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

[hcat]

great photos continue!  

do you have any info about the Menorah?

Edited November 30, 2023 by hcat

[bjahil47]

Just caught up on your posts.  Very informative and love the pictures!  Thanks!  Enjoy the rest of your cruise!

[MikeMary4449]

21 hours ago, 81Zoomie said:

we could not get the safe open.  Glad we were not in a time crunch.  I ships officer came with a computerized machine and opened it for us.  Of course, now it won’t lock.  First time for everything 😆

We had a similar problem with our room safe once.  The solution was that it needed a new battery.  We told our cabin attendant, who made a call, and it was quickly fixed.  Hope this helps.

Mike and Mary

[81Zoomie]

Day - 6 in Tortola.  Today we shared the pier with the NCL Encore. We awakened to an alarm 🫨 Up to the buffet for a quick breakfast, and then slather on the sunscreen.   We were meeting up with someone on our roll call who organized a sailing charter for the day. This is the land of catamarans and we nestled into our with 9 other folks.  There was plenty of room for us to spread out as well as lots of shade.  Our first stop was at the Indians, large sheer rocks.  It was a great spot to snorkel, not too rough, and we saw many tropical fish.  Then we sailed to the cove in Norman Island.  We shared the cove with the Sea Dream Yacht Club vessel and another charter. What a beautiful cove.  Not as many fish here, but we were able to swim with the turtles!  The water was delightful.  We moored at a buoy and ate a simple yet tasty lunch.  There was plenty of water, soda, and liquor for us as well.  We hoisted the sails and rode the wind back to the marina. It was a great adventure and wonderful to spend the day in and on the water.

 

After we returned to the ship we decided to jump in the pool and then relax in the shade.  It was fairly busy, but we easily found 2 chairs under cover.  There was a DJ playing and we were happy to sit and chill.  The Captain honked our horn quite a bit.  We were missing 2 passengers and he was encouraging them to beat feet to the ship.  Wasn’t long before we sailed.  I am including some pics of the shade as well as the mobile bar cart on the deck.  This reduces congestion at the pool bar and helps serve drinks more quickly.

 

i am presently enjoying the verandah while DH showers.  We have dinner planned for the Lawn Club this evening with my Bro & SIL.

 

 

Edited November 30, 2023 by 81Zoomie

[hcat]

sounds like a great day! Loved the photos!   Such lovely blues!

 

Tortola is one of our fav ports..looking forward to going back on Ascent.

[81Zoomie]

18 hours ago, hcat said:

great photos continue!  

do you have any info about the Menorah?

Unfortunately, I don’t have any info about the Menorah.  It was near the service desk.  As I have mentioned, all the holiday decorations look more understated to me.  Not sure if the decorating crew has not been aboard, if it’s too early, or if this is another cost driven change.  There has been no mention of anything pertaining to the holidays.

[TommyD3]

On 11/28/2023 at 8:47 PM, TommyD3 said:

Current Port Everglades ship schedule shows Reflection at Terminal 21 on Dec 3.

Updated to Terminal 19 (perpendicular and next door to Terminal 21).

Don't know why the change. At least it is not Terminal 29 !!!

The garage is easy walking distance from both 19 and 21.

[CardowMD]

We had the same butter on Ascent!

[81Zoomie]

A quick note to close out Day 6.  We went up top to watch the sunset.  For the first time on the cruise it was not windy.  It was quite calm and a wonderful sunset.  Then we walked aft to the Oceanview to get a few snacks.  Dinner was at 8 and I don’t like to have a cocktail on an empty stomach.  The OV was not open yet so we sat out back and watched the wake.  It rained a little, but no worries because we were under cover.

 

The show was the Broadway Cabaret.  It was a nice medley of Broadway musicals with just the singers.  They were accompanied by what was introduced as the Reflection Orchestra.  It is a 7 piece band.  
 

Following the show we popped into Cellar Masters to get a better (in our opinion) glass of wine than might be offered in the Lawn Club Grill.  We dined with Bro & SIL.  Pics of Lawn Club to follow.  There is no A/C up there so we dressed with that in mind.  We started with a flatbread as the appetizer and split a large one.  Think of it more as a thin crust pizza.  Salad is self serve at the salad bar.  They appeared to only have the classic red wines.  Bro rotated/tried all of them and he is not a wine snob (like his sister 🤩).  Finally they pulled out a bottle of Decoy which was at least in the Premium price range.  Everyone ordered something different.  Bro had the filet which he thought topped the ones he had in Tuscan and Murano.  DH had the ribeye and he liked it.  SIL had the lamb chops which she enjoyed.  I had the chicken tandoori kabobs.  They were tasty, but a little dry and could have benefitted from a yogurt dipping sauce.  The one WARNING ⚠️ I will issue is for the Dirty Rice.  By unanimous decision from our table, it was TERRIBLE.  I am not certain what the recipe was, but there was a strong taste of liver that was difficult to wash away.  It was unlike any dirty rice we had ever eaten.  Ending on a highlight… the soft cookie and ice cream. It is always yummy 😋

 

We were pretty tired from our early get up, so DH and I returned to the cabin to let the seas rock us to sleep.  The Captain is zipping along quickly tonight to hopefully beat the NCL Breakaway to Puerto Plata, DR in the morning.

 

 

[81Zoomie]

On 11/29/2023 at 3:11 PM, 39august said:

OMG! Is that a pistachio roll I see in the breakfast pic? 

They were up in the Oceanview this morning.  The sign said “Orange-Chocolate”.  I had been hoping for poppy seed.

[81Zoomie]

For those who are interested in the liquor tastings, Cellar Masters has a long table that is nicely prepared for each one.  Last night was the Scotch/Macallan Tasting event.

[81Zoomie]

Day 7 - Puerto Plata, DR.  We are still racing to beat the jumbo NCL Breakaway to the dock.  
 

DH was still full of his ribeye from last night and he went to the gym first thing.  He reports that it was not too busy this morning.  I headed up to the Oceanview for a small bite.  There were two things I noticed this morning I thought were very positive.  First was a server walking around with a pastry tray offering them to people who were seated.  The other thing was a server pushing a tea/coffee cart complete with a variety of milks, creamers, etc. stopping at each table to offer drinks.  This was in addition to the servers offering juice and specialty coffees.  
 

Time to prepare to go ashore!

[cruzfiend]

What a great review, thank You. We will board the Reflection for a B2B on the 23rd. Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

 

[Arzeena]

We board in January. I am thoroughly enjoying your review. Never sailed her before.

[81Zoomie]

Taino Bay is in our opinion, the nicest port destination in the Caribbean that caters to cruise passengers.  The newest section opened in Feb 2023 and I have read that 7 cruise lines call here.  It is clean, has several pools, many clean (air conditioned) bathrooms, lots of bars, restaurants, and shops.  And of course, if you have missed out at Diamonds International at all of the other ports, it’s here for you too 😂.  There are domesticated parrots and lots of water features as well.  The pier is quiet long, but there are little carts to transport those in need (free).

 

Kudos to Capt Kirk for slipping in front of the NCL Breakaway!  We departed quickly after the ship was cleared to find a shady spot around the first pool.  We were here about 18 months ago as the only ship and remember how peaceful the pool was then.  Well, that was then…. We did find 2 loungers in the shade by the pool.  However, the music was already blasting.  Think of a techno music night club with surround speakers.  The selection of music was fine, it was just the excessive volume.  We could not speak to one another.  We will now add ear plugs to our beach accessories 👂🎧🎧👂.  There was a lovely breeze and some of our 4000 NCL neighbors started to appear.  We stayed for about 2 hours and decided to go back to the ship for lunch.

 

It was an ideal day to visit the Mast Grill since so many folks were ashore.  I had my usual cruise hot dog and DH had a hamburger.  The fries were fresh out of the fryer.  It was very comfortable eating outside in the shade with a tropical breeze.  And best of all, it was quiet 😀. We decided ice cream sounded good for dessert and finished up in the Oceanview.  
 

DH went to the pool deck to find some chairs with good airflow in the shade.  I went to Cafe Al Bachio to grab a cappuccino and some macaroons. There were no macaroons, so I asked and was told, “maybe later”.  They appear to be hot commodities.  I did look over the coffee and tea menu contemplating a Jamaican,  Irish, etc liquor added coffee.  After all, I am on vacation!  To my surprise, they were no longer included in the Al Bachio menus.  I checked 3 to be sure there was not a page missing.  There were coffee cocktails, Expresso Martini and several others, but no classic liquor coffees.  I asked for a shot of Baileys in my cappuccino and it was added. DH found a great spot in the shade facing the water.  It’s so soothing watching the waves roll in listening to the guitar vocalist.

 

We will be dining in BLU this evening.  Once again, nothing looked very interesting, but we need to give it another try.  I will try to order escargot off of the always available, yet invisible menu.  We will try sometime earlier since the later time, about 8, has been over subscribed.

 

 

Edited December 1, 2023 by 81Zoomie

[81Zoomie]

I am attempting to upload a video to get you in the Taino Bay pool groove.  Lots of folks dancing in the pool. Turn your volume to max for the most realistic experience! 🔊🔊🔊

[81Zoomie]

We decided to change it up a bit this evening and had a cocktail in the Passport Bar.  I had a Manhattan and DH had Woodford on the rocks.  Once again, nice pours.  The ensemble and vocalists were playing in the atrium and couples were dancing.  Lots of folks were taking personal pictures on the circular stairs.  The one thing we did was pop up to the Oceanview to grab some breadsticks and cheese before having a drink.  They do not open until 18:00 and there are not any munchies (nuts, chips, bread, cheese, etc.) available anywhere else except perhaps room service.

 

We were strategic about our timing for dinner in BLU this evening and waited u til just before 19:00 when the early show begins.  We stopped in Cellar Masters along the way to pick up a glass each of the Emollo Merlot.  It worked perfectly, and BLU was only about 1/3 full.  The wine steward brought us some nicer crystal glasses and transferred our wine.  DH had the Ceviche and the Tuna salad.  I had Escargot and the Tandoori Cauliflower Steak.  We both had Sacher Torte for dessert.  Dinner was very good, service was fast, and it was enjoyable.

 

We had a little time before the 21:00 show, so went to the shops to use up a little OBC.  Then we went to the casino and passed a little time there.  I at least cam out even 🎰.  The show was very energetic, Cecelia Teneal she her Aretha Tribute.  She had the audience dancing in their seats 💃🕺.

 

We set the clocks back one hour and drifted off to sleep 😴😴

Edited December 2, 2023 by 81Zoomie

[81Zoomie]

Day 8 - Last Day at Sea. 
 

Well, Cece Teneal really rocked the ship last night because we were still gently rolling side to side this morning!  We woke up early due to the time change and went to BLU for breakfast.  We split a fruit plate and both had the Berry Pecan pancakes with bacon on the side.  There were no berries on the fruit plate.  I guess they saved them for the pancakes 🍓🫐🍓.  We had a lovely view of the water and ate leisurely.  About 20 tables were occupied when we left at 8:00.  I decided to go by Cafe Al Bachio to check on my favorite macaroons, but they were still missing 🥲

 

We walked the outside promenade deck back to the front of the ship.  While still warm, it was noticeably less humid as we sail north.  We have received all of our eviction notice paperwork and have that dreary packing up to do today.  Definitely not our favorite task.

 

 

 

[81Zoomie]

After breakfast we went to the Captain’s Talk and navigation question and answer session.  Capt Kirk was very casual, humble, and informative.  He was also very patient and answered many questions.

 

After his lecture we were hungry!  Hard to believe since it was just a few hours after breakfast.  Up to the Oceanview we went.  It was not quite open yet which provided a good opportunity for pictures.  It’s was the bonanza dessert day with luscious cakes and my favorite, the chocolate fountain ⛲️.  The Indian food has been very good and the Butter Chicken and Vegetable Briyani were both delicious!  I included pictures to show the variety regardless of dietary restrictions.  No sugar added, gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, fruit, salad station, and full on ice cream, cakes and pies.  Pasta, pizza, a carving station, grilled veggies and potatoes were also available. There were little pieces of cake, mini donuts, and marshmallows for the chocolate fountain.  There was something for everyone!  
 

I even planned ahead today and grabbed a couple of bread sticks, olives, and cheese 🥖 🫒 🧀 for our pre happy hour snack.

 

 

 

Edited December 2, 2023 by 81Zoomie

[81Zoomie]

It’s a busy day top side.  Everyone is out enjoying a beautiful sea day. The pool is packed and the ship’s officers are playing the passengers in pool volleyball.  Even the Capt is in the pool serving it up!

[81Zoomie]

Gym time to work off lunch and burn a little extra before dinner.  Have to make some room for dessert tonight 😁.  With everyone packing and sitting outdoors, the gym was blissfully empty. I usually like to watch TV or listen to music with cardio, but nothing tops this view 🌊🌅🐟🚢.  Now we are up at the pool watching the world go by….

 

 

[81Zoomie]

All packed except what we are wearing tonight, tomorrow morning, and a few toiletries.  Never our favorite part of the trip.  I always double check my departure clothes.  One time when my Mom and Dad sailed, Dad came back after dinner and packed his pants.  The next morning he realized he didn’t have another pair.  He ended up wearing a pair of my Mom’s capris off the boat 😝. I’m sure that was a sight to behold!
 

After having to fly in for many years, we are now able to drive to/from the port.  I have to say, my suitcase is a lot heavier than when we flew to Europe last summer.  I’m going to have to slim it back down before our next overseas adventure.

[Janedoe2012]

Really enjoyed all your posts and photos 81Zoomie. I am embarking on the Reflection a week today and my family is excited with all your buffet photos lol.  
 

[dreamer321]

Thanks for the great live review. I’ll be boarding after you get off. I’m really looking forward to it. I’ll try to post something on a new thread to keep the Reflection adventures going.

[81Zoomie]

We stopped for a glass of wine in. Cellar Masters for a glass of wine before dinner.  It’s very cozy in there and it’s the easiest place to get a premium price range wine by the glass on the ship.

 

We arrived at the Lawn Club about 7:30.  Unlike the earlier evening, it was bustling.  We were quickly seated.  Three of us had the filet and baked potato, SIL had the Lamb Chops and lobster Mac and cheese.  We all shared a pizz as an appetizer.  It is a make your own salad at a salad bar dinner.  I would rate this meal as average.  The filets were cooked as ordered, but were neither extremely flavorful nor very tender.  The baked potatoes were, well baked potatoes!  The presentation was quite basic.  We all skipped the Dirty Rice (WARNING ⚠️).  I asked if they fixed the taste issue with the dirty rice and was told it had chicken liver as an ingredient 😵‍💫. We had the soft cookie and cheese cake for dessert.  Part of the allure of the Lawn Club was a make your own pizza, toss the dough, keep the apron experience.  That is all gone now.  The food is good, the experience is casual, and the presentation could be improved upon.

 

After dinner we changed clothes, zipped our suitcases, and place them out in the hallway.