Celebrity Reflection Cruise Blog – Day 4 – Sea Day
It’s hard to believe our vacation was already coming to a close; it’s the biggest downside of short cruises. Today would be our last day on the Celebrity Reflection, and since we hadn’t had a sea day yet this voyage, it’d be my last chance to explore the remainder of the ship and try out Celebrity’s sea day activities.
Celebrity Reflection Day 4 Overview
- Celebrity Reflection Day 4 Schedule
- Breakfast at the Oceanview Cafe
- Fitness Center
- Street Curling
- Pool Time on the “Poolest Day Ever”
- Solarium Pool on a Sea Day
- Special Sea Day Lunch Buffet
- Upper Decks on the Reflection
- Cafe Al Bacio for Snacks
- Pre-Dinner Drinks at the Martini Bar
- Final Dinner in the Opus Dining Room
- Poor Service at Cellar Masters
- “Feel the Funk” Production Show
- Silent Disco
- Debarking and Heading Home
Celebrity Reflection Day 4 Schedule
Breakfast at the Oceanview Cafe
After the jam-packed day before (read about that here), I got a late start at breakfast. I didn’t go to the buffet until 9:45 AM, which is pretty late for me. As the buffet is usually on any sea day, it was busy; busier than I’d seen it so far this sailing.
All the same options were out again: made-to-order omelets, a full English breakfast, a variety of pancakes, waffles, and French toast, yogurt, cereals, and breads. I realized I made a mistake by getting all the stuff I liked on the first few days, so breakfast was starting to feel repetitive. With the same offerings every day, it’d be better if I just stuck to one type of food each day to keep from getting “bored.” Today, I went for cereal, yogurt, and fresh fruit; something I would rarely get at home. Of course, I had to grab a side of bacon too; it’s my biggest vacation treat.
Getting the food was again a little frustrating. The food service area on Reflection has plenty of room, but people were really slowing down the process. Today, there was only one station with pancakes, waffles, etc., and the line was so long because people would stay and look at all the choices, then slowly take one pancake and stand there still thinking. It’s frustrating, but not something Celebrity could necessarily fix.
The one thing under their control that I mentioned previously was the flow of people in the lines. The custom-made-to-order egg line was right next to the hot breakfast options, blocking access to the waffles and pancakes. The egg line was long, but because it was placed there, everyone had to wait for breakfast staples.
Once I grabbed all my food, I tried to find a table. This time, it required a full lap of the buffet to find one. Many of the tables were full, but as soon as people got up, the staff cleaned and turned the tables for the next group.
Fitness Center
Stepping into the Fitness Center, it was hard to believe this ship was built in 2012. The gym felt like it had been lifted straight out of a 1990s Florida resort. I could practically picture the cast of The Golden Girls working out here, trying to burn off the cheesecake from the night before. The seafoam green accents, patterned carpeting, and drop ceilings are a far cry from the sleek, minimalist fitness centers found on most newer cruise ships.
Still, dated decor aside, the Fitness Center itself was clean and well maintained, and the equipment appeared newer than the rest of the room. Panoramic windows wrapped around the front of the ship, flooding the space with natural light and helping it feel bright and airy despite the retro aesthetic.
The gym is also quite large and well equipped, with plenty of treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, rowing machines, and strength equipment. Celebrity also offered a few nice touches, including cucumber water, chilled towels, and even complimentary headphones for guests.
By the time I visited that morning, the gym was surprisingly busy, probably around two-thirds full. The strength-training area was fairly crowded and would have been difficult to use comfortably, though there was still plenty of cardio equipment available.
Tip: The Fitness Center has large showers and a sauna available in the individual locker rooms for use by all guests at no additional charge.
Next to the gym is the Persian Garden, the ship’s thermal spa area with heated tile loungers, sensory showers, an aromatic steam room, and sauna. I did not purchase access for this sailing; voyage-long passes were priced from $75 to $159, depending on when you booked. Access is also included for guests staying in AquaClass cabins.
Street Curling
Keeping up with the physical activity, the next stop was “street curling” at 11:30. This event uses a large inflatable rink and special stones on casters to simulate the curling experience. Unlike real curling, you won’t have to do any sweeping or sliding in this version. In reality, it’s probably closer to shuffleboard than actual curling, but it still sounded like a fun activity.
The event takes place in the Grand Foyer, nestled between the two banks of elevators. Again, it was so weird to see this space used for sporting events. I really wish the ship had better places for activities like these, but I have to give Celebrity credit for coming up with a solution like this. Back when the ship was built, I’m sure they didn’t have as many physical activities like they do now, so they had to make do with what they had.
I’m not sure if it’s because we had just come off the Winter Olympics, where the US had a strong curling showing, but this event was very well attended with a crowd forming about 15 minutes before. You signed up in teams of two, and the sign-up sheet filled up rather quickly; they had to close sign-ups, but still got at least 40 teams.
You would compete against one team to see who got the most points. Each person had a chance to slide three stones down the rink, alternating between teams and players. It was hard to predict how hard you had to throw it, and with only three turns, it was hard to really get the hang of it. We didn’t win our match, but it was still fun, and Celebrity handled a good-sized crowd pretty well.
Pool Time on the “Poolest Day Ever”
After realizing we’ll never be Olympic gold medalists, we headed up to the pool decks to enjoy the gorgeous weather. It was a perfect day, sunny and 78 degrees with a gentle breeze blowing over the decks.
Celebrity’s new marketing spin is to have the “Poolest Day Ever” on their Caribbean sailings. It’s a clear marketing effort to make the brand resonate more with millennials and get rid of the “stodgy” old feeling that might have been associated with Celebrity. That said, it’s balanced well; less “Vegas Pool Party” than Hideaway Beach on Perfect Day or The Hideaway adult pool area on Star of the Seas (see more here).
Visually, it’s not a huge transformation, but it does make the space feel a bit more fun. Bright orange inflatable balls are added to the pool deck. They put patterned fabric drapes in some areas to make the place feel more playful. And, as with anything targeting the younger generation, they added an Instagram backdrop near the stage.
I walked around the area to see what the crowds were like. I always say, a sea day is the true test of how a ship handles its capacity, as there are thousands of people walking around looking for something to do. So far, the ship has felt uncrowded and handled crowds well, but what about the pool decks?
The pool decks were certainly busy, but they didn’t feel crowded or cramped. Finding a lounger was a challenge as most of the chairs were occupied, either by people or by placeholder towels. I liked that the Reflection had a good number of both shaded and direct-sun chairs.
The pools and hot tubs were also busy. Because the two pools and four hot tubs are so close to each other, the area visually felt more crowded than it really was.
Solarium Pool on a Sea Day
As I walked through the doors from the main pool to the Solarium, I was shocked by how little noise bleeds into the more relaxing space. The deck music faded into the background as I walked into the warm, serene area. All the loungers in this space were occupied, but the pool was surprisingly empty. I guess most people wanted to use pools outside in this beautiful weather, but I liked the extra space in the Solarium.
I jumped into the pool for a bit. Unfortunately, Celebrity doesn’t put any cubbies here to hold your belongings, so we had to take up a chair with our towels, shirts, and shoes. It’s frustrating because I didn’t need a lounger; I just needed somewhere to put my stuff. Thankfully, on newer ships, they’ve learned. The Xcel has a whole locker system on the pool deck, and on sister cruise line Royal Caribbean’s newest Icon Class ships, every pool and hot tub has a cubby nearby to store personal belongings without taking up space.
I still found it odd that the Solarium didn’t have a bar or a bar cart, but the drink service was prompt. Nearly every couple of minutes, a waiter came by to take orders, both from the loungers and from the pool. I will say, I did feel spoiled by having a drink brought to me without even having to get out of the water.
Another thing I didn’t love about the space was the view from the pools. While the glass windows all around the Solarium let you enjoy the beautiful ocean views from the loungers, the lower position of the pool means you miss out on them. Newer ships use infinity pools and glass edges to make you feel more connected with the outside. That said, I still really enjoyed the Solarium here.
While this pool is adult-only, there was one father with his two children who were probably around 8, and no one asked him to leave. They weren’t causing any commotion, so it wasn’t a problem, but I’ve heard many other cruisers complain that Royal Caribbean and Celebrity don’t enforce their policies like other lines do.
After relaxing for a bit, we decided to dry off and head to lunch.
Special Sea Day Lunch Buffet
Heading to the buffet at 1 PM, it was absolute chaos. The crowds coming in from the pool, plus all the other guests looking for lunch, swarmed the Oceanview Cafe. And because it was the last day of the cruise, it was a special elevated buffet.
Tip: If crowds aren’t you think, head to the buffet around noon or after 1:30 on the last day. Crowds are much more manageable.
A line of beautiful cakes replaced one of the dessert stations, while a chocolate fountain across the way offered another delicious dessert option. For entrees, they had a huge tower of chilled shrimp and special dishes like lobster mac and cheese.
While the elevated dishes were nice options, each had to be served by a staff member, which created lines throughout the space. And since the buffet isn’t really meant to handle lines, they all kind of jumbled into each other, creating a confusing mess.
It was my first fully disappointing meal on board the ship. I tried an Indo-Chinese dish, chili chicken, which was cold. The breads I tried were very dry. The shrimp was definitely a little soft, not exactly premium grade. The lobster mac and cheese was at least tasty.
It also illustrated what I thought on Day 1 (read about that here): the Reflection needs another quick-service lunch place onboard that’s not nearby. While Mast Grill served burgers and hot dogs, it was just one deck above, and I’d see people walking back and forth between the two places. Royal Caribbean had the right idea on their new ships by spacing out food venues to disperse crowds. I’ve been on ships with thousands more people and haven’t had to experience crowds like this in the buffet.
Upper Decks on the Reflection
After lunch, we decided to spend some time on deck reading and relaxing. I had brought my Kindle with a brand-new book for the trip, fully expecting to make decent progress, but by this point I had barely made a dent in it. So we headed up top to find somewhere to settle in.
The upper decks were buzzing with activity, and finding an open chair proved more difficult than expected. Everywhere we walked, I saw the same thing: other passengers circling the deck in search of a spot, hoping someone would get up before they completed another lap.
Eventually, we made our way to the front of the ship to the Solstice Deck. This tucked-away area is accessed by two small stairways at the forward end of Deck 15 and feels almost hidden if you do not know it is there. Compared to the busy pool deck with music blasting and constant activity, it offered a much calmer, more peaceful atmosphere.
The space features a good number of loungers, with options in both direct sun and shade. Beneath it sits the ship’s netted basketball court, which is so tucked away that if I had not wandered up there myself, I probably never would have known Celebrity Reflection even had one.
Drink service in this area was fairly infrequent, but Mast Bar was close enough that it was easy to walk over when needed. Even with the bar staying busy, service moved quickly enough that it was never much of an inconvenience.
We spent the next couple of hours relaxing up there, though I kept finding myself repeatedly dragged back into the sun despite intentionally choosing a shaded lounger. Eventually, I checked CruiseMapper and realized why. Rather than sailing directly south, Celebrity Reflection had gone north past Fort Lauderdale before turning back around and slowly looping offshore. Most likely, the ship had time to kill since Perfect Day at CocoCay is so close to Port Everglades. Because of the ship’s constant turning, the angle of the sun kept shifting, and the shade moved with it.
Around 3 PM, we had to leave as the area was being closed for a private event.
I ended up liking the Solstice Deck quite a bit, which makes it disappointing that this space will likely disappear in the future. The first ship in this class, Celebrity Solstice, recently underwent a $50 million modernization, and part of that renovation included removing both the basketball court and Solstice Deck to add an additional deck of suite cabins, along with a new forward-facing suite-only outdoor area for The Retreat.
It is a shame to see such a peaceful public space converted into another suite-exclusive venue. Thankfully, Celebrity has at least kept the indoor forward-facing Sky Observation Lounge. Both of these features were sorely missing on newer Edge Class ships.
Cafe Al Bacio for Snacks
Since I had some time before dinner, I headed to Cafe Al Bacio for some snacks. I’m not a coffee drinker, so normally on most cruise lines, I’d never visit the coffee place. But Celebrity has a large display case of complimentary snacks at the cafe that I went to quite a few times. On the lower shelves, you’d find small sandwiches, while on the top was a selection of desserts, some that were better than what was in the main dining room. And, of course, they always had cookies ready to go. I really enjoyed having this option available almost anytime.
On my last sailing on the Apex, Cafe Al Bacio was almost always crowded, but that was a cool-weather Norwegian Fjord cruise (see that cruise blog here). On the Reflection, it was much less crowded except during peak periods in the morning. In the afternoon, you could easily grab a coffee or snack without much wait. I do wish the area had more seating, though.
On my last cruise, I had their pour-over iced tea, which I loved, but I just didn’t have time for it this sailing. We didn’t walk by Cafe Al Bacio as much, so I was also less tempted to stop and get one.
Cafe Al Bacio on the Reflection also has a gelateria where they offered alcoholic ice cream for an additional cost, but it didn’t seem very popular.
Tip: Complimentary, regular, hard-scooped ice cream is available in the Oceanview Cafe with a variety of flavors that changed daily, and toppings.
Pre-Dinner Drinks at the Martini Bar
At 5:30 PM, we headed to the Martini Bar on Deck 4 of the ship, right outside the Opus Dining Room. The Martini Bar is a staple on nearly every Celebrity cruise ship, offering a wide selection of martinis and, a few times a night, a performance as the bartenders put on a show with their flair bartending skills.
Throughout the cruise, the Martini Bar proved to be the most popular bar onboard. Before dinner, there was always a crowd. It didn’t help that Celebrity offers guests in the “Elite” level and higher of its loyalty club a cocktail hour with free drinks from a set menu. It seems to really back up the bars, especially the Martini Bar.
Having sailed on Celebrity’s Edge Class ships before this sailing, I had high expectations for this bar. On the Apex, the Martini Bar was the heart of the ship, with large-scale chandeliers installed over a huge open bar area. Seeing it on Reflection felt like a huge step down, although since Reflection was built first, it really just shows how much the concept has evolved.
The oval-shaped bar is right off the second level of the Grand Foyer. With seating for 20 guests, it’s not small by any means, but it couldn’t keep up with the pre- and post-dinner crowds. The surrounding area had seating as well with waiters circulating to take orders.
One thing I never get about the Martini Bar is the really low stools. The Celebrity Apex had a similar setup. I’m not sure why, but it makes talking to the bartender feel really awkward. The large art installation/chandelier also makes the space feel very confined and dark.
While Celebrity markets the bar as “ice-topped,” it feels more like a “frosted” bar top. The bar top is refrigerated and develops a light layer of frost when powered up. It’s a neat gimmick, but I’m not sure why they did it. The whole point of using martini glasses is that the long stem is supposed to keep the drink from getting warm; I’m not sure if having the drink on the cold bar top would chill it any more than it already is.
Although the bar was full, we had no problems getting drinks within a couple of minutes once we found a seat. A server came over promptly and took our order. Celebrity has consistently had some of the best drink service out of any cruise line I’ve sailed on, including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and Virgin Voyages.
Out of all the bars on the ship, the Martini Bar probably had the best menu options in my opinion, and I found both the menu and service to be quite a bit better here than at the World Class Bar. Some of my favorite martinis here were the Cucumber Martini and the Lychee Martini; both were well balanced and were a nice play on a traditional martini. If you’re looking for a post-dinner or dessert cocktail, the Bananas Foster Martini was quite tasty.
Final Dinner in the Opus Dining Room
We headed to the podium in the Opus Dining Room for our 6 PM reservation and were promptly seated. Even though we didn’t have “set time” dining, they were able to assign us the same table and dining room team each night, which I really enjoyed. Our sommelier came over immediately and knew exactly what we wanted to drink.
I was really going to miss the three fresh breads and dips they brought out every day. It’s just so far beyond what other cruise lines are doing.
For the main meal, I started with the Beef Carpaccio. It’s something I’d never order at home, but the beauty of a cruise is getting to try new things. It came with a zesty Dijon aioli and Parmesan that really complemented the meat. For my entrée, none of the daily entrees were calling out to me, so I got the broiled salmon with hollandaise.
For dessert, I got the Apple Tart Tatin, which was ok, but I think I preferred the Apple Crumble from a few nights before. Overall, I think dessert was Celebrity’s weakest part of the main dining room experience. It was not bad at all, but nothing blew me away.
Poor Service at Cellar Masters
After dinner, we headed to a venue we had not tried yet: Cellar Masters. Part wine bar and part sports bar, it is located on Deck 4 across from the Martini Bar. Because it is one of the few enclosed bars on the ship and not open to the main walkway, you could easily miss it if you were not specifically looking for it.
Inside, Cellar Masters has a warm, cozy atmosphere with natural wood tones, stone textures, and soft floor lighting that gives the space a comfortable glow. Plush seating and couches are scattered throughout, making it feel more like an upscale lounge than a typical cruise ship bar. Large TVs on either side of the room were showing sporting events, adding an unexpected sports bar element to the otherwise refined setting.
The venue was fairly busy that evening, likely because a soccer match was on the TVs. Oddly, Cellar Masters does not appear to have traditional bar seating or any area where guests can walk up to order. Instead, it operates entirely with table service.
Unfortunately, that setup was not working well. There was only one server covering the entire venue, and he seemed completely overwhelmed. Despite staying for 22 minutes, no one ever stopped by to take our order. It honestly caught me off guard given how strong the service had been everywhere else on Celebrity Reflection up to that point.
Eventually, we gave up and left, heading instead to the World Class Bar, which was noticeably less crowded. While the bar stools were all taken, plenty of nearby seating was available, and, more importantly, we were able to get a drink.
“Feel the Funk” Production Show
For entertainment this evening, we went to the 9 PM showing of “Feel the Funk.” The daily schedule promoted the show saying, “Feel the Funk electrifies the stage with powerhouse vocals, irresistible grooves, and chart-topping hits, from soulful R&B to high-energy pop and Latin beats.”
We arrived about 15 minutes before the show and had no problem finding a seat. I love how big the theater is and how nearly every seat offers good views of the stage. In this case, though, it didn’t matter. The theater was less than 50% full when the lights went down.
Unlike the last show, which had a slight story, “Feel the Funk” is just a straight performance with vocals and dancing. I really appreciate that there aren’t backing tracks here; you still have a full band playing live on stage, four vocalists, and a team of dancers. They performed songs by George Michael, Bruno Mars, and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.”
Again, the show brought out two acrobats for one song. Their act was impressive, but it feels so odd that it’s just reserved for one small portion of two shows.
At the end, the cast tried to get the audience to sing along to “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. It was a good attempt, but it’s a very fast song with lyrics that are hard to understand, let alone sing along to. It was an odd choice for a finale.
Overall, it was an ok show. I definitely preferred the “Broken Strings” show from Day 2, and this probably ranks in the middle tier of every cruise show I’ve seen. It was amazing how much more production quality they put into the shows on the new ships compared to what’s on these older ships.
Silent Disco
This evening was the Silent Disco, a favorite of many cruisers. Guests get a pair of headphones and then can choose one of three different stations to play. The headphones light up with a color, red, green, or blue, showing which station they’re listening to.
The disco started at 10, and they actually started by playing the music loudly, which is an odd choice for a “Silent Disco.” Eventually, they turned the music down a bit, but it was still playing in the background. When I went to the Silent Disco on Royal Caribbean, part of the fun was hearing only the sound of people shuffling on the dance floor and singing along to the lyrics.
Even if you’re not a dancer, the Silent Disco is fun to watch. You see people doing the YMCA next to people doing the Macarena, all in their own world.
On the Reflection, the dance party took place in the Grand Foyer. Again, the dance floor felt a bit small for an event like this, but with it being the “heart” of the ship, it kind of makes sense on the final night.
Debarking and Heading Home
After a good night of sleep, I got ready to make the trip home. You can choose whether to carry your bags with you or put them out the night before for the staff to carry. Normally, I just put my bags out, but it is a pain to get everything you need out of them for one night, so I opted to keep my bag with me this time.
We had to be out of our cabins by 7:30 AM, so I headed up to breakfast, where it was pleasantly quiet. A lot of people must have skipped breakfast or were still packing up.
During this sailing, the US was experiencing a horrible TSA problem with waits that could be hours long, so we wanted to make sure we got to the airport in plenty of time. Because of that, we ended up booking a transfer with Celebrity to FLL rather than taking an Uber. The cost was $18.95 per person, and we booked it pre-cruise just like any other excursion or onboard expense. Note, it didn’t show up until a couple of weeks before the cruise.
After breakfast, we grabbed our bags and headed to the main theater at 8 AM as instructed. Getting an elevator was a challenge. It took 10 minutes to get one, as the elevators were jam-packed with people and their luggage; it seemed no one had put their bags out the night before. I would have used the stairs, but it’s much harder with heavy bags.
At 8 AM, they called our number, and we walked off the ship. For passport holders, customs is as simple as walking up and taking a picture, so we were off the ship within minutes. By 8:25, our bus took off for the airport.
We arrived at the airport at 8:45 AM and by 9:30 AM were through security and at our gate. One note about Fort Lauderdale airport: there’s not enough seating, so if you get there early, be prepared to stand. People were sitting on the floor in the hallways, with every seat packed.
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
Celebrity Reflection - Cruise Blog - Day 4 - Sea Day
5 Hits and Misses on Celebrity Reflection Coming Soon
Want to Stay Up-to-date on Celebrity and Other Cruise News?
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.
CruiseSpotlight is an Amazon Associate. We may earn a commission when you click links to retailers and purchase goods.
