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Celebrity Eclipse: The Verdict Is In

Celebrity Eclipse: The Verdict Is In

Earlier in the year, we at www.CRUISE.co.uk set a series of competitions on our Forum for the chance to win a cabin for two on the Celebrity Eclipse sailing for two nights on the 19th of May, from Southampton to Le Harve.

Along with our lucky forum winners, a number of our consultants were also onboard Eclipse for the two-night sailing. A number of consultants and forum winners have reviewed their time onboard Eclipse, letting us know what they thought of the experience. Read on to find out what they had to say…

ship

Before you read what the adult cruisers had to say, take a look at the journey a 7-year-old and 10-year-old had on Eclipse below!

https://www.facebook.com/www.CRUISE.co.uk/videos/1455419934518072/

The Ship

There was definitely a common theme in all the reviews about Eclipse: its modern decor.

“It is (obviously) a big ship at 122,000 tonnes however the design makes it feel very personal we thought. We found the layout easy to get around.”

“We found the Celebrity Eclipse was far more modern and ‘edgy’ with fantastic art-works and features everywhere.” – Martin W

Luminae

“Eclipse is modern in my eyes, has some great modern art work, has a noise issue in places around the ship (lack of soft furnishings in places possibly and a full height atrium) and to me isn’t as elegant as Cunard but I admit that could be down to my personal taste. On a par with the mainstream Cunard product but a very different product.”

“There are quirky pieces of art around every corner and an amazing lift atrium with glass lifts, a suspended tree and an open library. On the top deck is a real lawn which seemed really innovative when we first encountered it.”

lawn

 

Atmosphere

There was a much younger feel to this Celebrity cruise than many would have expected. A two-day taster cruise on a Friday & Saturday, we maybe should have known what we were getting ourselves in for.

One of our forum members, Bradbury, described it as “party, party, party like no other, with a very young average age on board…

Casino

Despite the party vibe, in the daytime you were able to find some very relaxing, comforting areas on Eclipse.

Susan stated “There are beautiful bars and lounges on board Eclipse to suit all tastes, some quiet and calm others with a great atmosphere and with great music from pop to classical.”

Whilst Jenna agreed that there was a “chilled atmosphere” to be found at the Martini Bar, though this could be a play on words as the Martini Bar’s bar-top is made of ice… but more on that later!

 Design

Food

The Celebrity Eclipse has a number of restaurant on-board including the Main Dining Room – Moonlight Sonata, Blu & the Oceanview Café with speciality dining such as Qsine & Luminae.

Moonlight Sonata

“It is very nicely decorated and the service was very good. You can see how hard the waiters all work, they really don’t stop!”

Moonlight Sonata Sign

Amy also has some advice for anyone planning on dining in the MDR “If you go for open dining like this I would strongly recommend that you book dining the day before if you choose open seating.”

Booking early on was a tip that many onboard would agree with, it can get very busy and waiting times can get a long, but the food is excellent… when it comes.

Moonlight Dining

Blu

The Blu restaurant was a massive hit with both forum members and cruisers alike, described by some as an “unexpected delight”. The blue & white décor had a very modern feel, along with a menu that catered for all dietary requirements, with a healthy, Mediterranean feel.

“My impressions of the menu & food in Blu, described as ‘Clean, crisp flavours and inventive cuisine’, prior to the cruise I thought would not be to my liking, being a plain eater, how wrong was I.”

Blu

Forum winner, Delboy was pleasantly surprised by the quality of both the food and the service:

“The food, personal service, inviting surroundings and natural light were all superb, and my ‘Pan Seared Filet Mignon, Celery Root Purée, Green Asparagus, Cabernet Confit Shallots and Olive Oil Beef Jus’ on the first night, cut like butter and just melted in the mouth”

Oceanview Buffet

Located on Deck 14, the buffet was the go to for both late-risers and foodies alike. The food was plentiful but most importantly, tasted great too. The buffet seemed to have it all, be that at breakfast, lunch or dinner!

“The buffet was always busy but very well laid out with multiple food stations and most being duplicated which took a lot of pressure off each individual area. There was a wide choice for lunch – sandwich stations, pizza and pasta, Mexican food, Indian food, salads, carvery, etc. and a wonderful ice cream bar”

QSine

“We booked into Qsine and this was the highlight of the dining for us. It is based on a Tapas concept and all the food is ordered on an I-Pad.” – Anne

 art

Bars

There is no shortage of choice onboard Eclipse, with a wide array of bars and lounges dotted around the ship.

Sky Observation Lounge

“Sky Observation lounge which was at the back of deck 14 with stunning views out to the sea. All had a real contemporary feel to them.” – Collete

“It was stunning and the views were amazing. I must admit due to the position you could feel the movement” – Jenna

Martini Bar

This sophisticated bar, located on deck 4, hosts the best bartenders onboard, serving strictly premium cocktails. In keeping with the contemporary look & feel of the bar, the bar top is actually made of ice, ensuring your drinks stay chilled and keeping the stylish feel throughout.

Martini Bar Sign

“Classic and contemporary martinis are served along with a Martini Flight which is shots of samples of classic martinis, apple martini, Fresca, Peartini, raspberry lemonade martini and sunset martini… I only had the one at $14 a drink!” – Layla

Martini Bar Drinks

Mast Bar

“Mast Grill and Mast bar which is a casual poolside venue, located midship on deck 14.  It’s ideally situated to grab a quick bite” – Layla

Ensemble Lounge

“The Ensemble Lounge, located on deck 5 in the gateway to the ship’s four speciality restaurants, with its “dressed for dinner” gathering, it’s the ideal place for a drink before or after dining featuring live musical entertainment.”

 

Cabins

The majority of the forum winners and consultants were in Aqua Class cabins, while a few were in the Concierge Class. There doesn’t seem to be a big difference between the two different classes, in terms of the room however, Aqua Class has a few extra perks and features that others cannot get on-board.

There were a few nibbles and a couple of bottles of water in the cabin that I thought was a nice touch as well as tea and coffee making facilities. One of the down sides was that there was no iron in the room and no self-service ironing facility. – Dean

cabin

The bathroom also had various different amenities and toiletries which you can use. The Aqua-Class staterooms also have a better shower system in than the standard Balcony cabins., it has a number of different functions and jet so that you can relax and unwind with pure luxury. – Sasha

The bed was the comfiest we have ever slept in on a ship – high praise from me as I am very fussy about beds. – History Addict

cabin

The Concierge class was a good size, double bed (with a round bottom, odd), sofa and a balcony with two deck chairs. Had all the amenities you could want; the shower was powerful, toiletries were provided and replenished each day and a complimentary bottle of champagne waiting for you on your first evening.

We had a couple of lucky consultants in the Royal Suites and they were full of praise for their room & their butler: “It looks spectacular and it was. We had a whirlpool Jacuzzi on the balcony and one in the bathroom too. The Suite sleeps up to 4 people and the sofa can be made into a bed. Our Butler ‘George’ was very accommodating and couldn’t do enough for us, whether taking shirts to iron to delivering fresh lime for our beer”

 cabin

Entertainment

There was a variety of entertainment and activities for cruisers to get involved with across the weekend. Including comedians, a live band on both nights on Deck 4.

A massive hit during this cruise was the Silent Disco, something that may have been new to a number of cruisers but thoroughly enjoyed by everyone involved, dancers and spectators.

Silent Disco

Susan was present at the disco:Cordelia and I especially enjoyed the silent disco, I didn’t even know they existed, it was brilliant all ages were having a great time singing and dancing along all to different music, it was hilarious to watch and so much fun to take part in!”

The silent disco took place in Quasar, Eclipse’s nightclub, however in the daytime it was an area to sit and relax, get a drink a play interaction games on the large screen.

Quasar Bar

Someone who wasn’t at the silent disco and did manage to catch a show called Topper, Lee had this to say: “I was really impressed with the fact that the main cast consisted of around 7 very good singers joined by a backup team of dancers.  I have to say it is one of the best shows I have seen on a ship for a while so do go and watch it if you get the chance”

Quasar DJ Pod

Spa/Relaxation Areas

Aqua class members were given access to the Persian Gardens on Deck 12. When you had your Aqua class card in, you’ll receive a card to access and you’ll also find that the lockers, towels and bath robes are all included. Inside you’ll find heated loungers, a steam room, sauna and more.

Along with the Persian Gardens there was the Solarium areas, which was more of a premium relaxation spot which included hammocks, incredibly comfortable padded loungers and swimming pools.

spa

Nathan stated “I found this provided a more relaxing experience and gave me more options than just eating and drinking.”

Another excellent feature on Eclipse is the Lawn area on deck 15. “It is a great social area when the sun is shining, sitting on the real grass on a picnic blanket…”

Swimming Pool

 

Staff

The staff onboard Eclipse were brilliant, albeit very sparse. There were simply not enough bartenders & waiters during the 2 day sailing. This may have been oversight on Celebrity’s behalf, simply underestimating the potential demands of the cruisers onboard.

However, it may have been a plan of Celebrity’s as the majority of guests had all-inclusive drinks packages. Keeping staff numbers low decreased the speed of service and ultimately, decreased the amount you were able to eat & drink over the two days.

spa

The lack of staff was visible through the ship with the lack of waiters available at pool areas and also in the lounge areas. A forum members pointed out “We looked for a quiet space indoors to read and found no staff in most of the indoor bars. Other people had the same idea and were frustrated at the lack of service.”

However the staff that were working could not be faulted, they were very helpful, attentive and all with a smile on their faces. “The staff was very attentive and liked to joke with the children which was nice, we never went anywhere unnoticed.”

But, what is your verdict on Celebrity Eclipse? Would you love to sail on this ship or another one from their fleet? Which looks like your favourite feature? Discover more on Celebrity below and leave us your comments!

celebrityEverything You Need To Know About Celebrity Revealed! A line that offers a standard of “New Luxury” that makes them stand out from the crowd. Their five star cruising ranges across eleven impressive ships but…

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