My Eclipse Review As Promised 3/5-3/19

Arrived at Ft Lauderdale on Sunday 3/5. Second time on Eclipse. Zenith 2x, Equinox 2x, Summit 1x, and RC Oasis 1x, and Allure 2x. Had booked an airport limo service who took us from FT L to Miami. 45 minute drive. Dropped our bags with luggage tags attached at the curbside with the valet guys. 2 minutes. Walked into terminal, thru metal detector, and were directed to a window with a worker there that checks you in. 10 minutes no lines, 12:30 pm, on the ship with our seapass cards. Champagne, mimosa upon entering. Went directly to the first open bar and upgraded one of our beverage packages to premium, which ends up being the cost of one drink a day. No brainer here folks. Cover all bases and don't worry about what you can order again. Got our first drinks and worked our way to a worker from Qsine, named Robbie, who was pushing, or should I say, was offering, specialty restaurant packages. We had ordered a 3 nt dinner package, but switched to an 8 nt. 3 Murano, 2 Tuscan, 2 Qsine, 1 Sushi on 5. Times and dates were setup quickly and easily. Half hour total time between beverage upgrade and specialty rest setup. Rooms were open so we went up and put our carry on bags inside, and on to the Oceanview for lunch. Very busy as it was past 1 pm and people started boarding way before we got there. Time exactly unknown, as we didn't ask. We found seats and had a nice lunch. Plenty of choices as usual. We enjoyed the Oceanview. Chefs were present at all times, and crew worked to clean up dishes, glasses etc. Beverage servers were walking around and you did not have to wait long. Having been onboard before, we new our way around and took a stroll all around the ship to work off our lunch. Ship was very clean, and showed little wear for her age. There were workers cleaning all the time. No word of noro at all. Did not hear or see anyone sick throughout cruise. We did experience several days of strong winds and moderate seas. People were prepared. Saw some patches behind ears, and several folks wearing wrist bands to help with sea sickness. Up to the 14th deck for sail away. Always great to sail away. Oceanview for dinner, casino and drinks for awhile, then to bed by 10, as it was a full day. As you can see, I ramble on. Bare with me. I will be back in awhile with more. End of Day 1

2 1/2 days at sea. Windy with moderate seas to say the least. Ship handled the seas well. Captain Leo and his crew were great. People tried their best to get some sun. It was challenging at times. Some people got sunburn, many more got windburn. A few even tested the sloshing pool water. The indoor pool was closed off for a time as it was splashing out all over. At night, automatic doors leading outside were closed off for safety due too high sustained winds. The locals call them Trade Winds. We, my wife and myself, adapted the best we could with the help of our beverage pkgs, and made it to Bonaire. Rented golf carts and toured the island for 7 hrs at our own pace. They gave us a map which helped a lot. Mountains of salt, salt marshes, slave huts, distillery, and wild donkeys here and there. Saw alot and carts ran great. Many people went scuba diving and snorkeling. Rough rocky ground to get into water. Tough even with water shoes.The price you pay to see beautiful underwater sights. Another great sight was seeing the wind driven waves blasting off the rocks along the shore as we cruised in the carts. Back to ship with time to spare and to Murano for dinner. Laurentiu was our waiter each time. He was professional and friendly. We enjoyed his tableside cooking. We went here 3x. Service was excellent each time. Let me say now that we saw the ventriloquist, who was good, and a few of the singers, also good. We like the casino at night. After a show, we would have a drink, play a while then up to bed. A lot of islands keep you busy. On to Curacao

thank you for the detailed review. I look forward to reading the rest.

We got up early on days going ashore. Oceanview for breakfast then off the ship. We had a plan for each day and stuck by it. On Curacao we got picked up by a beautiful new resort shuttle which took us to a beautiful all inclusive day pass resort. It included the ride with driver giving a tour, food, bevs, use of a gorgeous resort, and return ride to ship, but only for 5 hrs from the time you check in. We were back by 4, did some port shopping and back on ship. Well worth it. A top 3 highlight of trip. Tuscan Grille was very good. Weather was getting better each day. Seas calmer. Tiring day. Aruba next for overnight. Beach day at Hilton resort Aruba. Public beach. Walk thru beautiful resort to beach. pay for umbrellas and chairs and you are good to go. Pricey but prime spot. 2 days were nice there. It's great to go on and off ship at your leisure. Qsine on second night leaving Aruba, was very good. Was equally good the second time, later in cruise. Heading for Barbados with sea day next. I will write tomorrow. An unexpected event occurred during this time that will take a while to write.

Enjoying your review and looking forward to reading more. We leave on the same cruise in 11 days, so your review is really helping the excitement build. Thank you!

Hi. Can you give details about the resort you went to in Curaçao? Thankk.

Next month we board the Eclipse for the first time for our first Transatlantic cruise. We have been on the Solstice, Silhouette & Reflection. Can you tell me if the square tube window dividers in the Ocean View café is at eye level (while sitting at the tables) like on the Solstice or below table top level like on the Silhouette & Reflection?

Ok. To answer a few questions first. Santa Barbara Resort was in Curacao. $114.00 pp, and worth every penny. We were met on cruise pier by woman holding up sign with our names on it. Booked online. Next, the windows in Oceanview were I think even with tabletops. Again, I think. Now let me answer a question often asked on this site. Captain Leo, who after our ship was going on vacation, was the most visible Captain on any cruise that we have ever been on. He could be seen all over the ship. Dining in Oceanview, walking the boardwalk of shops, etc. Took the time to shake hands and chat with all. A professional, yet totally friendly guy. This leads to our next part of story. Sea day heading towards Barbados. Typical early risers to get pool chairs whether it was outdoor or indoor. Even on partially overcast days. The towel clips, the books on chairs, and the sight of people trying to get a chair was entertaining. Due to the wind it was a bit easier to get a chair then usual. I did not see any issues involving chair issues this time. The only issue was the lack of bar service working the deck bringing drinks around. It was easier and faster to go to pool bar and get your own. This I honestly could say, was the only issue that stood out. 2 or 3 more servers would have covered all bases. The servers that were working, did their best. 1 or 2 did not cut it. Now to the unusual event. Dining in Tuscan, steaming towards Barbados. Unusual time for announcement. Captain comes on saying message is for crew. I believe the word he repeated was OSCAR, 3x followed by portside. All the waiters turn their heads and started looking out the windows into the dark, partially moonlit night.. Next we saw searchlights shining out towards a very dim white light. Waiters etc, still were waiting on us, but were looking out windows while doing so. Ship is now slowing and turning around. Cleared by Coast Guard to attempt rescue.Turns out that 4 supposed St Lucian fisherman were adrift for 5 days in a new boat that stopped working for whatever reason. After sending out an initial small boat to investigate and ascertain situation, a regular lifeboat was sent to pick these guys up. We were able to witness this by going out onto upper deck to watch. Glad we had finished eating cause this was a sight to see. A very careful, safety conscious, rescue by crew. Safety for passengers and crew too. Who knows who these people could have been. It was in the middle of nowhere land. These guys obviously had a lucky day. Small open boat, hot sun, rather choppy seas, for 5 days. Their boat was just left adrift. I don't think they really cared after that ordeal. Of course there were some stories circulating onboard. Possible drug smugglers, no sign of fishing nets or fishing poles onboard etc. Nonetheless, a great job by Captain, and his great crew. I believe we dropped them off in Barbados. My guess is that they were turned over to coast guard. I don't think they got a to stay onboard. St. Lucia was next on itinerary, but I don't believe that we delivered them to their front door. Barbados next

This is great! :hearteyes: We're taking this one late November.

Hi. Can you give details about the resort you went to in Curaçao? Thankk.

An even better choice is the the Holiday Beach Resort and Casino, 15 minute walk from the ship and costs $10/pp.

We visited on the same cruise, ideal after a short town visit then relax in the wonderful Lagoon area with plenty of sun loungers and palapas. Food and drinks is readily available at reasonable prices listed in Dutch Florin and US$.

The Lagoon is visible just to the left of the ship's berth at the Mega Pier.

Thank you so much - can't wait for our cruise on her a week on Sunday! A question about the package and Sushi on 5 - were you limited to how much you could order?

Many thanks

Wendy

I went to Capt Leo's talk and he said they dropped them off in St Lucia.

Usually in Barbados, it's been the Boatyard. Crew recommended it to us in the past. Did it 3x. Fair deal. A drink, chairs and umbrella, return ride to ship, set price. Food extra. This time we went further down past the Boatyard to a place called Harbor Lights. Nice little beach. Beautiful water. Clean, quiet. Chairs, umbrella price, fair. Food and drink available, as well as restrooms. Both nice places. No vendors walking the beach like in St Maartens. Orient beach, in St Maarten, was one after the other selling everything from bracelets, hats, sundresses, to aloe rub treatments. Aruba had its share of walking salesmen and women also. As said on other posts, a simple no thank you, will keep them moving. Unless of course you want something. In that case, be sure to play lets make a deal. Prices tend to get better after you say no the first time. Long beach day. Back on ship around 5. Sushi on 5 for dinner. Ended up going here 2x for lunch, 2x for dinner. Obviously I liked it. Some have said it was not so great, but I disagree, wholeheartedly. Joo Koo was my waiter each time. His service was excellent and he was well versed about the food selections. Maitre'd David was a nice guy to talk to, and made sure all was good. Bistro on 5, had some good items, but Sushi wins for me. Let me add that all Specialty restaurants will modify their selections according to any health issue you may have. I personally am prone to diverticulitis attacks. No seeds no nuts etc. They all accommodated my requests and were very diligent about it. Overall, I highly recommend trying these restaurants at least once. My opinion might be different from yours. Give them a shot and see for yourself. Price pp goes down when you book more nights. Usual nighttime music around ship. Martini bar full as usual. Putu, and Yeoman, putting on a show for the guests. A must see after dinner. Talented, friendly, professional bartenders. You will see picture taking and hear cheers and laughter from the time they open till closing time. Casino again then bed. Just a note. For those interested. Oceanview is open late for pizza, pasta station, salad bar. Late night snackers. On to St Lucia

When using the package at Sushi on 5, you can order as much as you want. Again, your price per person will vary according to how many nts you book the spec rests for. The more you book, the better the price. Otherwise you pay per item off the menu. An extra charge, but reasonable. Let me also say that while on a cruise, we do some things that we may not do on a regular basis. I try to make it special for my wife. While the Holiday Inn, in Curacao sounds like a great deal and normally would be what we look for, I decided to take a step beyond my financial comfort zone, and go to, no doubt, the nicest place I have ever been to. Pricey in comparison, YES. Something to be remembered.

When using the package at Sushi on 5, you can order as much as you want. Again, your price per person will vary according to how many nts you book the spec rests for. The more you book, the better the price. Otherwise you pay per item off the menu. An extra charge, but reasonable. Let me also say that while on a cruise, we do some things that we may not do on a regular basis. I try to make it special for my wife. While the Holiday Inn, in Curacao sounds like a great deal and normally would be what we look for, I decided to take a step beyond my financial comfort zone, and go to, no doubt, the nicest place I have ever been to. Pricey in comparison, YES. Something to be remembered.

Thank you so much - we've already booked a 5 night package (to lock in the exchange rate!) and would like to do one night there. My mum doesn't like sushi per se but there is enough she will like.

And I so agree about treating your wife - those memories will last a lifetime.

Thank you again.

Wendy

St Lucia. Wakeup, Oceanview breakfast, off ship by nine. As per recommendations of others, we took a tour with Spencer Ambrose. He met us as planned outside of cruise terminal. We did medium to high speed boat ride to a full day beach break/tour. Had a great day. Chilly ride in morning. You warm up fast when you get there. Great views of the Pitons. Let me add that St Lucia has many options for water taxis. We were not the only ones doing this type of tour. We saw many different types of boats ferrying folks to the same beach we were on. We just happened to choose this one. Let me not forget the wicked good rum punch. No wonder they say welcome to Paradise. Quick port shopping and back onboard. It was full day. St. Kitts next, but stayed onboard as we have been here a few times before, and honestly needed a recovery day. We also use this type of day to wander around and check the ship out. Walking around with a nice cocktail is also good exercise. We were not the only ones doing this. On to St Maarten. Last stop. Water taxi to Phillipsburg. All day wristband to go back and forth. Cheap. Then on to Orient beach. Cab there and back. Same guy came back to get us. Many places to choose. All along same beach. Done with beautiful beach, on to street shopping in Phillipsburg and shops at port. Last Island. 2 Sea days coming. I would like to say that there are many other things to do during the day and night. Jogging, zumba, music, shopping, playing cards, dancing, afternoon tea, art auctions, and many other things. Enough to keep us busy and wanting to book again. I want to mention the Casino Staff. Casino Host Ralph. All of them. They were friendly, professional, patient, and helpful, to those who wanted to try, but didn't quite understand the game. We were able to setup luggage valet during the trip. It worked well with our flight. No problems. Back to Miami. One more breakfast at Oceanview. Open till 8:30. Off ship by 9:15. Quick disembark even though we were randomly picked for customs check of our small carry on type bags, that we were walking off with. All good. Overall a great trip for us, maybe not for others, due to weather. Great Crew Lead By A Great Captain

Enjoying your review. Following.

..... I want to mention the Casino Staff. Casino Host Ralph.

Ralph is great. He was the Casino host on my first 3 Celebrity Cruises.

Hawskter, you mentioned Captain Leo was going on vacation after your cruise. Did he tell you how long? I have read so many reviews about how wonderful he is and was looking forward to meeting him. (Will be on April 2nd) I doubt he is only taking two weeks off.

Hawskter, you mentioned Captain Leo was going on vacation after your cruise. Did he tell you how long? I have read so many reviews about how wonderful he is and was looking forward to meeting him. (Will be on April 2nd) I doubt he is only taking two weeks off.

Captain Leo is off until June but I didn't hear which ship he is returning to.

Good morning. I believe Capt. Leo is off for 3 months, but don't hold me to it. He made an announcement praising first his crew, then said he was going on vacation. My wife said 3 months. Again, he's off, but ? Just a couple good food notes. Oceanview has several types of grill to order fish at night. Salmon, tilapia, drum, cod. As well as steak, chops, chicken. I have read some complaints in the past, regarding selection, and not hot food, or tables not cleared off. Clearly you could see that this was not the case. Lunch and dinner selections changed daily. My only complaint was not with the food or the crew. It was with fellow cruisers who thought nothing of stepping in front of others waiting on line. Acting as though everyone else is invisible. People do get a bit feisty over this. Most times I just shake my head and wait my turn. Buffet style dining can be interesting. Great light lunch at Aqua spa cafe by the indoor pool. Grilled shrimp made to order was a fan favorite. They offered it every 3 days or so. Salmon salad was excellent also. Saw many people getting vegetable and fruit smoothies there also. Café Al Bacio was crowded for afternoon tea. Oceanview served scones and puddings during same time of day.

An even better choice is the the Holiday Beach Resort and Casino, 15 minute walk from the ship and costs $10/pp.

We visited on the same cruise, ideal after a short town visit then relax in the wonderful Lagoon area with plenty of sun loungers and palapas. Food and drinks is readily available at reasonable prices listed in Dutch Florin and US$.

The Lagoon is visible just to the left of the ship's berth at the Mega Pier.

We saw that lagoon and hotel from our Infinity Balcony in Oct. ..awesome. This time we took a beach excursion...long ride, but would definitely check that out next time.

Good morning. I believe Capt. Leo is off for 3 months, but don't hold me to it. He made an announcement praising first his crew, then said he was going on vacation. My wife said 3 months. Again, he's off, but ? Just a couple good food notes. Oceanview has several types of grill to order fish at night. Salmon, tilapia, drum, cod. As well as steak, chops, chicken. I have read some complaints in the past, regarding selection, and not hot food, or tables not cleared off. Clearly you could see that this was not the case. Lunch and dinner selections changed daily. My only complaint was not with the food or the crew. It was with fellow cruisers who thought nothing of stepping in front of others waiting on line. Acting as though everyone else is invisible. People do get a bit feisty over this. Most times I just shake my head and wait my turn. Buffet style dining can be interesting. Great light lunch at Aqua spa cafe by the indoor pool. Grilled shrimp made to order was a fan favorite. They offered it every 3 days or so. Salmon salad was excellent also. Saw many people getting vegetable and fruit smoothies there also. Café Al Bacio was crowded for afternoon tea. Oceanview served scones and puddings during same time of day.

Thanks for your reply on Captain Leo.

An even better choice is the the Holiday Beach Resort and Casino, 15 minute walk from the ship and costs $10/pp.

We visited on the same cruise, ideal after a short town visit then relax in the wonderful Lagoon area with plenty of sun loungers and palapas. Food and drinks is readily available at reasonable prices listed in Dutch Florin and US$.

The Lagoon is visible just to the left of the ship's berth at the Mega Pier.

Not sure how you can say Holiday Beach is a "better choice." Santa Barbara Resort is beyond fabulous for a day pass. We enjoyed it when we did this Eclipse cruise in December.

Really enjoyed your review and looking forward to this cruise same time next year. Thanks for the information regarding the resort on Curacao- will check out their website. Do you know which beach you went to on St. Lucia?

Vicky