Celebrity Reflection Review
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We were interested in a holiday cruise and really liked the itinerary, which included Costa Rica, Panama, Columbia for an overnighter, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. This cruise didn't disappoint. The staff was probably the best we have experienced on a cruise, very professional, friendly, and the officers were very visible. The food in the dining room was great for dinner, and the buffet was perfect for breakfast or lunch. I love that Celebrity has a variety of international breakfast styles everyday. We had coffee at the cafe everyday and it was always delicious. The only specialty restaurant we ate at during this trip was Murano, which was exceptional.
The ship was very festive and decorated nicely for Christmas. There were lots of holiday themed shows and entertainment, including Christmas caroling and a special Christmas Eve dinner since we were in port on Christmas Day. On New Years there was a huge, surprisingly fun dance party and countdown in the deck that felt like the whole ship attended. It was really fun, and there were more sedate offerings if that wasn't your style.
I was worried about the 4 days at sea, because we have an active teen, but none of us were bored at all. I was also a little worried about things to do in Costa Rica and Panama and to be honest didn't expect much. We went on a rainforest excursion in Costa Rica and highly recommend it. In Panama we grabbed a cab and got them to take us to a fort about 45 minutes away, and it was a good choice, we got to see the Panama Canal up close, cross it on a ferry, and even see a sloth and monkeys in the wild. In both places I'm really glad we did t stay in the port area. In Cartagena we also had two good days, one in the old town via cab, and one at La Playa Blanca, which was a 45 minute cab ride to the beach. We had a great time at both and the beach was beautiful, but the vendors are very aggressive. Be prepared for it, and never pay asking price. We ended up paying about 25% of the starting price for the things we bought and everyone seemed happy with the exchange. The port was very nice, and had lots of exotic birds and animals to see.
Cabin Review
Concierge Class 2
We had cabins 1247 and 1249. They are concierge class, on the "hump" with extra large balconies. The size of the balconies (that opened up, as did the connecting rooms) really made these rooms extra special. They were a good size, nicely appointed, with large, modern bathrooms. Considering that they were very close to midship and the elevators, the rooms were very quiet. I highly recommend these rooms, and would book them again in a heartbeat, even if they cost a little extra. 1247 had the larger of the balconies, big enough to comfortably move all four chairs, two ottomans and a table.