Celebrity Eclipse

[Trialawyer]

My wife and I sailed on Celebrity's Eclipse on a two-week cruise to the southern Caribbean on January 12, 2013. We have sailed with Celebrity several times before, but this was our first cruise on the Eclipse.

 

About us. I am a trial lawyer and my wife is a Personal Shopper. We exercise daily as an integral part of our lifestyle, and except when we vacation, we watch what we eat. Trim and fit are two words which I think best describe us physically.

 

Here are some compelling reasons for you to seriously consider a Celebrity cruise:

 

1. Celebrity has the most progressive non-smoking policy in the mass cruise market. It is the only cruise line to ban smoking on balconies as well as in the cabins and the casinos. On the Eclipse, smoking was limited to a section of the port side of the pool deck, to the port side of an outdoor bar at the back of the ship, and to an outdoor bar on the starboard side on the deck above the pools. I heard no complaints from anyone.

 

2. The Eclipse itself. The Eclipse is one of five new, nearly identical S-class ships in the Celebrity fleet. I find myself speaking in superlatives about this ship. It is a big boat, over three football fields long, yet remarkably easy to find your way about. It has a passenger capacity of 2,850 and yet never seemed crowded. Pictures of the ship do not do it justice. A spectacular atrium towering 11 decks holding glass-enclosed elevators with a tree suspended in the middle is simply breathtaking. Eye-catching artwork is everywhere. There are many, many features of the Eclipse unique to Celebrity I invite you to look at on-line, but in a word, the entire ship is positively stunning.

 

3. The pool deck and the buffet restaurant. I single out these two areas because through its innovative design of the S-class, Celebrity managed to solve two huge problems prevalent on cruise ships: a shortage of deck chairs and long lines in the buffet restaurants. On the Eclipse you could arrive on the pool deck at almost any time on a sea day and still find plenty of prime seating. The buffet restaurant, called the Oceanview Cafe on the Eclipse, was cleverly designed with separate stations in the center so there were never lines. That's right, no lines. Celebrity also substituted various-sized plates for trays to eliminate the look and feel of a cafeteria you find on other ships.

 

4. AquaClass. We treated ourselves to AquaClass on this cruise and it is no surprise that AquaClass was the first category to sell out. The AquaClass cabins are ideally located high up and are configured and decorated differently than the other cabins. The balconies are large enough for two lounge chairs. The bathrooms have fog-free mirrors, enormous bath towels, and a shower with a tower of five jets to massage and rinse you at multiple body points. There is also a private entrance to the AquaSpa and fitness center, unlimited access to the therapeutic Persian Garden, and exclusive access to the Relaxation Room at the front of the ship. But best of all was the specialty restaurant called Blu.

 

5. Blu. This small and intimate specialty restaurant was exclusive for AquaClass passengers. It was our private dining room. The quality of food on a Celebrity cruise is generally superb, but Blu's special menu took the dining experience to a whole new level. Blu was open for breakfast and dinner with no assigned times or seating. The menu differed dramatically from the main dining room, as did the preparation and the presentation. The menus changed daily but the chef would prepare even dishes off the menu. And while the quality of service on a Celebrity cruise is generally exceptional, the service in Blu was the best we've encountered on any ship anywhere.

 

6. Cleanliness. The Eclipse wasn't just clean; it was immaculate, including, and maybe even especially, the public restrooms, which were fresh and spotless whenever we used them. Purell hand-sanitizers were everywhere, including smiling crew members to personally dispense a shot at the doors to the dining venues and to passengers returning to the ship from port. This is clearly a cruise line which cares about our health.

 

7. The specialty restaurants. Like most ships, the Eclipse has her share of for-fee specialty restaurants. In addition to Blu, we dined in two of the three. The Tuscan Grille, an Italian steakhouse, served me a filet mignon you could cut with a sharp look. It was as good as you will find in any Capital Grille on land. The popular and innovative Qsine, with its iPad menu, is so unique it defies description.

 

8. Captain's Club. Like many cruise lines, Celebrity rewards its repeat passengers with special programs, parties and perks. As Elite members of the Captain's Club, we were invited to drink from a large menu of alcoholic and soft drinks at Celebrity's expense each evening. Other benefits included either complimentary or discounted laundry, dry cleaning, and Internet access.

 

9. Perry Grant. He is a flamboyant cabaret singer something like Liberace on steroids, who held court nightly on Celebrity's older and smaller Constellation for many years. I heard that Perry was about to join the Eclipse starting the cruise after mine so we missed him by a day. Perry is so immensely popular that some passengers book their cruises just because of him. You can watch videos of his performances on YouTube.

 

10. The crew. You will not find friendlier people at sea. During the entire cruise I never heard the word no. Moreover, I personally observed extraordinary acts of kindness and consideration from the staff towards passengers I found so touching I went searching for a supervisor to report them. If the stunning Eclipse is the exquisite body of Celebrity, then the remarkable people who inhabit it are its heart and soul.

 

There are many features of the Eclipse and details of my cruise I've missed, but I'm happy to elaborate or answer any questions for anyone who's interested. Just e-mail me at sdavid@lammrubenstone.com.

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

TY for a great review! We will also be on the Ellipse, our first X cruise as well.

Nice to hear about the non smoking!

 

 

***

[dln929]

What a lovely review. You pretty well summed up how my husband and I feel about our cruises with Celebrity, and why we sail with them. And we love Aqua class too!;)

[ClaudiaB]

Thank you for your great and thoughtful review. We will be on Eclipse once again in two weeks, and are looking forward to "coming home." I am happy to hear you noted the kindness of the crew members and let their supervisors know. It's exactly what I would do.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

We'll be returning to Eclipse in late March. Your review pretty much sums up the reasons why we have chosen to sail on Eclipse again.

 

We haven't ever booked the Aqua Class on Celebrity, but after what you wrote about it, I think we will have to give it some extra thougt. That fancy shower sounds especially good to me. Also, I have often wished we could eat in the beautiful and elegant Blu restaurant. We've walked past it many times looking in wistfully.

 

The only place we'd disagree is that Hubby was very unhappy with his steak in Tuscan Grill, so we never went back there. I was happy with my meal and we had a table with a wonderful view, but I just couldn't persuade Hubby to return to Tuscan. He felt the meals we were having in the MDR were very good. We also enjoyed the Crepe's Cafe--the exact name escapes me.

 

I just love the smoking policy Celebrity enforces. That is another reason why we chose Celebrity for a fourteen night cruise. We had just had a four-night cruise on Liberty of the Seas in which our balcony was right beside two chronic non-stop smokers wo sat out on their balcony at all hours, even in the middle of the night. If one wasn't smoking, the other was or they both were. We couldn't catch a break.

 

I swore I'd never risk a long cruise on a balcony beside such addicted smokers. I also wrote to Royal Caribbean and told them why I had chosen Celebrity for a fourteen-night cruise. Of course Royal and Celebrity are sisiter companies, so it isn't hurting Royal very much when we sail on their sister ships.

 

I agree with the OP that Solstice CLass ships are beautiful, elegant and sparkling clean. I especially enjoy their art, sculpture and decor. We can't wait until March 23 to cruise on the lovely Eclipse again.

[Trialawyer]

Thanks for your comments.

 

We ate in the Tuscan twice on the Eclipse and twice on the Constellation and each meal was excellent, so I can't answer for your bad experience. One suggestion, though: If you are ever again served a meal on a Celebrity ship not to your total satisfaction, send it back. In my experience, they will do whatever it takes to please you.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Thanks for the review. Glad you had such a great cruise!

 

And thanks for pointing out exceptional behavior by crew members to their supervisors. Guest comments mean a lot to the crew and are used to grant promotions, more time off, etc. Next time you cruise you might want to grab some attention to detail cards at guest relations. Then you can put your comments in writing and mention the staff members by name. If I do this earlier in the cruise, I usually get a nice thank you letter from the hotel director.

 

These comments have resulted in at least one promotion that I know of--our assistant waiter was promoted to waiter. And we got to sail with him again on a different cruise where he went out of his way to do a favor for me even though we weren't in his section in the dining room.

 

You're right, these folks are the heart and soul of Celebrity!

[A Sixth?]

We too found that the Eclipse was everything the OP said on our New Years cruise.

 

Well done Celebrity and well done Eclipse stff and crew :D

[Texed]

Lawyer,

Thanks for posting. :)

[Jane2357]

Does this review EVER get me excited even though I have a very long wait to get on Eclipse. I don't sail till next Feb. 8 but I CAN DREAM. We haven't tried Aqua but this review does get me thinking seriously about it - I'm hopeful that we can get into Blu for a trial on our 14 night cruise as we are in a suite and I hear that space permitting - we can dine there.

 

Thank you for your review!

[LMC]

Thanks so much for your great review! We are sailing on Eclipse in 2 short weeks, also in an Aqua Class cabin, an you have me so excited!!!!! Thanks for that!

[LMC]

Thanks so much for your great review! We are sailing on Eclipse in 2 short weeks, also in an Aqua Class cabin, and you have me so excited!!!!! Thanks for that!

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Thanks for your comments.

 

We ate in the Tuscan twice on the Eclipse and twice on the Constellation and each meal was excellent, so I can't answer for your bad experience. One suggestion, though: If you are ever again served a meal on a Celebrity ship not to your total satisfaction, send it back. In my experience, they will do whatever it takes to please you.

 

Thank you for your advice. We are kind of reluctant to send food back--don't like to make a fuss. But I'm hoping on this upcoming cruise, I can talk Hubby into trying again to eat in Tuscan. After all, I enjoyed it. :D

 

Oh, I want to take this time to thank you for your excellent review.

[welshfamily]

Good review. Thank you.

 

However...... I am ashamed to admit I have been on the Eclipse 4 times 3 times in Balcony cabins and once in Aqua and never even noticed the different configuration or decoration in the cabins. To those in the know how do Aqua differ? ( Excluding the shower of course ). Our mirror wasn't fog free as I was forced to sit on the balcony sipping wine and admiring the view as I waited for the bathroom to clear. ( it's a hard life cruising but someone has to do it.)

I have been racking my brains and wishing I had taken photos in the cabin.

[ghstudio]

Good review. Thank you.

 

However...... I am ashamed to admit I have been on the Eclipse 4 times 3 times in Balcony cabins and once in Aqua and never even noticed the different configuration or decoration in the cabins. To those in the know how do Aqua differ? ( Excluding the shower of course ). Our mirror wasn't fog free as I was forced to sit on the balcony sipping wine and admiring the view as I waited for the bathroom to clear. ( it's a hard life cruising but someone has to do it.)

I have been racking my brains and wishing I had taken photos in the cabin.

 

aqua cabins are identical size and configuration with other balcony cabins (s-class) or the same as concierge class cabins (m-class)...different showers (although the new showers spray hard enough to drill a hole in your skin and the force is not adjustable if you also want overhead water), and the same towels/sheets/pillows/robes as concierge class (all classes). The aqua bathrooms on the m-class ships have been retrofitted with glass doors instead of a curtain (alas, the new doors don't seal well so after the shower you have a wet floor mat and water on the floor in front of the sink).

 

OP: Your Blu experience is different than ours (fall 2012 Eclipse TA)...we found it very disorganized, however on our previous cruise on the eclipse, service was wonderful. I think it depends on the maitre d'.

Edited February 23, 2013 by ghstudio

[CathyCruises]

I don't believe the config or decor is any different. . .been in both too.

[kiltie]

Very encouraging review - we are back on Eclipse for the second time in October. I noticed from another thread that some people have been complaining about the music being very loud - how did you find this Trial Lawyer?

[upwarduk]

We'll be returning to Eclipse in late March. Your review pretty much sums up the reasons why we have chosen to sail on Eclipse again.

 

Gangway Style,

 

We too are on Eclipse, leaving 23rd March.

4 weeks today!

Can't wait, it's good to read of someone being so positive.

We first sailed on her in Oct 2010, when she was in her inaugural season. There were issues, namely glass tea cups in metal containers in the cabins, but I assume those won't be there as the kettles will be missing; they are only there when Eclipse sails from Southampton.

 

Have you signed up got the connections party?

There is an active Roll Call for the cruise.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1421341&page=86

Edited February 23, 2013 by upwarduk

[drarill]

Great review, we are sailing on the Eclipse this summer. Can't wait!!:D:D

[MarGG]

Thank you so much! This review is just what I needed. We are choosing a Baltic cruise for this Summer right now and Celebrity was one of the options. Could you advise about the passengers there? What age category and what countries was the majority from?

We are in out fifties, Brits - me and my friend. We like nice food but are not heavy eaters and we are not very much in for drinks (a bit old fashioned - like tea ). We are in for art and culture. And we like it when it is calm and comfortable. Do you think we will fit in?

[hardsue]

We are sailing on the eclipse for the 1st time on 31st august this year, its also our 1st time with celebrity. so great to see the positive reviews :)

 

we've done rci many times plus msc and princess so looking forward to trying something new

[upwarduk]

Thank you so much! This review is just what I needed. We are choosing a Baltic cruise for this Summer right now and Celebrity was one of the options. Could you advise about the passengers there? What age category and what countries was the majority from?

We are in out fifties, Brits - me and my friend. We like nice food but are not heavy eaters and we are not very much in for drinks (a bit old fashioned - like tea ). We are in for art and culture. And we like it when it is calm and comfortable. Do you think we will fit in?

 

Summer is the time when families cruise, mid-end July to end Aug.

That said, most go to the Med.

I think the Baltic is for the middle -to older aged cruiser who like history.

Countries that passengers are from?

Well the cruise goes from Southampton, so there will be more British cruisers who don't like to fly, but that said it is a historical itinerary, which many passengers from US love, as they don't have the range of history in US that can be found in Europe.

There will be kettles in your cabin, as the Eclipse is sailing from Southampton.so you can make a cup of tea ( don't forget your adapter, the sockets are European and U.S)

 

The staff commented that they served more English breakfasts in the main dining room (MDR) than on other cruises as they were sailing out of Southampton, on our Eclipse Cruise in Oct 2010, which was Eclipse's inaugural season.

Edited February 23, 2013 by upwarduk

[bluecruisin]

Thanks for taking the time to write your review. I would be very interested in hearing about what you did in the ports, if you have the time. Thanks again.

[miched]

Thanks for giving your opinion and experience.

 

Hopefully the others that criticize your review or experience will take the time to write one of their own after they cruise on it.

 

 

.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Thank you so much! This review is just what I needed. We are choosing a Baltic cruise for this Summer right now and Celebrity was one of the options. Could you advise about the passengers there? What age category and what countries was the majority from?

We are in out fifties, Brits - me and my friend. We like nice food but are not heavy eaters and we are not very much in for drinks (a bit old fashioned - like tea ). We are in for art and culture. And we like it when it is calm and comfortable. Do you think we will fit in?

 

We did the Baltic on the Eclipse and had a wonderful time. There will be passengers from all over and all age groups. I love meeting people from other parts of the world, so that's a plus for me. Join your roll call and arrange a private tour of St. Petersburg with others on the roll call. We met some wonderful people on ours.