1st post-refit Eclipse trip- our views and pics

We were on the 27th June Eclipse Iceland and Norway cruise. Our first trip on her after her recent refit. I say refit but the most noticeable thing really was the lack of change. In summary the things we noticed were:

The left hand end of the Quasar nightclub has been cut off and turned into a much larger and appealing future cruise office than the previous one. Quasar is now a but still a good size and was the busiest we've seen it.

The Passport Bar has two large refrigerators installed for craft beers and has two large TV screens installed, one at each side, for sports (the TVs are nicely made to look like they are in a picture frame). There is little evidence (e.g signage) of it being a daytime Gastrobar apart from the paper menus available. Confusingly Celebrity today shows 'Passport Bar 7am to Midnight' under the bars section then 'Gastrobar @ Passport Bar noon to 5pm' plus the Gastrobar is only open on sea days. Did not see anyone eating there and at $10 for an Entree such as Fish and Chips I can see why. This isn't Gastro food at all, just basic fare. Im not sure the idea of it being used for sports fits in with its ambience really. Seems like they have fudged this one somewhat, part original Passport Bar, part but much less, Gastrobar and part sports bar with the TVs. IMO either Cellar Masters or the Passport Bar should have become a proper pub, not a fusion idea (or a bar with dual names at different times of day??) but a good old fashioned pub particularly as Eclipse is based in the UK for half the year.

Slush has replaced the little summer shop to the starboard side at the end of the pool just before you head into the Solarium It didn't open on this cool weather cruise.

The small Corning Museum on Deck 15 is now a portrait studio.

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Cellar Masters now has no doors and instead has three openings onto the atrium. The wine machines are gone. It has had some new stools and tables added and was actually busier than we have seen it before (apart from when Perry Grant had previously been performing in there) but nowhere near as popular as the Martini Bar. It remains a nice area with lovely seating.

Luminae for Suite passengers has of course been installed to the starboard side of the MDR on deck 3 closing off access to the MDR from that side. They have done a nice job though and if you didn't know this used to be the entrance to the MDR you probably would not guess. However, its made a real mess of the lower level of the MDR with a large plain wall erected around Luminae. IMO it destroys the look of the lovely dining room and if I were allocated a table where there are now no windows on one side due to the installation of Luminae I would be very unhappy. However, we were in Select and didn't have to look at the horrible plain outside walls of Luminae. There is a door on the end of the outside wall of Luminae and it appeared this is where the food is brought through into the suite restaurant. Again I wouldn't want to be seated near that door in the MDR. We met people who had traditional dining on the lower area and they said it was a pain having to enter via the right hand door and then have to traverse between the tables to get to their table on the other side. I would also add that as spaces from traditional early/late dining have been taken away, there was evidence of more pressure on Select dining with the use of buzzers when they couldn't accommodate people. We have never seen that previously and some waited up to 30 minutes. We didn't, presumably as we had pre-reserved times in Select. We noticed the sign at the Select entrances advises to queue one side if you don't have reservations and on the other side if you do OR if you are a suite guest. Given suite guests have access to Luminae and Blue I don't agree they should get priority in Select over regular Select passengers who enjoy the freedom of turning up when they prefer. The removal of one MDR entrance clearly puts pressure on the remaining one and we saw queues for breakfast and on the first evening.

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The Molecular Bar has been replaced by The World Class Bar. No physical changes, same bar, same chairs just a different wall area behind with new branding and TV screens showing cocktails being made. The menu is shorter than the Molecular Bar menu and the offerings less 'experimental'. However its still very, very quiet. I do think whatever is installed here has an obstacle to overcome, that of its position at the end of the Art Gallery. It doesn't create much of an ambience and given the only likely customers are those with a Premium drinks package then that cuts out further potential business.

The casino has brand new gaming tables.

The towels by the pools are new and are now a contemporary grey colour which looks smart.

Something not necessarily refit related was that despite Bistro On 5 showing all day opening on sea days, they had Cafe Al Bacio menus in there during the day so it became an overflow for the ever popular Cafe. Its now called Secondo Al Bacio during the day. A very good idea given we didn't see anyone eat food in there and how difficult it can be to get a seat in Al Bacio.

Eclipse is still in great shape with excellent friendly staff and overall we are pretty glad they didn't change too much as she is great as she is. However I would add that I didn't like it when as a regular passenger we lost access to Michaels club, but accepted it. We've now lost part of the main dining room to Luminae ( putting more pressure on Select dining and creating an awful partition in the MDR) but we've accepted it but I hope we don't see further facilities being restricted or spoilt by further attempts by Celebrity to attract Suite guests.

EDIT- another Celler Masters pic

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Thank you for your update about the subtle changes on the Eclipse.

Wonder if Secondo Bacio day menu at Bistro will be done on M class ship too?

We have late seating in MDR on our upcoming cruise , so I am very interested in your comments about the blank wall and awkward flow from the entrance of the MDR on the main floor.

We were on the 27th June Eclipse Iceland and Norway cruise. Our first trip on her after her recent refit. I say refit but the most noticeable thing really was the lack of change. In summary the things we noticed were:

 

The left hand end of the Quasar nightclub has been cut off and turned into a much larger and appealing future cruise office than the previous one. Quasar is now a but still a good size and was the busiest we've seen it.

 

 

The Passport Bar has two large refrigerators installed for craft beers and has two large TV screens installed, one at each side, for sports (the TVs are nicely made to look like they are in a picture frame). There is little evidence (e.g signage) of it being a daytime Gastrobar apart from the paper menus available. Confusingly Celebrity today shows 'Passport Bar 7am to Midnight' under the bars section then 'Gastrobar @ Passport Bar noon to 5pm' plus the Gastrobar is only open on sea days. Did not see anyone eating there and at $10 for an Entree such as Fish and Chips I can see why. This isn't Gastro food at all, just basic fare. Im not sure the idea of it being used for sports fits in with its ambience really. Seems like they have fudged this one somewhat, part original Passport Bar, part but much less, Gastrobar and part sports bar with the TVs. IMO either Cellar Masters or the Passport Bar should have become a proper pub, not a fusion idea (or a bar with dual names at different times of day??) but a good old fashioned pub particularly as Eclipse is based in the UK for half the year.

 

 

Slush has replaced the little summer shop to the starboard side at the end of the pool just before you head into the Solarium It didn't open on this cool weather cruise.

 

 

The small Corning Museum on Deck 15 is now a portrait studio.

 

 

 

 

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Did they take away the Hot Glass Show?

Did they take away the Hot Glass Show?

No, just the little Museum at the side that is now the photo studio.

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Thanks for the update and the pictures were great

Victoria

Thanks for the update. The al baccio overflow area is a great idea. Let's hope the changes get settled to work out well.

Thanks for this information on the changes!

The towels by the pools are new and are now a contemporary grey colour which looks smart.

Any chance for a picture?

Are the beach/solarium towels still the same?

Great information and photos.

Thanks for sharing.

Keith

Thanks for sharing the updated pictures & information.

Thanks for this information on the changes!

 

 

 

Any chance for a picture?

Are the beach/solarium towels still the same?

Ah sorry I didn't take one. On our cruise the solarium had blue towels placed on the loungers and pale gold/yellow in the towel stacks.

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Thanks for the pictures, esp. Cellar Masters. We can't wait to get back on Eclipse in March.

Have to admit Eclispe is our favourite ship in the Celebrity fleet. The new refit is really good we were impressed.

Thank you for all the updates and the great pictures!

Ah sorry I didn't take one. On our cruise the solarium had blue towels placed on the loungers and pale gold/yellow in the towel stacks.

 

 

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Thanks for replying! Wonder if they start changing the blue towels fleet-wide... some of them were really old.

Thank you for the update and great pictures. I also like most of the changes.

I noticed that Celebrity had the drapes open in the Cellar Master which it a great improvement IMO. Of course I might be confusing my ships, but I have always remembered it being dark.

Do you have a picture of the beer selection menu in the Passport bar?

I also like the Eclipse except for the outside aft section of the Oceanview Cafe which I believe Celebrity realized was a redesign mistake that was corrected on the newer version ships.

Actually we like all the Solstice Class ships, but sail on the Celebrity Eclipse most often because of the 14 day itinerary in the winter. As I said the only additional thing I would like to see changed is the removal of the low level cocktail type tables in the outside aft area of the Oceanview Cafe.

Thanks again, great job on the summary.

... Luminae for Suite passengers has of course been installed to the starboard side of the MDR on deck 3 closing off access to the MDR from that side. They have done a nice job though and if you didn't know this used to be the entrance to the MDR you probably would not guess. However, its made a real mess of the lower level of the MDR with a large plain wall erected around Luminae. IMO it destroys the look of the lovely dining room ...

Agree! I made the almost the same exact comment in my March 2015 Silhouette Photo Trip Report. Must be a KEVIN thing.:)

Regards,

Kevin Reid

Agree! I made the almost the same exact comment in my March 2015 Silhouette Photo Trip Report. Must be a KEVIN thing.:)

 

 

 

Regards,

 

Kevin Reid

Thanks. I had not seen the effect on the MDR pictured or discussed previously so hoped the info may help (I must have missed it in your very detailed review). I cannot believe they design such a lovely main dining room the build this monstrosity within it.

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Thank you for the update and great pictures. I also like most of the changes.

 

I noticed that Celebrity had the drapes open in the Cellar Master which it a great improvement IMO. Of course I might be confusing my ships, but I have always remembered it being dark.

 

Do you have a picture of the beer selection menu in the Passport bar?

 

 

I think perhaps you might be thinking of the Ensemble Lounge where the curtains are always closed.

Im sorry, I did pick up a Gastropub menu with the beers on it but just cannot find it now. It has been posted before and if I find it I will update the thread.

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Are there enough suite users to justify the segregation? are they all not in the pay restaurants?:rolleyes:

I think perhaps you might be thinking of the Ensemble Lounge where the curtains are always closed.

 

Im sorry, I did pick up a Gastropub menu with the beers on it but just cannot find it now. It has been posted before and if I find it I will update the thread.

 

 

 

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Thank you.

I know it was the Cellar Master because I remember the "stories" shared with us about the addition of the tree and the closing of the curtains on the Solstice. They were last minute changes by the CEO after a tour of the new ship. He wanted the Cellar Master to look more like a Cellar and the tree was to fill an empty space that he thought looked too empty.

I probably am just confusing the ships as I assume you are saying that having the curtains open is not a rent change on the Eclipse.

I am sure I have read the list somewhere, but I know you were very recent. Are you a beer drinker? Did you find the list extensive. I really miss the expanded beer list in the Michael's Club on the newer ships.

Thank you.

 

 

 

I know it was the Cellar Master because I remember the "stories" shared with us about the addition of the tree and the closing of the curtains on the Solstice. They were last minute changes by the CEO after a tour of the new ship. He wanted the Cellar Master to look more like a Cellar and the tree was to fill an empty space that he thought looked too empty.

 

I probably am just confusing the ships as I assume you are saying that having the curtains open is not a rent change on the Eclipse.

 

I am sure I have read the list somewhere, but I know you were very recent. Are you a beer drinker? Did you find the list extensive. I really miss the expanded beer list in the Michael's Club on the newer ships.

Im not a beer drinker but cruise friends were and the list was very long.

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Are there enough suite users to justify the segregation? are they all not in the pay restaurants?:rolleyes:

Ooh dont get me started.

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Im not a beer drinker but cruise friends were and the list was very long.

 

 

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Good to hear. Thank you.