Reflection balcony or Beyond ocean view?

[workinmom3]

I was pretty much decided on an 8 night cruise on Reflection with ports of Grand Cayman, Aruba, & Curacao. Then I saw we could do an oceanview cabin on the Beyond for the same price & essentially the same itinerary. This will be our first Celebrity cruise. We have always cruised with RCCL and I’m a little hesitant to do an oceanview since we love our balcony cabins but the Beyond looks beautiful. Any advice on which to choose?

[RTShaker]

I would rather a balcony on an older ship than an oceanview on any ship.

 

[jelayne]

I for us the Beyond.  The 4 MDRs offer more options and better food ( subjective) than the Reflection and more options for dining at breakfast and lunch.  Entertainment is better and the ship is amazing.  Great walking track, pool is bigger and a separate plunge pool.   Sunset bar is amazing.  It is a beautiful ship.

[the penguins]

5 hours ago, workinmom3 said:

I was pretty much decided on an 8 night cruise on Reflection with ports of Grand Cayman, Aruba, & Curacao. Then I saw we could do an oceanview cabin on the Beyond for the same price & essentially the same itinerary. This will be our first Celebrity cruise. We have always cruised with RCCL and I’m a little hesitant to do an oceanview since we love our balcony cabins but the Beyond looks beautiful. Any advice on which to choose?

For us the balcony but we use it a lot - several hours a day on every sea day.

 

[rrraydon]

I've not sailed X before either, I usually sail RC as well. My first sailing is in 2 weeks on Reflection. I'd go with Beyond.😁 She's a beauty.

Edited April 29 by rrraydon

[cruisestitch]

Balcony on Reflection would make more sense in the Caribbean 

[jelayne]

3 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

Balcony on Reflection would make more sense in the Caribbean 

Why?  Unless you spend hours a day on a balcony.  The better dining options (3x a day), a larger pool, great solarium, more outdoor seating, plunge pool, better spa and a new ship.  

[WestLakeGirl]

I would take the balcony on Reflection because the IV doesn’t suit in hot climates since the room steams up when the window is open

[Lady Arwen]

Just cancelled two Princess cruises for 2025 and rebooked on Beyond.  We booked one of the deluxe ocean view cabins on deck 9 forward.  Very large cabin and great views.  I prefer Edge class ships over S class.  

[awhfy]

Reflection for a true balcony

[Syd58]

Definitely Reflection with balcony. In the Caribbean, a balcony stateroom is preferred.  Take another cruise on the Beyond or another E-class ship.

[Marie51]

Definitely go with the balcony.

[Butterfly0822]

Been on both. Would chose Beyond every time -- the staterooms are so much nicer even without the balcony.

[cw2go]

I've sailed both and would pick Beyond. 

Patty

[Purplsmurf]

I would go with Reflection. It doesn’t matter what ship it is, a balcony is much better than OV……imo….

[bessinfl]

Take the Reflection. I prefer the medium-size S-class ships, where you never feel crowded. And I can't imagine wanting to be in one of those fake-balcony staterooms when you can have a real balcony on Reflection. We do like to spend a couple of hours a day in our balcony, at various times of day, and the Reflection's are perfect. I don't care about the stage shows, and I have no interest in umpteen restaurants. So if that's what you like, you will disagree with me. 

[Oville]

11 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

Balcony on Reflection would make more sense in the Caribbean 

Unless of course it’s too hot to use the balcony.

[Dolebludger]

I can’t give an answer, as it is a matter of how much you would actually use the real balcony. And the interior size of the cabin is important too.

[Peteymil]

8 hours ago, jelayne said:

Why?  Unless you spend hours a day on a balcony.  The better dining options (3x a day), a larger pool, great solarium, more outdoor seating, plunge pool, better spa and a new ship.  

It's all a matter of opinion.  We do spend time on our balcony and for me, I don't love just looking out the window on a cruise.  I think the older ships have a lot of character and I can always find nooks and crannies.  I'm not a spa person so that doesn't matter.

Also I don't agree that there are better dining options 3x a day. I do like the four dining rooms on Edge class but that is one meal a day, and I find the options for breakfast and lunch pretty similar on all Celebrity ships.

[twins_to_alaska]

I just got off Reflection first time (my 3rd S class) with one of the largest off the hump angled balconies and loved it. I like the fresh air and prefer the quiet of my own balcony and eating out there. I was on Ascent in January and loved my first Edge class... Beyond is basically identical and if you haven't tried an Edge class you might want to do that instead. There are a lot of outdoor areas, even with shade! I was in a sky suite on Ascent but I roamed the whole ship. Gorgeous. Reflection hasn't been revolutionized which means that everyone can enjoy the outdoor front areas which is also nice. And it has the best S class outdoor seating area outside the buffet with the bar on the deck above. I ate there many times as well.

[Jeremiah1212]

How far out are you looking? If you shop around you can probably find the Beyond cruise priced fairly close to the Reflection cruise. 

 

As of late my preference leans almost exclusively to E class ships. S class just doesn't feel the same anymore. 

[Bosjoe]

You can answer your own question by saying, How much time do I use a balcony?  If you think you wouldn't use it much then take the newer ship and an ocean view. 

[dabear]

It's not how much time you spend on a balcony, it's the quality time on it. We prefer a balcony over an OV or infinity balcony,(which in our opinion just doesn't cut it).

 

[Cruiscs]

3 hours ago, twins_to_alaska said:

I just got off Reflection first time (my 3rd S class) with one of the largest off the hump angled balconies and loved it. I like the fresh air and prefer the quiet of my own balcony and eating out there. I was on Ascent in January and loved my first Edge class... Beyond is basically identical and if you haven't tried an Edge class you might want to do that instead. There are a lot of outdoor areas, even with shade! I was in a sky suite on Ascent but I roamed the whole ship. Gorgeous. Reflection hasn't been revolutionized which means that everyone can enjoy the outdoor front areas which is also nice. And it has the best S class outdoor seating area outside the buffet with the bar on the deck above. I ate there many times as well.

How do you rate Reflection vs Ascent except the stateroom?

[NMTraveller]

Balcony.

 

Anyways E class is crowded and loud and shouty.