly I have decided to file an ADA complaint with the Department of Transportation. I understand that the ADA has limited jurisdiction over cruise lines. Perhaps the law should be expanded so nobody has to go through this ship induced horrific customer service. I have made several attempts to speak to Holland but nobody has bothered to respond

37 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

Out of curiosity, wouldn't renting a wheelchair under these circumstances be something that travel insurance would cover? I am sure if it was part of a hospital bill it would be covered.

We had contacted the insurance company and they started a case, but never heard back.  I really couldn’t leave the cabin due to the pain anyway. As well to get into a wheelchair would have required me to walk to the corridor, the pain from which, wasn’t worth the effort.  I entertained myself by watching TV and calling room service!

I worked in Customer Care for a major US airline which continually receives customer service awards.  I handled a lot of disability cases and would move mountains to help our customers.  We would never use a vendor who would charge that type of fee.  We would negotiate with anyone to make sure the customer was taken care of.  I’d also follow up with the customer after the fact.  HAL didn’t show any empathy or care. One customer (dis)Service manager even told my spouse that HAL can’t offer wheel chair service off the ship as if they did that everyone would ask for that.  

My spouse and I were guests on the April 8th Sailing from Lauderdale to Barcelona on our first cruise with HAL.  We are experienced cruisers and wanted to give HAL a go.  Heard the entertainment was especially great which it was.  
sadly after crossing the Atlantic I slipped and fell while on my own walking around Cadiz.  Outside the Cathedral I took a bad fall and was taken to a local hospital by ambulance. I was treated within 2 or 3 hours and sent back to the ship. While in the hospital I texted my spouse who went to the ship reception desk seeking help as I needed assistance.  They did meet my taxi with a customer service manager and a wheel chair as I wrecked my knee and could not walk. I then asked to stop by the ships health center and received excellent care there. They provided me with pain medication, a pair of crutches and self care instructions.  I asked for a urinal as I wasn’t sure if I could step up into the bathroom and they didn’t have one. Instead they gave me a screw top can of water and told me to use that. I asked for a bed pan and they gave me one that was made of cardboard along with a bio waste bag. The nurse kindly wheeled me back to our cabin. All good, but things went downhill from this point on. 
 

After settling in my cabin I called customer service and spoke to the customer service manager who did help me back to the ship and asked her if the ship could loan me a wheel chair and she responded “no, but you can rent one for $100 per day!”  I immediately reacted and said I could rent a BMW for that amount!  I told her that smells of price gouging and extortion!  I can’t do that. She apologized and blamed a third party vendor.  So a day went by and I thought that I should make arrangements for getting off the ship upon arrival in Barcelona.  The same customer service agent apologized and said they offer no wheelchair service on that day.   I was really horrified as I really didn’t think I could walk. I became irritable and told her that I won’t vacate the cabin if I can’t get assistance and reminded her of the American Disabilities Act. I then forced myself to cry and apologized for getting angry and begged her to help.  She said she would see what could be done.  She called me back and said she could have someone wheel me to the gangway, and I responded by saying that’s great but I still won’t be able to get off the ship without assistance. She said she would get back to me.  Grrr.  But I told myself to be patient and perhaps prayers might work.  Finally they came back and said they can make arrangements to wheel me off the ship to the terminal. Our prayers were answered, but wait, not so fast.  The attendant showed up at our cabin at 7:45 as promised and took me off the ship and through passport control and stopped about 100 yards from the exit and said he had to go back to the ship.  I pleaded with this employee but he wouldn’t budge. I had no choice but to walk the last 100 yards which seemed like a mile.  I was dizzy and started having balance issues but made it to my car and driver who took over. He was great and arranged for a porter and then delta took over and provided excellent assistance to the plane and upon arrival their team member wheeled me through customs and to curb helping us with all our baggage.  Thank you Delta.  As far as HAL goes, as much as I loved our cabin, the Lincoln Center, the Ocean Bar and BB King I have to say, good-bye HAL.  Never again. Don’t treat me like this and expect me to comeback. 

I put together shots that represent my viewpoint of the ship and some of the sights on shore. You can find it here at:

Thanks. , Easy Boy!

Appreciate the feedback and thanks for the nice photos!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

glad y'all enjoyed the photo's.

Great to hear....glad you agree !!!

We were on the cruise after yours. I have to agree with everything you wrote. This was our 12th Celebrity cruise and one of the best yet. The food in the MDR was much better than I recall from previous voyages and we had no issue with bar service whatsoever. Entertainment was great - I can't recall the last cruise we've been on where it was so lively on the ship and into the wee hours too. Kudos to the CD Richard Spacey and his staff. Silent Disco, 70's night, Full Moon/Halloween party - great fun.

 

Came home and booked two more Celebrity cruises :)

When booking our cruise this year, I chose to use Celebrity’s travel agent to book the air and hotel which worked well, financially and service wise everything went as planned. We spent two pre-cruise nights at the Marriott Courtyard Miami Beach. Excellent value as we had a super large room and was comfortable. There were plenty of restaurants, bars, coffee shops to keep us entertained during our short stay.

On sailing day we headed out to the ship around 11A expecting a quick and easy check in, only to find long lines and a huge crowd. Something wasn’t right. We waited and waited and eventually, after an hour or so, some one from the cruise line came out and apologized and advised us that the computer system was down. So I understood why and kept my patience. The only suggestion I would make is that the staff should seek out families with young children and let them go to the front of the line. Same should go for the elderly and persons with special needs. Overall I think check in took over two hours not the best, but it could have been worse, I suppose.

Once on board, we were at home and all was well. The OceanView wasn’t overly crowded so we settled down for a nice meal. Maybe time for a drink and to the cabin to drop off our hand luggage and head to the Muster drill. I enjoyed the video which was meant to entertain rather than bore. Afterwards we enjoyed sail away and settled into the party that just got started and did not end until 11 nights later.

I think this was our 8th Celebrity Cruise, all which have been on Solstice ships…. all though the ship showed some wear and tear on the exterior (a little rust here and there)…. it still looks nearly as nice as it did went it went into service with the exception of worn upholstery on some of the deck furniture. They need to fix that as I saw some cushions with the stuffing falling out.

The food and dinning room service was spectacular. I loved every bite. The wine on the classic package was a huge improvement over the standard one and it is worth the extra money just for the wine and Stella Beer.

The entertainment was the best ever. What made it for us were the Society X parties at night. The pool party and the silent disco were much fun as well as the shows were they bring the stage crew into the Atrium to make things festive. Much enjoyed.

So that is it in a nutshell. Another solid win for Celebrity which remains my cruise line of choice. I booked the Edge for Fall of 2019….got a Suite this time and will enjoy nearly two years to pay for it before we head off to Rome.

Here is a link to my photos in Flickr; enjoy!

I'm thinking that us that like technology know how to put our phones in air mode so we dont get calls from work. I dont put my phone in air mode, I just turn off the data. I personally like the idea of using my phone. I have it with me all the time anyway. Just the other day I called a work colleague. I asked if he was at work, he said it ok, I just got off work. I asked where are you. He said Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Technology is great.

I couldn't agree more. Use your phone as a good source of information, camera and the ability to access control of your cabin amenities. What's not to love about that? Of course there are always a bunch of naysayers on here who love to poo-poo everything.

Roger - your photos are incredible! You've inspired me!

Thanks for following he vote of confidence. I look for the beauty in my Celebtity experience. Keep on cruising.

Level headed and informative review. Love your photos. We're on Reflection in 9 weeks time and getting excited now.

 

:):):)

You're gonna love it. Have a wonderful cruise.

Unless one would be among the first 25th to 50th off the ship, I'm no sure a self debark would help. I think the root cause was they had only 3 CBP (customs border patrol) agents working. Considering all the taxes we pay, the government screwed us. Although the terminal is adequate for embark it is woefully too small to handle the debark of today's larger cruise ships.

Photos on Flickr!

Intro

This was our third cruise on the Reflection; and the ship is still a gem. The captain's pride in the ship shows everywhere - paint was fresh, teak was clean and polished, no dirt to be seen anywhere. The crew worked well, service was great, and with a few exceptions, I am totally pleased.

First, I was a little apprehensive, taken in by recent reviews of the ship griping about the music situation, entertainment, service at the bar, and a shortage of glassware.

None of that was true. There still is a variety of music, including dj’s. Bar service was good, plenty of glassware. The servers on the ship work hard for their living and I always tip generously and never have trouble getting a drink.

Embarkation

Boarding the ship was a dream. Walked in, no lines, cleared security, checked in and walked up to the gangway. We boarded the ship and found a tray of champagne glasses and served myself. I missed the personal touch, but we used the aft gangway, which wasn’t part of the plan. There was an issue with the forward gangway, which caused us to change course. We immediately went to the Martini Bar for a beer and surprise, there was a spontaneous dance taking place on the dance floor below. A beautiful dancer doing magic with hoops…mystic. This was a preview of what was to become part of the entertainment on this cruise. Surprise visits by the entertainment group at different venues. Loved that. Makes up for the DJ’s and other irritants.

Muster Drill

They packed us all into the Michaels Club. The drill is my least favorite part of the cruise. I would suggest spiffing up the safety video like Delta and other airlines do with theirs’. Add some humor, change it up once a year, make it something to enjoy. Otherwise nobody pays attention and it’s a waste of time.

Sailaway

As usual, I found a perch close to the Sunset Bar…. which was packed more than usual. It was a zoo. But Celebrity was prepared. They set up a table next to the bar to serve beers and soft drinks. So that worked out really well. Beautiful sail away…the beautiful sunset and lighting made for great photographs as we headed to sea.

Concierge Class

So after walking around the ship and enjoying the setting sun, we made it back to the cabin. Our cabin attendant brought us a bucket of iced champagne and hors d’ouevres. We asked her to bring prawns that were a great addition. Loved it. She also brought us memory foam pillows. She took care of us splendidly throughout the cruise. The best yet.

Main Dining Room

As usual the cuisine was fantastic. I am a real fussy eater and love to cook myself. Considering the number of meals the kitchen has to put out every day, they did a fantastic job. Dishes always came out quickly, at the right temperatures…meat was always cooked to perfection, loved all my Celebrity favorites – Short Ribs, lamb chops, filet, steak Diane, etc. Our wine steward was fabulous as well as our head waiter. Service was always prompt. I did find that the assistant waiter was AWOL most of the time . Which meant no refills of the breadbasket, which wasn’t the end of the world.

Lawn Club Grill

My DH doesn’t see the need for specialty restaurants, but we went for the Lawn Club anyway. Wow! Again, it was a real treat to dine al fresco and the steak was superb!

I fixed a semi Greek salad as a starter, went for a half Marguerite, and half Mediterranean Flat Bread…and then a NY Strip with chimichuri sauce. Excellent. Loved it.

Martini Bar

It seems like every year they add more to the bar antics at the Martini Bar…the ice sculpture was really fun, as well, the shadow dancers in the coves. That was a fun party…. We had a blast.

Broadway Show

We did one of the evening shows…the Broadway Revue. Still captivating and enjoyable after all these years!

Pool Deck

As usual -- crowded and crazy. I enjoyed walking around, taking in the action but usually retired to my cabin verandah to read a book and sleep. I don’t understand why anyone would cruise in a cabin without a balcony.

Internet

Apparently Celebrity upgraded the Internet service with the promise you could stream, etc. Well, I don’t think that was the case. Seemed to be the same slow service we have grown accustomed to. I don’t care. I should have spent the week without it. Kind of a waste.

Debarkation

This was a disaster. The Port of Miami and Celebrity should be ashamed of what occurred during debarkation. I am not sure why, but there were only 3 lines for clearing immigration. This created a huge line, that went from one end of the terminal to the other, back again, and back another time…there was no organization. Passengers were loosing their tempers…It was ugly and something I will consider when choosing my next Celebrity Cruise. Celebrity and RCCL should have their own deluxe terminal. Bottom line is we almost missed our flight…2 ½ hours wasted.

Conclusion

Although fares have increased somewhat I still consider a cruise a great value. I enjoyed myself from the moment I stepped on board the ship. I love the crew, and find them to be Celebrity’s greatest asset. I even had a wonderful conversation with the captain. I hope Celebrity will continue to treat their employees well. Without them, we would have nothing.

Has anyone Donne this tour, if so what dou you think? Before I spend $400.00 I'd like your feedback. Thanks.

It's difficult to learn that Host Anne is leaving Celebrity. I'm sure you will be missed by many of those who frequent this channel. Your thoughtful reviews and comments have been informative and most importantly inspirational.

While I understand that the changes made to the entertainment provided and the service failures you brought forward, I'm not sure if it makes sense to leave due to the lack of loyalty appreciation. Look at it from the cruise line perspective. The numbers of Elite and higher members have grown over the years. Unlike the airline loyalty programs, once a member achieves a certain level he or she retains that status for life. With the numbers of Captain's Club members growing each year I don't think we can expect the same benefits as the number of members has grown exponentially.

Since the Cruise Industry is fairly competitive, I would guess that any other cruise line loyalty program faces the same challenge: With so many members sailing more and more, how do we preserve and maintain the current benefits in order to retain our loyal customers? How do they attract the next generation? I'm just not sure if free bags of laundry or dinner at the Captain's Table will do it for Millenials. While I don't have all the answers, I do think that Celebrity should never lose sight of their niche - large ship luxury, fine food, friendly service, great entertainment which seems to be slipping in some areas.

I'd rather that Celebrity be more sensitive to those issues that we are concerned about, like the DJ's, rap music, pole and cage dancers and a shortage of bar ware. I'll be sailing on the Reflection next month and hope these service issues will have been resolved, but one thing I won't be worried about is whether or not Celebrity management appreciates my loyalty as I know the crew members do. I've gotten to know many bar tenders, waiters and cabin attendants who work tirelessly to make sure we have a good time. It is the crew who will bring me back every time.

I think the opening of Cuba will be the biggest stimulus for the Cruise industry since the "Love Boat". It will be a huge draw! I would be the first in line.

I did not post a formal review other than to say that the cruise was, as usual, complete with good service and cuisine. My only disappointment was with the on board entertainment. No piano player, no guitar player...they had a disco "d.j" do their thing nightly at the Martini Bar and at the pool..... not impressed.... but other than that, I loved it. Celebrity always does a good job. I think Cruising is in for some major changes moving forward... dynamic dining, d.j.'s, better use of technology, etc.... As you could see by the pictures I took during the cruise... I was there for the ride....

When you do a Med Cruise...the ship becomes more of a hotel as the sightseeing was intensive.... I wish I had more time to enjoy the ship; and plan that my next cruise will be a TA! I love sea days, especially on a Solstice Class vessel.

just take your own bags off the ship at 630 or 700 ....and have your own car and driver waiting Rome Taxi is the best - reliable on time and economical. Its a bit over an hour to the airport (FCO) We made a 930 flight.

There are many post production apps... I use lightroom.... just fool with the sliders and give your photos the contrast, luminence, saturation, clarity you think they deserve! Thanks for your kind words. Much appreciated.