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JW and Jerome's Excellent Adventure on the Celebrity REFLECTION!

cruiseguys2009

By cruiseguys2009,
in Celebrity Cruises

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I'm-a-Mick

I'm-a-Mick

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I may be new to Cruise Critic (love it BTW), and haven't crusied in a while (working on the DH for next January for his b-day)...but I have to say next to LibraryLady, and Gambee - this is my next favorite review....so funny - JW reminds me of Dave Barry (syndicated writer who happens to reside in the sunshine state as well).....I'm just loving this review & hope to sail on the beautiful Reflection soon :) I better get something to drink for the next installment :) Write on JW!!!!!!

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cruiseguys2009

cruiseguys2009

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At this point in the evening, it was nearing 8:30 PM. Thomas and Patrick were in Aqua Class and had reservations in BLU. When asked about BLU, they Loved It! That’s all I heard, by the way, from people all week who were fortunate enough to book Aqua. BLU is outstanding. As I am just getting settled into the Celebrity Lifestyle, Aqua Class will be on a future agenda for Jerome and myself.

 

Andres, oh I forgot entirely about fabulous Cocktail Server Andres! He never let me down. I always had my three olives floating in a pool of Grey Goose, Always. Well at this point, I am at number 2 and three quarters, border line 3 of the 1,2,3 soon to become Floor Promo.

 

We arrive at precisely 8:30 PM at Opus Dining Room and are greeted by Johnny, our Matre’D. Johnny became one of our very best friends on the ship for the week, always funny, and I could tell the staff adored him, and that is important. The energy of the staff was very positive and you felt that they were “Happy”. On our most recent sailings of both Carnival and Norwegian, the staff were disorganized, tired, mistreated publicly, maligned in front of guest’s, unprepared, uncaring, odd and unprofessional.

 

All I can say about what I witnessed in our little part of the world in the Opus Select Dining, was a refreshing return to Customer Service, Style, Professionalism and Genuine Care for the Guest.

 

Our Head Waiter was Carlos, and he was so amazing we insisted that he take care of us for the entire week. His very capable Assistant was Astawa. We wanted for nothing and needed everything! Oh my goodness, Carlos anticipated my every move and I wondered aloud to Jerome on more than one occasion, “When was it that we received service like this in the last ten years?” Jerome replied, “Not even in Milan, London, New York, Brussels, Amsterdam, Barcelona or even at Disney!” We love Disney and apparently Disney is now the Gold Standard for American Customer Service (debatable). My expectations in the Main Dining Room was, “Okay Jerome, let’s go, if we don’t like it we will spend the rest of the time in the Specialty Restaurants.“ We loved the Opus!

 

Up until this point, we had only enjoyed Murano, and Ram’s extraordinary table side presentation and service. Our service in OPUS Select Dining from Carlos, as well as from everyone else, exceeded our expectations and yep, I believed then and there that first night, We arrived at The Grown Up Table at Thanksgiving.

 

Johnny escorted us, as we pranced behind him all dressed and gussied up in our finery, to our table for two by the window. We might have just as well eaten at a table of 10, as there was only three to four inches between our table and the table next to us. Conversation with the adjoining table was absolutely required from the get go. You could not get away with it. I would not have cared in the least, and for the most part at the beginning, it was lovely conversation. But, there again, how do I say this? It became clear that “Where Trouble Goes, Trouble Follows.” “Lolly” the Man Lover is yet another one of those Celebrity “Unique” passengers. (Wack-a-doodle is more like it!)

 

Before I get into that, Andres carried my martini on his tray for me to our table, can you say Five Star Service? Then, drats, Whoopsie,! I spilled quite a bit of it as I was bringing my chair closer to the table. No worries (other than alcohol abuse because I spilled it) here comes RUXANDRA! Say that with me now once more “RUX-AN-DRA”. Her name makes me Tinkle! Ruxandra greeted us, we chatted for a while, and she brought us both more libations. Me, three olives floating in Grey Goose and Jerome, a cherry floating in a Canadian Club Manhattan. Cheers!

 

Then, can it get any more Wizard of Oz-ish? Our Sommelier arrives and yep, here is TOTO! That's his name, Toto! First, I have to say TOTO was the fastest moving lightening bolt in the dining room, Zip, Zap, Bazing! He flew thru the dining room with grace, style and usually with three to five bottles of wine in his arms…..Loved watching him maneuver between the tables. Being on the 1,2,3 Drunk/Floor program, he sent me on a Wine Flight. A wine flight is individual pairings of wine to compliment each course I was having. That being said, I always ordered each night we dined in Opus the following: A Shrimp Cocktail, The Onion Soup, Another Appetizer, A Salad, A Main Course (or two) and Dessert of Carlos’ choosing. So Toto gave me a wine with each course. By the end of dinner, I had so many wine glasses for my flight lined up it looked like a traffic jam at JFK! Our table looked like an upside down chandelier! Is it any wonder I remember any of this?

 

I do so love the food on Celebrity. Each night we were in Opus, there was always something to choose from off the menu. Unique specials each night. Something funny, though I don’t have any pictures of the menus, I will say that they were significantly different from those that were published online here at Cruise Critic from the Reflection and Silhouette cruises just a few months ago. The menu’s were completely acceptable and much better that expected, considering we had nothing but Carnival and Norwegian to compare them too.

 

Our food was always served at the proper temperature, I never had to send a steak back (Oh and I do, especially because I like my steak rare and I mean rare!), the portions were perfect and the right amount of sauce and spice. I commend the Food and Beverage Manager and Executive Chef of the Reflection, it is more than obvious that you really do care. Our challenges were minor and not worth mentioning as a Challenge becomes a Problem if nothing is done about it. Carlos was on top of everything.

 

Now onto our “three inches away” table mates.

 

As we took our seats, right off, I tosseled my martini (is that a word Library Lady, tosseled? It sounds good), and this gal, seated literally right next to me says “Don‘t you two Men look handsome tonight, Did you leave your wives back in the room?” “Uh, no I said, This is my wife“ I said, Pointing at Jerome. I blurted that out knowing full well I was going for the “Shock Value”. Without missing a beat, “Fabulous!, How long have you two Sweeties been together?” Sweeties? Oh please, this is going to be a long night. Thankfully, Ruxandra came up at this point. Sweeties? Oh Geez.

 

Seated close to me at the next table was this “Sweeties” gal, and for some reason her name escapes me at the moment, along with her 85 year old mother and another couple. They are just about completed with their meal. After Ruxandra left to get our cocktails and as Carlos was taking our order, I glanced over at the 85 year old mother. She was staring directly at me, smacking her lips at me and licking them, then flicking her tongue at me. At first I thought she had an elderly nervous condition, but then it became apparent that it was deliberate, her eyes fixated directly at me and she was doing strange things with that tongue of hers. Licking the air, kind of like she thought I was vanilla cream cheese frosting on a cake! I held my menu up to shield my face, and looked at Jerome and started to Tinkle as I tried to explain to him what was going on. He looked over and she started to glide her tongue all over her lips at him too, like he was a melting chocolate waterfall and she was catching each an every drop of his oooey gooey delight!

 

After we finished ordering I was upset that Carlos took my menu. It was my shield from this 85 year old pervert. The daughter turns and says to me, “Oh look at my mom!” “I can tell She loves you guys!” “She’s 85 and her name is Lolly, we call her Lolly the Man Lover!” “She thinks you are both yummie!“ Oh I have to put an end to this now, since they have already had their dinner I was not about to be their dessert!. “Good evening Lolly, I am JW and this is Jerome, and I am known as “The Man Eater!” Well that tongue flicked back inside her mouth so fast, it was like a frog that just caught a juicy fly for supper! Ba-zing!

 

Lolly didn’t say much after that and we learned that the other couple did not know Lolly and her daughter either, but were seated there, not minding to share a table. I felt it odd that they got up shortly after we arrived and made a hasty get-away. We ran into this couple on another day, and the wife told me that she was so grateful that we showed up, as that’s all Lolly did to her husband during dinner, wag her tongue at him. Lolly, being 85 was a real Horn Dog! I forgot to mention that she had a walker, and whenever we would see her on the pool deck and a man, ANY MAN, would walk by, she would pound the walker on the floor and shoot her tongue in and out and lick her lips. There was on incident I remember where she went right up to the Jacuzzi on the pool deck, the day we were in St Martin, and there was a gentleman and his wife enjoying the whirlpool. Lolly just pounded her walker, licked her lips and kept waving at the man. The daughter just shrugged and said “Lolly just loves her men.” Needless to say, the wife in the Jacuzzi was not amused.

 

Finally the two of them left, thank the maker, and we enjoyed the rest of our dinner, the wine, and dessert, and the wine, and the wine, and wine, then finally, it was time to leave. Oh Geez. Martini’s and Wine and more Wine, Oh MY! We are not in Kansas anymore and weeeze be tipsy. 1,2,3 gone. Whew! As gracefully as I could, I mustered up the strength and we walked out of the dining room. I think we went to the Martini Bar, but I know somewhere in there, we ended up heading back to the room. This is where it gets a bit complicated for me.

 

A special note: Just before we went on vacation, I had just had foot surgery, specifically on my heel. I had special insoles and cushions in my one shoe to allow me to walk on my heel that still was in a bit of pain, but bearable. Neither one of us usually never take any kind pain medication, and barely have Tylenol in our medicine cabinet at home, but the Podiatrist did give me a small prescription for Percocet to take if I had pain in walking. Early in the evening, in my formal shoes, they were a bit tight, and I was having trouble walking, so I took ½ a Percocet. I forgot to tell Jerome I took it, and frankly I forgot I took it as well.

 

Well somewhere in the long, long, long walk back to the room, I was about 10 cabins behind Jerome and our room when the last thing I remember was Jerome turning to go in to the room,, and my foot gave out and I became “Tumbelina in a Tux”. I was on the floor in the hallway, my foot came out of my shoe because of the special insoles. I consequently was not feeling much pain due to “Martini’s and Percocet and Wine,” OH MY! I tumbled gracefully, I remember that, but after, I just could not get up. So here I am 1,2,3 Floor, and Jerome finally realizes that I am not behind him, and he looks out of the room and down the hall, and that b-tard has the nerve to tell me later “I wish I thought to take a picture of you on the floor.” “It was soooo funny!” “You looked exactly like Raymond Burr!” Raymond Burr? Big, Heavy, Huge Raymond Burr??? “Perry Mason Raymond Burr or Ironside Raymond Burr?” I asked. “He said the one in the wheelchair!” Ironside! Jerome is a big piece of poop, but he did, after all, come to my rescue and scooped me up, as I limpy limped down the hall to the room.

 

So now I can honestly say its 1,2,3, Floor! Promo.

 

Raymond Burr….…Lolly the Man Lover…….and Toto Too! We are in the Land of Oz alright!

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cruiseguys2009

cruiseguys2009

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I hope the fireworks were not negative comments...if you don't like a style of review or the way in which someone expresses themselves...DON'T READ IT! Oh and anyone who lives in Florida must go to JW's house at Christmas, but this is another topic :)!

 

 

Uh Oh, someone let the Christmas House out of the bag! Yes, this poster is right and may have been in our Charity Christmas House.

 

One more thing Jerome and I do each year is open our home to about 10,000 people every year. We love Christmas and we decorate the outside of our home for sure, but it's all about the Inside! We put up 53 Christmas Trees inside our home and have tours throughout the Holiday Season. It's all for charity, and on some nights we sponsor The Love Doctor's Children's Charities and you bring toys to come and see our home. Other nights we sponsor Charities such as Dogs and Cats Forever; Our St Lucie County No Kill Shelter. Boys and Girls Club as well as numerous others. It's a labor of love and takes us three months to set up, starting on Labor Day, and four months to take down (that's Jerome's job.) I posted below a link to some of the press on our event, and this year will be our 11th year! This year we will be open for tours for Twenty One nights in a row!

 

We cruise each year just before the house opens on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and then as a reward once it all finally comes down (April of each year). If you live in Florida, come see us!

 

Here is a picture of the living room as you enter the home.

 

Here is the link to the press on the house: http://www.tcpalm.com/photos/galleries/2012/dec/12/2012-port-st-lucie-christmas-house/

 

302894_4122818790359_1469225648_n.jpg

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BugsyCruiser

BugsyCruiser

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Uh Oh, someone let the Christmas House out of the bag! Yes, this poster is right and may have been in our Charity Christmas House.

 

One more thing Jerome and I do each year is open our home to about 10,000 people every year. We love Christmas and we decorate the outside of our home for sure, but it's all about the Inside! We put up 53 Christmas Trees inside our home and have tours throughout the Holiday Season. It's all for charity, and on some nights we sponsor The Love Doctor's Children's Charities and you bring toys to come and see our home. Other nights we sponsor Charities such as Dogs and Cats Forever; Our St Lucie County No Kill Shelter. Boys and Girls Club as well as numerous others. It's a labor of love and takes us three months to set up, starting on Labor Day, and four months to take down (that's Jerome's job.) I posted below a link to some of the press on our event, and this year will be our 11th year! This year we will be open for tours for Twenty One nights in a row!

 

We cruise each year just before the house opens on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and then as a reward once it all finally comes down (April of each year). If you live in Florida, come see us!

 

Here is a picture of the living room as you enter the home.

 

Here is the link to the press on the house: http://www.tcpalm.com/photos/galleries/2012/dec/12/2012-port-st-lucie-christmas-house/

 

302894_4122818790359_1469225648_n.jpg

 

JW as great and funny as your review is, I must tap my hat to you for this. Kudos to you for this and all the charity work you and Jerome do. This is wonderful to read. I'll raise my beer to you later on and toast your hard work sir :)

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cazzi

cazzi

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Uh Oh, someone let the Christmas House out of the bag! Yes, this poster is right and may have been in our Charity Christmas House.

 

One more thing Jerome and I do each year is open our home to about 10,000 people every year. We love Christmas and we decorate the outside of our home for sure, but it's all about the Inside! We put up 53 Christmas Trees inside our home and have tours throughout the Holiday Season. It's all for charity, and on some nights we sponsor The Love Doctor's Children's Charities and you bring toys to come and see our home. Other nights we sponsor Charities such as Dogs and Cats Forever; Our St Lucie County No Kill Shelter. Boys and Girls Club as well as numerous others. It's a labor of love and takes us three months to set up, starting on Labor Day, and four months to take down (that's Jerome's job.) I posted below a link to some of the press on our event, and this year will be our 11th year! This year we will be open for tours for Twenty One nights in a row!

 

We cruise each year just before the house opens on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and then as a reward once it all finally comes down (April of each year). If you live in Florida, come see us!

 

Here is a picture of the living room as you enter the home.

 

Here is the link to the press on the house: http://www.tcpalm.com/photos/galleries/2012/dec/12/2012-port-st-lucie-christmas-house/

 

302894_4122818790359_1469225648_n.jpg

 

 

All I can say is WOW amazing ! I have become a JW fan

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Host Anne "Live from...." Rare

Host Anne

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JW ~ WOW...you've hit nearly ALL my favorite shows/movies/characters:

 

 

  • Wizard of Oz
  • Flintstones
  • Bewitched
  • Dynasty

 

But hey...what about Dallas????

 

I am loving your review and appreciate all the time you've taken to share with us. Clearly you are loving your cruise. It's wonderful to see through the eyes of someone who is new to Celebrity.

 

Can't wait to read more...thanks again!

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hansolosmom

hansolosmom

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OMG!

 

Between the thong (which I will never look at the same way again)

 

And Lolly and hat lady - I swear you met all the wackos :D

 

So I did automatically look at your pockets in the picture of you in your tuxes - no pocket squares.

 

And now I must tinkle!

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cruiseguys2009

cruiseguys2009

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OMG!

 

Between the thong (which I will never look at the same way again)

 

And Lolly and hat lady - I swear you met all the wackos :D

 

So I did automatically look at your pockets in the picture of you in your tuxes - no pocket squares.

 

And now I must tinkle!

 

 

We save those only for our "Cruise Critic Member" Pins. No pocket squares, ingenious thou, but still, it was a thong!

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NLH Arizona

NLH Arizona

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OMG! There are not many on here that I read their reviews and say that I would really like to be on a cruise with them. You are on the top of my list, I would truly love one day to be on a cruise with you two, I'm sure I would be laughing and having a great time the entire cruise.

 

For you last section, all I can think of is - "I've fallen and I can't get up".

 

Thanks so much for bringing a little laughter into the world with your tremendous writing ability, not to mention you seem to meet the most interesting people.

 

Nancy

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Jane2357

Jane2357

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Uh Oh, someone let the Christmas House out of the bag! Yes, this poster is right and may have been in our Charity Christmas House.

 

One more thing Jerome and I do each year is open our home to about 10,000 people every year. We love Christmas and we decorate the outside of our home for sure, but it's all about the Inside! We put up 53 Christmas Trees inside our home and have tours throughout the Holiday Season. It's all for charity, and on some nights we sponsor The Love Doctor's Children's Charities and you bring toys to come and see our home. Other nights we sponsor Charities such as Dogs and Cats Forever; Our St Lucie County No Kill Shelter. Boys and Girls Club as well as numerous others. It's a labor of love and takes us three months to set up, starting on Labor Day, and four months to take down (that's Jerome's job.) I posted below a link to some of the press on our event, and this year will be our 11th year! This year we will be open for tours for Twenty One nights in a row!

 

We cruise each year just before the house opens on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and then as a reward once it all finally comes down (April of each year). If you live in Florida, come see us!

 

Here is a picture of the living room as you enter the home.

 

Here is the link to the press on the house: http://www.tcpalm.com/photos/galleries/2012/dec/12/2012-port-st-lucie-christmas-house/

 

302894_4122818790359_1469225648_n.jpg

 

I've been reading along and thinking how fun it would be to cruise with you both but seeing this - it shows what big hearts you both have! I'm taking down the info and as I live in Ft Myers - guess I'll be taking a trip to Port St Lucie this Christmas season to support your Dogs & Cats Forever.

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mvdude111

mvdude111

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Is that blue tree upside down? It's official this Maitland Jew is coming to St. Lucie county to celebrate Christmas. My brother has a condo in Jensen Beach I can combine the two!

I am so impressed! Ed and I have met some fantastic people on our cruises, and have developed lasting friend relationships. I would LOVE to meet you guys. I agree with the previous poster, that I don't real a lot of reviews. HOWEVER, I've spent the better part of today just glued to what JW would say next (and laughing out loud!). THEN, I read about the commitment and generosity, and it just knocks my socks off!

-

Would love to cruise with you guys. We are already booked on the NCL Breakaway on Jan 5, 2014...but will keep a lookout for your prior to Thanksgiving cruise. The past three years we have cruised in November.

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