Reflection 7/8 - 7/13 Key West, Bimini & Nassau

[livelytee]

Just got home from our 5 night sailing on the Reflection to Key West, Bimini & Nassau.  

 

LITTLE BACKGROUND: This is our 4th Cruise but 1st with Celebrity for all of us. We are early 50's and are cruising with 8 others as this was our daughters college graduation cruise. Being that she is early 20's we weren't sure if she would enjoy this cruise as she has only sailed on RCCL but she picked the cruise line and the itinerary. The other ages in the group range from mid 20's - 60's.

 

EMBARKATION: Our check in time was scheduled for 11:30, with a few of us scheduled for 12:30 however we flew into FLL that morning arriving at 8:50am. (something we never do but flights were scarce) One passenger was arriving from NY so we waited for her arrival.  We had prearranged transportation from the airport to the cruise port so we arrived to the cruise port before scheduled check in, approximately 10:30.  Once luggage was off loaded and given to the porters, we proceeded to terminal. We had a sky suite so we proceeded to designated Suite lounge area. Check in process was seamless.  Everyone else had Prime Concierge Balcony. They proceeded to their designated area and I'm told their check in was seamless as well.  We all proceeded to our rooms to drop off carry on bags then proceeded to designated muster station. Muster check in was quick.

 

CABINS: Husband and I had Aft Sky Suite on deck 12(turns out this was under OVC). Normally we select Midship rooms so this was different for us. The cabin itself was quite spacious I enjoyed the back of the ship view and wouldn't hesitate to stay in this room again. Since it was pretty early, the room was not cleaned upon arrival. There was a note that stated rooms would be ready by 1pm. We departed to Luminae for lunch.  In case you are wondering, we did have a butler BUT did not meet him until we had an issue.  More on that later.. 

As for the others who were staying in Concierge Class Balcony, they said rooms were decent and they were pleased.

Also, for those wondering, a footstool was on the balcony, but only 1.

 

DINING: We ate at Luminae for Embarkation lunch, dinner on 3 nights and most days for breakfast. Since we were with a large party, we did eat 2 nights in MDR and 1 breakfast in OVC. The food at all places was great.  No complaints.  Loved the fact that the classic menu items were available daily in case their wasn't anything appealing on the nightly menu for you to eat. I have a food allergy, and the waiter in MDR made sure to show me the upcoming nights menu in advance to see if there was something they needed to make accommodations for so I would be able to enjoy my meal. That as really appreciated. Personally enjoyed the staff in Luminae. They were very attentive and made you feel as if you were the only one in the dining room.  

 

SERVICE: The service on this ship was great overall.  Staff was friendly and attentive across the ship.  However, there was one small hiccup to our room being cleaned by 1pm.  As I stated above, we boarded, went to muster and then ate lunch. We arrived back to the room at 1:40pm and could tell the room was still not ready. (bathroom not cleaned, floors not vacuumed) We contacted room attendant via number left on card in room. The butler arrived instead and we explained the issue.  He contacted the room attendant and explained the issue as well. He informed us it would be taken care asap but that was not the case. We left room and headed to Michaels Club.  Grabbed some drinks from cooler, looked around and sat outside watching the sights.  Time passed and it was getting later (and we were tired due to the early flight) with no ETA on room being ready.  My husband saw a staff member walking past us (turns out he was restaurant manager) and he stopped him to ask him if he could speak with him.  He shared the story of our room not being ready and once he discovered we were Retreat guests, he make some calls and told us everything will be handled pronto. A few minutes later, a woman approached us and asked us to follow her. It turns out she was the Concierge Manager, Liz.  She asked us to explain our situation to her which we did.  She agreed that with the lateness of the hour, we should be in our rooms.  She made some additional phone calls to get to the bottom of the issue and confirmed that our room will be ready in a few minutes. Before sending us our our way she instructed us to call her anytime we had an issue during our cruise as she is 'assigned' to assist us as Retreat guests. We appreciated the attentiveness to get the situation resolved.

 

ENTERTAINMENT: Overall entertainment/shows was pretty good.  Having sailed majority on RCCL, I was not sure what to expect but the DJ, live music, silent headphone party and Broadway style shows were great. Comedian was ok. I felt his family show was better than the adult comedy show.  (Personal opinion). The Cruise Director, Luigi was the absolute best.  Engaging and very personable.  Kept the party going.

 

ACTIVITIES: The ship's activity calendar was full.  If you were looking for something to do, there was something for you. I did play Bingo.  I didn't win anything but it was fun.

 

PORTS: Key West was hot. We rented Golf carts to explore and take in the sights. I did enjoy a nice slice of Key lime pie from Kermit's where they have all things Key lime.  Bimini was our next stop. I wasn't sure what to expect in Bimini as this was my 1st time visiting. It's a very small island. I thought it was ok. There isn't much to do expect lay on the beach. If you like that, you will enjoy. We rented Golf carts here as well to explore. Nassau was our final destination which we had been too several times before.  We got off ship, visited straw market and headed to Fish Fry to grab something to eat.  

 

SPA: I had massages scheduled for husband and I. This was a highlight of the cruise.  We both felt very relaxed afterward.

 

RETREAT EXPERIENCE: Overall the Retreat experience was great. Both husband and I agreed that the service was from staff was top notch. From priority embarkation and debarkation, to dining in Luminae,  to making reservations for shows and visiting Michael's Club to grab drinks.  Butler did show back up to room periodically to check in and I even had him to get me a firmer pillow.  A pillow menu was supposed to be offered but I did not see one in room.  

 

DISEMBARKATION: Just as easy as getting on.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS:  Everyone agreed this was a great cruise, and I would definitely sail on the Reflection again.  

 

Feel free to ask any questions.  Thanks!

[peanut head]

Thank you for taking the time to post.  So glad that you enjoyed your voyage.  Did you eat in any specialty restaurants?

[ZapRowsdower]

Thank you very much for sharing this. I will be on the 5-night Reflection sailing next week. Similar itinerary except Coco Cay rather than Key West. I will also be in a Sky Suite, so your review was very helpful.

Edited July 15 by ZapRowsdower

[NCTribeFan]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

 

I've cruised well over 50 times, beginning in 2001.  I've only been on 1 X cruise (5 nights Summit, April 2022) and really enjoyed it.  I'm booked on this same Reflection sailing in November.  I'm in an inside cabin (casino offer, solo, and I actually really like inside cabins).  Then, when I disembark, I'll drag my bags to another terminal and board Beyond for 6 nights (another casino offer and still solo).  Then I'll spend 2 nights in FLL and board HAL's Nieuw Amsterdam on 11/17 (my b'day) for 7 nights.  Have a couple of friends on that one.  Another casino offer, another inside cabin (fantastic large interior cabins on that class ship that I just love)..

 

I don't do a lot of activities on the ships.  Don't really care for the shows or comedians.  The casino is usually my evening entertainment.  The plan is to take it easy and just enjoy relaxing and enjoy the food and drinks.

 

Glad you enjoyed your trip.

[livelytee]

@peanut head we did not dine in any specialty restaurants

 

[arl_nocaps]

Enjoyed your review.  We will be doing that cruise in Nov. in a sky suite also.

As I am a little older I wondered how the tub-shower worked out.  Was it a deep tub?

      arl

[livelytee]

I felt like the side of the tub was a little high. Just need to make sure you watch you step getting in and out. 

[KarimaJ]

What beach did you end up going to in Bimini? I heard the beach by the pier smells and was wondering if you encountered that? I also heard radio beach was dirty. 

[livelytee]

42 minutes ago, KarimaJ said:

What beach did you end up going to in Bimini? I heard the beach by the pier smells and was wondering if you encountered that? I also heard radio beach was dirty. 

The one by the pier is where we ended up.  It didn't have any smell that I recall but we did encounter stingrays!

[cruisetonowhere10]

49 minutes ago, KarimaJ said:

What beach did you end up going to in Bimini? I heard the beach by the pier smells and was wondering if you encountered that? I also heard radio beach was dirty. 

Good question…when we are there I think we’d spend an hour or two sitting on the beach just to say we did.  🙂

[dunedinmaiden]

19 hours ago, livelytee said:

Just got home from our 5 night sailing on the Reflection to Key West, Bimini & Nassau.  

 

LITTLE BACKGROUND: This is our 4th Cruise but 1st with Celebrity for all of us. We are early 50's and are cruising with 8 others as this was our daughters college graduation cruise. Being that she is early 20's we weren't sure if she would enjoy this cruise as she has only sailed on RCCL but she picked the cruise line and the itinerary. The other ages in the group range from mid 20's - 60's.

 

EMBARKATION: Our check in time was scheduled for 11:30, with a few of us scheduled for 12:30 however we flew into FLL that morning arriving at 8:50am. (something we never do but flights were scarce) One passenger was arriving from NY so we waited for her arrival.  We had prearranged transportation from the airport to the cruise port so we arrived to the cruise port before scheduled check in, approximately 10:30.  Once luggage was off loaded and given to the porters, we proceeded to terminal. We had a sky suite so we proceeded to designated Suite lounge area. Check in process was seamless.  Everyone else had Prime Concierge Balcony. They proceeded to their designated area and I'm told their check in was seamless as well.  We all proceeded to our rooms to drop off carry on bags then proceeded to designated muster station. Muster check in was quick.

 

CABINS: Husband and I had Aft Sky Suite on deck 12(turns out this was under OVC). Normally we select Midship rooms so this was different for us. The cabin itself was quite spacious I enjoyed the back of the ship view and wouldn't hesitate to stay in this room again. Since it was pretty early, the room was not cleaned upon arrival. There was a note that stated rooms would be ready by 1pm. We departed to Luminae for lunch.  In case you are wondering, we did have a butler BUT did not meet him until we had an issue.  More on that later.. 

As for the others who were staying in Concierge Class Balcony, they said rooms were decent and they were pleased.

Also, for those wondering, a footstool was on the balcony, but only 1.

 

DINING: We ate at Luminae for Embarkation lunch, dinner on 3 nights and most days for breakfast. Since we were with a large party, we did eat 2 nights in MDR and 1 breakfast in OVC. The food at all places was great.  No complaints.  Loved the fact that the classic menu items were available daily in case their wasn't anything appealing on the nightly menu for you to eat. I have a food allergy, and the waiter in MDR made sure to show me the upcoming nights menu in advance to see if there was something they needed to make accommodations for so I would be able to enjoy my meal. That as really appreciated. Personally enjoyed the staff in Luminae. They were very attentive and made you feel as if you were the only one in the dining room.  

 

SERVICE: The service on this ship was great overall.  Staff was friendly and attentive across the ship.  However, there was one small hiccup to our room being cleaned by 1pm.  As I stated above, we boarded, went to muster and then ate lunch. We arrived back to the room at 1:40pm and could tell the room was still not ready. (bathroom not cleaned, floors not vacuumed) We contacted room attendant via number left on card in room. The butler arrived instead and we explained the issue.  He contacted the room attendant and explained the issue as well. He informed us it would be taken care asap but that was not the case. We left room and headed to Michaels Club.  Grabbed some drinks from cooler, looked around and sat outside watching the sights.  Time passed and it was getting later (and we were tired due to the early flight) with no ETA on room being ready.  My husband saw a staff member walking past us (turns out he was restaurant manager) and he stopped him to ask him if he could speak with him.  He shared the story of our room not being ready and once he discovered we were Retreat guests, he make some calls and told us everything will be handled pronto. A few minutes later, a woman approached us and asked us to follow her. It turns out she was the Concierge Manager, Liz.  She asked us to explain our situation to her which we did.  She agreed that with the lateness of the hour, we should be in our rooms.  She made some additional phone calls to get to the bottom of the issue and confirmed that our room will be ready in a few minutes. Before sending us our our way she instructed us to call her anytime we had an issue during our cruise as she is 'assigned' to assist us as Retreat guests. We appreciated the attentiveness to get the situation resolved.

 

ENTERTAINMENT: Overall entertainment/shows was pretty good.  Having sailed majority on RCCL, I was not sure what to expect but the DJ, live music, silent headphone party and Broadway style shows were great. Comedian was ok. I felt his family show was better than the adult comedy show.  (Personal opinion). The Cruise Director, Luigi was the absolute best.  Engaging and very personable.  Kept the party going.

 

ACTIVITIES: The ship's activity calendar was full.  If you were looking for something to do, there was something for you. I did play Bingo.  I didn't win anything but it was fun.

 

PORTS: Key West was hot. We rented Golf carts to explore and take in the sights. I did enjoy a nice slice of Key lime pie from Kermit's where they have all things Key lime.  Bimini was our next stop. I wasn't sure what to expect in Bimini as this was my 1st time visiting. It's a very small island. I thought it was ok. There isn't much to do expect lay on the beach. If you like that, you will enjoy. We rented Golf carts here as well to explore. Nassau was our final destination which we had been too several times before.  We got off ship, visited straw market and headed to Fish Fry to grab something to eat.  

 

SPA: I had massages scheduled for husband and I. This was a highlight of the cruise.  We both felt very relaxed afterward.

 

RETREAT EXPERIENCE: Overall the Retreat experience was great. Both husband and I agreed that the service was from staff was top notch. From priority embarkation and debarkation, to dining in Luminae,  to making reservations for shows and visiting Michael's Club to grab drinks.  Butler did show back up to room periodically to check in and I even had him to get me a firmer pillow.  A pillow menu was supposed to be offered but I did not see one in room.  

 

DISEMBARKATION: Just as easy as getting on.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS:  Everyone agreed this was a great cruise, and I would definitely sail on the Reflection again.  

 

Feel free to ask any questions.  Thanks!

Hello @livelytee - Did you make a reservation for your Bimini golf cart ahead of time?  If so, may I ask what company and the price?  I've read some reviews that have said some golf cart companies have very run-down vehicles.  Thanks for your review!

[retired dude]

43 minutes ago, dunedinmaiden said:

Hello @livelytee - Did you make a reservation for your Bimini golf cart ahead of time?  If so, may I ask what company and the price?  I've read some reviews that have said some golf cart companies have very run-down vehicles.  Thanks for your review!

wish i could help on the golf cart ? and forgive me for getting off of the topic, but  kyle is going to be at the fenway on tuesday the 23d....hope to get there for a set and a cold beverage. take care.

[livelytee]

45 minutes ago, dunedinmaiden said:

Hello @livelytee - Did you make a reservation for your Bimini golf cart ahead of time?  If so, may I ask what company and the price?  I've read some reviews that have said some golf cart companies have very run-down vehicles.  Thanks for your review!

Hello. We did not make reservations in advance. Once we left the port and crossed over the bridge there was a golf cart company located right in front of us. We were a party of 10 so DH negotiated a rate $200 for a 6-seater & 4-seater. And yes, some of the vehicles were run down but you have the option to select something suitable before you drive off

[NCTribeFan]

I was in Bimini for the day on MSC Seashore (a side-to-side after my Summit sailing).  I'm pretty sure there was a free open-air bus that went around the island.  I rode that around and then just went back to the ship to enjoy time when most people were off the ship.

 

Is that still a thing?  I'll probably do the same this time, just to get off the ship for a little while.

[chemmo]

Thank you for your review. We are back on reflection next year after a long gap.

 

How did you find the ambiance, service in Michael’s Club?

 

Was the room still in good shape or beginning to look it’s age?

[livelytee]

13 hours ago, NCTribeFan said:

I was in Bimini for the day on MSC Seashore (a side-to-side after my Summit sailing).  I'm pretty sure there was a free open-air bus that went around the island.  I rode that around and then just went back to the ship to enjoy time when most people were off the ship.

 

Is that still a thing?  I'll probably do the same this time, just to get off the ship for a little while.

If that was available I didn't see it

[livelytee]

6 hours ago, chemmo said:

Thank you for your review. We are back on reflection next year after a long gap.

 

How did you find the ambiance, service in Michael’s Club?

 

Was the room still in good shape or beginning to look it’s age?

I thought the service was great. We mainly went in and grabbed drinks from the cooler but each time I went in there people were sitting at the bar or on the sofas engaging in conversation. The club itself does look a little dated due to the brown color scheme but nothing that would stop me from visiting. 

[Tldmat1]

Thanks for the review.  We have an upcoming Celebrity cruise that arrives in Key West from Port Everglades. The schedule shows an arrival time of 7:00 AM.  Do you know the earliest time one can expect to get of the ship in Key West.  TIA

[chemmo]

7 hours ago, livelytee said:

I thought the service was great. We mainly went in and grabbed drinks from the cooler but each time I went in there people were sitting at the bar or on the sofas engaging in conversation. The club itself does look a little dated due to the brown color scheme but nothing that would stop me from visiting. 

Thank you! Sooooo looking forward to our cruise!

[livelytee]

20 hours ago, Tldmat1 said:

Thanks for the review.  We have an upcoming Celebrity cruise that arrives in Key West from Port Everglades. The schedule shows an arrival time of 7:00 AM.  Do you know the earliest time one can expect to get of the ship in Key West.  TIA

The exact times to be able to clear the ship was listed on the X app for each port. I believe it was as soon as they get the all clear. They made a daily announcement. We did have a delay in Nassau by 30-45 mins which allowed us to stay in Nassau an extra 1hr. 

[dacsmom]

Thank you for your review. I will be on the Reflection next month. I am so looking forward to my frozen chocolate covered key lime pie on a stick from Kermit's.

[livelytee]

I loved Kermit's!