Outdoor Retreat area on Reflection ?

[barneymag]

Hi all

 

i know Reflection hasn’t been yet been “revolutionised” but can’t find any info on whether it has a retreat only outdoor area ??

we have a sunset corner sky suite so really looking forward to the great all round views from the cabin, also guess the retreat lounge is not yet been revamped but less concerned about that. Was hoping to enjoy a slightly more comfortable outdoor experience and not have to fight with chair hogs as we have on previous cruises. 
Anyone recently been on Reflection in a suite that can advise ?

We’re on a 11 nighter out of Rome to Greek islands and Turkey so great ports of call !!!

Thanks in advance of any insight 

[wrk2cruise]

No outdoor suite only  area on Reflection.  Was aboard 2 weeks ago in a corner aft suite.

[barneymag]

1 minute ago, wrk2cruise said:

No outdoor suite only  area on Reflection.  Was aboard 2 weeks ago in a corner aft suite.

Thanks to the quick reply, how did you find the corner aft suite ? We’re in 9301 in September 

 

cheers !!

[wrk2cruise]

Love those rooms.  We were also on deck 9 on the other side.

[Sox Fan Cruiser]

But the reflection does have a lot of out of the way places will plenty of lounges away from the main pool.  Not quite the Retreat but still a quiet place to enjoy either the sun or the share.

 

[DogLover]

Sailed the Reflection March 19, 2022 and loved the ship. As others have mentioned, no dedicated outdoor Retreat area. That said, we found the area forward on the Solstice deck to be deserted. Lovely private area to lounge - just don't be there when the ship is leaving port! The ship horn is deafening! 😉

 

It was our first time on the Reflection although we've sailed several other S class ships. Would book another cruise on her again in a heartbeat!

 

Safe travels and enjoy your cruise!

[5:00_Somewhere]

15 hours ago, DogLover said:

Sailed the Reflection March 19, 2022 and loved the ship. As others have mentioned, no dedicated outdoor Retreat area. That said, we found the area forward on the Solstice deck to be deserted. Lovely private area to lounge - just don't be there when the ship is leaving port! The ship horn is deafening! 😉

 

It was our first time on the Reflection although we've sailed several other S class ships. Would book another cruise on her again in a heartbeat!

 

Safe travels and enjoy your cruise!

 

Same, same and same. Loved the Reflection, and we really enjoyed the Solstice Deck (which is where the Retreat Deck is on the revolutionized S-Class ships, I understand). But, yeah, the horn just about scared me out of my swim trunks more than once. 😉 

Edited April 15, 2022 by 5:00_Somewhere

[islabahia]

19 hours ago, DogLover said:

Sailed the Reflection March 19, 2022 and loved the ship. As others have mentioned, no dedicated outdoor Retreat area. That said, we found the area forward on the Solstice deck to be deserted. Lovely private area to lounge - just don't be there when the ship is leaving port! The ship horn is deafening! 😉

 

It was our first time on the Reflection although we've sailed several other S class ships. Would book another cruise on her again in a heartbeat!

 

Safe travels and enjoy your cruise!

We also enjoyed spending time on Solstice Deck!  ❤️ Reflection

[D C]

The Reflection doesn't have a suite-only deck, but it has the Solstice deck which rarely sees much activity, and is the deck that became the retreat deck.  

 

What's the importance of having a suite-only space?

[misterkevin]

14 hours ago, D C said:

What's the importance of having a suite-only space?

Retreat Sundecks generally have more comfortable padded loungers, dedicated drink service, refreshments, and a light lunch menu from which Retreat passengers can order. The refreshments include iced towels as well as attendants who walk around with flavored ices and sorbets. Some Retreat areas have a separate area where people can sit and eat at a table outdoors. Some have hot tubs, and the Edge class Retreat areas have small pools as well. The downside on most Retreat Sundecks is the lack of shade. However, they're nice because they're quieter than the pool, and the service is much more attentive.

[Cruise a holic]

Was on the reflection in March.  No suite outdoor deck.  Michael's club wasn't redone either- original dark big furniture- service excellent- and we enjoyed the time we spent in the club.  Would really love the outdoor suite deck to mirror the Edge class ships when the ship is revolutionized.

[81Zoomie]

Just off the Reflection  last week.  They could create a near mirror image of the Equinox retreat sun deck by putting gates on the stairs and swapping out some of the furniture.  Loved the horse shoe bar in Michaels, but we were not fans of the dark dingy atmosphere.  We liked the look of the Retreat better on the Millennium than Equinox, but but both were brighter and didn’t seem as cluttered as Michaels. The other most notable item was no snacks in Michaels.  On a rare occasion, and unannounced, we saw someone deliver an individual plate with a bite or two. Otherwise, there was nothing set out to nibble on with your cocktails or coffee.

Edited April 17, 2022 by 81Zoomie

[D C]

1 hour ago, 81Zoomie said:

Just off the Reflection  last week.  They could create a near mirror image of the Equinox retreat sun deck by putting gates on the stairs and swapping out some of the furniture.  Loved the horse shoe bar in Michaels, but we were not fans of the dark dingy atmosphere.  We liked the look of the Retreat better on the Millennium than Equinox, but but both were brighter and didn’t seem as cluttered as Michaels. The other most notable item was no snacks in Michaels.  On a rare occasion, and unannounced, we saw someone deliver an individual plate with a bite or two. Otherwise, there was nothing set out to nibble on with your cocktails or coffee.

Isn't that EXACTLY what the Retreat deck is? 

Add some 'pizzazz' to an underused area, make it 'exclusive' and thus desirable. 

[canderson]

12 minutes ago, D C said:

Isn't that EXACTLY what the Retreat deck is? 

Add some 'pizzazz' to an underused area, make it 'exclusive' and thus desirable. 

Guess they never figured out that one of the reasons it's not well used to begin with is because there's nowhere to duck out of the sun once in a while, or stay out of it altogether if desired.

[81Zoomie]

The real issue with the Reflection is that there are 60% more suites than on the other S class ships with no additional space allocated, not the lack of the Retreat sun deck. Michael’s is crowded, there are frequently lines In Luminae (and slower than normal service), and the Retreat staff is not sufficiently increased to match the increased suite capacity.  The Retreat experience on Reflection did not match our past experiences on other ships.  Based on our cruise, we have decided not sail in a suite on the Reflection again.  Everything is subjective and you may come to a different conclusion.

Edited April 17, 2022 by 81Zoomie

[misterkevin]

These recurring issues of overcrowding and slow service in Luminae, a dark Michaels club (without snacks and a buffet?!), and lack of Retreat sundeck have me a bit concerned for my August itinerary. The upside is that the itinerary is port intensive, but it would seem that Celebrity should increase the suite staff to passenger ratio with so many more suites on the Reflection.

[Virginia100]

I was on Reflection a few weeks ago in Aqua class and Blu was only moderately full and service was perfect. Plenty of room everywhere outside. Without being revolutionized I passed on my usual sky suite and went Aqua. 

[Jeremiah1212]

33 minutes ago, misterkevin said:

These recurring issues of overcrowding and slow service in Luminae, a dark Michaels club (without snacks and a buffet?!), and lack of Retreat sundeck have me a bit concerned for my August itinerary. The upside is that the itinerary is port intensive, but it would seem that Celebrity should increase the suite staff to passenger ratio with so many more suites on the Reflection.

It's definitely not uncommon to see wildly different reviews of the exact same cruise, we were in a suite on RF a few weeks ago. Suites sold out. The only time we waited for a table in Luminae was the last night when apparently everyone decided to go to dinner earlier than normal. Tea time (2-4?) and appetizers (5-7pm?) were available nightly. I wouldn't say Luminae was anything like overcrowded. Michael's Club itself looks exactly like it did pre-Revolution. Nothing different there. 

 

While RF is lacking some suite features of E Class and Revolutionized Equinox/Silhouette, it's typically been priced a little less as well. Personally, I would not pay full price for a Sky Suite on RF again. Still hate the Sky Suite showers and we don't use the Retreat Host often enough to make it worthwhile. The extra space is nice but I would not be willing to pay 2x more than Aqua for the experience.