Jan.18-Feb.1 Eclipse Caribbean trip

[keithm]

I'll give a good review here. The really in depth one will be in the "Cruise review" section.

Jan18)Pretty easy boarding. Rooms ready quicker than last year(yeah, the same cruise!)Service was rather hectic in MDR first night(I usually expect this)

Jan19)First sea day was fine. Food & service was better.

Jan.20)First formal night was nice. Most pax really following proper dresscodes! Food was actually better the next night.

Jan.21)Aruba. Did "Koo Koo Kanukoo" excursion. Ok. Nothing special. Water was rather cloudy due to really powdery sand.Good food that night.

Jan.22)Curacao. Great beach day. Water was crystal clear.Food was good. Chose the Salmon over the Talapia.

Jan.23)Formal night. Chateau Briand was excellent. Portions a bit smaller than last year.

Jan.24)Grenada. Did the river tubing(3'rd time)was really good,as rains have raised river levels.Had lunch in Murano good,but Lobster really over cooked!Dined in Qsine for dinner. Excellent

Jan.25)Barbados. Did "beach hop tour" Avoid this one,as you don't spend enought time at any beach.

Jan.26)St. Lucia. Did Catamaran to Pitons. Really nice tour, great swimming time as well.Had dinner in Murano.Outstanding. Had both the Lobster & the Dover Sole.

Jan.27)Antigua. Did the Lobster lunch Catamaran sail. Best excursion of the trip. Fantastic swimming & great Lobster Lunch. Really got sun burned,however.

Jan.28)St.Maartin. Toured the French side. (on our own)Much more developed than 10 years ago. Kind of liked the quaintness of that time.

Jan.29)St.Thomas. Did the beach tour of St John. Nice time. We hiked to Soloman beach.Do bring good hiking shoes(rough trail)Caught a sea urchin the size of a "soft ball" People took pics before I put it back on the bottom.

Jan.30)Last formal night did both Lobster tail & Beef Wellington in MDR.Excellent.

Jan.31)Last night. Good dinner said good by to excellent staff & gave extra tips for great service.

Feb.1)You know.. the great "booting off" the ship. Did the "Luggage Valet" service. Really worth it!! You get to your final destination & pick up your luggage at the terminal. Great overall trip. Only negative are the "transplanted New Yorkers" who board in Miami. Really rude & obnoxious group of pax. Wish they'd stay home. Really dislike their feeling of entitlement & rude treatment of staff.

[cruisemuse13]

Thank you for your quick review and port suggestions. I have been wondering about the lobster lunch, and also the catamaran in St Lucia. It is always nice to have feedback from someone who actually went on the excursions.

[keithm]

Thank you for your quick review and port suggestions. I have been wondering about the lobster lunch, and also the catamaran in St Lucia. It is always nice to have feedback from someone who actually went on the excursions.

I kind of did a "quick" review. The Lobster lunch was the best excursion of the trip. It's a bit pricey at about $115/PP.Great swimming & just great pax on board. I got the worst sunburn in years, but it's nice to "show" it off here back in the frozen north. The Catamran trip to the Pitons had probably the best "views" over all. Not much food..just these cheese sandwiches, which were pretty tasty. I had to tell a few pax not to hog them as there were a lot of us on board & some felt free to grab as many as they could..so rude! Restroom on the Piton Catamaran was a bit schetchy. You really had to duck going down. The one on the Lobster lunch was much better. The staff on the St.John's tour were a real riot. They were kind of a bunch of surfer dudes running that excursion. Nice bit of eye candy for some of us! We plan a 3'rd trip next winter. True it's the same overall(perhaps a few island changes)but getting away from the cold is sooo worth it for 2 weeks!

[VikingRob]

We did the Catamaran and lobster lunch in Antigua on our cruise in January and agree it was very nice! The best bathrooms I have ever seen on a Cat!! Crew was excellent!!

[PathfinderEss]

Thanks for your report.

[cruisemuse13]

I read on the Curacao forum that there are 3 docking locations. Where does the Eclipse dock? I hope it is not by the oil tanks:eek:

[Gordoncruickshank]

Usually at the pier close to the Renaissance.

[keithm]

We did the Catamaran and lobster lunch in Antigua on our cruise in January and agree it was very nice! The best bathrooms I have ever seen on a Cat!! Crew was excellent!!

I was with the Chinese guy(my partner). It was a great excursion. The bathrooms were nice. I think the fact that the pax were great helped. I've been on some where you had some realy "beyotchy" pax.

[cruisemuse13]

Usually at the pier close to the Renaissance.

 

that's good to hear. Thank you.