3rd Time Lucky! - Miami, Celebrity Reflection 2nd April & Miami Trip Report

[kikki21]

Well it's just about time to kick off this thread as we are starting to confirm & print out the e tickets, firm up our travel plans & tours & actually start the packing process!

 

We are a married couple in our late 40's, (someone, not me is nearer to the big 5-0!) & we love to cruise! :)

 

This will be our first trip over the pond as all of our cruising together has taken place in the Med/Western Europe or Norway.

 

I have sailed Celebrity once before on the Galaxy & also been on RCI & Azamara. I've also been to Miami a few times. It is one of my very favourite places in the world as I love the weather, the food, the shopping & the Art Deco!

 

My husband has been to Miami once before quite a few years ago but never really seen the sights extensively so hopefully we will make a dent in that this time round.

 

Why 3rd Time Lucky!? :confused:

 

Well..... I was due to go on a Southern/Eastern Caribbean cruise in the Emerald Princess in 2009 but I broke up with my ex!

 

Then in 2010, I was going to visit St Thomas & St Maarten on a cruise on NCL Epic & Hurricane Earl decided to put paid to my plans :(... so we decided that a cruise on one of the much admired Solstice Class ships was long overdue as was a return visit to Miami so we booked this trip a LONG time in advance in November 2014!!!

 

We got a great deal as we have tips included, some on board credit & the classic drinks package all in with a very nice Aqua Class stateroom on the hump!

 

We will be purchasing the unlimited internet package as my husband will need to stay in touch with work while we are away - boo!!! But we can also use this to our advantage as we may be able to do a bit of LIVE reporting on the way!

 

Whichever way round I can do it, there will be LOTS of photos & commentary, pre cruise, during the cruise & after the cruise so hang on for the ride!:)

[upwarduk]

I look forward to following your report.

[Clarea]

Wishing you luck this time (3rd time is a charm!), and looking forward to the report.

[MR_T]

Hope you have an amazing time... We did a B2B on the reflection a couple of weeks ago and loved every minute of it, I also did a bit of a live report with the Internet package and I think it worked very well, I will be following yours to relive it all again! [emoji4]

[KirkNC]

Bon voyage!

[Lastdance]

Have a fantastic time on your "third times the charm" cruise!:cool:

[Desertbelle]

We will be boarding Reflection as you leave on the 9th....I'll wave!! Have a great cruise! :D

[kikki21]

Hope you have an amazing time... We did a B2B on the reflection a couple of weeks ago and loved every minute of it, I also did a bit of a live report with the Internet package and I think it worked very well, I will be following yours to relive it all again! [emoji4]

 

 

Loved your review & was reading avidly along!

We won't be poshing it up as you did in Virgin Upper Class but we will try to have some 5 star moments! [emoji4]

[helen haywood]

Reflection is our favorite Celebrity ship! Have a wonderful time!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[kikki21]

Thanks everyone!

Today is packing day for me. I don't like packing at all & try to put it off until I have to do it! [emoji15]

Seems perfect to do it today on a typical UK bank holiday where it is windy, throwing it down with rain & generally not a day for doing much at all!

[clarkg]

So far so good. Keep it coming.

[kikki21]

Storm Katie looks like she is starting to calm down now & the weather forecast looks good for when we travel down to Heathrow on Wednesday for what we class as the start of the holiday! :)

 

We stayed at what was called the Arora Hotel on Bath Road last time we flew from Heathrow but they have done away with the parking on site so this time round we are staying at the newly refurbished Renaissance Hotel just further along the Bath Road which has parking on site.

 

It was a bit of a faff last time as we had to check into the Arora Hotel, then take our car down the road a few miles to the parking lot & catch the bus back to the hotel which was a pain & we like to make things easier & not more complicated!

 

With a 1.00PM flight, we could have travelled down in the morning but we decided not to risk it.

A few years back, my mum almost missed a flight from Heathrow due to traffic volume on the M25 so to us, it's not worth the stress!

[di T]

Storm Katie looks like she is starting to calm down now & the weather forecast looks good for when we travel down to Heathrow on Wednesday for what we class as the start of the holiday! :)

 

We stayed at what was called the Arora Hotel on Bath Road last time we flew from Heathrow but they have done away with the parking on site so this time round we are staying at the newly refurbished Renaissance Hotel just further along the Bath Road which has parking on site.

 

It was a bit of a faff last time as we had to check into the Arora Hotel, then take our car down the road a few miles to the parking lot & catch the bus back to the hotel which was a pain & we like to make things easier & not more complicated!

 

With a 1.00PM flight, we could have travelled down in the morning but we decided not to risk it.

A few years back, my mum almost missed a flight from Heathrow due to traffic volume on the M25 so to us, it's not worth the stress!

 

Sure you will have a great trip, I love the Solstice class ships and Reflection is lovely.

Two weeks on Weds and my hubby and I will be setting off to Manchester for our flight to Miami to join Equinox for our first Transatlantic can't wait!

[kikki21]

Sure you will have a great trip, I love the Solstice class ships and Reflection is lovely.

Two weeks on Weds and my hubby and I will be setting off to Manchester for our flight to Miami to join Equinox for our first Transatlantic can't wait!

 

I'm sure you will have a fabulous time.... we might be squeezing another cruise in this year! We will discuss it on this forthcoming cruise! :)

[kikki21]

So that's the last bit of work done for my husband's business & my business! :)

 

We are both self employed & have our own businesses & work for each other too so our holidays have to be planned well in advance & that usually means that we are working right up to the nth hour & why we are taking the laptop with us this time!

 

I have just a small amount of clothes packing to do & then it's the cosmetics & toiletries to go.

 

We have decided that apart from taking the very basic

toiletries & getting some duty free from the airport that we will buy some small toiletry items in America as we are near a CVS & a Walgreens rather than lug them through the airport.

 

Although having said that, we are flying from Heathrow so it's not usually that busy.

Our local airport is a nightmare.

They have spent the last few years rebuilding & expanding the airport but for some reason,they made the cosmetics/toiletry store after security so small that it gets packed out with about 5 people in it plus everyone is carrying a basket & dragging their carry on cases too in the very narrow aisles! Someone did not think that one through! :mad:

 

Having done all of my recent travelling on short haul flights, it's going to be a real shock to the system to fly to America again! :eek:

[upwarduk]

Although having said that, we are flying from Heathrow so it's not usually that busy

 

I think Heathrow is the busiest airport in Uk!!:eek:

 

You are wise to travel down the day before, there's no knowing if there will be an accident or other hold up on M1/ M25. I would never travel 'on the day of my flight.'

Edited March 29, 2016 by upwarduk

[Fogfog]

Well it's just about time to kick off this thread as we are starting to confirm & print out the e tickets, firm up our travel plans & tours & actually start the packing process!

 

We are a married couple in our late 40's, (someone, not me is nearer to the big 5-0!) & we love to cruise! :)

 

This will be our first trip over the pond as all of our cruising together has taken place in the Med/Western Europe or Norway.

 

I have sailed Celebrity once before on the Galaxy & also been on RCI & Azamara. I've also been to Miami a few times. It is one of my very favourite places in the world as I love the weather, the food, the shopping & the Art Deco!

 

My husband has been to Miami once before quite a few years ago but never really seen the sights extensively so hopefully we will make a dent in that this time round.

 

Why 3rd Time Lucky!? :confused:

 

Well..... I was due to go on a Southern/Eastern Caribbean cruise in the Emerald Princess in 2009 but I broke up with my ex!

 

Then in 2010, I was going to visit St Thomas & St Maarten on a cruise on NCL Epic & Hurricane Earl decided to put paid to my plans :(... so we decided that a cruise on one of the much admired Solstice Class ships was long overdue as was a return visit to Miami so we booked this trip a LONG time in advance in November 2014!!!

 

We got a great deal as we have tips included, some on board credit & the classic drinks package all in with a very nice Aqua Class stateroom on the hump!

 

We will be purchasing the unlimited internet package as my husband will need to stay in touch with work while we are away - boo!!! But we can also use this to our advantage as we may be able to do a bit of LIVE reporting on the way!

 

Whichever way round I can do it, there will be LOTS of photos & commentary, pre cruise, during the cruise & after the cruise so hang on for the ride!:)

 

 

Looking fwd to meeting you at Sail Away

[kikki21]

I think Heathrow is the busiest airport in Uk!!:eek:

 

You are wise to travel down the day before, there's no knowing if there will be an accident or other hold up on M1/ M25. I would never travel 'on the day of my flight.'

 

 

Lol I know Heathrow is extremely busy but it's very spread out & therefore doesn't seem that busy whereas our local airport is a bit cramped even with the building works to expand it! [emoji848]

[kikki21]

@Fogfog we are looking forward to meeting everyone at the CC meeting on board!

It's finally here, my husband has a bit of work to finish off! I just have to get myself ready & get the smellies in the case & we plan on driving down to the hotel early afternoon! [emoji4]

At least the weather is better this morning, blue skies & sunshine!

[kikki21]

 

Hi folks

Well that's stage one of our journey done & dusted!

A steady drive via Fosse Park for last minute shopping as you do then down the M1, M25 & M4.

We are staying over at the Renaissance Hotel & managed to bag a runway view room!

 

We're having our first holiday drink before dinner & then a good sleep before our flight tomorrow afternoon!

[MR_T]

So jealous, hope you have a good night & a great flight tomorrow, before an amazing cruise [emoji4]

[Maz_1]

Looking forward to your report.

 

We board on the 9th for her TA.:D Have a good trip.

 

Marion.

[kikki21]

We're enjoying our short stay here at the Renaissance Hotel. We ate in the hotel restaurant & had a choice of a buffet selection or a la carte.

We decided to go for the buffet ( getting into cruise ship mode already [emoji23]!)

It was surprisingly very good food!

 

The best thing about this hotel is that if you're a bit of a plane spotting geek then if you bag a runway room, you face Heathrow's Northern Runway so flights are landing every few minutes.

We actually witnessed an actual go around as well & then a few minutes later saw another one happen on FlightRadar.

It's not too noisy but you can hear some noise so not ideal rooms for light sleepers.

[Tommy3putts]

[ATTACH]381330[/ATTACH]

 

Hi folks

Well that's stage one of our journey done & dusted!

A steady drive via Fosse Park for last minute shopping as you do then down the M1, M25 & M4.

We are staying over at the Renaissance Hotel & managed to bag a runway view room! [ATTACH]381331[/ATTACH]

 

We're having our first holiday drink before dinner & then a good sleep before our flight tomorrow afternoon!

 

 

 

Cheers! Safe travels

[kikki21]

Morning all! Thanks for everyone's good wishes. We are up & getting ready.

We decided to have breakfast at the hotel as we could get it for £10.00 each which isn't bad value.

There were actually quite a few flight crews staying here too from what we saw last night.

The hotel is huge!

We plan to be over at the airport for about 9.30am ish. We're expecting security to be very tight indeed so allowing for additional time.