Celebrity Reflection January 14 to 21 2017

[Bimmer09]

I'm on deck 3 waiting for Carol to join me for breakfast in Luminae. There will be no rushing and no abandoned sausages today!

 

Guest relations desk at left





 

 

Looking up

 

 



 

 

Onwards to Luminae where the super friendly and jovial Maitre 'd was ready to greet and seat

 

 



 

 

A window seat







 

 

The ever cheery, bubbly and vivacious Milena from Montenegro serves us







 

 

We order our vittles after fresh squeezed orange juice and my mango smoothie are brought forth

[Bimmer09]

Carol's Belgian waffles with fruit

 

 

My order is all the sides, including hash browns. kielbasa and corned beef hash











 

Add the usual croissants and pastries and yogurt and granola parfaits and it's a bellybustin' good way to start a day of relaxing!

We'll be going ashore soon after the ship docks at 10 as we have an excursion-a look at a fraction of the island from the water. Nice day for it! We'll see you on the dock!





Norris

[perfect match]

Thanks Bev. I was just going through some stuff I have in a closet yesterday and found my 1986 RCCL brochure with pricing. I'll try to scan the SON page and include it here at some point. Also some photos I took back in the days of film.

 

The fancier cabins had a window! No balconies back then. One pool, one restaurant.

 

Cheers!

 

Norris

 

Great ship tour, Norris! I'm glad you were able to get past those watertight doors!

 

I would love to see your SON brochure. Finding it must have felt like you found buried treasure!

 

I wish I had been able to start cruising back in 1986, but I am grateful for the cruises we are able to do now.

[Sadebud]

Have been away for a few days, glad I could catch up. Oh, and bump this back to page one! Looking forward to Labadee, Norris!

 

Cheers,

Tracy

[Bimmer09]

Great ship tour, Norris! I'm glad you were able to get past those watertight doors!

 

I would love to see your SON brochure. Finding it must have felt like you found buried treasure!

 

I wish I had been able to start cruising back in 1986, but I am grateful for the cruises we are able to do now.

 

Thanks Nancy! I have kept the SON brochure safe all these years. Carol just got a spiffy new scanner so I'll get to the fares page of the brochure before this review ends and also scan in a few photos of me in 1986 with the ship.

 

I don't suppose it matters what year you start cruising-as long as you start and then you get to see what you were missing. However we also love our land trips.We are back to Houston in May and looking forward to it.

 

Cheers!

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Have been away for a few days, glad I could catch up. Oh, and bump this back to page one! Looking forward to Labadee, Norris!

 

Cheers,

Tracy

 

Tracy thanks for the bump!

 

Let's see Labadee, shall we?

 

Norris

 

[Bimmer09]

Thursday morning January 19th 2017, Labadee, Haiti

 

That was the scene on deck 3 as passengers waited for the gangway on deck 2 to open so they could go ashore for the last time (sob!)

 

Soon after 10 a.m a tide of humanity walked down the stairs and out onto the pier.

 

 

The long march

 

 

Almost there....

 

[Bimmer09]

No rush. Our excursion tour didn't leave until 11 a.m so we relaxed sitting under an umbrella looking at the beautiful Refection. I raise my glass to the marine architects who came up with the sketches and the board members who said "Go for it!". A classic original design.

 

We had brought two towels from the ship in the event we would go swimming on the Suite Beach (Barefoot by name and by nature) so we thought we'd leave them in the lockers for rent. No problem! $8 rental. Yikes! Gouging indeed. I wonder how they came up with that number? Ermine lined locker with an armed guard attending each one? Ho hum. A wristband was the key-hold it infront of the correct locker and it would pop open. One guy came along and he had forgotten his locker number and did trial and error until the locker guy came along and luckily remembered the location of his locker. What a relief for mystery amnesia man!

 

We relaxed until we heard through a megaphone- Last call for Coastal Tour! Last call? There was no first or second. Ho hum. Maybe they start with Last and work backwards?

Here's the boat we climbed aboard

 

 

By the time we got on board the only place to sit was right at the front top deck next to the driver. Perfect for the man with two cameras around his neck!

 

Off we went "into the great wide open....under the skies of blue"

 

 

We're heading in that direction

 

 

So are they

 

 

We love kayaking!

 

[Bimmer09]

More people enjoying this blue water

 

 

 

Up ahead is a little island which is another excursion tour from the ship for those who like to relax away from the crowds. I can't remember the name....was it.... Something... Island?

 

 

 

 

[Bimmer09]

The boat tour was shaping up nicely. We had a good view, a warm tropical breeze in our faces, blue water and stuff to look at. It perked up even more when the driver asked if anyone wanted to buy a beer for $3? A hand shot up from "the gentleman with his tongue hanging out"

 

 

The local beer.

 

Now we would see the local fishermen out on the water trying to earn their living....

 

 

When I rejoined the Song of Norway in March 1986 they had recently opened up a "private island" (and in a way it is) on the coast of Haiti and I heard the name Labadee for the first time.

I knew at the time that Haiti was considered the "world's poorest nation " and something that happened when we first pulled up and dropped anchor back in march 86 was the dropping of balled-up dollar bills by some of the passengers down into the water far below and the locals in their rustic boats would paddle furiously to get them, in some cases diving into the water to be secure in claiming their prize. I felt for them that a dollar could mean so much. Sad.

 

The sons of those men are probably out here today on their boats, fishing.

 

 

 

 

[MisterMet]

Norris,

 

We stopped in Labadee when we were on the Allure OTS in June of 2016. It is a very beautiful island. RCI recently helped them to get running water on the island and they've pretty much built the entire infrastructure for them. It still is truly rustic though. Our Jet Ski excursion stopped by a local village. Arrtisans selling their crafts from boats very similar to those in your pictures approached the jet skiers. We purchased some hand made items and they were so thankful for our business. The phrase "Third World" nation kept running through my mind and I felt a bit guilty climbing back on the world's second largest cruise ship after the excursion. We are truly blessed to be able to do such things as cruise and travel when others are simply trying to scrape by each day to survive.

 

Still with you on this journey of yours and enjoying it immensely. Keep on Rollin'.

 

Trip

[british lady]

"under the skies of blue"

Tom Petty and the Hertbreakers.

I think I get a blue Peter Badge!

[CRLess]

Off we went "into the great wide open....under the skies of blue"

 

 

Tom Petty.....!

[Bimmer09]

A secluded compound reachable only by boat

 

 

 

The tour guide Tony told us that he has informed the fishermen before that the passengers can't take the fish or octopus on the ship but they are still hopeful of a sale.

 

 

Someone came and stood in front of my shot on this next one so I had to crop the photo

 

 

We were eating in Murano tonight and didn't have a frying pan in our cabin as I forgot to pack one.

 

Other fishermen came closer. None spoke-they just held up part of their catch.

 

[Bimmer09]

These are the pots they use to catch the Spiny Lobsters

 

 

 

 

Far away the Reflection waits for us

 

 

No farming on terrain like this

 

 

Next we'll go close to shore for a look at Labadee village

 

Norris

[ar1950]

Hi Norris. Just found this review. I had completely forgotten about this cruise until I saw it referenced on another thread over at the Princess board. Looks like I have a lot of catching up to do on this one.

[Bimmer09]

We are going to head in closer to land

Yes it's so dramatic that it need big bold letters in Red!

It's not Manhattan so let's not get carried away but it's home to many of the people that work at the Labadee facility. Unlike 80% of the Haitian population they have jobs and maybe even access to a computer or cell phones and can Google anything including cruise ships and see the wonders we live among there that aren't prevalent on land.

 

 







We're not stepping ashore alas but I would love to some day.







 

 



 

 



 

 

[Bimmer09]

Of course we are only seeing what lies at the beach and not the houses on dirt roads that lead away from it where people are burning the trees to make charcoal for cooking a fresh fish and whatever else they can put together for a meal that night. Then they can worry about what's for tomorrow's dinner afterwards. Fish, maybe?

I like the stonework

 

 

A man relaxing

 



 

 

Looks like these folks have a little souvenir stall on the beach.

 



 

 



 

A resort hotel or bar ?





 

[Bimmer09]

Hi Norris. Just found this review. I had completely forgotten about this cruise until I saw it referenced on another thread over at the Princess board. Looks like I have a lot of catching up to do on this one.

 

ar-do you remember which thread this was referenced on?

Never too late as it's not even finished yet. Dinner in Murano coming up soon and video of one of the shows then another sea day and the excellent Tenors of Rock on video and then South Beach Art Deco again.

Great to have you onboard again!

The Myers rum is fully stocked in my cyber bar-no measures!

Norris happy to see you.

[ar1950]

ar-do you remember which thread this was referenced on?

...................................

The Myers rum is fully stocked in my cyber bar-no measures!

Norris happy to see you.

 

Sorry, I don't recall which thread. Actually it was an older thread as I was looking for something else.

 

Thanks for the welcome and I will help myself to some Myers. :D

[Bimmer09]

Norris,

 

We stopped in Labadee when we were on the Allure OTS in June of 2016. It is a very beautiful island. RCI recently helped them to get running water on the island and they've pretty much built the entire infrastructure for them. It still is truly rustic though. Our Jet Ski excursion stopped by a local village. Arrtisans selling their crafts from boats very similar to those in your pictures approached the jet skiers. We purchased some hand made items and they were so thankful for our business. The phrase "Third World" nation kept running through my mind and I felt a bit guilty climbing back on the world's second largest cruise ship after the excursion. We are truly blessed to be able to do such things as cruise and travel when others are simply trying to scrape by each day to survive.

 

Still with you on this journey of yours and enjoying it immensely. Keep on Rollin'.

 

Trip

Trip, I am glad you made a purchase which helped the people who I am sure served you graciously and respectfully. There are so many nice people on the islands who don't have the proverbial pot....but nevertheless can still smile and offer a handshake and a warm welcome. Who knows what could come out of Haiti if everyone could have an education , good sanitation, electricity and a chance of a job to fulfill them. 80% unemployment is what we were told and even if that was hyperbole and twice the actual number that is still disastrous for the youth of the country and those who have already survived a lifetime of struggling to make ends meet with no whiff of the "golden years" to come.

I'll have the lobster and the filet mignon and could you top up my Malbec-there's a good chap. Why are there no towel animals in my stateroom?! Get me the Captain!

No I don't want to trade places with them but like you, I am thankful that I was born where I was and got all the opportunities a modern society can offer, except the "Guinness on tap" coming from my kitchen faucet ( I was lied to by a Politician)

So glad you are still reading!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Really enjoying your review and pictures, Norris. (I've also been checking out your Princess reviews. :))

 

Great! Thanks for being curious about my Princess reviews. We have had 9 great Princess cruises with more to come.

Cheers!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

"under the skies of blue"

Tom Petty and the Hertbreakers.

I think I get a blue Peter Badge!

 

Yes you do and I have arranged for John Knoakes and Peter Purvis to deliver it to you!

(it was a British TV show that specialized in teaching kids about the world they were lucky to live in)

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Tom Petty.....!

 

I knew you would get it, Chris!

Norris, who likes to Play "King's Highway" loud and clear.

[Bimmer09]

A foreign-owned house beyond the village and closer to the ship. There is a rocky path from the end of the RCI beaches that can lead you to the village.

 

We're going to head away from the shoreline and the village and back to sea to return to the ship

 

You can see the houses going steeply up the hill