OkanaganRon

Blue wave martini , Martini bar

On our 14 day Caribbean on Eclipse in Feb./2016, we also had a drink package/tips covered plus $300. in non-refundable onboard credit and $300. refundable onboard credit.

We spent $200. on massages at the spa, and $100. on internet usage.

We were hard pressed to use up the remaining $300. finally resorting to purchases of $100. in the onboard shops.We then took the remaining $200. as cash from the front desk.

fyi we did not visit the casino.

One significant difference...no MUTS on Celebrity.

Try the Cafe Mocha with a shot of Baileys...I had one every morning on Eclipse. It is coffee and hot chocolate mixed together. You can get it without the Baileys as well. I upgraded to Premium package , so not sure if its on Classic.

Add us to the list of non MUTS lovers. After 6 straight cruises with |Princess, the invasive noise of MUTS drove us to leave Princess for Celebrity and we have never looked back. We have no problem with movies, just found |MUTS too loud and downwind carrying way too far.

WE also cruised on Feb. 7th, with a totally different experience.

Martini bar was EXCEPTIONAL for service and quality. MDR and Oceanview were very good, much improved over previous year.

Just goes to show how experience can differ.

Don't think of it so much as an Upgrade but as a Down Price. You book the cabin you want and they charge you the price of the category just below it.

 

Book category 7 at a category 8 price, etc.

Have to disagree...we get a one category CDC upgrade every time we book.

WE frequently stay on board in St. Thomas and other ports.

We find the most breeze to be on the highest decks in port, not by the pool. There is always a shady side with loungers, and if lucky a spot in the shade with a breeze.

Our 14 night cruise on Eclipse was THE BEST of our 28 cruises taken, (two with Celebrity).

The ship is looking terrific, both inside and outside. Constant maintenance has kept her looking like new. The friendly and enthusiastic efforts of all crew contributed materially to a very happy cruise for my wife and I. In particular the stateroom attendants, dining room servers and martini bar people were outstanding in service provided. Well done Eclipse!

We stayed in balcony cabin 1068, a mid ship Concierge Club cabin (category C2).

The cabin was fine, very quiet, no view obstructions, and very clean.

We ate only in MDR and Oceanview cafe, skipping the specialty restaurants for the first time ever, This was because we found the food to be very good in the 2 venues we used. Quality in the MDR was good, no bad experiences. The menu is short but has adequate variety nightly, and all dishes were high quality. In our opinion food quality in Oceanview has improved over our last Celebrity cruise, and is superior to Princess, HAL and RCI, much better than NCL.

Entertainment was improved over 2 years ago, some good comedy and general entertainment acts. The shows were OK , not really our style, but well done.

Both embarkation and disembarkation were a breeze, no waiting and no problems. We were relieved after reading so may horror stories on CC.

Some observations in response to issues we have seen raised on CC lately:

.Buffet food was very good. The sushi was quite acceptable, if not great. Items cooked to order such as shrimp and steak were well cooked and tasty.

.In the MDR we found the sommelier service to be funny/friendly and fast, no sign in our area of overly busy sommelier or slow service.

.The treats in Cafe al Bocio are still free and do not require purchase of a drink.

.The martini bar staff were terrific, and we absolutely enjoyed the bar at 4:00PM daily. We saw no sign of poor seating in the area, and the music was not too loud at all.

. We did not experience any difficulty getting prompt service at any time in any bar.

.Chair hogs continue to be an issue near the pool. We avoided that area seeking quieter spots which are plentiful.

.We are not fans of the Curacao overnight stay, but it did not affect our enjoyment of the cruise at all. Hopefully those who do more touring than we do saw the benefit.

In summary, a great relaxing and enjoyable cruise, with no issues at any time. We are a couple aged 70 and 71, who are looking forward to our next cruise, which will be on Celebrity for certain. :D

Many people have liquor packages. The bar service has become very slow. If they don't show up, you may give up and not drink. It can be a way for Celebrity to save money. I is also a way to irritate guests. I was recently on the Summit for b2b. In MDR at dinner, I was never asked if I wanted anything from the bar. I may have ordered if I had been asked. I didn't have a beverage package. I will not let my dinner be ruined by the bar service ineptness. MDR servers were very slow at asking us if we wanted coffee. On several nights we left the MDR and got coffee later at Cafe AlBaccio. On the pool deck, there were only a few waiters. It seems as if Celebrity has fewer bar servers everywhere. If you really wanted a drink, step up to the bar and wait.

Experiences obviously differ, but again I have to say that on the Eclipse I had NO problems getting drinks in the MDR or at any bar. Typically there were 2 bartenders at all the bars, wait times were minimal. If by waiting, you refer to being served in turn when several guest show up at the same time I have experienced this, but it's no different at a bar on land. I give no credence to the suggestion that it is a deliberate ploy by Celebrity to reduce consumption.

May your wine glass always be half full! :)

Just as mine was - never less than half full on the Feb. 7/16 Eclipse..thanks to Enrikko the terrific sommelier:):cool:

Just off the Eclipse Feb 7th sailing. We had absolutely NO problem with the Sommelier provided wine service. We ate in MDR most nights, and he could not have been more attentive...to everyone in the area.

I saw no indication that they are trying to slow service at all. It was exceptional all the way!

You can get a US$ credit card from Canadian Banks. Then use the Bank to convert from Canadian to US when payment is due.

That avoids any credit card related charges.

Ship: Eclipse

Cabin: 1068

Class: C2 (Concierge)

Deck: 10 midships

Bed: near balcony

Noise: Very quiet

Balcony: Good view all directions/lifeboats no problem

Balcony Size: normal

Wind: No problem

Soot: No problem

Comments: Midway between humps on deck 10. Very quiet location. No issues. Great view all directions.

Suspect I will be flamed for this, but, we just got off Eclipse Feb. 7th cruise. The ONLY complaint we have on a WONDERFUL 2 week cruise was the strong smoke smell that permeates decks 4 and 5, including most of the shops and the casino.

This is NOT because anyone smokes indoors, they do not. It appears the smoke infiltrates as deck doors open and close.

Not sure anything could be done to prevent this.

We are also just home off the Feb. 7th Eclipse cruise. Our second on Eclipse.

To me, Eclipse looks absolutely spic and span, outside and inside. We were adjacent to Regal Princess in port, and Eclipse looked like the newer ship!

The cabin and dining room service was outstanding on this cruise, as good or better than any cruise we have taken (28 taken). Food in the Moonlight Sonata dining room was good, not a single bad experience. The menu is not lengthy, but OK.

The Oceanview was a pleasant surprise..I believe food quality has been improved over 2 years ago.

I will be writing a longer review later...overall a great cruise!

check your "Guest Ticket Booklet" Travel Summary...should show D for Docked and T for tender.

On the Eclipse Feb 7th...booked 18 months ago in Cdn$ at a good rate. We bought US$ when our dollar was at par. Still using them , but we will run out this trip.

This will be our last U.S bound trip until our dollar improves. Maybe in 2 years??

Not only do you have one week...but one YEAR:D to wait as well!!!

In my opinion, having cruised both several times, Celebrity is a cut above Norwegian, unless you can afford the Haven on NCL.

We have done the 14 day Eclipse Caribbean twice, and love it. It is one of the few cruises that actually spends 2 weeks in the Caribbean, not returning to Florida at the end of first week.

The weather will be great in Feb./ early March...(early to miss March break, although a 14 day cruise will not likely have a lot of children).

I have gone both times in February, returning early March, and found it great for us.

Just went to try and check my CC points. The website has a new (to me) page saying "select your country".

When I select CANADA it just asks me again to select a country!!

Repeatedly!!!

Yes.

I used Guest Services to order my OBC on Sep.26th, receiving a confirmation email on Sep. 27th and my Credit card was charged the amount posted on the Celebrity site. It is a better price than the current Can/US exchange rate.

All the deserts at the cafe are free...the carrot cake or carrot muffin are amazing!

Sailing Celebrity for first time. On Reflection in December.

 

What are food/snack must haves? Like Coconut Ranger cookies for a snack on RCCL, or Garlic Tiger Shrimp in main dining room on RCCL.

 

Thanks

Sherry

We have 1068 booked on Eclipse for Feb. 7/16.

Can anyone advise if the is overhang is a significant factor in blocking the sun in this area ?