When I took my first European cruise last year as part of a group trip, I knew immediately that I’d been bitten by the cruise bug. As seasoned cruisers will tell you (and we met many), it really is addictive and a fabulous way to see the world.
With one cruise under my belt, I was excited to venture further afield and experience the Caribbean for the first time with Celebrity Cruises.
The younger sister brand of Royal Caribbean Cruises, Celebrity has a creative, design-led approach to cruising and attracts a diverse age group. Quite quickly we discovered it’s this point of difference and youthful vibe that keeps everyone coming back for more.
Pre-Cruise
Our trip began in comfort with an overnight Halloween stay at Sheraton Miami Airport (part of the cruise package), following our breezy Virgin Atlantic flight from London Heathrow.
The next morning, we joined fellow Celebrity Cruisers in the lobby to catch our coach transfer to the Port of Miami to board the Celebrity Reflection (the newest ship in the fleet). Embarkation was a little delayed due to first-time immigration procedures for the ship, but the check-in process was easy and we were given bottles of mineral water while waiting.
Stateroom
Our Ocean View Balcony Stateroom was an absolute delight to spend a week in, with more than enough space for two people and pristine contemporary interiors.
On arrival with a Mimosa in hand, we were greeted by our fantastic Stateroom Attendant Ozy who came to introduce himself and ask if we had any particular preferences for our room. We were kindly welcomed with a bottle of Celebrity Cruises Champagne on ice, a fruit bowl and a vase of colourful flowers.
Room features include a plush double bed with sumptuous embroidered Egyptian cotton linen, a comfortable seating area with a wide sofa and coffee table, minibar, a cabinet with bar top and drawers and a double wardrobe. There’s also a large interactive flatscreen Samsung TV on which you can order 24-hour room service, book excursions and watch TV channels including the ship’s exclusive Top Chef at Sea.
It was a real treat to have a private balcony with a table and two chairs – perfect for sailaway drinks, breakfast al fresco and sunbathing. There are some staterooms that simply have a window, but I recommend choosing a balcony room, as it really does enhance your stay.
The Bathroom
We found the bathroom truly impressive with an excellent walk-in shower, single sink, storage space, plenty of fluffy towels and face cloths, bathrobes, a proper hairdryer and a full set of Bvlgari White Tea bathroom products.
Our stateroom was serviced twice a day and we were brought turndown treats, invitations to onboard events such as the new Bvlgari store opening and the daily Celebrity newspaper with information about the destinations, excursions and the dress code for the following evening.
Dining
Food is a huge part of a Celebrity Cruise and with an unlimited selection of meals, snacks and drinks included, you’re guaranteed to never go hungry. In fact, we were blown away at the standard of cooking, fresh ingredients and choice.
Ocean View Cafe
A popular spot around the clock is the Ocean View Cafe – an enormous self-service restaurant conveniently located on the 14th deck, just a few steps from the outdoor pool. Chefs are present at each station to help serve dishes or cook up bespoke orders.
The lunch and dinner offering is quite dazzling with international dishes including fajitas, Thai noodles, spicy curries, fresh pizza and pasta, grilled chicken Caesar salad, charcuterie and antipasti.
The breakfast is particularly impressive with everything from yoghurt and granola and sliced exotic fruits to Eggs Benedict with freshly-carved Canadian bacon and a full American breakfast. I really liked the sweet station laden with waffles, pancakes, French toast and crepes, served with fruit compotes, maple syrup and the most amazing orange butter.
There’s also high tea in the afternoon, all-day ice cream, a candy bar and the most addictive home-baked cookies. Ground coffee, a wide selection of tea and iced water are free on tap as well as non-carbonated soft drinks such as iced tea, lemonade and fruit punch. Alcohol, premium soft drinks and bottled mineral water can be purchased on their own or as drinks packages.
AquaSpa Cafe
The AquaSpa Cafe by the indoor pool is great for fresh salads and light bites while the Mast Grill keeps it simple with crowd-pleasing hot dogs and burgers.
Opus
In the evening, we ate in the elegant main dining room Opus, which was every bit as grand as we’d hoped. We enjoyed some fantastic meals there including a Top Chef at Sea menu and a very special dinner at the Captain’s Table with copious fresh seafood on formal night.
Fine Dining
For something a little different, the Celebrity Reflection offers a wide selection of speciality restaurants, where you can dine for an additional fee. Modern French fine dining restaurant Murano has all the old world refinement that you would expect on a cruise ship, while the Lawn Club Grill is like a ‘country club on the sea’ with tempting barbecued meats and flatbreads, plus the chance to be the designated Grill Master for the table.
Qsine
One evening, we dined at Qsine, the high-tech concept restaurant where dishes are ordered for the table from iPads – perfect for a blogger who can’t quite let go of technology! Inspired by destinations around the the world, each dish comes in a tasting portion for the whole table. We tucked in to treats such as popcorn fish ‘n’ chips, spring rolls, chilled soups in test tubes with hot soufflés, filet mignon with a palette of tasty sides and a kobe beef ‘slider party’.
I ended with a Red Velvet cupcake with cute little icing piping bags and sprinkles to decorate it myself, while Steven tried an inventive Cheesecake Martini.
A luxurious feature of the cruise is the 24-hour room service with most items offered complimentary. There was so much food readily available that we only used it a few times for evening pots of tea and warm milk with cookies.
Facilities
Poolside was the place to be on sea days with a live DJ, pool volleyball and zumba classes. For the ultimate relaxation, guests can unwind in the Persian Gardens, take a meditation class or enjoy a treatment in the Canyon Ranch SpaClub.
Other features include an art studio, designer boutiques (Bvlgari, Michael Kors, Kate Spade New York and more), theatre, casino, games room, library, lawn, private alcoves and jogging track. One of my favourite peaceful spots was The Hideaway, an intimate lounge with cosy seats and a dedicated tea and coffee station.
Entertainment
There is always something creative happening on the Celebrity Reflection, whether it’s a fantastic Motown band, Thriller flash mob, Sin City burlesque show, Daft Punk-esque dancing robots or an impromptu guest dance-off (to the Titanic theme song, no less). There’s a lovely sense of community onboard with everyone getting involved and not taking it too seriously.
The ship also has an extensive contemporary art and photography collection, with striking pieces to be found on every floor. It’s worth spending some time to take the iPad Art Tour and discover new artists.
Destinations
The seven-night Eastern Caribbean Getaway was super-relaxing with three days docked at the destinations and the rest spent at sea. We explored historic San Juan (Puerto Rico), the beautiful beach and shopping haven Charlotte Amalie (St. Thomas) and the island of St. Maarten with both a Dutch and French side. We also stayed in Miami for two additional nights and would recommend building this into your cruise – Celebrity has a good selection of partner hotels for easy booking.
Verdict
Our Celebrity Cruise was a dream from start to finish and it’s easy to see why some guests book back-to-back cruises. There’s a real feel-good vibe onboard yet it never feels overbearing and the staff are genuinely friendly and helpful.
A Celebrity Cruise is ideal if you want a bite-size experience of some interesting destinations and plenty of relaxation time. It’s the opposite of my usual style of travelling, trying to get under the surface of a destination and exploring local restaurants and hotels. However, the ship is an experience in itself and we liked the simplicity of having everything we needed on our doorstep.
It was hard tearing ourselves away from the ship on the last morning, but every time London life stresses me out, I go back to my happy place on the Celebrity Reflection pool deck with an iced tea.
Are you tempted to try a Caribbean cruise? If you’re planning to take a trip with Celebrity Cruises, send me your questions in the comment box below…
Join Celebrity Reflection on a nine-night Eastern Caribbean Getaway fly/cruise from £1,650 per person (based on two people sharing an ocean view stateroom).
For more information or to book, call 0845 456 0523 or visit www.celebritycruises.co.uk
Chérie City was a guest of Celebrity Cruises and all views are my own.
All photos by Chérie City
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