Not Impressed With Celebrity Reflection 7/1-14/2014

[sweetpea143]

We're a family of 3 with a 17 y/o teenage son. We've cruised frequently over the past 14 years, mostly on Disney Cruise Line and NCL and twice on Holland America. We understood that Celebrity was an upscale line and did not expect what we encountered.

First: the balcony cabin was great and very clean. The cabin steward was attentive and helpful. The main dining room wait staff was efficient and pleasant and went above an beyond to help.

Embarkation was a breeze. But they kept our passports and said they would be returned later in the cruise. That is fine, but they also tell you that if you miss the ship from any port, you are responsible to transport yourself to the next port to meet the ship. How is that possible when they retain your passport? When cruising from Italy to Greece and Turkey, you need your passport if you encounter a problem or miss the ship. Yet, Celebrity refuses to give you possession and control of your own passport. We've had booze confiscated on a cruise, but passports?

We did not leave from Civitavecchia as scheduled because of a mechanical issue which took over 24 hours to repair, on a ship which had its inaugural season last year. So, we sat in port and missed Messina. Celebrity offered passengers a free shuttle into Civitavecchia, which was nice, but so what? We wanted to return to Rome to spend the lost day and Celebrity would not offer free transport to Rome, but they were anxious to sell us their brand new, over priced transport excursion back into Rome. Celebrity did give us a $250 credit for the missed port and that was nice, but coming from the U.S., the port we had never visited was worth far more then the $250.

I purchased a 2 day Persian Gardens Spa pass. First day, spa was unkempt. Dirty towels piled up for hours in the sauna and in the heated lounge area. Used pedicure slippers sat by the water station (which was never refilled in the several hours I was present) and were not picked up by staff. While on the heated loungers, a couple came in looking for chairs and sat and waited and waited. Four of the 5 chairs were unused, but occupied by chair hogs, who could be seen in the adjacent sauna. This is against their rules, so I finally informed the couple and they went to inform spa staff. The couple returned and said that spa staff told them to confront the chair hogs and move their belongings from the chair. Really? They set a guest up to confront another guest? The couple did confront the people in the sauna and moved the items from 2 chairs. Shortly thereafter, a couple women exited the sauna and were yelling about what he did with their items. That service is indicative of Walmart, nit an upscale cruise line. The steam room and sauna and overall cleanliness were so uncomfortable, I cancelled the remaining day of my pass.

Reflection has bands and DLs playing and people (mostly cruise line staff) dancing every nigh in the main foyer in front of guest services. They don't have an actual place for people to go and sit and listen to music or dance. So, if you want to dance, you're in the foyer while 3 decks of passengers walk by, watch you and laugh. This is so uncomfortable. We look forward to dancing on cruises and this was a disappointment. One night, our Daily listed the DJ at the Sky lounge (great place, nice views, with a dance floor) starting at 10PM. We arrived shortly after 10PM, and there was no DJ. When we inquired, we were told that the DJ didn't show up. It was ok with everyone but the passengers, that the DJ didn't show up.

When the DJ and ban play in the main foyer, they are in front of Guest Relations. So, passengers trying to address an issue with Guest Relations in person, while the band/DJ is playing, have a challenge. Passengers trying to contact Guest Relations on the phone during the same time, need to give up. We learned this the hard way.

W\We ate in Q"Sine only as a specialty restaurant. It was very good, but not $45 pp good. Our friends who were traveling with us and had linked reservations, were with us. That family consisted of the parents, a 16 y/o boy and a 14 y/o girl and an 11 y/o girl turning 12 on the cruise...the night we're at Q'Sine. The Mother and 11 y/o (turning 12) go to the public ladies bathroom during dinner and find a locked door. Then a male officer in uniform unlocks the door, exits and comments that the bathroom is clean. Inside, a female staff member was cleaning the bathroom. Really? Yuck.

This could occur on any cruise line, but it occurred here, on Celebrity and we're unsettled. So, I try to report this incident from my cabin that night since our friend did not want her children to hear her report it and focus on it further. I tried to call Guest Relations for 45 minutes from my cabin and they did not answer and I did not get a recording. I called the next morning and they confirmed their policy was to answer within a small number of rings. I realized they didn't answer because they didn't hear the phone with the band, the DJ and the dancing. How asinine. Who thought to put the music and dancing in front of Guest Relations? When I reported the bathroom incident to a supervisor in Guest Reltions, she was wonderful and called back to inform me that security had viewed the video, had confirmed the events, and had confirmed that the male officer had no official business in the women's bathroom with janitorial staff. Yep...in a public ladies' bathroom at prime time, with women and female children trying to enter to use the bathroom. Very creepy and gross. We appreciate the candor and that what was observed and reported was not dismissed. Both families are still trying to convey to our children that it was inappropriate behavior and possibly abusive behavior by a male in authority over a female with no authority.

Tender ports were a disorganized fiasco. You learned late the night before arriving at the tender port that you had to be at Guest Relations at 7AM the following morning to get a tender ticket to exit the ship. Why not inform passengers earlier? The line to get tender tickets was longer then the line of passengers with tickets who wanted to board the tender. The food was average. The shows were average. We did not think this was a premium cruise line. We will return to Disney for a premium line and will sail NCL for a good line at a fair price. Celebrity is not premium and to us, is not worth the extra expense. We don't anticipate sailing Celebrity any time in the near future.

[Project_gal]

Embarkation was a breeze. But they kept our passports and said they would be returned later in the cruise. That is fine, but they also tell you that if you miss the ship from any port, you are responsible to transport yourself to the next port to meet the ship. How is that possible when they retain your passport? When cruising from Italy to Greece and Turkey, you need your passport if you encounter a problem or miss the ship. Yet, Celebrity refuses to give you possession and control of your own passport. We've had booze confiscated on a cruise, but passports?

 

Celebrity, and other cruise lines, hold passengers' passports to expedite immigration procedures in certain ports. It is invariably at the request of the immigration authorities. In those ports, the alternative is that every passenger would need to present their own passport at the port. Immigration clearance through the ship is preferable.

 

If you miss a port, you will find that the ship will hand your travel documents to the port authorities before departing.

 

The rest of your review sounded extremely familiar. Have you posted it before?

[Keith1010]

Sorry the cruise didn't work for you.

 

Keith

[gordylad]

we cruised on the 23 June sailing and as usual had a great time so cant relate to anything you have mentioned

[barney50]

I was on the same cruise and had such a wonderful time that I booked a Scandanavia & Russia cruise for next July.

Brian

[durante]

I was on the very second cruise of Reflection back in 2012, and even then the loud music was deafening near the Guest Relations Desk. It is really disruptive, and how annoying it must be for the staff behind the desk that you have to sometimes shout at them, instead of talking quietly to them. Am sorry this is still continuing, however it is hard to solve this problem due to the open design, unless they take the radical and seemingly impossible step to turn down the volume?

 

Regarding the other issue re the public bathroom, I am glad you reported this.

[wallie5446]

Were any of your previous sailings in the Med, or all in the Caribbean?

Edited July 25, 2014 by wallie5446

[Cruising89143]

First this was very difficult to read. Kind of runs all together.

 

Celebrity is not an upscale cruise line. They are considered premium mass market.

 

Sorry that you did not enjoy your cruise. The passport situation has been explained and Celebrity is not the only cruise line to do this as itinerary can affect this. Yes the ship had mechanical issues. Ship happens. I think Celebrity took care of the guests with adequate compensation.

 

As far as the other issues, all opinions. I was on this ship last year and again in March and it was outstanding each time.

 

Having cruised several times on NCL I find that they do not offer what I enjoy for an overall cruise experience but glad that you enjoy them. The good thing about cruising is that one has so many options to choose from.

Edited July 25, 2014 by cruisingator2

[royalcruz]

Oh horrors. You deserve a free cruise or something. I'm so glad that I didn't experience any of these problems on Reflection in June. I hope that you contact Celebrity so that they are made aware of these issues.

[Tommy3putts]

Think the OP is referring to the 10 night cruise beginning on July 4th that started after our cruise. We were on the 11, June 23rd-July 4th. As posted in my review, we had a fantastic time. Loved the ship, staff and itinerary. Couldn't ask for a better cruise.

 

Sorry the OP had a bad experience and missed a port day. Sounds to me like X handled it fairly well.

[dkjretired]

We're a family of 3 with a 17 y/o teenage son. We've cruised frequently over the past 14 years, mostly on Disney Cruise Line and NCL and twice on Holland America. We understood that Celebrity was an upscale line and did not expect what we encountered.

First: the balcony cabin was great and very clean. The cabin steward was attentive and helpful. The main dining room wait staff was efficient and pleasant and went above an beyond to help.

Embarkation was a breeze. But they kept our passports and said they would be returned later in the cruise. That is fine, but they also tell you that if you miss the ship from any port, you are responsible to transport yourself to the next port to meet the ship. How is that possible when they retain your passport? When cruising from Italy to Greece and Turkey, you need your passport if you encounter a problem or miss the ship. Yet, Celebrity refuses to give you possession and control of your own passport. We've had booze confiscated on a cruise, but passports?

We did not leave from Civitavecchia as scheduled because of a mechanical issue which took over 24 hours to repair, on a ship which had its inaugural season last year. So, we sat in port and missed Messina. Celebrity offered passengers a free shuttle into Civitavecchia, which was nice, but so what? We wanted to return to Rome to spend the lost day and Celebrity would not offer free transport to Rome, but they were anxious to sell us their brand new, over priced transport excursion back into Rome. Celebrity did give us a $250 credit for the missed port and that was nice, but coming from the U.S., the port we had never visited was worth far more then the $250.

I purchased a 2 day Persian Gardens Spa pass. First day, spa was unkempt. Dirty towels piled up for hours in the sauna and in the heated lounge area. Used pedicure slippers sat by the water station (which was never refilled in the several hours I was present) and were not picked up by staff. While on the heated loungers, a couple came in looking for chairs and sat and waited and waited. Four of the 5 chairs were unused, but occupied by chair hogs, who could be seen in the adjacent sauna. This is against their rules, so I finally informed the couple and they went to inform spa staff. The couple returned and said that spa staff told them to confront the chair hogs and move their belongings from the chair. Really? They set a guest up to confront another guest? The couple did confront the people in the sauna and moved the items from 2 chairs. Shortly thereafter, a couple women exited the sauna and were yelling about what he did with their items. That service is indicative of Walmart, nit an upscale cruise line. The steam room and sauna and overall cleanliness were so uncomfortable, I cancelled the remaining day of my pass.

Reflection has bands and DLs playing and people (mostly cruise line staff) dancing every nigh in the main foyer in front of guest services. They don't have an actual place for people to go and sit and listen to music or dance. So, if you want to dance, you're in the foyer while 3 decks of passengers walk by, watch you and laugh. This is so uncomfortable. We look forward to dancing on cruises and this was a disappointment. One night, our Daily listed the DJ at the Sky lounge (great place, nice views, with a dance floor) starting at 10PM. We arrived shortly after 10PM, and there was no DJ. When we inquired, we were told that the DJ didn't show up. It was ok with everyone but the passengers, that the DJ didn't show up.

When the DJ and ban play in the main foyer, they are in front of Guest Relations. So, passengers trying to address an issue with Guest Relations in person, while the band/DJ is playing, have a challenge. Passengers trying to contact Guest Relations on the phone during the same time, need to give up. We learned this the hard way.

W\We ate in Q"Sine only as a specialty restaurant. It was very good, but not $45 pp good. Our friends who were traveling with us and had linked reservations, were with us. That family consisted of the parents, a 16 y/o boy and a 14 y/o girl and an 11 y/o girl turning 12 on the cruise...the night we're at Q'Sine. The Mother and 11 y/o (turning 12) go to the public ladies bathroom during dinner and find a locked door. Then a male officer in uniform unlocks the door, exits and comments that the bathroom is clean. Inside, a female staff member was cleaning the bathroom. Really? Yuck.

This could occur on any cruise line, but it occurred here, on Celebrity and we're unsettled. So, I try to report this incident from my cabin that night since our friend did not want her children to hear her report it and focus on it further. I tried to call Guest Relations for 45 minutes from my cabin and they did not answer and I did not get a recording. I called the next morning and they confirmed their policy was to answer within a small number of rings. I realized they didn't answer because they didn't hear the phone with the band, the DJ and the dancing. How asinine. Who thought to put the music and dancing in front of Guest Relations? When I reported the bathroom incident to a supervisor in Guest Reltions, she was wonderful and called back to inform me that security had viewed the video, had confirmed the events, and had confirmed that the male officer had no official business in the women's bathroom with janitorial staff. Yep...in a public ladies' bathroom at prime time, with women and female children trying to enter to use the bathroom. Very creepy and gross. We appreciate the candor and that what was observed and reported was not dismissed. Both families are still trying to convey to our children that it was inappropriate behavior and possibly abusive behavior by a male in authority over a female with no authority.

Tender ports were a disorganized fiasco. You learned late the night before arriving at the tender port that you had to be at Guest Relations at 7AM the following morning to get a tender ticket to exit the ship. Why not inform passengers earlier? The line to get tender tickets was longer then the line of passengers with tickets who wanted to board the tender. The food was average. The shows were average. We did not think this was a premium cruise line. We will return to Disney for a premium line and will sail NCL for a good line at a fair price. Celebrity is not premium and to us, is not worth the extra expense. We don't anticipate sailing Celebrity any time in the near future.

 

If you were on a Disney ship with the same itinerary, they would have taken your passports also, this has nothing to do with the line but is required by the countries you are visiting.

 

Ships break down, several Disney ships have broken down, I'll bet your car at some point has broken down. You were amply compensated.

[need2bespoiled]

I think we need to be careful about picking so harshly on reviewers who share their opinions. Not everyone will leave every cruise like it was the best. Yes, it was hard to read. Yes she has been on other med cruises. But others have complained as well about some of the same challenges (like music). She had other valid complaints.

 

I also think the OP may have had a different experience on NCL as she did her previous NCL sailing in a two bedroom Haven suite. I know from past experience that would make a cruise a very different feeling all around. I also think Disney offers a different product, and from what I've seen, a different pricing structure.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Sorry you had a disappointing cruise. I've cruised Disney and NCL also. With teens I would definitely cruise NCL in the future. I think that if your kids were younger, Celebrity would have been a good fit because their youth program is excellent. Celebrity is more sedate than either Disney or NCL. It just isn't the right line for you.

 

As an avid cruiser, Celebrity has always been my first choice because of the ambiance and service. I do think that the on board vibe is a bit sedate and there is better entertainment on other lines.

Edited July 25, 2014 by rebeccalouiseagain

[cynbar]

I also would have been upset by the bathroom issue, especially as a group traveling with children including a young girl. Perhaps that left such a bad taste that it influenced the OP's impression of the whole cruise. But I do have to say that we were on Reflection in the Med in May, and we also felt a little let down. Part of it was that we were AQ and our experience in Blu was not as good as previous cruises ---- wait times, crowded tables, a lot of rushing around which detracted from the atmosphere. We agree that the music was sometimes too loud, and the atrium is an odd place for a dance floor and party. Don't get me wrong, we had a very nice cruise and the ports were great, but I think the glowing reports here on CC of "the best cruise ever" and similar may have raised our expectations too high. Anyway, the OP is entitled to share her review, even if it doesn't fit with some of the devoted Celebrity cruisers.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

The OP is absolutely right to share her review. I can't write a bad review of our Solstice cruise in May- but it was a boring cruise IMO. There was nothing that really stood out besides Brent Nixon. I think I'm just getting a bit bored with Celebrity- even though I have booked a cruise on Constellation for next year. I prefer the Millenium Class ships to the larger ones.

[NLH Arizona]

Sorry, you had such a bad cruise, I think you are right in finding another cruise line.

 

I guess I wouldn't have looked at the restroom issue as someone abusing another person or thwarting their power over another crew member. I would have just thought that the officer was doing an inspection because of a complaint and locked the door so not to embarrass any passenger who might walk in while he was in there, which has happened in land restrooms. I guess we all just look at life/incidents different.

 

I've been on a number of cruises where they take your passport for the whole cruise. Most of us just had copies of it that we took on shore with us.

Edited July 25, 2014 by NLH Arizona

[sunshine nana]

I appreciate the comments from the OP on the Persian room chair hogs. It is not acceptable for the staff to ignore the hogging or to tell passengers to move others' belongings. We too have been on NCL, in both a balcony and a suite and there is a big difference if you are in a suite.Even though we were in a suite, we still had poor service and food in the MDR and from the concierge.

 

We have also been on 5 Princess cruises and we have had mechanical problems that caused a 3 hour power outage, lateness to ports, long lines for tenders and return to ship and chair hogs. In St. Petersburg, we were kept on board until all Princess excursions had left.

 

Our one Celebrity cruise was better than any other cruise because we were in a suite and had wonderful food and service at dinner plus other perks, but we paid a lot more than what we paid on Princess or NCL. We have loved all of our cruises. I have priced Disney and it is even higher priced.

[Andy C]

Funny how most of you trash this lady's review. She had a bad experience and she is sharing it for what it is worth.

 

I was on Reflection in January and we had a wonderful cruise and the food generally sucked (ate in Murano 3 out of the 7 nights and it was pretty good but not great).

 

The lovely singer they had on our cruise sang the same song in the main theatre and she sang it in the main foyer (a less than ideal location to have loud music) so we heard her sing the same song about 33 times during the duration of the cruise in different venues.

 

We made the best of it and are heading back on for a 10 night on Equinox in November. The value is great but frankly too many of you ignore some of the glaring issues that Celebrity has and flame anyone who disagrees with you.

[CruisingChick]

SweatPea,

 

I totally 100% agree with you about band and DJ's playing in the Grand Foyer on the S Class ships. We took one S Class cruise on Silhouette and could not believe the layout and that there was not a good lounge (like the Rendezvous on M Class).

 

They also had events outside the Theater and Celebrity Central area, so when you are trying to get to an from those venues you couldn't because there was dance class or something going on.

 

Don't know who designed those ships but overall we did not like them.

 

We also agree that $45 and $50 per person is to much for a specialty restaurant. We stopped going when they were $35 pp. We don't want to buy a package to get a discount as we love the MDR experience and would only want to visit a Specialty Restaurant once a cruise.

 

So sorry to hear of all the issues you had on your sailing.

[greydog]

As an avid cruiser, Celebrity has always been my first choice because of the ambiance and service. I do think that the on board vibe is a bit sedate and there is better entertainment on other lines.

 

Hooray for X's refreshing sedateness but I love Lawn Grill and eagerly await Gastrobar on Equinox this Dec.

[DYKWIA]

I'm guessing the door was locked, so you wouldn't walk in and find someone of the opposite sex in there. The OP said the bathroom door was locked, not one of the stalls.

 

Oh my misunderstanding, I assumed given how upset they were we were talking about an actual cubical. If it was just the main bathroom then without any evidence to suggest something more inappropriate going on I wouldn't have bothered reporting it

[texasgirl29]

I haven't been on a Celebrity cruise yet, so as we say in Texas, "I have no dog in this fight."

 

The OP is giving her opinion and view of things on the ship. As a woman and a mother of teenaged daughters, the bathroom incident did raise red flags for me. If the male officer was inspecting the bathroom's cleanliness, there should have been a sign on the door. Not even a hint of impropriety should be allowed, particularly with a male officer and a female attendant below him in rank. If it was a little romantic interlude -- it belongs elsewhere. If it was not, it was highly inappropriate.

 

JoAnn

[helen haywood]

Where would one expect to be dancing and not have people watching you?

[rebeccalouiseagain]

It is inappropriate but it's not something I would have given a crap about. Now if they had trapped your daughter in there-that was something entirely different.

[wwcruisers]

Well, as difficult as it was, with the lack of adequate punctuation, I managed to get through the OP's review -- twice. I guess it's just a matter of perception, that is -- whose ox is being gored, etc. But, I didn't see any situation that would ruin my cruise. A few things stood out for me:

 

-- Celebrity holding passports on a European cruise. The OP could have researched that question here, and learned that it does happen on certain itineraries. The ship personnel weren't "confiscating" the OP's passport. They were saving the OP (and others) from having to stand in some very long lines, for the ship to clear customs in one (or more) of the ports.

 

-- Missed ports, delays, and mechanical problems, are all things to be expected -- even on a new ship, like Reflection. If you can't accept those possibilities, perhaps cruising is not for you.

 

-- I do agree that the Persian Gardens situation was not acceptable. Lodging a complaint with the ship's Canyon Ranch Spa manager would have been in order.

 

-- Having a DJ/band playing near the Guest Relations desk could cause problems. The OP seems to think it was deliberately done for her inconvenience. Who I felt sorry for was the GR staff, who have to man the desk during those hours. They have a difficult enough job to begin with.

 

-- As to the OP's final issue, I just don't see it. If the male officer was the female cleaner's supervisor, it makes sense that he could have been inspecting the restroom she was cleaning. When staff closes off a restroom for cleaning, the door is routinely locked. Why on earth would the OP immediately jump to the conclusion that something improper was going on? If the OP saw the same male and female come out of a door marked "Staff Only", would she have drawn the same inference? Maybe there was more to this story than the OP reported?

 

Sounds like the OP let a few minor problems (real and imagined) ruin a perfectly good cruise.