Portland England cruise port; Dorset attractions; Celebrity Reflection

 Portland is a cruise port of call that has been gaining attention over the last few years. Once a Royal Navy base, there is plenty of room for large ships to maneuver and dock. It is also located in a desirable spot on the southwest coast of England in Dorset, not too far from attractions like Bath and Stonehenge. With Southampton so much in demand by ships seeking to originate and or terminate cruises, Portland is a good alternative for ships seeking to make an in-transit port call.

While the cruise lines place emphasis on the proximity of internationally famous sites such as Stonehenge, there are worthwhile things to see in Dorset itself. There is for example, the beautiful rural countryside that so inspired the novelist Thomas Hardy. The chalk cliffs of the Jurassic Coast have a natural splendor of a different sort. Then there is the mysterious carving of the giant of Cerne.

One excursion I particularly enjoyed was to Minterne House, a large Elizabethan-style manor house. The home of the Digby family, it is set on 1,300 acres of stunning parkland. The house itself is not usually open to the public but the family did open its doors for our shore excursion group. Lord Digby greeted us and told us the story of the house and his family. Then we were allowed to explore the grand rooms on the lower level of the house.

During the tour, it was mentioned that one of the creators of the popular television series Downton Abbey lives nearby and has been a guest at Minterne. Could he have been inspired by those visits. Certainly, the story of the Digbys has a dramatic appeal. Lord Digny's sister was Pamela Hariman and she grew up at Minterne.

Accordingly, this week on Beyondships, we have a profile of the Portland cruise port http://www.beyondships3.com/portland-england-cruise-port.html ; a photo feature of some of the nearby attractions http://www.beyondships3.com/dorset-england.html and a feature on visiting Minterne complete with a slideshow http://www.beyondships3.com/minterne-house-england.html .

In addition, we have a feature showing Celebrity Reflection going to sea. It includes both still photos http://www.beyondships2.com/celebrity-reflection-photo.html and a video http://www.beyondships2.com/celebrity-reflection-video-2.html .

Celebrity Reflection Profile and Photo Tour

This week we add Celebrity Reflection to the roaster of cruise ships profiled on Beyondships.com. Reflection is the fifth and final ship in Celebrity's Solstice class. This class of ships has been very popular with passengers and critics alike since the first chip in the class, Celebrity Solstice, entered service in 2008.

For me, there are three things that attract me to the Solstice class ships. First, is the design of the ship. In the interior, there has been great attention to detail. Someone has thought about every inch of the ship. It is a contemporary décor but the use of lighting, art work and furnishings is always eye-pleasing. It can be glamorous and it can be relaxing, sumptuous but not demanding. Along the same lines, there is a feeling of space. These are big ships but the number of people has been kept down so that you do not feel crowded.

Second, I like the array of dining outlets. The main dining rooms are like something that would have been created for the glamor of Hollywood in its golden era. The food and service do not let down the room. Blu, the Aquaclass restaurant, is one of the best venues at sea. Turning to the specialty restaurants, you have the elegance of Murano, the relaxed sophistication of the Tuscan Grille steakhouse, the very nontraditional Qsine and the summertime fun of the Lawn Club Grill. Then there are a host of small casual venues serving crepes, paninis, pastries, and even burgers as well as a well-designed large buffet restaurant. Lots of choices and all good ones.

Third, I like the enrichment program. The Solstice class ships are geared toward a more sophisticated cruiser who is more demanding about shipboard activities. Celebrity usually has good lectures that are beyond the talks about which shops to visit in the next port. There are other activities such as trivias, wine tastings, art classes, and fitness classes, which are done on other lines as well but Celebrity keeps up a good quality level.

Reflection is very much a Solstice class ship. She incorporates ideas that Celebrity has evolved over the course of building and sailing the first four ships in the class. There have been relatively few changes to the public areas. For example, the line-up of dining venues is identical to her immediate predecessor Celebrity Silhouette. There have been a few changes to the bars and lounges. However, the big change is the accommodations. Two new categories of suites have been added as well as a super luxury suite called the Reflection Suite.

Our profile page for Celebrity Reflection is at http://beyondships.com/Celebrity-Reflection-Profile.html

Our photo tour and commentary begins at http://beyondships.com/Celebrity-Reflection-Tour-1.html

We will be back next week with more about Reflection including interviews, menus, a restaurant review and a video.