Celebrity Reflection Cruise Blog – Day 2 – Key West
Today was the second day of our cruise, where we’d stop in Key West, Florida. We only had from 7 AM to 2:30 PM to explore, so we wanted to get an early start before heading back for some more exploration of the Reflection.
Celebrity Reflection Cruise Blog Day 2 Overview
- Celebrity Reflection Cruise Blog Day 2 Schedule
- Arriving in Key West
- Breakfast at the Oceanview Cafe
- Exploring Key West
- Booking a Future Cruise
- Archery in the Grand Foyer
- Trivia in the Sky Observation Lounge
- Evening Chic Dinner in the Opus Restaurant
- World Class Bar
- “Broken Strings” in the Reflection Theater
- ABBA Sing-Along Party
- Late Night Life on Reflection
Celebrity Reflection Cruise Blog Day Schedule
Arriving in Key West
The Reflection docked in Key West around 7 AM. I looked out the balcony window to see a quaint little island in the distance. The actual city of Key West was on the other side of the ship. I stepped out and felt the fresh, cool air. It was about 65 degrees now, with a high of 75 degrees predicted, which was perfect weather.
Overall, I slept very well. The room was nice and dark, and it was able to get nice and cold overnight. It was also pretty quiet. If people were talking in the hall, you could hear them, but that really only occurred right as I was going to bed and after I woke up and was getting ready.
I jumped into the shower to get ready before heading to breakfast. Again, I was taken aback by how roomy the bathroom was, but that came at the expense of a smaller stall-style shower. The water pressure was really powerful, and the water was able to get super hot.
While in the bathroom, I noticed a few nice touches. A small light stays on in the bathroom at all times, which is great if you have to get up in the middle of the night. Also, the bathroom door can prop open without slamming closed, which helps when getting ready in the morning.
Breakfast at the Oceanview Cafe
We all headed up to breakfast to get some food before heading into the city. They said we’d be able to get off around 8 AM, so we weren’t in a huge rush.
The buffet was busy, but not overly crowded. The biggest issue was that, because it was just the first breakfast, people were standing around not knowing where to go. It could be a bit overwhelming, and while the island design of the food stations reduced lines, it also meant your food might be spread out throughout the area.
The Reflection had all of the standards you’d expect for breakfast. They had two stations with traditional American offerings like pancakes, waffles, sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, and more, although they made the puzzling decision of putting the toppings like syrup and jams before the actual food offerings. Another station had more European breakfast offerings like beans, toast, and cold cuts. The buffet had a large selection of fruit, yogurt, and breads, which would be toasted to order. A made-to-order omelet station was available and had pretty much the only line in the place. All the food was fresh and constantly being rotated out and replenished.
After I grabbed a smattering of the American breakfast options, I went to look for a seat. On early port days, that can be a problem on some ships, but I had no problem finding a table. The staff was quickly bussing all the tables and turning them over, so as soon as someone got up, it was ready for the next guests.
Exploring Key West
We headed down to Deck 3 to walk off the ship into Key West. Over the past day, and as we were about to leave, the staff kept reminding us we had to have a photo ID and cruise card to get off. While the cruise card is always required, photo IDs are not always required or enforced, but apparently, Key West is very strict. We didn’t experience any lines and just walked right off the ship.
Key West is a really walkable town, and the cruise ship docks right at Pier B, which is just a couple of blocks from the main Duval Street drag and by Mallory Square. That means you can easily walk to most of the main attractions. For those who prefer going a bit farther, golf cart rentals seemed very popular, with a few booths offering the service right off the docks. They also had a hop-on, hop-off bus that seemed like an easy way to get to the main sites in the area.
Southernmost Point Buoy
It was just a little after 8 AM, so really nothing was open yet in Key West. It really felt silly that the ship got there and left so early. Key West seems more like a day-and-night town. It meant the streets were still sleepy and quiet. As we walked, I saw more chickens than actual people for the first 15 minutes.
We decided the first stop would be the tourist attraction of the Southernmost Point Buoy. Traditionally, this spot has a buoy that signifies the southernmost point in the continental U.S. and notes that it’s only 90 miles from Cuba.
The traditional site where this buoy would be located was under construction, though, so it was relocated to 1499 Duval Street. It was a quick 30-minute walk down Duval Street to arrive there, about 1.3 miles.
The Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory
Our next stop was the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, another popular spot on the small list of must-do things in Key West. It was conveniently located right next to the buoy, and it had just officially opened, so we walked over.
Tip: You can buy tickets on their website ahead of time and save $2.
It’s located in a quaint little house, in this case decorated for Easter, which was just a couple of weeks away. You enter through a store with a small entrance and ticket counter to the left. Tickets were $17.50 per adult at the door.
You start in a small education room before entering the larger exhibit outside in a solarium. It’s climate-controlled to be the perfect temperature for the butterflies, which actually feels very humid to people. Thankfully, since it wasn’t too hot outside, it was bearable.
As you walk out, you immediately notice the towering greenery and lush plant life. Looking around, you could see butterflies everywhere. Some are on trees or on stands with fruit to eat, but many are also flying through the air. Signs throughout the area provide information on the types of butterflies and plants in the exhibit.
Halfway through the area is a small pond with two flamingos, who were very noisy as the male made mating calls to his partner. At the end, there’s an enclosure with box turtles that move much faster than I would have expected.
Overall, the experience was really relaxing and interesting. We spent about 45 minutes walking through the conservatory.
Willie T’s Bar
We stopped by for a drink and snack at Willie T’s, a dive bar on Duval Street. You could recognize it by the thousands of dollar bills plastered to the walls, railings, and ceilings. Guests can sign a dollar and staple it there. Periodically, they’re taken down and donated to a charity like the Wounded Warrior Project.
It was warm in the sun, but the patio had big umbrellas that helped. They had a guitarist playing while we got snacks. I tried the frozen peach bellini, which was delicious, and then the conch fritters, which had a really good curry-like sauce that gave it a bold punch. Overall, it was the perfect mid-day snack.
Nancy Forrester’s Secret Garden
On our way back to the ship, we stopped at a place we’d seen mentioned in a few places: Nancy Forrester’s Secret Garden, a parrot rescue. Nancy is an environmental activist who took in parrots that were abandoned by their owners.
I knew it was small, but I was unprepared for just how small it was. You literally walk up to a house, go around back, and leave the $10 admission fee, which goes to supplies for the parrots, in a container before walking into the backyard.
In the back, you could see a lot of the rescued parrots in their cages. Each one had a story of where they came from and why. Many parrot species live 30 to 80 years, so they can outlive their owners.
It was interesting to see their personalities come to life, whether they were playing with their favorite toys or saying their favorite words. A volunteer demonstrated some of the enrichment the birds need to stay sharp.
We spent about 15 to 20 minutes here. Overall, I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit, but if you’re walking around and have some time to kill, it’s nice to stop in.
Trying Key Lime Pie
While in Key West, I figured I should try their signature dessert, Key lime pie, since I’d never actually had it before. There are plenty of places serving Key lime pie in the area. Based on research I did beforehand, people said some of the best Key lime pie was from Pepe’s, Mattheessen’s, Key Lime Pie Bakery, and Old Town Bakery.
But in this case, convenience won. We saw Kermit’s Key Lime Pie Shop, which had a few locations on Duval Street. I went in and ordered one slice of original Key lime pie and a frozen, chocolate-covered strawberry Key lime pie on a stick.
The pie was sweet at first, but it had a tartness that made me suck in my cheeks at the back end. It wasn’t really my kind of dessert; I’m not a fan of sour desserts or candies, but I could see the appeal. The frozen strawberry one was much more my speed. The sweetness of the strawberries and chocolate helped tone down the tartness, making it a really refreshing dessert on a warm day.
Heading Back to Celebrity Reflection
After walking around some more, we decided to head back to the ship. Key West was cute, but there wasn’t as much to do as I would have thought. There were a few more museums, like the Ernest Hemingway Home or a small aquarium, but they weren’t really our speed. It was still a beautiful, relaxed place, though, and a nice way to spend the morning.
We got back to the pier at 1 PM, where we just had a short line to get through before reboarding the ship.
Everywhere on the ship was busy, as most people were back, or perhaps had never left. Both of the two pools outside and the Solarium pool had decent crowds. It was full, but not as bad as the adult-only pools when I sailed on Star of the Seas in August (read that cruise blog here). Music filled the decks, creating a fun atmosphere as the ship prepared to leave and head to our next stop.
Booking a Future Cruise
Since we had nothing pressing to do, I stopped at the Future Cruise office to book my next cruise. Typically, I book with my travel agent, but for my next cruise, I wanted to do one of Celebrity’s Galapagos sailings, which are very unique. The one I wanted also came with a pre-cruise tour, and Celebrity was offering a deal that included airfare. My travel agent said it would be better to book onboard, then have the office transfer it to him for extra credit so he could service the reservation.
Since I had a sailing in mind, I was in and out in about 15 minutes. The representative was able to book everything we need and he automatically connected it to our travel agent we used to book the current sailing.
Tip: The Future Cruise desk can get busy on the last day of the sailing, so if you’re planning on booking one, do it earlier in the cruise.
Archery in the Grand Foyer
Celebrity offers a good number of activities throughout the day, both while the ship is in port and at sea. You can either look at the daily schedule that’s left in your cabin every night or use the Celebrity app to see what’s happening.
We wanted to check out the archery activity at 3 PM in the Grand Foyer, which I thought was an odd choice. Throughout the cruise, they had activities in this area, not as much trivia and talks as dances and physical activities. It felt like an odd place for it, shoehorned into the small atrium between the glass elevators. On the newer Celebrity ships, these events would usually be in The Club, a two-story multi-purpose venue, but the Reflection doesn’t have an area like that. So instead, it’s in the main lobby.
Arriving a few minutes before, we saw the entertainment staff setting up a large inflatable target area for the activity. People were already gathering in the area, getting ready for it. It was a mixed crowd, some families with kids, some couples, some single adults. The event had a pretty broad appeal.
Right at 3 PM, the entertainment staff introduced themselves and had all the participants line up so they could take turns. Each player got to fire three arrows at the targets, which were balls floating in the air from the compressor in the inflatable archery stand. The arrows weren’t sharp, just dull-ended.
The event had a pretty good turnout. No one managed to get all three targets at once. It would probably take quite a bit of practice to master it. Even if you’re a seasoned archer, these aren’t standard arrows and would take time to get used to. Because there was a decent crowd, people really only got one turn to fire their three arrows. Still, it was a fun activity.
Trivia in the Sky Observation Lounge
Next, we decided to try our first trivia of this sailing. This was a music trivia event held in the Sky Observation Lounge at the front of the ship on Deck 14. So far, we hadn’t really explored this part of the ship. It’s through the Solarium, and you might not even realize this space was there if you weren’t looking for it.
The Sky Observation Lounge was one of my favorite parts of the ship. It’s part lounge, part nightclub, part activity space. It’s surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of where you’re headed and was filled with a variety of comfy seating options. It reminded me of the observation lounge on Norwegian’s Prima Class ships or the Viking Crown Lounge on Royal Caribbean’s older ships. It’s a great space, and it’s really sad Celebrity got rid of it on their Edge Class ships in favor of suite-only areas that general guests can’t use.
Everyone got a sheet of paper and a pencil and had to answer with the name of the song for 20 different clips the host played. The host was personable and controlled the event well. The event was well attended, with most of the closest seats filling up. Luckily, you could play from anywhere in the room. The event was well timed and fit within the allotted 30 minutes. Out of the 20 questions, some teams got 18 right. We only got 12 right.
Next up, they switched hosts, and it changed to general trivia. It got even busier for this one, with the place getting pretty full and most seats being taken. Throughout both trivia events, waiters circled constantly, taking drink orders and bussing tables. It was impressive, since it seemed like most people had a drink package. Usually, if that’s the case, there’s less push to get drinks out because they’re not generating more revenue, but I never felt that way on Celebrity. On a previous sailing on Norwegian, where 90% of guests get the drink package, I was able to go to the bar and get a drink, but I rarely saw servers walking around proactively.
The general trivia was even tougher than the music trivia and covered just about every kind of question. We ended up doing pretty well at this one with 17 points, but still shy of the 20 needed to win.
Evening Chic Dinner in the Opus Restaurant
According to the cruise schedule, today was the “fancy” night on our sailing. In the old days of cruising, cruise lines used to have formal nights when men wore tuxedos and suits, and women wore ball gowns and dresses. Now, it’s been scaled back considerably. On Celebrity, they call it “Evening Chic.” On this 4-day sailing, people really didn’t dress up much at all. It was slightly dressier than the previous night, but it didn’t feel like anyone went all out. I wore dress slacks and a button-down shirt with no tie and felt appropriately dressed.
We returned to the Opus Restaurant for our 6 PM reservation. We had Anytime Dining, but scheduled dinner for the same time each night. We walked right up to the podium and were immediately brought back to our same table with our same waiter team. They came and greeted us, and the sommelier asked whether we wanted the same drinks as last night or something different.
For dinner, I started with the French onion soup again. Celebrity really does this so well, and it’s been my favorite at sea. For the main entrée, I originally planned to go with the seared duck, which I tried on the Apex last year (read that cruise blog here). I loved the fried wild rice that came with it, and the orange duck jus added just enough citrus to brighten up the dish. I also never order duck at home, so it’s a cruise treat for me.
But then the waiter said tonight’s special, which wasn’t on the menu, was an ahi special. I love ahi, but again, it’s not something I’d ever order at home. I asked the waiter which he’d recommend, and he just said, “I’ll bring them both to you.” Full disclosure: I knew he’d just say to get both dishes, but I didn’t want to sound greedy by ordering two entrees unprompted. Both dishes were really tasty and very well done.
Tip: Some menu items, like the “classics,” may be available available multiple nights, but others are only available once per sailing. If you’re between two dishes (appetizers, entrees, desserts), order two. Celebrity’s dishes are moderately-sized so you should be able to eat both without wasting food. You can also ask your waiter if the item will be back on the menu later on in the cruise.
For dessert, I saw chilled strawberry soup and was intrigued. One of my favorite dishes since my first cruise on Carnival was their Strawberry Bisque, served as an appetizer. It was like strawberry ice cream in a bowl (see the recipe here).
I was hoping this would be similar, but unfortunately, it was not. It wasn’t very creamy and had way too much basil flavor. The panna cotta also felt a bit rubbery, but I’m not a huge panna cotta fan in general. It might have been well-made, but it definitely wasn’t my style of dessert. Others at my table got the warm apple crumble, which they raved about, and it looked amazing.
Overall, dinner was very enjoyable and relaxing. The whole meal took 1 hour and 20 minutes, but we could have finished sooner. We just took a while with our entrées.
World Class Bar
After dinner, we headed to the World Class Bar, which Celebrity describes as a “fine drinking” experience. Here, you’re supposed to enjoy the process of the bartenders making high-end craft cocktails using only the freshest ingredients and finest spirits. I’d heard rave reviews from my friend who sailed on a sister ship last year, but I hadn’t gotten to try it out yet because the Celebrity Apex didn’t have one. They omitted it from the first two Edge Class ships but brought it back for the rest after apparently realizing they needed more bars.
The bar is in kind of an odd location. It’s on Deck 5, past the Grand Foyer and past Cafe al Bacio. It’s surrounded by high-end stores and has a hallway that leads to the upper level of the theater. Compared to the bars off the main lobby, the Martini Bar and Passport Bar, this bar was almost always empty. You’d find a few people at the bar, but the surrounding table areas were never used while I was onboard.
The World Class Bar decor felt a bit strange. The yellow seats didn’t really fit in with the rest of the ship. When it was lit up and open, the lighting was very yellow too, making things appear a bit off. It didn’t have a very high-end feel to it for me. I thought the Martini Bar felt much more elevated.
The menu was a mixture of high-end creative takes on cocktails, think smoke, delicate pours, and mists of flavor. Annoyingly, even though I had the Premium Drink Package, 40% of the drinks here were over that limit. You rarely feel like Celebrity nickel-and-dimes you, but this is the one thing that always gets me. The Premium Drink Package is not cheap, and if 40% of your standard menu items are over the limit, that’s a bit ridiculous. They also didn’t have any wines that were in the Classic package at this bar when we were there.
Tip: I rarely get the drink package on a cruise, but Celebrity has some of the most expensive drinks at sea. A beer starts at $10, and a standard cocktail is $12 to $19. In this case, the package was worth it for me. Use our Drink Package Calculator to see if it’s worth it for you.
I got the American Pie cocktail, which was made with Bulleit Bourbon, apple cider, and brown sugar. It was quite tasty and, while not my favorite cruise drink, it was solid. Overall, the bartenders also didn’t provide the level of service I’d expect. They were prompt and made the drinks well, but typically, if you have a high-end bar like this, service gets taken up a level. Here, they just seemed to have no personality.
“Broken Strings” Show in the Reflection Theater
At 9 PM, we headed to the Reflection Theater for their show “Broken Strings.” Celebrity called it a “hand-clapping, foot-stomping, live music performance” that’s a “heartfelt music journey of love and connection.” Does that mean anything to you? Because it didn’t to me. Still, it drew a good crowd. The theater was probably 75% full as the lights went down.
Before the show, the cruise director came out and brought on the captain to do crew introductions. Celebrity’s captain and leadership team have more involvement with the general guests than I’ve seen on any other cruise line. The captain would speak before most theater productions, and the executive staff was on the gangway greeting guests and talking to them most days. This captain wasn’t as engaging as the one on my last Celebrity sailing, but he tried to make jokes. I imagine it’s hard because you sign up to be a captain, not a cruise director, and not everyone is suited for it.
The set was an English pub for someone’s birthday. There wasn’t much of a story here, so don’t worry about any plot. It’s basically just a musical revue. The music is all live, with the Reflection Orchestra stationed around the stage. The cast consisted of four singers, about eight dancers, and two aerialists/acrobats.
The songs were a mixture of contemporary tunes like “All of Me” by John Legend, “Don’t Wake Me Up” by Avicii, and “Rather Be” by Clean Bandit. Overall, it was decent cruise ship entertainment. I’d rank it over what I’ve seen on Norwegian’s ships, but not as strong as Royal Caribbean or Carnival’s newer shows, or even the shows on Celebrity’s newer ships, which lean into the acrobatics even more.
ABBA Sing-Along Party
After the show, we headed right to the Grand Foyer, where they were holding the ABBA sing-along party. In between the elevators of the Grand Foyer, they put up a large inflatable screen that showed the lyrics to the songs. Then people lined up along the lower floor and the upper level overlooking the Grand Foyer to watch and sing along.
Even if you’re not a huge ABBA fan, you’re sure to know some of their songs like “Dancing Queen,” “The Winner Takes It All,” and “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” The party was well attended, and the dance floor was pretty packed.
I didn’t love the Grand Foyer for this event, though, as it’s still a main thoroughfare on the ship. People would be trying to walk through and get stuck in the party. And people would be dancing between couches and sculptures, so the dance floor itself was pretty small. On newer Celebrity ships, it’s held in The Club and makes more sense there, but this really is the only space that could accommodate it on Reflection. One benefit was that because the foyer is open all the way from the bottom decks to the top decks, the music spilled throughout the ship and really brought it to life. We didn’t hear it in our cabin, but I’m not sure about the ones on the Grand Foyer level that are just a hallway away from the party.
Late Night Life on Reflection
After that event, I checked out what was going on around the ship before going to bed. A bunch of the other bars also had live music going on. It’s nice to have so many options at that hour, and originally I thought Celebrity would have much less to do.
We went up to the Sky Observation Lounge and the place was absolutely deserted. I felt bad for the band, who were very talented and had to perform as if there were more than five people there. I’m guessing everyone was still at the ABBA party or at the adult comedy show in the theater. This lounge would become a nightclub closer to 11 PM, but we didn’t stay for that. Instead, I headed to the buffet for some mediocre pizza. Come on, Celebrity, it’s the only sad food I’ve had onboard. Then I headed to bed to prepare for our next day at Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Follow Along on our 4 Day Bahamas Sailing
Celebrity Reflection - Cruise Blog - Day 1 - Fort Lauderdale
Celebrity Reflection - Cruise Blog - Day 2 - Key West
Celebrity Reflection - Cruise Blog - Day 3 - Perfect Day at CocoCay Coming Soon
Celebrity Reflection - Cruise Blog - Day 4 - Sea Day Coming Soon
5 Hits and Misses on Celebrity Reflection Coming Soon
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