Kaos28

I have booked cabin 1210 on a future cruise on Reflection which is the furthest cabin aft starboard before the sky suite. This cabin appears to be directly below the window washing machine. Has anyone stayed in this cabin? Any concerns such as noise, view, etc.?

Also looks like 1210 balcony may be completely covered (which would be fine). Can anyone confirm?

Thanks in advance for any info

 

Where is the window washing machine on Reflection?

 

My Search says 1686, which is port, I think, what about starboard? Does it affect nearby cabins? How about above/below?

The second paragraph was quoted from the OP's review.

The first paragraph was my experience which was that the Internet worked fine everywhere on the ship except the stateroom balcony.

Sorry for the confusion (I cut and pasted only that portion of the OP's trip report rather than hitting the Quote button).

 

I'm a little confused. In the first paragraph you say the internet was excellent everywhere except your balcony, yet in the second paragraph you imply the internet doesn't actually work. See my confusion?

Just off the July 16 sailing on Equinox. The internet worked excellent on my IPhone 6 and IPad everywhere on the ship except could never get service on the balcony in a Sunset Veranda room (stateroom was fine, just not on balcony).

{We were docked in Cozumel and I went out on the balcony. Across from our ship were 2 Carnival ships about 250-350 Meters away. For the millionth time my connection dropped so I brought up my WIFI settings on my phone. I should have grabbed a screen shot of this, as I looked down at my phone I see ZERO Celebrity WIFI networks and 4 Carnival WIFI networks with 5 bars. I guess if I wanted WIFI that actually worked I will need to sail Carnival or follow a Carnival ship a half a mile away.}

Are the once again free burgers "Kobe" or back to the way they were?

 

Hi fellow cruisers,

I am currently sitting on the pool deck five hours from Puerto Rico. Happy to report the People have spoken, and the five and ten dollar burgers on Sunday were again FREE yesterday! Many complaints to the home office (so I heard) resulted in them reversing the fees. The poor guys serving the burgers are getting whipsawed around. I just asked if they were going to be free again today, he would not say definitively. I will report back at 11:30 when the grill opens. Stay tuned and ask me ANYTHING you care to know about this wonderful ship!

For blackjack, you can use OBC and will be given promotional chips (no fee for promo chips). These promo chips are only 'taken away' when you lose a bet. Thus, when you win you get paid with 'real money' chips which can be cashed in and your promo chips live on for another day lol. With a push you would also keep the promo chips. Once you have lost the promo chips its business as usual and you can color up or continue playing with your now redeemable chips.

 

Maybe next time I will try Blackjack, but I am a little unclear if they use special chips and it they replace the initial special chip with a regular chip on a push or when you win. If they do not, Video Poker is a better option IMO.

Equinox does not have the Lawn Grill

 

So were the $10.00 extra fee burgers on the top deck/ lawn grill on this solstice class ship?

 

 

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Very interesting.

 

Just off July 16 Equinox sailing. Definitely confirm that Mast Grill burgers free on Day 1 only and $9.95 Day 2 until end of cruise

I was on the July 16 sailing on Equinox. Day 1 burgers @ Mast Grill were free. Day 2 fee implemented because that's the day 'Corporate' came on board when docked in Key West to give the OK. That's what I was told by staff @ Mast Grill.

 

 

Again, I don't recall a cruiseship dining venue that changes it's payment policies that dramatically. I have over 70 cruises under my belt cross several lines. I know of discounts, packages, and/or pricing policy differentials for different mealtime (or free for lunch, but cover/a la Carte for dinner) but I don't recall a no cover/fees for embarkation and different rules for the rest of the cruise. My last Celebrity cruise was in December on the Solstice and no fee for Sushi on Five was definitely never advertised in the dailies.

 

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On board Equinox now. Sitting @ Solarium, 7:55 AM on a sea day. Only a few people here and maybe 5 chairs saved in the entire solarium. There are about 40 chairs "poolside" and exactly 2 chair hogs there. I walked through the main pool area @ 7:30 AM and there were very few chair hogs there. Maybe people still feeling the effect of last night's silent disco and are sleeping in LOL

 

There were frequent servers coming by yesterday afternoon in the Solarium. No problem getting a drink.

 

I am sitting here baking in the Florida sun today thinking about and looking forward to my trip on the equinox in a couple of weeks. I have a couple of questions. I know all about chair hogs by the pool but wondering about in the solarium? It is a lot more appealing to me right now.

My other question involves drink service in the solarium. Is it ok? I know there is the aqua spa cafe but what about alcoholic beverages?

Interesting. So the venue didn't get a "face-lift", the product just became a "for fee" offering?. Tommy D3, did the crew make mention of this change at all, or were you just left to your own devices to figure it out?

 

No face lift, same spot on ship. No 'mention' by the crew, just a placard with price and types of burgers

Fries and/or onion rings are included

 

8 Oz. Burger (6 choices or build your own burger) $9.95

4 oz. burger 4.95 lettuce tomato cheddar

 

Buckhead Kobe beef hot dog $9.95! That seems crazy

The placard sign states "dry aged Kobe beef" w/homemade brioche bun

 

 

 

They absolutely are NOT serving Kobe beef. Kobe beef is EXTREMELY rare outside of Japan and EXTREMELY expensive (would cost Celebrity about $300 in cost for each individual 8oz burger). Kobe beef is also too high in fat content to be the proper ratio for a burger. In the US several restaurants were successfully sued for calling meat Kobe beef that was not (under the guise of false advertising).

 

Only approximately a dozen venues in the US serve Kobe beef - it is that rare outside of Japan. For now in the US it is OK to call items "American Kobe" or "Kobe Style" (usually more marketing gimmicks than meaningful terms), but not OK to call something simply "Kobe beef." Not sure if Celebrity is oblivious that what they are doing is considered (at least in the US) to be false advertising or if they are doing this purposely in a deceitful marketing campaign. It is the equivalent of their on-board jewelry store calling something diamonds that is actually cubic zirconia.

 

 

Hopefully the burger at the new venue is significantly better than the prior "free" burger (which I found inedible); good burgers are actually a deal at $10 (my favorite burger in my neighborhood costs $20 - and that does not include tax or gratuity), but so long as Celebrity is falsely referring to it as Kobe beef I will stay far, far away.

Isn't there still the Spa Cafe at no charge for SOME items?

 

Yes Spa Cafe remains the same. Grilled salmon is excellent!

Currently onboard Equinox.

Mast grill is now extra cost just like the post dry dock change to Constellation.

$10 for 1/2 lbs and $5 for 1/4 lbs !!!

 

Follow up to my post above.

The 'new' burgers ARE Kobe Beef so MUCH better quality. Not saying this makes things right, just the way it is. Off to Oceanview Cafe to get the free burgers lol

Currently onboard Equinox.

Mast grill is now extra cost just like the post dry dock change to Constellation.

$10 for 1/2 lbs and $5 for 1/4 lbs !!!

 

On board the Equinox now- confirmed! These 'new' burgers may be Kobe beef- will double check on that. What's bizzare is that yesterday (embarkation day) there was no charge! I must have gotten the last free burger!

When I mentioned that yesterday it was free, I was simply told "Today is a new day!" Lol Also told tou can get the same burgers that were free yesterday in the Oceanview Cafe. I wouldn't let this ruin my vacation. The ship is great.

Did you by any chance use the Gym or running track?

 

If not,..no worries.

 

I think the Track on the Oasis class ship is the best we have ever found at sea.

 

Did not use the gym at all, sorry

 

The track (Deck 5 I believe) was top notch.....walkers make sure you stay to the right!

Do you know if the new menus were done in order or do they still do 2 menus out of order?

 

 

No idea about any rotation of menus. We only viewed the menus for the nights we dined in American Icon which were both formal nights and the last night. You can view all dinner menus for the week on the Cabin TV.

Nice to hear that they enforced the no seat saving rule in the theater.

 

Enjoyed the report.

 

Actually, the perpetrators were tossed from the theater because of the altercation which included shouting and even shoving. Had there not been a confrontation about saving seats, it appeared they would have been allowed to do so right up to showtime.

pools- i was up early (7:00 am) and there were plenty of lounges in the shade. Not as many chairs being "saved" as on past cruises. We could even swim at the beach pool (alone!) before it became crowded a couple of hours later. A great spot to keep cool is on a lounge near the whirlpools on deck 15 by the doors that open/close near the stairs giving you a nice blast of air conditioning!

 

 

Were these seats in a shaded area or sunshine?

 

shade

My wife and I (both 50+, no kids) sailed on the Oasis, July 9-16, 2016. We had a blast! We are both very easy going people and always seem to have a great time on our cruises. Pre-cruise, we stayed three nights at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville in Hollywood, and that place was just amazing. Beachfront, 3 pools, great rooms, Adirondack chairs to relax on the balcony and around the property, and an awesome "Broadwalk" with reasonably priced restaurants. We took an Uber ride ($12) to the pier and away we went!

 

Check-in was a breeze, and we were on board by 11:45. First stop the Park Café for a roast beef sandwich (try with relish- packets can be found at the Boardwalk doghouse, great hot dogs there BTW). Our room steward was courteous and hard working. We tipped him upon arrival and were treated like VIP's for the entire week. We found EVERY crew member to be the same, always smiling and saying hello.

 

Cabin- We booked our room while on the Allure sailing the Mediterranean last summer. Excellent choice! Balcony cabin 8252 (Central Park), great location behind Chops near stairs/elevators, easy access to all parts of the ship. Plenty of storage room for two. The bed was by the closet. Bathroom was spacious, good water pressure in the shower.

 

Entertainment- Pretty good overall. CATS- meh. We left at intermission. The cast were great, just too long a show for us (2 hrs. 45 minutes). The saving/reserving of seats while ordinarily common at the pools, extended to the showroom and there was an altercation before the show. The person saving the *10* seats was asked to leave to a round of applause LOL. Comedy show was excellent- make your reservations before sailing as there was always a stand-by line. Aqua show very good. The singers in the many venues around the ship were all very good. We reserved the ice show and Come Fly With Me but never made it to either one.

 

Dining- Overall, good but not great. We had some onboard credit, which we used for Chops (best meal of the week) and Giavonnis. We had My Time Dining, booked all nights in advance and never had to wait for a table. Lobster tails the 2nd formal night. We tried Vintages (tapas) which we both did not care for. Buffet is kinda lame, not bad for breakfast though. Omlettes made to order @ the buffet and Wipeout Café. Choices a the Solarium buffet for lunch good but limited. Loved the Park Cafe for breakfast (DW loved the oatmeal)Coffee pretty good (Seattle's Best).

 

 

Pools- I was up early (7:00 AM) and there were plenty of lounges in the shade. Not as many chairs being "saved" as on past cruises. We could even swim at the beach pool (alone!) before it became crowded a couple of hours later. A great spot to keep cool is on a lounge near the whirlpools on Deck 15 by the doors that open/close near the stairs giving you a nice blast of air conditioning!

 

Casino- nice size, 1/2 non-smoking side Decent rules at the blackjack tables (BJ pays 3-2).

 

Bahamas- Only a few hours in port, so we decided to walk to Junkanoo Beach (15 minute walk from ship). Beach was fine, and chairs were available (no charge) in the area where we stayed near one of the smoothie bars.

 

St. Thomas- we did the Secret Sands excursion from the ship-- this beach was awesome! Only 40 people or so from the ship @ the beach. Beautiful private beach, drinks included. The beach is actually @ Smith Bay Park.

 

St. Kitts-- we had been to this island in 2008 and stayed at the Marriott. We decided to return and got a Resort for a Day pass ($35 per person) which included lounge chairs/palapas on the beach, access to the pools, and discount at the restaurants. Great waves at the beach!

 

Self-Disembarkation was super easy @ 6:30 AM- we were off the ship within 10 minutes, no problem at customs.

 

It was a wonderful cruise, really what's not to like!?

 

Until next time!

 

__________________

[quote name='Kaos28'][FONT=Times New Roman]Greetings! My wife and I will be on the July 12, 2015 sailing of the Allure. I have booked private tours for Rome and Naples. We will be using the ship tours in Marseille (Cassis- extended time) and La Spezia (Cinque Terre). Has anyone done the Cassis and/or Cinque Terre tours booked on Allure? Any info/helpful hints would be greatly appreciated. We are docked in Marseille on July 14, which is Bastille Day. Any idea whether shops, restaurants will be open in Cinque Terre? (it has not been easy in my due diligent search for an answer to this question!) Also, is tipping customary for tours booked w/ the ship (and if so, in euros or American currency?). Just wondering, are the tour guides RCCL employees or independent tour guides or something else? [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman]Thanks in advance for any info you can provide![/FONT][/quote]

Meant to say [B]"will shops, restaurants be open in Cassis" on Bastille Day?[/B]

[FONT=Times New Roman]Greetings! My wife and I will be on the July 12, 2015 sailing of the Allure. I have booked private tours for Rome and Naples. We will be using the ship tours in Marseille (Cassis- extended time) and La Spezia (Cinque Terre). Has anyone done the Cassis and/or Cinque Terre tours booked on Allure? Any info/helpful hints would be greatly appreciated. We are docked in Marseille on July 14, which is Bastille Day. Any idea whether shops, restaurants will be open in Cinque Terre? (it has not been easy in my due diligent search for an answer to this question!) Also, is tipping customary for tours booked w/ the ship (and if so, in euros or American currency?). Just wondering, are the tour guides RCCL employees or independent tour guides or something else? [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman]Thanks in advance for any info you can provide![/FONT]

My first cruise for my honeymoon way back in August 1993. I recall my wife saying on the way to the pier, "Wait until you see the size of this ship!!!!" I also remember wondering how in the world we were ever going to be able to eat at the midnight buffet after finishing dinner at the late seating. Somehow, we managed. Fun times. From the Monarch to the Allure which we'll be sailing on in 3 weeks. I guess we've come full circle! Thanks for sharing.