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A thoroughly enjoyable experience
 
Reviewed By: Milligan, Bo'ness on 6th Sep 2010
Cruise Line: Celebrity Cruises Times cruised before: 6-10
Cruise Ship: Celebrity Eclipse Sailed: August, 2010
Destination: Mediterranean Age: 56-65
Cabin: Balcony Occasion: Annual/regular holiday
We commenced our trip with an overnight stay at the Dolphin Hotel in the town centre. The package included double/twin room, DBB, 14 night parking, taxi to and from cruise terminal, all for £165. Considering parking in the port would have been £126, this was excellent value and would highly recommend. Hotel was excellent, meals terrific (ship standard+), taxi arrangements worked a dream. Would do it again.

We arrived by taxi at the cruise terminal about 11.30, luggage placed on adjacent 'train' by the porters and we never seen our cases again until they were delivered to our cabin, unfortunately not until around 18.00hrs. We went straight to a vacant checkin desk and were seated in the departure lounge within 15min, with complimentary cold drink in hand. We were called to board the ship within 20min and on the ship before 12.30. Absolutely brilliant.

Let me cover disembarkation at this point. We completed and submitted the disembarkation form during the cruise and requested a disembarkation time of 09.00hrs (choice of between 07.00 & 09.00). We were actually allocated a disembarkation time of 09.10hrs from the Theatre on Deck 4. We were called at 09.15 and were off the ship within 10min, luggage picked up and on a trolley within 5min, through customs and outside the terminal building in another 5min. The arrangement for our uplift, was to phone the hotel, they would send a taxi and the driver would call my mobile when he arrived at the terminal to determine where we were standing. The taxi arrived within 10min and we were loading the car 10min later and on our way home. Absolutely brilliant.

Now for the cruise. Overall experience was excellent. As other reviews have detailed most of the good points, I will concentrate on some of the more negative aspects after praising the following;
1. The ship was pristine (but then it is only a few months old and should be) and scrupulously clean, public toilets a dream, hand cleansers everywhere and also being dispensed by staff on entry to dining rooms.
2. Food was terrific, both in the dining room (Moonlight Sonata) and Oceanview Cafe. Choice of menu in the dining room was fantastic and the buffet in Oceanview was unbelievable, and almost 24/7. In my opinion, no need to spend the extra $30 for speciality restuarants.
3. Cabin (sorry, stateroom) was very well appointed (Deck 7), possibly limited drawer space but cupboards above bed proved an ample substitute, ensuite and shower billiant, bed super comfortable, ample balcony with good quality furniture, fridge and mini bar, kettle, hair dryer, bathrobes, beach towels, umbrella, beach bag
4. Staff generally were terrific, helpful etc without being OTT as is often the case with an Americanised ship.

Now for some of the negatives (please don't let this put you off, but just to be aware);
1. Drinks were extortionate - cheapest bottle of wine was $28 (+ an additional 8% if purchased when in Spanish waters) for something you could buy in Tesco for 3-for-£10.
2. Shore excursions were also expensive and (I don't think) offered value, we did our own thing in ports. Even the shuttle bus was expensive - lots of complaints that it should be complimentary.
3. Celebrity are a bit naughty in advertising their ports eg. we docked at La Seyne-Sur-Mer, not Toulon as advertised. We were then charged $12 for the shuttle in to Toulon which was 40min away.
4. Our corridor on Deck 7, and other decks also, had an overpowering odour resembling that of a care/nursing home - you can draw your own conclusion how this smelled and where it came from. There were numerous complaints regarding this and evidence that it was an acknowledged problem as we often arrived back at our cabin area to the aroma of air freshener having been sprayed in the corridor to combat the problem. The carpet also was sprayed on two separate occasions to try and eliminate the aroma - it did improve after this. Absolutely no smell inside our stateroom.
5. Kids/teenagers were a BIG problem. Never have I witnessed such unruly, rowdy, ignorant, arrogant, cheeky kids before on a cruise. Where were the parents? Running riot on the stairs and lifts, pressing all floors, chasing their pals on opposite lifts, hogging the hot tubs, inappropriate and 'gang' behaviour in public areas, gluttenous behaviour in the buffet, etc, etc. (Apologies to those kids who WERE responsible and impecably behaved, yes we did notice some who were!!!)
6. Some of the more traditional aspects of cruising were not noticable on this ship. There seemed nothing different about the 'formal' nights, other than the dress code, nothing extra ordinary happening around the ship, the captain or senior officers were never seen, no captains table, no 'meet the captain' other than an informal 'do' on the stage in the theatre, no towel folding in the stateroom. JUST AN UNEXPLAINABLE NORMALITY
7. Entertainment - quality was excellent, but a little too highbrow sometimes. Too loud
Quality of Food5
Moonlght Sonata, early dinner sitting, extensive menu, well presented, excellent quality. Oceanview Cafe, buffet breakfast and lunch, extensive choice, excellent quality, often the usual bund-fight. Toast and egg areas could be better organised
Entertainment4
Comedian Adrian Walsh excellent. Singers a bit loud (sound engineers problem)
Shore Excursionsn/a
Expensive - did our own thing
Staff4
Waiter and assistant excellent. Stateroom attendant ????? never saw him
Children's Facilitiesn/a
See comment above
Onboard Activities4
Carl Pucl was excellent on the Titanic talk. A lot of talent on this ship
Cabins5
Ensuite and shower wonderful
Overall Rating5
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Opinion: Agree Comment by Appadurai, Benfleet (30 Sep 10 20:20) about this REVIEW
It seems that the best time to go on a quiet relaxing cruise free of unruly children is to avoid the schools summer holiday. I remember one crew member on Independence of the Seas say that they had 800 children on this ship which can have up to 4000 passenegers. Even outside the school holiday period you are bound to get children but there would be fewer of them.
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Opinion: Agree Comment by McRae, Huddersfield (12 Sep 10 15:52) about this REVIEW
We also went on this ship in August. Totally agree with your comments on the smell in the corridors, the talented Carl Puci - we joined his choir, the too high volume of the theatre and all your other positives. However we HATED Adrian Walsh and thought he was totally unsuitable for the ship.
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Opinion: Disagree Comment by Auchter, Fombell, Pennsylvania (12 Sep 10 14:53) about this REVIEW
Two things I question as we sailed on the sister ship Equinox in July (E. Med)--holiday time with children--we did have a slight bit of rowdy behaviour the first two days only where kids pushed all the floors & were generally running, but staff put an end to this & after the first sea day, this was not a problem at all at kids were with their parents on the kids program on board. Celebrity is an upper class line & does not do "cheesy" things as towel animals. We had occasion to visit with the Capt. several times at various functions (we're in Captains Club) & all the officers aboard the Equinox participated in numerous interactive activities with the passengers, i.e, lawn bowling, dancing with the Stripes, etc., but Celebrity does not have a Captains table in MDR to eat with officers due to their "higher standards"--we have sailed numerous times with them & this has never been the case. If you're looking for these "fun things", sail with Carnival or RCCL.
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Comment by Montgomery, Brighton (12 Sep 10 08:06) about this REVIEW
Very good review. I was also on this cruise with my parents (I was one of the good teenagers who was very quiet) We were also on the 4 Night cruise to Cork in April aboard the Eclipse and then the Captain (who was different!) was much more sociable. However the cruise was excellent and I am already planning my next cruise! - You see I do the booking and then my parents pay for it! My mother did query about the extra 8% Spanish Tax on drinks whilst within 12 nautical miles of Spanish Land at Guest Relations because earlier that month, whilst my father was working, My mother and I went on the Ventura for a short cruise to spain, portugal and france and there was no extra tax added whatsoever, apparently Guest Relations told my mother that this new law had just come into effect so she just left it but is still trying to find out.
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Comment by Calverley, Huddersfield (11 Sep 10 13:52) about this REVIEW
[quote]Our corridor on Deck 7, and other decks also, had an overpowering odour resembling that of a care/nursing home - you can draw your own conclusion how this smelled and where it came from. There were numerous complaints regarding this and evidence that it was an acknowledged problem as we often arrived back at our cabin area to the aroma of air freshener having been sprayed in the corridor to combat the problem.[/quote] Which cabin number were you in? We will be in 7233, from 04.10.10. Hopefully we won't have the same problem as you with regards to children; they should all be back at school. Local Authorities are now fining parents who take their children away during the school term( £100 was a recent fine, quoted in our area) Just wonder if it is a problem with the drains/sewage system? But if your cabin was smell free, at least that is a
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Comment by Kite, Pershore (08 Sep 10 06:06) about this REVIEW
Was it worth going into Toulon? We are on Eclipse next summer, 40 mins each way sounds a lot .... I think the captain must have changed since June then, our captain was seen walking around all the time and even at one point, you could go and meet him and have a chat with him if you wished. All the officers were always chatting to the guests.... wine is expensive. I took some of my own and stuck to the martini's - yep, they were expensive, but lovely!!
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Comment by Hardy, Great Yarmouth (11 Sep 10 18:55) about a COMMENT by Kite (08 Sep 10 06:06)
We were on the Eclipse this year and yes it was well worth going into Toulon its beautiful. Take the water taxi 2 euros each way a short walk to the water taxi stop from ship and only took 15 mins at the most to get across. You pay for the water taxi on the taxi boat and can get a time table for the water taxi just by the docked Eclipse ship. Toulon has a fantasic market which stopped about 12 o'clock and reopened later. The waterfront was pretty. This was one of my favourite stops because we did not expect much from this stop and the Taxi across was good fun.
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Comment by Milligan, Bo'ness (08 Sep 10 21:36) about a COMMENT by Kite (08 Sep 10 06:06)
Actually, we ended up not going into Toulon but just walked into the town of La Seyne-Sur-Mer which was about a 20/25min quite pleasant walk. The town has a lovely waterfront area and fantastic market, a few shops and cafes, not much else, but very pleasant. If you choose to go to Toulon take the water taxi which leaves from a 'bus-stop' about a 5 min walk from the berth and costs 2 Euros each way. The shore excursion staff do mention this option, but try to put you off by saying it only runs each hour and can get very crowded. It actually runs every 30min (probably the same as the shuttle!!) and our observation was that everyone waiting for it always got on it. There is a poster displaying timetable etc in the 'bus-stop' which can be found by keeping to the waters edge from the ship and you can't miss it. The taxi runs continously between the berth/Toulon/La Seyne/berth/Toulon/La Seyne/berth etc., so if you walk into La Seyne you can get the water taxi back to the berth (3 min). The time from the berth to Toulon is 13 min.
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Comment by John, Ryde (08 Sep 10 09:21) about a COMMENT by Kite (08 Sep 10 06:06)
The captain has changed, A recent poster gave the new of the cptain on a recent cruise. Interestingly, the poster was complimentary about the "new" captain. The captain during May was very visable and always had a word to say to pasengers. Very much like the man who captained the Navigator of the Seas out of Southampton a few years back.
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Comment by John, Ryde (08 Sep 10 09:21) about a COMMENT by Kite (08 Sep 10 06:06)
The captain has changed, A recent poster gave the new of the cptain on a recent cruise. Interestingly, the poster was complimentary about the "new" captain. The captain during May was very visable and always had a word to say to pasengers. Very much like the man who captained the Navigator of the Seas out of Southampton a few years back.
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