Just returned from a 9 day holiday cruise to Miami and the Bahamas with Celebrity Reflection.
I booked thise cruise because it was offered at a good price, it was a convenient time for us (November), it was to sunnier climes and friends and the Industry suggested beforehand that celebrity was ‘that bit better’ than P&O with whom I had cruised twice before.
Let me say at the outset that having travelled with PO Ventura I couldnt fault them at all and we had loved both holidays.
I was led to believe that Celebrity ‘raised the bar’ so I was most disappointed to find that in fact, they didn’t measure up.
Before the cruise we were flown into Miami Aiprort arriving about 5pm.
We were then obliged to search for our ‘rep’ and in fact found her by spotting others from our flight.
We were then obliged to wait until all our party of 20 odd did as we had done, nothing proactive from the rep and waited about an hour until we were all together! The bus arrived and the driver, a little old fella (on his own) loaded all our cases – another 20 minutes! He declined the offer of help.
A ten minute ride to the hotel and we are located in a 3* hotel that was….adequate.
It was poorly sited for us, near the Airport but nowhere near anything else so that we were confined to the Hotel for food and leisure.
Because of the delays we could not manage to taxi, for example, to the Dolphin Mall as we had planned.
Saturday, the following morning, and we gather for our transfer to the Cruise ship.
Our party of 20 odd plus lots of our Amercican cousins heading for their own ships including some to ours.
The scene outside the hotel was bedlam.
No rep present just one guy who seemed to be ‘co-ordinating’ in the very, very loosest sense of the word.
He was trying to field lots of questions from those gathered and clearly had little patience for the job.
Result, people getting on the wrong bus.
People loading their own cases onto the wrong trailer units.
Chaos has folk scambled to recover this situation.
No communication to the masses.
Hotel desk staff as useful as chocolate fire guards.
Eventutally a driver arrives and takes us to the pier.
At the terminal cases stacked all over the bus drop off area.
A ‘leave them there’ from the driver and we all trudge off with worried looks on our faces.
Inside join the monstrous, very slow moving line of people queuing for their ship.
Took forever! What a contrast to Southampton ! The ship was lovely.
very clean, extremely well laid out and beautiful to behold.
the staff and crew were friendly, courteous and helpful.
Our room was excellent, but not as well set out as the Ventura.
Space seemed to be a lot tighter, especially accessing the balcony.
Not a lot of difference to be honest.
There was a ‘Chef experience’ during our cruise, a competition between the various chefs.
My wife loved the food in the main evening dining areas, I thought that some of the starters and main courses were too elaborate and this restricted my choice.
I dare say I am in a minority here.
We both agreed that the breakfast and lunch food was much poorer than we had experienced on the Ventura.
Although there was a good selection of types of food for lunch, the breakast and lunch food was poor qualitty.
Often luke warm, it was bland tasting and most disappointing.
Given that this was a cruise with lots of eating opportunities, there were times when we choose to eat light with fruit.
The entertainment was very good, the guest artists were excellent and much better than P&O have used on my other two cruises but despite the boast of the Director of Entertainment that the ‘in house’ entertainment team were award winners, the P&O crew were much superior.
Disembarking was extremely well organised.
Our group were last to leave – someone has to be – but there were no hold ups and all went smooth.
Alas the transfer to the post cruise hotel had all the hallmarks of the pre cruise fiasco.
No signage, no verbal communications.
Another ‘try and spot those from our group’ scenario.
When most of us had gathered, we did so like sheep.
Most of us had no idea we were in the right place.
We asked around but no one was able to say that we were definately where we should be – perhaps those at thr front were? No one was in command.
We stood and waited, and waited…
and hoped.
Of course we weren’t going anywhere until all our group had arrived! Another hour that could have been spent in Miami was lost.
Eventually the transfer to the hotel in the financial district (Brickell Avenue).
This was a nice hotel, very clean and smart looking.
Staff could have been more friendly and welcoming but it wasa straightforward booking in.
Good location, good transport links and nice evening eatery and social venue five minutes walk.
Morning transfer to the Airport.
Scheduled on all our documents as being 11.00 (for a 16.40 flight!).
This was going to be a long afternoon at the hotel or a private taxi.
We decide to have a brisk walk around Miami waterfront, as we don’t have much time.
When we return to the hotel we are advised that the transfer time is now 13.00.
Oh dear, if only we had known ealier we could have visited the open air Market or any number of other things an added two hours would have allowed.
Just another example of how the absence of communication from Celebrity had diluted our enjoyment of our holiday.
If it’s true that you only get one chance to make a first impression, then I am unlikely to select Celebrity ahead of other Cruise Companies and I will not be choosing them at all if Air Travel and/or transfers are involved!
