Celebrity Reflection January 14 to 21 2017

Hey, Norris! I'm on the Reflection now! Thanks for your amazing reviews of the Silhouette and the Reflection!! I felt very prepared for what to expect. My husband and 16-year-old daughter can't believe how much I know about this ship. [emoji6] Like I said before, this is my first cruise. It is amazing! Everything thing about this cruise has been amazing! I'm in an S1 Sky Suite and Celebrity really knows how to treat its suite guests. They really go above and beyond in the service department, and the food is to die for. I'll have to hit up the future cruises desk before I leave for sure.

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Hi Norris

I am another hooked fan of your reviews. I started reading your Silhouette 2016 thinking it would give me some idea if I would like to visit the Carribean. Little did I know the huge joy these reviews would bring your stunning photo's and wit really warmed up the dismal British winter days.

Enjoying your trip down memory lane and can't wait for your next adventure later this year.

Ann

Hey, Norris! I'm on the Reflection now! Thanks for your amazing reviews of the Silhouette and the Reflection!! I felt very prepared for what to expect. My husband and 16-year-old daughter can't believe how much I know about this ship. [emoji6] Like I said before, this is my first cruise. It is amazing! Everything thing about this cruise has been amazing! I'm in an S1 Sky Suite and Celebrity really knows how to treat its suite guests. They really go above and beyond in the service department, and the food is to die for. I'll have to hit up the future cruises desk before I leave for sure.

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Welcome and thanks for reading those two giant reviews. That they make you an expert Reflection guide for your husband and daughter is icing on my cake!

Agreed on the Suite experience on X- it is a focus of the line (heightened on Edge) but of course they have to dazzle all the passengers and feed and entertain them well. I haven't heard many complain on the ship when I talk to them although on my last morning up on deck I spoke to a guy who thought the food "terrible" and he knew the reason why- "a lot of damned Mexicans in the kitchen". I walked away from this genius rather than engage him. Life's too short to practice verbal brain surgery on someone that far gone. My sympathy to his wife.

If there was a Trump edict tomorrow that all Mexicans in Chicago had to leave in one hour then there would be no restaurants opening that night. Of any cuisine.

I've yet to meet one who wasn't decent and hard working and 30% of my employees are Hispanic and give a great effort every day.

You are of course having a great cruise-Celebrity (like Princess) deliver a great experience for the spend. I hope you'll be curious enough to check out some of my Princess reviews when you have some spare time.

Thanks for stopping by and for the kind things you say about my reviews. Yes, book another cruise while still onboard and get a sweet deal!

Norris

Hi Norris

 

I am another hooked fan of your reviews. I started reading your Silhouette 2016 thinking it would give me some idea if I would like to visit the Carribean. Little did I know the huge joy these reviews would bring your stunning photo's and wit really warmed up the dismal British winter days.

Enjoying your trip down memory lane and can't wait for your next adventure later this year.

Ann

Hi Ann and hi Northamptonshire! Alas one of the few English counties I haven't visited.

I am as you know always happy to see a new face (screen name). I can see that a lot of people read my stuff but most do so anonymously. As long as it gets read-that's the important thing to me. I've learned from reading other people's reviews and hope to pay-back as it were, but I am not a dry facts kind of person and so the humor that is present in my everyday life no matter who I am dealing with has to appear. Life is too short to be dull.

The next adventure, besides our 4th visit to Houston a month or so from now, is a much anticipated cruise on the Regal Princess-a design that I have been a critic of but all the ports will be new and I know the entertainment and food will be high caliber. We are Elite on Princess already and from that you can gather that they are not garbage-quite the opposite. Read some of my Princess reviews or my comparison with Celebrity. Carol and I are very happy with our cruise line choices. Who will be our third cruise line? I don't know yet. I know we will sail Celebrity Edge.

Thanks for the great response! Much obliged.

Norris

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I told you about the new scanner Carol has-the remarkable Epson FastFoto which lives up to it's name. I can't scan the brochure pages unless I separate them and that's not an option for me as I intend stapling the brochure back together again when this is over and then presenting it to the Smithsonian. I'll get back to the brochure soon.

In the meantime there are more photos from those halcyon days....

The ruins at Tulum, Mexico

 

 

Cruise staff friends



 

Casino friend Barry

 

Dunno River Falls, Ocho Rios, Jamaica

 

 



 

Two members of the 2nd steel band who came aboard when the 1st went home to Barbados between contracts. Dunno River Falls with Spider at left and my close friend Cecil. They played in the disco on our night off (Tuesday in Ocho) and I always went to listen to dem reggae riddums. They are from St Lucia. Never been there.

I went on a Carnival cruise in I think 1990-Southern Caribbean as far as Venezuela and it left from San Juan. I think the ship was the Sensation (?) Walking the dark streets of the Old Town with my then wife from NJ I saw in the gloom my old friend Cecil walking down the other side of the street and we stopped to chat for a while. What were the odds?



As with everyone in these 30 year old pics, except Dave and Paul from the band who are FB friends and my dear friend John who got me into RCCL but is now no longer living the question "where are they now?" always arises.



30 years is a long time...

I am traveling down memory lane with you Norris. You look like a model in so many pics. You could write a book on your experiences. I think it would hit the best seller list. RC was good for our family plus friends for cruising from 2009-2014. I hope they treat their crew well. We had excellent service from every one on each ship.

Carol's scanner is amazing. I need to look more into buying one. I have so many old pics that need to be saved somewhere besides a box.

As always, thank you for all of your time. I hope you are enjoying the memories as well.

Beatles once again

Norris,

I am late to the reading of your magnificent cruise. You and Carol seem to be totally enjoying yourself.

I am currently on page 15 and know that I have many, many more pages to read.

I just want to thank you for the time and effort it takes for you to share with the rest of us here.

Your style is informative and entertaining. Wonderful!!!

Hi Norris,

A new follower here. I have read your entire post and have enjoyed your writing and your pictures immensely.

You seemed to have led a very interesting diverse life and Live life to the fullest.

Love reading about your cruise ship band days, now that seemed like you had a blast and you sure painted a picture that it was very enjoyable and cherish your memories of the experiences. 30 years is a long time and I am envious of your memory.

I will have to look up your other reviews to enjoy more of your writing and awesome pictures.

Thanks

Within this white steel shell I lived, worked, slept, ate, talked to people from 40 different countries and cultures, laughed until my face hurt for 32 weeks in a row, never leaving the ship for more than 8 hours or so at a time (Bar the pneumonia incident). All my worldly goods were in my cabin as I had sold all my drums, records, stereo, furniture etc before leaving London, not intending to return. I returned for one day in 1994 and not since then. Heathrow to change planes for a flight to Belfast doesn't count. (2002, 2003).

 

 

 

 

 

 

I only knew the SON from the perspective of an employee. After the first couple of cruises I didn't go to sleep at night/early morning giddy at the prospect of seeing Ocho Rios again. That was just where I'd be every Tuesday and I'd definitely have the Jamaican Pepperpot soup that night and the sirloin steak. I'd have a couple of Red Stripes ashore and fight off the basket sales ladies laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. Monday would have been Labadee and a swim.Cayman 7 Mile Beach and a lot of swimming and laying on a lounger drinking a couple of rum and cokes before my nap on board. Cozumel usually a ride over to El Presidente Hotel (crew members welcome) to snorkel and swim up to the bar in their pool for a rum and coke.

 

Those loungers you see aft are where I ended each day (unless raining or in a hurricane)

drinking beer and having a smoke with my band guys, quoting references and lines from Monty Python and cracking each other up. We didn't have to work for many hours and we knew the weather would be good tomorrow as it was 80 degrees right now under a sky just full of the stars that you miss living in London, where i had dwelled for 12 years of my life to date.





The passengers except that occasional couple trying to start a family in the nude on Promenade deck above were all a-bed dreaming of the Diamonds that lay just 100 nautical miles in the dark away. I had no doubt they were enjoying their vacation as I spoke to many of them everyday as I was free to mingle. Not so the room stewards and waiters and deck crews from Norway and the Philippines. Passengers were off-limits.

The small but cosy and dramatic Viking Crown lounge

 

 

Off-limits to crew but as I knew the bartenders and the Security Officer I was welcome and I loved the quiet sophistication of this bar and the view. "This is a bar like no other" I thought to myself. Kudos to RCCL from the get go in launching a successful brand!

 

 

 

Nikon shots[/quote

 

Norris,

The pictures of you and your adventures on the Song of Norway are as cool as the other side of the pillow!! Well done my friend:cool:

 

 

Trip

I am traveling down memory lane with you Norris. You look like a model in so many pics. You could write a book on your experiences. I think it would hit the best seller list. RC was good for our family plus friends for cruising from 2009-2014. I hope they treat their crew well. We had excellent service from every one on each ship.

 

Carol's scanner is amazing. I need to look more into buying one. I have so many old pics that need to be saved somewhere besides a box.

 

As always, thank you for all of your time. I hope you are enjoying the memories as well.

Regarding RCCL treating their crew well- I certainly had no complaints as I was well looked after and worked for a great fun jovial friendly Aussie who loved my band. I remember him on the dance floor which was packed to a dangerous level and he was grinning ear to ear and shouted to us-"They hate you!". The more packed it was the more I liked it as I could blast away and sweat dripping off my face was a great excuse for a few refreshing beers afterwards.

Paid regularly, fed very well. Had a man come in to make the bed and bring clean towels and clean the bathroom. Free laundry and a fun work environment. Dirt cheap beer and smokes. Fun work environment. Treated well and fairly -no complaints.

The scanner does one picture in under a second and loads from a hopper so you can put 30 or so pics in (of the same size) and press one button and off it goes!

I think this is post 1,000 and so thanks to all who have kept this on page 1 for so long and have been supportive. It's not work when you have a great audience.

Norris

Norris,

I am late to the reading of your magnificent cruise. You and Carol seem to be totally enjoying yourself.

 

I am currently on page 15 and know that I have many, many more pages to read.

 

I just want to thank you for the time and effort it takes for you to share with the rest of us here.

Your style is informative and entertaining. Wonderful!!!

Teresa,thanks for the kind compliments!

I see you are sailing Ruby Princess in October. So far she is the only ship we have sailed twice-a splendid time is guaranteed for all!

Cheers!

Norris

Hi Norris,

 

A new follower here. I have read your entire post and have enjoyed your writing and your pictures immensely.

 

You seemed to have led a very interesting diverse life and Live life to the fullest.

 

Love reading about your cruise ship band days, now that seemed like you had a blast and you sure painted a picture that it was very enjoyable and cherish your memories of the experiences. 30 years is a long time and I am envious of your memory.

 

I will have to look up your other reviews to enjoy more of your writing and awesome pictures.

 

Thanks

Hi and welcome and thanks for taking the time to read the whole thing thus far which is something I haven't done and I will wait a week or two after I finish before reading it.

Yes please do read some of the other reviews (or all) as I have been on some fine ships to some fine ports.

My memory is triggered by the photos-I don't go around thinking about 1986 much normally and that's the reason why I take so many photos in my life now that I have good cameras. I write the reviews so that our cruises have a URL where they can be stored if we need to revisit later in life. I only print 12 photos a year for our Walgreens calendar so have no interest in photo albums. If I give someone a URL they can read it when they want and read as much as they want or can stand. There's no flipping album pages while a trapped visitor to your home nods off to sleep next to you-"here's one of Fred in front of the Eiffel tower. This one is Fred pretending he's pushing the Eiffel tower over. This is Fred pretending to hold the Eiffel tower in his hand".....and so on.

I hope to see you in my future reviews-pop in and say Hi.

Norris

The pictures of you and your adventures on the Song of Norway are as cool as the other side of the pillow!! Well done my friend:cool:

Trip

 

Trip, I'm glad you are finding this interesting. It's certainly a different ending to a cruise review and I can only do it once-like my Princess vs X comparison- and as that's the case I feel I have to show a lot of pics to flesh out the detail.

The ship became my Universe very quickly and I didn't care what was going on in the rest of the world. I'd have to look up Wikipedia to see what major events were happening that year. There was no internet, no cell phones smaller than an Army field radio. I don't know if I read a newspaper the whole time I was there. I was in a bubble but I did send letters and postcards and got replies. It was a whirlwind of relaxation and a few hours of very enjoyable work at night and as you've seen I had a lot of good company. Some of the people I had forgotten until I looked at the photos but that's not a reflection on them but on my brain which is clogged with great experiences. I've had a lucky life.

Thanks for continuing to read!

Norris

Just chiming in as one of your many anonymous readers - still here from page 1 on and absolutely loving the time machine journey back to the '80s. Always wondered what life was like aboard ship. Thank you so much for sharing all this. Eagerly looking forward to more. :D

One RCCL trademark seen on most of their ships is the Viking Crown Lounge and it began life on the SON design. It was compact and intimate and a cosy place to have a drink and a chat while getting a good view.

 

 



 

 

Anytime I saw the Starward I had to take a photo as she was such a pretty ship



 

 



 

 



 

 

 

Norris - You got me to look back into the dust and cobwebs and I came up with these for you from our honeymoon in 1990.

Midnight buffet pics:

FRUIT (and veggie carvings)

CHEESE AND BREAD (Alligators, Turtles and a Peacock)

DESSERTS

We were told that they made those white sculptures out of margarine...looked more like Crisco to me.

SHRIMP ANYONE?

Thanks Peggy! I am just seeing the picture of the margarine ship. Is everyone else seeing what I am seeing?

Norris, bummed.

I'm not seeing any images - just the words with big blank spaces between.

Thanks Peggy! I am just seeing the picture of the margarine ship. Is everyone else seeing what I am seeing?

Norris, bummed.

That's all I see as well.

Robert

Thanks Peggy! I am just seeing the picture of the margarine ship. Is everyone else seeing what I am seeing?

Norris, bummed.

Are you only seeing the one photo? or just seeing the one margarine sculpture?

The first pic has a greek urn and a viking boat with Minnie and Mickey in it, and the shrimp pic has a man in a sombrero.

I've been having trouble posting pics. I thought my Google pictures were working.

FRUIT AND VEGGIE CARVINGS - If this doesn't work, Norris please email me at my link below and I'll email them to you. They are not large.