Celebrity Reflection

Celebrity Reflection is the fifth and last Solstice class ship, delivered by Meyer Werft in October 2012, and the odd one in the family. Where the earlier four share a template, Reflection was built with an extra deck of cabins worked into the design, taking her to about 125,400 gross tons and 89 more staterooms than her sisters, roughly 3,046 guests at double occupancy against about 2,850. The ship underneath did not grow to match. The theatre, main dining room, lift banks and pool deck are the sisters' rooms carrying a bigger crowd, and that decision explains most of what people praise and grumble about. She sails year round from Fort Lauderdale, mixing short Bahamas and Key West runs with six to nine night Caribbean itineraries, and is due a refit in early 2027.

She does the quiet, grown up Solstice formula well. Blu, the AquaClass restaurant, and Luminae for suite guests are two of the better included dining rooms at sea, while Murano, Tuscan Grille and the Lawn Club Grill give the speciality list range. Cafe al Bacio, Cellar Masters, the Martini Bar and the aft Sunset Bar are pleasant places to sit. The real grass Lawn Club is still unusual, and the adults only Solarium and the Persian Garden thermal suite are her best sea day spaces.

The criticism is consistent and does trace back to the extra deck. Published reviews describe busy pool decks, a shortage of loungers, chair saving on sea days and a jogging track made tight by deck chairs. Lifts can be slow at peak. The interiors show their 2012 origins, with tired soft furnishings and cabins that lack bedside sockets and USB points. Cruise Critic's editors give her four out of five.

She suits couples, older travellers and solo cruisers who want good food, decent service and a calm ship. Celebrity is a premium line, priced above sister brand Royal Caribbean, and it shows in the tone as much as the fare. Families do sail and there are kids' clubs, but with no waterslide, flowrider or splash park, children expecting a theme park at sea will be bored.

Cabins matter more here than usual. Unlike the Edge class ships, Reflection has conventional balconies rather than Infinite Verandas, which most people still prefer. The extra deck means the cabin stack runs from deck 3 to deck 12, with suites also on deck 14. Deck 12 midship sits directly beneath the pool deck and is most often flagged for early morning scraping and thumping. The deck 14 suites sit under the Lawn Club. Deck 3 midship is close to the Grand Foyer, deck 6 forward is above the theatre, and some balconies are partly blocked by lifeboats. Aft cabins buy deep sheltered balconies and the wake view at the cost of a long walk and some vibration. Our per cabin quiet and convenience scores are not yet published for this ship.

Read the deck plan before you book. On Reflection it does more work than usual.