Celebrity Reflection January 14 to 21 2017

[Bimmer09]

Some of us are here from the Princess board Norris !!

Enjoying your review once again !

Have enjoyed several wines during this one too ! Lol

Very interested to see what other cruise lines offer.

Happy cruising can't wait for the remainder !😎

 

Hi Beth. I'm glad you have a curiosity for other lines as I do too.

 

Here comes the start of the remainder...

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Sunset came as we were leaving Georgetown at 6 o'clock

 

 

 

 

Carol went to a show alone to hear 5 of the ship's singers sing Broadway songs but I stayed behind to work on photos and change before dinner in Luminae.

 

We only had one breakfast in Blu on this trip unlike the 6 we had on the Silhouette. Nothing wrong with Blu but Luminae on this ship really impressed for the service and quality of food -for breakfast at least, so we were curious to give it a try for dinner and were saving Murano for Elegant Chic night.

 

Let's eat!

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Luminae is down on deck 3 and was once part of the Opus MDR. There will be more photos of the room itself later* and I'll cover the whole ship interior at some point just in case you were wondering.

For tonight we are just concentrating on the food as we hadn't eaten since breakfast.

* I've decided to break protocol and go forward into my thicket of photos up ahead with a machete and bring the Luminae photos here to give you a better idea of the room.

 

The room we have sat in up until now. The excellent Maitre 'd is walking towards me.

 

 

 

Once it became known that we like quiet most of all (relatively speaking as nowhere people are eating and drinking is hushed) they would seat us in a smaller room at the back.

 

 

Ok, so now you know the location we'll take our seats in the smaller room for a slap up feed...

[Bimmer09]

Our waiter was Dusan from Serbia I believe and we were welcomed warmly and presented with menus. They are short-maybe 4 options for each course but you can ask for an Opus menu to see what they are eating in the MDR and order from that. We can find some tasty dishes from what we are given.

 

Carol's Prosecco was accompanied by my generous glass of Malbec, both covered by our Premium Beverage Package included in the fare.

 

An amuse bouche was brought while we were waiting for appetizers-a prosciutto mousse cannoli with pistachio but I pounced on it like your dog would if you dropped a pork chop in the kitchen and didn't get a photo.

 

Let there be crab cakes!

 

 

Meanwhile Carol had a sugar snap pea salad which appears in the video only.

 

My lamb shank on a bed of mashed potatoes with a Merguez sausage hiding at the rear.

 

 

Carol was delighted with her soft-focus Sea Bass with salsify, brussels sprouts and oxtail marmalade (try it on your toast-or not!)

 

 

More wine sir? Why yes my good man-can I just take a photo of the bottle to remember the name?

(Pours enough wine into glass to bathe a small baby). "I'll leave the bottle sir".

 

 

Someday we will be in Argentina going on a cruise around Cape Horn to Valparaiso and there's plenty of Malbecs awaitin' there.

 

A fine meal is being had I must say. Service on point. Care for dessert I asked as I poured another glass from the wine they left with me.

 

A macaroon took Carol's fancy while I found a dark chocolate mousse shortbread with cherry marshmallow and Mandarin gel thing that fired on 8 cylinders and had me doing a seated happy dance.

 

 

 

Had we not had other plans for future dinners we would have been back to Luminae.

 

I had put up a video of our meal on Youtube yesterday and watched it. Today it was just a white screen for part of it and so I deleted it and reloaded it but Youtube has a headache and the video is in a queue to be uploaded, so as 20 minutes have passed, I'll show it to you later.

 

Doh!

 

Norris

[Sadebud]

Our waiter was Dusan from Serbia I believe and we were welcomed warmly and presented with menus. They are short-maybe 4 options for each course but you can ask for an Opus menu to see what they are eating in the MDR and order from that. We can find some tasty dishes from what we are given.

 

Carol's Prosecco was accompanied by my generous glass of Malbec, both covered by our Premium Beverage Package included in the fare.

 

An amuse bouche was brought while we were waiting for appetizers-a prosciutto mousse cannoli with pistachio but I pounced on it like your dog would if you dropped a pork chop in the kitchen and didn't get a photo.

 

Let there be crab cakes!

 

 

Meanwhile Carol had a sugar snap pea salad which appears in the video only.

 

My lamb shank on a bed of mashed potatoes with a Merguez sausage hiding at the rear.

 

 

Carol was delighted with her soft-focus Sea Bass with salsify, brussels sprouts and oxtail marmalade (try it on your toast-or not!)

 

 

More wine sir? Why yes my good man-can I just take a photo of the bottle to remember the name?

(Pours enough wine into glass to bathe a small baby). "I'll leave the bottle sir".

 

 

Someday we will be in Argentina going on a cruise around Cape Horn to Valparaiso and there's plenty of Malbecs awaitin' there.

 

A fine meal is being had I must say. Service on point. Care for dessert I asked as I poured another glass from the wine they left with me.

 

A macaroon took Carol's fancy while I found a dark chocolate mousse shortbread with cherry marshmallow and Mandarin gel thing that fired on 8 cylinders and had me doing a seated happy dance.

 

 

 

Had we not had other plans for future dinners we would have been back to Luminae.

 

I had put up a video of our meal on Youtube yesterday and watched it. Today it was just a white screen for part of it and so I deleted it and reloaded it but Youtube has a headache and the video is in a queue to be uploaded, so as 20 minutes have passed, I'll show it to you later.

 

Doh!

 

Norris

 

Hi Norris,

 

I am visiting from the Princess board as well...we, too, sail both lines, and I lurk on other boards as well, just to keep informed.

 

We are just back from the Crown P, Rio de Janeiro to Valpairiso, and YES...I drank my fair share of excellent Malbecs!!! Definitely a good trip for wines!!

 

Looking forward (although sad to hear it is winding down) to reading the rest of your review!

 

Cheers,

Tracy

[Gabrielle R.]

Norris Thank you for the information about dining room attire! The exact information I needed!

I learned from you to use the Blue font. Besides... BLUE is my favorite color.

Gabrielle

[easyboy]

Thanks but it's not the video I wanted it to be-let me explain. I only use the GoPro on vacation and the rest of the time it sits in its case.

The night before we left for the cruise I got it out to charge it and put in a new memory card and found that the back of the GoPro was missing and that meant I couldn't use it underwater which is what I had in mind for the stingrays. I went to Miami knowing I couldn't use it underwater-which won't happen again!

 

Glad you liked the tiny bit of video I shot but you deserved better.

 

Gotta go, my dad is going to give me 40 lashes with his belt....

Norris

I perfectly understand! Still a good shot for me though!

[Bimmer09]

Hi Norris,

 

I am visiting from the Princess board as well...we, too, sail both lines, and I lurk on other boards as well, just to keep informed.

 

We are just back from the Crown P, Rio de Janeiro to Valpairiso, and YES...I drank my fair share of excellent Malbecs!!! Definitely a good trip for wines!!

 

Looking forward (although sad to hear it is winding down) to reading the rest of your review!

 

Cheers,

Tracy

 

Tracy, that itinerary (or rather one that Begins in Buenos Aires which I want to see more than Rio) is my #1 Bucket list cruise. I have only set one toe in S America-a day trip in Venezuela on a Carnival ship in 1990 and two of my favorite things on Earth are Steak and Malbec! Buenos Aires looks beautiful too- inspired by Miaminice's (Oliver) cruise on the Infinity a few years back. ScubacruiserX2 (Joe) also did a fantastic S A trip on HAL. I want to go! But I can't until I am retired and have time on my hands.

 

I am glad you sail both lines- I am very happy with both although I can only speak to the Suite experience on X, which is fab. I have also sailed the mini suites on Princess and we'll do our first Princess balcony on the Regal in October but as we are elite we'll get some perks thrown in.

 

Re winding down-we are midway through the cruise so there is plenty more to come that I am excited to show you.

 

Glad you are following!

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Norris Thank you for the information about dining room attire! The exact information I needed!

I learned from you to use the Blue font. Besides... BLUE is my favorite color.

Gabrielle

 

Glad I could be of help Gabrielle.

 

Here's a video just put up on Youtube recently that shows our CD Maarten discussing the shows they put on the Reflection.

 

There's no radical difference between Princess and Celebrity-the good food, service and entertainment that you get on Princess is all in place on X but the S Class ships are unique compared to anything that Princess has and it's just refreshing to see something new at every turn.

 

Over to Maarten from Belgium....

[YOUTUBE]maYbCxD73IU[/YOUTUBE]

 

Norris

[cruisehappy001]

Carol gets a turn holding the stingray

 

There's a photographer in the crew with an appropriate waterproof camera. Pictures were for sale afterwards by paying cash. They sent them via e mail the next day to Carol.

 

 

Here she is holding one

 

Wearing one as a shawl, which was all the rage at the recent Paris fashion show

 

And kissing it, even though they had only just been introduced

 

 

I stayed on the boat and took pics of some folks with their camera while they posed in the swell. Then I dove in without the cameras for a quick swim. The water wasn't as warm as I had hoped and as I was afraid of standing up lest I stand on a stingray (not good) I swam back to the boat and up the ladder to dry off. I've petted stingrays in an aquarium but kissing them is out of the question.

 

Norris

 

Norris,

 

After reading this post I realized that Carole and I have a VERY VERY CLOSE friend in common..... I call him RAY!!!:D See attached. LOL!

 

I got some good underwater videos from when I went on this excursion with "Captain Marvin's" (I HIGHLY Recommend them!) in Grand Cayman and I would offer to put some up on YouTube, but it would probably be drastically quicker to send you a DVD via snail mail after hearing of your issues with trying to upload on YouTube! :rolleyes:

 

This was from 09-22-14, and I want to go back again and take my Mom with me so that she can experience this. This was one of my SOLO cruises.

 

Only having cruised Princess I am not aware of the costs on Celebrity for the Specialty Restaurants. When you get a second, would you mind sharing the costs? The Lawn Grille looked like I would really enjoy that!

 

Still enjoying procrastinating by reading your review! Thanks!

 

Regards,

 

Mark

 

P.S. I had to edit the post pictures in your quoted message down a bit as I just discovered that CC only lets you have 6 images including smileys in one post apparently. Also sorry for the small sized attached photos... another restriction that I am not too fond of on CC. I wish that they could be physically larger, but still low in kb size.

[perfect match]

I really enjoyed spending the day with you in Grand Cayman. It is one of my favorite places to visit. Your pictures from the Turtle Farm and of the stingrays brought back some great memories! :D

[Bimmer09]

Norris,

 

After reading this post I realized that Carole and I have a VERY VERY CLOSE friend in common..... I call him RAY!!!:D See attached. LOL!

 

I got some good underwater videos from when I went on this excursion with "Captain Marvin's" (I HIGHLY Recommend them!) in Grand Cayman and I would offer to put some up on YouTube, but it would probably be drastically quicker to send you a DVD via snail mail after hearing of your issues with trying to upload on YouTube! :rolleyes:

 

Only having cruised Princess I am not aware of the costs on Celebrity for the Specialty Restaurants. When you get a second, would you mind sharing the costs? The Lawn Grille looked like I would really enjoy that!

 

Still enjoying procrastinating by reading your review! Thanks!

 

Regards,

 

Mark

 

 

Mark, thanks for sharing the photos!

 

Off the top of my head but reasonably accurate I think, the prices are;

 

Murano $50 pp

Tuscan Grille/Lawn Club Grille/Qsine $45 pp

The Porch $30

Sushi on 5 a la carte

 

Luminae on this ship would have made it possible for a suite guest to eat there and be happy every meal without spending any money on cover charges. Or they could mix it up with some visits to Blu at no cost. We didn't try the MDR alas.

 

There are only 2 ships that have Lawn Club Grill-the two we've sailed.

 

They offer discounts to the specialties daily (usually focusing on one restaurant) outside the buffet where they have a table set up. If bookings are soft you can get 50% off.

 

Thanks for reading along and for the comments!

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Wednesday and I'm up in the dark to drink coffee, work on photos and wait for the sunrise as we head towards Falmouth, Jamaica, a new port for both of us. My 45th visit to Jamaica and Carol has lost count as her mother was born there. She was hoping to visit the graveyard in Falmouth as she has relatives buried there but with our Island Tour excursion time would be tight.

 

 

I am up by the Mast Bar taking these shots

 

 



 



 

[sandc4e]

Bimmer, that you for letting us all live vicariously through you in your reviews.

 

Makes me excited for our trip in April aboard Silhouette.

[jlf1]

Norris,

 

Lamb shanks are right up there in my list of favourites.

 

Judy

 

Hey, I managed to blue lettering!!

[Buckcruise]

Hi Sara and welcome!

 

I am sure there was more than 1 but they are always in the titles and the new forum look has a title bar at the bottom of the options but it doesn't work yet so I am without titles and not happy with the ineptitude of the new forum roll out-but I'm not alone in that. If the titles come back soon I'll be dropping some song references.

 

In the meantime we'll be having a nice dinner in a very good restaurant on board and then we'll be visiting Jamaica!

 

Cheers!

 

Norris, British Gentleman

 

I had no idea what you were all complaining about re the forum change...until just now. Yikes it's really weird. Wonder why mine only just changed over?

[Buckcruise]

Hi Gabrielle, love the blue text!

 

Celebrity calls Formal Night "Elegant Chic" with no requirement for jacket and tie but the majority of people I saw at dinner and in the atrium were dolled up as you would see on a Princess Formal night. Part of this may be the photo opportunities for formal couple shots and the fact that the age range skews similar to Princess and you have people used to the tradition.

 

We weren't dressed up on E.C night 1 (Sunday at sea) as we were using the Alcove and intended on eating burgers and fries from Mast Grill there.

 

As on Princess many were eating in the buffet and Specialty restaurants where they could be casual in the Dockers, jeans and polo shirt vein.

 

I took a suit and tie as I feel it fits Murano where we like to eat on E.C. night and we are used to dressing up for the Opera frequently.

 

Other nights I wore a sleeved shirt and black Dockers to go to dinner and the shows. That's my choice. I change to go out for dinner in Chicago too as dinners to me are special treats.

 

X is not a stuffy line as I see it. We have two more cruises booked on itineraries not offered by Princess when I looked. Our next cruise is on Princess also for itinerary reasons.

 

Norris

 

My 2 cents re elegant chic and dress codes. If you like dressing up, you could be disappointed and possibly disgusted by what X allows. Designer jeans are allowed in the main dining room, which means to many people, regular Levis, or to youth American Eagle hung round their thighs. Collars are required , but there are lots of Ts. They do not object to anything including shorts in the main dining room. What is most upsetting to those who honour and prefer some elegance or at least business casual on a regular night, is going to the shows with people still in their beach wear!

 

Oops I realise this is just quoting ?Norris not the original poster!

 

I was going to say the in laws will be most comfortable if they do not wish to dress up.

[Bimmer09]

Norris,

 

Lamb shanks are right up there in my list of favourites.

 

Judy

 

Hey, I managed to blue lettering!!

 

 

Judy, let's start a movement to use blue lettering!

 

The shank being slow cooked is melt in the mouth lamb rather than the long chew. Anything I have to give your jaws a workout on isn't cooked right for me.

 

Norris, impressed by Luminae on this ship.

[Bimmer09]

Our excursion today-a Tour of Jamaica or a mini one at least as it's not a pipsqueak of an island, has us meeting the bus outside the pier at 8.45 a.m. We would dock at 8 and later be joined by Oasis of the Seas, an astounding piece of marine design and engineering. Kudos to RCI for thinking way outside the box on that one!

 

Look! There's Falmouth!!

 

 

Let's get closer...

 

Some currents there on the right

 

 

 

We are backing in

 

 

The mooring team wait on the dock

 

[Bimmer09]

The manufactured and sanitized cruise port and would we have it any other way?

 

 

 

I see tour buses parked way out there...mmmm....long walk.

 

 

Some fine looking buildings out there....not a shanty town at first glance

 

 

We need a good breakfast before going ashore as we'll be gone for 6 hours or so. Luminae? You bet!

 

While we are getting dressed for our adventure today why don't I show you the dinner we had in Luminae last night, now that I've managed to get it on Youtube. I think the weird lines on the picture are caused by the fancy lights in the ceiling but then, I'm no fancylightologist...

 

[YOUTUBE]ME8oQrNN2LQ[/YOUTUBE]

 

Norris

[El Crucero]

My 2 cents re elegant chic and dress codes. If you like dressing up, you could be disappointed and possibly disgusted by what X allows. Designer jeans are allowed in the main dining room, which means to many people, regular Levis, or to youth American Eagle hung round their thighs. Collars are required , but there are lots of Ts. They do not object to anything including shorts in the main dining room. What is most upsetting to those who honour and prefer some elegance or at least business casual on a regular night, is going to the shows with people still in their beach wear!

 

On our last cruise on Star Princess "formal night" in the MDR consisted of one guy in bib overalls, NHRA tee shirts, jeans with ragged holes, and baseball caps worn backwards (which remained on during the entire meal). I think you will find this type of attire on most popular cruise lines on formal night. No accounting for some people's definition of "good taste."

[Bimmer09]

On our last cruise on Star Princess "formal night" in the MDR consisted of one guy in bib overalls, NHRA tee shirts, jeans with ragged holes, and baseball caps worn backwards (which remained on during the entire meal). I think you will find this type of attire on most popular cruise lines on formal night. No accounting for some people's definition of "good taste."

 

El Crucero-the big problem with baseball caps is they don't come with instructions and although baseball is an obscure game in the USA (but slowly catching on) just watching a game would show the potential user the reason behind its design-it's basically to stop the sun shining in a baseball player's eyes located at the front of his head, which would make its very wearing, backwards or forwards, in a dimly lit dining room at night, shall we say Moot?

 

The torn jeans- there's no excuse as there are seamstresses in every Dry Cleaners throughout this great land. They may be a sign that the person is a rebel, a free thinker who goes his own way or has a particularly fine pair of knees that need to be seen.

 

The only thing missing from your description are the Masai tribesmen expanded circular earlobes that are the rage in Chicago. Animal bones through the nose cannot be far behind as can deliberately carrying tainted water from ten miles away each morning in a giant clay jug perched atop the head.

 

I may give the MDRs a miss when pajamas, bed hair and underwear worn outside the trousers become commonplace, but until then I'll still dress like a good dinner among convivial company in elegant surroundings is a treat. As long as the cruise lines who make the guidelines allow them to be so elastic that Circus Clowns feel appropriately garbed I will allow them that right.

 

Norris

[easyboy]

ME8oQrNN2LQ

Very nice dinner walk through. Love the lamb shank!

[Gabrielle R.]

Oops I realise this is just quoting ?Norris not the original poster!

 

I was going to say the in laws will be most comfortable if they do not wish to dress up.

 

THANKS! This was the 'big question." What the Sis-in-law's husband would be like....

DH and I do not mind dressing up/nice.

I may give the MDRs a miss when pajamas, bed hair and underwear worn outside the trousers become commonplace, but until then I'll still dress like a good dinner among convivial company in elegant surroundings is a treat. As long as the cruise lines who make the guidelines allow them to be so elastic that Circus Clowns feel appropriately garbed I will allow them that right.

HEHEHE... Thanks for the laugh! I believe you described Captain Underpants.

Edited February 9, 2017 by Gabrielle R.
Addition to post

[Bimmer09]

I don't recall the reason why we didn't take our seats in Luminae until 8 a.m but we had to eat quickly to give ourselves time to get off the ship and walk all the way to the end of the pier village.

 

 

With only 20 minutes or so at our disposal we skipped our usual granola parfaits and just ordered pastries which were brought to the table.

 

I had my usual apple turnover

 

 

Carol's omelet, eaten while looking at her watch

 

 

My pancakes with bacon and two pork sausages

 

 

A great start to the day but look at the time! Carol sprang from the table and I had to follow, still chewing and leaving a sausage on my plate which I have regretted ever since.

 

We have to get off now and make it to the tour bus by 8.45 or surely get left behind. Jamaicans are known for their punctuality.

 

While we are hustling down through the dock village here's a video of our docking.

 

[YOUTUBE]M5rUyrqLjNA[/YOUTUBE]