lucyliz

I'm not sure what the columns were used for , but I suspect train tracks . Anybody ?

 

 

You suspect correctly :) It's the old Blackfriars railway bridge that was demolished in the 1980s. I'm not sure why they never took the pillars away when the bridge on top was removed.

With the new internet system, do they still have the facility for the old minute packages if they were bought before they were discontinued? I'm sailing on Equinox later this month and purchased the 90-minute package many months ago. If all the internet is unlimited now I hope I don't have to pay the difference as I wouldn't have signed up for it at that cost!

 

We were a bit confused by the crossing light

 

It's the transgender symbol. Various crossings in central London had their green lights changed for pride week, which was on while you were visiting. Some had the double male symbol, some the double female, some male and female, and so on.

I'm not sure how many are still there - I thought they were just for the week, but I was crossing over the Strand, by Trafalgar Square, a few days ago and that still had its sign up so perhaps they're staying.

On another note, I see the sky is darkening in the last couple of photos - I remember referendum day, it absolutely poured with rain that afternoon. I hope you didn't get too soaked! I was wet through when I came home from voting, despite having an umbrella.

Gorgeous sky! I've given up trying to take photos of the view from my desk (which is a lot like that shot, but from the other side, looking over the river) as the windows have a film on them that makes everything come out blurry and sepia.

If you're in the area again, try the Regency Cafe on Regency Street. A great old fashioned 'caff' that does really good egg and chips.

I've been enjoying reading your review for weeks. Your last posts just got a little surreal for me - I can see my office in the picture of Tyler in front of the window! I thought from yesterday's post that the view looked familiar, but today's confirmed it. I work in the tall block between your hotel and the Tate. And I regularly go to Strutton Ground for lunch, though I've never been in the Laughing Halibut - the queue is normally out the door. It sounds like I should make the effort!

I was on that cruise last year (well, a very similar one, in May) and had a starboard balcony. We had great views, particularly in Geiranger, so I'd recommend going for that side. That said, it's the sort of scenery that's all around - sailing in and out of fjords - so there were good views on both sides a lot of the time.

It's a lovely area, enjoy :)

SHIP: Eclipse

CABIN #: 8252

DECK #: 8

CLASS: 1A

AREA: Midship starboard

BED NEAR: Balcony

QUIET?: Very quiet

BALCONY VIEW: 180 degrees, unobstructed

BALCONY SIZE: Very large, first off hump to rear

WIND A PROBLEM?: Not at all, the angle made it secluded

SOOT A PROBLEM?: None

PROBLEMS/COMMENTS: Possibly the perfect location

The individual photo prices are astronomical--like $25 for one contact sheet which is an 8x10 and 3 wallets--so it doesn't take too many group shots that you're happy with to make the package worthwhile. Plus, I think we got both the digital images and the prints with our package, which makes it really easy to share your favorites with the whole group.

Even more than that - it's now $25 for a 5x7 on it's own and $30 for the 8x10 with the three smaller. (At least, that's what was charged on Eclipse yesterday). I don't know the exact package price but I can see how it could soon work out cheaper.

Some pictures from the World Class Bar on the Eclipse last week:

I had the ones on the right of each picture and my OH had the ones on the left. We didn't deliberately order from the same page each time, it just worked out that way! My favourite was the Strawberry Fields, and his was the Old Fashioned - at least, it was the second time when it was made with Zacapa. The first time they didn't have any in so used Haig Club instead. They have a great gadget to make the ice for the Old Fashioneds - it uses heat and pressure to turn a block of ice into a perfect sphere.

Ivana, the bartender, is great, as Lee mentioned. Ps, Lee, I thought I saw you there - now I know I did!

Gastrobar -,they've added hi tables and beer fridges and best of all the bar staff are bar sommeliers and Andre has just picked me a perfect one for my taste

So glad to hear that! My OH is a big craft beer fan and I was a bit worried they wouldn't have the new beer range in by Saturday. I just hope the drinkers on the two day cruise don't drink their way through all the supplies! :D

Thanks for anything you manage to post while on your break - I'm also boarding for the fjords on Saturday, so I'm excited for anything you have to show! Have a great time :)

Great stuff. How did you find out?

I'll probably be seeing you with one of these in hand on our way to the fjords on the 9th :)

Looking forward to trying this on the Eclipse in a couple of weeks. Sure, it won't be exactly the same as the Molecular Bar, but judging by the look of the drinks in the video - and all the non drink ingredients shown - it'll still be pretty good.

The Celebrity website lists the changes as being the addition of Gastrobar, Slush, a photography studio and an updated casino. http://www.celebritycruises.co.uk/cruise-ships/celebrity-eclipse/all-new-celebrity-eclipse.aspx

I know lots of people on here have said the bar changes aren't happening, but I don't think Celebrity has commented yet. Until they do, and/or change the website, I'm still hopeful (though not at all expectant) that the Gastrobar will be there for our Eclipse cruise in May.

I wonder if they will use the dry dock time to do the replacement for the Molecular bar. I hope not, as I was looking forward to it, but they've said the Molecular bars will all be replaced in the next 90 days so the dry dock seems a good time to do it.

I was also told that the Eclipse will not be getting the Gastro Pub. Just off her yesterday 3/1 and the HD, Future Cruise Sales Mgr and Bevergae Director told me the same.

Did they say anything about the beers that would have been stocked in there - will they be available anywhere else on the ship? It would be a shame if this means the choice will just be the standard Budweiser/Heineken/Becks etc

I received free parking as a perk for our Eclipse cruise from Southampton in May. This was because at the time I booked the 123 promo wasn't running and they were doing something called the Wave promo instead, which included parking and drinks instead of the 123 standards.

The parking wasn't booked through Celebrity, though - to book I was directed to https://www.abparking.co.uk If you enter your cruise details there it will either come up as free or as a cost - so hopefully you'll find out without having to wait for Celebrity to answer the phone.

I see it's still listed on the website as being added in April http://www.celebritycruises.co.uk/cruise-ships/celebrity-eclipse/all-new-celebrity-eclipse.aspx which makes me hopeful, though I know the site is slow to be updated when things change.

Oh that's a shame if so. I'm on the Eclipse in May and was really looking forward to trying the Gastrobar - showing my other half the beer menu was actually what persuaded him that he would have a good time - he was reluctant to try a cruise until then. I hope the craft beers are all still available elsewhere.

Does anyone know if they're still adding Slush? I hope so, the frozen drinks sound great (more up my street than the beers really)

I think you might have got the last inside, or just about - it's now showing as only concierge and above available. Good timing! :)

Hi Frisbeewife, I hope you don't mind me piggybacking on your thread. I also have a question about Geiranger.

We'll be in town on 13 May (Celebrity Eclipse). We'd like to take this bus tour http://www.geirangerfjord.no/panoramic-bus-geiranger-2 which lasts an hour and half, and we'd like to fit in a couple of hours on a boat hired from http://www.activegeiranger.no/

We're due to be there from 7am to 3pm, and while the two activities together only take 3.5 hours, I'm not sure how to fit them in. For one thing, we're due to tender. I understand that many ships now use the walkway instead of tendering, but how likely is this? I don't want to book the boat hire for 8am to 10am in case we have a wait for a tender. So I was thinking of booking the boat from 9am to 11am and then the 11.45 bus, arriving back at 1.15. But this only leaves 45 minutes to get from Active Geiranger to the bus stop, and according to google maps it's a half hour walk, so I'm concerned that if there's a queue at the bus ticket office we won't have time. I'd rather not book the 12.45 bus as that's due back in at 2.15 which is a bit too close for comfort.

Alternatively, the first bus of the day is at 9.45 - 11.15. We could get this and then book the boat from 12-2pm. But again, I'm concerned about the walk back from the boat hire place - a half hour walk doesn't bother me, but if we are tendering, we might be cutting it fine for the all-aboard time.

Any suggestions appreciated!

Lucy

It depends how much you want to spend! The cheapest way is to get the tube. You can get all the way from Heathrow to Westminster - you'll just need to change from the Piccadilly Line to the District Line at Hammersmith. It'll take just under an hour and cost £5.

Alternatively you can get the Heathrow Express train to Paddington and then get the tube. It only takes 15 minutes to get to Paddington, but it costs £21 and then you'd still need to get a tube for another 15 minutes to Westminster. (Or a taxi for the last bit, but that would probably take longer).

If you're not keen on public transport you could get a taxi the whole way - it'll cost £50+, and given traffic it could well be the longest of the lot - over an hour.

Personally I'd get the tube unless it was rush hour, in which case I'd get the Heathrow Express to avoid the worst of the crowds.

Oh, thank you, that's what I was hoping to hear. He won't see the email so I'll get away with it :D (I won't lie if he asks outright, but I'm pretty sure he won't - he'd just rather not know!)

Yes, it's a 1A. I was very pleased it was still available.

We have our first cruise booked for the Eclipse in May. We originally booked an inside, but since then, I've rung Celebrity and changed it to a lovely first-off-the-hump balcony cabin. I haven't told my partner about this - I want to surprise him. The problem is, while I know he'll love it, if he finds out how much extra I spent I suspect he'll say, well, it's nice but it's not worth that! But it's my own money and it's worth it to me so I'm doing it anyway :)

I'm sorting out paying it and the confirmation details have all come to me so he won't find out that way. But now I'm wondering if anything in the cabin will give the game away? Do they put a copy of the invoice in there, or is it shown on the TV account? If they do, I may drop the surprise idea and fess up now!

Sounds like it's the same cruise mentioned in this thread http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2119426 Some kind of UK-only travel agent charter.

Thanks both, I'll try calling tomorrow. I'm slightly apprehensive, having read tales on here of people being on hold for hours...