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Review: Celebrity Eclipse – Feb 11-18, 2012

Alex — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:53:21 +0000

It’s been awhile since our last blog entry, but TravelGuy and TravelGirl have been busy with…well…traveling and enjoying a new life in South Florida. Here is a review of our latest cruise –

This was our second cruise on Celebrity, first on an S-Class ship, and was a celebration of our 15-year anniversary. Overall, Celebrity gets an A from us. This experience was probably our best at sea so far!

EMBARKATION

After hopping the shuttle from an off-site parking lot about 10:55am, we arrived to the port about 11:05am and were on board by 11:20 a.m. It was a quick and easy process. We enjoyed the champagne welcome by Celebrity, as most other lines no longer greet passengers with a glass of bubbly upon boarding.

CABIN

We originally booked an inside, but starting about three weeks prior to sailing, prices kept dropping. We upgraded a couple of times, and ended up in a category 1B veranda – 9108 – forward, starboard, for only $50 more p/p than the original price we paid for the inside. What was particular notable for us is that even though we were very far forward, we felt very little movement. Compared to other ships and other lines, the cabin bathrooms were the largest we’d ever seen without being suite bathrooms. We toured an inside cabin also and saw that the inside bathrooms were the same size as the verandah bathrooms. Celebrity is doing it right! I’d choose this cabin category again in a heartbeat, but frankly, would be happy in an inside as well since they were mighty spacious.

FOOD

Food in the main dining room was unremarkable most evenings, but in the specialty restaurants, well…it was outstanding! Qsine is an experience everyone should try. It earned an A from me in the “presentation” category, creating a memorable experience from the moment we arrived to the experience of ordering from the iPad, to the nice arrangement of each shared dish as it was placed before us. I’ve never experienced strawberries on sticks, embedded in a grass box. Have you? How cool is that? For our dessert, we chose to decorate our own cupcakes, and since it was our anniversary, we each happened to create cute heart decorations with various frosting flavors and different types of sprinkles. Be sure to go to Qsine on an empty stomach as you’ll want to explore the menu and try various items.

Though Qsine really won me over, Tuscan Grille was an even better experience, albeit different. Because of its location on the ship, it lends itself to quite a romantic environ being that it’s directly aft. We were seated at the window, right over the wake, and really felt like we were the only two in the restaurant. Of course, we weren’t though. Our serving team was over-the-top attentive without pestering us, and I must say that the focaccia bread, both the tomato and the onion, was probably the best focaccia I’ve ever tasted. The food here is flavorful and presented beautifully, and the service just tops off a wonderful evening. I can’t say enough about the fantastic experience here.

Bistro on Five – Fantastic option for breakfast or any meal, especially if you love crepes like we do. There is an upcharge of $5/person to eat here, but worth at least one or two visits to try both the sweet and savory crepes. We dined at Bistro on Five about 10am on Day 2 and were literally the ONLY people there.

Oceanview Café – The Eclipse buffet is one of the best I’ve experienced at sea. I love their assortment of international foods, and the variety from day to day. One of the highlights for us was the daily sushi station that opened every day at 5pm. It became a sort of “appetizer” stop for us on our way back to our cabin each night for our pre-dinner nap, and I admit that on some evenings I overindulged. It would be great if the sushi were available earlier in the day so it didn’t conflict with those enjoying early dining or, like us, those wanting to snack on it but not spoil our late dinner. I still think about that sushi because it wasn’t like typical “cruise” sushi – it contained the right balance of rice and seafood.

BARS

We visited several bars on Eclipse, especially during a poker run/pub crawl we attended. Our favorite bars were:

Molecular Bar for the freshness and flavor of the nicely crafted drinks. Be sure to try a Lucky Cat with liquid nitro!

Martini Bar for the show they create when someone orders a flight. We sat next to a group who ordered a flight of 17 martinis, and yes, the bartender poured 17 martinis on top of the bar all at one time. Pretty impressive! This bar has an ice top to it so you can feel free to carve your sweet sayings or whatever you feel like saying.

Sunset Bar for the fantastic location on the aft of the ship. Watch the wake and see an all-around view of the sea.

ENTERTAINMENT

The late night adult comedian, Brad (something) was funny, but not the funniest adult comic I’ve seen at sea. He performed just about every night on the ship, but the Cruise Director said each show was the same. So, if you see him once, there’s no need to go back to see him again. I DO recommend going to see him, but I could have gone for a “more adult” show, if that makes sense.

The Corning Glass Museum Hot Glass Show is a must see! Watch as they create bowls and vases and other items for the ship. We got to see them make a couple of different items, but the large bowl they were making for the Liquid Chef at Molecular Bar actually broke after they’d worked on it about 45 minutes. You could see the disappointment in the gaffers and the crowd as well, but they kept on keepin’ on! They offered several shows, so be sure to catch at least one. Note that the Hot Glass Show is not on Silhouette and it won’t be on Reflection.

PORTS

San Juan – We took the free hop on/hop off trolley from the pier up to the San Cristobal fort. We’ve been to so many forts in the Caribbean and in the U.S., but if you haven’t been to this one or El Morro it’s worth a visit. Cost was $3/person and the trolley stops right in front of it. Afterward, we walk easily down the hill to our favorite spot in San Juan – Café Berlin. That place just keeps getting better. Their menu is fantastic for both vegetarians and carnivores, their drinks hit the spot, and the service is attentive and friendly. We enjoyed dining outside on the sidewalk and meeting another couple from Seattle, and sharing stories. Small world.

St. Maarten – We cabbed it over to Orient Bay, and walked to the north end as far as possible, to Coco Beach, which is where we spent the day sunbathing and eating/drinking. It’s not the cheapest spot on Orient, but it’s not as touristy and has far less people enjoying the place. We didn’t feel like we were on top of our neighbors, and I was able to sunbathe topless without people gawking (except for two young girls who were curious – but it was a bit amusing watching them watch me through their sunglasses as they strolled by slowly). Yes, I could see them.

St. Kitts – This was our first visit to this lovely island and we were happy to have chosen Welcome Tours as our tour company. Beulah is the owner, but our tour guide was York. Beulah greeted our group (we had put together a group of 8 in advance) with hugs, and welcomed us back at the end of the day with hugs. She was such a warm person and great representative of the island. We purchased the Full Island Tour for $38 p/p which was a steal compared to some other companies. We felt fortunate to have received a tour of the full 68-mile island so we know where we want to hang out next time we visit St. Kitts. I recommend this tour company as a great way to see the island and meet some of the locals along the way.

THE SHIP

Celebrity Eclipse is one of the, if not THE most beautiful ship I’ve experienced in our 15 cruises so far.

The atrium area with the glass elevators, and the artwork sprinkled around the ship really add to an elegant but UNstuffy experience. And The Lawn Club. If you miss spending time at The Lawn Club, you’re really missing out on something that sets these ships apart from others. There’s nothing quite like seeing a guy mow the lawn on a cruise ship! The grass is so perfectly kept that you MUST walk your bare feet through, play some lawn games, or lay down a towel and just relax while gazing out at the ocean. It’s a majestic event.

The service really set this cruise apart from others – each staff member delivered excellent service, and I just can’t thank them enough for providing such a memorable anniversary cruise for us!

Sandals: $555 Air Credit

Alex — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:39:59 +0000

More inclusions than any other resort on the planet

More scuba diving included

More gourmet restaurants

More land sports included

More offshore island adventures

More premium brand drinks

Sandals simply gives you MORE than any other luxury resort. Contact me today to get your luxury included vacation booked for 2012.

Alex@TravelGuyTravel.com or 206.335.4676

Balcony Bonus Sale: Princess Cruises

Alex — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:25:49 +0000

Princess Cruises is offering great savings on all Alaska and Europe itineraries, as well as FREE balcony upgrades!

I can help select the best cruise for you and your family, so contact me today to take advantage of this great promotion.

Alex@TravelGuyTravel.com

206.335.4676

Solstice class named “Best Cruise Ships” in 2011

Alex — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:09:59 +0000

Celebrity also has great beverage packages if you’re tired of that huge bar bill at the end of your cruise.

I can help select the right itinerary for you and your family, so call or email me to get Solsticized today!

Alex@TravelGuyTravel.com

206.335.4676

NCL offers free upgrades + reduced deposits + coupon booklet

Alex — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 23:37:05 +0000

World’s Largest Cruise Sale

Alex — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 02:10:17 +0000

From AMA Waterways to Windstar, nearly every cruise line is participating in this once-a-year event. Here is quick list of the promotions that each cruise line is offering, so don’t miss your opportunity to get EXTRA value on your next cruise booking.

AMA Waterways: For bookings made during NCVW, Oct 17-23, an extra $100 savings per stateroom is available.

Azamara Club Cruises: Bonus onboard credit – $300 per stateroom for Club Oceanview staterooms, $400 per stateroom for Club Veranda staterooms; and $500 per stateroom for Club Suites.

Carnival Cruises: $25 per person (3 & 4 day cruises), $50 per person (5 day cruises), $75 per person (6+ day cruises)

Celebrity Cruises: Up to a $150 onboard credit on nearly every sailing from Janurary 1st, 2012 – April 30th, 2013

Crystal Cruises: $100 per person additional savings on 2011 and 2012 sailings

Cunard Line: Up to $200 onboard credit on select sailings

Disney Cruise Line: $50 onboard credit per stateroom on a 4- or 5-night Bahamian cruise aboard Disney Magic®, April 20 – May 18, 2012

Holland America Line: TBA

Hurtigruten: $100 per person onboard credit for any 6, 7, or 12 day Norwegian Coastal Voyage -or- $200 per person onboard credit for any Antarctica, Greenland, Europe, or Spitsbergen Voyage

Louis Cruises: One free category upgrade and up to $100 onboard credit per cabin

MSC Cruises: Ship board credit up to $200 per cabin for selected sailings in the Caribbean & Europe 2011/2012

Norwegian Cruise Line: Up to $250 onboard credit for 2011-2012 sailings booked in October, 2011

Oceania Cruises: 2 for 1 Cruise Fares with Free Airfare plus up to $5,000 Bonus Savings on select voyages

Paul Gauguin Cruises: $100 per person shipboard credit on any Paul Gauguin cruise in 2012 if booked by November 18, 2011

Princess Cruises: An onboard value booklet per person worth up to $325 USD and a reduced deposit of $100 per person for all cruises except the World Cruise and any World Cruise segments 45 days or longer. For the World Cruise or any World Cruise segment 45 days or longer, the deposit is 5% of the cruise fare

Regent Seven Seas Cruises: $100 per person ($200 per suite) shipboard credit

Royal Caribbean International: Up to $200 onboard credit

SeaDream Yacht Club: $100 per stateroom spa credit on all 2011, 2012, and 2013 voyages for new bookings made from October 1 – 31, 2011

Seabourn Cruise Line: Book your cruise during this one week sale and save 50% or more to the Mediterranean, Indonesia, Arabia and South or Central America

Silversea Cruises: A $200 Savings Certificate Valid on Any 2011/2012 Silversea voyage

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection: $100 per person savings offer from 10/17 – 10/23

Windstar Cruises: $200 per stateroom shipboard credit on Wind Spirit, Wind Surf or Wind Star sailings in the Caribbean or Mediterranean between December 31, 2011 and November 11, 2012

Contact me at Alex@TravelGuyTravel.com or 206.335.4676

World’s Largest Cruise Sale – SeaDream Yacht Club’s promotion

Alex — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 02:08:18 +0000

SeaDream Yacht Club is offering a $100 per stateroom spa credit on all 2011, 2012, and 2013 voyages for new bookings made from October 1 – 31, 2011. This spa credit is combinable with public rates only and not combinable with any other spa credit offers. Onboard bookings are not applicable for this promotion.

Contact Alex@TravelGuyTravel.com for details.

World’s Largest Cruise Sale – Regent Seven Seas’ promotion

Alex — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 01:54:05 +0000

Regent Seven Seas Cruises is pleased to offer a $100 per person ($200 per suite) shipboard credit booking incentive.

This offer is valid for any new reservation on a 2011 or 2012 departure of 7 nights or longer booked between October 1, 2011 and November 15, 2011.

Contact Alex@TravelGuyTravel for details

World’s Largest Cruise Sale – Celebrity’s promotions

Alex — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 18:21:21 +0000

World’s Largest Cruise Sale – Royal Caribbean’s promotions

Alex — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 17:42:41 +0000