Eclipse 14 day southern Caribbean with menus!

[wdblake]

For my 50th birthday we decided to book the 14 day Southern Caribbean cruise on the Celebrity Eclipse. We had sailed her sister ship the Reflection and had a wonderful time.

We drove from South Carolina to Fort Lauderdale the day before the cruise and stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn Cruise and Airport in Dania Beach. I cannot recommend this hotel more. When we arrived we were exhausted due to a flat tire we acquired on the way down. We were greeted by the amazing staff handing us cold bottled water and telling us we qualified for a free cook to order breakfast since we were Hilton Honors members. When we got to the room the AC was broken and we were about to lose our minds. When we contacted the front desk they immediately sent four engineers up who didn’t fix the AC, they replaced it with a new unit in about thirty minutes. It was like watching a NASCAR pit crew. We shared travel and life experiences with them while they worked and made sure to let the manager know what a great job they did. A few minutes later someone is knocking on our door and it turns out to be the engineers with a chilled bottle of red wine, two glasses and a menu to the pizza place across the street. The head engineer even offered to drive us to his favorite seafood place which we passed on being tired but wow what awesome customer service! We were able to park our car there for the entire two weeks and got a free shuttle to and from the port. The room was a King suite and ran around $230 bucks which was well worth the price. We will definitely make this our Port Everglades launching point. Sal’s pizza which is right across the street offers a great brick oven pizza at a good price. They even delivered us a small pizza which most places won’t.

 

The next morning we went to the terminal to embark on our cruise. We went through the x-ray/metal detector screening and proceeded to do our check in. Getting onboard was fast, efficient and painless. We didn’t have to wait at all and we were on the ship by 11:30. The whole process took about fifteen minutes.

 

We had lunch in the buffet which was good. We had carved roast beef and scalloped potatoes. We decided to eat out back in the Ocean view bar area since there was a nice breeze that day. At one o’clock our cabin was ready. We stayed in veranda cabin number 6167. The cabin was nice but we did not realize that verandas on deck six overlook the lifeboats, a mistake we will never make again. It was not so much that the lifeboat blocked our view but the fact that at night they shine spotlights on the lifeboats which splash into your cabin if your curtains are open. We kept them closed the entire cruise. We brought along my WDTV player with my DVD movies burned to a terabyte hard drive (I used Ideal DVD ripper software to copy my movies). The TV had an HDMI input on the right side. All you have to do is plug your favorite electronic device into it, hit the menu button on the right side, use the channel up and down buttons to go to “Source”, and then hit the “source” button on the side of the TV to choose HDMI3. If you try just using the source button by itself it will not work. We had my whole DVD library to entertain us the entire cruise and we didn’t even need to disconnect the Apple TV. There were only seven free on demand movies and the pay movies cost $14 a pop so this paid off in spades.

 

Even though we had the drink package we brought two bottles of Crown Royal on board using “Rum Runner” flasks which made it through just fine in both our carry on and checked luggage. It saved us the hassle of running to the bar just to have a drink in our room

We had the Classic alcohol package on this cruise which we got for booking the 1,2,3 perk promo. This package is awesome. First off I would like to dispel some rumors. The bartenders do not treat you any different nor do they seem slower to fill your order. We had drinks at about every bar on the ship and all the bartenders were quick, friendly and helpful. Secondly there was a huge variety of drinks the package will cover. Almost any drink you like you can get as long as you don’t use premium spirits. We had Mojitos, Pina Coladas, Old Fashions, Cosmopolitans just to name a few. It was fun trying new drinks out to see if we liked them. We could have a glass of wine with dinner if we wanted. Specialty coffees are included also (try the White Chocolate Mocha it is awesome!). You can also get a large bottle of cold water per sea card (not Evian but who cares!). A good number of beers are available as well including Corona and Sam Adams. Would we pay for this package, probably not, but if you get it free with a promo it is definitely worth it!

 

We spent the first sea days soaking up the sun. The best place to catch a good breeze is right outside the Ocean view café entrances on deck 14. There is a slight uphill slope and if you position your chair just right it is like sitting in a recliner. I know people complain about chair saving but if you do not stake out a place by 9:30 you will be out of luck. My wife and I follow the thirty minute rule. If you save a chair with belongings you should not leave it unattended for more than thirty minutes. We never left our chair for longer than this. We did see many people save chairs for long periods at a time but the only place the pool butlers enforce is in the Solarium. Over the years I have coined the term “walkers” for people who come out late and walk aimlessly around with towels in their hands looking for chairs (and yes I called them this long before the Walking Dead TV series). There were a lot of walkers on this ship. Stake out a chair!

 

My wife and I were the minority on this ship being both American and under the age of sixty five. I have nothing against the older crowd but dinner time in the main dining room felt like we took a wrong turn at a Florida retirement community and ended up at their dining room. It was interesting to hear all the different languages being spoken. We had a large contingent of Germans and French on board so much so that any announcements made were repeated in these languages. Our fellow cruisers were friendly and most seemed polite to each other and the staff.

We had tried getting the menus from fellow cruisers on the boards and from the ship itself but they never really matched up with the nights. I think the menus rotate each cruise on which days they are served. I will give you a list of what we had and what we thought by day to day on our cruise.

 

Day 1:

Appetizers: Chilled Shrimp Louis, Roasted Red Beets, Thai Beef Spring Roll (we had this and they were good!)

Soups & Salads: Mushroom Soup, White Gazpacho, Arugula Salad, Carrot Cumin Salad

Entrees: Beef & Veal Spaghetti Bolognese, Seared Salmon, Jerk Chicken, Pork Chop, Prime Rib (we had this and it was good but a small cut), Spinach Ravioli

 

Day 2 Formal Night:

Appetizers Liver Parfait, Salmon Tartare, Frog legs

Soups & Salads: Corn soup, Pear & Honey soup, Spinach Salad, Tomato Watermelon Salad

Entrees: Shrimp Scampi, Black Salmon, Seared Duck, Rack of Lamb, Beef Tournedo, Stuffed Portobello Mushroom

We ate at Q-Sine this night. We had the BBQ spring rolls (excellent), the Slider party (yummy and fun with great fries!) and the Painters Mignon (cooked perfectly medium rare). We enjoyed the food but our waiter was trying to be too entertaining and became annoying very quickly. I would recommend sharing three courses because any more than that will make you way too full. We finished with the chocolate tombstone which we had wrapped and took back to our room for later (we got cold milk from the coffee station to wash it down).

 

Day 3:

Appetizers: Tuna Carpaccio, Scallop Crudo, Braised Beef Ragout ( this was one of our favorite appetizers, the gnocchi had a great char on them).

Soups & Salad: Tomato Soup, Asian Consume, Garden Salad, Waldorf Chicken Salad

Entrees: Seafood Orzo (Ok but heavy on the pasta and light on the seafood), Roasted Chicken, Veal Loin (tender but 3 small strips), Flank Steak, Masala Potatoes

 

Day 4:

Appetizers: Seafood Salad, Tonato (sliced veal), and Goat Cheese Croustillant (like a goat cheese spring roll…we loved it…could have eaten many).

Soups & Salad: Celery Soup, Squash Soup, Arugula Salad, Cobb Salad

Entrees; Spaghetti Carbonara (forgettable), Pollack, Chicken Chiquita (with ham and bananas), Pork and Beans, Prime rib (this night we got a much larger cut and it was cooked well), Corn Farrotto

 

Day 5:

Appetizers: Country Pate, Tuna Poke, Poached Pear

Soups & Salads: Split Pea, Beef Consume, Beet Salad, Mesclun Greens

Entrees: Mushroom noodles, Sea Bass, Chicken Roulade, Beef Bourguinon, Lamb Kebab, Tomato Pasta

This night we chose to dine in the Tuscan Grill. My wife had the Crab Cake (good) and I had the Beef Ravioli (the truffle sauce was awesome). I had the Tuscan Onion Soup (good but very filling…in hindsight I should have skipped to make room for other stuff). My wife and I had the Arugula salad with fried goat cheese cubes with was very good). We both had the Filet Mignon which was a nice size and cooked great but we filled up on too much stuff by this point to really enjoy it. I would once again recommend sticking with three courses. A side note, you can get Limoncello with the classic package but we were too full even for that!

 

Day 6 Formal Night:

Appetizers; Steak Tartare, Cajun Shrimp (not very Cajun and very small portion), Wild mushroom pastry (wife had..not good…way too much mushroom).

Soup 7 Salad: Lobster Bisque (Good but the Murano blows it out of the water), Duck Consume, Watermelon Salad, Mixed lettuce

Entrees: Pappardelle Primavera, Tuna Steak, Roasted Chicken, Leg of Lamb, Chateaubriand (not bad but once again Murano kills it hands down), Vegetable Tart

Side note, my wife was not feeling well this evening so we ordered off the main menu as room service. Everything came quickly and hot. If you want to order main menu items as room service go look at the menu posted outside the restaurant since the room service operator will not order it unless you know what items you want off the menu (I don’t know why).

 

Day 7:

Appetizer: Scallop & Shrimp Ceviche, Chicken Terrine, Spinach and Artichoke Dip (should be taken off the menu, too much spinach and one soggy pita bread slice to dip, they should have given a handful of hard pita chips).

Soups & Salads: Beef Goulash, Mushroom Barley Soup, Tuna Nicoise, Apple Pear Salad

Entrees: Seafood and Lobster Pappardelle (if you have the word lobster in the title shouldn’t you have more than two tiny little pieces of lobster, very skimpy), Snapper Filet, Coq Au Vin, Pork Chop, Beef Brisket, Masla Tofu

 

Day 8:

Appetizers: Duck Rillettes, Beef Carpaccio, Crab Cake

Soup & Salads: Cream of Broccoli, Tomato Watermelon Gazpacho, Lettuce & Gorganzola, Apple Pear salad

Entrees: Penne Primavera, Drum Fish, Chicken Saltimbocca, Pork Loin, Beef Short Ribs, Vegetable Korma

We ate at the Murano restaurant this night. This is by far the best of the best. We had the Lobster Bisque (rich and full of lobster flavor), Goat Cheese Soufflé (if we were getting our last meal this would be on it, ecstasy each bite), Chateaubriand for two served tableside (best beef on the boat, cooked perfectly, tender and juicy!), For dessert we had the chocolate Soufflé with a light mocha cream (warm and chocolaty and the perfect finish. I can’t recommend dining here more. Well worth the price!

 

Day 9:

Appetizers: Caprese, Duck Terrine

Soups & Salads: Pasta Fagioli, Butternut squash soup, Wedge salad, Beet & Citrus salad

Entrees: Rigatoni Bosaiola, Branzino, Turkey Parmesan, Braised Lamb, Beef Cheeks, Couscous Cake

We chose to try the buffet for dinner. Good selection. I got to try Shawarma for the first time. It was spicy and delicious!

 

Day 10:

Appetizers: Venison Carpaccio, Seafood Crepe (was very good, great flavor), Duck Confit

Soups & Salads: Clam Chowder (good but light on the clams), Leek and Potato Vichyssoise, Waldorf Chicken salad, Bay Mizuna

Entrees; Spaghetti Pomodoro, Codfish, Chicken Kiev (the first time my wife and I ever ordered chicken on a cruise, it didn’t disappoint, juicy and flavorful!), Pork Schnitzel, Meat Loaf, French Pot Pie

 

Day 11:

Appetizers: Ceviche, Orecchiette, Cod Croquettes

Soups & Salads: Shellfish Bisque, Strawberry soup, Greens & Red pepper salad, Greek Salad

Entrees: Fusilli Pasta, Flounder, Roasted Chicken, Lamb Shank, Strip Steak, vegetable Biryani

It was my 50th birthday so we chose to eat at Murano again. Same courses as before except we got the Lobster murano for two made tableside. Who would of thought you could improve on lobster? The sauce was earthy and vibrant and delicious!

 

Day 12:

Appetizers: Cured Salmon, Lobster Ravioli (very good), Pork Spring roll (this ship seems to excel in the spring roll department, every one we had was delicious and perfectly crisp!)

Soups & Salads: Parsnip Soup, Cream Of Chicken, Panzanella salad, mache salad

Entrees: Pasta Linguine, Hake, Duck Breast, Osso Bucco (a disappointment, served off the bone wrapped in phyllo dough, tasted like stewed beef), Beef Brochette (beef kabobs and quite decent0, Vegetable Wellington

 

Day 13 Formal Night:

Appetizer: Salmon Rillette, Oysters Rockefeller, Blue Cheese Soufflé (very good, a must get!)

Soups & Salads: Tomato Bisque, Pea soup, Arugula Salad, Kale salad

Entrees; Haddock, Lobster tail (always good but chewy since it was a Caribbean tail), Duck A L’Orange, Lamb Chops, Beef Wellington (not very good, puff pastry was doughy and fell apart), mushroom risotto

 

Day 14 Last night;

Appetizer: Proscuitto, Eggplant Caviar, Spinach Turnover (not bad)

Soups & Salads: Minestrone, Gumbo (not memorable), Radicchio salad, Chop salad

Entrees: Butternut Farrotto, Tilapia, Roasted turkey, Steak Dianne (very good), veal Cordon Bleu, Gnocchi in a four cheese sauce (cheesy and very good).

 

Other food tips:

When having lunch in the buffet get a grilled steak from the “gourmet” section and take it over to the Panini and sandwich section, look for Alexandro a tall fellow from Romania who works there, he will chop it up and top it with your favorite cheese and Panini grill it on your favorite bread ( the cheese bread works great). Instant steak sandwich you can have every day and very good!

 

The pizzas in the buffet are good and have a thin crisp crust. They do cheese, pepperoni, vegetable, and a pizza of the day. Our favorite was the blue cheese!

 

The fellow at the hamburger grill makes a mean hamburger and the fries are crispy and good as well. Wrap the plate up in your napkin to avoid the breeze blowing it all over the place. Take it into the Ocean view café for a good midday cool down.

 

In the dining room the French onion soup is very good on the everyday menu but the shrimp cocktail is bland and lame.

The eggs Benedict from the Benedict station are very good and my wife found that Feta cheese on an omelet was quite tasty. Bacon was up and down from good to flavorless.

 

Cruise Ports:

 

Aruba: We went to the bus terminal right outside the cruise port (literally across the street) and took a bus to Eagle beach for $2.40 a person each way. The busses are clean and air conditioned and run every ten minutes past the beach so very easy to get a ride back to the pier. Instead of the Eagle beach drop off we stayed on until we reached the Amsterdam Manor resort. A chair with an umbrella and use of the facilities was $15 a person and their beach is not crowded like others, lots of elbow room. This was our favorite beach of the cruise because of the powdery white sand and clear water.

 

Curacao: We decided to check out Mambo beach. Big mistake! We walked quite a long way to the bus depot (about an average of thirty minutes of walking). The bus was a small van and cost about $2 a person each way. We arrived to what I can only describe as a dirt beach. It is an ugly looking beach with ratty chairs and cigarette butts in the sand. We immediately turned around and took a bus back. The best thing about Curacao was that they built a nice shopping plaza right off the ship. There were some interesting shops there and just outside the plaza were a lot of local vendors who were not pushy at all. The walking bridge was interesting but not all that and there is nothing on the other side of it worth trekking to.

 

Grenada: Stayed on the ship. Last time we were there we were bombarded by pushy rude cab drivers trying to hawk tours on you. Grand Anse beach is loaded with hawkers constantly pestering you to buy their stuff and the water taxis will make you wait until they are full before they will go anywhere which can take a while. We saw a taxi from our balcony wait 20 minutes before departing.

 

Barbados: We booked a Sea turtle snorkel on a catamaran with Stiletto and Super cats tours a private tour company. Thank goodness we did because when we arrived the ship had cancelled all their turtle tours since they could not bring the tour boats close to the ship due to waves. The tour picked us up just outside the terminal and dropped us off at the catamaran. There was another couple and a small British family and us so it was almost like having a private tour! We snorkeled close to the coast and were up close and personal with these majestic creatures. You almost had to avoid touching them they were so close. The tour had awesome snorkel vests which I would recommend using even if you are a good swimmer since they allowed my wife and I to float easily on the top of the water without splashing around (which kept us from spooking the turtles). I must compliment the captain who went out on a float and helped the British family’s two small children ages two and four put their faces into the water to see the turtles. He was gentle with them and reassuring. The little boy was frightened at first but after could have not been happier! There was a second wreck snorkel which we opted out of and instead sipped local beer and rum punch and watched the British family’s children so the parents could snorkel. We then went for a sail with the music flowing along with the beer and punch. They gave us homemade banana bread which was very tasty! They dropped us off at the pier and we spent the remainder of the day soaking up the Barbados sun. Awesome day!

 

Antigua: We decided to take a bus to Valley Church Beach. The depot was easy to find, straight off the boat, turn right on main street and follow a few blocks to the “west” depot. The purser’s desk has a map; the depot is towards the bottom of the map. It was $1.50 per person each way. The locals were very friendly and the bus very comfortable. Don’t be afraid to walk there because the town appears a little run down, it is perfectly safe. Chairs are $5 each and an umbrella was $10. Bucket of local beer was $12. The water here is beautiful like a creamy blue infinity pool. We found a huge starfish and took some pictures before returning him to his salty home (he was quite alive). We were picked up by a bus back to town in just five minutes. I would highly recommend this too anyone visiting here.

 

St. Martin: We went to an old favorite, Orient Beach. Taxi was $6 a person each way and all the taxi vans pick up in a taxi stand just outside the pier. We always go to Orange Fever where you get a chair, umbrella, and complimentary drink for just $7. Buckets of Corona (and other beers) are just $12. The best part is the owner is a French chef and they have the best food for the best price in town. We enjoyed a large four cheese pizza with mozzarella, parmesan, blue cheese, and goat cheese with a perfectly crispy crust. It was a beautiful day. The only downside seems to be the sheer number of hawkers patrolling the beach. They were constant. One would pass by every minute. Don’t let this dissuade you it is still worth the trip.

 

St. Thomas: Stayed on the ship which was good since it rained on and off all day. No liquor store in the shopping complex at the Crown Bay terminal. We had to go to the Gourmet Grocery across from the shopping complex where the yachts were parked.

 

Ship tips:

 

To get the hot tub to yourself go when the shows are going on (between 7:30 and 8:30) and you will be alone.

 

If you want to tan on this cruise you should pre-tan at a tanning salon for about a month gradually increasing the exposure (about $30 to $40 for one month). This will give you a good base to prevent from burning. You still need to use some SPF 30 tanning lotion and apply generously. The Caribbean sun is closer to the equator and much more intense. I would limit exposure to five hours max.

 

At 6:30am the walking track is less crowded and easier to navigate.

 

Bring your own music. The DJ is very lame. He is just a guy sitting in a chair with a laptop. Does it make sense to play modern pop music on a ship full of 65+ old passengers? The one time he played an oldie the people were tapping their feet and some even danced. Lose the modern pop music celebrity!

 

If you want to adjust your tips you have to do so before you reach the port of Antigua. They say nothing about this in the dailies.

 

This was the nicest, most professional crew we have sailed with.

 

Sunrises and sunsets are not to be missed!

 

Debarkation:

 

We got off the boat fairly quick. We self debarked and went to the dining room an hour early so we wouldn’t be at the end of a large cattle line. One of the staff carried my wife’s suitcase for her down the stairs, these guys rock! Our shuttle was there in less than ten minutes.

 

Overall:

Awesome ship. Good food. Splendid staff. Beautiful Ports. A wonderful time. Happy cruising!

Edited April 18, 2014 by wdblake

[Swampduck]

Thanks for your review.

My husband & I done the same cruise, we left on 8th March, we were celebrating our 25 wedding anniversary & I have to agree with you, a fantastic ship, wonderful friendly staff & delicious food.

I would have to disagree with you on a few parts you mentioned, but this is only my opinion, so please do not be offended.:o

I found the age group varied from the honeymooners in their 20's right up to the older couples and friends, who were having so much fun that I think they like me feel that age is only a number. By the way I have also just turned 50 and my husband is 46.

The drinks package: the classic as good as it is and free we upgraded to premium as this is what we always buy and we were delighted when it cost us only $300 to do this, which then widened our totally drinks package and we also had the evain ( which we drink at home)

We had lots of Americans & Canadians, on the ship and it was lovely to hear them, we the Northern Irish were in the minority, which i don't mind as I go on holidays to meet people from different countries and cultures.

 

Sorry were not happy with your cabin, but you should've goggled it before you left and you would've seen if it was obstructed, but at least you will know for the next time to book another category on a different deck. :rolleyes:

Glad you enjoyed the Caribbean, we found it so relaxing & yes it rained with us to in St Lucia, but sure isn't that why the place is so green.;)

 

Anyhow, we had a brilliant holiday, the staff spoilt us with flowers in our cabin on our wedding anniversary and then that night a beautiful cake presented to us in Murano. :D

We left the ship totally relaxed and knowing that nothing could beat a holiday with Celebrity.

[cruisegirl1]

Thanks for all the details. We were on the same cruise over New Year's Eve. Went to the same beach in Aruba, also with the public bus.

 

Did you go to any shows....comments ?

 

The detailed menus will be helpful to many. I see many questions regarding the menu selections.

 

Thanks, m

[bluewater63]

Thank you so much for your free parking help. We did the 14 day Eclipse last year and loved, loved it!

[Ncsblj6430]

Thanks for the extensive review and listing ALL the choices on the menu...

 

On a side note - Can you remember at the bus terminal in Aruba do they offer any wheelchair accessible buses or transportation?

[satchiesmom]

Thanks for the detailed review and the menus. We will be on this cruise next year. Do you know who the bartenders in the Molecular Bar are?

[wdblake]

Thanks for the extensive review and listing ALL the choices on the menu...

 

On a side note - Can you remember at the bus terminal in Aruba do they offer any wheelchair accessible buses or transportation?

 

Not that I know of. It is also a pretty good hike to the bus terminal over some bumpy terrain. The people are friendly though and may help you on and off. Have a great cruise!

[wdblake]

Thanks for the detailed review and the menus. We will be on this cruise next year. Do you know who the bartenders in the Molecular Bar are?

 

Sorry no. You will love this cruise though. Have a great time!

[tinybabynurse]

From the original post: Curacao: We decided to check out Mambo beach. Big mistake! We walked quite a long way to the bus depot (about an average of thirty minutes of walking). The bus was a small van and cost about $2 a person each way. We arrived to what I can only describe as a dirt beach. It is an ugly looking beach with ratty chairs and cigarette butts in the sand. We immediately turned around and took a bus back. The best thing about Curacao was that they built a nice shopping plaza right off the ship. There were some interesting shops there and just outside the plaza were a lot of local vendors who were not pushy at all. The walking bridge was interesting but not all that and there is nothing on the other side of it worth trekking to.

 

 

 

 

Sorry you didn't enjoy this port. It is one of our favorite. The town is quite scenic. There is a extraordinary, though small, Jewish museum. There is another museum devoted to slavery that is spectacular. Many restaurants. There is an open air market that is picturesque and interesting, particularly in the early morning. The old fort area shops and Restuarants are very nice as well. There are many interesting shops in the town and a self-guided walking tour is available. Some interesting art works sort of randomly distributed through the town.

 

Tastes differ, so I urge folks to do their own research on this port before accepting either my or the OP ideas about this port.

[chamima]

Not that I know of. It is also a pretty good hike to the bus terminal over some bumpy terrain. The people are friendly though and may help you on and off. Have a great cruise!

 

You must be thinking of another island, not Aruba.

The walk was longer to get out of the cruise area than it was once you were out and walked to the bus station. It was up a half block and across the street.

I don't know about handicap access to the bus itself, though.

Taxis aren't a lot more and if you get 4 people it should make it more reasonable.

[tinybabynurse]

^^^^^

 

Yes. The station is only about 2 blocks from the security gate sat the pier in Aruba.

 

I don't remember seeing any handicap-friendly buses....

[Redtravel]

You were right on with your opinions of the cruise. I was on the Eclipse in January 2014 and 2015. It was very nice. People were mostly Americans and Canadians. Some Europeans and Aussies. Groups from Norway and Germany. Nice people....very old...lots of walkers, canes, wheelchairs, scooters, etc. I was walking slowly after an injury. At times, it did feel like a retirement home. The average age seemed to be 80. Met a lot of people who were doing b2b cruises. The days at sea were chilly. Cruises out of Florida in January can be cold. Not ready to do that cruise again. Looking for a better option with fewer days at sea....and warmer weather. January 2013 we sailed out of St. Maarten. January 2012 sailed out of San Juan. Warmer weather during the entire cruise. may do the Summit. Wish that Celebrity would do longer cruises out of San Juan. The 10 day on the Millenium in 2012 was ideal.

[beachseeker]

You were right on with your opinions of the cruise. I was on the Eclipse in January 2014 and 2015. It was very nice. People were mostly Americans and Canadians. Some Europeans and Aussies. Groups from Norway and Germany. Nice people....very old...lots of walkers, canes, wheelchairs, scooters, etc. I was walking slowly after an injury. At times, it did feel like a retirement home. The average age seemed to be 80. Met a lot of people who were doing b2b cruises. The days at sea were chilly. Cruises out of Florida in January can be cold. Not ready to do that cruise again. Looking for a better option with fewer days at sea....and warmer weather. January 2013 we sailed out of St. Maarten. January 2012 sailed out of San Juan. Warmer weather during the entire cruise. may do the Summit. Wish that Celebrity would do longer cruises out of San Juan. The 10 day on the Millenium in 2012 was ideal.

 

Have you checked out the Summit's 10 and 11 day cruises out of San Juan in January 2016?

 

We were on the Eclipse last month. Was pleasantly surprised that there were not as many scooters and wheelchairs as I had expected. The average age appeared to be much younger than your experience. We are early 60's and we were not the oldest but not certainly not the youngest. There were probably just as many younger as older. A nice mix of ages.

[chamima]

Have you checked out the Summit's 10 and 11 day cruises out of San Juan in January 2016?

 

We were on the Eclipse last month. Was pleasantly surprised that there were not as many scooters and wheelchairs as I had expected. The average age appeared to be much younger than your experience. We are early 60's and we were not the oldest but not certainly not the youngest. There were probably just as many younger as older. A nice mix of ages.

 

We are just off the Eclipse and noticed the same as you.

We had many Europeans (German, French, Dutch ) and they were also a little younger.

Years ago on a New Year's cruise we had a crew member tell us they were dreading the early January cruises because , since most people are coming off the excitement of the holidays, those cruises are not well booked and so get filled with last minute bargain seekers from Florida retirement communities.

[wdblake]

You must be thinking of another island, not Aruba.

The walk was longer to get out of the cruise area than it was once you were out and walked to the bus station. It was up a half block and across the street.

I don't know about handicap access to the bus itself, though.

Taxis aren't a lot more and if you get 4 people it should make it more reasonable.

 

You are so right. My brain must already be in cruise mode. i was thinking Antigua. Aruba bus terminal is right there. I also don't remember the buses doing anything as far as handicap assist but they are pretty modern.

[wdblake]

Have you checked out the Summit's 10 and 11 day cruises out of San Juan in January 2016?

 

We were on the Eclipse last month. Was pleasantly surprised that there were not as many scooters and wheelchairs as I had expected. The average age appeared to be much younger than your experience. We are early 60's and we were not the oldest but not certainly not the youngest. There were probably just as many younger as older. A nice mix of ages.

 

The Summit has the best thalassotherapy pool in the world! It is like a giant hot tub you can swim in. At night while the shows are going on you can have it to yourself!

[Hlitner]

Regarding Aruba, we are not sure that the local buses are a good idea for those with serious mobility issues. As to Curacao, many cruisers probably do not realize its actually a pretty large island. There are many small beaches off to the Northwest that have few folks, zero cruise passengers, some decent snorkeling, and a lot of quiet charm. So we normally just arrange for a rental car (which you can pick up right near the Mega Pier) and often drive nearly thirty miles from the port to places like Jeremy Beach (we were the only souls on this beach last December).

 

Hank