Live from the Deep Blue Sea on Reflection (Nov 25 - Dec 3)

[81Zoomie]

I decided to write a bit as I watch the birds skimming the wave tops in the Caribbean.  We are Elite on Celebrity, 3* on HAL, Elite on Princess, and have sailed a few of the other lines in everything from OVs to Penthouse suites.  This sailing is our first on Celebrity (X) in nearly a year (Apex 12/2022), and it’s 18 months since we have been on the Reflection.  We sailed 3 times on X in 2022 in suites.  Due the the new pricing structure (yikes!) we are in Aqua on this cruise.  My brother and SIL are along in Concierge as well.

 

We have been following the changes in Celebrity’s service and perceived performance closely over the past year on cruise critic and the other social media site.  We certainly were not sure what to expect on this cruise.  I had a high school English teacher who used to say, “First impressions are lasting ones,” so here goes!

 

The Saturday after Thanksgiving was a busy day in Pt Everglades with 7 ships in port.  Having grown up in Ft Lauderdale, I am well acquainted with the kind of chaos and traffic 50,000 in transit (in/out) can cause.  We have about a 4 hour drive to the post and left a bit early to avoid the crush. DH and I decided we would rather wait at the terminal if we had to, then be stuck in traffic, or not be able to find a parking spot.  We arrived at the port at 10:30 and dropped our bags at Terminal 29.  Then off to the Palm garage where we found a spot on the 3rd level.  We walked to the shuttles and were in line to board by 11:00.  No one checked our boarding time.  The line moved quickly through security and our passport check.  We were onboard by 11:30. Pleasant surprise #1, this was all much smoother than we expected.

 

As we went to our room we noticed all the rooms had magnetic signs on the door that said you could drop your bags, but the room was not fully cleaned yet.  We dropped our carryons and went on “walk about”.  Muster check in wasn’t open yet so we went to the Oceanview for a little lunch. Surprise #2! The Oceanview was very quiet, not even 1/4 full.  We wandered a bit to look, and then selected some food.  DH had paella and I had a salad with sorbet for dessert.  We easily found a table by the window on the water.

 

First small glitch was someone else’s 3 bags from 20 plus cabins away was at our door.  Our bags did not appear.  While going to find my brother’s cabin I happened to walk past our suitcases!  Yep, at the cabin # of the bags mistakenly placed at our door 🤣.  No need to bother the busy crew, so I dragged them down to our room. Success!

 

Our room appears to be in very good condition.  The couch looks like it was recovered in a gray material. The furniture, with the exception of the coffee table is in good shape.  The bed is comfortable.  Bathroom and its storage are great after having sailed on the M Class and Azamara.  The only dated look is the gold and bronze carpet.  Of note, there are no plugs or USB ports near the bed.  The only cabin plugs are on the desk.  You get 2 bottles (12 oz) of water a day in Aqua. We have a hump balcony, new reclining chairs, 2 foot stools, and a small but tall table.  We had plenty of hangers, 2 robes, slippers, and 2 yoga mats.  I did order our optional Aqua exercise options.  To be honest, I really wanted to see if they would be delivered.  Reports have been to the contrary.  Yes, we got our yoga block and roller in a plastic bag yesterday evening. The room stewards (their badges now say Retreat Hosts 😉) were busy delivering them.  

 

We decided to watch sail away from the deck in front of the gym. The pool bar and Sky View bar were jammed, so we ordered a brink from Cafe ail Bachio Secundo in the Oceanview.  Surprise #3, incredible good pours delivered quickly.  We had upgraded to the Premium drink package so we could enjoy the cruise without worrying about the details.  We retreated to our balcony and watched the sunset as well as the multitude of lit up cruise ships crisscrossing around us.

 

We had planned to meet my Bro & SIL for drinks in the Sky lounge before dinner, but it was filled to capacity with a large group that is on this cruise.  We opted for Plan B, Cellar Masters.  Full disclosure, we enjoy nicer quality wines, and they are not always easy to find on cruises.  We had previously researched what was available by the class and tried some different reds.  They were nothing great, but certainly better than the offerings in the classic package.  Pics of the Cellar Master menus will follow.  Surprise #4 our server was very attentive, and went the extra mile.  He went to another bar to get my SIL a Tito’s on the rocks and delivered it with a smile!

 

Off to dinner in Blu, or so we thought.  There was a note in the cabin that 6-7 were the busy hours and to try to avoid those times.  We walked up at 8 and people we lined up and sitting outside Blu waiting to get in.  It was packed, and first day dining is often chaotic. We glimpsed at Tuscan and it looked very empty. So we pivoted and walked into Tuscan.  We got a table for 2 at the window overlooking the wake.  We brought our wine from Cellar Masters, so no waiting or compromising on that.  Dinner was very good.  We ordered some half portions.  DH had the filet and calamari and I had the arugula salad and lasagna.  It was a tasty and relaxing meal.  Only downside is that it cost $96 total including the 30% discount.  Following dinner we caught the comedians show in the theater.  Then it was time for bed.  Clocks were set ahead one hour.

 

All in all, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with everything on Day 1.  Food, servers, drinks, and cabin were above expectations.

Edited November 26, 2023 by 81Zoomie

[81Zoomie]

Departure line up, Oceanview at noon on boarding day, Cellar Master wine selections.

[trinitygirl]

I am also on this cruise, and the one that follows it. I transferred yesterday from the Sky Princess after a transatlantic, and was pleasantly surprised by the embarkation process.  I had to wait over an hour in a chaotic taxi queue over at Terminal 2 and the humidity was a horrible shock, but once I arrived at Terminal 29 at 10.40am everything happened very swiftly and I was on board by 11.05am, despite my having received three emails reminding me that my boarding time was 12pm and not to show up early.   I had just been hoping for somewhere cool to sit with my bags, so actually being onboard so quickly was fabulous.  Like you I dropped my carry on in the cabin, then walked the ship, did my muster check in, and then went to the Concierge lunch.  It’s been a good long while (2014) since I sailed with Celebrity and I am currently in culture shock.  It all seems terribly American and foreign after Princess.  But my bed is also very comfortable, and I started my day with a swim in the empty solarium and then a massage, both of which were lovely, so hopefully the adjustment will not be too hard.  I look forward to reading your trip notes!

Edited November 26, 2023 by trinitygirl

[81Zoomie]

1 hour ago, trinitygirl said:

I am also on this cruise, and the one that follows it. I transferred yesterday from the Sky Princess after a transatlantic, and was pleasantly surprised by the embarkation process.  I had to wait over an hour in a chaotic taxi queue over at Terminal 2 and the humidity was a horrible shock, but once I arrived at Terminal 29 at 10.40am everything happened very swiftly and I was on board by 11.05am, despite my having received three emails reminding me that my boarding time was 12pm and not to show up early.   I had just been hoping for somewhere cool to sit with my bags, so actually being onboard so quickly was fabulous.  Like you I dropped my carry on in the cabin, then walked the ship, did my muster check in, and then went to the Concierge lunch.  It’s been a good long while (2014) since I sailed with Celebrity and I am currently in culture shock.  It all seems terribly American and foreign after Princess.  But my bed is also very comfortable, and I started my day with a swim in the empty solarium and then a massage, both of which were lovely, so hopefully the adjustment will not be too hard.  I look forward to reading your trip notes!

Welcome to the Caribbean 🌴 @trinitygirl.  Glad to hear you had an enjoyable first day!  We will be sailing out of Sydney in the spring and that will be new to us as well.  We really enjoy all the new experiences travel brings.

[81Zoomie]

Day 2 - At sea.  We awoke to a picture perfect sea day. Still a little full from the dinner in Tuscan, the Elite breakfast sounded like a light start to the day.  Once again, Tuscan was not busy.  I had expected a buffet, but there was the small menu instead.  We opted for fruit and pastries. The best part of breakfast was the rainbow over the wake!

 

After some relaxation on the balcony, it was time to get the blood pumping.  DH opted for the gym.  The S Class ships have our favorite gyms at sea.  They have a good assortment of equipment, is well spread out, and oh those views.  I opted to walk.  I am so grateful for @Jim_Iain who mentioned walking the interior hallways in hot/cold climates or poor weather conditions.  It’s also a great way to get in some stairs when you change decks.

 

Very light lunch for us today because we have an early dinner at Murano.  It is one of our favorite restaurants at sea and we definitely miss it on the Edge class ships.  Brother and SIL ate there last evening and raved about the Dover Sole. Definitely looking forward to dinner!

 

Ship’s premium wifi has been generally good.  It is a bit sporadic on the verandah.  At times it dips to one bar and uploading pictures is hit or miss.  It’s interesting that none of our Apple devices (phones, iPads, or watch) have updated to the new time zone.  Hopefully they synch in Puerto Rico tomorrow.

 

We were notified we will be arriving in San Juan 2 hours late.  Our scheduled arrival was already on the late side at 16:30.  With an 18:30 arrival, it may be dark. I’m sure the excursion team is scrambling to sort things out.  We have nothing planned and will likely stay on the ship given the late arrival.

 

 

 

[imlulu]

Thanks for the review and taking the time during your vacation to post! 

[hcat]

5 hours ago, trinitygirl said:

I am also on this cruise, and the one that follows it. I transferred yesterday from the Sky Princess after a transatlantic, and was pleasantly surprised by the embarkation process.  I had to wait over an hour in a chaotic taxi queue over at Terminal 2 and the humidity was a horrible shock, but once I arrived at Terminal 29 at 10.40am everything happened very swiftly and I was on board by 11.05am, despite my having received three emails reminding me that my boarding time was 12pm and not to show up early.   I had just been hoping for somewhere cool to sit with my bags, so actually being onboard so quickly was fabulous.  Like you I dropped my carry on in the cabin, then walked the ship, did my muster check in, and then went to the Concierge lunch.  It’s been a good long while (2014) since I sailed with Celebrity and I am currently in culture shock.  It all seems terribly American and foreign after Princess.  But my bed is also very comfortable, and I started my day with a swim in the empty solarium and then a massage, both of which were lovely, so hopefully the adjustment will not be too hard.  I look forward to reading your trip notes!

Can you pls define "terribly American" and the cause of your Culture shock..hope things get better for you!

[hcat]

1 hour ago, 81Zoomie said:

Day 2 - At sea.  We awoke to a picture perfect sea day. Still a little full from the dinner in Tuscan, the Elite breakfast sounded like a light start to the day.  Once again, Tuscan was not busy.  I had expected a buffet, but there was the small menu instead.  We opted for fruit and pastries. The best part of breakfast was the rainbow over the wake!

 

After some relaxation on the balcony, it was time to get the blood pumping.  DH opted for the gym.  The S Class ships have our favorite gyms at sea.  They have a good assortment of equipment, is well spread out, and oh those views.  I opted to walk.  I am so grateful for @Jim_Iain who mentioned walking the interior hallways in hot/cold climates or poor weather conditions.  It’s also a great way to get in some stairs when you change decks.

 

Very light lunch for us today because we have an early dinner at Murano.  It is one of our favorite restaurants at sea and we definitely miss it on the Edge class ships.  Brother and SIL ate there last evening and raved about the Dover Sole. Definitely looking forward to dinner!

 

Ship’s premium wifi has been generally good.  It is a bit sporadic on the verandah.  At times it dips to one bar and uploading pictures is hit or miss.  It’s interesting that none of our Apple devices (phones, iPads, or watch) have updated to the new time zone.  Hopefully they synch in Puerto Rico tomorrow.

 

We were notified we will be arriving in San Juan 2 hours late.  Our scheduled arrival was already on the late side at 16:30.  With an 18:30 arrival, it may be dark. I’m sure the excursion team is scrambling to sort things out.  We have nothing planned and will likely stay on the ship given the late arrival.

 

 

 

Love the vibrant contrasting blues!

 

Bad news about San Juan.!

Edited November 26, 2023 by hcat

[Texed]

Zoomie,

Reflection is one of my favorite ships, so thanks for your posts and pictures.  BTW, I am terribly Texan.  😁

[FredericksburgCruiser]

Enjoying your posts. Will be sailing on Reflection December 3rd😊🛳️

[dreamer321]

3 hours ago, FredericksburgCruiser said:

Enjoying your posts. Will be sailing on Reflection December 3rd😊🛳️

Me too!

[Saturngrl]

I am also enjoying your posts!  We love Reflection!  Sadly, we had to cancel our February 2024 cruise on her for medical reasons and re-booked for November 2024.  Your photos are helping me miss the ship a little less, lol! 

[81Zoomie]

Last evening was special for us and we had. 6pm reservations in Murano.  Early dinner, so no pre dinner cocktails.  Dinner in Murano was outstanding!  We had the salmon crab parfait followed by chateaubriand with lobster on the side. The prep and presentation were very nice. Dessert was grand marnier soufflé.  It was an awesome dinner.  We brought a nice wine from a favorite vineyard at home.  Little known hint, if you have a beverage package, you don’t pay the corkage fee. I also like nice wine glasses and Murano didn’t disappoint! The restaurant was full.  I do t remember ever seeing it with every table taken.  Service was great and we were surprised by a celebratory cake.

 

After dinner we went to the show.  It’s interesting that there were live musicians accompanying the performance instead of video and audio clips.  The show was entertaining and the dancers were quite energetic.  Following the show we spent a few minutes in the casino.  I wanted to use my complimentary $5 in the slots.  Easy come, easy go.  That went in and a bit more before we called it a night.

 

We opened the door to our room and were surprised to find a Happy Anniversary sign and our bed adorned with rose petals, tea lights, and towel heart swans.  It was a very thoughtful touch and capped off a lovely evening.  We later learned our cabin attendant saw our anniversary cards on the counter and took the initiative to decorate ❤️

 

 

 

[FredericksburgCruiser]

Happy Anniversary!!!! What a thoughtful surprise! The meal at Murano looks amazing! We will also be enjoying a meal there during our cruise. 

[81Zoomie]

Day 3 - Sea Day with a San Juan night cap

 

We awoke to another beautiful day at sea.  Decided we would actually make it into Blu this morning for breakfast.  We were quickly seated at a 2 top.  For those with experience, it’s cozy with your neighbors.  There is only room for the servers to squeeze by on one side.  You feel like you are dining with those around you and there are no private conversations.  I ordered a latte and DH a smoothie which came quickly.  Breakfast was underwhelming.  We shared a fruit plate which was fine.  DH had salmon Benedict and I had French toast with sausage. The Benedict was very colorful and visually appealing.  However, it was actually a regular Benedict (ham) with a piece of salmon added to the top.  DH wasn’t thrilled with the competing flavors.  The French toast was pretty lackluster too. Very doughy Texas bread that was barely cooked.  The kicker was the sausage.  I do not eat sausage at home, so this was a splurge for me.  It resembled a thin skin/paper wrapped white wurst.  I tried it, but one bite was enough.  The gentleman next to us rejected his as well. The gentleman on the other side asked about the French toast.  When I said, “I’d pass,” he responded with, “That’s what I thought of the pancakes yesterday.”  We are hoping dinner is a more appealing.

 

A few random thoughts:

 

- The ship feels very full.  The bars are packed in the evening.  Pool area/bar is jammed as well.

- There has been live music at the pool, not just a DJ

- There has been a lot of discussion about staffing. Here is what we have learned about the room stewards workload.  Upper deck - 16 cabins.  More cabins as you go lower.  18, 20, and even up to 22 cabins for one cabin attendant.  We have no complaints as our service has been awesome and every request has been met.

- We realized we haven’t seen the ship’s photographers set at embarkation or last evening for chic night. So faux backgrounds anywhere that we saw.

- It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  However, unlike waking up to the entire ship transformed as in the past, it’s appearing in drips and drabs.

- I have been keeping my eye out for any yellow ducks.  None so far.  I fondly remember @Norwaylady‘s description of Mr soaking with his ducks!

 

For now… we are enjoying the ocean views, our peaceful balcony, and relaxing 😎

[Norwaylady]

Happy Anniversary!

 

Looks like they took good care of you on your day🥰 

 

Have a great sailing🙌

[MikeMary4449]

2 hours ago, 81Zoomie said:

Last evening was special for us and we had 6pm reservations in Murano.  Service was great and we were surprised by a celebratory cake.

 

Congratulations on your wedding anniversary and special dinner in Murano.  Kledji is a great waiter who did an excellent job of preparing our table-side lobster several times last month.  We look forward to meeting you on the September 27, 2024, Connie cruise!

Mike and Mary

[81Zoomie]

32 minutes ago, MikeMary4449 said:

Congratulations on your wedding anniversary and special dinner in Murano.  Kledji is a great waiter who did an excellent job of preparing our table-side lobster several times last month.  We look forward to meeting you on the September 27, 2024, Connie cruise!

Mike and Mary

It will be our first time on the Connie.  We look forward to meeting you!

[kwokpot]

2 hours ago, 81Zoomie said:

- We realized we haven’t seen the ship’s photographers set at embarkation or last evening for chic night. So faux backgrounds anywhere that we saw.

Frist of all thank you for spending time writing up your trip report. It seems fleetwide that Celebrity has de-emphasized onboard photographers. I assume there was analytics done regarding the cost/benefit of this service and a reduction of personnel was favored.   

[81Zoomie]

57 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

Frist of all thank you for spending time writing up your trip report. It seems fleetwide that Celebrity has de-emphasized onboard photographers. I assume there was analytics done regarding the cost/benefit of this service and a reduction of personnel was favored.   

We are actually fine with that corporate photography decision.  It’s a little more refined without being frequently asked to have your picture taken.  This is especially true when eating or chatting with others.  There are still photographers on board if you wish to use their services.

 

The one thing that is alive and well are the art auctions and promotions.  The art staff may be in the next best physical shape after the dancers!  The pictures, large and small, are constantly being relocated for the art event/auction flavor of the day.  You can guess the weight, guess the price, or bid and buy to your hearts content.  It’s not our thing, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[81Zoomie]

It appeared there was no sense of urgency getting to San Juan.  We spent a leisurely afternoon on the aft of the Oceanview deck after lunch.  Then we moved to the emptied out pool deck and found some shade.  It has been super windy, and calm spots were hard to come by.  Eventually we wandered up the the Skyview lounge in hope of seeing the sail in.  The ship seemed to be motionless.  At some point a Viking ship departed the channel.  We were waiting for their pilot.  We grabbed our drinks and sat out on the deck in front of the gym.  It’s a great vantage point.  By now, however, it was dark.  The moon was almost full and the lights were beautiful. The ship finally slid into her berth, next to the Silver Sea Nova.  The Nova is a new ship and she looked gorgeous!  It was 19:30, three hours late.

 

Many people did get off the ship.  We decided to take advantage of that and enjoy a peaceful dinner in Blu.  Presto, no wait, and we requested and received a table without others close by.  The menu was pretty uninspiring and I noted there were no Classic options on the menu.  When I asked I was told the steak, salmon and chicken are always available.  DH went with the duck and I had the always available salmon.  I have read about the ice cream scoop mashed potatoes, but I didn’t expect to be served them in Blu. We love vegetables with some texture.  However, the carrots were so hard the first one I tries to spear with my fork went zinging off the plate!  Thankfully there was no one next to us to catch my airborne carrot 🤪.  Oh well, as you can see from the photo, it was a pretty unremarkable meal.  Dessert was Tiramisu.  The wine steward kept our glasses topped off and then offered us some port.  We selected the 20 year tawny as our night cap.

 

Following dinner we went to the illusionist show.  DH said it was good.  I kept nodding off, definitely didn’t need that port wine!  We called it a night and never heard the ship depart.

 

 

Edited November 28, 2023 by 81Zoomie

[39august]

You can always ask for extra vegetables. We usually just ask for anything green. The "classic" shrimp cocktail, ceasar salad, onion soup  and escargot should also be available tho' not on the menu in Blu. 

[81Zoomie]

4 minutes ago, 39august said:

You can always ask for extra vegetables. We usually just ask for anything green. The "classic" shrimp cocktail, ceasar salad, onion soup  and escargot should also be available tho' not on the menu in Blu. 

That is a great hint, thanks!  It’s good to know these appetizers are available as well.

Edited November 28, 2023 by 81Zoomie

[MikeMary4449]

Just another hint:  While on the Reflection for 24 days last month, I found that I had to order "carrots well done" in order to get them cooked properly!  Hope this helps.

[81Zoomie]

Day 4 - We woke up just as we were pulling into St Thomas.  The Silver Nova beat us here.  We had anticipated docking at Havensight, but continued past it.  We are in the old submarine docks at Crown Bay.

 

We decided to have a light breakfast again in Tuscan.  It’s just so peaceful and relaxing there in the morning.  We ordered the Ultimate Platter for 2.  It was just the perfect amount of food.  As you can see in the pic, there is no shortage of brown sugar on the Reflection.  Sitting at the aft windows we were also able to watch the mooring process.  It was interesting to see with the pylons located off the main dock.

 

After breakfast we decided to walk about the downtown before 5000+ NCL passengers arrived.  The down side of Crown Bay is you have to take a taxi to town, $6 pp each way.  Just not as convenient as walking from Havensight.  We have been to St Thomas many times and had nothing on our must see or shopping list.  So, we wandered aimlessly for about an hour.  I always reminisce when here.  My family used to vacation in St Thomas when I was a preteen.  My parents bought their share of watches and cases of duty free liquor back in the day.  When we first started cruising in the early 70s the ships docked up close to the road by the Post Office and A.H. RIISE.  You were literally in town when you stepped off the ship.

 

Many people are ashore and the ship is quite sedate.  We had lunch in the Oceanview and found a seat on the water with no problem.  I snapped a few pics of the food displays.  It’s also fun to see what items from the previous cruise seasons are still in use.  Sometimes it’s soda, but on this cruise it’s the butter.

 

We continue to see the holiday decor roll out.  As I have said, it appears very slow and in moderation.  I remember the days where a crew of decorators jumped on board at one port, decorated the entire ship in a day, and then moved on to another ship.  The process is definitely slower and looks a bit less professional.  I wonder if this is the same on all the  X ships?

 

DH is contemplating a dip in the pool since it is less crowded today.  It is quite warm out for this time of year, so it will probably feel good.  Perhaps it will be a good afternoon to try a Mudslide or Pina Colada? So many delightful choices 🍹🍹🍹!