5 Things to Look for in Selecting a Cabin

What’s the best cabin location on the ship? I get asked this a lot.  How can you make sure you pick the best location in your chosen stateroom category?  The truth is, it depends on your likes and needs.

One of the best ways to find the right cabin for you is to view the ship’s deck plans in the cruise line brochure or website.  While the plans may not be exatly to scale and cabin size is not always in proportion to the drawings, there are a few things to keep in mind. Knowing the surroundings will help you avoid a less-than-ideal stateroom.

Here are the top 5 things to look for in cabin selection:

1) Look for elevators and staircases:  Some people want to be close to the elevators and staircases. However, with the convenience of elevators and stairs comes a higher volume of traffic and possibly more noise.  What is more important to you?

2) Look up:  What’s above your cabin?   A basketball court, jogging track, the kid zone.  If you have children, having the kids’ zone above you, might not be a bad idea. However, if you are a honeymoon couple, this might not be the best location for you.

3) Look Down:  Is the bandstand for one of the show lounges right below your room?  Even with good sound proofing there is a chance for ambient noise.

4) Look across the hall: Is there a room service pantry shown or other service area.  If so, this might be an area you want to avoid.

5) Look right and left:  If you are at the end of a hallway, make sure the disco or other high-energy lounge is not adjacent. Unless you are a night owl, you’ll want to avoid hallways that lead to these lounges.  Late night revelers can carry on with the partying outside your door. If you are an early-to-bed person, you might want to choose another location.

Today’s modern cruise ships have been designed with passenger comfort in mind.  Architects strive to develop deck plans that confine public rooms and lounges to areas far from the staterooms.  Advance review of the deck plans and advice from a good cruise specialist can help deliver an extra measure of peace and quiet in your stateroom.

Have you ever booked a stateroom that was an oops? I’d like to hear more.

Thinking about a cruise visit: http://www.lifesrudder.com/

Create memories and not regrets.

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Reflection of Royalty

Reflection of Royalty

Celebrity Reflection

Who doesn’t like to be treated like royalty? Especially on vacation.  My dream trip takes me away on a 7-Day Caribbean Cruise on Celebrity’s newest ship, Celebrity Reflection. It leaves out of the Port of Miami, on December 8, 2012.

Celebrity Cruise Lines loves to pamper, engage, and renew passengers.  With that in mind, I booked a Royal Suite (590 sq ft, veranda: 158 sq ft).  I thought about booking the Reflection Suite with the fancy, cantilevered, glass-walled shower.  (During the day, a person can shower and look out over the ocean.  Reflective material keeps others from looking in. There’s a switch that turns on a fogging function, which offers privacy at night.)  However, the Reflection Suite accommodates 6, and I only need accommodations for 2.  Maybe next time.

My trip begins on December 7, 2012, with a pre-night cruise stay at the Trump International Beach Resort, in Miami, http://www.trumpmiami.com/, (Junior Suite Ocean View). I like to arrive in a city a day or two before I leave on my cruise so that I can wake up refreshed, relaxed, and ready for my cruise.

On December 8, I board Celebrity Reflection.  Since I booked the Royal Suite, I receive priority check in and am one of the first ones to board.  What a beautiful ship and what a thrill to be one of the first people to cruise this magnificent vessel.  

Itinerary:

Day 1 Embarkation

Make Speciality Dining Reservation at Blu (subject to availability)

Massage (This is my favorite way to start a cruise.)

Whirlpool on my private veranda...Ooo-la-la!

Day 2 Sea Day

Painting class (maybe the Master Artist can offer tips for my stick figures)

Lounge by the pool

Dinner at Blu (speciality restaurant)

Day 3 San Juan, Puerto Rico

Shore Excursion: Bioluminescent Bay Kayak Adventure (SJ36)

Day 4 Philipsburg, St Maarten

Shore Excursion: 4x4 Beach Escape (SMB9)

Day 5 Basseterre, St Kitts

Shore Excursion: Caribbean Cooks (KT60)

Day 6 Sea Day  

Lounge by the pool

Enjoy The Lawn Club Grill (First-hand grilling techniques)

Day 7 Disembarkation

Other Royal Suite perks include: 

Fresh flowers

Daily in-suite espresso and cappuccino

Daily fresh fruit platter

European trained butler service (Oh, if I could put him in my suitcase and take him home...)

It’s the last night of the cruise. I open the floor-to-ceiling glass doors that lead out into my private verandah. Once again, I feel the light, ocean breeze against my face.  I relax in the whirlpool one last time.  I look out across the vast ocean.  The waves lap against the ship. The moon and stars create their own light show.  This must truly be a Reflection of Royalty.

(Oh, no!  Whoever is in the Reflection Suite with the outside, all-glass shower...they forgot to flip the fog switch.)

Celebrity Cruise Lines’ newest ship, Celebrity Reflection’s 9-night inaugural European cruise sets sail on October 12, 2012.  Cruise Ports include: Depart from Amsterdam, Netherlands; Bruges,(Zeebrugge), Belgium; Paris (Le Havre), France; Gijon, Spain; Vigo, Spain; Malaga, Spain; Barcelona, Spain.

To request additional information or to secure your voyage on Celebrity Reflection, please click here.
What's your destination?

Create memories and not regrets.
Janelle Woodyard

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