Celebrity Eclipse - Review - 13 Nights Canary Islands

[DYKWIA]

Hi,

 

After two years on the Eclipse to the Med we've just got back from a 13 night cruise to the Azores, Madeira, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, and Lisbon (with overnight).

 

I'll post a review over the weekend and try to upload some photos (after i've gone through the 600 I took)

 

In short, we really enjoyed the cruise, after a busy year at work it was what we both needed.

 

There was some noticeable changes c.w. our previous two Eclipse Cruises (ex Southampton) - some we liked, some we liked less...

[Andy]

Hi Dykwia,

 

Looking forward to your review, but would love to hear your observations on the changes. We're sailing on Eclipse in November, and I'm sure your insights will be helpful.

 

Thanks again, and welcome home !

[chemmo]

Looking forward to your review...we are cruising on the Eclipse for the first time in the Spring, first cruise out of Southampton too!

[DYKWIA]

Intro – my wife and I travelled as a party of two. We are in our mid to late 40s. This was our third cruise, our previous two also being on the Celebrity Eclipse on their annual Mediterranean cruise.

 

After a busy and tiring year at work we both fancied some sunshine. We enjoy travelling from Southampton as it allows us to drive to the port in 3 hours and park next to the ship. Fancying a change we opted for the Canaries cruise taking in The Azores, Madeira, Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lisbon over 13 nights including 6 sea days and an overnight in Lisbon – most southbound cruises from Southampton usually involve extra sea sea days just to cover the distance to get to the sunshine.

 

We were keen to see how the Eclipse had changed since the introduction of the Evening Chic dress code and a couple of extremely critical reviews.

 

Travelling outside the school holidays meant that this cruise had very few children on board, the age group seemed slightly older (at first we thought MUCH older, but gradually we realised that wasn't the case). The guests were mainly British but there was also a reasonably large number of Americans on board as well as other European Guests.

 

Driving to Southampton, I was aware that there were Roadworks north of Southampton, 3 ships in port and the boat show, last year it had taken us nearly 2 hours to drive the last 5 miles as you have to make a right turn across a dual carriageway to get into port at Gate 10 when approaching from the west (the signposted route). This year I ignored the signs and drove via the City Centre and it was a relatively easy 20 minutes from leaving the motorway. Parking with ABP at the port is very easy (but not cheap) you self park in a large compound next to the ship and friendly staff take your checked luggage there and then.

 

Embarkation – Very easy, we arrived (by luck) at our assigned boarding time and were allowed into the fast-track, others were directed into the regular line. It made very little or no difference as the queues were virtually non-existent and we were on board within 20 minutes of arriving at the port

[DYKWIA]

Previously we have always booked a Guaranteed Balcony and have been pleased with the cabin assigned. We were very late booking this cruise, we waited until it had actually sold out and when a guaranteed balcony became available about 6 weeks before, She Who Must Be Obeyed gave the order to make the booking. I contacted Celebrity who told me there were only 3 cabins showing available a 1A on the hump, an Aqua Class cabin, and a Sky Suite – so the odds for a good assignment were good. Two days after booking we were assigned the IA, with a Classic Drinks Package and $400 on board credit. This cruise was certainly more expensive than our previous cruises so we weren't so naïve as to think the Drinks Package and On Board Credit were free.

 

Our cabin was on the 9th Deck, port side on the slant facing forward, very close to the mid ship elevators. We did need to walk through the Card Room to get to our room and on one occasion I overheard someone moaning that I was disrupting their game! Room fixtures and fittings were identical to previous balcony rooms but the balcony was about 30% bigger and offered excellent views looking forward.

 

Theresa our cabin attendant and her team did an excellent job keeping the room clean and tidy despite our natural habit of making it a mess. She was very friendly and often enquired whether there was anything else she could do for us. My wife wanted some different pillows and enquired about a body wash (neither technically available to the Veranda Class) and it was sorted without any issue. On the day of Embarkation when she introduced herself she asked about our luggage and said she would ensure it was in the cabin quickly and sure enough all 5 items arrived within 30 minutes which meant we were completely unpacked by 2pm!

[DYKWIA]

We were wait listed for 6pm Fixed Time Dining and this was sorted 2 weeks before boarding. We were assigned a table for 10 in the middle of the 3rd Flood. Great for people watching and getting a real feel for the room. We were also lucky to have some great companions to dine with each evening. I Gusti and his team looked after our table very well and the Maître D was always on hand to make sure everything was tickety-boo The Sommelier was very busy but once he knew what we liked he was very good at topping the glass up as he passed by. My wife's favourite cocktail was also waiting for her when she arrived evening. There has been much talk about the poor quality of food. Generally we felt the food was as good, if not better, than previously. The everyday steak options were a bit thin and sometimes seemed a bit over seasoned.

 

One great thing to learn was that the Top Chef Evening Menu was abandoned (apparently on the Eclipse for some time) – this, for us, was always duff. The Maître D indicated that feedback hadn't been great and they dropped it.

 

Since our last cruise, Celebrity has cut the menu from 4 courses to 3. Our table ordered 4 courses most evenings without issue. Extra requests such as French Fries, Extra veg, potatoes were always available. One of our fellow diners fancied both the Beef Wellington and Lobster Mains on one evening so they arranged a surf and turf plate for him, again without any issue. On the last night, at another fellow diners request, we were all brought a specially made traditional English trifle for desert.

 

One other change, less to our liking (and to the crew we also heard) is the traditional Captain's thank-you to the waiters and chefs on the last formal night in the MDR has been abandoned

 

Food in the Oceanview Cafe was excellent – always a wide choice, well cooked and we could always find a table. Sushi is no longer available in the buffet

 

Sushi on Five had just opened on this cruise, and if our observations are anything to go by it won't be around for long. We rarely saw anyone but the odd crew member dining there. Prices are A La Carte and will add up quickly.

 

We didn't eat in the Specialty restaurants. The Menu at Tuscan Grill seems to have been significantly cheapened (but the prices not so) with much cheaper / small cuts of beef being used. Better cuts are available if you pay extra on top of the additional fee you pay dine there. We met a few people who dined here who didn't feel it was worth the extra money

 

Evening Chic – Celebrity no longer have Formal Nights. On our cruise we had 3 Evening Chic Nights. We did see people with t-shirts, but mostly people did dress up but generally not as much as on Formal Nights. I would definitely say that Dinner Suits / Tuxes are 30-40% at most on this cruise – a big change from previous cruises. A few people moaned but like the end of the Truman show most people accepted it and just got on with it.

[DYKWIA]

Entertainment - Generally very good. Sue Denning was once again our Cruise Director, she does a great job. We saw all 3 of the production shows. We thought Topper was great, enjoyed Rock City and thought Chandelier was Okay. Having seen many Cirque du Soleil shows they are much more than two people lifting one another up and a bit of swinging around on curtains which seems to be a bit over used on these Cirque inspired Production Shows.

 

The cast had their own songs from the shows tribute night which we thought was poor and a bit self indulgent. Sue Denning did her own late night show and by all accounts it was excellent. She has an excellent and powerful singing voice. My main criticism of the evening shows is that they were too focused on musical entertainment. There was very little in the way of Comedy (unless you wanted to go to a late night adults only show), Magic etc.

 

A few stand out acts were the Singer Nick Page (Standing Ovation) and We3 a vocal trio.

 

 

In addition to the Evening shows there were 3 guest speakers on board, an English band, a band with a Asian singer, an acoustic duo, another Duo, Piano Entertainer, Orchestra, and DJ

 

A few noticeable changes – the Captain's welcome night has been dropped. Instead, the Captain does a general unannounced speech on the first and last night in the theatre. The captain on this cruise was Michael Sympouras who was often seen around the ship and was always happy to answer questions or pose for a quick photo. He did an excellent talk on the last day on navigation.

 

Also dropped is the Dancing with staff competition, but the egg drop remains – go figure!

 

Service - We always pre pay the gratuities as we find this less hassle. Tipping is a very touchy subject in the UK and we prefer to just pay it and be done with it. We generally don't tip extra. On the Eclipse, when it sails from Southampton, Celebrity increases the prices of drinks by 18% but a service charge isn't added. We found the service on board to be excellent with quick service at the bars with no evidence of any generous tippers getting preferential treatment.

 

On board Promos – there was a small amount of trying to get you to upgrade drinks packages on the first day but all you had to say was “no thanks” and that was that. After day 2 I don't recall anyone asking again. We did get a good offer for the World Class Bar. On one night those with the Classic Drink Package could buy any drink on their menu (all $14-$15) for just $6 (rather than the usual full price those on a Classic Package would have to pay.

Edited October 1, 2016 by DYKWIA

[DYKWIA]

Ports of call – One thing that appealed to us about this cruise is that at each port of call it's possible to do something very easily just by walking off the ship in port, and this is what we did. In each port there was no shortage of local entrepreneurs offering taxi rides to visit the local sites and the reports we heard from people doing them that they were excellent value for money.

 

Ponta Del Garda (Azores) – We arrived mid afternoon and stayed till 11pm. It's a very small town with a few small bars and cafes. We just had a walk around the town for a couple of hours and then went back to the ship. With hindsight we would have hired a taxi. We enjoyed our stay in the Azores but wouldn't be in a hurry to return.

 

Madeira – We fancied doing the Cable Car and famous toboggan It's very easy to do this without booking a tour. We caught an early shuttle bus from the port to the town centre ($8 return) and then walked the 10 minutes through the shops to the cable car station as it was opening (9am) which is on the sea front. A 10 Euro one way ride offered excellent views and climbed a long way up the mountain From there it's a 2 minute walk to the famous unique toboggan run, which costs 30 Euros for 2. It takes about 10 minutes to descend and at times it is fast and you do cross roads with traffic! We both found it an exhilarating ride, a small tip (we gave 5 euros) is encouraged and they will also sell you a nice photo for 10 euros. Now here's the important thing..... The toboggan only takes you about a 1/3 of the way down the mountain. Once you get there you've still got to get down the rest of the mountain In what is a slick operation Taxis queue up and offer to take you back to Funchal for 20 Euros (its only about 2-3kms (they tell you it's 7 – it isn't!)). My wife and I tried to walk it and quickly realised this was a mistake – it is a very steep descent. We flagged a taxi down and he took us back to Funchal for 7 Euros. Four saved knees for 7 Euros – bargain! We spent the rest of the day wandering around Funchal, a very pleasant city.

Tenerife – the ship docked in Santa Cruz and the large town was an easy walk. We spent the morning strolling around.

 

Gran Canaria – the ship docked in Las Palmas a short 10 minute walk away from a very good beach. Gran Canaria was very good for Duty Free shopping – we don't believe them when they say that the shopping centre at the port is the biggest in Europe – how they calculate this we don't know! On leaving Gran Canaria the captain had a horn battle with the Captain of the Queen Elizabeth and an Aida Cruise ship in port the same day. This was accompanied by much waving from one ship to another.

 

Lisbon – an overnight stay. Lisbon is again very easy to do yourself. On day 1 we walked about 20 minutes along the river front to the southern rail station and caught a train (3 an hour) to Cascais. It's about 35 minutes and for two of us it it was less than 5 Euros return. Cascais is a very nice slightly up-market small resort that still has a lot of charm and the train takes you right into the resort centre where the line ends. From there an option to take an easy f30-40 minute flat walk along a sunny promenade to Estoril where you can also pick the train back up. On day two we walked into Lisbon and strolled the pleasant shopping area.

 

Top Tip – for UK travellers the small official Duty Free shop at the port was selling leading UK branded cigarettes with a sign saying Duty Paid (so effectively no limit), obviously not as cheap as the Duty free Canaries but quite a bit cheaper than mainland Spain and about 6 Euros per packet cheaper than the UK. Just make sure you keep your receipt (and maybe take a photo of the sign saying tax paid) for proof – as despite the sign saying Duty had been paid the boxes still said “Duty Free”

 

Sail-away from Lisbon at 5pm was spectacular as we sailed down the river to the Atlantic with the Equinox (also in port overnight)

[DYKWIA]

This was a great cruise – Entertainment overall was excellent but I would have like more variety.– and whilst I enjoy adult humour, comedy doesn't need to be late night adults only entertainment. Formal Dress is now pretty much on the way out it seems, my wife is sad to see it go, me less so. I missed some of the supposedly traditional touches (Captain's welcome and staff parade) but they're not deal breakers. Food on the whole was excellent, service likewise. On the basis of this cruise I don't see anything to really support any of the very critical reviews recently.

 

Not sure about our next cruise yet – Celebrity is reducing the duration of many of its cruises to 7-10 nights and this doesn't suit us, but we'll keep looking. Many thanks for your patience in reading this. Any questions please ask

Edited October 1, 2016 by DYKWIA

[DYKWIA]

Just what does the Captain's Club Concierge actually do.....

 

Several times we got left messages on our answer phone from the Captain's Club concierge asking if there was anything she could help arrange please go an see her (2 hours per day)

 

We heard from our table mates (3 cruises - Ocean View cabin) that the Cruise Club Concierge had offered them the opportunity to go on the helipad during a sail in to one port. So I went to see her and asked if it would be possible. She said "No" - it's not possible until you're Elite :rolleyes:

 

So I said fair enough, do you have a town plan of Madeira and any idea where the Shuttle drops you off? Her reply was "I can't help you with that you'll have to see the regular Concierge....when they're on Duty"

 

:(

[HelenREMfan]

Thanks very much for that..... think we were on a Western Med cruise with you .. :)

We are leaving on 3rd Oct on the same cruise so your info was very useful as I haven't really pre planned anything for the ports.

 

I will add a note to our roll call recommending people pop here to read :)

 

Thanks :)

[DYKWIA]

Thanks very much for that..... think we were on a Western Med cruise with you .. :)

We are leaving on 3rd Oct on the same cruise so your info was very useful as I haven't really pre planned anything for the ports.

 

I will add a note to our roll call recommending people pop here to read :)

 

Thanks :)

 

Many thanks, happy to answer any questions

[DYKWIA]

Panoramic Ship by Paul Keay, on Flickr

 

...trying to work out how to upload photos - currently in Flickr /on laptop

Edited October 1, 2016 by DYKWIA

[DYKWIA]

Azores

 

Sunset

 

Topper

 

Funchel

Edited October 1, 2016 by DYKWIA

[DYKWIA]

Sue Denning - Cruise Director

 

Guest Entertainer - Nick Page

 

Guest speaker Michelle Munro & SWMBO

Edited October 1, 2016 by DYKWIA

[Jem 12]

Thanks for an excellent review, we agree with you about Sue Denning, one of the better Cruise Directors in our opinion, we used to especially love her interactions with Perry Grant.

We always find the food good, especially if you do as your table did and make the additional requests, we usually ask for extra veg.

The entertainment is probably the weak spot for us, but we are on Silhouette in a few weeks so we shall see.

 

Jean

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[lovevacadays]

Thank you for your review.:):):)

[FlamingJune1967]

DYKWIA: I have to say that your photography skills are top notch! Those photos of Topper and the Library are good enough for Celebrity literature!! And I enjoyed reading your review as well!

[DYKWIA]

DYKWIA: I have to say that your photography skills are top notch! Those photos of Topper and the Library are good enough for Celebrity literature!! And I enjoyed reading your review as well!

 

Many thanks! If you look at one of the lifts in the library photo you'll see my trickery ;)

[DYKWIA]

Tenerife

 

Chandalier

 

Celebrity Eclipse Cast

 

 

 

[DYKWIA]

 

Edited October 2, 2016 by DYKWIA

[Gordoncruickshank]

Thanks for your review. We did this cruise in each of the past 3 years on the Eclipse and thoroughly enjoyed each one.

Decided on a change this year and are in the Silhouette for 2 weeks from Saturday.

Glad you enjoyed your cruise.

[ChucktownSteve]

Thank you for your excellent review and fantastic pictures. We'll be on her in January (our first S class together) and your comments help to preview what to expect.

 

Your review appeared balanced and honest without any axes to grind. TYVM.

[riclop]

Thanks for the review.

[FlamingJune1967]

Many thanks! If you look at one of the lifts in the library photo you'll see my trickery ;)

 

ah-ha! Stitched photo :) Very cool effect!