A Reflection Back on 22 Years, An Adventure into Many More – AD 7.27.2024 & RF 8.2.2024

It’s the continuation of our “small ship summer” and time for just Hubby and I. We have successfully taken our kids for their Euro summer, and now it’s time to ditch them for some real relaxation time lol. As many of you know, our first cruise was our honeymoon cruise, and since then, we have always tried to sail for our anniversary. It’s just what we do. This sailing not only are we celebrating our 22nd anniversary, but it’s a bit more special in the sense that we are returning to where it all began, on Adventure of the Seas!

We have not been back on Adventure since the summer of 2002. At the time, she was Royal’s newest and brightest, and I remember we were in such awe upon boarding. Adventure is where we fell in love with cruising. While I may not be a small ship gal anymore, she will always have special place in my heart, and we are looking forward to Saturday.

How did Reflection fall into the mix of this? Over the last two years, I have been getting more and more curious about X. I know that @Millenialcruiser and her Hubby sail X a lot and it always looks like my vibe on her IG stories. Modern luxury, right? Then, over Thanksgiving (2023), @AshleyDillo @CGTLH and their Mom sailed on Apex. That was what finally did it for me. I wanted to check it out for myself. However, by this point, I already had Adventure booked and we got a great price, so I was not going to pass it up. A 7-night sailing on Beyond was out, and the more I thought about it, the more I thought it might be better to start with a small X ship. Why? Because if we start sailing X more regularly in the future, I would likely be disappointed to go from something newer and shinier like Beyond back to Reflection. In my mind, it would be like starting off on Wonder and then trying out Mariner. Better to start small, then go bigger. So, I started looking at dates for Reflection that I might be able to match up with the AD sailing. Lucky for us, RF is doing 3/4-night sailings for the summer and the dates match up perfectly that we can swing a S2S. I watched prices for a while and the booked the 3-night while sailing on Icon inaugural.

Who’s Going?

Just Hubby and I!

Flight

Delta from DTW-MCO. I only booked one way with Air2Sea on this one. Even before I booked the S2S, Air2Sea would not let me book anything earlier than 2pm out of MCO back to DTW so we booked directly with Delta coming home. This worked out well because when we turned it into a S2S, the flight change with Delta was quite seamless.

Pre-Cruise Stay

If you recall from our WN sailing last year, I wanted to stay at Conrad Orlando, but it was not opened yet. It is now open, but I could not justify the pricing. It is expensive! For quite some time, I had 2 hotel reservations. I was booked at both the Conrad, and Margaritaville Orlando. I was really hoping the prices would come down at the Conrad but no such luck. Prices did come down a bit at Margaritaville and in the end, Conrad was a couple of hundred of dollars more than Margaritaville, so I cancelled it before we flew off to Europe a few weeks ago. We’re not doing the cottages. I will admit, I was interested at first, but after talking to @jax about the mixed reviews on the cottages, we will be staying in the main resort building.

Itinerary

25 JUL DTW - ORLANDO

26 JUL ORLANDO

27 JUL ORLANDO – PORT CANAVERAL (CRUISE DAY!)

28 JUL CRUISING

29 JUL PUERTO PLATA

30 JUL GRAND TURK

31 JUL CRUISING

01 AUG PERFECT DAY @ COCO CAY

02 AUG PORT CANAVERAL – FORT LAUDERDALE (CRUISE DAY !)

03 AUG CRUISING

04 AUG NASSAU

05 AUG FORT LAUDERDALE - DTW

Cabins

For AD, we are booked in something we could only dream of 22 years ago.

For RF, the purpose of this trip is research so one can only research when comparing apples to apples.

Pre-Cruise thoughts

-            Absolutely none! The theme for this whole trip is relaxation! It might be a very boring live blog lol

-            Once again, in the spirit of a live blog, please do not hesitate to ask any questions.  I will do my best to find out whatever I can for you.

-            When responding to a post with a series of pictures, please do not include the pictures in your reply.  It just makes for easier scrolling.

-            Lastly, I will try to post videos and stories on Instagram.  You can follow me @lovetocruise2002

No Royal Up bid for Adventure, but there were several reminders to Move Up from X. Since this is my first sailing on X, I have nothing to compare this to but I found the minimum bids ridiculous! We are currently booked in the Signature Suite and we have the exact same benefits as the other 3 top suites. Other than room size (which is a non-issue because it’s just two of us), there are zero additional benefits to bidding up. Especially at this pricing: 

Shoreside concierge reached out via email 7/8/2024, so about one month prior. Some others in Retreat FB groups have said there was a phone call involved, no one called me. Or if they did, they never left a message or showed up on caller ID. That's fine with me, I prefer emails over calls anyway. This was the welcome email:

Dear:

The Celebrity Cruises family is delighted you have chosen to sail with us. We look forward to welcoming you onboard the Celebrity Reflection soon.
 
As your vacation is just around the corner, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Sandra, and I will serve as your dedicated Shoreside Retreat Concierge. I work hand in hand with the Concierges onboard to make your Celebrity experience as carefree as possible, and I am happy to assist you in any way I can.
 
Please feel free to call or email me with any questions or concerns regarding your upcoming sailing. In preparing for your arrival there are a few items that I would like to notate in your file. Please provide the following information so we can make sure all your needs are planned for:
 
Are you celebrating any special occasions?
Do you have any allergies we need to be made aware of?
Would you like any extra hangers, pillows, blankets, etc..?
 
Expected arrival to board (this will run until 10:00am-2:00pm)*All guests who are part of The Retreat may arrive early, regardless of the time listed on your express pass.
Preferred departure time:
Day of sailing contact number:
Number of bags:

We are happy to announce that we are now offering complimentary pajamas to our top suite guests. The pajama top can be monogrammed with up to two letters and you may select from the following sizes: x-small, small/medium or large/extra-large , and 2XL, unisex sizing for the top and bottom set. Please kindly note that they will not be delivered  on embarkation day due to having them monogrammed.
 
As guests of the Retreat, I am delighted to let you know that you will receive unlimited complimentary Specialty Dining. Arranging for your dining plans before sailing will give you more time to relax and enjoy the Celebrity Reflection. Please find the attached sample menus for our Specialty Restaurants aboard the Celebrity Reflection to give you an idea of what each of them offer, and menu items may be slightly different. Please note, for Le Petit Chef we offer two dining times each evening, 6:00 pm and 8:30 pm. We offer a 6:00pm, 6:30pm, 8:00pm and 8:30pm seating time for the specialty dining venues. This amenity does not include Murano 5 Senses Tasting or Chef's Table experience.
 
Additionally, we are pleased to offer a complimentary minibar that is stocked daily, as well two complimentary bottles to enjoy during your time with us. As I would love the opportunity to have these Suite Class Amenities available to you upon your arrival, kindly choose from the attached liquor list. In case the liquor is not your preferred option we can substitute with a bottle of wine, we carry a variety of Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc. For your minibar we offer Coca Cola products, Premium bottled water, Evian, San Pellegrino, Red Bull, Juices, Iced Teas, Vitamin Water, and a variety of beer.
 
For your convenience, the port address for your upcoming sailing is as follows:
 
Port Everglades
Terminal 25
2025 Eller Dr, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316

Kindly indicate your preferences by e-mail or calling me directly. My normal office hours are Monday through Friday 9:30 am-6:00pm CST. If you have an urgent matter and I am unavailable, feel free to call our Retreat Desk at 1-877-738-7328 option 3 seven days a week between 7:00 am and 9:00 pm CST. One of my colleagues will be happy to assist you.
 
We look forward to welcoming you onboard the Celebrity Reflection!
 

I replied back to the email while we were in Europe and asked them to make specialty dining reservations for us. I had my times picked out already before I left for Europe so that was easy. I want to note here that they would not make lunch reservations, just dinner. They said lunch reservations are made with the butler on the ship.

Next, I had some questions for them. I asked for my two bottles of liquor, I could get Patron and Moet (even though that was not listed as an option). They did not seem to care as they replied that my requests were noted.

I also asked about a sizing chart for PJs as many have said that they run small. Not sure what we will end up with. I sized up a bit and I ordered s/m for myself and l/xl for Hubby.

This is the sizing chart they sent me:

Pj Sizing:

xsm - equal to women's size 0-4  / Men's Chest Size 30/32 inches
s/m - equal to women's size 6-8  / Men's Chest Size 34/36 inches
l/xl- equal to women's size 12-18  / Men's Chest Size 42/48 inches
2xl - equal to women's size 20-22  / Men's Chest Size 50/52 inches

Here is a list of the liquor that we can choose from. This suite, along with other top suites, include two bottles of liquor, plus a welcome bottle of wine. As I type this, I just realized that I forgot to tell them what I prefer for the welcome bottle of wine. Need to take care of that shortly.

Beverage List 2024.pdfWine List 2024.pdf

Flipping back to Adventure, the suite concierge email came in just a few days ago, on Saturday 7/20/2024, exactly one week out. Standard welcome email:

Dear,

My name is Carl Flores and I am your Suite Concierge. I can’t wait to welcome you onboard Adventure of the Seas on July 27th,2024 I hope you’re ready for a wonderful cruise vacation with us.
If you’ve not already done so, please check in online and select your preferred arrival time using the Royal Caribbean App. Suite guests can enjoy Flexible Arrival which allows you the freedom to check-in up to one hour before or after your scheduled check-in time while the terminal is open.

We also recommend that you plan ahead and make reservations for your dining, onboard activities, shore excursions and Vitality Spa services. You may do so using your Cruise Planner or Royal App. If you require any assistance, I am happy to help you.

My desk is in the Suite Lounge, located on Deck 14 aft. My hours are 8:00AM until 11:00AM and 4:30PM until 8:00PM port days and 8:00AM until 11:00AM and 4:30PM to 8:00PM sea days. I am also reachable via email or by dialing my phone 3812 from your Suite or any house phone.  

While onboard, you’ll have access to the following exclusive amenities and services:

· The Suite Lounge is exclusively for Suite guests and accessible with your platinum Sea Pass card.  
o The dress code in the Suite Lounge is smart casual, so please make sure you pack accordingly.

o Coffee and tea are available in the Lounge throughout the day. Hors d'oeuvres, petit fours and complimentary wine, spirits, beer, and soft drinks are available for our Suite guests every evening from 4:30PM to 8:00PM.

o Guests under 21 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
· As a Suite guest, you’ll have exclusive access to a daily breakfast in Giovannis.

· Your suite is stocked with Malin & Goetz bath amenities, a Lavazza espresso coffee machine, bathrobes for your use onboard, and is furnished with a luxurious pillow-top mattress.

· Enjoy the exclusive Suite Sun Deck on either side of the Pool Bar (Decks 11-12 mid ship). Lounge chairs are available to Suite guests on a first come, first serve basis.  

· Suite guests are entitled to a reserved seating section in the Lyric Theater on Deck 4 and Studio B on Deck 3.

· We are happy to offer our Suite guests Priority Departure. I’ll explain the details to you when you arrive onboard.

Please feel free to email me with any questions that you may have. I look forward to meeting you in person!

We got some additional info as well from Carl in a separate email that followed a few minutes after the standard one:

Good Morning,

Wishing you a lovely day!

I'm just reaching you out to offer my assistance and get from you the information about your arrival time.

As per our Royal Suite Program benefits you're entitled to the below.

Officer Escort Onboard from Terminal at Check-in

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/what-are-the-benefits-of-the-suites-program

In order to organize myself better and communicate accordingly with your stateroom attendant, I would really appreciate if you could share what time you're planning to arrive at the terminal.

In this way you will  help us to get your suite done in time upon your arrival.

We will be waiting for you details.

Have a good one.

Best Regards

@Ampurp85 see why I did not roll this blog into the other one? Too much info lol

I am following. I will be on Adventure August 2.

I am on Reflection a few weeks after you.  I feel like you are trying to avoid me.  

Just now, twangster said:

I am on Reflection a few weeks after you.  I feel like you are trying to avoid me.  

You really should try to coordinate better.

14 minutes ago, Sweety said:

I am following. I will be on Adventure August 2.

7 minutes ago, twangster said:

I am on Reflection a few weeks after you.  I feel like you are trying to avoid me.  

What?! I am going to just miss both of you?! Ugh. One of these days.....

I may not be following as closely as usual but I love all the sentimental aspects and going alone after being away with the freeloaders.

Happy early anniversary! I'm sure we went over this a while back but this summer was 22 years for us as well. Every early June cruise could be for our anniversary but we really just sail as soon as school ends here and so we can go again in July with a break in between. We usually miss the actual day. Only one day late this summer.

1 hour ago, OCSC Mike said:

I'm sure we went over this a while back but this summer was 22 years for us as well.

Yes, I remember in your "Wondering how my wife has put up with me for 22 years" blog I realized we all got married the same year. You sailed VY and we sailed AD. 

The last few days since returning from Europe, I've been wondering how @WAAAYTOOO does this. I have not even caught up on all the laundry yet from Europe (so many items had to be air dried and there wasn't enough space to air dry everything all at once) and now I am trying to pack for the next one. 

Have a fantastic time on both sailings! Will definitely be following along.

12 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

I remember in your "Wondering how my wife has put up with me for 22 years" blog

Oops, you'd think I'd remember my own blog titles, lol. Rough, busy week trying to re-assimilate to real life.

2 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

Rough, busy week trying to re-assimilate to real life.

I hear you! Honestly, I don’t feel like I have recovered from Europe yet. This might end up to the most boring blog ever because I just want to go sit on the balcony and do nothing lol

Yes, this is a lot of information and since it will be two suite experiences, I can see why it needed to be separate. 

Congrats on 22 years.

We are doing Reflection as part of my annual S2S2S in Jan 2026, we have concierge booked. But are on the fence about specialty dining, so I am looking forward to your blog, as always

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on Margaritaville Orlando. You know how much I have wanted to stay at Margaritaville in FLL but their deposit and cancellation policy always has me going somewhere else.  One of these days it’ll happen. 
 

1 hour ago, Ampurp85 said:

But are on the fence about specialty dining, so I am looking forward to your blog, as always

Shoreside sent me PDFs of all the menus too. I will post tomorrow when my laptop is back on. Maybe that will help with your decision. And of course I will post food pics

1 minute ago, Jax said:

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on Margaritaville Orlando. You know how much I have wanted to stay at Margaritaville in FLL but their deposit and cancellation policy always has me going somewhere else.  One of these days it’ll happen. 
 

I hate that policy! Orlando location did not have that, however I did end up paying ahead (even though it’s refundable). Delta vacations had a cheaper rate than going directly through Margaritaville so I booked with them. But I had to pay upfront months ago. However, when we sail over the holidays like you do, the rate is much higher and it’s more annoying to have to pay ahead of time. 

In honour of bringing it back to where it all began, photo drop circa 2002, pardon the early 2000s fashion

San Juan boarding, and proof that I was not always a suite snob

6 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

In honour of bringing it back to where it all began, photo drop circa 2002, pardon the early 2000s fashion

San Juan boarding, and proof that I was not always a suite snob

Omg!! What a great picture of you and the DH! Happy Anniversary to you and the Hubby~ 

Back when times were much simpler and everything was way cheaper....

Also.... that room still had a balcony 

But also... dam, that decor... 

27 minutes ago, Jamesszy94 said:

But also... dam, that decor... 

I know right? Very cringe lol

Ok…it’s been a few days now since Friday’s meltdown, and I am starting to get nervous. Delta is already cancelling flights into tomorrow I am so afraid of a repeat of last July. Need to start talking to Hubby about a Plan B. 

48 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

In honour of bringing it back to where it all began, photo drop circa 2002, pardon the early 2000s fashion

Omg, the decor!! But especially the bed spread….cringe

16 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

Very cringe lol

I literally just posted “cringe” and then I see your post. Lol 

2 hours ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

Ok…it’s been a few days now since Friday’s meltdown, and I am starting to get nervous. Delta is already cancelling flights into tomorrow I am so afraid of a repeat of last July. Need to start talking to Hubby about a Plan B. 

 

Better start walking....

I kid I kid

Isn't there a way to call the airline beforehand and see if they can check if the flight has been cancelled?

5 hours ago, Jamesszy94 said:

Isn't there a way to call the airline beforehand and see if they can check if the flight has been cancelled?

I would probably be on hold for days if I called Delta lol. 
According to an article by the Points Guy yesterday, Delta is having a harder time getting back on track because the outage is affecting their crew scheduling, leading them to cancellations. I suspect if that is the case, then it’s going to be a crapshoot for us on Thursday. Let’s hope they get their system back to normal before then.

29 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

I would probably be on hold for days if I called Delta lol. 
According to an article by the Points Guy yesterday, Delta is having a harder time getting back on track because the outage is affecting their crew scheduling, leading them to cancellations. I suspect if that is the case, then it’s going to be a crapshoot for us on Thursday. Let’s hope they get their system back to normal before then.

Yikes. Hopefully you're able to catch your flight  Otherwise, you might need to drive... 

I hate to say it, but I avoid Delta like the plague when it comes to airlines. There system leaves a lot to be desired. They had a system malfunction in the 2010s that changed my business class flight to PE and allowed someone else to book my seat. This all happened somewhere during the 24hrs after I checked in. I had to go to the counter, present the emails with my confirmation and seat numbers booked months before. They then called the man who booked my seat and told him in front of me they made a mistake, and he would have to sit in the seat assigned to me in PE. He cursed me out like it was my fault. I have never flown with them since then. Which is to say hopefully they can get it together and you have no issues flying out on Thursday. 

1 hour ago, Jamesszy94 said:

Otherwise, you might need to drive... 

That's what happened to us last year when we sailed out of PC lol

10 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

I hate to say it, but I avoid Delta like the plague when it comes to airlines.

Honestly, they are all so bad. I envy those that can just drive to a cruise port. Because we fly out of DTW, and it's a Delta hub, that is our best option for non-stop flights at decent hours. That is why we have flown Delta for years, not because I particularly like any of them.

56 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

I hate to say it, but I avoid Delta like the plague when it comes to airlines. There system leaves a lot to be desired. They had a system malfunction in the 2010s that changed my business class flight to PE and allowed someone else to book my seat. This all happened somewhere during the 24hrs after I checked in. I had to go to the counter, present the emails with my confirmation and seat numbers booked months before. They then called the man who booked my seat and told him in front of me they made a mistake, and he would have to sit in the seat assigned to me in PE. He cursed me out like it was my fault. I have never flown with them since then. Which is to say hopefully they can get it together and you have no issues flying out on Thursday. 

As a Delta Million Miler I can confirm they have changed and not in a good way.  Eighty percent of my trips over the past two years have experienced cancelled and delayed flights mostly due to crew scheduling versus weather or mechanical events.  They spread crews too thin and leave too little margin around crew daily time limits.  One little bump and the house of cards comes crashing down.   

Just this past weekend I found myself once again in IROPS-ville.  My pleasant afternoon departure from the West should have had me arrive home just before midnight.  Instead I ended up on a redeye to a different airport flying further West to go East with lots of drama over cabin and seat selection while on a revenue first class ticket arriving home at 7am with a sore neck. 

With the cost of their premium product double to triple what other airlines charge I now shop premium by price and have no loyalty with Delta anymore. 

Basically, they suck.   

11 minutes ago, twangster said:

As a Delta Million Miler I can confirm they have changed and not in a good way.  Eighty percent of my trips over the past two years have experienced cancelled and delayed flights mostly due to crew scheduling versus weather or mechanical events.  They spread crews too thin and leave too little margin around crew daily time limits.  One little bump and the house of cards comes crashing down.   

Just this past weekend I found myself once again in IROPS-ville.  My pleasant afternoon departure from the West should have had me arrive home just before midnight.  Instead I ended up on a redeye to a different airport flying further West to go East with lots of drama over cabin and seat selection while on a revenue first class ticket arriving home at 7am with a sore neck. 

With the cost of their premium product double to triple what other airlines charge I now shop premium by price and have no loyalty with Delta anymore. 

Basically, they suck.   

I have coworker who is a Platinum Million Miler, and he is always frustrated but his loyalty perks keep him flying with them. He now gives a two-day buffer when flying with them because he said it is always something. 

58 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

 

Honestly, they are all so bad. I envy those that can just drive to a cruise port. Because we fly out of DTW, and it's a Delta hub, that is our best option for non-stop flights at decent hours. That is why we have flown Delta for years, not because I particularly like any of them.

This is correct. No airline is what it used to be. I also wish I could drive or take simple transportation to ports. 

Happy Anniversary in advance!!!!!

Enjoy your time together without the "freeloaders", LOL! 

1 hour ago, Ampurp85 said:

, and he is always frustrated but his loyalty perks keep him flying with them.

That sums up my relationship with Delta, but not the loyalty perks, it’s the delta hub and best scheduling. 

So I might have done a thing….

I just booked us a backup flight, fully refundable, later in the day on Thursday. I am not sure if that was the best idea, but the more I watch things, the more nervous I am getting. I figured if we get on our morning flight; then I cancel. If not, at least I have one other option now later in the day