My Eclipse visit

A day was hardly enough time to cover everything on board, but being on the ship when there were no passengers gave us the chance to have a quick peak into a number of different cabins and to explore the vessel more freely.

The lawn club on the upper deck – and yes it is real grass!

I know the stereotypes about cruises – people seem resigned to the fact that they’re going to come back having put on loads of weight, but that doesn’t have to be true. Don’t get me wrong – the food on board is incredible but there are plenty of healthy options available, as well as a state-of-the art gym (with unbeatable views). Health-conscious guests can choose to make sure their whole cruise health and spa focused by choosing an Aqua class package, which includes exclusive access to Blu, a speciality restaurant serving lighter meal options.

The Gym

Another surprising feature of Celebrity Eclipse is the library drenched in natural light, offering a huge range of books and a relaxing space to while away a few hours.  If reading isn’t your thing, you can head down to the adults-only solarium to swim or lounge in a peaceful, sunny setting.

And of course a luxury holiday wouldn’t be complete without a spa session.  Celebrity Cruises has recently partnered with award winning spa brand Canyon Ranch to create Spa-club, offering spa and beauty treatments as well as personal training and fitness services.

One of the best things about visiting Celebrity Eclipse when there were no passengers on board was being able to look inside a number of staterooms, including the most luxurious of all: the Penthouse Suite, complete with its very own, self-playing grand piano!

The good news for those of us who probably won’t be staying in a penthouse anytime soon is that luxury isn’t just for the most expensive rooms – it’s part of the Celebrity Cruises experience.  All staterooms are spacious, bright and come with a dedicated 24-hour attendant.

Aqua class Balcony

Our day ended with lunch in one of the many speciality restaurants – Tuscan Grill where I opted for a delicious steak!