Celebrity Reflection

[wdr59911]

I know there must already be a thread on the Reflection but the internet is so slow that I don't want to spend the money to find it...my apologies in advance. I am currently on the Reflection.

 

Celebrity Reflection is a really lovely ship. All new and shiny. However, there are lots of changes from the other Solstice class ships and some of them are not for the better. Before I talk about the negative aspects….the food and service on the ship is excellent. There are lots of familiar faces from the other ships but also lots of new staff.

 

The addition of the extra cabins on Deck 12 are just enough to make the ship seem crowded. The elevators seem to always be full and the wait is much longer than on the other Solstice class ships. You also have to consider that this was a Transatlantic crossing and the weather was not exactly great for the deck lounging. Therefore, everybody was inside most of the time.

 

The increase in the number of Aqua class cabins has apparently caused the Blu restaurant to seem much more hectic and crowded. Please be aware that I was not booked in Aqua class but we met a number of people from Aqua that were now dining in the main dining room. I am sure someone who was in Aqua class can chime in with their opinions.

 

One of the other big changes is in the size of the Sky Bar. Suites have been added along the sides of the Sky Bar and so the forward portion is a lot more narrow than on the other ships. Where it was really noticeable was on the first night of the Elite cocktail party. Granted, there are 860+ Elite members on board. There are so many elites that they decided to go to a drink voucher system that you could use in most of the bars on the ship between 5:00 and 7:00 PM. Each member was given three vouchers per day but the bars on the ship are pretty jammed until around 6:00 PM when the early seating guests head off to the dining room. I don't think the bar staff is terribly excited about the procedure since it appears that most of the Captains Club members are not tipping. The bar staff in all the bars are really having to hustle and the 15% gratuities are not there for them. A cash tip seems to be appropriate in this situation.

 

Unfortunately, we are in a Concierge verandah cabin on Deck 12 Aft. I would never book this again and doubt that I would book Concierge class again. To us, lots of hype and certainly not worth the extra money. On deck 12, the verandah cabins are almost semi-obstructed. Some may not agree with this but here is why I use that term. Directly above is Deck 14 which seems to be cantilevered out from the sides of the ship more than on the other Solstice ships. This cantilever and the requisite braces, greatly restrict the view from the cabin and the verandah. You can only see about 10 degrees above the horizon. It also almost completely blocks the sun from hitting the verandah. We have a little sun in the early morning, but only because we are sailing due west on a transatlantic and it is the end of November, so the sun is low on the horizon. Otherwise, complete shade. Now some might like this. The one advantage is you can sit on the balcony when it is raining not get wet. The exception to this are the cabins located along the "bulge" between the elevators and the cabins well forward.

 

The other problem with these staterooms on 12 is the noise. Cabins 2201-2211 on the port side are directly under the galley of the Oceanview Cafe. Our cabin appears to be directly under the dishwashing station. At 5:00, when the crew comes on duty, the noise is terrible. It sounds like someone is moving furniture on the floor above you. Other passengers in this area are also complaining about the noise so it is not just us. I am not sure about the situation on the starboard side but I assume it would be the same.

 

The pool has been moved from 12 to 14 on this ship and I suspect that during the pool season, the midship cabins on deck 12 will also have noise when the pool crew sets up the lounges for the day.

 

All in the all, the ship is okay. Personally, I would have it as my last choice among the Solstice class ships.

[cruisestitch]

Thanks for posting. While there have been some other commentaries about Reflection, it is good to hear another voice independently corroborating the others' remarks.

[cruiseerf]

Previously, prior to the Reflection being launched, I voiced a strong opinion that the ship with additional passengers was going to be "too much".....People explained and railed that the ship was indeed wider....and Celebrity knows they need more space etc... You are number three person on the transatlantic who thinks this ship was built to be a moneymaker, at a sacrifice to the clients....

 

Celebrity management KNEW this was a big possibility when they configured this ship......I have a friend there....They knew wait times were going to be longer in the main dining room and with the addition of aqua class suites, Blue would be a mess.....But the attitude was "They will be able to fix it"....I look forward to seeing how this all pans out.

 

The numbers will soon tell as Celebrity reads all those guest comment cards....so write it down and submit at close of your cruise. Sadly, they rank their ships on these internally so no employee likes to be on a poorly performing ship in the rankings......So what tends to happen is the best staff all want to go back to where they earn the highest ratings....Which does not look like it is going to be this ship......

 

Safe travels to all!

[Reston Cruiser]

Thanks so much for posting your observations. I'm booked in cabin 2217, a Sky Suite, for next fall and am starting to rethink my choice of ship and cabin.

[KirkNC]

Thanks for sharing.

[cbfb]

Thanks for the info. We are booked on the 3/2/12 sailing booked in a Concierge cabin on deck 11 aft (1651)....do you think we might have similar issues as far as obstruction goes? Thinking of changing. Any info is appreciated.

 

Hope you are having a wonderful time regardless of the issues!!

[2morecruises]

I find it hard to imagine that a 6.8% increase (196) in passengers can have a profound effect within the dinning areas even when X increased the seating in both Blu (with the 34 additional AQ Staterooms or suites) & the M.D.R.

 

Now, with Sky Lounge's redesign I can see a problem.

 

But think about it, even though the ship is a little wider & a touch longer spreading out 196 bodies over a ship this size IMHO would amount to nothing.

 

 

2MC

4 time Solstice Class AQ cruiser

Edited November 24, 2012 by 2morecruises
spelling

[Cruising89143]

I still think many of the issues stem from having so many Elite on board. X may also have to rethink Blu and who they allow to dine there.

[boogs]

We were on Reflection from Oct 21 to Nov 4. I must chime in about the comments regarding the deck 12 cabins and the overhang. This is no different than the first four S-class cabins at highest deck. The overhang is not wider than her sisters, as implied by the OP. The restricted views and lack of direct sunlight is no different on Reflection than on her sisters, or on the M class ships, for that matter. The problem with the OP's cabin is Location, location, location. I personally would never book a cabin directly under the overhang. The same with over or under a public area. These are always more noisy than middle decks.

 

There are less than 200 additional people on board. Over the course of a 24 hour day, this extra load is hardly noticeable since these additional people will be spread out over a large ship - maybe two or three extra people in each area at any given time. On warm sunny days, more people will be on the outside decks, spreading the load over more decks, and on cold, cloudy days more people will be on the inside decks, making them seem more crowded. This will happen on every cruise ship in existence.

 

The number of Elite members is the problem, not the size of the lounges. 25% of the passengers are in this group. Any ship would have crowding issues when a group this large converges on certain areas of the ship.

Edited November 24, 2012 by boogs

[ghstudio]

The suite passengers should not be effecting dinner at aqua....if its busy,they are supposed to be turned away. If they are letting them in the same as aqua passengers, then it's a lack of management problem. Blu is also not an elite problem...but the elites would cause a problem at all bars with their coupons...except the martini bar which would be packed with non elites. The sky lounge reduction was, IMHO just a poor decision on celebrity's part looking for more money.

 

The overhang is at least consistent...you either like it, dislike it or put up with it to eat in blu (which is us). I hate it but I haven't had any problem finding a chaise on deck (we don't do 7 day Caribbean cruises).

Edited November 24, 2012 by ghstudio

[ariawoman]

I was on the Reflection from 10/12 until 10/21. We had a lot of rainy days, so pretty much everyone was inside all the time. The place where I noticed the most change in capacity during all this bad weather - was the midship elevators. They seemed like they weren't programmed right - we'd call one to our floor and it would seemingly always have all elevators go past our floor then come back (not sure if the elevators each reached capacity and therefore didnt stop - or what - not sure if elevators are that "smart" or not). So, it always felt as if we waited longer for an elevator than we did on the Equinox the year prior during the same time of year.

 

I can't speak to Blu but I dined in the oceanview for breakfast daily - it was definitely crowded but never annoyingly so. We ate in the MDR every night except maybe 1 - and we were always seated within a short period of time (we tend to go around 730-8p).

 

As for cabin noise - unfortunately we need to pay attention to where the cabins are when we book them - as every cruise line will sell less than desirable cabins unfortunately. My cabin, while sandwiched between 2 cabined above and below, had loud toilet noises from neighboring cabins - really hope they fix that issue because it honestly kept me awake at times - very disconcerting. Others have mentioned the "jet engine" toilet flushes on the reflection too, so maybe it didn't bother just me.

 

I hope Celebrity is reading this boards, and learning how to tweak the Reflection for future passengers. I don't think 300 extra passengers is killing the ship - however where they placed the cabins could be.

[Miss SeaBee]

Thanks for sharing! Luckily, I don't think most of your complaints and concerns will impact my upcoming Reflection cruise in April 2013. First of all, I have never thought that concierge class sounded like it was worth it, unless you were on an M class ship, in which they are larger cabins. The perks seem kind of silly for the amount of extra money. I think a lot of people on CC agree with that. I booked my daughters in an aft sky suite, but they are one deck down from your deck, so cabins above, cabins below. I would NEVER book a cabin that was under the Ocean View Cafe. Yuck! Nor the pool deck for that matter.

 

Both of the cabins our little family group is booked in are suites, and we will be dining in the MDR and specialty restaurants, so Blu crowding won't be a concern for us. Maybe a perk, if more Aqua cabins were added relative to other cabins, maybe the MDR won't be as busy? I haven't read any comments about that possibility, here, yet.

 

Sadly, I am not elite (although I'll be moving up to tier 2, whatever that is called, at the conclusion of this cruise! :) ), so I won't be trying to go to an elite event. And even better, I will never care about how to get free drinks when I'm elite, because I don't drink alcohol at all! And I like to keep to myself and my family, for the most part, so parties with a thousand other elites I don't know doesn't appeal at all.

 

I will definitely post a review after my cruise and photos. I appreciate you taking the time and using your internet minutes (I know how expensive that is!) to share your observations with us in real-time. So helpful, and luckily nothing that sounds too negative, that I can tell. Hmmm, except maybe I'll walk the stairs a little more. I already thought the wait for elevators on S and M class were too slow, if they are even slower, I think I'll save the elevators as a last resort!

[librarylady19]

Things I've gleaned from this post:

 

Don't be surprised if there is noise on a cruise ship - and lots of other people

Buy the premium package and frequent only bars that don't honor the elite coupons.

Avoid Captains Club and Elite functions - they will be crowded and full of people bemoaning the way things used to be

Plan to dine in Blu at the least popular times

Form my own opinions based on my experience on the ship

[zales]

OP thank you for the heads up. Now I can plan accordingly as far as cabin placement, and know what to expect or shall I say not expect.:rolleyes:

[Keith1010]

Thanks for your review.

 

Keith

[cruisetrail]

I know there must already be a thread on the Reflection but the internet is so slow that I don't want to spend the money to find it...my apologies in advance. I am currently on the Reflection.

 

Celebrity Reflection is a really lovely ship. All new and shiny. However, there are lots of changes from the other Solstice class ships and some of them are not for the better. Before I talk about the negative aspects….the food and service on the ship is excellent. There are lots of familiar faces from the other ships but also lots of new staff.

 

The addition of the extra cabins on Deck 12 are just enough to make the ship seem crowded. The elevators seem to always be full and the wait is much longer than on the other Solstice class ships. You also have to consider that this was a Transatlantic crossing and the weather was not exactly great for the deck lounging. Therefore, everybody was inside most of the time.

 

The increase in the number of Aqua class cabins has apparently caused the Blu restaurant to seem much more hectic and crowded. Please be aware that I was not booked in Aqua class but we met a number of people from Aqua that were now dining in the main dining room. I am sure someone who was in Aqua class can chime in with their opinions.

 

One of the other big changes is in the size of the Sky Bar. Suites have been added along the sides of the Sky Bar and so the forward portion is a lot more narrow than on the other ships. Where it was really noticeable was on the first night of the Elite cocktail party. Granted, there are 860+ Elite members on board. There are so many elites that they decided to go to a drink voucher system that you could use in most of the bars on the ship between 5:00 and 7:00 PM. Each member was given three vouchers per day but the bars on the ship are pretty jammed until around 6:00 PM when the early seating guests head off to the dining room. I don't think the bar staff is terribly excited about the procedure since it appears that most of the Captains Club members are not tipping. The bar staff in all the bars are really having to hustle and the 15% gratuities are not there for them. A cash tip seems to be appropriate in this situation.

 

Unfortunately, we are in a Concierge verandah cabin on Deck 12 Aft. I would never book this again and doubt that I would book Concierge class again. To us, lots of hype and certainly not worth the extra money. On deck 12, the verandah cabins are almost semi-obstructed. Some may not agree with this but here is why I use that term. Directly above is Deck 14 which seems to be cantilevered out from the sides of the ship more than on the other Solstice ships. This cantilever and the requisite braces, greatly restrict the view from the cabin and the verandah. You can only see about 10 degrees above the horizon. It also almost completely blocks the sun from hitting the verandah. We have a little sun in the early morning, but only because we are sailing due west on a transatlantic and it is the end of November, so the sun is low on the horizon. Otherwise, complete shade. Now some might like this. The one advantage is you can sit on the balcony when it is raining not get wet. The exception to this are the cabins located along the "bulge" between the elevators and the cabins well forward.

 

The other problem with these staterooms on 12 is the noise. Cabins 2201-2211 on the port side are directly under the galley of the Oceanview Cafe. Our cabin appears to be directly under the dishwashing station. At 5:00, when the crew comes on duty, the noise is terrible. It sounds like someone is moving furniture on the floor above you. Other passengers in this area are also complaining about the noise so it is not just us. I am not sure about the situation on the starboard side but I assume it would be the same.

 

The pool has been moved from 12 to 14 on this ship and I suspect that during the pool season, the midship cabins on deck 12 will also have noise when the pool crew sets up the lounges for the day.

 

All in the all, the ship is okay. Personally, I would have it as my last choice among the Solstice class ships.

 

Thank you for taking time to post this.

Unfortunately all you are talking about was obvious from the first glance at the Reflection pictures and deck plans before anyone set foot on this ship.

Please see this thread and poll results.

It says word for word the same things.

I agree that the Reflection is the last choice among the Solstice class ships.

 

Of course, there are cabins that should be avoided on Solstice class ships: under overhang (no matter what "class" they belong to) and those obstructed with lifeboats.

This is a matter of good planning before we cruise.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks again and enjoy the rest of your cruise on this brand new ship.

Edited November 25, 2012 by cruisetrail

[4Sheets2theWind]

To the original person posting. You open up your comments and state:

 

"However, there are lots of changes from the other Solstice class ships and some of them are not for the better. Before I talk about the negative aspects…"

 

"Some changes are not for the better" according to who? You??

 

"Before I talk about the negative aspects"... Again, according to who? You???

 

I am not here to get into a debate with your post, however, you should know, as many other people know that everyone has a different opinion of everything. I think your opening lines sound like you are speaking for everyone, and, that everyone will have, or should have the same opinion as you have.

 

What you like, dislike, or, feel is different or unacceptable, in many cases will the total opposite with many other people.

 

Wow! Are you that aggressive in person? The OP merely stated their opinion. Lighten-up!

[SoBe2010]

I am sorry for the onboard staff, which has to deal with this new ship.

[ricasnflwr]

Could anyone tell me if AQ 2132 has an overhang on the reflection. Are there any good aqua class suites that don't fall under the overhang. Now I am concerned paying so much for this category. I was concerned also about mid ship because of noise from elevators and atrium. What is the best location.

 

Thanks!

[kasowell2]

Thank you for saying this. My comments would not have been as nice. It's posters like that which really irritate me. Most people come on here and even when they say something that they didn't like, they are really just trying to help others not make the same mistake.

Wow! Are you that aggressive in person? The OP merely stated their opinion. Lighten-up!

[NETSEG]

I was on the 11/4 sailing of Reflection and find it very interesting to read people's observations on Reflection. I have been on Equinox and Solstice always in a Deck 6 obstructed view veranda cabin. So I think I can make a valid comparison.

 

I thought the ship was beautifully decorated. Get the iPad from Guest Relations to truly appreciate the art.

 

We had no problem getting elevators or getting a table in Select Dining. We ate around 7:30. The food was consistently good. Specialty restaurants were not busy at all and offered discounts throughout the cruise. We also ate in the Oceanview. It was busy on excursion days and about 8 in the morning but we always got a table in the same section.

 

I think the new Sunset Bar is beautiful. I was disappointed in the change in the Sky Lounge. I like the new game room and the Hideaway. Had no problem getting a cocktail before dinner.

 

It appears the issues on crowding are from those attending Elite events and eating in Blu. We did neither and actually commented about where the 3000 people were hiding on some days.

 

It seems Celebrity doesn't need to change the ships...they need to restructure their perks.

[excitedofharpenden]

 

I thought the ship was beautifully decorated. Get the iPad from Guest Relations to truly appreciate the art.

Thanks, I've read about this before, but never done anything about it. I will try and get hold of the iPad guide this time.

 

Phil

[Janet987]

I was on the 11/4 sailing of Reflection and find it very interesting to read people's observations on Reflection. I have been on Equinox and Solstice always in a Deck 6 obstructed view veranda cabin. So I think I can make a valid comparison.

 

I thought the ship was beautifully decorated. Get the iPad from Guest Relations to truly appreciate the art.

 

 

Thank you so much for adding this thoughtful review of your overall impression of the ship and your comment on perks. It makes me even more excited that we will be on another brand new S-class in less than three weeks. Helpful to know the speciality restaurants were not busy and I'm now more relaxed about my decision to only pre-book the Lawn Club Grill. I have done the iPad Art Tour for the Solstice and Eclipse, and am looking forward to a completely new tour, which if you walk the entire ship using stairs, is a nice little indoor workout.

Thank you, NETSAG.

[zales]

cruisetail, uh I am new to Celebrity and not too familiar with the deck plans. Can you please tell me what decks are these and what category so I can know to stay away. I think I am familiar with the lifeboat decks I think on 5 and 6, but this overhang thing is new to me:eek:

[Miss SeaBee]

I actually like an overhang. Because I am in the midst of my middle age years and must work, work, work so that I can retire someday, I cannot take longer than 1 week for vacations. I live in the Southeastern US, so I always do Caribbean cruises. I like to spend a lot of time on the balcony, and I do not use it as a sundeck. It is hot in the Caribbean in the direct sun. I want to sit in the shade all day, look at the ocean, read a book. I want to be on my balcony even if it is raining. None of that would be pleasant on an open balcony. Plus, balconies above are looking down at you. On Princess, I specifically chose the mini-suites in the aft section for their covered decks. Perfection!

 

I guess the point is, one person's negative is another person's positive. :)