Celebrity Reflection Review
Fabulous Cruise to Italy, Greece and Turkey
Rating by category
Additional details
This was my 10th cruise and my husband's 7th, but our first on Celebrity as well as our first Mediterranean sailing. Though we sometimes travel with family during our annual August vacation, this time it was just the two of us.
PRE-CRUISE: We flew to Rome three days in advance from Boston on Aer Lingus, staying at Hotel Albergo Del Senato. The hotel is absolutely gorgeous and sits directly on Piazza Della Rotonda, right beside the Pantheon. The location is ideal for getting to the major sites, either a short cab ride or a short walk away. We were given a room on the third floor facing the Pantheon and piazza, as I had requested in advance. The room was fashioned in understated elegance and the bed very comfortable. But the real beauty is what awaits the eyes outside the window. The windows open in and the shutters slide out, providing the most amazing view of the Pantheon and all the lively action happening on the plaza below. No need to worry about noise, either, because the windows are fairly soundproof and block out any noise below. With a prime location, comfortable accommodations, a killer view, complimentary breakfast, and helpful and friendly staff, we couldn't have picked a better hotel for our first visit to Rome!
EMBARKATION:
Cabin Review
We took advantage of a great deal and upgraded ourselves to Aqua Class and chose one of those raved-about balconies on the slant of the bump-out section - #2150, deck 12, starboard side, facing forward. The balcony was huge, although the railing was showing some wear right down to bare wood and was in need of serious refinishing. Still, this was by far the nicest cabin we've ever had. The room was decorated in warm tones with a sofa positioned next to the balcony door. The most pleasant surprise was the cabin bathroom. It was very large for a standard cabin bath, with modern fixtures and lots of storage space. No knees up against the sink while you're sitting on the john and plenty of room to move around. The shower was a roomy half-moon shape with sliding glass doors - no clingy shower curtain, and a heavenly shower head that sprayed the water perfectly. As a perk of Aqua Class, our cabin steward did a wonderful job of keeping us supplied with fresh fruit, late afternoon appetizers, tea, ice and all the complimentary bottled water we could use. Be aware that there was some noise from the pool deck above us, usually sliding of chairs or a cart being wheeled down the deck, but it was always during daytime hours and didn't bother us.