Live aboard Reflection off the coast of Turkey

[TheBeeSea]

So what do you do with the 'junk mail'?

 

I know what I would be tempted to do !

[Lastdance]

Cruisenut and Hcat:

 

Please don't be so sensitive. You've been posting on these boards for a long time and it is so funny how you rescue each other. I've seen this happen over and over again. If I hit a very sensitive nerve, I totally apologize...after all it is Cruise Critic and I have a right to express my thoughts too. I in no way tried to demean Cruisenut's comments. I believe that a cruise is as good as you allow it to be...Hcat, Cruisenut can say what he feels...

[buffetking]

Hello everyone,

 

Just returned home from LAX. Nice flights on Air Canada. Smooth air all the way with pretty good food and snacks.

 

Overall cruise impression: very good. Food excellent in all area's, no waiting in lines due to creative layout of ship and dining room's.

 

Drink prices, wine prices are somewhat expensive...but...when you booked, you got choice of OBC, paid gratuities, or drink package. So real cost is cheaper. Also if you are Elite status, you get free drinks and finger foods in the Sky lounge from 5 to 7pm most everyday. Also Elite gets nice simple breakfast with smoothies in the Tuscan Grille every morning. "Select" status might get this too, so make sure you check what you can get.

 

The junk mail I received each day was filed away (OK, I threw it away).

 

Main shows were at 7:15 and 9:15 pm. I had 2nd seating conventional dinner at 8:45, so I only watched one show...which was pretty good.

 

Our MDR waiter was not real happy with us for some reason. (big round table with seating for 8). He really was just "going through the motions" with us every night. His other table was a group of Asians and he spent most of every night with them. As a result, they would be finished with dinner by the time we got our main course delivered. He would chat with them and do "waiter tricks' for them......but not us. A man at my table complained about it...so there-after the busboy would perform after dinner tricks for us. Many nights, after the other table was finished, our waiter would disappear and the busboy would take over.

On the last night of the cruise, The other table finished dinner and said their goodbyes to the waiter and busboy, while we were still being served our main course. After we finished eating, our waiter disappeared again. We asked the busboy to go get him so we could say farewell. Busboy said "he's gone and won't be back for a long time." So we bid the busboy goodbye and left. Ho Hummmmmm.

 

I'll post a complete review soon. Any questions? I'll do my best to answer them.

 

 

Happy travels....

[TeaBag]

Was the other table for 8 also? Was the waiter Asian? I would have been having a talk with the Maitre'D about the lacklustre service compared to the other table. Poor service ruins even the best meal.

[afto]

Howdy,

 

About 4 days into the cruise from Rome. Ship is nice, but I don't like it as much as I thought I would. Too much "up-selling" for my taste. Seems most everything is geared toward getting you to buy something. Went on a nice tour of the galley, which ended in the specialty restaurant area...to sell you on making a reservation. Just like a ride in Disneyland ending in the gift shop. I'm in CC class, which I would not recommend paying extra for.

 

Food is excellent, staff nice.

 

Cheers....

 

Agree with your comment about selling. We found a big difference between the Equinox in December and the Reflection in May, as far as public space given over to selling. Just a small example is that on the Equinox the glass cases beside the elevator are filled with beautiful pieces of glass art; on the Reflection, they are filled with items for sale, advertisements for specialty restaurants, etc. I thought this was tacky, and more appropriate for a shopping mall than anything else. Still, as you say, beautiful ship, great crew, and Celebrity continue to do a good job for us. We will be back.

[buffetking]

The other table was the same as mine; large round with seating for 8.

Our waiter, Victor, was from the Philippines.

I noticed there are no more "Head Waiters." So dining room staff are not managed as closely.

Also, there is no more concern that we rate the staff as "excellent" on the passenger survey at cruise end. Used to be I got a little talk from the room steward and waiter/busboy about not checking off "good" on the survey. They really needed an "excellent" if I was happy with their work. I think this must have to do with the change to tipping. We used to tip the service staff on the last night of the cruise, in cash. This has changed to tips automatically charged to your credit card. You can of course give extra in cash.

With the 123GO offers, you can choose to have tips paid for by Celebrity. So, does the service staff get full tips when a passenger chooses this option? Do they now just get a set salary? Does this affect service levels?

[Diane Rose]

Could you perhaps post if the following officers are still on this sailing?

 

Captain: A Bouzakis

or Captain A Peppas

HD: Jamie Petts

CD: Alexander Y.

GRM: Bosco Pires

F&B: Brent Coleman

Chef: Thomas Stellbrink

Captain's Club: Chandru

 

Thank you.

 

From the June 2nd sailing

Captain: A Peppas

HD: Bosco Pires

CD: Alexander Y

GRM: Migle Zukaite

F&B: Brett Coleman

Chef: Thomas Stellbrink

CC: not sure

 

Diane

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

We had a waiter issue on the Century--there were tons of new, not well trained staff. I decided that I was not going to put up with that for 8 nights. Could not find the maitre d' anywhere. Went to guest relations and told them things needed to improve and that I had not been able to find the maitre d'.

 

Next night the maitre d' appeared from time to time to see how things were going and our service was much better after that. He showed up at our table every night after that.

 

Moral of this story: if things are really bad, speak up. Don't let it ruin your cruise.

[NLH Arizona]

The junk mail I received each day was filed away (OK, I threw it away).

 

I really wish that Celebrity would reconsider all the junk mail we get onboard. Not only is it a waste of the room steward's time, but it is a pain in the butt and think of how many trees it takes just to become trash. I realize that if they discontinued it, some would probably complain, but they could possibly just have one 8X10 sheet of paper with everything on it, instead of 4 or 5 different papers each day or they could just have the information on the stateroom televisions. They might not want to put the information on the televisions, because then people would say they are cutting back by not making and delivering the flyers. Edited June 15, 2014 by NLH Arizona

[TheBeeSea]

The junk mail will be dealt with and if I get fed up Celebrity staff will know it! Also if I get bothered by sellers they will also get to know to leave me alone..I consider any obtrusive tactic as cheap and tacky and will take my custom for cruises elsewhere! Is that what Celebrity want people to do?

[C 2 C]

From the June 2nd sailing

Captain: A Peppas

HD: Bosco Pires

CD: Alexander Y

GRM: Migle Zukaite

F&B: Brett Coleman

Chef: Thomas Stellbrink

 

Thanks Diane.

[C-Dragons]

I really wish that Celebrity would reconsider all the junk mail we get onboard. Not only is it a waste of the room steward's time, but it is a pain in the butt and think of how many trees it takes just to become trash. I realize that if they discontinued it, some would probably complain, but they could possibly just have one 8X10 sheet of paper with everything on it, instead of 4 or 5 different papers each day or they could just have the information on the stateroom televisions. They might not want to put the information on the televisions, because then people would say they are cutting back by not making and delivering the flyers.

All the "junk mail" is recycled by X, it is not thrown away as "trash".

[NLH Arizona]

All the "junk mail" is recycled by X, it is not thrown away as "trash".

We as passengers throw it in the trash - that is what I was speaking about, as in trash (defined as discarded matter), not used!

Edited June 15, 2014 by NLH Arizona

[Redtravel]

My recent cruise was nice. There seemed to be fewer people from the spa trying to sell stuff. Canyon Ranch staff is very nice. No strong sales pitches. There were hardly any waiters on the pool deck serving drinks. I also did not see the waiters circulating selling the cute drinks with paper umbrellas. In the MDR there are fewer bar waiters. NO pressure to buy anything. The specialty restaurants did keep trying to sell space as you entered the buffet area. Easy to resist. I will not go now that the fee is $50pp. It isn't worth it. I also pass by without any problem the movable selling tables outside the buffet area and near the stores. I am amazed at how many people buy that stuff. It doesn't bother me. I also am not bothered by the art auction. I do not go. Tune out the selling, pass by the vendors, and relax.

[Lastdance]

My recent cruise was nice. There seemed to be fewer people from the spa trying to sell stuff. Canyon Ranch staff is very nice. No strong sales pitches. There were hardly any waiters on the pool deck serving drinks. I also did not see the waiters circulating selling the cute drinks with paper umbrellas. In the MDR there are fewer bar waiters. NO pressure to buy anything. The specialty restaurants did keep trying to sell space as you entered the buffet area. Easy to resist. I will not go now that the fee is $50pp. It isn't worth it. I also pass by without any problem the movable selling tables outside the buffet area and near the stores. I am amazed at how many people buy that stuff. It doesn't bother me. I also am not bothered by the art auction. I do not go. Tune out the selling, pass by the vendors, and relax.

 

Thank you, Redtravel...my sentiments exactly...it is just not a big deal.:)

[buffetking]

OK, I received lots of junk mail that I tossed in the trash can. At the end of the cruise, Celebrity said they were "saving the waves" by not distributing a printed guest survey.
Instead they would send us an email that would redirect us to an online form.
So, they can bombard me with junk mail most of the cruise...but they suddenly "go green"
with the guest survey. Hee heeeeeee. get real. It takes STAFF to open, read, and record
guest responses on a printed form. Online form can go directly into a computer program.
I think this is a great idea. Saves time, money, and paper. Just don't tell me the reason is to "save the environment."
Also, most of the junk mail is probably paid for by the contractors leasing commercial space on the ship.

The Captains Club host was Alexandria. Very nice lady who did an excellent job making us feel welcome. Even sent us voicemails reminding us of upcoming CC events.

I'm happy to see the cruise industry continually update/upgrade the cruise experience.
Yeah, there could be things change that I don't like, but other passengers might love it.
The ships cost ALOT to build, maintain, staff and operate. Imagine all the paperwork and hassle dealing with various governments and local contractors. My point: cruise companies must fill the ships and expand their passenger demographic. They have to generate revenue everywhere on the ship during the cruise.
My recent Med cruise on Reflection had the youngest fellow passengers I've ever seen on
a somewhat long cruise. Also more international too. So, RCL is doing something right to appeal to a broader demographic around the world. Not to say old people are bad (I'm one too), it's just nice to have a diverse population on board.

Next up for me.....Baltic cruise on Eclipse....then another Galapagos Xpedition adventure.