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Celebrity Reflection

Our newest Solstice® Class marvel, she sails to the Caribbean and Europe.

Tabs Reflection® Cruises

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• Reflection Itineraries
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Set sail aboard Celebrity Reflection and experience a luxurious vacation that brings some of the most amazing destinations in the world closer than you ever imagined. Relax in stylish accommodations and enjoy all of the award-winning onboard experiences that make our cruises so incredible. There’s also an exclusive sanctuary for guests of The Retreat® which includes private restaurant dining and 24/7 lounge. Enjoy dining options that include distinctive restaurants with menus crafted by Michelin-starred chefs and the most awarded wine collection at sea. Our dedicated staff is there to tend to your every need. Enjoy endless ocean views, catch some sun, and play your favorite outdoor games on a ½ acre of real grass at The Lawn Club. Then, cap off the outdoor fun with delicious grilling specialties at Lawn Club Grill. You can also take your palate to new heights with exciting culinary experiences by our Global Culinary Ambassador, Chef Daniel Boulud. Shop in luxury boutiques. And, invigorate your senses at The Spa. From unforgettable spaces to world-class amenities, and distinct features, you’ll rest and recharge the moment you step aboard.

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October 12, 2012

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Available 24/7 only to guests of The Retreat, It's the perfect place to start or end your day with a complimentary drink, or two.

The Retreat Lounge on Celebrity Reflection

Experience a culinary adventure right on board, from Chef’s Table by Chef Daniel Boulud to Lawn Club Grill, Le Petite Chef TM , and so much more.

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Gather with friends and family in beautiful bars and lounges, including Passport Bar, Martini Bar, and World Class Bar.

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Discover a variety of distinctive accommodations, including our unrivaled guests of The Retreat, our spa-inspired AquaClass ® , and our Reflection Suites and Signature Suites.

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Journey to the Holy Land on an unforgettable adventure from Southern Europe and explore the sacred streets where Judaism, Christianity, and Islam intersect. Walk along the cobblestone streets and experience 3,000 years of history unfold before you -- time has not ravaged its fascinating architecture. Gaze at the Western Wall, which stands as the sacred remains of King David’s Second Temple. Watch the sunlight bounce off the golden-roofed Dome of the Rock or the shimmering silver al-Aqsa Mosque. Located less than an hour’s drive from Ashdod, you’ll be swept up by the magnitude and beauty of this treasured city.

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Our honest Celebrity Reflection review

by Steve | Jun 9, 2022 | Caribbean , Cruising , Feature Cruising , Travel , Wellness Travel | 28 comments

This honest review of our Celebrity Reflection Eastern Caribbean cruise will help you decide if this ship and itinerary is right for you.

In this post, we cover our cabin, the ship, itinerary, favorites, and what we think could have made our experience even better. Finally, we’ll share what you won’t want to miss when you book a cruise on the Celebrity Reflection. This was our 18th cruise and is not a sponsored post. We paid for this cruise ourselves. 

Overview of our Celebrity Reflection review 

In April 2022, we took an Eastern Caribbean cruise aboard the Celebrity Reflection. We last sailed aboard the Reflection in 2018 in the Mediterranean. This time, my wife, Ann, and I hoped to reacquaint ourselves with the ship before hosting a group for the first-ever Postcard Jar Friends Cruise on the Reflection in January 2023. 

PIN FOR LATER

About the ship

The Celebrity Reflection is among Celebrity’s largest ships. At 1,047 feet long and with 16 decks, she has space for more than 3,000 guests. There were about 1,600 on our sailing. Any honest review of the Celebrity Reflection will tell you the decor on the ship is upscale with furnishings in good condition, albeit a bit dated.  

The Reflection offers 12 restaurants catering to all tastes from a buffet and poolside grill to an Italian steakhouse and fine dining French-themed restaurant. With 10 bars on board, there are plenty of places to wet your whistle. Whether you’re thirsty for a frozen daiquiri by the pool or a carefully crafted cocktail at the World Class Bar, there’s a place for you.

The lido deck has a large outdoor pool surrounded by several hot tubs, as well as an adults-only solarium with indoor pool and hot tubs reserved for guests aged 16 and older. There are no water slides, go-cart tracks, or ropes courses, though Celebrity does offer children’s/teen programming that we hear is very much liked by participants. 

The Reflection is perfect for wellness travelers. It has a full-service spa, salon, and well-equipped fitness center. 

For more information on a wellness-focused cruise aboard the Celebrity Reflection, watch this video:

The ship also offers a casino, meeting space, as well as large and small theaters. In addition, she has shops featuring beautiful jewelry, cosmetics, duty-free liquor, and souvenirs. 

Finally, no review of the Celebrity Reflection would be complete without a mention of the crew and the impeccable service they provide. While on board, every single staff member bent over backwards to make sure our cruise vacation was the absolute best experience possible. 

We honestly don’t know how they do it, but every day we received top-notch service from these incredible people. 

Dining review of the Celebrity Reflection

Celebrity has a reputation for good food and the Reflection lived up to that reputation. As suite guests, we were assigned to Luminae as our main restaurant. It’s an elegant setting and offers delicious, interesting dishes and impeccable service. If you’re a seafood lover, the halibut on sticky rice with spinach is amazing.

In addition, we had a dinner one night in Blu, a restaurant reserved for AquaClass guests as well as suite guests on a space-available basis. The venue is gorgeous, service was great and we enjoyed the clean cuisine,  as well.

The Oceanview buffet is one of our favorite dining venues on any Celebrity ship. With much higher food quality than a typical buffet, we love the variety of foods (including 300 types of breads) as well as the vast quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables on board.

Because we were in a Royal Suite, we also had access to unlimited specialty dining during our cruise. As a result, we tried most of the specialty dining restaurants. We’d rank them as follows: Our absolute favorite was Murano, the French-inspired restaurant. We adored the goat cheese soufflé appetizer and the Grand Mariner soufflé for dessert. Entrees were exquisite without being overly rich.

Next, we liked the Lawn Club. With a relaxed atmosphere and casual, yet upscale menu, we enjoyed its grilled entrees. Then, we’d recommend Italian-themed Tuscan Grille which serves up steaks, pasta, and lots of infused oils and vinegars with bread. It also offers the best view for dinners on board since it is located Deck 5 Aft and has huge floor-to-ceiling windows.

In last place is The Porch. We ate dinner there, though it is probably better suited for lunch. Service was slow and the food wasn’t up to Celebrity’s typical high standards. While we didn’t eat a meal at Sushi on 5, we did have takeout sushi from there and found it to be wonderful. Note: We didn’t eat in QSine as we’ve been to venues offering Le Petit Chef twice before. While a fun concept, we feel like we have “been there, done that.”

A look inside our Royal Suite

We initially booked a Sky Suite cabin for our cruise, but won a bid to upgrade to a Royal Suite two days before setting sail. Our cabin was much larger than a normal suite and included a kitchenette, dining room table, living room, and a huge bathroom with tub and separate shower. It also had an additional half bath near the entrance to the suite.

And, because it was a suite, we also had the services of a personal retreat host (butler). He took care of everything from shining my shoes and filling our minifridge to booking reservations for us. 

Linens were soft, luxurious and the furniture comfortable. We really liked the chaise lounger on the balcony and fell asleep there a few times.

Because our room was so large, we were even able to host a cocktail sail away party in our cabin for some new friends we met on board. Our personal retreat host told us he would handle everything–all we had to do was invite the guests. As you can see, we had a great time!

For a full tour of our Royal Suite (#1624), watch this video:

For more information on Celebrity Cruises’ “The Retreat,” click HERE .

Nine-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary 

The cruise for this Celebrity Reflection review was a nine-night Eastern Caribbean cruise which set sail from Fort Lauderdale. Our first full day on board was a sea day, as were the last two days. We did make five calls to ports during the cruise, listed below.

Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic: Here we got off the ship and explored the beautiful, recently constructed port area. Then, we took some time to lounge by a pool with a cold (and reasonably priced) drink. The port was full of shops, pools, bars, and restaurants–all within an easy walk from the ship. The pools there are complimentary, so you’ll want to wear your swimsuit when you leave the ship. 

Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas: We took part in a Celebrity Shore excursion that included a bus trip through the city followed by a catamaran trip to the nearby island of St. John. On St. John, we had some time at a beach and a chance to go snorkeling. We even got to swim alongside a sea turtle! The format of the excursion gave us time to make some new friends, and they’re the ones we invited for the cocktail party in our room.

More on our itinerary

St. John’s, Antigua: After two busy days in port, we decided to spend a day on board enjoying the beautiful ship and resting. As you can see from the photo below, Ann had no issues relaxing in a canopy near the solarium. 

Rousseau, Dominica: We got off the ship and explored the port area. Due to Covid restrictions, we could not leave the port area unless on a specific excursion. Still, we got a taste for this small Caribbean nation and the wonderful people who live there. One day, we hope to return and spend more time on this beautiful island.

Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis: We went ashore early in St. Kitts and met a friend there. She’d arranged for a private taxi to take us on a tour of the island. We had so much fun exploring and learning about the island during our excursion. Because it was private tour, we could stop and take photos as we wanted. 

A real highlight of the day was our visit to Reggae Beach, a favorite of locals. There, we sipped an ice-cold locally-made pop while enjoying the sights and sounds of a pristine beach. Then, we capped the day off with a stop at a local grocery store where we bought some treats to bring back on board with us as gifts for crew members. 

What would make it better

We tried a number of the specialty restaurants on board The Reflection and genuinely liked them all except for one. To be frank, The Porch fell short of expectations. Service was a little chaotic (maybe a training day), and the food did not meet our expectations. 

Review of our Celebrity Reflection favorites

The Celebrity Reflection, like all Solstice-class ships, has a Lawn Club with real grass (they even mow it) on the top deck of the ship.

 It’s is a great place to watch a movie, play some Bocce Ball, or just to sit back, stretch, and relax. Also available for an up charge are alcoves offering comfortable seating, and beautiful sea breezes. Attendants provide food and drink service throughout the day.

Each morning, we loved having coffee and a muffin on our veranda –we call it first breakfast. Ann really loves the bran muffins she’s had on Celebrity ships. We think this is the perfect way to start the day before heading off for some exercise (followed by, of course, second breakfast).

A few more of our favorite things

The Spa Café , located in the solarium, serves up a great complimentary light lunch. With small-sized portions of salads, whole grain breads, fresh fruits and even smoothies, it offers a meal that won’t break the day’s calorie budget. My wife especially enjoyed the quinoa and chicken salad with whole grain bread stick. 

We loved the experience in Michael’s Club (the suites-only lounge) aboard the Reflection. It’s a smaller venue than on Edge-class ships so we found we got to know some of the other passengers a bit better. We also enjoyed the live music there. 

The buffet on The Reflection offers a fantastic array of food, but we really like the Indian offerings. We love Indian food in general and find the flavors on board to be very authentic–which makes sense as so many of the chefs hail from India.

What you don’t want to miss

• Be sure to head to the World Class Bar early in the cruise. Order one of the craft cocktails from the menu or ask the mixologist for another one of your favorite classic cocktails. The drinks at this bar are a step above those found at most bars at sea–or on land. Take your time and savor the experience. And if you have a chance to take a mixology class on board – do it! 

2. If you don’t want to be around people, escape in The Hideaway. It’s a quiet spot on deck 7 with lots of cozy seating options as well as a complimentary coffee station. 

3. At least one time during your cruise, set an alarm and get up early to watch the sunrise. It never disappoints when your view is from a ship at sea.

Overall, we absolutely relaxed and enjoyed our nine-night Eastern Caribbean cruise on the Celebrity Reflection. We’ll especially remember our time in the Royal Suite, meeting new friends, and our fun-filled day in Saint Kitts. We recommend this ship and will definitely sail aboard her again. In fact, we loved her so much that we used her for our first ever Postcard Jar Friends Cruise!  CLICK HERE to see how it went.

For more food, travel, and healthy living inspiration, join us on social media @postcardjar on  Pinterest ,   Facebook ,  Instagram , and  Twitter .

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28 Comments

We just got back from a Mediterranean cruise on Reflection (Barcelona to Rome) and we too were very disappointed with the library! Most books were in foreign languages, but the selection was dismal.

Sorry to hear the selection wasn’t great. When we were on, there were a number of books, but as it is “take a book, leave a book” for circulation, I fear that the good titles may disembark with folks who didn’t bring a book with them and who haven’t finished the book before the end of the cruise.

My husband and I are going on the 8 night Western Caribbean Cruise in March. What excursions are recommended and in your opinion can be passed?

I don’t know what your port stops are, so don’t really have a good answer for you. It also kind of depends on what you like to do. One suggestion is to search for your cruise on Facebook. Search for “Celebrity Reflection March ___, 2024 cruise” filling in the blank with your departure date. If there’s a group, the folks there will probably be in a better position to help you.

You must be on the same itinerary that me and my friends are!

We are on the Celebrity reflection next week to the Mediterranean. I just saw the library on board that is offered. What a joke!! I guess we will have to pack some books. This was always a treat for me on my other voyages. Disappointed.

There are books available there that you can borrow. Many folks use it as a leave-a-book, take-a-book library.

Steve, Tell me more about how you bid for a room and are there certain times of the year that this would work better than others?

About three weeks before your cruise, you can offer a move-up bid. Sometimes, they’ll send you an email offering it, and sometimes you don’t get one. But if you just google “Celebrity move-up” you’ll find the site where you can make an offer. You’ll put in your reservation number, name, and maybe a little other information and you’ll be able to see rooms for which you’re eligible to offer a bid. There will be a minimum bid. Each bid is a per person bid. You can change or cancel your bid at any time unless it has been accepted. At that point, it’s final. As for better times of year? That’s hard to say. Perhaps times when the ship is less full would be better.

Note that I have made a bid for upgrades and when I got on board I found out that there weren’t any in that category available…so it’s possible they are just using what the bids were to find out what people might have been willing to pay.

We love the Reflection.

She’s a beautiful ship, indeed, Marilyn. And the crew is top-notch!

Worse crew line services ever ! DON’T BOOK A VACATION WITH THEM! Especially if you are a minority. Judge mental, racists crew members dealing with bartenders who can’t make drinks properly and pick and choose who/when they want to help you, but if your skin is white they want to be friendly with you and help get a drink for you pronto. They’ll also hit you with unexpected charges as well so be aware of that. I’m still onboard as well i can say this will be my first and last time booking with this crew line. I wouldn’t recommend it for minorities, for younger ages from 18-30 especially if you are people of colored.

So sorry you had this experience. We just got off a Celebrity cruise with our daughter, (who is black) and her friend (who is Latina), and they did not have those experiences. One of the things we enjoy most about Celebrity is the diversity of the crew.

I’m on board celebrity millenium right now and as a minority I have to agree with you. I’ve been treated as an incontinence by staff….even black staff. They literally refused to give me eggs until I insisted and when I asked for drinks from my drinks package I was told I can only have one at a time. Meanwhile they bend over backwards for non blacks. Even the white guest I dined with said something that he doesn’t understand what they keep checking my card. Never again. This company does not deserve black money.

This review was amazing. We are on the Reflection on a 9 night Italian Riviera cruise. We have a concierge Veranda, but already made a reservation up at the Lawn as a recommendation from you both. We leave end of September 2023 and cannot wait. We have always traveled on Royal Caribbean and am looking forward to this upscale ship to guide us through our first foray into Europe. Thank you for such a thorough review!

We’re so happy this review was helpful to you! And you’re absolutely right–the Reflection is a very upscale ship. Enjoy the Lawn Club Grille and have the cookie for dessert! 🙂

I was browsing through comments on the Celebrity Reflection and noticed this review. It was very informative and am pleased to discover a fellow passenger that is reserved on my cruise on Reflection September 30 departing from Barcelona. It would be so nice to be in touch about our upcoming cruise. We have been on RCL to some of the ports in 2019 if you have any questions it would be a pleasure to share about our experiences.

We, too, are sailing on the Reflection at the end of Sept from Barcelona to Rome. We will probably be ship mates. This was an excellent ship review. Appreciate it.

So glad you found our review helpful, Kay!

Thanks for your tips of the Reflection. I’m heading out on the Italian Riviera 21st September, and absolutely looking forward to my first European trip.

If you are not suite members it is difficult to get into premium restaurants even though you are paying extra . In many instances , a premium restaurant would be 30 % full and they wouldn’t let you in. Not impressed

We’ve typically made reservations for speciality dining before our cruise. As for suite members getting into the specialty restaurants more easily then others – that has not been our experience. When the restaurant is at capacity (depending on space or staffing) we were not able to get a reservation, even when we were in a Royal Suite. We’ve enjoyed all our Celebrity Cruises and are always impressed with the high-quality service.

This review appeared in my Google news feed and I read it only because we have just booked a trip in April 2023 on Celebrity Edge. The review was excellent – carefully considered, well thought out and well phrased.

I’m going to dig through the internet including Facebook to look for some of your other posts.

I hope you will consider a request for future posts. My wife and I are ballroom dancers and are discovering that it is quite hard to get coherent information about ballroom dancing venues and opportunities on cruise ships.

The cruise lines give only vague generalities like ‘you can dance the night away’, ‘you can shake up your booty in the evenings’. The reality is somewhat different. NCL has some excellent sized and shaped venues with poor music. Princess seems to have small and sometimes cramped venues with better music. I’m hoping frequent cruisers like you will have a look at dance floors and what’s going on there and let us ballroom dancing enthusiasts know.

Anyway, thanks again for the excellent review

Thank you, Fred, for your kind words about our review! We, ourselves, are not ballroom dancers (though we are not opposed to learning), but will do our best to keep this request in mind. We have a couple of friends with whom we’ve cruised who are avid ballroom dancers and even enter competitions. We will see what we can do to pick their brains. In the meantime, know that they enjoy dancing on Celebrity’s ships. We have also seen ballroom dancers on many cruisers dancing to live music and they seem to be having a blast.

My wife and I were considering two of your December cruises. After reading about the riots on a Carnival cruise, what can you promise us as far as security from those riots which spanned at least 3 floors. We specifically do not go to large “blue” cities for this very reason.

We are not Celebrity Cruises and we are not affiliated with the cruise line. We’re travel bloggers who shared about our experiences aboard the Reflection on a cruise for which we paid. So, we can’t speak to anything other than our experiences. In 15 cruises aboard Celebrity, we have observed professional security officers and have felt safe at all times. In addition, Celebrity’s atmosphere tends to be more sophisticated than that of other cruise lines we’ve tried. Sure people enjoy a cocktail on Celebrity, but it tends to be quality over quantity.

If you’d like to chat with the cruise line, you can find contact information here: https://www.celebritycruises.com/company/customer-support/contact-us

Travel well! 🙂

We are headed on the April sailing and wonder how much you big to get your upgrade. Fingers crossed

We bid just a little bit over the minimum. That said, we bid for that room in April of 2022 and there were only about 1,600 people on board. With more passengers now, we really can’t help with what might be a winning bid amount. Good luck!

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Celebrity Reflection Activities

Entertainment & Activities

Celebrity reflection day & night.

Scheduled daytime activities include things like trivia, dance classes, lectures, art auctions and wine/drinks tastings

Nighttime focuses on theater, comedy, more tastings, movies and dancing

Fortunes casino is rarely busy but does host popular gaming tournaments throughout the cruise

While Refection holds more than 3,000 passengers, it rarely feels busy, perhaps owing to the variety of activities offered day and night. People tend to find their favorites and stick to them. During the day, expect a line-up of trivia, lectures, wine, spirit and cocktail tastings, and spa seminars. When weather is pleasant, passengers spend time poolside or lazing on the grass at the Lawn Club.

At night, most shows take place in the Reflection Theater, a lovely two-level venue befitting the big-time song and dance productions onstage. Passengers usually have two opportunities to catch shows in the Reflection Theater each night to accommodate different dinner seatings.

Most nights you'll find live music in several spots throughout the ship. Because the ship has no official dance club, those looking to bust a move have to look to the day's schedule to find the best spot. The Grand Foyer hosts a live band each evening, which can be good or bad depending on your musical taste -- the sound travels throughout the ship's central area making it hard to escape if you're not a fan.

While venues around the atrium host music and entertainment of their own, don't be surprised if an impromptu show, with music and wild costumes, breaks out at night. Just don't expect it to appear daily.

Movie buffs can catch feature films most nights in Celebrity Central, a secondary theater venue located on Deck 4. Celebrity Central also hosts events like game shows and bingo.

Reflection uses its Lawn Club to host Concerts on the Lawn, where passengers are provided with cheese, wine and blankets for sitting. Wine is available at standard prices; the cheese is free.

Celebrity Reflection Bars and Lounges

There is no shortage of places to raise a glass on Celebrity Reflection, with a choice of almost a dozen bars ranging from cozy, clubby spaces to light-filled lounges with ocean views.

Highlights include:

Cellar Masters (Deck 4): Wine-lovers can access an impressive array of wines from around the globe via automatic dispensers using a "wine card," which can be inserted to obtain a measured portion. While there are hosted wine tastings during the day, we missed having a bartender during the evening and, like most passengers on our sailing, avoided this venue when it wasn't staffed.

Martini Bar (Deck 4): Order a couple of flights, and you might see a spectacular show involving bottle-flipping, glass-stacking and the pouring of a dozen drinks at once. There's no guarantee you'll get the performance, but if you're interested your best bet is to place your order when the bar isn't too busy, perhaps after ordering a couple of rounds and dropping a generous tip. With its ice-covered surface and charismatic bartenders, the Martini Bar is one of the most popular spots onboard.

Michael's Club (Deck 5): This lounge is only open to Zenith members of the Captain's Club -- Celebrity's loyalty club -- and those staying in suites (Sky Suite and AquaClass Suite guests don't have access). The vibe depends largely on the type of suite passengers onboard, with an atmosphere that could be anything from (almost too) quiet to loud and lively.

Sky Lounge (Deck 14): This lounge area with floor-to-ceiling windows and panoramic ocean views is the place to be. During the day it is a blissfully quiet spot to curl up in a comfy seat and read; after the bar opens, it takes on a livelier vibe, especially after 10 p.m. when the dance floor attracts a decent crowd.

Sunset Bar (Deck 15): With its fun lighted stools and killer aft location, this bar is a favorite in the evening when you can settle in for some cocktails and unparalleled views of the sun setting over the sea. You'll also fight for a seat there during sail-aways.

Celebrity Reflection Outside Recreation

Multiple pools, including an adults-only covered Solarium, provide plenty of options for shade and sunseekers

The Lawn Club, featuring real grass, is a unique spot for chilling any time of day

Pool games are fun and fairly sophisticated, highlighted by a water volleyball game between officers and passengers

Generally, the outdoor vibe on Reflection, especially on sea days, is laid-back. Announcements and pool games are rare. The ship offers three pools and six whirlpools on Deck 12. Two pools (one shallow and one plunge) make up the outside pool deck, along with an interactive water feature consisting of numerous dancing fountains. The two-pool layout, with four raised hot tubs and showers on deck in tucked-away spots, makes for a tight but adequate setup.

The adults-only Solarium houses within its blissfully quiet enclosure two hot tubs and a lovely pool bookended by a wall of ferns and flowers, as well as a soothing water and light display. A lift for wheelchair users is available to help people get in the pool. The early evening hours are a fantastic time for a swim. You'll likely have the place to yourself.

Deck 15 is home to the ship's sports/basketball court, Ping-Pong tables and the Lawn Club. From picnicking and lawn games (golf, bocce or croquet) to simply sitting and people-watching, the public park at sea is an ideal venue for relaxing at any time of day. The lawn chairs sometimes fill up during the day, but it never feels crowded. Several cabanas are available for rent here.

Smokers and sunseekers who want to be away from the busy pool favor the open-air space on Deck 16 called the Solstice Deck. Sunseekers will also enjoy padded lounge chairs spread around Decks 12 and 14, and even to the side of the lawn on Deck 15.

Celebrity Reflection Services

Guest and shore excursion services

Future cruise sales

Two-deck library

Card and game room

Photo gallery and camera shop

iLounge internet cafe; classes offered ( find Celebrity internet prices here )

Shops: designer accessories and clothing, fine jewelry, Celebrity-branded items, toiletries, snacks, duty-free alcohol and cigarettes

Medical center

Spa & Fitness

Large selection of body treatment, facial, medi-spa and salon services

Spa specials offered on port days, though they end by 1 p.m.

Giant thermal suite features heated ceramic loungers, aroma steam room and a scrub and salt bar (free to AquaClass and AquaSpa passengers; day and full-cruise passes available to others)

Full fitness center featuring a wide range of equipment and a variety of classes

With therapists from around the world, specialist treatments such as Thai massage are of a particularly high standard

The spa, run by OneSpaWorld, offers treatments that range from teeth whitening to acupuncture and Restylane skincare treatments, in addition to facials and massages. Spa prices don't include a mandatory 18 percent service charge. Services are discounted on port days, but port pricing only lasts until 1 p.m., regardless of what time the ship sets sail.

Teens aged from 13 to 15 have their own "Bliss" menu, offering hair treatments, facials and spray tans.

AquaClass and AquaSpa Suite passengers have free access to the Persian Garden , a serene space decorated in greens and whites. It includes heated ceramic tile loungers, an aroma steam room and a scrub and salt bar. Access can be purchased per cruise or per day (it's less expensive on port days), but availability can be limited.

Reflection's fitness center occupies the forward section of Deck 12 and features modern equipment, including treadmills, stationary bikes and elliptical trainers, as well as resistance equipment and a solid selection of dumbbells. Classes include yoga, Zumba, boot camp, TRX suspension training and Flywheel cycling. Most classes require a fee as well as sign-up ahead of time. Reflection's jogging track is on Deck 15; eight laps equals a mile.

Reflection has club spaces for kids but lacks features like a kids water park or water slides

Kids programming is designed based on age: 3 to 5, 6 to 11 and 12 to 17

Children must be 6 months old to cruise or 12 months old for any cruise that has three sea days in a row or more

In-room babysitting for children 12 months and older is available for a fee; group babysitting (for a fee) is also available

Reflection has Autism Friendly Certification; it offers movies, games, toys and activities suitable for kids with autism

Celebrity's kids' club is divided into three segments. ShipMates is designed for children ages 3 to 5. Kids can participate in activities like theme parties, treasure hunts and talent shows. Children need to be toilet trained to participate.

Babies and toddlers (6 months to 3 years old) are permitted in the kids' play areas only with parental supervision.

The Fun Factory is for those aged 6 to 11. Staff members divide the kids by age and encourage participation in age-appropriate activities. Children 9 and older can sign themselves in and out of the program with parental permission.

In-room babysitting for children 12 months and older is available throughout the day for a fee, for up to three children in the same family (one parent needs to be on the ship at all times). Late-night group babysitting is also offered for a fee, though it costs less.

Children's lunch and dinner service is available, also for a fee, for kids aged 3 to 11, though dinner is free on port days or when the ship sails before 2 p.m. Youth staff take the children to lunch or dinner and then continue with programming.

Celebrity doesn't provide baby food. Requests for cribs must be given in writing before the start of your cruise.

Teens have the X-Club, which includes a dance club and coffee lounge for those 12 to 17. Teen activities include theme parties, scavenger hunts, pool Olympics, sports tournaments, team trivia, karaoke, gaming and fitness activities. Don't be surprised if you see aspiring teen filmmakers shooting footage around the ship using GoPros. It's part of iTake, an XClub video project that gives them a chance to plot, shoot and edit their own movies in the iLounge.

.css-h7fee9{font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-size:1.125rem;margin-right:0.5rem;}.css-h7fee9::before{content:"\e063";display:inline-block;font-style:normal;line-height:1;speak:none;-ms-transform:rotate(-0.001deg);-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;-moz-osx-font-smoothing:grayscale;} Activities & Entertainment

• Acupuncture *
• Basketball Court
• Bocce/Lawn Bowling
• Canyon Ranch SpaClub *
• Casino Tournaments *
• Celebrity Central
• Celebrity iLounge *
• Comedy Shows
• Disco & Dancing
• Enrichment Lectures
• Ensemble Lounge
• Featured Films
• Fitness Center
• Fitness Classes *
• Fortunes Casino *
• Fun Factory

* May require additional fees

Find a Celebrity Reflection Cruise from $256

© 1995— 2024 , The Independent Traveler, Inc.

• CruiseMapper
• Cruise news
• Cruise Industry
• Celebrity Cruises ships Reflection and Beyond made first calls...

Celebrity Cruises ships Reflection and Beyond made first calls at CocoCay Bahamas

In recent years, CocoCay Bahamas  has emerged as a beloved destination for RCI-Royal Caribbean ’s ships. However, until this week, it had remained absent from Celebrity Cruises ' itineraries.

This week marked a significant change, as both Celebrity Reflection and Celebrity Beyond made their inaugural calls at CocoCay. This addition comes as part of Celebrity’s broader initiative to offer expanded "short Caribbean itinerary" cruises departing from South Florida.

Laura Hodges (Celebrity's President) noted that the decision to introduce Perfect Day at CocoCay was influenced by feedback from guests. She emphasized that this addition provides new opportunities for Celebrity guests seeking quick beach getaways close to home.

The stopover at CocoCay encompasses the island’s exclusive Hideaway Beach, boasting four distinct bars and entertainment provided by a DJ. Both the Reflection and Beyond ships will include CocoCay as a highlight on their 5-night roundtrips from Fort Lauderdale Florida . These itineraries also feature stops in Bimini , Cozumel , Grand Cayman , and Key West FL .

Celebrity Reflection Cabin 6240 Video

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Disembarkation: Everything You Need to Know

By Sue Bryant

Last updated: April 27th, 2024

• Find a Cruise

Make the most of the day in your disembarkation port, which will run all the more smoothly with a little preparation and planning.

Disembarking a cruise ship is not the same as checking out of a hotel on your last day. Disembarkation day is a carefully choreographed event. It has to be, with sometimes 2,000 guests or more and their luggage to move from the ship to the cruise terminal and beyond in a short time.

Your Celebrity Cruises crew are highly experienced in this logistical exercise, though, and will do all they can to make that bittersweet goodbye as easy as possible.

What is a disembarkation port?

A disembarkation port is a port where a cruise ends. Most passengers will leave the ship here, apart from those who have booked back-to-back cruises.

The ship will then be “turned around”—cleaned top to bottom, refueled, and re-provisioned with everything that’s needed for the next voyage.

Once all the disembarking guests have left, after a brief lull, new arrivals will begin to check in, ready for the next cruise.

Typical disembarkation ports tend to be gateway cities with good air and road access, like Miami, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale in Florida; Cape Liberty, New Jersey; and San Juan, Puerto Rico in the Caribbean.

In Europe , disembarkation ports include Barcelona, Rome, Athens, and Southampton, England. Sydney, Australia and Singapore are two of Celebrity’s disembarkation ports in the Asia-Pacific region.

What happens on disembarkation day?

Disembarkation day is a busy day on a cruise ship. You’ll be invited to put your luggage outside your stateroom the night before. It will be collected by the crew overnight and will be waiting for you in the terminal when you leave the ship.

You’ll make sure your final bill is settled the day before, pack your carry-on luggage, and have breakfast. When your pre-allocated disembarkation time comes, make your way to the gangway.

You will then identify and claim your luggage in the terminal, clear customs, and take whatever onward transportation you’ve arranged.

Read: Everything You Need to Know About Embarkation Day

How will I know on board what to expect on disembarkation day?

Towards the end of your cruise, there will be a talk on disembarkation procedures. This will be shown on your stateroom TV, too, in case you miss it. You’ll also find details in the daily program.

You will already have been asked about your arrangements on disembarkation day. These might include a transfer to the airport arranged by Celebrity Cruises, or a shore excursion that ends at the airport.

You may have made independent plans, in which case you will need to add your flight details to the form you’ll be given, or the time your private pickup is booked.

A day or so before the voyage ends, your stateroom attendant will deliver a disembarkation letter and a set of colored luggage tags. The letter will tell you what time you are due to disembark. On the day, you will be called by group number or color code. You should stick to these staggered times to avoid congestion at the gangway.

If you’re not happy with the time you have been allocated, take it up with Guest Services as soon as possible rather than waiting until disembarkation day.

Do I have to put my luggage out for collection the night before disembarkation?

The vast majority of cruisers put their luggage outside their stateroom door, color-tagged and locked, the night before disembarkation. It’s more convenient and practical, as dragging heavy bags into crowded elevators and down a sometimes steep gangway is no fun for anybody.

But if you feel strongly about hanging onto your bag, or are perhaps traveling light with only a small wheelie on a short cruise, you can opt for “self disembarkation”. This usually means you can leave the ship as soon as disembarkation has begun.

How long can you stay on the ship on disembarkation day?

Disembarkation day isn’t a time to linger on board as the crew has to work hard to prepare the ship for the next voyage. Normally, there’s a window between around 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. for disembarkation. If your flight isn’t until much later, you will be given a later slot in this window, but this isn’t a day to expect to sleep in.

If you’ve booked a back-to-back cruise, you can relax on board during disembarkation day, or join a shore excursion while the new guests are checking in.

You will normally be asked to vacate your stateroom by 8 a.m. so the stateroom attendant can prepare it for the next guest. If your allocated disembarkation time is later than this, there will be public areas on the ship where you can relax with your carry-on before you leave.

Read: The Only Cruise Packing List You’ll Ever Need

How early can you get off?

A ship will usually only have a short distance to travel from its penultimate port to the disembarkation port to account for any delays or weather issues; no cruise line wants to arrive late on turnaround day. So you may find you’re docked alongside very early in the morning.

But the ship has to be cleared by the local authorities before anybody can leave. Luggage has to be offloaded, too.

When you book your cruise, you will be told about the earliest reasonable flight departure time to choose. A very early morning flight, for example, is usually impractical. If you do have a relatively early flight, this will be factored in when disembarkation groups are allocated.

Disembarkation times vary from port to port, but it is unusual for the process to begin any earlier than 7 a.m.

Is there time for breakfast?

Of course! You are still on vacation and will never be sent away hungry. Most of the usual breakfast venues will be open, including Café al Bacio for coffee to go.

Restaurants may be busier than usual as everybody is preparing to leave within the same short timespan, and some people may have already left their staterooms and will be carrying their hand baggage with them.

Read: What Is Food on a Cruise Really Like?

What documents do I need for disembarkation and customs?

You will need your passport and receipts for any duty-free goods you have bought, in case you get stopped at customs. Normally, the ship will have been cleared by the local immigration authorities, but you may still be required to show a passport to officials when you disembark.

If you have already checked in for your flight and feel happier with a paper boarding pass, you can print this out in the ship’s internet center. If you’ve parked your car at the port, make sure you have the receipt and know where it is.

You will also need your SeaPass key card to leave the ship for one last time.

How long does it take to get off a cruise ship?

If everybody follows the instructions they have been given and shows up at the gangway when invited, getting off a ship is quick and easy. You should be able to disembark in 15 to 30 minutes, including collecting your baggage in the terminal.

There can be delays, though, and the ship is at the whim of the local immigration authorities. This is another compelling reason for leaving plenty of time between your scheduled disembarkation time and your flight home.

If you have booked an airport transfer or a disembarkation day tour with Celebrity, your transportation will wait until everybody is present.

How do I choose the right disembarkation port for my cruise?

First, to be clear, you can’t choose where to disembark your cruise. Unless there is some kind of personal emergency or you have booked two back-to-back cruises, everybody disembarks on the same day in the same port.

It’s worth thinking about where your cruise ends, though, and what you might want to do to extend your vacation. If, for example, you’ve always wanted to see Athens and you’ve booked a cruise that ends in the Greek capital, you’re not going to actually see Athens unless you extend your stay there. The transfer from the port to the airport will not take you through the city center.

The same applies to Rome and Barcelona . So by all means pick a disembarkation port that you want to see, but bear in mind that unless the ship arrives there the day before the end of the cruise, you will need to add on a night somewhere, or book an evening flight and plan your day carefully.

Can I arrange transportation from the disembarkation port to the airport or other destinations?

Yes, of course. Celebrity Cruises offers airport transfers, which can be pre-booked, either as a group transfer by coach or a private car or van. If you haven’t pre-booked and decide that you would like an airport transfer, this can be done on board through your Guest Account or the Celebrity Cruises app up to five days before the end of the cruise.

In the vast majority of disembarkation ports, taxis will wait to pick up independent travelers. But do your research first; in some instances, the airport is a long way from the seaport. If you disembark in Southampton, England , for example, the drive to London Heathrow Airport is at least one hour and a taxi will be expensive.

What happens if my flight is in the evening?

An evening flight means you have the whole day to enjoy your disembarkation port. But this needs to be planned, as you will most likely have luggage. There’s no fun in going straight to the airport and sitting there for eight hours or so—and your flight check-in will not be open, in any case.

There are various ways to make the most of your time in your disembarkation port. You could go to the airport and deposit your bags in a left luggage locker and then take off for a day in town. This is only practical if the airport is not too far from where you want to go, though.

Booking a day room in a hotel is an option and also means you can freshen up before your evening flight. Be sure to book somewhere that will allow early check-in.

Celebrity Cruises offers tours with airport and sometimes rail station and downtown hotel drop-offs in most ports. In Sydney , for example, you could join a city tour taking in the Opera House and Bondi Beach before being dropped off at the airport.

From Civitavecchia, the port for Rome, Italy , there’s the option of joining a wine-tasting tour in the Italian countryside before heading to the airport.

If your Alaska cruise ends in Vancouver , you could take a trip to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, deep in the forest, that ends with an airport drop-off.

Best of all, you could extend your stay. Celebrity Cruises offers a comprehensive City Stays program , which means everything will be organized for you.

In Alaska , you could pre-book a Cruisetour to extend your vacation, heading off to the wilds of Denali National Park to see a different face of the 49th state.

What are some things not to do on disembarkation day?

• Don’t pack all your clothes in your suitcase and leave it for collection the night before. Nobody wants to be disembarking in their PJs.
• Similarly, don’t pack your travel documents in your checked luggage. Keep them with you as you may need to show your passport in the customs hall.
• Don’t party too hard on your last night; while it’s tempting, disembarkation day is busy and comes with an early start, so a clear head helps.
• Don’t forget the valuables that you put in the safe on the first day.
• Don’t wait until disembarkation morning to check your final bill. If you need to ask questions about your account, this will delay your disembarkation. You can view your statement on your stateroom TV.
• Do not expect to use the ship’s facilities on disembarkation day; this is not the time for a last swim or a workout, and the onboard shops will be closed when the ship is in port.
• Don’t leave your key card in your stateroom. You will need it to leave the ship for the last time.
• Leave the bathrobe. The slippers are yours to take, but if you walk off with a bathrobe, the cost will be added to your account, even after you have left the ship.

Read: Things Not to Do on a Cruise

Ready to plan your next cruise vacation? Browse our itineraries and plan your dream escape.

Sue has been writing about cruising for 20 years and is lucky enough to have sailed all seven continents. She lives in London, where she is cruise editor of The Times and The Sunday Times newspapers, as well as a freelance contributor to magazines and websites worldwide.

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