Just Booked Eclipse for Thanksgiving! Opinions Please

[weegl]

My family of 6 (Mom and Dad in theirs 70s & 80s; wife and me in the low 40s; son 13 and daughter 11) just booked the Eclipse over Thanksgiving. We have sailed RCI on multiple occasions (Radiance, Liberty, Freedom and Mariner) and this is our first family cruise ever on Celebrity (my wife and I sailed Galaxy back in '97).

 

We believe this will be a greatexperience, but I was wondering if you frequent Celebity cruisers, who have also saled RCI, can give me your opinionof the key differences to expect. Also, what are your thoughts related tp the family environment? We were hoping that it would still be very family active since we were going over Thanksgiving week.

 

I would appreciate any thoughts/opinions you may have to share.

 

Thanks!

[DHADEN]

We are also Royal Loyals, but when RCI started taking away the Diamond perks, we started cruising Celebrity. I don't know if you are familiar with the RCI "cutbacks" every one talked about in the last few years, but on Celebrity, there are no signs of that.

 

Last year while we were on the Infinity (our first Celebrity cruise), my wife and I both were constantly saying, "This is as good as RCI used to be!"

It was in the Dining Room quality of food, the service, while RCI is still great, on Celebrity is a notch up, the elegance, the entertainment and live music in the lounges every evening, etc.

 

If you are Platinum or Diamond with RCI, contact the Captains Club and get your status converted for the Celebrity criuse.

 

As for Thanksgiving, we LOVE to cruise then - our favorite time of year to be in the Caribbean. I bet you will LOVE it too. You didn't say how long your cruise is, but we have found the longer cruises (longer than 7 days) tend to have an older age group and fewer kids.

 

Hope This Helps.

[weegl]

Thanks for the feedback...we are on an 7 day eastern itinerary and have sailed Thanksgiving week on several occasions. We have loved the family aspect of that week on RCI and hope we find the same thing on Celebrity!

[Funky Face Painter, UK]

You will love eclipse.... there were 6 of us, my parents, me and hubby and our 2 daughters who are 10 and 11 years. The clubs are fantastic, our children loved them (even though it's not like RC Indy of the Seas which we have also been on. Less crowded than Indy (even though we sailed full in June. The only ship i have really wanted to go on twice (and have booked for 30 July next year).

[weegl]

Thanks for the positive words. Nice to hear from folks in about the same family situation...sort of in our shoes. My kids loved the larger Mariner, Liberty and Freedom, simply because of all of the activities/features. I'm hoping there will be enough for them on this trip, so the adults can enjoy their time and not be "entertaining" the kids all the time!

[kernow]

We were on Eclipse last week with our 16 year old son, there were 200 teens onboard and he had a great time at the teen club, he actually preferred it to recent RCL cruises. This was our second X cruise and despite the fact that they don't really advertise it, they are great for families.

 

I agree that they are a notch up on food and service, the ship feels less crowded and the Elite perks are great but I do still prefer the actual ships of RCL.

 

Julie

[bubbie617]

You will love cruising over Thanksgiving. Everyone in the family will be able to enjoy each other's company. No one will have had to shop, cook, serve, clean, wrap up the leftovers, etc. If I could, I would travel every year over Thanksgiving.

[tuggers]

Haven't been on as many Royal cruises as I have X, but I've been on several. And I have never liked the food on RCI anywhere near as much as X.

I think you will LOVE it!

[Caribensun]

Don't know about kids, if you haven't joined our roll call yet, please do!

This will be our first X cruise and we are really looking forward to it, think you will too.

Seadeck2

[weegl]

Thanks! I'll sign up for the Roll Call so we can meet everyone.

[rmontanez]

The wife and I are celebrating our anniversary on the same cruise. We been Royal Loyal as well. All we hear about X is wonderful!

 

Really looking forward to a great eXcape!

[Infi]

I also just booked this cruise today, so really looking forward to checking out Eclipse. Can anyone who has sailed on Eclipse speak to the British tweaks aboard? I'm sure they will be phased out by the time the Caribbean sailing, but I'm interested to hear about them, just in case any might be hanging around.

[youngcruiserFL]

My family of 6 (Mom and Dad in theirs 70s & 80s; wife and me in the low 40s; son 13 and daughter 11) just booked the Eclipse over Thanksgiving. We have sailed RCI on multiple occasions (Radiance, Liberty, Freedom and Mariner) and this is our first family cruise ever on Celebrity (my wife and I sailed Galaxy back in '97).

 

We believe this will be a greatexperience, but I was wondering if you frequent Celebity cruisers, who have also saled RCI, can give me your opinionof the key differences to expect. Also, what are your thoughts related tp the family environment? We were hoping that it would still be very family active since we were going over Thanksgiving week.

 

I would appreciate any thoughts/opinions you may have to share.

 

Thanks!

 

There are huge differences because even though both lines are owned by the same group, they are designed for different customers. Overall, Celebrity provides a far more upscale experience and you will discover this the second you board the ship (expect to be offered some champagne or alcoholic beverage handed to you by waiters wearing white cloves).

 

For even more comfort and amenities, book Celebrity Cruises' signature Aqua Class or Concierge Class, and of course, for an even more refined experience, Suites, which feature butler service on Celebrity.

[kernow]

I also just booked this cruise today, so really looking forward to checking out Eclipse. Can anyone who has sailed on Eclipse speak to the British tweaks aboard? I'm sure they will be phased out by the time the Caribbean sailing, but I'm interested to hear about them, just in case any might be hanging around.

 

I didn't notice that many British tweaks, certainly not as many as on Independence. There were kettles in all the cabins and some British food items in the buffet (cottage pie, bags of crisps etc). I had fish and chips one day in the MDR for lunch and it was quite authentic. The evening menu had no changes for the British. One thing I did expect and didn't get was proper clotted cream at the Elegant tea.

 

Th cruise director was Nick Weir, an Englishman who seemed to appeal to the Americans onboard much more than the British!

 

Overall I was pleased, I wanted the usual Celebrity experience not something more British and thats what we got.

 

Julie

[Infi]

I didn't notice that many British tweaks, certainly not as many as on Independence. There were kettles in all the cabins and some British food items in the buffet (cottage pie, bags of crisps etc). I had fish and chips one day in the MDR for lunch and it was quite authentic. The evening menu had no changes for the British. One thing I did expect and didn't get was proper clotted cream at the Elegant tea.

 

Th cruise director was Nick Weir, an Englishman who seemed to appeal to the Americans onboard much more than the British!

 

Overall I was pleased, I wanted the usual Celebrity experience not something more British and thats what we got.

 

Julie

 

Thanks, Julie. Much was made of the Eclipse's British flavor before her debut, so I was curious how it actually played out onboard. I'm surprised at the food changes - I expected there to be more changes there, including in the MDR dinner menus. We have also had Nick Weir as CD, and enjoyed him. But like most British CDs, his style is more tailored for American audiences. Glad to hear you had a nice cruise, and thanks again.

[weegl]

Thanks for all of the valuable insight.

 

Anyone else car eto add their experience with Celebrity and the families?

 

Thanks,

 

Weegl

[Bernie The Bosun]

Hi Seadeck.

 

Good to hear you are still cruising. We are doing the Med aain in a couple of weeks.

 

Rome, Florence, monte Carlo, Monaco

 

You need to come over here sometime?

 

Bernie