Theologator

Our anniversary is also in January. We find cruise rates are among the lowest of the year. We snagged a Celebrity cruise on Reflection for a bit LESS than HA & Carnival with similar itinerary. We lived it and will stick with Celebrity.

As for weather, since you'll likely save on the booking, go 1-2 days early & enjoy the departure city. I'd love to have a day or two to explore Puerto Rico. And you'll get the best Caribbean weather.

Have fun and early congrats on 30 years!

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The race is on - who will get there first? The U.S. Embassy or Diamonds International?

Seriously, it will take time to build the infrastructure to receive cruise ships - docks and markets. I grew up with Cuban neighbors and friends in Florida and always heard how beautiful it is. I'm not sure a cruise stop will satisfy my curiosity, but it would be a natural (and much needed) destination to spice up Western Caribbean routes.

I wonder how their government will handle the immediate burst of small-time free market entrepreneurs competing to snag a few cruiser dollars?

Also need to note that the Cubans who emigrated in the late 1950's and early 1960's lost everything - nationalized businesses, personal effects, everything. Their voices should be heard in all this.

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never did celebrity out of Miami, just RCCL years ago. don't like being at the end of the line. will check out that garage. when was the last time you used it?

Hi,

It was January of this year. I researched it very thoroughly and it was fine. I even looked at the Miami-Dade police crime map & there had been no incidents in that garage. It is gated etc., and on the Saturdays we were there that area was extremely quiet.

We used a garage at 1430 NE 2nd Ave through globalairportparking dot com. It was safe, very quick and easy to the port. Coming back we waited 30 minutes or so, but friends we made on the cruise who were just 5 minutes behind us disembarking had to wait 90 minutes or more.

One problem is that the Celebrity terminal is last on the loop through the port, so your shuttle fills up before it ever gets to you. With 6-7 ships coming in the same morning it is a zoo. You could also hail a cab for your ride back to the garage for about $20.

All good reasons to book a cabin with a big balcony! :)

 

On any cruise ship we much prefer the view of the ocean to the view of either a lawn or a swimming pool, which we can get at home without going on a cruise. ;)

 

The last day of our cruise 2 weeks ago it was windy & cool on the deck. Few were out there at all & we decided it was going to he an inside day. Then we happily discovered our regular port balcony had the afternoon sun & we were shielded from the wind. Turned out to be a perfect alcove for the afternoon.

So yeah - I'm with you.

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Hi All

 

We're sailing on Reflection in Apr for the Transatlantic for 16 nights. We would like an alcove as never been on a ship with these before and look like something different but also somewhere quiet and relaxing to go.

 

We were considering booking just one of the sea days then decided perhaps 3 of the sea days. But was advised if we book the whole cruise we get a discount which would mean we'd get around 4 of the port days for free.

 

We have 8 sea days plus 7 port days. Now we plan to get off ship at every port and will prob be off all day so really wouldn't get much use of them on those days until we get back on ship then it's time for dinner etc.

 

But if we like them after the first sea day we'll prob want it for the remaining 8 sea days which is near enough the same cost as booking for the whole cruise with discount.

 

As we'll be on a TA then the weather will get cooler as we go across so could make good use out of them on the 7 sea days before our first port.

 

Has anyone else booked them for the entire cruise and what did you think or should we just go for a few of the sea days?

 

Thanks

We sailed on Reflection last month and I wasn't tempted by the alcoves at all. On port days you'll likely have your run of the ship. On sea days the weather would determine if the alcoves made sense. That would seem more iffy on a TA?

We stumbled across a wonderful, cozy and extraordinarily comfy spot in the Solarium on a windy, off & on rainy day. Next to the hot tubs were cabana style seats for two. The cushions were excellent. We could easily turn them outward to watch the sea, which was quite private, or inward to look at the fountain and waterfall in the solarium. With the Solarium's quiet music and proximity to the Aqua Spa Cafe, it felt perfect.

And we were surprised to find them little used. We went back several times and always found them available. You cannot reserve them, but we enjoyed them.

Just a thought. :)

I have heard others go and talk with the MatreeD in the Main Dinning room to request seats/table by the window. We have a group of 8 people, and the last cruise I was on, I was by the window and I LOVED it!!!!

 

Is this possible?

I'd tip the maitre d $20 at the very start of your cruise, explain your wish and trust his/her best effort will ensue. If you're in one of the set seatings, you should try to get this done as soon as you get on board. I don't know if you would be able to communicate earlier your wishes earlier than that via email.

SHIP: Celebrity Reflection

CABIN #: 7249

DECK #: 7

CLASS: Veranda 2B

AREA: Port, just aft of atrium

BED NEAR: Bathroom/Wardrobe

QUIET?: Very quiet

BALCONY VIEW: Unobstructed, "hump" is immediately to the right but not a bother.

BALCONY SIZE: Normal

WIND A PROBLEM?: No, not even on very windy days.

SOOT A PROBLEM?: No

PROBLEMS/COMMENTS: We had no problem with either noise or smoke coming from the deck 5 smoking area 2 decks below. Fantastic views coming into San Juan, PR and St. Thomas. Very conveniently close to The Atrium elevators, stairs & The Hideaway. Did hear the harbor pilot's boat approach early Saturday morning.

Hi everyone,

 

First time cruiser here, Just wanted to say thanks a million for all of your posts. I have been researching Miami parking options for a couple of days now and this forum helped me tremendously.

My question about the offsite lot mentioned (1415 NE 2nd Ave) is how do you know where to pick up the shuttle vans and in addition, do they charge any fees?

Thanks again for ALL of you help.

TCruizer

Charlotte, NC

As I noted earlier in this thread, the pick-up area is a zoo. There are dozens of ground transportation companies, cabs and individuals dropping people off and picking them up in the same area. You have to walk over to the "Ground Transportation" at your terminal and keep your eyes peeled for the Premier van - make sure you get a good look at it at the start of your cruise. It may stop anywhere in the ground transportation zone. They do not charge extra for the transfer to or from the garage. Tipping the staff a few bucks is appropriate.

Alternatively, it is a fairly short cab ride back to the garage. If I had to wait longer than the 30 minutes or so, I'd pay a taxi.

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Hello,

 

Im from Brazil and im going to miami to do a cruise to bahamas, i read this tread about parking and reserved the 1415 NE 2nd Ave parking, on Reservation they send me an atachement with Driver Directions, in this document syas for not use a gps System becuse not work well to this adress, plz anyone thats really know the parking, can post a link of Google Street view thats show de parking entrace??

 

Tkx!

This is the Google street view, but it looks a little different now as that paint job has faded. The lot was easy for us to find. The entrance is right on NE 2nd Ave, just north of 14th Street on the east side of the road. There is a huge mural of a crowd of people, mainly black & white, on the south side of the building. You should see a small sign on the sidewalk that says "cruise parking", kind if like the one in the picture.

Esta é a vista da rua do Google, mas parece um pouco diferente agora, como esse trabalho de pintura desapareceu. O lote foi fácil para nós encontrar. A entrada é direito no NE 2nd Ave, ao norte da 14th Street, no lado leste da estrada. Há uma enorme mural de uma multidão de pessoas, principalmente em preto e branco, no lado sul do edifício. Você deverá ver uma pequena placa na calçada que diz "estacionamento de cruzeiro", tipo se como a da foto.

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We are just back from our cruise. We did use the garage at 1415 NE 2nd Ave (contact info is listed earlier in this thread.). The total cost for us was just under $60 for a 7-day cruise.

Arrival

The garage was easy to find and they had people stationed at various points to guide us up to the top level. While some spaces are covered, most are on the top level of the garage. One should not expect covered parking - and there seemed no way in place to reserve it. The garage is very obviously safe, especially up on the 5th floor.

We had to trundle our bags 40-50 feet to join the queue for the next van. The vans are basic, 12-passenger with luggage space in the back. It appeared they have 2 vans. We waited 15-20 minutes. It was a breezy 75-ish so the wait was pleasant. The trip to the port was very quick. Curb side drop-off was very handy and seemed an advantage over wrestling bags from the terminal parking unless you were very close.

The Return

Terminal G was a zoo. Celebrity let us disembark at 8:50am, so we wound up getting through customs and to the curb around 9:45. By then, there were hundreds on the terminal curb awaiting their ground transportation. And early birds were starting to arrive. The array of cabs, vans, private vehicles and buses was intense and confusing. I imagine it would be worse at Terminal F which had 2 Carnival ships plus airport connections for Miami and Ft. Lauderdale all together. We quickly found the Premier van but it was full. The driver called in to HQ and let them know we were there.

We had to wait another 30 minutes or so. That felt like forever but it really wasn't very long. Several other Premier customers happened along, but there was only room for 4 in the next van. I don't think finding them would be any harder than finding any other transportation.

As it turned out, we discovered we had a dead battery when we got to our car. With an hour wait for AAA, the attendants directed my wife to a bathroom in an adjacent office building. That was kind.

I would definitely use them again.

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Thank you for getting back with me. The itineraries look great, especially for a 7 day cruise.

 

Since I have not done a Celebrity cruise before, are they much more expensive than a Carnival, Holland, or Royal cruise? If so, about how much more? I know it depends upon what state room we have, but on an average, is it $100, 200, or 300 or more?

It depends entirely on the promotions, timing, etc. We snagged our cruise (Reflection TOMORROW!!!!!!!!) under a promotion that made it actually $200 or so less expensive than Carnival or HAL apples to apples with itinerary, balcony cabin, etc.

Do a little homework, talk to a travel agent or two or three, peruse the various cruise deal websites and see what you can find.

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Thanks for the info. The Port of Miami Cruise Parking, is apparently a sponsor of cruise critic or at least that's what it says on here. Their address and phone number are listed as follows: 150 NE 7th St, Miami, Florida 33132. + 800 564 5108.

 

If I don't hear good things I will just park at the POM at $20/day. The global place sounds too scary based on a lot of info on hear. This site I have heard nothing until now. Thank you for your help.

You're welcome.

I have checked the Miami-Dade police department's crime map several times over the last 10 months or so. I don't have the link handy but you can find it easily.

I found there were no crimes reported at the parking garage we are using at 14th & 2nd over the past year. (I think it is worth noting the site we are using is a garage, not a lot. It is locked at night.) There have been a few crimes reported within a block or two.

The crime map shows dozens of crimes reported at the official cruise terminal garages. Thousands, maybe tens of thousands, of people use those garages every week so that is an extremely tiny percentage. But still, it's hard to beat zero.

I wouldn't use the other offsite lots in the area. They have scores of complaints on many sites like this and TripAdvisor, and the crime map is frankly disturbing for them.

Also worth noting: we are really talking about $80 +/- difference and some minimal convenience issues. Your peace of mind while enjoying your cruise is much more important. Whatever you decide, have a great trip!

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There is a website which says they are the closest parking lot to the Port of Miami. Their website is: www.PortofMiamiCruiseParking.com and they charge $6.00 per day. You can go to the website and pay in advance and then owe nothing when you pick up the car.

 

They say they are within walking distance and their lot has a perimeter fence. Has anyone tried this?

Hi,

We did a lot of research on this and found just one offsite parking option that looks worthwhile. The hotel stay-shuttle option would work but it doesn't save you much.

We are parking at a garage that I booked through GlobalAirportParking dot com. We paid about $60 for the week. I think the rates may be slightly higher now. You can get their best rate if you contact them directly at:

800-435-3195 or

premiercruisepark@bellsouth.net

If you do this, specify the garage at 1415 NE 2nd Ave. There are several lots and companies with similar names. This is the only offsite parking I found that seemed safe and without a torrent of complaints on this and other web sites.

We leave Saturday and I will share our experience after we return.

I hope this is helpful.

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Its seems in the past we always wander around aimlessly not knowing where to go and ending up where everyone else is in long lines!! Bistro on 5 or Mast Grill sound like great choices....

 

What about other spots to just hang out as I imagine the pool area will be very crowded?

The Porch - $5 up-charge. High, good views of the Miami skyline, etc., not crowded.

 

BUT looking at the You Tube video of Vibes, and they look like just our taste! Hoping to find a similar band on the Constellation.

We're in our 50's and boarding Reflection 2 weeks from today. Can you post (or re-post) the video you reference?

Thanks!

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I'm glad you enjoyed it and hope that it helps you to enjoy your rapidly approaching Reflection cruise.

 

It's all about timing. I had more difficulty on this cruise since there were so many sea days, so there are more people in the photos than I prefer. I do like to get up early and roam the decks; as well as later at night. But most of the photos are taken during the daytime hours; with me patiently waiting for people to get out of the shots. Or, of course I can keep them out by framing differently.

Thanks for explaining that. I grew worried Reflection was a ghost ship!

This is definitely an MVP review. We board in 15 days(!!!) Thanks so much!

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And you might find this thread helpful:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=37985842&posted=1#post37985842

Enjoy!

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Thanks everyone! We are sailing on the reflection in January. We've only been one other cruise which was disney dream... We have no idea what to expect but we are really excited!

We're taking our first Celebrity cruise (2nd ever) on Reflection in January, too, leaving 1/11. Can't wait! It's a spectacular ship. I've been watching and it's CruiseCritic rating keeps climbing.

If you haven't seen this yet, here's an amazingly comprehensive & precise review. They have menus, "dailies", etc. all posted& easy to read. If you go to their home page they have general cruise advice too:

http://www.thepreismans.com/ecarib_reflection.htm

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We are on Reflection Feb 1 and would love to see the dailies if you can post them.

You can see them here...

http://www.thepreismans.com/ecarib_reflection.htm

We go 1/11...can't wait!!!

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Great review & much easier to peruse it on your page than as a series of posts.

We board Reflection on 1/11/14...GREAT pictures -thanks for helping to build our anticipation.

Sandi,

Now within 3 weeks of our cruise on Reflection, I've made this picture the wallpaper on my phone. And I note you posted it last year on our anniversary (we're sailing a week prior for the itinerary.)

Anyway, thanks again for sharing a great review with wonderful pictures.

Can't wait! :)

Tim

Can't get into anything today. Can't log in. Can't get in through online check in. Can't get any Captains Club info up. Everything just directs me back to a page of contacts. It is so frustrating.

No trouble at all just now.

So strange how it works for some but not all, regardless of browser. I've had it not work one minute then be perfectly fine the next.

Makes me wonder if it has to do, at least in part, with their site security? Maybe it is too touchy about evaluating servers or IP addresses?

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Here is my therapy chair hog practicing for our next cruise. Her name is Miss Pigglesworth Hogginston.

 

You win. Best post I've ever seen on CruiseCritic. EVER! :):):):):)

I don't have trouble because I'd much rather look at the ocean than a pool. I'd much rather look out than in. I last longer in shade than direct sun. I'd rather hear music from a distance than directly around me.

And I have zero trouble removing - or having removed - towels from an abandoned or "reserved" chair. If someone raises a fuss, I'll move. No biggie. Kindness goes a long way.