Celebrity Eclipse – As Glamorous as Ever!

Today, on Sunday the 7^th September I was invited on-board the Celebrity Eclipse, which just happens to be my favourite ship currently sailing the seven seas so I was excited to see how she has changed over the years, the last time I was aboard she was almost brand new so back in 2010.

However I have seen the Celebrity Eclipse in Southampton on occasions and one thing I have noticed in the past is how she doesn’t seem to age, she always looks brand new, and the blue glass adds to the elegance of how she appears from the outside.

At 122,000 gross tons she is one of 5 sisters in Solstice Class which is the largest class currently sailing for Celebrity, in total she can cruise with 2,850 passengers on board which isn’t bad when you compare that the Azura for P&O is smaller at 115,000 gross tons but has 3,100 guests.

One of the things I really love about the Celebrity Eclipse is that although she is a large ship, she offers lots of different bars and entertainment venues meaning that you can always find a place to chill and relax.

I think three words sum up Celebrity, Sophisticated, Elegant and Luxurious. I have been very fortunate enough to see Seabourn, Regent, Silversea and on Friday, Crystal and although they are beautiful I think the Celebrity is better but don’t take my word for it, take a look at the pictures and let me know what you think!

Deck 3 is the lowest passenger deck, here you will find majority of the Oceanview staterooms. All Oceanview staterooms offer a clear sea view, with the exception of a handful on the higher decks which overlook the bow of the ship. There is also some Inside staterooms down on this level.

You will also find at the front of this deck the lowest level of the Eclipse Theatre. As you reach the middle you have the Grand Foyer, which is where you also have Guest Relations and the Shore Excursion desks.

There is also the Passport Bar, which is open from around 9am in the morning if you want an early tickle or a strong cup of coffee.

I must say this is also a great place to take advance of the Living Tree, that’s right Eclipse has it all including a large Bonsai tree which grows in the middle of the ship and hangs out in mid-air around 5 decks up.

At the back of the ship you have the lower level of the Moonlight Sonata Restaurant which is the main dining room found on-board and at the centre piece of this restaurant is a Tiffany wine tower. The wine tower holds 2,000 bottles of wine, one of the largest at sea and on land.

Other than that, the Moonlight Sonata is rather minimalists, although you would expect that from a dining room, lots of light colours, silvers and whites so you have a real feeling of space and light, but still being intimate.

Next up on deck 6, at the back we have the upper level of the Moonlight Sonata which is much the same as downstairs but if you can I would speak to the restaurant manager and request either a table around the balcony on the upper level or in the centre on the lower level as there are a few tables pushed to the back on both levels which I would want to avoid if I could.

One of my favourite places on-board is the Martini Bar and Crush, this is a very chilled out area, with lots of pods where you can sit as a group or mingle with other people, lots of silvers and light blues used in here, but the Crème de La Crème is the bar itself, the top of the bar transforms to ice therefore keeping your drinks chilled. Here the waiters can mock you up a cocktail or you can choose from the extensive Martini and Cocktail menu.

On the starboard side you have Cellar Masters, this is for the ultimate Wine lovers, where you can try lots of different wines without having to buy a full glass or bottle and if you find something you like, you can have it served with you meals. However I won’t go to fair in to this as it is being removed in the spring 2015 refit and replaced with an English Gastro Pub which shows that Celebrity are keen to leave Eclipse with the UK Market for many more years.

As we venture towards the front of the ship you have Fortunes Casino which has every single slot machine under the sun and an array of gaming tables.

To the port side you have the some of the shops that can be found on-board, however these are the less designer shops as these are elsewhere so if you are looking for cruise souvenirs or less expensive items this is the place to come.

Next we have the Entertainment Court, this is almost like a second atrium, but for those who are more night owls, you have Celebrity Central which is like Princess Live on Princess Cruises, it’s a small area with an array of seating used for group use or as a cinema area. You will also find talks and quizzes in here.

Opposite Celebrity Central you have Quasar which is the on-board night club, this is a fantastic area, again you may start to see that she is very much themed for the adult market but they will on occasion have children’s disco’s in here and entertainment during the day.

Again at the front of this deck you have the middle level of the Eclipse Theatre. As we venture up another deck you have the Top level of the Eclipse Theatre, which is well, the same as the lower levels.

Heading back towards the aft of the ship you have the Photo Gallery which has countless pieces of modern art and also the Galleria Boutiques which is where you will find the more expensive shops, with an array of Jewellery, Michael Kors Handbags and even a Bike for sale!

You will also find Galleria Tastings which is another lovely bar, this is which you would come if you like a cocktail or two as the bartender as trained in the art of Mixing.

In the middle of the ship you are at the top of the Atrium so offering fantastic views down to the bottom levels.

Up here you have Bistro of Five, which does come with a small surcharge but a great place to come especially on embarking day as the buffet can be mad, so for a more chilled out atmosphere it’s great up here, and you can get some great Pancakes!

Across on the Starboard side you have Café Al Baco and Gelateria which where you can treat yourself to an amazing array of treats, and you can get lovely speciality coffees here and everything from behind the glass is free.

Next we have Ensemble Lounge which is a lovely little bar, with all Island style bar meaning if you want to prop up the bar you can and there is still lots of space for other people to order drinks, it’s more of a country house style here with very traditional style furniture, you also have Michael’s Club, which is again a Gentlemen’s Club style area. This is very exclusive on board and well worth going to if you can get in.

Then we have the 4 Speciality Restaurants.

Murano is the top of the 4, this comes with about $40-$50 cover charge and is going a Michelin star experience. It’s almost like a top London hotel restaurant, with a clever use of dark and light furniture, there is also a private dining room for about 10 people which can be hired for private functions.

Qsine is almost like an Alice in Wonderland experience, from Disco Shrimp to Sushi Lollipops, to a Foot of Chocolate everything in here is ordered from an IPad and its more of a sharing restaurant with many dishes served to serve 2 or 3 people. The furniture in here is black and white and the lamps are on the celling, Bazar! To dine in here you are looking at between $30 to $40 cover charge per person

Next up is Blu, this is exclusive to the Aqua Class staterooms, offering a healthier alternative when it comes to dining, although you are on holiday so why would you want to eat healthy! Again like the main dining room very minimalistic.

Tuscan Grill is the final of the 4, this is my favourite. Great if you are sailing out of port as it stretches the complete width of the ship with un-interrupted 180 degree views and again if you are going to dine in here, book it on the first day and request a table at the back by the window, these also benefit from all being tables for two. This is the on-board Italian, offering mouth-watering food with superb wines to go with.

I do however want to stress, although Celebrity have an amazing array of alternative dining, you don’t have to do these, the food on-board is all to an A La Carte standard and I probably wouldn’t use these unless I was celebrating or wanted something a little more special one night.

Decks 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 all feature accommodation from Insides right up to the Penthouse Suites. However on deck 6 you will find the Celebrity iLounge which is the internet café found on board, decks 7 and 8 feature Team Earth, deck 9 with the Card room and decks 10 and 11 have the Library where you can take a quiet 5 minutes or spend hours engrossed in one of the many books, all of these areas are completely open giving views down to the Atrium and also of that stunning Bonsai tree.

Deck 12, this is where you will find majority of the Sky Suites on-board which are equivalent to a Junior Suite in size, however these are just on the Aft part of the ship.

Towards the middle of the ship is the main pool deck, you have a Wet Zone, this is where you can play in the water fountain should you wish, they will also have water shows using lights which is well worth a viewing.

There are two main outside pools, which is designed more to a private club style, with a mast like structure to provide shade for those not wanting to sit in the direct sunlight, with the blue glass from the elevator area, and the whites and blue used make the ambience up here lovely, where better to spend those long sea days?

Well this might just beat the pool deck, as we venture to the spa, this is another lovely area and I am afraid for all those kiddies out there that it is Adults only, although it’s worth noting on the much colder days and after 5pm in the evening this rule does not always apply.

The Solarium pool is not huge but bit enough to relax in, if you want to do lengths I would use the main pools outside as they are bigger, along with the pool there is a large use of plants and metals in here, along with another water feature. You will also find day beds and private cabana type chairs. You also can take advantage of the Aqua Spa Café serving up yet I say Healthy treats throughout the day.

The Spa on-board uses Canyon Ranch so the same as found on some of the 7* cruise ships, such as Regent and Seabourn. The Aqua Spa is set in a large light area out, the reception is a lovely quiet area to sit if you are wanting to browse through the Spa Menu, and opposite here you also have the Hair Salon.

At the front of the ship you have the Fitness Centre, again floor to ceiling glass is used here so you can run with the ship if you wish or you can even row it on one of the various rowing machines. Not somewhere a lot of people will spend a huge amount of time but one of the best gyms I have seen in a long time.

You will find an array of treatment rooms up here so if you would like a massage or a special treatment it can all be arranged, just speak to the Spa Staff, but one of my other countless favourite areas is the Persian Gardens, if you are staying in an Aqua Class suite, entrance to here is complimentary but anyone else will have to pay a small fee.

 

In the Persian Gardens is about 8 heat beds that all face out to sea, giving the most amazing views whilst you relax, I have used these before and once you’re on one it’s hard to get back up as they are so relaxing, but should you manage to pull yourself up you also have two big steam rooms and two rainfall showers in this area.

Deck 14, directly at the front you have the Sky Observation Lounge, I know I have said it a lot but I love this area, similar to a Crowns Nest but much more elegant, with high floor to ceiling glass, giving spectacular views out to sea, you also have a large bar and dance floor with plenty of seating so you can even dance or sit the night away, but also a fantastic area to just sit and watch the world sail by.

The outside deck here is open to the pool area below, but you do have a jogging track should that be your way to keep fit whilst away. You have an array of sun loungers and also the Mast Bar and Mast Grill up here to grab a drink and a burger. It’s a much quieter area away from the main pool deck.

At the back you have the Oceanview Bar, I must say the buffets on-board Celebrity are some of the best and I am sure many passengers of Celebrity will agree with me there, the choice is immense, and for those worried about the cost of drinks, you have apple Juice, lemonade and 2 fruit punches along with tea and coffee which is available 24/7 here. Again lots of glass used here capturing those breath-taking views. You also can dine Al Fresco here should you want to.

Deck 15 is home to one of the most unique areas you will find at Sea and that is the Lawn Club, the entire back of the ship is laid the lawn and it’s completely real, they even employ gardeners on-board to look after it. What are Job!! Where do I apply?

Its spilt in to sections so from the back here you have the Sunset Bar, which offers what I think to be some of the best views, 180 degrees off the back of the ship and out to sea, and unlike the Tuscan Grill, its completely free to come and sit, sip a cocktail and watch the ports go by.

Either side of the Sunset Bar you have a Moroccan feeling seating area, with Bocce/ Lawn Bowling so other ships have Deck games, Eclipse has Lawn Games!!

Majority of the Lawn is given to the Lawn Club, this is where you can come and blankets are provided and sit on the lawn, lie back and look at the sky, read a book or even tuck in to a picnic. The Lawn Club does have one other major area.

Patio on the Lawn, this is where they have another unique area, you can come up here at selected times of the day and watch them making sculptures out of glass, truly fascinating and you can even buy the items after if you want.

Deck 15 is split in to two so with the Lawn Club on the Back, the Children’s area is on the front back you have to go down a deck and back up to get there. Meaning that the kids on-board have their own private area, there is a big arcade, and the different clubs, Shipmates, Fun Faction and X Club. Here they have fully trained staff, up to date technology including flat screen TVs and Xboxes. There is also a Basketball court up here but sadly we were not allowed in to this area of the ship so I don’t have any photos.

There is one final deck and that is the Solstice Deck, this is a much quieter area for those wanting to get some R&R, over than sun loungers there is nothing else up here.

That is pretty much the Celebrity Eclipse, we did have a rather limited time so if there anywhere we missed or even better I would love to hear from you and I will add the pictures in.

On to the Accommodation, and it was rather flyby but we did get to see the Penthouse Suite, Royal Suite, Sky Suite and the Balcony, Oceanview and Inside so to give you an idea on what everything has to offer.

By booking either the Penthouse or the Royal Suite, every guest in that stateroom will receive a complimentary Drinks Package.

Penthouse Suite – There is only 2 of these on-board.

 

Royal Suite – There is only 6 of these on-board.

 

Sky Suite

 

Balcony – whether you are staying in Aqua Class, Concierge Class or Standard Balcony the staterooms are identical its position and benefits which make up the cost difference.

 

Oceanview

 

Inside

So what do we all think? I personally think that the Celebrity Eclipse is the best ship out of Southampton although I know people will have different opinions but what’s your favourite ship and will you be willing to give the Celebrity Eclipse ago now?

As always would love to hear from you all.

www.tomstravels.co.uk – 0800 408 6143 – [email protected]