Celebrity Eclipse Eastern Caribbean - November 2011 - Honeymoon

[CessnaAV8R]

Hi All:

 

This is my first post on the forums. I am very excited to be a member on the forums after about 2 weeks of being a guest. After a bunch of review, and getting a TA and I have booked a Celebrity cruise based on his recommendation and the reviews I have read.

 

 

I'd like to know what the forum thinks about our current choices.

 

Info about us:

My future wife and I are going to be celebrating our honeymoon. We are in our mid-twenties and I have cruised twice on Carnival (Valor - 2004 and Victory - 2007). She has never cruised before. We both are fairly active and both LOVE good food experiences.

 

Eclipse looks like a wonderful ship. I really enjoyed my Valor Cruise but not as much my cruise on Victory which has me leaning away from Carnival for my honeymoon. The only other ships I was looking were RCCL Freedom of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. Ultimately, I decided against Allure because of the fact that a lot of the onboard activities we would most likely not get to and I couldn't justify spending the extra money for an experience I wouldn't be as invloved in. If this wasn;t my honeymoon, I might have picked RCCL.

 

Current Choices:

Currently, I have booked an aft C1 Stateroom on the Eclipse. Room 9382 to be exact. It is on the Panorama deck and has the wider balcony because of the luggage cart closet. From what I can see the room looks beautiful. I really want to try an aft room (never been) because the views look amazing! However, should I book AQ instead on port/starboard? I was confused on which is better, concierege or aqua class. We probably won't be spending a lot of time in the spa which is why I picked C1. Also, the early boarding and debarktation really appealed to me. Are the aft balconies private? I saw a picture on CC that made me think people above me could see right down and I hope it isn't that easy.

 

The reviews about the food and restaurants look great which was a huge factor in our choice. Currently, I am going to ask my TA to book us a reservation in each speciality restaurant leaving 2 formal nights in the MDR and 1 more night to do what we want. Do you recommend this? Should we not "waste" money on all of the different restaurants and stick to 1-2 of the different spots?

 

Our biggest concern about traveling on X is the age demographic. As I said, we are in our 20's. My TA assures me that in November there will be a lot of other honeymooners and since it is not "prime" caribbean crusing months (Feb-May) we should not see a lot of children/older passengers. We have no issues with older passengers, in fact, I prefer it but I would like to mingle with some couples in their 20's-30's. Should age demographic be a concern of ours? Should we take a closer look at Freedom of the Seas instead?

 

So like I said, this is our honeymoon. We have an aft balcony. I really wanted to get a suite but the week we need to go has all the suites sold out. What are some things I can do to make are trip more memorable? For instance, I am curious to know what others have done to get the "suite" treatment in a balcony stateroom. My thoughts so far are to enjoy breakfast on our balcony and I even read that some passengers had dinner on their balcony having their room steward serve them (obviously for a tip). Do any of you have any creative ideas to get extra service in our room? Like I said, I was looking to book a suite but they are sold out. I do not mind adding additional expense. I was kind of thinking that dinner on the lawn deck with a Tiki Torch would be kind of romantic.

This is all I can think to ask right now but please add anything additional you think I might be interested to know! We are very excited about Eclipse but just want some reassurance that it will be a good move for us or suggestions of the right way to go.

Thanks!

[Gonzo70]

Welcome to Cruise Critic and congrats on the upcoming wedding.

 

Here are my thoughts.

 

*The Solstice Class ships are amazing, but you definitely are well below average age for a Celebrity Cruise, especially one not during typical vacation time. My wife and I are 33 & 40 and love Celebrity, but we are on lower end of the Celebrity demographic. Celebrity provides a more sophisticated, relaxing, upscale ambiance than does RCI, but there is far less night life and less activities. You need to decide if having lots of others in your age group, lots of activities, and lots of late night action is what you are seeking, or if you are more interested in the tranquility and ambiance Celebrity affords.

 

*Do not give up on a suite. Very, very good chance one will open up at some point before your sailing and you can switch. If not, Aqua Class is considered by most to be better than Concierge Class. You receive all the Aqua Class perks, plus several others (nicer shower, Blu as your main dining room and access to Blu for breakfast, free bottled water and flavored tea in your stateroom, access to the part of spa with sauna, steam room and heated ceramic lounger and a couple of other perks).

 

*Aft staterooms on Celebrity's newest ships (including Eclipse) are not as preferential (to most people) as the staterooms on the slanted portion of the hump (i.e. 1610, 1608 for examples). These have a nice midship location and large balconies. Aft balconies on Celebrity's newest ships are little to no bigger than standard balconies, are a long walk to closest stairs, elevators and sometimes get soot on them from the smokestacks. They do have a nice view though. If you go with Aqua Class, port vs. starboard should not really matter.

 

*Definitely try all of the specialty restaurants; they are amazing. Celebrity really excels in this area. Murano is the most upscale/formal, so would be a nice to officially celebrate your honeymoon.

[acwmom]

Hi All:

 

This is my first post on the forums. I am very excited to be a member on the forums after about 2 weeks of being a guest. After a bunch of review, and getting a TA and I have booked a Celebrity cruise based on his recommendation and the reviews I have read.

 

 

I'd like to know what the forum thinks about our current choices.

 

Info about us:

My future wife and I are going to be celebrating our honeymoon. We are in our mid-twenties and I have cruised twice on Carnival (Valor - 2004 and Victory - 2007). She has never cruised before. We both are fairly active and both LOVE good food experiences.

 

Eclipse looks like a wonderful ship. I really enjoyed my Valor Cruise but not as much my cruise on Victory which has me leaning away from Carnival for my honeymoon. The only other ships I was looking were RCCL Freedom of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. Ultimately, I decided against Allure because of the fact that a lot of the onboard activities we would most likely not get to and I couldn't justify spending the extra money for an experience I wouldn't be as invloved in. If this wasn;t my honeymoon, I might have picked RCCL.

 

Current Choices:

Currently, I have booked an aft C1 Stateroom on the Eclipse. Room 9382 to be exact. It is on the Panorama deck and has the wider balcony because of the luggage cart closet. From what I can see the room looks beautiful. I really want to try an aft room (never been) because the views look amazing! However, should I book AQ instead on port/starboard? I was confused on which is better, concierege or aqua class. We probably won't be spending a lot of time in the spa which is why I picked C1. Also, the early boarding and debarktation really appealed to me. Are the aft balconies private? I saw a picture on CC that made me think people above me could see right down and I hope it isn't that easy. We were just on the Eclipse and spent a lot of time at the Sunset Bar. You can see down to the aft rooms, but I wouldn't worry about it. We had a C2 on the angled portion of the hump, resort deck, and loved it.

 

The reviews about the food and restaurants look great which was a huge factor in our choice. Currently, I am going to ask my TA to book us a reservation in each speciality restaurant leaving 2 formal nights in the MDR and 1 more night to do what we want. Do you recommend this? Should we not "waste" money on all of the different restaurants and stick to 1-2 of the different spots? Definitely do the specialty restaurants, they are well worth it, especially since it is your honeymoon.

 

Our biggest concern about traveling on X is the age demographic. As I said, we are in our 20's. My TA assures me that in November there will be a lot of other honeymooners and since it is not "prime" caribbean crusing months (Feb-May) we should not see a lot of children/older passengers. We have no issues with older passengers, in fact, I prefer it but I would like to mingle with some couples in their 20's-30's. Should age demographic be a concern of ours? Should we take a closer look at Freedom of the Seas instead? There were all ages on our cruise last week, not many kids, and the ones that were on the ship were well behaved. There is an American Girl cruise one week in November, so that will definitely have a lot of kids on it. For your honeymoon, stick with Eclipse.

 

So like I said, this is our honeymoon. We have an aft balcony. I really wanted to get a suite but the week we need to go has all the suites sold out. What are some things I can do to make are trip more memorable? For instance, I am curious to know what others have done to get the "suite" treatment in a balcony stateroom. My thoughts so far are to enjoy breakfast on our balcony and I even read that some passengers had dinner on their balcony having their room steward serve them (obviously for a tip). Do any of you have any creative ideas to get extra service in our room? Like I said, I was looking to book a suite but they are sold out. I do not mind adding additional expense. I was kind of thinking that dinner on the lawn deck with a Tiki Torch would be kind of romantic. No open flames on the ship, all the candles are LED lights, still romantic.

 

This is all I can think to ask right now but please add anything additional you think I might be interested to know! We are very excited about Eclipse but just want some reassurance that it will be a good move for us or suggestions of the right way to go. Make sure your TA lets Celebrity know it is your honeymoon. We spent our anniversary on the ship. The first night (our anniversary), in the MDR, the waitstaff brought us a special cake and sang to us. On the last sea day, we were invited to a special party for honeymooners and couples celebrating anniversaries. There were only about 10-15 couples there. They served mimosas and champagne, and a strawberry shortcake celebration cake that was to die for. Pictures were taken, music was played, the cruise director and activities director were there. One couple had been married 63 years! It really made us feel special.

Since it is your honeymoon, just take the time to relax.....Congratulations!

 

Thanks!

 

 

Please see my comments above. You haven't gone wrong choosing Celebrity for your honeymoon-enjoy, and congrats!

[SuiteTraveler]

I'm going to suggest a completely different option since this is your honeymoon and that is that you consider on the NCL Jewel class ships OR the NCL Epic. The reason I'm suggesting this is because you could get a suite with butler service - such as a courtyard villa or the deluxe owner's suite on the courtyard floor that includes a private outdoor hottub, which I think would be absolutely ideal for a honeymoon. Even, if you just get a courtyard villa, you will have a huge suite with a gigantic bathroom, 2 sinks, tub, and a huge walk-in shower, 2 tv's dvd player, butler service and use of the courtyard and courtyard sundeck - which are very private, often completely empty. It's a very unique shipboard experience - like nothing you have ever experienced before and I just think that this would be an absolutely fantastic honeymoon. The courtyard villas on the Jewel class ships are limited to just a few, that surround a very exotic courtyard and you just have an incredible experience - very private and luxurious.

 

I think that you would have a great time on Celebrity, BUT, I think the experience of having a courtyard villa on NCL would make your honeymoon one of a kind.

[jerseygirl3]

I'm going to suggest a completely different option since this is your honeymoon and that is that you consider on the NCL Jewel class ships OR the NCL Epic. The reason I'm suggesting this is because you could get a suite with butler service - such as a courtyard villa or the deluxe owner's suite on the courtyard floor that includes a private outdoor hottub, which I think would be absolutely ideal for a honeymoon. Even, if you just get a courtyard villa, you will have a huge suite with a gigantic bathroom, 2 sinks, tub, and a huge walk-in shower, 2 tv's dvd player, butler service and use of the courtyard and courtyard sundeck - which are very private, often completely empty. It's a very unique shipboard experience - like nothing you have ever experienced before and I just think that this would be an absolutely fantastic honeymoon. The courtyard villas on the Jewel class ships are limited to just a few, that surround a very exotic courtyard and you just have an incredible experience - very private and luxurious.

 

I think that you would have a great time on Celebrity, BUT, I think the experience of having a courtyard villa on NCL would make your honeymoon one of a kind.

 

I'm just taking a guess here, but I would think a suite on NCL would cost more than a balcony cabin on Eclipse. And Eclipse is just sooooooo much more elegant. A very special trip for a very special occasion.

 

To the OP, definitely do Murano. It is an outstanding dining venue. Qsine is fun and funky...a little tough to try too many food items with just the two of you (there are over 150 variations of different foods), but a fun experience none the less. We didn't do Tuscan Grill, but heard it was very good and the food looked awesome. However, I think I'd do two nights at Murano vs. one night at Tuscan Grill and one night at Murano. Murano is just that good.

 

You will love Eclipse. We are experienced cruisers (approx. 30 cruises) and it was our favorite cruise thus far. As far as age demographics, I think your TA may be misleading you telling you there will be lots of other honeymooners on board. I don't think November is a very popular wedding season. Your TA is correct that there shouldn't be many children on board. Eclipse is a very innovative, beautiful, elegant and classy ship. I would suggest trying to get a balcony on the "hump". Those balconies are huge.

 

I think you're going to love Eclipse! Good choice for as honeymoon. If all the decisions in your marriage are that good, you are in for a very happy marriage!

 

Jo-Ann

[jackdiamond]

Firstly, there will be a plethora of old folks on your cruise, but no not despair, since most of them are fairly nice; and, what do you care, you are on your honeymoon.

Secondly, I believe that you would be much happier in AQ, particularly the dinners and breakfasts in Blu, which are probably just as good as the meals in the other specialty restaurants. Additionally, the meals there are much more intimate; and, you need not be bothered by table mates. On our cruises on the Equinox, we have noted a number of honeymooners; and, they appeared to have no problem being lovey dovey.

[jackdiamond]

Firstly, there will be a plethora of old folks on your cruise, but no not despair, since most of them are fairly nice; and, what do you care, you are on your honeymoon.

Secondly, I believe that you would be much happier in AQ, particularly the dinners and breakfasts in Blu, which are probably just as good as the meals in the other specialty restaurants. Additionally, the meals there are much more intimate; and, you need not be bothered by table mates. On our cruises on the Equinox, we have noted a number of honeymooners; and, they appeared to have no problem being lovey dovey.

You might wish to read the post by Member 123.

[Host Anne]

Cessna ~ welcome to Cruise Critic and congrats on your impending marriage. I think a honeymoon onboard an S-class ship (Eclipse) is a perfect choice. We've sailed many lines (Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Princess, HAL, NCL & Carnival). If it were my honeymoon, Celebrity's Solstice class ship would win hands down. We sailed Eclipse last November and she's a beautiful ship, wonderful service, terrific food and she has as much or as little to do as you'd like.

 

Aft balconies are no private. We love them, but those above you can look down and see some of your balcony. My favorite spots back here are the corner Sky Suites. If you could snag one of those, it would be wonderful. If you consider AQ, I'd avoid those that are forward and under the gym or pool deck as you could get noise. Choose one aft that is under other passenger cabins.

 

While Celebrity typically draws an older crowd, there have been younger people on every ship we've sailed with them. We always find younger and older people that we enjoy meeting and spending time with. This isn't a party ship but it certainly isn't a dead ship, either. There is lots of great entertainment from comediens, jazz, piano, pool band, guitarist. And there are wonderful lounges to share time together like Cellar Master, Ensemble and Sky.

 

I recommend all of the specialty restaurants on the ship and especially recommend trying Qsine if you can find some others to dine with. There are so many options on the menu and so much food that it's a bit more fun with others. Murano is probably the most romantic but I really like Tuscan Grille, too. There aren't tiki torches on the lawn club but I know you can arrange to have a romantic dinner for two on your balcony.

 

I've been on Freedom of the Seas several times and of the larger RCI ships, she's my favorite. But for a honeymoon, I'd much prefer the classiness, food and service of Eclipse.

 

Some special things:

• A couples massage in the spa.
  
• Ask the a cappella group to sing a song to your wife from you.
  
• Consider the special photography package (can't remember what they call it...it has "blue" in it's name I think) where you spend several hours with a ships photographer throuhout the ship and perhaps even on shore to create a really cool photo album (not cheap but very nice)
  
• When you dock in St. Thomas, go to St. John and escape to one of the quieter beaches - Honeymoon, Hawksnest for a lovely day. It's easy to do on your own.
  

Whatever you decide, have a fantastic time. And feel free to ask more questions!

[CessnaAV8R]

To everyone that has responded so far, thank you very much! Your posts have been very helpful!

 

I was told by my TA that pending availability we could still get into Blu if it wasn't booked. I don't think we would need to go there more than once but maybe I am wrong. Do you still get the expanded menu in AQ that you get in CC?

 

Also, all of the rooms on the bump out are booked. That being said would you still take an aft cabin? I saw some videos of sunsets from aft cabin rooms and was in awe. It was beautiful! I am not to concerned with the walk to the elevators even though it does look long (I can work off some of the calories I consume). However, mid-ship was still a thought of mine. When I was on CCL Valor, I was mid ship 3 rooms from the elevator on the Lido Deck. The spa was above me. The room location was perfect. I was 30 steps from outside/bars/pools. The resort deck looks most like what I had on CCL but the Lido deck is above that and I don't want to hear chairs dragging. I am thinking I will give aft a shot.

 

Any other suggestions by other's would be great! Thank you very much for helping me plan my honeymoon. I want to make it great/unique for my wife so any special ideas would be very appreciative!

 

Thanks!

[Gonzo70]

To everyone that has responded so far, thank you very much! Your posts have been very helpful!

 

I was told by my TA that pending availability we could still get into Blu if it wasn't booked. I don't think we would need to go there more than once but maybe I am wrong. Do you still get the expanded menu in AQ that you get in CC?

 

Also, all of the rooms on the bump out are booked. That being said would you still take an aft cabin? I saw some videos of sunsets from aft cabin rooms and was in awe. It was beautiful! I am not to concerned with the walk to the elevators even though it does look long (I can work off some of the calories I consume). However, mid-ship was still a thought of mine. When I was on CCL Valor, I was mid ship 3 rooms from the elevator on the Lido Deck. The spa was above me. The room location was perfect. I was 30 steps from outside/bars/pools. The resort deck looks most like what I had on CCL but the Lido deck is above that and I don't want to hear chairs dragging. I am thinking I will give aft a shot.

 

Any other suggestions by other's would be great! Thank you very much for helping me plan my honeymoon. I want to make it great/unique for my wife so any special ideas would be very appreciative!

 

Thanks!

 

Concierge Class cannot eat in Blu; only Aqua Class is assigned to Blu and then guests in suites may eat there for $5 per/person at dinner if room is available. There are however still 9 different restaurants on board you can enjoy. If no suites and no humps are available, I'd recommend sticking with the aft for now or upgrading to Aqua Class, but checking daily to see if a suite or hump opens up.

[CessnaAV8R]

Cessna ~ welcome to Cruise Critic and congrats on your impending marriage. I think a honeymoon onboard an S-class ship (Eclipse) is a perfect choice. We've sailed many lines (Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Princess, HAL, NCL & Carnival). If it were my honeymoon, Celebrity's Solstice class ship would win hands down. We sailed Eclipse last November and she's a beautiful ship, wonderful service, terrific food and she has as much or as little to do as you'd like.

 

Aft balconies are no private. We love them, but those above you can look down and see some of your balcony. My favorite spots back here are the corner Sky Suites. If you could snag one of those, it would be wonderful. If you consider AQ, I'd avoid those that are forward and under the gym or pool deck as you could get noise. Choose one aft that is under other passenger cabins.

 

While Celebrity typically draws an older crowd, there have been younger people on every ship we've sailed with them. We always find younger and older people that we enjoy meeting and spending time with. This isn't a party ship but it certainly isn't a dead ship, either. There is lots of great entertainment from comediens, jazz, piano, pool band, guitarist. And there are wonderful lounges to share time together like Cellar Master, Ensemble and Sky.

 

I recommend all of the specialty restaurants on the ship and especially recommend trying Qsine if you can find some others to dine with. There are so many options on the menu and so much food that it's a bit more fun with others. Murano is probably the most romantic but I really like Tuscan Grille, too. There aren't tiki torches on the lawn club but I know you can arrange to have a romantic dinner for two on your balcony.

 

I've been on Freedom of the Seas several times and of the larger RCI ships, she's my favorite. But for a honeymoon, I'd much prefer the classiness, food and service of Eclipse.

 

 

Some special things:

• A couples massage in the spa.
  
• Ask the a cappella group to sing a song to your wife from you.
  
• Consider the special photography package (can't remember what they call it...it has "blue" in it's name I think) where you spend several hours with a ships photographer throuhout the ship and perhaps even on shore to create a really cool photo album (not cheap but very nice)
  
• When you dock in St. Thomas, go to St. John and escape to one of the quieter beaches - Honeymoon, Hawksnest for a lovely day. It's easy to do on your own.
  

Whatever you decide, have a fantastic time. And feel free to ask more questions!

 

*****************

 

Anne, what a great response! Thank you very much. I like some of the extra ideas you mentioned and am very interested in the photography package. I am going to take a look at it. The a capella idea is great too! How would I get that? Are there packages on the website?

 

I also love Corner Sky Suite's too. They look amazing and I told my TA to keep an eye out for one of those. Looks like I would get the bext of both worlds by being on the side of the ship and aft. For now I have a room that has a wider balcony. I figure that might be nice if my wife wants to lay out and get some sun on the balcony. I like the bump out but those rooms are taken too. So, I guess the wider balcony on the aft of the ship will work well?

 

Anything else on the ship note worthy? Like I said, I have been on CCL twice and the second time I knew some of the tricks. :-)

[CCMS14]

Congratulations on your wedding!

I think you should go for an AQ cabin, my boyfriend and I (21) had one in February on the Eclipse, and my mom and I in August on the Solstice, Blu is wonderful and in my opinion the service is much more intimate and attentive compared to the main dining room. That being said, as per specialty dining, and others may disagree however in my opinion - qsine is not worth it for a party of 2. Murano is a lovely experience, but my favourite is Tuscan Grille (although that is just my opinion as someone who loves Italian), and the servers were so kind to us!

As for the demographic on the ship, I find that as a 21 year old, I like the subdued atmosphere as I am on a cruise to relax and spend time with my bf, I can only assume that you two will want to spend time relaxing and with each other and the Eclipse/Celebrity will be just the chance!

Also a bonus is how new the Eclipse is, it is still in great shape and I am sure no matter what you choose you will love it!

I also loved the Persian Gardens, they were hardly ever full and as an amenity for AQ guests for free, we could just go whenever and relax while watching the ocean, the relaxation room is also nice just to read a book and look out when it isnt crowded!

Congrats

 

also! Be sure to try bistro on 5, it is a lovely little place, hardly ever full and only $5 per person. Another thing is, are you considering a beverage package at all? I did the premium non alcoholic in February as I don't drink much, it was a great fit. All the specialty coffees from Cafe al Bacio I wanted, San Pellegrino at dinner, grab an evian on the way off the ship -- very convenient and affordable, it made things a little bit more convenient for us!

[Host Anne]

Cessna ~ I couldn't find any info about the photography package on Celebrity's website. When you get on the ship, visit the Photo Gallery on deck 5, the Entertainment deck. They'll have info for you and you'll be able to see samples of the work they do with the special package. I do some amateur photography and I thought they did very nice work. It might be fun and give you some special memories of your honeymoon.

 

There are a couple of ways to try and arrange for the a cappella group to sing for you. First, I would try to speak with the group just prior to a performance. They are always very friendly (everyone loves them) and willing to chat with people. You could quickly let them know you are on your honeymoon and if they'd sing a song to your wife. The time and place they are going to perform are listed in you daily paper delivered to your room each evening. On the S-class ships, they often sing outside of Quasar, the disco. Arrive about ten minutes before a scheduled performance and you should be able to find them easily to chat for a moment. We had them sing for a sailaway once, where they performed West Side Story songs. It was magical. And all I did was ask.

 

We are longtime fans of aft cabins. We love the wake and the sunsets; the early morning coffee/breakfast on our balcony. We have stayed in the balcony you currently have with the wider balcony. The aft balconies are about the only ones that get full sun. Our hump balcony got a little sun near the railing some of the time, but it wasn't a spot that you could lay out and get some son.

 

There are pros and cons to each cabin category and location on the ship. You need to determine which things are more important to you. Be sure to have your TA check for available cabins when final payment is due. Often, you'll find cabins (including suites/sky suites) open at this time when people make a final decision whether to cruise or not. Note your final payment date on your calendar and be sure to call your TA the day before and ask them check availability that day and the next couple of days.

 

I second trying Bistro on Five. Great lunch on a sea day. Food is very good and it's a nice break from everything else on the ship.

 

As I think of other things, I'll come back and post.

[acwmom]

My DH and I ate at Qsine, only 2 of us. We had a wonderful time. We chose 6 items from the menu, in addition to dessert. There were items we had no interest in trying. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience, even though it was just the 2 of us. In fact, there were several tables of 2 that night. I say it is a must do.

 

Another thought, and I am not sure how easy this would be, but try to find out from the Corning Museum of Glass which glass artists are going to be on board that week. If you could touch base with them ahead of time, perhaps you could arrange for them to make something special for your wife at one of their on board shows. They do a raffle at each show, and an auction at the end of the cruise. They also make items for the kids on board, so I am sure there would be a way to get this done. We really enjoyed the shows, and in fact, plan on having one of the artists do a few pieces for us once he gets back home.

 

We had a C2, 2108, on the resort deck. It was a perfect location. We are not spa people, and felt the food in the MDR would be more to our liking.

[luuke2]

I wouldn't be concerned about demographics, and since it's your honeymoon I think you made the right choice with Celebrity. You will love your balcony for sure, and as long as you don't mind the walk, the AFT definately has the best views. Room service for breakfast everyday is worth the balcony by itself.

 

One of our favorite excursions in St. Thomas is the private sail and snorkle. It's really more semi-private, because it's the sail boat that only takes 6 guests. The captains are awesome, you're with a small group, the snorkling's pretty good but the sail back is just amazing.

 

Congrats and enjoy!

[CessnaAV8R]

WOW! A big thank you to everyone that has responded. You have given me some great ideas - all of you. After thinking about it, I am going to stick with the aft room I have on X Eclipse. I don't think I will mind the walk and I am looking forward to the views/sun.

 

I have been to St. Martin before as well as St. Thomas. Both islands were beautiful and I am looking forward to going back. I am also looking forward to San Juan. In another post I will ask for suggestions on what to do at the islands.

 

We will ask our TA to book every restaurant once and the remaining nights eat whats served from the MDR. I will deff ask the a capella group to sing a special song. I also love the glass blowing gife idea.

 

We are considering a premium alcoholic package ($50 pp). We both "enjoy" alcoholic beverages and will be ordering other drinks as well. For instance, I am certain I will have around 5-6 alcoholic drinks per day and other drinks. Would you recommend the package? Does the package cover every drink?

Also, we enjoy drinks before dinner when on vacation. What would be the easiest way in getting a drink in our room? I really wouldn't want to walk all the way to a bar. Can room service just bring a drink? My room steward? Should I get a bottle of alcohol for my room? I don't really want to buy the $80 bottle of alcohol (extremly overpriced) if I get a beverage package.

 

Thanks!

[jerseygirl3]

WOW! A big thank you to everyone that has responded. You have given me some great ideas - all of you. After thinking about it, I am going to stick with the aft room I have on X Eclipse. I don't think I will mind the walk and I am looking forward to the views/sun.

 

I have been to St. Martin before as well as St. Thomas. Both islands were beautiful and I am looking forward to going back. I am also looking forward to San Juan. In another post I will ask for suggestions on what to do at the islands.

 

We will ask our TA to book every restaurant once and the remaining nights eat whats served from the MDR. I will deff ask the a capella group to sing a special song. I also love the glass blowing gife idea.

 

We are considering a premium alcoholic package ($50 pp). We both "enjoy" alcoholic beverages and will be ordering other drinks as well. For instance, I am certain I will have around 5-6 alcoholic drinks per day and other drinks. Would you recommend the package? Does the package cover every drink?

Also, we enjoy drinks before dinner when on vacation. What would be the easiest way in getting a drink in our room? I really wouldn't want to walk all the way to a bar. Can room service just bring a drink? My room steward? Should I get a bottle of alcohol for my room? I don't really want to buy the $80 bottle of alcohol (extremly overpriced) if I get a beverage package.

 

Thanks!

 

We had the premium alcohol package when we were onboard Eclipse a few weeks ago and absolutely loved it! It was nice having all our drinks paid for ahead of time (we booked one for DH online ahead of time and booked mine as soon as we boarded since we had a hefty OBC). Anyway, the drinks were plentiful and it gave us an opportunity to try some pricey wines that we wouldn't ordinarily spend the money on. The sommollier never left our side during dinner (LOL) and if we didn't like something...no problem, he brought us something else. The premium package pretty much covers everything. There were a couple of 20 year Tawny Port wines that were a bit over $12, but they didn't charge anything extra.

 

If you drink 5-6 drinks a day it would be worth it. Plus, you can get specialty waters and specialty coffees (we went to the coffee bar and ordered a cafe latte at least twice a day).

 

Enjoy...you've selected a wonderful ship for your honeymoon.

 

Jo-Ann

[Host Anne]

Cessna ~ I'd suggest that you run the numbers on the drink package. If you get the premium package, you need to drink $50 work of drinks per day. Can you do it? Absolutely. But would you if you hadn't paid for the package? I ran the numbers for our cruise last month. We decided not to do simply because if we did, we'd drink too much. And it's not just alcoholic drinks. We'd drink too many of the other stuff too -- specialty coffees, soft drinks. So we did what we normally do. Ordered what we wanted when we wanted it and we were no where close to drinking $50 per day per person. If I wanted a martini, I ordered it; if I wanted a specialty coffee, I had that too. We had a cocktail before dinner each evening and we had wine with dinner every night. Our total bill for drinks was half the price the premium package would have cost. So, it really depends on how much you drink. Run the numbers and see if it works for you.

[kitkat9438]

Welcome to Celebrity and cruise critic and congratulations on your upcoming wedding!!!

 

We were booked in Aqua on the Eclipse in December and loved it. Eclipse is our favorite ship so far. Aqua gets all of the amenities as the CC class plus free bottled water and tea, and access to the Persian Gardens (think heated tile loungers and saunas - great for a honeymoon), and the Relaxation Room (beds in a quiet room at the front of the ship). Blu is an outstanding restaurant and most people will book Aqua just for the ability to dine here (more intimate, plenty of tables for 2 and fresher food).

 

I see you've looked for those hump cabins, but do you have the list of "good" cabins with the larger balconies? Here's the list for you to check. (by the way I check myself everyday and don't depend on my TA for available cabins and price drops).

 

Resort Deck: 2105, 2109, 2106, 2110

Penthouse Deck: 1547, 1552, 1601, 1605, 1606, 1610

Sky Deck: 1075, 1044, 1231, 1243, 1247, 1108, 1120, 1124

Panorama Deck: 9155, 9192, 9209, 9215, 9237, 9241, 9266, 9270, 9292, 9296

Vista Deck: 8197, 8160, 8257, 8253, 8230, 8226, 8279, 8283, 8252, 8256

Sunrise Deck: 7159, 7206, 7215, 7219, 7241, 7245, 7260, 7264, 7286, 7290

Continental Deck: 6155, 6156, 6209, 6215, 6237, 6241, 6210, 6214, 6236, 6240

We were in 1606 on the hump which is one of the largest Aqua balconies. No one can see into your balcony from these cabins and you can't see anyone at all unless you are standing at the railing because the balconies are so deep. Check out the picture:

We purchased the premium alcohol package and it is well worth it. You cannot get room service with the package however, but it is really easy to stop by the bar on the way to your cabin to get a drink. Especially if you are in one of the Aqua cabins in the middle of the ship. A straight shot down to the martini bar or up to the pool bars. When looking at the packages, you have to remember that they cover everything, including bottled water, fresh juices, smoothies, soda, specialty coffee, wine, beer, frozen drinks, martini's, etc. It's really easy to spend the daily cost. For example:

 

Cappuccino (morning) $5

Irish coffee (after dinner) $6

Patron Margarita (2) $17

Wine with dinner $8

Bottled Water $12

Soda (2) $4

Martini (before dinner) $10

Total $62 plus tip 15% = $71.30

 

The package is really convenient at dinner, where you can get San Pellegrino sparkling water, a glass of wine, or they will go get you a martini at the martini bar (no problem). Plus there's the pool, casino, and shows where you can have a drink. We loved the package and will definitely be buying it again on our next cruise.

 

Breakfast on your balcony is wonderful and with CC class or Aqua you will have an expanded room service breakfast menu that will give you fresh squeezed juices and smoothies at no additional cost. Our server never set up our table, however, but delivered it to our room and left it and we had to take it outside ourselves. I understand Celebrity used to do this, but I haven't seen it on our last couple of cruises in CC class or Aqua.

 

Qsine is one of the best dining experiences we've ever had. It was so fun and unique and you will love it. I would agree that if you can find some people to join you it would be a lot more fun. (Have you joined your roll call? You can meet great people on there and make arrangements to dine with or go on excursions with others if you choose). We had 10 people at our table so we were able to order a lot of the entries and everyone got to try them all. The filet mignon was the best steak I had on the ship. Truly well worth the money. Do allow for at least 3 hours for the dining experience though. I would recommend booking any of your specialty restaurants early since they take longer. Most shows are early for the late diners (around 7) or late for the early diners (I think around 9).

 

Your formal nights will be Sunday and Thursday if you are on a 7 day cruise.

 

With CC and Aqua you get the canapes in your cabin around 4 each day. You now have to fill out a card to request what time you want them. Some people don't like these, but we did and we would usually ask for cheese and crackers as well. You can also go by the buffet area when you return from port and pick up some food to take to your cabin. There's a great selection of little sandwhiches, cookies, fruit, etc. for their "tea" time around 4. Sushi will be available at 5.

 

One of the best shows is Eclipse the Show which will be on your second formal night (Thursday). This is the Cirque Du Solei style show and very entertaining. You will have some late night adult comedy shoes as well.

 

Here's a great website to check out pictures of the Eclipse.

 

http://www.beyondships.com/Celebrity-Eclipse-Tour-4.html

 

Here's a link to menu's for Blu in case you decide to go with it:

 

https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B5BK-JzLUuM2YzIzOWI0OWYtZWE5Ny00NWRiLTg2NTctNGRiMDllNzNkZDMx&hl=enbrowerok%3Dtrue

 

Enjoy your cruise!!!

 

[CessnaAV8R]

Jerseygirl and Anne - Thank you for the feedback on the premium package. My finance and I, while not boozehounds, do like to enjoy alcoholic beverages - especially on vacation. I personally see us having around 5-7 alcoholic drinks per day and obviouslly additional drinks including coffee, soda's, juices and water. For instance - I will have 2 drinks at dinner for sure and most likely 2 more after dinner in the public areas of this ship. This means that I would have to drink only 1-2 alcoholic drinks during the day to break even. This is withou counting other kinds of drinks. I have a feeling I will hit that mark. It would be nice to know that all of that is covered.

[CessnaAV8R]

Welcome to Celebrity and cruise critic and congratulations on your upcoming wedding!!!

 

We were booked in Aqua on the Eclipse in December and loved it. Eclipse is our favorite ship so far. Aqua gets all of the amenities as the CC class plus free bottled water and tea, and access to the Persian Gardens (think heated tile loungers and saunas - great for a honeymoon), and the Relaxation Room (beds in a quiet room at the front of the ship). Blu is an outstanding restaurant and most people will book Aqua just for the ability to dine here (more intimate, plenty of tables for 2 and fresher food).

 

I see you've looked for those hump cabins, but do you have the list of "good" cabins with the larger balconies? Here's the list for you to check. (by the way I check myself everyday and don't depend on my TA for available cabins and price drops).

 

Resort Deck: 2105, 2109, 2106, 2110

Penthouse Deck: 1547, 1552, 1601, 1605, 1606, 1610

Sky Deck: 1075, 1044, 1231, 1243, 1247, 1108, 1120, 1124

Panorama Deck: 9155, 9192, 9209, 9215, 9237, 9241, 9266, 9270, 9292, 9296

Vista Deck:8197, 8160, 8257, 8253, 8230, 8226, 8279, 8283, 8252, 8256

Sunrise Deck: 7159, 7206, 7215, 7219, 7241, 7245, 7260, 7264, 7286, 7290

Continental Deck: 6155, 6156, 6209, 6215, 6237, 6241, 6210, 6214, 6236, 6240

We were in 1606 on the hump which is one of the largest Aqua balconies. No one can see into your balcony from these cabins and you can't see anyone at all unless you are standing at the railing because the balconies are so deep. Check out the picture:

 

We purchased the premium alcohol package and it is well worth it. You cannot get room service with the package however, but it is really easy to stop by the bar on the way to your cabin to get a drink. Especially if you are in one of the Aqua cabins in the middle of the ship. A straight shot down to the martini bar or up to the pool bars. When looking at the packages, you have to remember that they cover everything, including bottled water, fresh juices, smoothies, soda, specialty coffee, wine, beer, frozen drinks, martini's, etc. It's really easy to spend the daily cost. For example:

 

Cappuccino (morning) $5

Irish coffee (after dinner) $6

Patron Margarita (2) $17

Wine with dinner $8

Bottled Water $12

Soda (2) $4

Martini (before dinner) $10

Total $62 plus tip 15% = $71.30

 

The package is really convenient at dinner, where you can get San Pellegrino sparkling water, a glass of wine, or they will go get you a martini at the martini bar (no problem). Plus there's the pool, casino, and shows where you can have a drink. We loved the package and will definitely be buying it again on our next cruise.

 

Breakfast on your balcony is wonderful and with CC class or Aqua you will have an expanded room service breakfast menu that will give you fresh squeezed juices and smoothies at no additional cost. Our server never set up our table, however, but delivered it to our room and left it and we had to take it outside ourselves. I understand Celebrity used to do this, but I haven't seen it on our last couple of cruises in CC class or Aqua.

 

Qsine is one of the best dining experiences we've ever had. It was so fun and unique and you will love it. I would agree that if you can find some people to join you it would be a lot more fun. (Have you joined your roll call? You can meet great people on there and make arrangements to dine with or go on excursions with others if you choose). We had 10 people at our table so we were able to order a lot of the entries and everyone got to try them all. The filet mignon was the best steak I had on the ship. Truly well worth the money. Do allow for at least 3 hours for the dining experience though. I would recommend booking any of your specialty restaurants early since they take longer. Most shows are early for the late diners (around 7) or late for the early diners (I think around 9).

 

Your formal nights will be Sunday and Thursday if you are on a 7 day cruise.

 

With CC and Aqua you get the canapes in your cabin around 4 each day. You now have to fill out a card to request what time you want them. Some people don't like these, but we did and we would usually ask for cheese and crackers as well. You can also go by the buffet area when you return from port and pick up some food to take to your cabin. There's a great selection of little sandwhiches, cookies, fruit, etc. for their "tea" time around 4. Sushi will be available at 5.

 

One of the best shows is Eclipse the Show which will be on your second formal night (Thursday). This is the Cirque Du Solei style show and very entertaining. You will have some late night adult comedy shoes as well.

 

Here's a great website to check out pictures of the Eclipse.

 

http://www.beyondships.com/Celebrity-Eclipse-Tour-4.html

 

Here's a link to menu's for Blu in case you decide to go with it:

 

https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B5BK-JzLUuM2YzIzOWI0OWYtZWE5Ny00NWRiLTg2NTctNGRiMDllNzNkZDMx&hl=enbrowerok%3Dtrue

 

Enjoy your cruise!!!

 

 

 

Hi Kathy,

 

This was an excellent post. Thank you very much. You have me re-thinking my selection in cabins! I have looked up the reviews from the aft of ships and it looks like beautiful views. I am not excited for the long walk to the elevators and I am currently on the panorama deck so it will be a long walk for a drink/food. When I was on Carnival Valor I was on the Lido Deck under the spa. I was only steps from the main sunbathing/pool area and bars were very close. It was a perfect location. I would like to book aquaclass but the better room locations are booked and I want to try an aft cabin.

 

Do you think I should just book the aft cabin and wait to see if anything else comes up? I can still get in Blu even if I don't have AQ pending availability right?

 

Thanks!

[kitkat9438]

Thanks and your welcome. You cannot dine in Blu unless you are in Aqua Class. This restaurant is dedicated to Aqua Class unless you are in a Suite on a space available basis.

 

I did a little research about those aft balconies. The only benefit would be the view. There are several cons about these cabins, no privacy, no cover if it rains, soot, and a very long walk to the elevators or stairs. Also if your fiance has never been on a cruise, do you know if she is prone to motion sickness? If so, you would be better off in the middle of the ship. If it was me and my honeymoon, I'd rather have Aqua Class with the private balcony. You still won't have a huge balcony in either room, so you need to look at the other amenities.

 

Check out this thread where's there's some good comments about those aft cabins and problems and a good picture on post #24.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1129095&highlight=pictures+of+aft+cabins

 

I'm assuming you are on the 11/12 itinerary since it's the only one without any suites available. There are several cabins in the 1500's available in Aqua Class, great location near the elevators. You would want to stay away from 1551 or 1552 because of the window washing equipment. The pool deck (and bar) is one deck up and the buffet is 2 decks up. The front of the ship right down the hall is where the relaxation room is and it's really nice. Of course there are stairs here that go directly up to the spa.

 

Here's a great picture of the cabins on the side of the ship so you can get an idea of the balconies. Check out post #26.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=909206&highlight=pictures+of+hump+cabins

 

Here's the relaxation room:

 

 

Persian Garden:

 

 

Blu:

 

 

Whatever you decide you will have a great cruise, so go with whatever you think you will like the best.

 

Another tip for you is go to lastminute travel dot com and do a search for your travel date to book a precruise hotel. You can get the Intercontinental which is a 5 star hotel right on the bay where you can see your ship out your window when you wake up. If you select 5 stars the first hotel that pops up for $102 is the Intercontinental. Check out the pictures for this hotel. If you tell them it is for your honeymoon they will give you a great room with a view and some chocolate covered strawberries delivered to your room. This hotel is a short taxi ride from the airport and to the pier. You can also walk to Bayside Marketplace for some nice places to eat and have some drinks and there's a CVS right across the street to pick up last minute items.

 

http://www.icmiamihotel.com/

[alj1208]

I would actually cut back a little on the specialty restaurants. We felt the food in the MDR was excellent, and you can get a table for two. I am sure they will go "all out" for you if they know you are on your honeymoon. I would also add that it could be very romantic getting room service on your balcony. Also, we found it to be very romantic to grab some food at the dinner buffet and head out to the Sunset Bar to eat and have cocktails in the moonlight. NO ONE was there during dinner, and we had it to ourselves. We have a child, and we had no trouble finding romantic, quiet spots on the ship while our little guy was in the Fun Factory! I remember thinking how marvelous this ship would be for honeymooners.

 

Don't be afraid of the so-called X demographic. X isn't an age thing....... it's an ambiance thing. If you like an upscale, trendy experience, this is for you. We saw lots of 20-somethings on our recent Western Caribbean cruise on Eclipse, but they seemed to enjoy a more grown-up experience. You won't see too many "contests" by the pool, and there's no waterslide, but you don't want that on your honeymoon anyway!

[luvtocook]

I am another vote for Aqua Class and dining in Blu. We find the MDR way too noisy, too big and not romantic AT ALL. Blu has amazing food, unbelievable service and is VERY romantic. Their breakfast offerings are also wonderful and they can make anything you might ask for.

We celebrated our anniversary on board Equinox and went to each specialty restaurant and had wonderful romantic dinners in all 3, I would highly recommend you DO dine in each (as long as you don't ming the charge).

Enjoy your wedding and cruise whichever way you decide to go!!!

[CessnaAV8R]

KitKat - Again, an amzing response. I can't express how thankful I am to you and everyone else that has chimed in on their experiences and opinions.

 

Alj and luvtocook, thank you for the responses too.

 

 

I am still not 100% sure on the class I want. There are so many options that it gets confusing. We really want to enjoy the aft view and currently have a C1 but from what I have read/seen it looks like the aft cabins aren't as good as other ships and I don't want my first aft cabin experience to be ruined (Especially on a honeymoon). Then aside from Blu, I am not sure I would indulge in the offerings of an AQ room. Relaxation room/persian gardens really just isn't our thing as much as getting sun, enjoying food/drinks, enjoying each other's company and exploring the activities on the ship.

 

I have read that everything you get with the Concierge Class you get with Aqua Class and then the extras of AQ, correct?

What are some of the activities on the ship during the day?

 

Also, how is the nightlife on X after dinner? I recently just read that because of the demographic the dance club, casino and other clubs shut down earlier than other cruise lines. Some of these reviewers make X sound like a retirement village which isn't good for prospective customers like me, jeeze.... I tend to ignore the extremes when it comes to reviews and try to find a consensus.

 

My finance and I do enjoy the upscale/trendy experiences. As I mentioned in my OP, I have sailed Carnival and while we would enjoy things like a Conga Line/funny contests by the pool, I don't think it's something we're going to want on the honeymoon. X seems to be more of what we're going to want which is:

• A stylish accommodation with good views
  
• Great service
  
• Great food (Extra important)
  
• A fun onboard experience that will include good shows and entertainment both during the day and at night
  
• Great ports of call (Which we already love)
  
• No/Minimal kids (Sorry to the parents out there - We love children just not for our cruise honeymoon)
  
• Some fellow cruisers around our age would be nice
  

From where I sit, X Eclipse looks like a good choice. I am still just unsure on the stateroom. I think if I could get an aft facing AQ it might make it so much easier. LOL