Live on Reflection: 14 Nt Exotic Southern Caribbean (Jan 4)

[mahdnc]

The Kids Club told me that there are 20 kids between 3-17 yrs old on board for this sailing

[mahdnc]

We met an interesting retired couple from Pennsylvania at breakfast in the MDR this morning. 

 

We talked about a lot of things. They love Royal Caribbean and after telling us why (big ships, food as good as Celebrity, high tech elevators, ice skating rink, flow rider, younger crowd) they had my kids asking me why I haven't ever booked our family on Royal.....

[mahdnc]

Luggage Valet has been made available to us. This will be the first time that we can use it and we probably will. Here's the form we received yesterday:

[mahdnc]

We are at the half way point of our cruise. 7 nights behind us, 7 nights ahead. We pull into Aruba tomorrow and will overnight there. 

 

The weather for this cruise had been very nice and with significantly less rain than we had on our two previous 14 night Carib cruises. I'm used to seeing a little rain just about everyday. The daily temperatures have been very comfortable although today was the hottest day. 

 

Tonight we are sailing under partly cloudy skies and very calm seas. The crescent moon hangs above the southwestern horizon with its reflection shining in the ocean; its light drowns out all but the brightest stars. Good night, everyone. Let's see what tomorrow brings!

Edited January 12, 2019 by mahdnc

[SkystheLimit]

5 hours ago, mahdnc said:

Luggage Valet has been made available to us. This will be the first time that we can use it and we probably will. Here's the form we received yesterday:

We used this service for the first time last month when disembarking the Reflection.  Worked out great for us and worth the $25 pp.  We were flying on Delta.

[mahdnc]

Good morning, Aruba!

Edited January 12, 2019 by mahdnc

[Canuker]

On 1/10/2019 at 5:40 AM, mahdnc said:

Good morning, Grenada! We're idling at sea waiting to dock at St Georges in 80 min. 

The great thing about being an early bird - as you clearly are -  is you get to enjoy scenes like this and it's almost like you have the ship to yourself in that very quiet time aboard. And the few people you do encounter are especially friendly and greeting - as if they empathise with you and the tranquility.

Edited January 12, 2019 by Canuker

[mahdnc]

A problem that I find quite ironic is that the new CC format and the ship's slow internet make for a combination that can test one's  patience. 

 

The Cruise Critic message thread has to load twice before I am able to post. The first time it loads, I am not recognized as being logged in. Then it automatically reloads the page and then I am recognized as being logged in. Sometimes there is a long pause between in between where I am not sure if I had been somehow logged out.

 

The ship's slow internet aggravates the problem because it can take a while for each CC page to load

[SeaGams]

Love Luggage Valet and have used it every time it is available.  So nice to travel to O’Hare without all that baggage and see it at the carousel.  I too have the same Cruise Crtic loading issues, doesn’t recognize me initially.  Still enjoying your travelogue, makes me feel like I’m almost there.

 

Toni

[mahdnc]

The Port of Aruba has an excellent webcam of the port. 

 

Edited January 12, 2019 by mahdnc

[mahdnc]

We're finishing a nice breakfast at the Ocean View Cafe with this table side view:

[wdblake]

Can you order dinner from the MDR as room service?

Is there a good selection of free movies on demand on the stateroom  TV?

[ghstudio]

6 hours ago, mahdnc said:

A problem that I find quite ironic is that the new CC format and the ship's slow internet make for a combination that can test one's  patience. 

 

The Cruise Critic message thread has to load twice before I am able to post. The first time it loads, I am not recognized as being logged in. Then it automatically reloads the page and then I am recognized as being logged in. Sometimes there is a long pause between in between where I am not sure if I had been somehow logged out.

 

The ship's slow internet aggravates the problem because it can take a while for each CC page to load

CC has always been slow on ships.  One would think that a travel oriented company knowing their users and the limitations of ship internet speed should have a less verbose mobile site and/or a streamlined mobile app....maybe it's coming....

Edited January 12, 2019 by ghstudio

[mahdnc]

Aruba....

Edited January 12, 2019 by mahdnc

[mahdnc]

We did a night dive in Aruba. We watched the sunset from shore and then did a dive with flash lights afterward. We saw lots of lobster, shrimp, crab, and lionfish

Edited January 13, 2019 by mahdnc

[mahdnc]

This is our first Caribbean overnight....

Edited January 13, 2019 by mahdnc

[shofer]

On 1/7/2019 at 7:36 PM, mahdnc said:

I usually wait until the second week to play blackjack at the casino. Today I strolled through there just to check things out because the casino seemed to be busier than normal. 

 

I was a bit surprised at what I saw. It appears most of the tables now pay out a natural blackjack at 6:5 instead of the traditional 3:2 (a trend that I've seen in  Las Vegas). Tonight there was:

 

1. A single deck game, $5 min, 6:5 for a natural blackjack. Two players at the table. 

 

2. A multiple deck game, $5 min, 6:5 payout. There were two tables and they were full. 

 

3. A multiple deck game, $15 min, 6:5. No players

 

4. A multiple deck game $50 min, 3:2. No players

 

5. A multiple deck game, $100 min, 3:2. No players. 

 

So you now have to play at the $50 tables or higher to get the traditional 3:2 payout for a natural (2 card) blackjack. 😔

 

We were on Silhouette in November and played Blackjack every day.  Payout was always 3:2 on every table.

[mahdnc]

It's another Aruba sunrise....

[mahdnc]

The balcony view

[mahdnc]

16 hours ago, wdblake said:

Can you order dinner from the MDR as room service?

Is there a good selection of free movies on demand on the stateroom  TV?

I'll look into the room service question. All I can say so far is that they have been providing Eggs Benedict every time we have written it on the breakfast card you hang on your door handle the night before.

 

Here are the free movies:

[tere247]

I am very much enjoying your travelogue. Thank you for posting.  It's been a while since we've cruised Celebrity and we're looking to return. This is an itinerary we are most interested in.  Can you tell me if on sea days, if there are many shaded table and chair areas. The shaded loungers do not like my knees. And I can only take so much of the strong Caribbean sun.

Although we did enjoy our experience, the limited outdoor shaded seating is what kept us away.

[tere247]

I should add, that the loud electronic/rave type music blasting in the atrium also kept us away.

[tauep24]

This is totally unrelated to your current cruise.  My wife & I are looking to take a 10 day on the Reflection in April 2021.  We will be in our mid 40's.  Is this to young for Celebrity?  What is the average age you are seeing on your current cruise?

[mahdnc]

The NFL playoffs are being fed to our staterooms and throughout the ship. 

[Danwes]

2 hours ago, tauep24 said:

This is totally unrelated to your current cruise.  My wife & I are looking to take a 10 day on the Reflection in April 2021.  We will be in our mid 40's.  Is this to young for Celebrity?  What is the average age you are seeing on your current cruise?

My wife and I are booked for our 2nd celebrity cruise for November this year. We are both 31, and have no complaints with our first cruise aboard the equinox. We saw a wide spread of age, we were among the youngest, but I'd say most people were in their mid 50s