Well, it’s day 6 (I think) on the cruise. My brain still functions (at a low level) and I can still button my pants (barely). So, I thought that I would give you all an update on our activities before I totally lose all track of time and sense. Here goes!
Our trip from the center of Rome to the port (about an hour and a half ride on the slow train) was actually pretty uneventful, except for the slight panic attack I had about halfway there. I began to look around the train and realized that there were no other people in our car who appeared to be going to the ship…..no large suitcases, no excited chatter about what to eat after boarding the ship…..I mentioned this to Mike. Maybe I had the wrong day. I haven’t missed a connection on a trip for a VERY long time, so maybe I am due! I hoped not! After some of our adventures on this trip, it wouldn’t be surprising. When we got the dock, however, my fears subsided as I looked back at the others on the train platform who were leaving the other cars on the train. That’s what I was looking for…..lots of older people lugging lots of big suitcases. They were there in droves! We were at the right place! YIPPEE!!
We are cruising on the Celebrity Reflection. It is the newest and largest ship of the Celebrity fleet holding well over 3,000 people. I’m sure it’s the largest ship I have ever been on and is quite a sight from the shore. It is literally “stories” above the ground. Impressive!
Normally, we don’t pick a large ship when we cruise. We like the intimacy of the smaller ships and the customer service that is possible typically with a smaller ship. This is particularly appreciated on a Transatlantic cruise (which is what we have chosen for our passage home) where there are a very small number of ports of call. (This time, we will stop at Tenerife, St. Martin and St. Kitts.) But, this particular ship provided us the opportunity to leave on the exact day we wanted to sail and it was dirt cheap. Two things that are very important to us. So, we signed up!
I have to say that we have been very pleased with what we have found. Despite the size of the ship, we have, in our 6 days, never felt that we were crowded or overwhelmed with people. From the check-in process to meal service to disembarkation on our first shore day, we have never waited more than a few minutes. It’s much better than we expected. Also, the architectural design of the ship provides for small sitting and gathering areas all over the ship. So, you don’t typically see large crowds of people struggling for a place to light, even at the pool, where seating is usually a real challenge. Instead, you see small intimate groups chatting in small spaces and many open seats around the pool. Very well done Celebrity!
We have once again chosen the inside cabin for our transit. This is also far better than we expected or have had in the past. Usually, the inside cabins are the size of a postage stamp. This time, the room is the size of 2 postage stamps and the bathroom is bigger and more roomy than the phone booth type that is typical. We can drop the soap on the floor of the shower as much as we want and not hit our heads on the shower walls or faucets (OUCH!). I am grateful for this as I can be pretty clumsy, especially on a moving vessel!
The other thing that we are finding very nice are the perks that we are entitled to as past cruisers. You may know that cruise ships, like the airlines and hotel chains, have special programs that provide increasingly valuable benefits for those who are past cruisers and cruise often. The more you go, the more you get! Again, very important as we always try to get the best deal! We have now cruised so many times, that we are in the “Elite” category of cruisers. This the highest level you can attain and the benefits are really great!
The one that I have appreciated the most is the laundry benefit. You may remember from an earlier post that we were unable to do our laundry in Rome, as there were no laundry services in the area where we stayed. So, for about a million dollars, we had the hotel do about 6 pieces of laundry for us so that we would have some relatively clean clothes throughout our week in Rome. We were hoping not to spill so that we could maximize our clothing stash. As it turns out, I did spill. I am now the proud owner of a pair of European jeans purchased for the whopping sum of 16 Euro at a high level Walmart type of store in our Rome neighborhood! Wore them all week! They walked onto the ship by themselves…..TEE HEE!!
Anyway, as you might guess, when we got on the ship, we had not one stitch of clean clothing. Much to our surprise, the “Elite” benefits included 2 free loads of laundry and some free dry cleaning! We were even able to get Mike’s sport jacket, that he has been wearing every day for a month and a half, dry cleaned for free! Very exciting for us! It’s the small things…..you know!
We are also getting about 3 hours of internet time for free! Internet service is very sketchy on these ships and it’s always slow. It’s understandable when you realize that you are in the middle of the ocean trying to get an internet signal. I wonder how they are able to do it at all. But, when you are paying for the service, it’s maddening. They don’t factor into your cost for internet service, the lost time while you are waiting for a connection. So, you lose money every time you log on. When it’s free, this small hardship is a little easier to take.
The other benefit that we are really enjoying are the free drinks. On the cruise ship, one pays extra for any kind of drink beyond tap water, lemonade, coffee, ice tea and some limited juices. If you have a craving for a Diet Coke or a glass of wine, you are paying extra for it and it’s not cheap! Our “Elite” benefit gives us each 3 free drinks each day if we want them. Trust me, we WANT them and have taken advantage of this on each day so far. Nice touch Celebrity!
Out of our 6 days at sea, 5 of them have been sea days, which we are thoroughly enjoying. For us, sea days include sleeping, reading and eating. I always throw in at least one workout in the gym each day. ( I figure if I am going to eat 24/7, I really have to exercise. Not Mike, though. He is his usual svelt self, even without the exercise. A fantasy, really! ) For others who want to be busier, there are ship board activities running all day long. You can find just about anything you want here on the ship from trivia contests to dance lessons to wine instruction! We get a run down on these on each evening for the next day. If you want to, you can plan every minute. This is not our cruising style, but everyone is different. There are lots of opportunities to meet people, as well, which I always love. It really IS like summer camp for adults!
On this trip, to mix it up a bit, we have also randomly attended some of the entertainment shows that are provided on board. We have particularly enjoyed a men’s a cappella group and a classical guitarist that we have heard twice since we have been on the ship. The magician we saw on the second day was pretty good, too. Tonight, we will hear a pianist that we saw on our last cruise. He is Liberace reincarnated! No kidding!….he was actually “discovered” by Liberace when he was a kid….has the same flamboyance and showmanship….it’s quite enjoyable! Good stuff!
So, we are enjoying our selectively quiet passage home. What a great way to unwind after the active month that we have had traveling through Europe!
The livin’ is surely easy……….
Travel With Betsy 
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