Independence vs Eclipse

[vicmon]

Pls need expert advice / recommendation and/or suggestions .... I am debating whether to book a 14 day western europe aboard the Independence of the Seas (Gibraltar, Corcega, Cannes, Barcelona, Ibiza, Malaga, Lisboa and Vigo) vs the Celebrity Eclipse 14 night Spanish Med (Vigo, Lisboa, Gibraltar, Barcelona, Provence, Palma de Mallorca, Seville)....July 2010.....Myself (51) and two daughters 20 and 19.

[vicmon]

that is whichone do you think would be better taking into consideration ship and itinerary

 

Pls need expert advice / recommendation and/or suggestions .... I am debating whether to book a 14 day western europe aboard the Independence of the Seas (Gibraltar, Corcega, Cannes, Barcelona, Ibiza, Malaga, Lisboa and Vigo) vs the Celebrity Eclipse 14 night Spanish Med (Vigo, Lisboa, Gibraltar, Barcelona, Provence, Palma de Mallorca, Seville)....July 2010.....Myself (51) and two daughters 20 and 19....

[jocap]

The itinerary is almost the same- presuming that Malaga will be the base for Seville, and swapping Palma for Cartagena/ Ibiza. There's an extra night on one, but the same ports either to/from Southampton.

So, the choice is probably the ship, and that will take into account what you enjoy doing on board. Both ships are owned by RCI, and may be for slightly different markets.

Read both sets of brochures, and look for what suits.- jocap.

[Cruzaholic41]

IOS and Eclipse are vastly different ships, regardless of who owns them.

 

Considering the age of your two daughters, I recommend the IOS. The ship is bigger and has a lot more for girls their age to do. With 14 days on a ship, they are going to be looking for things to do. IOS has the Flowrider (surf simulator), ice skating rink, rock wall, mini-golf, and a more active nightlife.

 

Ecplise will be a beautiful ship. Her sister, the Solstice, is one of my favorite ships afloat. But this is a ship I would recommend more for couples travelling without kids. The amenities and activites are geared toward a more mature audience. One HUGE plus for Eclipse over IOS is that Celebrity does not allow smoking anywhere inside the ship, nor on stateroom balconies. On IOS, rooms like the casino and some lounges, can actually repel non-smokers due to the smoke level.