Review: ECLIPSE 1/25-2/8

[WonderMan3]

This was our second cruise on Celebrity. We enjoyed our cruise in January 2013 on Equinox so much that we booked this Eclipse cruise shortly

 

after returning home. My partner Mike and I were joined again by my sister and her boyfriend. We had another great cruise this time around and

 

really enjoy Celebrity, so much so that we have already booked for next January on the Eclipse again. You can view a video I made of the cruise

 

at the bottom. Here is a detailed review:

 

THE SHIP - A

 

Once again, as with Equinox, we were very impressed with the look and feel of the ship.Very clean and we found the staff to be friendly. It probably didn't "wow" us as much as Equinox only because there wasn't the effect of experiencing a ship for the first time since these two ships are essentially twins.If I noticed any real difference it was that there appeared to be a little more wear-and-tear on this ship (the wood rails on our balcony were really worn, some of the seats in the buffet were peeling and ripped, etc.) but it didn't impact our enjoyment.

 

EMBARKATION - A-

 

We had a short wait for the security line, but once we moved to the main check-in there was no wait as we went into the suite line. Even the general lines were short though as our companions only had to wait 5-10 minutes longer than we did. This was between 11:30-11:45 so this appeared to be a good time to arrive. Then it was quickly onto the ship. Rooms were still being made up but we asked if we could just run down and drop

our carry-on bags and then we would be off to lunch. When we got there though the room attendant said the room was done and we were welcome to stay.

 

DISEMBARKATION - C

 

We had a flight around noon so I didn't want to do express walk-off at 7:30am and wait around at the airport, especially since we had a lot of bags too that would've been difficult to manage. We may have been better off though as we had to be out of the room by 8am. Breakfast ended at 8am too, so it was basically sitting around in the theater area for 90 minutes. Then it was approximately 30 minutes in long lines from leaving the ship to meeting our ride outside the terminal. Not fun. I really wish that Celebrity did it like NCL where you can at least stay in your cabin until they call you.

 

OUR CABIN - Sky Suite - 7356 - A

 

Another great stay in the Sky Suite. I really love this cabin for the space you get, both living space and storage, all the light coming into the room from both the balcony doors and the giant porthole, and of course the giant balcony with those wraparound views. I think we spent less time on the balcony this time around but that's just because we were busy elsewhere on the ship. One of our balcony chairs had been replaced with one of the standard balcony chairs so I assume the other chair had been damaged and removed. Soot was only an issue with some minor accumulation on the floor on certain days and only one day where it was actually falling on us and the furniture a bit, it really depended on wind direction.

 

SUITE SERVICE

 

BUTLER - D

 

Our butler's name was Manuel and he was terrible. The first problem was that he had an incredibly thick accent and spoke very rapidly. This is not something I want to hold against someone, and it's never been a problem on any of the many cruises we've taken before, but when it comes to a service industry job, clear communication is a must. When he would ask us questions or reply to questions we asked, we would have to ask him to repeat 2-3 times until we were able to understand. The second issue was he didn't recognize our needs as guests. He would always be trying to let us know about services or things he could do for us at inappropriate times. For instance he came by one day just as I was stepping out of the shower (my partner was not in the room). I was afraid he would just walk in so I answered the door in my towel and said I just got out of the shower. He wanted to deliver some canapes. I would've expected a reaction that he was sorry for interrupting as I was standing there in a towel, but he started to try and show me the canapes. I said we didn't need anything, thanked him and closed the door. It was less than 10 minutes later and I was in the middle of getting dressed when he was back again, now with other snacks. I was visibly annoyed this time and said I didn't need anything, but he didn't seem to get it. A third issue was that he would consistently deliver breakfast earlier than the time requested, sometimes by up to 30 minutes. Now while this is certainly better than being late, when we're already getting up at 6:30 to 7am, this made it an inconvenience. The final straw though happened one day when my sister and I were sitting out on our balcony around sunset. Suddenly a rush of water came pouring down from above all over me and my chair and splashing onto my Ipad that was on the table. My sister managed to dash away before more water came pouring down. I backed to the edge of the balcony to look up and see what was causing it and saw Manuel washing the

balcony above us. I yelled and waved my arms to get his attention. When he looked my way I said "what's the deal, you got us all wet". He just flashed a goofy smile and went inside the cabin above. I was waiting to see if he was coming down to our cabin but he never showed up. This was halfway through the cruise. I should've said something to management but didn't want to be bothered. We just avoided him after that except to

deliver coffee in the morning.I did fill out the comment card with what happened though.

 

ROOM ATTENDANT - A

 

Our room attendant Saturnino was wonderful. Very friendly and attentive. We didn't have to ask him for much but whenever he did he was prompt and efficient in completing the request.The room was generally very clean. The only issue we had was with the shower curtain and liner which had large mildew stains. We had ignored it for a few days but Mike finally left a note. The curtain and liner were promptly replaced and the whole shower was scrubbed down removing mildew that had also built up in the tile grout. Nothing was off after that.

 

ROOM SERVICE - D

 

Once again we encountered terrible room service food. This was a problem for us on Equinox. We ordered breakfast several times and it was always borderline cold and rubbery. We did complain about it to a dining room manager who queried us one night about our dining experiences. He said he would speak to someone in the kitchen about it and asked us to try ordering again and he would follow up with us to check. The next morning we

ordered and it was slightly better but still poor quality. We didn't bother with it after that. That manager never followed up with us either. It wasn't until days later that I happened to run into him at the buffet and he asked how the room service was. I told him there was a slight improvement. He seemed pleased with himself that he had fixed a problem and walked away. Of course the problem wasn't fixed but we didn't bother pursuing it any further.

 

SHIP SERVICE - B

 

We found the service overall to be better than Equinox. Staff were more open and friendly and seemed happier. There were a few grumps in the mix like the surly Eastern European bartender up at the Sunset Bar and our waiter at the dining room on the last night of the cruise who seemed like he couldn't be bothered, but solid staff on the whole.

 

PHOTO DEPT - B+

 

We normally don't do much with photos on a cruise but we were so impressed with one of the photographers named Nathalie that she sold us on their unlimited photo package which means we took every opportunity we could to get photos. Nathalie was a star, not only friendly and enthusiastic but a great salesperson as she got us to buy not only the unlimited package but also the photo book. Most of the other photo staff were friendly and

helpful as well. There was one young man though who bothered us a bit though as he came across as a bit homophobic. When we had him take some photos of us on a stairway one night he seemed very annoyed and rushed through the two photos giving us really no direction on where to stand. My sister and her boyfriend went next though and he was suddenly friendly and interactive with them having them do around 6 to 7 different poses. We also had lots of issues with the photo book. The technology they use for putting the books together was very buggy and not user friendly. The final straw came after we saw that photos were missing from the archive so we could not use them in the photo book. We set up all the other photos and left spots blank for the missing photos. The photo team then worked on making the missing photos accessible. When we went to the photo

book the next day the missing photos were accessible now but all the others we had placed before were all mixed up. It had taken us a good hour to place them all before and we didn't have time to do it all again so we cancelled the photo book. The manager did it with no issue and said they knew there were problems with the software for the photo book. It's too bad because it's a great idea. They just need to get it working properly.

 

SPA - SERVICE - B-

 

We both booked deep tissue massages as the spa during one of our sea days. My masseuse did a good job with the massage but she was a bit of a hard sell with products at the end and when she sensed I wasn't interested all the friendliness from prior disappeared, which made her seem disingenuous on the whole. I also was annoyed because I booked 75 minutes for the massage. It took about 5 minutes for me to wind down from the massage though, 5 minutes for her to try and sell me on stuff, and 5 minutes for me to dress and sign out. I wound up leaving the spa though 75 minutes after the massage started though which meant I was essentially gyped 15 minutes of massage time which really annoyed me. Mike did a 50 minute massage but said he got the full amount of time and didn't get a hard sell on product.

 

CASINO - SERVICE - C-

 

As on Equinox, the service in the casino was basically non-existent. The host did her thing as required for events and she seemed more personable than the Equinox host, but I never saw her interacting with any guests unless they approached her with a question. We are active slot players and were in the casino each day playing slots (except one when I wasn't feeling well) for several hours at a time. We did meet the host on one of

the last sea days when she approached each of us to join the Blue Chip Club based on our play during the cruise. As for the other staff, drink servers were totally invisible. I think I saw one or two through the entire cruise and they only were paying attention to the table players. The bartenders at the casino bar were friendly and efficient though.

 

MOONLIGHT SONATA - FOOD - B+ SERVICE - B

 

Food here was good. Portions seemed bigger than when cruising last year. Service was good except for our waiter on the last night which I mentioned above. The real problem we had here was with seating. We had select dining. We didn't eat here until the 3rd night of the cruise though and then only on scattered nights after that. That seemed to really confuse them and we always wound up getting placed at bad tables like right next to the noisy waiter station. While they call this select they appear to want to seat you in the same section each time you return. We saw this when they tried to seat us at the table near the waiter station a second time and we had to ask them to move us. We finally complained on our last visit to the dining room and got a nice table along the rail overlooking the lower level.

 

TUSCAN GRILLE - FOOD - B+ SERVICE - B

 

We ate here twice. The first night was disappointing as we ordered the filet which was overcooked. They redeemed themselves on our second trip as we got the filet again and it was perfect. Service was good but nothing special. Our aggravation here was that it was difficult to get a reservation that wasn't really early or really late. And when we took the early reservation there would be empty seats throughout the restaurant for our entire dinner.

 

MURANO - FOOD - A SERVICE - B

 

Excellent food. We all ordered the Chauteaubriand which was wonderful. Service was friendly but they seemed a bit nervous and tentative. Also, there were huge gaps of time between courses. We waited well over 30 minutes between the time the appetizers were cleared and the entree arrived.

 

QSINE - FOOD - C SERVICE - C+

 

Very disappointing experience. The atmosphere, ipads, and food presentation were very cool, unfortunately the food and service didn't measure up. The filets were poor quality, the disco shrimp were tiny, 2 of the three meatballs were flavorless, etc. You do get a good quantity of food overall, in fact we had to stop the service before all we had ordered came out as we were already too full (they give you that option anytime during the meal). Service started out well as our server was a friendly young woman, but she turned out to essentially be a robot as when she would ask how our meal was and we pointed out some dishes like the filet that we felt were poor quality she basically ignored our comments and

continued on with her spiel about the next dish coming out. We even remarked later to her that she was asking for our feedback and then not paying attention to it. She put on a fake smile and said something like feedback being important to them but then again jumped on to discussing what the next dish was. So she honestly didn't care what we had to say. We would've said something to the host/manager who was wandering around the restaurant but she skipped by our table.

 

OCEANVIEW CAFE - FOOD - A- SERVICE - A-

 

As on Equinox, we really enjoyed eating here. It's definitely the best buffet of any ships we've cruised on. They have a great variety and the food quality is very good. Even the very basic items like pizza and burgers were great. I also love the fresh pasta station and that you could get pressed paninis. We ate here for lunch almost every day and for dinner several nights. Only made it to breakfast once. Lunch was definitely what they did best. It had the best variety of food. Breakfast had good choices but food quality was average. Dinner quality was good but the items were limited and they seemed to always have the same items every night unlike lunch which had more rotation. Servers were always friendly,

especially at night where they were more relaxed and chatty since it wasn't crowded. I would give a tip to eating here though for breakfast or lunch. Go towards the end of service, like the last half hour for breakfast or the last hour for lunch. The crowds have lessened by that time.

 

We didn't see any shows or spend any time at the pools (too crowded) so I have no comments on those.

 

PORTS

 

ARUBA - We had been to Aruba on vacation the two years prior so we knew where we wanted to go. We got off the ship early by 8:30 with no lines to disembark. We caught a taxi from the port to Eagle Beach. (Just a note that depending on where the ship docks you may have to walk to the other end of the port to catch a taxi or walk into the downtown.) It's only a 10-15 minute ride to the beach. We got out near the MVC Eagle Beach resort. You can rent palapas and chairs there. When you do then you are also allowed to use their facilites at the resort across the road from the beach including restrooms and changing rooms and a pool. They also have a bar and restaurant (but no beachside service). No one was on the beach when we got there, not even an attendant. He didn't show up until around 10 and he collected a fee at that time. The beach was not busy that day which was nice. It was VERY windy though (as Aruba often is) so be prepared for that. We left the beach around noon and caught a taxi back to the ship. You will have to flag one down that's passing by on the road or see if someone in the resort can call you one. We had to wait maybe 5 minutes for one to pass by. On the ship we showered and changed and had lunch the buffet before walking into town. The area around the port is easily walkable and safe. We stopped in to the Crystal and Seaport casinos to play for a couple hours before heading back to the ship to meet up for our excursion.

 

SUNSET COCKTAIL CRUISE (AR11) - A

 

This was a catamaran sail. The boat docked right next to the cruise ship which was convenient. It's a two hour cruise from 5pm to 7pm. It was very windy (which is normal for Aruba) so the water got choppy. The cat handled it well though. You sail from Oranjestad up along the coast past Eagle Beach to Palm Beach and then turn around and come back. They provide unlimited alcohol, juice or soda during the while you sail. Crew was friendly. Highlight of the sail of course was the sunset which is always beautiful in Aruba. This was a lovely way to end a pleasant day.

 

CURACAO - We were completely on our own today. We left the ship early again at 8am (ship docks at 7am) and caught a taxi to Cas Abao beach. This is some distance from the port, approximately a 30 minute cab ride (I think the fare was $110 RT for the four of us). There was some road construction that day though so we had to take a detour which added another 15 minutes to the drive. Our driver was friendly and we arranged for

him to pick us up again at the beach at 12:30. You have to do this otherwise you will be stuck there as cabs don't just pass by since it's so far from the port. When we arrived around 8:45 the beach was empty which meant we had our choice of palapas and beach chairs. An attendant will come around at some point to collect a fee. I can't remember the charge but it was reasonable and it includes a free drink at the bar. They have a very nice set-up here with a small cafe/bar and restrooms/changing rooms. The beach was beautiful but very rocky at the shoreline so you should bring water shoes or waterproof sandals. You definitely want to get here early as the beach filled up within a few hours and all the palapas were taken. People were actually getting nasty towards the end of our time there moving in on other people's palapas and arguments breaking out. Never seen that before. We had lunch at the small cafe which tasted good but the staff was rude and slow. Our taxi driver showed up right on time at 12:30 and we headed back to the port. The construction had finished luckily so the return trip was faster. The driver even made a surprise stop at one of the small interior lakes so we could see some native flamingos. After we showered we wandered towards the downtown. The port area next to the ship looked new and was very nice. There's a whole group of shops and restaurants build within an old fort around the Renaissance Hotel as well as a casino inside the hotel. You can walk a bit further to the famous floating bridge and on into the heart of Willemstad. We didn't make

it that far as we only had a few hours left and Mike and I wanted to check out the casino. Lucky that we did as hit for $3100 on one of their slots. They even took a picture of me to put in the local paper. After that win I hedged my bets and we headed back to the ship. We really enjoyed our day here and next trip I'd like to see more of Willemstad.

 

GRENADA - SEVEN SISTERS FALL HIKE (GD39) - B

 

I cannot stress enough how strenuous this excursion was. If you have any difficulty with walking, climbing or balance DO NOT TAKE THIS TOUR. You start out by taking a van drive up from St. George's into the Grand Etang rainforest. There is a stop for a panoramic view out over the port. This was a sometimes scary drive up some tiny twisty roads, so those who get motion sick should be aware. Once you reach the location where the hike begins you'll be given the option of taking wooden hiking sticks, TAKE THEM. You'll probably notice some soldiers standing around and they may follow your group along the hike. I guess this is for security, which makes me think that there may have been some problems with locals in the past. The hike starts out on a paved path, which turns into dirt. Along the way the guide will point out some local vegetation. You'll also pass by a shack selling some local products like spices. Then you get into the difficult part of the hike. In total you are going to hike 1.5 miles each way and go down 1200 feet (and then back up again). The path is twisting, uneven, full of rocks and tree roots and (the most dangerous part) lots of mud. You'll have to be maneuvering through all these difficulties while descending and then ascending on the way back. I nearly lost my footing several times, even when using the hiking sticks. One woman only got about 25% of the way and had to turn back. The guide is there to help out but he is only one person and there was 10 people in our group. Once you approach the falls and have them in view there is one last obstacle which is a wide brook that you have to cross. The only way to get across is by hopping across slippery stones to the other side. I'm not great with stuff like that so the guide had to help me across as well as several others in our group. After that Mike and I were both wiped out and sat down and looked at the beautiful falls. It's called Seven Sisters but you can only access two of them (the tour description does tell you that) as the others are higher up into the rainforest. You can actually get up close to the falls and even go swimming, but it

required another steep walkaround to get there and we were too tired and didn't feel like swimming. You spend a good 30 minutes or so at the falls. A local will come out and do some fantastic dives off of both waterfalls (and expect a tip from everyone in return). Then you'll hike back out again. I have to say that we had just done hikes last year in Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Arches National Parks, and this was more difficult than nearly all of the hikes we did there mainly because of the mud and rocks. It was an experience we will never forget and we don't regret it, but we would never do it again. Following the hike you're taken to a tourist spot where you can have a view of Crater Lake, buy some local crafts and spices and get a free drink. You might even see some of the local monkeys in the trees. Then it's a drive back down to the port.

We were so exhausted after this excursion that we didn't explore any further in the town, which honestly looked very run down and crowded. We were also splattered with mud from the hike so we showered and changed and then grabbed lunch in the buffet. Sailaway later that afternoon was beautiful around sunset.

 

BARBADOS - We were on our own again. We caught a taxi to the Boatyard beach club on Carlisle Bay which is a less than 10 minute ride away from the ship. We got there early, around 10, so we had our choice of chairs. They only have a few chairs with cushions so that's why you want to get there early. We made the mistake of getting chairs near the pier which runs through the middle of the club's beach. That's unfortunately where

these groups of local vendors like to gather hawking jet ski rides, petting monkeys, or excursions out to see some turtles. Again and again they pestered us and everyone who walked into the club looking for a chair. Apparently the club can't do anything about it as it is a public beach. They do warn you though when you enter the club and pay that they have no connection with the jet ski vendors and that if you choose to use them and the club sees you they reserve the right to recall your wristband that gives you access to their facilities. Beyond that annoyance though the club is great. The staff is friendly and helpful and the beach is beautiful with smooth sand and nice waves. We had some food and drinks there which were expensive. Another perk is that they provide a free shuttle back to the port at regular intervals.

 

ST. LUCIA - SOUFRIERE BY LAND AND SEA (SL72) - A

 

This is the only island I can recall that the cruise line had a warning about in the daily newsletter about going off on your own and warning against bringing money and valuables with you. Luckily we booked this excursion that featured all the major highlights from the island. It starts with a drive through the port of Castries which looked very run down. I would not recommend wandering around on your own here. From Castries we drove across the island ascending and descending and making several stops including at a viewpoint over beautiful Marigot Bay and another at a small bakery that made casava bread a local specialty. We also made a restroom stop at a seaside village. Again, as with the port, the town looked very run down and the locals looked very poor. At one point during our trip some children came running up to our van begging any of us to buy some trinkets they were selling, and one child who had none to sell just begged for some money. It was very sad. A nice buffet lunch of local foods was included. Then it was on to visit the mud baths. A few people including Mike chose to get muddy and soak in the thermal baths. There is

also an opportunity to walk up and view the caldera of an old volcano that is still steaming. Following this we headed to the town of Soufriere to board a catamaran for a coastal sail.It's from here that you get the spectacular views of the Pitons, the iconic mountains of St. Lucia. We sailed for a bit over to one of the island's black sand beaches and had about 30-45 minutes to swim and snorkel (you have to bring your own gear). The tour concluded with a continuation of our catamaran sail including a cruise into Marigot Bay which was lovely. And then it was a final sail back to the ship. Our guide was very friendly and informative about the history and culture of her island home. Overall this was probably

our favorite day of the cruise.

 

GRENADA - I unfortunately got ill on the day we arrived in Grenada so I didn't get off the ship. Cindy and John did the excursion we had booked which was BEACH ESCAPE (ANA9). They said the beach was nice but not as nice as the others we had visited. It was their least favorite day of the trip.

 

ST. MAARTEN - We were supposed to go to Mullet Bay Beach on our own this day, but I was still feeling a little tired from being ill the day before so I just wanted to wander around Phillipsburg. We had some drinks along the beach and popped into a couple of the casinos ( I even hit for $1100 on one machine) and then headed back to the ship for lunch. Overall a quiet day for us. This was my 4th time on St. Maarten though so I didn't feel like I was missing anything.

 

ST. THOMAS - ST. JOHN HALF-DAY CHAMPAGNE CAT SAIL BEACH & SNORKEL (ST82) - A

 

Our final excursion was another favorite. It started with a 30 minute drive from the port to the marina where the catamaran was docked. Then it was a nice sail out to St. John (about 45 minutes). The ship tied off near Honeymoon Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches I have every visited; with aquamarine water and a smooth sandy bottom. Once tied off you had the option to snorkel (equipment was provided) or you could swim

or take the dinghy over to the beach. Mike, Cindy and John all chose to snorkel while I hopped in the dinghy over to the beach where I enjoyed swimming. We had about 90 minutes at the beach. We were one of three different excursion boats that showed up at the same time so it can get a bit busy here with snorkelers and swimmers. My companions said they saw lots of different colorful fish, turtles and even a small sand shark. They all had a great time. Once back on the cat, we sailed back to St. Thomas more leisurely and enjoyed complimentary snacks and alcohol. The crew was very young and energetic and did a great job. This was a great way to end our island visits.

 

If you'd like to see a video I put together of the cruise you can view it here:

 

 

Here is an index if people want to jump around:

 

00:00 - Intro/Sailaway

2:07 - Cabin

4:42 - Day at sea including formal night

5:52 - Aruba

20:16 - Curacao

29:00 - Day at sea including formal night

34:23 - Grenada

45:44 - Barbados

48:54 - St. Lucia

1:05:11 - Antigua-St. Maarten-St. Thomas

1:19:11 - Final sea days - ship tour - formal night

 

If you want to read my review and see the video from my Equinox cruise last year you can find it here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1785812

Edited March 13, 2014 by WonderMan3

[Boat_Drinks]

Very detailed review. Was on Eclipse not too long ago and agree with many of the things you commented on. Really enjoyed your video too. Made me feel like I was still cruising. Thanks for sharing!

[wpgcycler]

Very good review, thank you! (not sure why I didn't see it earlier :confused:)

[Andy]

Thank you for your review, and Welcome Home !

[WonderMan3]

Thanks to all!

[rams1884]

Thanks for the review my wife and myself are going on the same cruise at the end of November into December if there was one trip that must be done what would it be thanks

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Anubi]

Thanks so much. We're at 18 days and counting. I especially liked that you got the sailaway on the video. That is without doubt, my favourite part of the cruise. :):):)

[h20cruzer]

Loved your review. The one thing that struck me odd is that a butler was washing a veranda directly above you. I truely believe you, just seemed odd that a butler was doing that job. I was on a cruise many years ago on a different line and my wine steward worked making toast in buffet so I guess anything is possible.

Looking foward to watching the video when I get home from work.

Norma

[portofrome]

Thanks for your review.

[Muushka]

Loved your review. The one thing that struck me odd is that a butler was washing a veranda directly above you. I truely believe you, just seemed odd that a butler was doing that job. I was on a cruise many years ago on a different line and my wine steward worked making toast in buffet so I guess anything is possible.

Looking foward to watching the video when I get home from work.

Norma

 

I had the same impression. I believe it, but why was he cleaning the veranda on another deck??

Made me wonder if he was an 'evil' butler!:eek:

 

Thank you OP for your cruise impressions. Fair and balanced! My favorite kind.

[gelo7]

Excellent review.

[middlehaitch]

Thank you for a great review. We leave on saturday and if I wasn't excited before, I was, I am now. S glad you didn't let the problems with the buttler etc ruin your cruise.

Enjoy it next year too.

Cheers, h.

[WonderMan3]

Thanks for the review my wife and myself are going on the same cruise at the end of November into December if there was one trip that must be done what would it be thanks

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

I would say the St. Lucia excursion was the must do of the trip. It was a really comprehensive experience of the island with the touring on both land and sea. The company that Celebrity uses for the tour was very professional; our guide was a dear and helped make the trip more enjoyable.

 

The St. John cat sail was equally as wonderful albeit much shorter. I noticed there are a variety of excursions that take you to Honeymoon Beach. If you can get there, you must go! It was so amazingly beautiful.

[WonderMan3]

Loved your review. The one thing that struck me odd is that a butler was washing a veranda directly above you. I truely believe you, just seemed odd that a butler was doing that job. I was on a cruise many years ago on a different line and my wine steward worked making toast in buffet so I guess anything is possible.

Looking foward to watching the video when I get home from work.

Norma

 

I agree that it was odd. I have no idea what he was doing up there. Maybe cleaning off the deck to prep for a dinner set-up?? Unless both he and the room attendant had been out there but when I looked up maybe the attendant had stepped back in the room? Not sure.

[keithm]

This was our second cruise on Celebrity. We enjoyed our cruise in January 2013 on Equinox so much that we booked this Eclipse cruise shortly

 

after returning home. My partner Mike and I were joined again by my sister and her boyfriend. We had another great cruise this time around and

 

really enjoy Celebrity, so much so that we have already booked for next January on the Eclipse again. You can view a video I made of the cruise

 

at the bottom. Here is a detailed review:

 

THE SHIP - A

 

Once again, as with Equinox, we were very impressed with the look and feel of the ship.Very clean and we found the staff to be friendly. It probably didn't "wow" us as much as Equinox only because there wasn't the effect of experiencing a ship for the first time since these two ships are essentially twins.If I noticed any real difference it was that there appeared to be a little more wear-and-tear on this ship (the wood rails on our balcony were really worn, some of the seats in the buffet were peeling and ripped, etc.) but it didn't impact our enjoyment.

 

EMBARKATION - A-

 

We had a short wait for the security line, but once we moved to the main check-in there was no wait as we went into the suite line. Even the general lines were short though as our companions only had to wait 5-10 minutes longer than we did. This was between 11:30-11:45 so this appeared to be a good time to arrive. Then it was quickly onto the ship. Rooms were still being made up but we asked if we could just run down and drop

our carry-on bags and then we would be off to lunch. When we got there though the room attendant said the room was done and we were welcome to stay.

 

DISEMBARKATION - C

 

We had a flight around noon so I didn't want to do express walk-off at 7:30am and wait around at the airport, especially since we had a lot of bags too that would've been difficult to manage. We may have been better off though as we had to be out of the room by 8am. Breakfast ended at 8am too, so it was basically sitting around in the theater area for 90 minutes. Then it was approximately 30 minutes in long lines from leaving the ship to meeting our ride outside the terminal. Not fun. I really wish that Celebrity did it like NCL where you can at least stay in your cabin until they call you.

 

OUR CABIN - Sky Suite - 7356 - A

 

Another great stay in the Sky Suite. I really love this cabin for the space you get, both living space and storage, all the light coming into the room from both the balcony doors and the giant porthole, and of course the giant balcony with those wraparound views. I think we spent less time on the balcony this time around but that's just because we were busy elsewhere on the ship. One of our balcony chairs had been replaced with one of the standard balcony chairs so I assume the other chair had been damaged and removed. Soot was only an issue with some minor accumulation on the floor on certain days and only one day where it was actually falling on us and the furniture a bit, it really depended on wind direction.

 

SUITE SERVICE

 

BUTLER - D

 

Our butler's name was Manuel and he was terrible. The first problem was that he had an incredibly thick accent and spoke very rapidly. This is not something I want to hold against someone, and it's never been a problem on any of the many cruises we've taken before, but when it comes to a service industry job, clear communication is a must. When he would ask us questions or reply to questions we asked, we would have to ask him to repeat 2-3 times until we were able to understand. The second issue was he didn't recognize our needs as guests. He would always be trying to let us know about services or things he could do for us at inappropriate times. For instance he came by one day just as I was stepping out of the shower (my partner was not in the room). I was afraid he would just walk in so I answered the door in my towel and said I just got out of the shower. He wanted to deliver some canapes. I would've expected a reaction that he was sorry for interrupting as I was standing there in a towel, but he started to try and show me the canapes. I said we didn't need anything, thanked him and closed the door. It was less than 10 minutes later and I was in the middle of getting dressed when he was back again, now with other snacks. I was visibly annoyed this time and said I didn't need anything, but he didn't seem to get it. A third issue was that he would consistently deliver breakfast earlier than the time requested, sometimes by up to 30 minutes. Now while this is certainly better than being late, when we're already getting up at 6:30 to 7am, this made it an inconvenience. The final straw though happened one day when my sister and I were sitting out on our balcony around sunset. Suddenly a rush of water came pouring down from above all over me and my chair and splashing onto my Ipad that was on the table. My sister managed to dash away before more water came pouring down. I backed to the edge of the balcony to look up and see what was causing it and saw Manuel washing the

balcony above us. I yelled and waved my arms to get his attention. When he looked my way I said "what's the deal, you got us all wet". He just flashed a goofy smile and went inside the cabin above. I was waiting to see if he was coming down to our cabin but he never showed up. This was halfway through the cruise. I should've said something to management but didn't want to be bothered. We just avoided him after that except to

deliver coffee in the morning.I did fill out the comment card with what happened though.

 

ROOM ATTENDANT - A

 

Our room attendant Saturnino was wonderful. Very friendly and attentive. We didn't have to ask him for much but whenever he did he was prompt and efficient in completing the request.The room was generally very clean. The only issue we had was with the shower curtain and liner which had large mildew stains. We had ignored it for a few days but Mike finally left a note. The curtain and liner were promptly replaced and the whole shower was scrubbed down removing mildew that had also built up in the tile grout. Nothing was off after that.

 

ROOM SERVICE - D

 

Once again we encountered terrible room service food. This was a problem for us on Equinox. We ordered breakfast several times and it was always borderline cold and rubbery. We did complain about it to a dining room manager who queried us one night about our dining experiences. He said he would speak to someone in the kitchen about it and asked us to try ordering again and he would follow up with us to check. The next morning we

ordered and it was slightly better but still poor quality. We didn't bother with it after that. That manager never followed up with us either. It wasn't until days later that I happened to run into him at the buffet and he asked how the room service was. I told him there was a slight improvement. He seemed pleased with himself that he had fixed a problem and walked away. Of course the problem wasn't fixed but we didn't bother pursuing it any further.

 

SHIP SERVICE - B

 

We found the service overall to be better than Equinox. Staff were more open and friendly and seemed happier. There were a few grumps in the mix like the surly Eastern European bartender up at the Sunset Bar and our waiter at the dining room on the last night of the cruise who seemed like he couldn't be bothered, but solid staff on the whole.

 

PHOTO DEPT - B+

 

We normally don't do much with photos on a cruise but we were so impressed with one of the photographers named Nathalie that she sold us on their unlimited photo package which means we took every opportunity we could to get photos. Nathalie was a star, not only friendly and enthusiastic but a great salesperson as she got us to buy not only the unlimited package but also the photo book. Most of the other photo staff were friendly and

helpful as well. There was one young man though who bothered us a bit though as he came across as a bit homophobic. When we had him take some photos of us on a stairway one night he seemed very annoyed and rushed through the two photos giving us really no direction on where to stand. My sister and her boyfriend went next though and he was suddenly friendly and interactive with them having them do around 6 to 7 different poses. We also had lots of issues with the photo book. The technology they use for putting the books together was very buggy and not user friendly. The final straw came after we saw that photos were missing from the archive so we could not use them in the photo book. We set up all the other photos and left spots blank for the missing photos. The photo team then worked on making the missing photos accessible. When we went to the photo

book the next day the missing photos were accessible now but all the others we had placed before were all mixed up. It had taken us a good hour to place them all before and we didn't have time to do it all again so we cancelled the photo book. The manager did it with no issue and said they knew there were problems with the software for the photo book. It's too bad because it's a great idea. They just need to get it working properly.

 

SPA - SERVICE - B-

 

We both booked deep tissue massages as the spa during one of our sea days. My masseuse did a good job with the massage but she was a bit of a hard sell with products at the end and when she sensed I wasn't interested all the friendliness from prior disappeared, which made her seem disingenuous on the whole. I also was annoyed because I booked 75 minutes for the massage. It took about 5 minutes for me to wind down from the massage though, 5 minutes for her to try and sell me on stuff, and 5 minutes for me to dress and sign out. I wound up leaving the spa though 75 minutes after the massage started though which meant I was essentially gyped 15 minutes of massage time which really annoyed me. Mike did a 50 minute massage but said he got the full amount of time and didn't get a hard sell on product.

 

CASINO - SERVICE - C-

 

As on Equinox, the service in the casino was basically non-existent. The host did her thing as required for events and she seemed more personable than the Equinox host, but I never saw her interacting with any guests unless they approached her with a question. We are active slot players and were in the casino each day playing slots (except one when I wasn't feeling well) for several hours at a time. We did meet the host on one of

the last sea days when she approached each of us to join the Blue Chip Club based on our play during the cruise. As for the other staff, drink servers were totally invisible. I think I saw one or two through the entire cruise and they only were paying attention to the table players. The bartenders at the casino bar were friendly and efficient though.

 

MOONLIGHT SONATA - FOOD - B+ SERVICE - B

 

Food here was good. Portions seemed bigger than when cruising last year. Service was good except for our waiter on the last night which I mentioned above. The real problem we had here was with seating. We had select dining. We didn't eat here until the 3rd night of the cruise though and then only on scattered nights after that. That seemed to really confuse them and we always wound up getting placed at bad tables like right next to the noisy waiter station. While they call this select they appear to want to seat you in the same section each time you return. We saw this when they tried to seat us at the table near the waiter station a second time and we had to ask them to move us. We finally complained on our last visit to the dining room and got a nice table along the rail overlooking the lower level.

 

TUSCAN GRILLE - FOOD - B+ SERVICE - B

 

We ate here twice. The first night was disappointing as we ordered the filet which was overcooked. They redeemed themselves on our second trip as we got the filet again and it was perfect. Service was good but nothing special. Our aggravation here was that it was difficult to get a reservation that wasn't really early or really late. And when we took the early reservation there would be empty seats throughout the restaurant for our entire dinner.

 

MURANO - FOOD - A SERVICE - B

 

Excellent food. We all ordered the Chauteaubriand which was wonderful. Service was friendly but they seemed a bit nervous and tentative. Also, there were huge gaps of time between courses. We waited well over 30 minutes between the time the appetizers were cleared and the entree arrived.

 

QSINE - FOOD - C SERVICE - C+

 

Very disappointing experience. The atmosphere, ipads, and food presentation were very cool, unfortunately the food and service didn't measure up. The filets were poor quality, the disco shrimp were tiny, 2 of the three meatballs were flavorless, etc. You do get a good quantity of food overall, in fact we had to stop the service before all we had ordered came out as we were already too full (they give you that option anytime during the meal). Service started out well as our server was a friendly young woman, but she turned out to essentially be a robot as when she would ask how our meal was and we pointed out some dishes like the filet that we felt were poor quality she basically ignored our comments and

continued on with her spiel about the next dish coming out. We even remarked later to her that she was asking for our feedback and then not paying attention to it. She put on a fake smile and said something like feedback being important to them but then again jumped on to discussing what the next dish was. So she honestly didn't care what we had to say. We would've said something to the host/manager who was wandering around the restaurant but she skipped by our table.

 

OCEANVIEW CAFE - FOOD - A- SERVICE - A-

 

As on Equinox, we really enjoyed eating here. It's definitely the best buffet of any ships we've cruised on. They have a great variety and the food quality is very good. Even the very basic items like pizza and burgers were great. I also love the fresh pasta station and that you could get pressed paninis. We ate here for lunch almost every day and for dinner several nights. Only made it to breakfast once. Lunch was definitely what they did best. It had the best variety of food. Breakfast had good choices but food quality was average. Dinner quality was good but the items were limited and they seemed to always have the same items every night unlike lunch which had more rotation. Servers were always friendly,

especially at night where they were more relaxed and chatty since it wasn't crowded. I would give a tip to eating here though for breakfast or lunch. Go towards the end of service, like the last half hour for breakfast or the last hour for lunch. The crowds have lessened by that time.

 

We didn't see any shows or spend any time at the pools (too crowded) so I have no comments on those.

 

PORTS

 

ARUBA - We had been to Aruba on vacation the two years prior so we knew where we wanted to go. We got off the ship early by 8:30 with no lines to disembark. We caught a taxi from the port to Eagle Beach. (Just a note that depending on where the ship docks you may have to walk to the other end of the port to catch a taxi or walk into the downtown.) It's only a 10-15 minute ride to the beach. We got out near the MVC Eagle Beach resort. You can rent palapas and chairs there. When you do then you are also allowed to use their facilites at the resort across the road from the beach including restrooms and changing rooms and a pool. They also have a bar and restaurant (but no beachside service). No one was on the beach when we got there, not even an attendant. He didn't show up until around 10 and he collected a fee at that time. The beach was not busy that day which was nice. It was VERY windy though (as Aruba often is) so be prepared for that. We left the beach around noon and caught a taxi back to the ship. You will have to flag one down that's passing by on the road or see if someone in the resort can call you one. We had to wait maybe 5 minutes for one to pass by. On the ship we showered and changed and had lunch the buffet before walking into town. The area around the port is easily walkable and safe. We stopped in to the Crystal and Seaport casinos to play for a couple hours before heading back to the ship to meet up for our excursion.

 

SUNSET COCKTAIL CRUISE (AR11) - A

 

This was a catamaran sail. The boat docked right next to the cruise ship which was convenient. It's a two hour cruise from 5pm to 7pm. It was very windy (which is normal for Aruba) so the water got choppy. The cat handled it well though. You sail from Oranjestad up along the coast past Eagle Beach to Palm Beach and then turn around and come back. They provide unlimited alcohol, juice or soda during the while you sail. Crew was friendly. Highlight of the sail of course was the sunset which is always beautiful in Aruba. This was a lovely way to end a pleasant day.

 

CURACAO - We were completely on our own today. We left the ship early again at 8am (ship docks at 7am) and caught a taxi to Cas Abao beach. This is some distance from the port, approximately a 30 minute cab ride (I think the fare was $110 RT for the four of us). There was some road construction that day though so we had to take a detour which added another 15 minutes to the drive. Our driver was friendly and we arranged for

him to pick us up again at the beach at 12:30. You have to do this otherwise you will be stuck there as cabs don't just pass by since it's so far from the port. When we arrived around 8:45 the beach was empty which meant we had our choice of palapas and beach chairs. An attendant will come around at some point to collect a fee. I can't remember the charge but it was reasonable and it includes a free drink at the bar. They have a very nice set-up here with a small cafe/bar and restrooms/changing rooms. The beach was beautiful but very rocky at the shoreline so you should bring water shoes or waterproof sandals. You definitely want to get here early as the beach filled up within a few hours and all the palapas were taken. People were actually getting nasty towards the end of our time there moving in on other people's palapas and arguments breaking out. Never seen that before. We had lunch at the small cafe which tasted good but the staff was rude and slow. Our taxi driver showed up right on time at 12:30 and we headed back to the port. The construction had finished luckily so the return trip was faster. The driver even made a surprise stop at one of the small interior lakes so we could see some native flamingos. After we showered we wandered towards the downtown. The port area next to the ship looked new and was very nice. There's a whole group of shops and restaurants build within an old fort around the Renaissance Hotel as well as a casino inside the hotel. You can walk a bit further to the famous floating bridge and on into the heart of Willemstad. We didn't make

it that far as we only had a few hours left and Mike and I wanted to check out the casino. Lucky that we did as hit for $3100 on one of their slots. They even took a picture of me to put in the local paper. After that win I hedged my bets and we headed back to the ship. We really enjoyed our day here and next trip I'd like to see more of Willemstad.

 

GRENADA - SEVEN SISTERS FALL HIKE (GD39) - B

 

I cannot stress enough how strenuous this excursion was. If you have any difficulty with walking, climbing or balance DO NOT TAKE THIS TOUR. You start out by taking a van drive up from St. George's into the Grand Etang rainforest. There is a stop for a panoramic view out over the port. This was a sometimes scary drive up some tiny twisty roads, so those who get motion sick should be aware. Once you reach the location where the hike begins you'll be given the option of taking wooden hiking sticks, TAKE THEM. You'll probably notice some soldiers standing around and they may follow your group along the hike. I guess this is for security, which makes me think that there may have been some problems with locals in the past. The hike starts out on a paved path, which turns into dirt. Along the way the guide will point out some local vegetation. You'll also pass by a shack selling some local products like spices. Then you get into the difficult part of the hike. In total you are going to hike 1.5 miles each way and go down 1200 feet (and then back up again). The path is twisting, uneven, full of rocks and tree roots and (the most dangerous part) lots of mud. You'll have to be maneuvering through all these difficulties while descending and then ascending on the way back. I nearly lost my footing several times, even when using the hiking sticks. One woman only got about 25% of the way and had to turn back. The guide is there to help out but he is only one person and there was 10 people in our group. Once you approach the falls and have them in view there is one last obstacle which is a wide brook that you have to cross. The only way to get across is by hopping across slippery stones to the other side. I'm not great with stuff like that so the guide had to help me across as well as several others in our group. After that Mike and I were both wiped out and sat down and looked at the beautiful falls. It's called Seven Sisters but you can only access two of them (the tour description does tell you that) as the others are higher up into the rainforest. You can actually get up close to the falls and even go swimming, but it

required another steep walkaround to get there and we were too tired and didn't feel like swimming. You spend a good 30 minutes or so at the falls. A local will come out and do some fantastic dives off of both waterfalls (and expect a tip from everyone in return). Then you'll hike back out again. I have to say that we had just done hikes last year in Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Arches National Parks, and this was more difficult than nearly all of the hikes we did there mainly because of the mud and rocks. It was an experience we will never forget and we don't regret it, but we would never do it again. Following the hike you're taken to a tourist spot where you can have a view of Crater Lake, buy some local crafts and spices and get a free drink. You might even see some of the local monkeys in the trees. Then it's a drive back down to the port.

We were so exhausted after this excursion that we didn't explore any further in the town, which honestly looked very run down and crowded. We were also splattered with mud from the hike so we showered and changed and then grabbed lunch in the buffet. Sailaway later that afternoon was beautiful around sunset.

 

BARBADOS - We were on our own again. We caught a taxi to the Boatyard beach club on Carlisle Bay which is a less than 10 minute ride away from the ship. We got there early, around 10, so we had our choice of chairs. They only have a few chairs with cushions so that's why you want to get there early. We made the mistake of getting chairs near the pier which runs through the middle of the club's beach. That's unfortunately where

these groups of local vendors like to gather hawking jet ski rides, petting monkeys, or excursions out to see some turtles. Again and again they pestered us and everyone who walked into the club looking for a chair. Apparently the club can't do anything about it as it is a public beach. They do warn you though when you enter the club and pay that they have no connection with the jet ski vendors and that if you choose to use them and the club sees you they reserve the right to recall your wristband that gives you access to their facilities. Beyond that annoyance though the club is great. The staff is friendly and helpful and the beach is beautiful with smooth sand and nice waves. We had some food and drinks there which were expensive. Another perk is that they provide a free shuttle back to the port at regular intervals.

 

ST. LUCIA - SOUFRIERE BY LAND AND SEA (SL72) - A

 

This is the only island I can recall that the cruise line had a warning about in the daily newsletter about going off on your own and warning against bringing money and valuables with you. Luckily we booked this excursion that featured all the major highlights from the island. It starts with a drive through the port of Castries which looked very run down. I would not recommend wandering around on your own here. From Castries we drove across the island ascending and descending and making several stops including at a viewpoint over beautiful Marigot Bay and another at a small bakery that made casava bread a local specialty. We also made a restroom stop at a seaside village. Again, as with the port, the town looked very run down and the locals looked very poor. At one point during our trip some children came running up to our van begging any of us to buy some trinkets they were selling, and one child who had none to sell just begged for some money. It was very sad. A nice buffet lunch of local foods was included. Then it was on to visit the mud baths. A few people including Mike chose to get muddy and soak in the thermal baths. There is

also an opportunity to walk up and view the caldera of an old volcano that is still steaming. Following this we headed to the town of Soufriere to board a catamaran for a coastal sail.It's from here that you get the spectacular views of the Pitons, the iconic mountains of St. Lucia. We sailed for a bit over to one of the island's black sand beaches and had about 30-45 minutes to swim and snorkel (you have to bring your own gear). The tour concluded with a continuation of our catamaran sail including a cruise into Marigot Bay which was lovely. And then it was a final sail back to the ship. Our guide was very friendly and informative about the history and culture of her island home. Overall this was probably

our favorite day of the cruise.

 

GRENADA - I unfortunately got ill on the day we arrived in Grenada so I didn't get off the ship. Cindy and John did the excursion we had booked which was BEACH ESCAPE (ANA9). They said the beach was nice but not as nice as the others we had visited. It was their least favorite day of the trip.

 

ST. MAARTEN - We were supposed to go to Mullet Bay Beach on our own this day, but I was still feeling a little tired from being ill the day before so I just wanted to wander around Phillipsburg. We had some drinks along the beach and popped into a couple of the casinos ( I even hit for $1100 on one machine) and then headed back to the ship for lunch. Overall a quiet day for us. This was my 4th time on St. Maarten though so I didn't feel like I was missing anything.

 

ST. THOMAS - ST. JOHN HALF-DAY CHAMPAGNE CAT SAIL BEACH & SNORKEL (ST82) - A

 

Our final excursion was another favorite. It started with a 30 minute drive from the port to the marina where the catamaran was docked. Then it was a nice sail out to St. John (about 45 minutes). The ship tied off near Honeymoon Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches I have every visited; with aquamarine water and a smooth sandy bottom. Once tied off you had the option to snorkel (equipment was provided) or you could swim

or take the dinghy over to the beach. Mike, Cindy and John all chose to snorkel while I hopped in the dinghy over to the beach where I enjoyed swimming. We had about 90 minutes at the beach. We were one of three different excursion boats that showed up at the same time so it can get a bit busy here with snorkelers and swimmers. My companions said they saw lots of different colorful fish, turtles and even a small sand shark. They all had a great time. Once back on the cat, we sailed back to St. Thomas more leisurely and enjoyed complimentary snacks and alcohol. The crew was very young and energetic and did a great job. This was a great way to end our island visits.

 

If you'd like to see a video I put together of the cruise you can view it here:

 

 

Here is an index if people want to jump around:

 

00:00 - Intro/Sailaway

2:07 - Cabin

4:42 - Day at sea including formal night

5:52 - Aruba

20:16 - Curacao

29:00 - Day at sea including formal night

34:23 - Grenada

45:44 - Barbados

48:54 - St. Lucia

1:05:11 - Antigua-St. Maarten-St. Thomas

1:19:11 - Final sea days - ship tour - formal night

 

If you want to read my review and see the video from my Equinox cruise last year you can find it here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1785812

We were on the same trip as you. My partner is Chinese & I was usually seen wearing either a straw Fedora or golf style cap. I think we saw you guys around on the ship.We've always done Cunard(which seemed to have a more active LGBT gathering)but with Cunard not doing Caribbean trips much, we chose Celebrity. The food was better than Cunard(except the Grills)and the ship had a nicer more modern feel to it. The pax, surprisingly were nearly the same "type" as on Cunard, which really made us feel at home. We're now looking at another trip next winter on the Eclipse. My review can be seen in the review section. Just look for my "keithm" moniker.

[WonderMan3]

We were on the same trip as you. My partner is Chinese & I was usually seen wearing either a straw Fedora or golf style cap. I think we saw you guys around on the ship.We've always done Cunard(which seemed to have a more active LGBT gathering)but with Cunard not doing Caribbean trips much, we chose Celebrity. The food was better than Cunard(except the Grills)and the ship had a nicer more modern feel to it. The pax, surprisingly were nearly the same "type" as on Cunard, which really made us feel at home. We're now looking at another trip next winter on the Eclipse. My review can be seen in the review section. Just look for my "keithm" moniker.

 

Sounds like Celebrity has you hooked. They definitely hooked us. We were cruising with NCL regularly prior to this, and while I still think their suite benefits/haven area beats Celebrity they don't measure up on the overall experience. Hopefully some of these newly added suite benefits next year will make the Celebrity suite experience even better.

[crazee4cruzin]

Great review and video! Thank you for posting. We are sailing on the Equinox in December and this is first time we will be all the way aft. I am looking forward to those beautiful sunsets and the sounds of the wake.

[WonderMan3]

Great review and video! Thank you for posting. We are sailing on the Equinox in December and this is first time we will be all the way aft. I am looking forward to those beautiful sunsets and the sounds of the wake.

 

Thanks! Those aft views are some of my favorite parts of the cruise.