A Live Reflection on the Med 4th July 2022

[chemmo]

So pleased you are all clear to go….Now you can really feel your cruise is going to happen.

 

We had a great cruise on Reflection some years ago. We loved the extra dining venues. Our only criticism would be how busy the pool deck area was on sea days.  Hopefully your cruise is not fully booked and it will not be an issue for you. 
 

As I sip my cup of tea, rather less glamorous than your Aviation, I drink to your good health and wish you a wonderful cruise!

[Redking]

4 hours ago, groryjm said:

The whole testing before we board process has been very tense and my Gastrognome will tell you I have not been the easiest to live with but all is now well as our negative test results are in and all is now go.The packing is done and now I definitely need a drink. Well as we hope to be in a plane in a little over 25 hours it had better be an Aviation. 😎

 

 

45ml gin, 15ml Maraschino, 15ml lemon juice and 7ml crème de violette shaken with ice and strained into a coupe and garnished with a Maraschino cherry. Created by Hugo Ensslin, who worked as the head bartender at New York’s Hotel Wallick , and is mentioned in his 1916 Recipes for Mixed Drinks. It is said that the cocktail was named after the sky-blue colour is takes on when the crème de violette is added

 

Hope to be on board in 40 hours 🍸🍹🍷🍺🥂🧉🥃🍾😎

Great news. Slainte! Quick question. Can you tell me which app you use for your cocktail rceipes? Thank you.

[groryjm]

26 minutes ago, Redking said:

Great news. Slainte! Quick question. Can you tell me which app you use for your cocktail rceipes? Thank you.

I use something called MyBar (My Cocktail Bar Pro on the Playstore) on my phone and a tablet next the bar but to be honest it is heavily customised by me with some extra ingredients added to the list and cocktails added and ammended. The version on my phone has 152 ingredients and 570 or so cocktails. https://mybarapp.com/ I also spend a lot of time reading old cocktail books and of course Simon Diffords book and website https://www.diffordsguide.com/

[Redking]

5 minutes ago, groryjm said:

I use something called MyBar (My Cocktail Bar Pro on the Playstore) on my phone and a tablet next the bar but to be honest it is heavily customised by me with some extra ingredients added to the list and cocktails added and ammended. The version on my phone has 152 ingredients and 570 or so cocktails. https://mybarapp.com/ I also spend a lot of time reading old cocktail books and of course Simon Diffords book and website https://www.diffordsguide.com/

Excellent thank you so much. I found that app yesterday and then forgot I had it as I pondered what to mix with a wonderful brandy and ginger liqueur that we've recently discovered - Domain De Canton. Opted for more brandy and Cointreau. Looking forward to following your cruise. Haven't been back to Europe for ten years, too long!

[groryjm]

I can’t have the last  of cocktail of my countdown in the comfort of my own bar or even a hotel bar as I try very hard, except when actually on a cruise of course, to avoid pouring a drink before 6 o’clock. Our taxi came at 3.30pm and so my countdown cocktail will have to be from the British Airways South Galleries Club Lounge. 🤞🍹

Well its 5 o’clock  and it has been a seemingly long day waiting to start so my Gastrognome has managed a sangria ( red wine tonic and a splash of orange juice)

 

 

and I’ve poured myself a Cuba Libra (rum and coke with a squeeze of lime).

 

 

Luggage was checked and security cleared in under 20 mins so not to bad. Fingers crossed for no delays
 
Hope to be on board in 19 hours 🍸🍹🍷🍺🥂🧉🥃🍾😎
 

[groryjm]

En route to FCO

 

 

Only an hour late leaving... But the drink's are free🥴

Edited July 3, 2022 by groryjm

[bandp407]

On 7/2/2022 at 7:15 AM, terrydtx said:

I am following, we board the Reflection August 5th in a Sky Suite. We follow this cruise with 6 days in Florence and Venice before we board a14 day HAL Oosterdam cruise of Greece. This will be our last cruise with HAL, only booked it to use up FCC from canceled 2020 and 2021 cruises. We had 6 cruises canceled thanks to Covid on Viking, Celebrity, HAL and Oceania. Our Reflection cruise is the result of canceling an Oceania Baltic cruise when it looked like Russia was going to invade Ukraine in January. After our first-rate experience last year in a suite on the Equinox, we decide to book all future Ocean cruises with Celebrity.  We are traveling with my sister and her DH for this whole trip, they have never been to Italy, and this is our 4th trip there, so for Italy we get to be their tour guides.

 

Looking forward to reading about your Retreat experience on the Reflection.

Are you referring to the Retreat Sundeck? They have not made that exclusive to Suite Guests yet. We were on Reflection end of March & it was not Revolutionized. She goes into dry dock for 2 weeks in October. Perhaps then. 

[OysterD]

6 hours ago, groryjm said:

I can’t have the last  of cocktail of my countdown in the comfort of my own bar or even a hotel bar as I try very hard, except when actually on a cruise of course, to avoid pouring a drink before 6 o’clock. Our taxi came at 3.30pm and so my countdown cocktail will have to be from the British Airways South Galleries Club Lounge. 🤞🍹

Well its 5 o’clock  and it has been a seemingly long day waiting to start so my Gastrognome has managed a sangria ( red wine tonic and a splash of orange juice)

 

 

 

5pm at Heathrow maybe, but you were on your way to Rome where it would have been 6pm....so all is good!

[Shimsdan]

On 7/1/2022 at 5:10 PM, groryjm said:

my fingers are crossed 🤞 that we get to go. In these interesting times of Covid testing and flight uncertainties no cruise is certain until one is on board glass in hand

 

I completely understand!  With a family of 6 traveling to use up my FCC from a cancelled Galapagos/Machu Picchu cruise, I was on pins and needles for months.  We sailed June 18 on Equinox and I'm happy to report we all were on board and had a fantastic time!  I've converted my two teenage nieces to cruising!!!  😄

[terrydtx]

2 hours ago, bandp407 said:

Are you referring to the Retreat Sundeck? They have not made that exclusive to Suite Guests yet. We were on Reflection end of March & it was not Revolutionized. She goes into dry dock for 2 weeks in October. Perhaps then. 

The Retreat is not just the sundeck but the overall suites only experience, the Luminae and suites only lounge, Michaels club or Retreat Lounge.  We are not sun deck people, so the Retreat deck is of no consequence for us. I already know that the Reflection has not been Revolutionized.  October she will get minor interior work and required mechanical and inspections of a normal dry docking, but she will not be Revolutionized, if ever, until 2024 or 25. The OP is in a suite, and I will be interested to read their experiences as suite guests since we will be in a Sky suite on the Reflection August 5th.

[VitaminSea53]

On 6/29/2022 at 5:32 PM, Jim_Iain said:

Looking forward to another great Master Cocktail Maker Cruise.     Are you limiting your bar selection on this one since you have to fly?

 

The FCO Airport Hilton is actually a good choice.   We usually stay there as it is so convenient to the Airport.   Just a 15 minute covered walk which you can even bring your luggage trolley right to the hotel.

 

We usually come in a day early and enjoy their Executive club for a nice evening cocktail hours with a perfect assortment of foods for a light dinner.    They also have a Free Shuttle into Rome hourly and we usually go to Rome the day before the cruise to spend a bit of time in the city.     It's also a very quick 45 minute jaunt to the ship.

 

 

I took note of your recommendation of the Airport Hilton and had considered staying there for our Fall cruise but I was told by them that the Executive Club evening food assortment and their Free Shuttle to downtown Rome has been discontinued because of Covid.  Do you know if it has started up again?

[Silkroad]

I look forward to another of your splendid live reviews, and I wish you and your Gastrognome a wonderful cruise. Cheers🍸

[terrydtx]

23 minutes ago, VitaminSea53 said:

I took note of your recommendation of the Airport Hilton and had considered staying there for our Fall cruise but I was told by them that the Executive Club evening food assortment and their Free Shuttle to downtown Rome has been discontinued because of Covid.  Do you know if it has started up again?

We have used the Airport Hilton for the last 2 times we flew home from FCO, very convenient for early morning flights. The last time was 2018 when we flew home from Palermo. No way to get back to Texas in one day from Palermo, so we flew in the afternoon before to FCO spent the night at the Hilton and then walked into the terminal at 7 am to catch our flight to DFW.

[Lastdance]

14 minutes ago, Silkroad said:

I look forward to another of your splendid live reviews, and I wish you and your Gastrognome a wonderful cruise. Cheers🍸

 

Ditto!

[groryjm]

Taxi dropped us off at the luggage drop at 10.30 through security and escorted to our suite by 11.10 😎

 

Got to Michael's, and I mean MICHAEL'S as it is a proper Michael's club pre Revolution, for our security brief by 11.45😎

 

 

Thank you Olympia for the first Campari soda. Off to Sushi for lunch

 

[chemmo]

Welcome aboard!
 

Did you feel that wonderful ‘At last’ feeling as you sat down in a chair with your first drink but magnified about 100% after all the pre cruise worries?

 

Looking forward to following your adventures (drinking and otherwise…).

[sgmn]

10 hours ago, VitaminSea53 said:

I took note of your recommendation of the Airport Hilton and had considered staying there for our Fall cruise but I was told by them that the Executive Club evening food assortment and their Free Shuttle to downtown Rome has been discontinued because of Covid.  Do you know if it has started up again?

I was there mid June and the Rome airport Hilton website said it was suspended. We were there late and left early the next day, so no time to check it out 

Edited July 4, 2022 by sgmn

[groryjm]

2 hours ago, chemmo said:

Welcome aboard!
 

Did you feel that wonderful ‘At last’ feeling as you sat down in a chair with your first drink but magnified about 100% after all the pre cruise worries?

 

Looking forward to following your adventures (drinking and otherwise…).

The tension just melts away 😎

[terrydtx]

2 minutes ago, groryjm said:

The tension just melts away 😎

Getting excited now, we fly to Rome 4 weeks from tomorrow for our Rome cruise stay. 

[Virginia100]

41 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Getting excited now, we fly to Rome 4 weeks from tomorrow for our Rome cruise stay. 

I’m three weeks after you on the Reflection.

[terrydtx]

24 minutes ago, Virginia100 said:

I’m three weeks after you on the Reflection.

Sorry but we plan to suck out all the fun on the ship, before we get off on August 15th and at the least all the good wine.  LOL

Edited July 4, 2022 by terrydtx

[Jim_Iain]

13 hours ago, VitaminSea53 said:

I took note of your recommendation of the Airport Hilton and had considered staying there for our Fall cruise but I was told by them that the Executive Club evening food assortment and their Free Shuttle to downtown Rome has been discontinued because of Covid.  Do you know if it has started up again?

It really came in handy for us a number of years ago when I showed up at the airport only to discover I left my passport at home along with my backpack.   I sent Iain on his way to FCO and said I would either get back or get to Rome somehow.

 

As soon as I left the SFO I knew I wouldn't make it as commuter traffic was building up to quickly.

 

Long Story short -   He had all the luggage and hauled it over to the Hilton and being the frequent flyer I was I made it to FCO 2 hours after him.     I found a flight leaving San Jose 1 hour from when I booked.   But with no luggage I was able to make the SJC-YYV-FRA-FCO.   

[sunlover33]

8 hours ago, groryjm said:

Taxi dropped us off at the luggage drop at 10.30 through security and escorted to our suite by 11.10 😎

 

Got to Michael's, and I mean MICHAEL'S as it is a proper Michael's club pre Revolution, for our security brief by 11.45😎

 

 

Thank you Olympia for the first Campari soda. Off to Sushi for lunch

 

Can’t wait, we follow you onto reflection of the 15th . Michaels Club  looks wonderful. Now to decide what drink to order when we get there as the tension melts away, hopefully. Looking forward to your excellent reports. 

[groryjm]

I'll write more about my feelings of the ship compared to Silhouette later but Captain Nikolas took us past Stomboli this morning. The third most active volcano in Italy. Mount Stromboli has been in almost continuouseruption for the past 2,000–5,000 years.

 

 

And Sunrise was beautifull with Odyssey of the Seas off our Port bow ......

 

 

[chemmo]

Beautiful!