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You are here: Home / Travel / Cruise ships / Celebrity Reflection – cruise review

Celebrity Reflection – cruise review

by Jeanne Horak on November 4, 2012 14 Comments in Cruise ships

Celebrity Reflection title © J Horak-Druiff 2012

When I was 19 years old, my father decided that it was time to take the family on an ocean cruise.  Strictly speaking it was not the first cruise I’d been on:  when I was about 2 he had attended a medical conference on a cruise ship that sailed around off the coast of Cape Town for 2 days, but I remember nothing of that (other than being told repeatedly by my mom that all I ate the entire time was 2 olives!). But I do remember the day my dad came home with tickets to the Achille Lauro.  Yes – that Achille Lauro.  Face it – the ship was cursed, suffering an onboard explosion in 1964; a huge fire in 1972 while being converted to a cruise ship; a collision with a cargo ship in 1975; an onboard fire in 1981; an infamous hijacking in 1985 in which a passenger was killed; and finally another huge engine fire in 1994 that led to her sinking off the coast of Somalia in December 1994 (and not a moment too soon!).  Understandably, we were less than ecstatic with my father’s plan to cruise to Mauritius on this deathtrap in 1989 (that is to say, somewhere in between the hijacking and the final sinking!). Since then, my memories of cruise ships have entailed: feeling seasick; being unspeakably claustrophobic in our cabin; the omnipresent smell of olive oil; and singing Rod Stewart’s We are sailing with tears in my eyes as we left Mauritus – I was ready to seek political asylum rather than re-board the Ship of Doom.

I think it is safe to say that expectations of cruising were not unduly high when I agreed to go on a 2-night pre-launch cruise to introduce 1500 travel writers to the Celebrity ReflectionSM, the fifth and final planned ship to be added to the Celebrity Cruises award-winning Solstice Class® series. Built by Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, she was completed on 12 August, and sailed backwards (impressive video available here) down the River Ems before being delivered to Celebrity Cruises for sea testing. The Celebrity ReflectionSM is the largest in the fleet with a weight of 126000 tons, a length of 1047 feet, and a maximum passenger capacity of 3046. Celebrity Reflection boasts an extra deck, 72 additional staterooms overall, more seating in the main and specialty restaurants, more sun loungees on the pool deck, and more seats in the theatre. After a flight and a long bus trip, we finally arrived in Eemshaven and caught our first glimpse of our home for the next 2 nights. Huge is an understatement.  Imagine a 10-storey block of luxury flats as long as a city block and you are coming close.  What also immediately struck me is how many of the cabins have balconies – I heard later that the figure is 85% – something which has radically changed in the world of passenger ship design since my encounter with the Achille Lauro. Soon, my fellow-traveller (the lovely Yvette from  Simply Luxury Travel) and I were checked in and walking up the gangplank, headed for our sparkly new AquaClass cabins.

 

CelebrityReflection dockside 1 © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

Celebrity Reflection dockside 2 © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

Celebrity Reflection balconies © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

Celebrity Reflection departure 1 © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

Celebrity Reflection departure 2 © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

Celebrity Reflection perspex model © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

ACCOMMODATION ABOARD

The Celebrity Reflection offers 7 different types of suites (including the new and spectacular 2-bedroom Reflection Suite with a sea-view bathroom and shower cantilevered our over the sea) and 7 different types of staterooms (some of which are also available as wheelchair-accessibile options), including the AquaClass staterooms in which I stayed. The Aqua class cabins are identical in size to the more familiar Concierge class staterooms on other Celebrity ships 54 sq feet of verandah), but with added benefits, such as exclusive access to the Blu restaurant; unlimited Persian Garden thermal spa access; and free daily deliveries of water, tea and canapés. If I was expecting it to look anything like our ghastly 4-bunk “family” cabin on the Achille Lauro, I was in for a surprise.  At 194 square feet, the cabin is like a full-size hotel room, albeit a little narrower, with a double bed, sofa, coffee table, small console desk, bathroom with funky Grohe shower panel, lots of clever storage space, fluffy robes, slippers, and (my favourite part) sliding doors onto my very own 54 sq foot verandah, complete with a table and 2 loungers where I sat down to enjoy the complimentary canapés. Bliss. It also had “new ship smell” – like new car smell, only bigger 😉 The temptation was enormous simply to kick off my shoes and lock myself in the cabin for 48 hours, enjoying the 24-hour complimentary room service that is included in the price – but there was a giant ship to explore and less than 48 hours to do so.

 

Celebrity Reflection Aqua cabin 1 © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

CelebrityReflectionAquaCabin2

 

Celebrity Reflection Aqua cabin pillow © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

Celebrity Reflection Aqua cabin 3 © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

Celebrity Reflection Aqua cabin toiletries © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

Celebrity Reflection Aqua verandah © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

Celebrity Reflection Aqua cabin canapes © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

Celebrity Reflection Aqua cabin view © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

During the trip we were also able to gain access to view some of the other stateroom and suite classes, although the show-stopper Reflection suite was sadly still being finished off, so we never did get to see that crazy cantilevered sea-viewshower. I would have been perfectly happy with the petite Signature suite – what I was really after was the hot tub on the terrace!

Here is a quick rundown of available accommodation:

  • Inside stateroom (183-200 sq foot) – no windows, sleeps max 4 people
  • Ocean View stateroom (177 sq foot) – window but no verandah, sleeps max. 4 people
  • Veranda staterooms (194 sq foot) – 54 sq foot verandah, situated throughout the ship, sleeps max. 4 people
  • Sunset Veranda stateroom (192 sq foot) – 54 sq foot verandah, situated in desirable locations aft, sleeps max. 4 people
  • Family Veranda stateroom (575 sq foot) – 53-105 sq foot verandah, separate sitting and sleeping areas, sleeps max. 4 people
  • Concierge Class stateroom (194 sq foot) – 54 sq foot verandah, special services like concierge, priority booking for restaurants, and priority check-in (amongst others), sleeps max. 4 people
  • AquaClass® stateroom (194 sq foot) – 54 sq foot verandah, special services such as priority access to the spa & priority booking at Blu restaurant (amongst others), sleeps max. 2 people – below you can view a video of my Aquaclass stateroom:

 

  • AquaClass® suite (301 sq foot) – 79 sq foot verandah, bathtub, special services including a butler service, some free dinners at speciality restaurants, reserved theatre seating and free access to the Persian Garden spa, sleeps max. 4 people
  • Sky suite (300 sq foot) – 79 sq foot verandah, bathtub, special services including a butler service, some free dinners at speciality restaurants and reserved theatre seating, sleeps max. 4 people
  • Celebrity suite (394 sq foot) – 105 sq foot verandah, bathtub, separate sleeping and seating areas, special services including a butler service, some free dinners at speciality restaurants and reserved theatre seating, sleeps max. 4 people
  • Royal suite (590 sq foot) – 158 sq foot verandah, bathtub, guest toilet, separate sitting and sleeping areas, hot tub on the verandah, special services including butler service, free dinners at speciality restaurants and reserved theatre seating, sleeps max. 4 people
  • Penthouse suite (1,291 sq foot) 389 sq foot verandah, bathtub, guest toilet, separate sitting, dining and sleeping areas, hot tub on the verandah, baby grand piano (!), special services including butler service, free dinners at speciality restaurants and reserved theatre seating, sleeps max. 4 people
  • Signature suite (441 sq ft) – 118 sq foot verandah, bathtub with opaque glass front, separate sleeping & sitting areas, walk-in cupboard, hot tub on verandah, ceilings 22% higher than normal cabins, special services including butler service, free meals at speciality restaurants & reserved theatre seating, sleeps max. 4 people. Situated in private area on deck 14, adjacent to Reflection Suite, that can only be accessed by private key card.
  • Reflection suite (1636 sq foot) – 194 sq foot wrap-around verandah, 2 bedrooms, separate sleeping dining and seating areas, seaview bathroom with spectacular cantilevered one-way glass shower, hot tubs with rain showerheads on verandah, ceilings 36% higher than normal cabins, special  services including butler service, free meals at speciality restaurants & reserved theatre seating, sleeps max. 6 people. Situated in private area on deck 14, adjacent to Signature Suite, that can only be accessed by private key card.

 

Celebrity Reflection inside stateroom © J Horak-Druiff 2012

Inside stateroom

Celebrity Reflection Sky Suite diptych © J Horak-Druiff 2012

Sky suite

Celebrity Reflection Signature Suite © J Horak-Druiff 2012

Signature suite

Celebrity Reflection Signature Suite diptych © J Horak-Druiff 2012

Signature suite

Celebrity Reflection Signature Suite tub © J Horak-Druiff 2012

Signature suite verandah

Celebrity Reflection Royal Suite © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 Royal suite

 Celebrity Reflection Royal Suite view © J Horak-Druiff 2012

Royal suite verandah

 

All cabins have en suite private accommodation and all the cabins are fitted out to an extremely high standard.  Even the cheapest inside cabin felt relatively spacious, which really surprised me. All prices for cabins are per person sharing and include the following (plus premium accommodation has extra amenities/services, as stated above and on the website):

  • friendly, personalized service with a guest to staff ratio of nearly 2:1
  • twice daily service (makeup and turndown)
  • daily ice service in stainless steel ice buckets
  • 24 hour complimentary room service
  • bathrobes
  • complimentary toiletries
  • premium bedding and 100% pure Egyptian cotton linens
  • hair dryer
  • bar fridge
  • safe
  • interactive Samsung flat-screen television system to view and select shore excursions, order room service (on-demand movies cost extra)
  • 3 meals a day in either the Opus main dining room or Oceanview Café

 

EATING AND DRINKING

If you picture cruise dining as night after night trapped in a cramped, dark below-decks dining room, sharing a 10-seater table with a ghastly bunch of strangers and fighting your way to the buffet table – fear no more!  Even if you buy the cheapest cruise package and do not want to pay any dining supplements, dining in the lovely double-volume, light, airy, sparkly Opus dining room seems like no hardship at all.  This restaurant split over 2 decks, open to all passengers for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and features a choice of fixed or open dining. A traditional two-sitting option is available on the lower deck, while on the upper deck you can choose the Select Dining option which enables you to eat whenever you want (prepaid supplement of $11.50 per person per day). There is also a funky glass-walled wine cellar containing an astonishingly large wine collection. Alternatively, theOceanview Café on Deck 14 is open for breakfast, lunch adn dinner and serves pretty much anything you can dream of (from eggs to order to pickled herring to fresh waffles to Canadian bacon sliced off a whole ham before your eyes) from numerous serving stations in a relaxed canteen-style environment with plenty of window and even outdoor terrace seating.  Another option for breakfast (at an extra charge) or a snack between meals is one of the 2 onboard cafés (Bistro on 5 and Café al Bacio), the former of which even makes crêpes to order.  For those who feel like something different to the dining room, there are a number of so-called speciality restaurants available for which you have to make a reservation and pay a supplement, but which all offer premium a la carte dining. These include Blu, the Tuscan Grill, the Lawn Club Grill, Murano, Blu and Qsine. My next post will be devoted entirely to these restaurants, so I will not go into detail about the meals we had here.

 

Celebrity Reflection Opus 1 © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

Celebrity Reflection Opus 2 © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

Celebrity Reflection Opus wine © J Horak-Druiff 2012

Celebrity Reflection Oceanview Cafe 1 © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

Celebrity Reflection Oceanview Cafe food © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

If it’s bars you are after, you’ve come to the right place as there is a selection to suit everybody. Cellarmasters aims to transport you to a stone-walled Napa Valley winery, complete with Enomatic portion-control wine system so that all wines by the glass are as fresh as when they were first opened. The Ensemble Lounge is a large, plush live music lounge bar with live jazz conveniently located outside some of the speciality restaurants. My favourite was definitely the Martini Bar with its louche Art Deco look, its 26 varieties of Martini, and its frosted bar counter – a whole other level of awesome.  When it’s not too busy, the barmen are also pretty adept at doing a passable impersonation of Tom Cruise flicking glasses and bottles a la Cocktail. For the more traditional there is Michael’s Clubstocks over 50 international craft beers as well as whiskies, and offers food plus occasional live music.  The Molecular Bar provides a slightly more off-beat cocktail experience as the resident mixologists create innovative cocktails from unusual natural ingredients right before your eyes. If you want to have a drink while the sea breeze ruffles your hair, head for thePool Bar between the solarium and main pools the Sunset Bar at the back of the ship, which has been given a Moorish  makeover; or the Mast Bar. The Passport Bar right off the grand Foyer is the first and last bar you encounter when embarking and disembarking the shop, making it the perfect place to stop for a glass of champagne. And for stunning views at any time of the day or night, try the Sky Observation Lounge on Deck 14, a space which provides a glamorous refuge by day for gazing out to sea sipping a cocktail, but comes alive at night with music and dancing.

 

Celebrity Reflection Martini Bar 1 © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

Celebrity Reflection Martini Bar 2 © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

Celebrity Reflection martini bar negroni © J Horak-Druiff 2012

Celebrity Reflection Molecular Bar

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Riley

Celebrity Reflection Molecular Bar cocktail

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Riley

Celebrity Reflection Pool bar © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

 

 

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Riley

CelebrityReflectionSkyObservationLounge

 

RELAXATION AND ENTERTAINMENT

Where to start?  To acquaint yourself with the ship, take one of glass elevators through the hugely impressive central atrium, from where you can get a view of various quiet relaxation areas including the Library, the Hideaway, and the Celebrity iLounge.  There is also an usual mid-air tree sculpture in the centre of said atrium, one of the many pieces of unusual public part on board. If you are a water baby, you will love the numerous opportunities that the ship offers for getting wet.  There is a large outdoor swimming pool as well as four hot tubs; and for chillier days, there is the Solarium with its heated pool and a further hot tub under a glass conservatory.  If lazing about is your favourite way to spend a day, there are literally miles of sun loungers available both around the pools and along the deck. On Deck 15 you will find the Lawn Club featuring a surprisingly large area of real grass lawn for passengers’ enjoyment – you can even play croquet or boules.  On either side of this are the Alcoves, private cabanas with a retractable sun shade that can be booked for private use all day for a supplement ($99 on port days, $149 on sea days).  For the more energetic, a demarcated jogging track runs along the deck too, and there is a small basketball court aft.  Even more impressive are the facilities in the fitness centre: a main exercise area packed with stationary bikes, weight machines, free weights and more treadmills than I have seen in most land-based gyms, all facing out to sea.  If all gyms looked like this, even I would exercise!  There are also fitness rooms for Flywheel (think competitive spinning class in the dark) and TRX training, which uses suspension cords for a full body workout.  There are also two private gym rooms each containing a weight machine, a treadmill, a stationary bike and an elliptical trainer which you can rent for up to two people from $45 an hour.

CelebrityReflectionLobby1

 

CelebrityReflectionLobbyTree

 

CelebrityReflectionOutdoorPoolDay

 

CelebrityReflectionOutdoorPoolNight

 

CelebrityReflectionOudoorJacuzzi

 

CelebrityReflectionSolarium1

 

For those who are into more relaxing pursuits, there is much on offer other than lounging about on the numerous deckchairs and watching the world go by (tempting as though that may be!).  The AquaSpa® by Elemis® provides the perfect space to pamper yourself. There are two floors of Elemis treatment rooms (massage below and beauty treatments above), two rooms (and a doctor) dedicated to non-surgical treatments like Restylane, a barber shop, and a hair & nail salon.  I was treated to an exceptionally lovely Elemis Pro-collagen Quartz Lift facial (from £77) in one of the treatment rooms which are serene, white spaces amid the colourful mosaics of the rest of the spa.  My facial lasted about an our and included a head, neck and hand/forearm massage – I have seldom left a facial feeling so blissed out! After your treatment, if you have more time than we did (!), slip on a robe and head to the Persian Garden thermal spa, a series of beautiful calm mosaic-tiled spaces filled with a variety of dry heat, steam and aromatherapy-scanted mists. For those who like to learn new things while cruising, The Art Studio can be found near the entrance to the Lawn Club.  Its large central table makes it a great informal venue for art demonstrations and a variety of other classes on topics such as painting, drawing, beading and mixology. (Dance and wine-tasting classes are also on offer). If you prefer looking at art to creating art, there is an art and photo gallery on Deck 5; and shopaholics also needn’t worry – they can get their fix at the rather plush gallery of shops and boutiques on Decks 4 and 5. While mom and dad are off enjoying all the ship has to offer, the Fun Factory and X-Club have activities for children from age three to 17, in a secure and attractive environment on Deck 15: think board games, table football, Playstations and even a dancefloor for the teenagers complete with disco lights. And for after dinner entertainment for the grown-ups, there is the casino, complete with both machines and tables.  Alternatively, grab a martini from the Martini Bar and do what we did, which is to visit the quite jaw-droppingly large Celebrity Theatre. I have seen smalled theatres in the West End – it’s huge, with two lower tiers and a balcony.  I particularly liked the bar counter seats around the sides of the lower tiers – good fo martini-toting theatre-goers!  Once per cruise, passengers will be treated to “Reflection – The Show” which is what we saw – think We WIll Rock You meets Cirque du Soleil and you will not be far off.  Cruise entertainment has evidently come a long way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MY VERDICT

As I said, I arrived fully expecting not to be convinced by the idea of cruising.  I left a believer.  In a nutshell, I would say the Reflection is an ideal boat for people who think they do not like cruising.  It is often easy to forget it is a ship, given its size, and there really can be no question of claustrophobia, given the generously proportioned staterooms (even the inside cabins) and public areas.  Then there is the variety of public areas.  Don’t like the indoor pool?  Try the outdoor one.  Don’t like the Martini Bar?  Try the Sunset Bar. Don’t like Qsine? Try eating at the radically different Murano – and so the list goes on.  I also loved that the design is the antithesis of what you’d expect from traditional dark wood panelled ship’s decor – it is light and lovely throughout and very modern.  The pieces of art scattered throughout the ship are a nice touch (the “painting” which is set alight by one of its occupants and self-destructs outside Blu is particularly amusing!) and even the perspex “you are here” ship’s models in each lift lobby are tactile and lovely. But by far the best aspect of the ship for me was the staff – from Jesus, our eternally smiling cabin attendant, to the lovely South African chap who was managing the Oceanview Cafe on the morning we visited, to the waiter in Blu who has been with the company for decades and told us this was his fourth launch with Celebrity. Everybody seemed genuinely to enjoy what they were doing and truly engaged with passengers, and it was striking to hear how many of them had been with the company for years and years.

With some of the eastern-Caribbean 7-night cruises this year starting from just £466 for an inside cabin or £588 for a veranda cabin (per person sharing); or 15-night transatlantic cruises in 2013 starting from £927 for an inside cabin or £1,200 for a veranda cabin (per person sharing), I was quite surprised at how reasonable the prices can be.  However, that said – it is easy to see how things can quickly mount up.  Many things that you might take for granted cost extra, for example non-alcoholic branded drinks packages (so Coke, not generic cola) come at a per person per day cost, as do various levels of alcoholic drinks packages.  Renting a Lawn Club cabana costs money, as do shore excursions, some of the courses aboard, and of course all dining in the speciality restaurants (more on this in my next post).  Also, you submit your credit card details upon embarkation and are then issued with a guest card which you can use for all purchases on board (all of which are priced in US dollars, and none of which may be paid for in cash) – so it is easy to rack up a large bill for extras without thinking about it.

But, that said, if it is a special luxury and glamorous experience you are after, I think you will find it hard to find fault with the beautiful Celebrity Reflection.  I know I did.

Click here for Yvette’s version of our adventure onboard.

GOOD TO KNOW

After a couple of cruises in Europe, the Celebrity Reflection crosses to the Caribbean where it will remain, sailing out of Miami, till about May 2013 when it returns to these shores for the summer season.  As mentioned, prices for a 7-night eastern-Caribbean cruise in November 2012 start from just £466 for an inside cabin or £588 for a veranda cabin (per person sharing); and from £927 for an inside cabin or £1,200 for a veranda cabin for 15-night transatlantic cruises in 2013 (per person sharing).  More information on forthcoming cruises and prices are available on the website www.celebritycruises.co.uk or call (0845 456 0523).

 

DISCLOSURE:  I enjoyed this pre-launch cruise as a guest of Celebrity Cruises.  I received no remuneration to write this post other than the cruise itself and all opinions are my own. 

 




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  1. Coffeenvanilla says

    November 26, 2012 at 2:01 pm

    Oh, I just realized I actually miss ship life…

    Reply
  2. Krista says

    November 26, 2012 at 2:02 pm

    I have never been on a cruise – for many of the same reasons you listed at the beginning of this post!!! But this sounds like a much, much better experience. 🙂

    Reply
  3. Firefly says

    November 26, 2012 at 2:03 pm

    It looks like an amazing ship. We took a cruise out of Durban over 12 years ago and I loved it. Just haven’t had the cash to do it again yet.

    Reply
  4. Rosa says

    November 26, 2012 at 2:03 pm

    Wow, what a beauty! This floating palace is amazing. Never went on such a ship (unil now I’ve only sailed on ferries)… I really love the cute balconies, awesome view and pretty pillows.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply
  5. Jamie says

    November 26, 2012 at 2:04 pm

    Wowee! Stunning and how exciting! I have long wanted to go on a cruise – and I think taking the 15-day cruise to the US would be a dream but you-know-who has a horror of cruises and refuses to go. Maybe we need a girl cruise weekend? The ship looks incredible and the whole experience amazing!

    Reply
  6. Zirkie says

    November 26, 2012 at 2:05 pm

    Wow, this is much better looking than the Achille Lauro! We wemt on a cruise with it in 1986!! LOL, I must actually post some pics!

    Reply
  7. P Cruise says

    November 26, 2012 at 2:06 pm

    Fabulous article! Worth mentioning that not only is the Reflection a great ship, Celebrity are a superb cruise line!

    Reply
  8. Joan Nova says

    November 26, 2012 at 2:06 pm

    Happy to see this post as I have the same opportunity in Miami the beginning of December. Your photos foretell a great weekend!

    Reply
  9. Meeta says

    November 26, 2012 at 2:07 pm

    Never been on a cruise and I always imagined it to be tight and cramped but this looks anything but. Luxurious and rather relaxing. Lovely images Jeanne – I think we need to set sail and take a break together!

    Reply
  10. Jan Healy says

    November 26, 2012 at 2:08 pm

    Hello Jeanne, I was also onboard Celebrity Reflectionon the 2day cruise to Amsterdam. I won this cruise in a competition! How lucky was I and my husband to have such anexperience. It was fantastic and loved every moment. We even got to do a short film for Planet Cruise which was shown on t.v. just last night! Loved looking at all the fab photos (we can even be seen in one of them relaxing by the pool) Just remembering what a fantastic time we had just a few weeks ago! Thank you xxx 🙂 Jan & Tony

    Reply
  11. Ian says

    November 26, 2012 at 2:09 pm

    It is a SHIP not a BOAT!!!

    Reply
  12. Jeanne @ CookSister! says

    November 26, 2012 at 2:09 pm

    @Margot – I can see why!! Although I imagine it is a hard life, especially if you want a family.

    @Krista – I was truly pleasantly surprised! I think you just need to choose the right ship, and the right itinerary – transatlantic crossings might be a bit much LOL!

    @Firefly – Which ship did you cruise on? When I was growing up it felt as if EVERYBODY had been on either the Achille Lauro or the Oceanos.

    @Rosa – I never wanted to leave my little balcony… and the linen was quite divine – cotton percale, so soft…

    @Jamie – yes! yes! A girlie cruise in the Med! Something to plan towards 🙂

    @Zirkie – Hahaha, how funny! Are your memories as erm… mixed as mine? I do remember the food being very good, especially the midnight buffet by the pool 😉

    @P_Cruise – If the other Celebrity ships are anything like this, I can’t imagine a company I’d rather cruise with!

    @Joan – Are you also going on the reflection?? OMG you are in for a treat. Look out for my next post on dining aboard!

    @Meeta – Like I told Jamie, we need to plan a girlie cruise with LOTS of time in the spa!

    @Jan – Thanks for stopping by! And wow – lucky you winning such a fab experience. A crazy coincidence that I managed to snap a pic of you and your husband by chance, in a shop of 1,500 passengers 🙂 Let me know if you want me to send you a high-res copy of the pic. It was a fantastic experience – I just wish it had been a little longer so I’d actually had time to relax haha!

    @Ian – After reading 3500 words in which I used the term SHIP 22 times, you zoomed in on where I used the word BOAT(!!!) twice in the last paragraph and it offended you straight into CAPITAL SHOUTINESS? I am guessing you need to take your medication. Or more medication. Or different medication. Have a lovely day 🙂

    Reply
  13. Julio says

    November 26, 2012 at 2:11 pm

    Hi, do you have any info on the problems the ship is having? Any chance they will cancel the transatlantic voyage? It is easy to go back to port when you are near Spain… but not when you are in between both continent.

    The note below was delivered to the stateroom of those that will stay in the ship once it gets to Barcelona, and continue to Miami (arrival Dec. 1)

    4pm Saturday November 17th.
    As you are aware, during Celebrity Reflection’s previous sailing the ship experienced a technical issue, which caused the ship to sail at a reduced rate of speed. Our onboard engineers and additional specialists worked on the issue and corrected part of the problem, but unfortunately, the ships is still travelling at less speed than normal. It should be noted that this issue has no impact on the maneuverability of the ship or on the safety of our guests and crew.
    After reviewing our scheduled itinerary and taking the ship’s reduced speed into account, it is necessary to make some adjustments.

    Reflection will bypass Tenerife on Friday November 23.
    Celebrity Cruises will provide your stateroom with an onboard credit.
    Sincerely,
    Celebrity Cruises.

    Reply
  14. Gretchen Hatton says

    January 8, 2017 at 10:22 pm

    Thank you for the thorough blog. We are leaving in March on the Reflection to celebrate our 30th Anniversary. Can’t wait!

    Reply
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🌷🌷🌷 It’s tulip season in London! Every 🌷🌷🌷 It’s tulip season in London!

Everywhere you look, these long-legged floral supermodels are adding a splash of colour to parks and gardens and I just can’t get enough of them! It’s easy to see how they inspired a collective buying frenzy in 17th Century Holland, called “tulip fever”, but today there are less dramatic ways to enjoy them. Here are a couple of suggestions of where to see them at their best:

🌷 The ultimate tulipalooza is the annual opening of Keukenhof gardens outside Amsterdam where 7 million (!) bulbs burst into life each Spring. This year the gardens are open 24 March-15 May (click on the link in my bio for FAQs and my top tips for visitors)

🌷In London, Kew Gardens always has spectacular displays of tulips; but you can also see excellent and free tulips in most of the Royal Parks such as Regents Park. 

🌷The Hampton Court Palace tulip festival is on until 2 May and the Hever  Castle’s Tulip Celebrations until 24 April - both within easy reach of London.

🌷The Morges Fete de la Tulipe in Switzerland takes place every year against the spectacular backdrop of Lake Geneva - it is on until 8 May this year.

I spotted these spectacular red frilly parrot tulips beside St Paul’s Cathedral yesterday 🌹 Where is the best display of tulips that you have ever seen?
MASALCHI BY ATUL KOCHHAR - pan-Indian street food MASALCHI BY ATUL KOCHHAR - pan-Indian street food restaurant in Wembley

Remember to save this post so you can find it later! 🔖

[Invited] If you thought Brick Lane and chicken tikka masala or madras were all there is to know about the food of the Indian subcontinent, think again! In the shadow of the Wembley arch,  @chefatulkochhar has opened his first casual dining restaurant,  showcasing the rustic, spicy, diverse street foods of India. 

Highlights when I visited included:
1. Carrot halwa
2. Papdi chaat
3. Chicken 65
4. Tandoori broccoli
5. Smoky aubergine chokha
6. A snap of all our mains - you can read all about these and more in the full review on my blog - click the link in my bio or go to:
 https://www.cooksister.com/2022/04/masalchi-atul-kochhar-indian-wembley.html

What is your favourite dish from the Indian subcontinent? Let me know in the comments 🌶🌶🌶
🍒🌸 It’s cherry blossom season! 🍒🌸 T 🍒🌸 It’s cherry blossom season! 🍒🌸

There is no season in London that I love more than cherry blossom season! From March through to April, trees in various parks and gardens in London put on an amazing display of delicate pink and white blossoms - and everything in the city seems a little more magical. This particular tree near St Pauls must be among London’s most photographed, and it’s not hard to see why 💕

Did you know that...

🌸cherry blossoms are Japan’s national flower and are known as Sakura 

🌸In 1910, Japan sent the USA some cherry trees as a goodwill gesture… and the Dept of Agriculture inspectors nearly caused an international incident by burning them as they were carrying insects and diseases! But in 1915 Japan sent more cherry trees that survived the inspectors, and these marked the start of cherry trees in the USA.

🌸 Peak blossom season is usually only two to three weeks in March/April but is hard to predict as the weather and the subspecies of tree influence the timing.

🌸The cherry blossom capital of the  world is Macon, Georgia with 300,000 - 350,000 Yoshino cherry blossom trees.

🌸 There are over 200 different varieties of cherry blossom and some are purely ornamental (meaning they produce no cherries)

Where is your favourite place to see cherry blossoms in London or around the world? Let me know in the comments and happy blossom hunting! 🌸🍒🌸

#pinkpinkpink
Dyed Gwyl Dewi Hapus - that's Happy St David's Day Dyed Gwyl Dewi Hapus - that's Happy St David's Day to those of you who don't speak Welsh! 

1 March is the Welsh national day  and what better way to celebrate than surrounded by daffodils -  the Welsh national flower!

Did you know that:
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 The English name "Wales" comes from the Anglo-Saxon word meaning "foreigner" - but the country's Welsh name "Cymru" means "friends" in Welsh.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 The  Welsh language Cymraeg is the oldest language in Britain, at about 4,000 years old!

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 There are more castles per square mile in Wales than any other European country.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Mount Everest is named after George Everest, the Welsh surveyor who first mapped the peak on western maps.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 The beautiful Menai bridge (spanning the Menai Strait between the Isle of Anglesey and mainland Wales) was the first suspension bridge in the world.

Have you ever visited Wales? What did you like most about it?
*NEW RECIPE* Barbecued salmon with blood oranges, *NEW RECIPE* Barbecued salmon with blood oranges, capers and dill. Pretty in pink 💕

[AD] Blood oranges are a small obsession of mine - from blood orange posset to blood orange and halloumi salad to blood orange & Cointreau upside down cake, I am always looking for new ways to make the most of their short season. Barbecuing them with salmon, capers and dill is a perfect match in terms of flavour as well as colour (or you can oven bake the salmon if it's not barbecue weather where you are!)

When @grahambeckuk asked me to suggest some recipes to match their wonderful Graham Beck Brut Rosé NV sparkling wine from South Africa, this was a pairing made in heaven, and wonderfully colour co-ordinated with their silver-pink bubbly. Get the full recipe and find out more about Graham Beck's sparkling wines, made using the same methods as Champagne, on my blog - link in my bio above. 

What do you like to do with blood oranges? I'd love to hear in the comments!
💘"Love yourself first and everything falls into 💘"Love yourself first and everything falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world." - Lucille Ball

Whether you are celebrating with a partner, with friends, or by yourself today, I hope most of all that you love yourself, love your body, love your strengths, love your weaknesses, and love who you are (or are becoming). Because... you're worth it!

Are you doing anything celebratory today? Let me know in the comments 💘💘💘

(The beautiful street art is London Hearts by @akajimmyc)
📸: @girl_travelsworld
Would you believe me if I told you this is NOT a p Would you believe me if I told you this is NOT a picture of a Moorish palace, a castle or a cathedral? And that you can get to it from central London in under an hour?

This is Crossness Pumping Station @crossnesset , a Grade I listed heritage site and one of London's last remaining magnificent Victorian sewage (!) pumping stations in Abbey Wood near Rainham. 

Did you know that...

💩 You can visit the building on monthly open days - the next one is Sun 20 Feb. Book at www.crossness.org.uk

💩  It was only in 1856, after 3 major cholera outbreaks in 30 years and the Big Stink when the stench of London's sewage finally reached Parliament, that construction of an intercepting sewer system for the city was approved.  The system (parts of which are still in use today) was designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette, Chief Engineer of London's Board of Metropolitan Works at the time.

💩  At Crossness, all London's sewage from south of the river was was raised by 9-12 metres to large reservoirs so that gravity would cause it to flow further east and into the Thames estuary. (Yes, until the 1880s, raw sewage was simply pumped into the Thames!)

💩 The incoming liquid was raised by the four enormous steam driven pumps, built to Joseph Bazalgette's design. The pumps were named Victoria, Prince Consort, Albert Edward, and Alexandra. They are thought to be the largest remaining rotative beam engines in the world, with 52-ton flywheels and 47-ton beams. 

💩 The pumping station was decommissioned and abandoned in the 1950s but declared a listed building in 1970.  Although all 4 beam engines remain in place, they were so damaged that today (thanks to the efforts of the Crossness Engines Trust) only Prince Consort has been restored to working condition and can be seen in action on open days.

💩 The exuberant and colourful wrought ironwork inside is the amazing work of architect Charles Henry Driver. My favourite detail is the fact that the pillars in the central atrium are topped with stylised figs and senna pods... two of nature's greatest natural laxatives 🤣
*NEW RECIPE* Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta ch *NEW RECIPE* Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta cheese, pomegranate and pine nuts

Ever noticed how you are affected by colours? 🌈

Maybe some colours make you agitated and some make you relaxed. Or maybe you find yourself inexplicably attracted to a particular colour (oh, hi teal and aqua!💙). On the basis that all colours have a wavelength, and that those outside the visible spectrum can affect us, it makes sense that the colours we see can affect our mood or even our physiology. Did you know for instance that exposure to red light can increase your blood pressure and heart rate? Are there any colours that you find yourself particularly attracted to or affected by?

The pretty colours of these roasted Brussels sprouts with feta cheese, pomegranate and pine nuts will be the first things that attract you to this dish - but it is the delicious combination of flavours and textures that will keep you coming back for more!

The recipe (and more about how colour affects us mentally and physically) is now live on my blog - click the live link in my profile and remember to like and bookmark this post to see more Cooksister in your Instagram feed ❤️
Perspective: a particular attitude towards or way Perspective: a particular attitude towards or way of regarding something.

Perspective is the one thing that the Covid-19 pandemic has given us plenty of. It has certainly made us re-evaluate what is truly important, and also what we did and didn't enjoy about our lives  before the pandemic and its associated lockdowns. It made me appreciate how much happiness my house, my job, my friends, my own company and my running bring to my life (and how fortunate I am to have all these things). But it also brought home how much I enjoy and miss travel, the theatre, and the luxury of reataurant visits at the drop of a hat. I don't think words can describe my joy at sipping the first coffee purchased from a coffee shop in summer 2020 as lockdown eased. It's the little things...

One of the things I have enjoyed and will not miss as the world creeps back to normality is the absence of crowds in what is usually a crowded city. On the occasions that I have been in central London since the start of the pandemic, streets have been blissfully empty and it has felt as if I were discovering my city anew. This glorious perspective (hah!) of St Paul's Cathedral normally requires a long wait while a queue of tourists and "influencers" ahead of you pose for photos - but on this glorious day last Spring it was almost deserted. I will miss that...

Is there anything you will miss as Covid-19 restrictions start to be lifted?
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Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

Latest Recipes

Salmon with blood oranges dill and capers
Brussels sprouts with feta and pomegranate
Roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
Blood orange & pistachio galettes
Cauliflower topped steak with melted cheese
Plate of potted smoked salmon with slaw and a glass of champagne
bowls of pistachio pomegranate bircher muesli
Brussels sprouts with chorizo & hazelnuts

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