LIVE FROM Eclipse with video and photographs

[Kannon22]

Hello Jo & Rob

 

Still loving your reports, can't wait for the next one!

 

Happy anniversary to you both.:D

 

Cheryl & Peter :)

[travellink]

Jo & Rob and children.... As everyone has said, it has been a pleasure to go along with you and your lovely children on your cruise. My wife and I are booked on the Eclipse in Dec. and what a great preview of the ship from you and your family. Happy anniversary to you both and hope to see you on many more anniversary cruises in the future via Cruise Critic.

Thanks, Bobby

[PointerMurdock]

Hi JO and Rob - I have watched your very first day on Eclipse but I cant find a link to all the other days and would be fascinated to follow your cruise - can you let this novice know how to do it please!

[mari10]

Happy Anniversary wishes Jo & Robb, hope you have a lovely day in Lisbon.

Thank you for your daily posts, I feel like I have been on this cruise along with you. It has made my wait for our cruise in three weeks pass quickly.

Wishing you all the best!

 

Mari:)

[Route66]

Not only your videos are fantastic, you always have a wonderful music selection as well !!

 

I wish you a Happy Anniversary!

[Wine-O]

Happy Anniversary wishes Jo & Robb, hope you have a lovely day in Lisbon.

Thank you for your daily posts, I feel like I have been on this cruise along with you. It has made my wait for our cruise in three weeks pass quickly.

Wishing you all the best!

 

Mari:)

 

Mari, I see you are still on our Roll Call. Are you now not sailing on Eclipse TA on 30 October. Haven't seen you post and noticed your signature cruises.

[Fisherlady48]

have to chime in with everyone else!! I am loving this review. I feel like I am there with you'all!!

 

K

[staygulf]

Hi JO and Rob - I have watched your very first day on Eclipse but I cant find a link to all the other days and would be fascinated to follow your cruise - can you let this novice know how to do it please!

 

 

Just scroll further up this thread, all the posts are here.

[Jo and Rob]

 

 

Day 12 – Lisbon, Portugal

 

To see our latest Day 12 video please click the link below

 

 

Thank you everyone for your kind anniversary wishes, we have had a lovely day. Arriving into Lisbon is quite an adventure in itself as the clearance under the bridge is breathtakingly close!

 

We did Lisbon independently and really loved the city. There are several options for an independent tour. There were a couple of HOHO buses (the red ones you get in all cities) at the port and as Lisbon is very spread out this could be a good option for an independent tour. I spoke to someone who did it today and thought it cost about 15 euros (which looking at the map was a much bigger tour than the one in Cadiz for the same money so much better value).

 

We did our exploring by tram instead. To catch the tram walk straight past the HOHO buses and take the underpass to cross the train track. You need the number 15 tram and there are sights in both directions. We crossed the road and headed left first towards Belem. Jeronimos Monastery (a world heritage monument) was really impressive from the outside. There were huge queues outside so I don’t know if you bought a Lisboa Card (which includes all trams and entrance fees for 17.5 euros) how much you would have time to see even though all the entrances are then included. Across the park from the “Mosteiro des Jerinimos” there is a stone monument in the shape of a ship with sailors flanking each side which is also worth a look. From there we walked up to the Belem Tower “Torre de Belem” which is Lisbon’s icon and a symbol of the Age of Discovery. The children we even able to go for a paddle at the Tower which was quite unexpected but very welcome!

 

Jo’s tip 49 – Buy a tram day pass for 5.10 euros as it allows unlimited travel on the local buses, trams and trains so you can hop on and off in any direction you like.

 

We jumped back on the tram 15 and went back the way we came, past the port and continued to the penultimate stop Praça do Comércio. There was a fabulous square by the sea (which had a submarine sailing by) and a huge monument in the centre. Behind there was a grand wall with an arched opening which led into the pedestrian zone where we stopped for a spot of lunch. From there we caught the number 28 tram up the hill which took us through windy narrow streets and back in time. The tram took us past the cathedral and up towards the Castle and we had some superb views of the red roofs below.

 

Jo’s tip 50 – Take care on the tram as it is a haven for pickpockets so tourists need to be on their guard.

[Wine-O]

Cool!

[TLCOhio]

Love your super great visit video to Lisbon. Have not been there, YET!!!, but it is moving up much higher on our "must-see" wish list after viewing your nice highlights. The Lisbon Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau should put you on their payroll. Liked the music, sunrise bridge sail-in, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Just back from a June 7-19 Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. These postings are now at 28,332 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[Vol fan]

Love your super great visit video to Lisbon. Have not been there, YET!!!, but it is moving up much higher on our "must-see" wish list after viewing your nice highlights. The Lisbon Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau should put you on their payroll. Liked the music, sunrise bridge sail-in, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Just back from a June 7-19 Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. These postings are now at 28,332 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

Terry, Could I get a link to your pictures from Russia?

Carole

[dblane]

Jo & Rob, loving your videos and narrative each day. Sailed Eclipse last February with my sister and your pixs and stories bring back wonderful memories. Thanks so much for sharing.

[JoePDX]

Another wonderful installment from Lisbon. Thank you.

 

I wanted to comment on your excellent choice of music for each video. So appropriate and many of my favorites! :D

 

Wishing you both a Happy Anniversary and continued fun on your vacation.

 

Joe

[Cruiser Susie]

Happy 10th anniversary to you both, and may many more of your anniversaries be as special and lovely as this one! Thank you again for sharing so much of your wonderful trip with us. All the best to you and your family. :)

[bessinfl]

Let me add my voice to all those who are thanking you for this vivid travelogue. I can't go on this particular cruise any time soon, but I feel as if I have from your lovely videos. Happy anniversary, Jo and Rob, and may you embark on many more Celebrity cruises and take us all along.

[TLCOhio]

Terry, Could I get a link to your pictures from Russia? Carole

 

THANKS, Carole! I didn't do a full live/blog posting with the better, larger pictures on that Baltics/Russia cruise in 2008. Did a blog post on that cruise, but I had not yet figured out how to do the better visuals. If you go on the Northern Europe/Baltics thread at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=192

and post which aspects of St. Petersburg and/or Moscow are most of interest to you, I'll be happy to post as many pictures as will be helpful to your needs and interests. In the future, I'll want to do more video as Jo & Rob have done, but we don't have cute kids as co-stars. Jo & Rob have a totally unfair advantage, plus speaking in those cute English accents!!!

 

Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[upwarduk]

Just love the sunrise over the April 25th bridge. I am sure Lisbon Tourism would be interested in that capture, Rob.

 

Glad you were able to visit the UNESCO World Heritage sites of, Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery. We didn't see Jerónimos Monastery, but did get off the HOHO bus at Belém Tower. We were there later in the day & didn't have to queue to get in. However the view of the outside is more stunning, although of course we did get views back up river to our ship ( Artemis) I thought we just squeezed under the bridge, so Eclipse must have been a very tight fit!

Edited August 11, 2011 by upwarduk

[travelingla]

I just found your postings -- wow!! What a real treat to be onboard with your precious family! I can't believe you take so much time to post using the s l o w internet on board......

 

The videos are amazing.... what a nice record for your kiddos to have of their vacations. They really seem to go with the flow and enjoy helping make the videos..... I am not so sure a lot of children would do that! LOVE LOVE LOVE to hear them talk - I am from the South in the USA and love to hear a British accent - esp the children. :) They are adorable.

 

Lucky family to have this time to spend together - and I am amazed at the closeness of your quarters and you seem to still be speaking ! :p

 

Thank you so very much for sharing your trip with us -- I have not sailed Celebrity but am booked on the Eclipse for February .... so am sooooo enjoying learning about the ship.

 

I look forward to going back to your other reviews and being entertained while I learn about other ports and ships.

 

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.... I am jotting down tips into a Word doc to take along with me -- great info!

[Jo and Rob]

 

 

Day 13 – Vigo, Spain (and an account of our experience in Qsine)

 

To see our latest Day 13 video please click the link below

 

 

Thank you so much for your kind comments. We enjoy making the videos and it is lovely to know they are appreciated.

 

We have been going backwards and forwards with the clocks the last couple of days. For some reason, Portugal was an hour behind mainland Europe so we put the clocks back for one day and then last night we put them forward again. Tonight we are putting our clocks back one hour again!!!

 

Qsine was amazing last night. I thoroughly recommend it. There were several children there to our surprise so if your children like food with an international flavour they will certainly love Qsine. You order on an i-pad which has pictures for the various dishes (and the pictures are not of the dishes themselves but rather a symbol so there was a picture of a spring for spring rolls and a picture of a volcano for lava crab. Everyone kept telling us that Qsine is better in a group however we were only two and had an excellent time so don’t let that put you off.

 

Jo’s tip 51 – If you only have the opportunity to go to one speciality restaurant I would seriously consider Qsine as it is an experience that you wouldn’t get elsewhere.

 

We ordered a selection of dishes to experience as much as possible. They bring more than one starter at the same time but the main courses are brought out individually (when dining as a couple at least). They brought the cauldron of bread at the beginning of the meal while we selected from the ipad.

 

Jo’s tip 52 – don’t fill up on bread as there are more tastier things to follow that you won’t want to miss out on.

 

We had lava crab (absolutely delicious), sushi lollipops (fun presentation), soups and soufflés (the soups were chilled yellow corn, tomato basil and celery and green pea which were all served in test tubes and the soufflés were crab and asparagus, lobster and hollandaise and cheddar cheese and they were fantastic) and disco shrimp (in the flashing bowl) to start. A popular starter is Ms favourites which is a selection of 16 mini Greek dishes served in a tall box of open compartments but we didn’t order that for fear of being full after just one starter! Other starters included the spring rolls which looked very big (you get 4 large spring rolls served in springs) so again we avoided those and the table of two next to us said they were extremely filling.

 

Our main courses started with the Chinese Martini “Chintini’s”, a fabulous oriental selection of orange chicken, kung pao shrimp, beef in black bean sauce, sweet and sour pork and sticky sauce served with dipping sauces. It sounds enormous but wasn’t at all as each dish was served in a tiny cone glass providing little tasters. The table next to us had the Taj Mahal which was a similar idea with a selection of Indian dishes and it also looked very tasty.

 

Our next main was Painters Mignon, again we had one dish in the middle which we shared and the fillet steak was actually in two pieces for us. The Painters Mignon was another highlight of the meal and the accompaniments included a red wine reduction, macaroni cheese, mashed potato and a mushroom sauce.

 

Next we had the meatballs. This was a mistake! The dish consists of three meatballs the size of oranges and they were so large it was unappetising and we didn’t want to fill up on something that was not the high standard of the other dishes so after trying a bit we declined and they took it away.

 

Jo’s tip 53 – If you don’t like a dish send it back! They want you to enjoy the experience and you want to save room for the dishes you will enjoy!

 

Our final main course was the slider party (we asked for a small portion and they brought one beef burger which by now was perfect!) It was served on a mini griddle with onions and you make up the burger yourself. It was a fabulous final course and we were glad we didn’t suffer the meatballs and then not enjoy the slider party.

 

For dessert (yes there was more!) we ordered the chocolate tombstone (which arrived with a candle and a rendition of “Happy Anniversary to you” from the waiters) and the doughnuts which were both delicious. They also bring round a tray of what looks like grass with chocolate strawberries and mini desserts served in egg shells.

 

We were at Qsine for three hours and would have happily stayed for longer if we hadn’t needed to leave and pick up the children from kids club. Qsine is a very relaxed dining experience, you can order at any time (some people used the ipads throughout the meal) and they don’t start cooking the next course until you are ready so it is very much at your own pace. It is so different from the MDR it is really something you can look forward to during your cruise. We would certainly go there again.

 

Today was our final port of call as tomorrow will be a sea day. Vigo is a fishing town which can easily be explored independently on foot. We were greeted by a variety of street musicians at the port and the tourist office is across the road from the port. There was a fish market that Oliver got very excited about as he loved watching all the live langoustines and crabs and Emily loved the church / cathedral which was so fragrant with all the fresh flowers. Vigo is a great place to people watch if you want to sit at a cafe and watch the world go by as it certainly had a very laid back relaxed feel about the place. It is also renowned for its fish so if you are looking for a fish restaurant for lunch during your trip, Vigo is an ideal opportunity.

 

1 Sushi Lollipops in Qsine

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2 Soup and Souffle in Qsine

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3 Chinese Martini = Chintinis in Qsine

l=http://howarthfamily.smugmug.com/Travel/Celebrity-Eclipse-2011/18165279_JPnbSj#1426148944_Jdkp9bv-A-LB][/url]

 

4 Painters Mignon in Qsine

 

5 A Slider party grilled Kobe in Qsine

[LovesBeagles]

Now I can't wait till our visit to Quisne. Loved the pictures and the video:)

 

Maria

[islandgirlejfan]

Thanks for sharing Jo and Rob....I now cannot WAIT for 3 December! Qsine looks wonderful and I'm really looking forward to that now. We are going with some friends on our roll call and boy am I glad...I don't know if I could make it through half of what you have there! :)

 

We lived in Germany year's ago, but have always thought it's a place we couldn't do a cruise...your movies made me think twice! :) Looks like you had a marvelous time...I'm sure it will be hard to go home.

[shipshape sam]

Now I can't wait till our visit to Quisne. Loved the pictures and the video:)

 

Maria

 

 

I was thinking the same thing. Now to book the cruise!:)

[Nonna and Papa]

Jo and Rob, Thank you once again for allowing us to enjoy the cruise with you and your family. You all look like you are having the time of your lives, and you've given us much to look forward to as we sail on the Eclipse for the first time in October.

 

Mary

[sunor]

Jo and Rob thank you so much for sharing your cruise with all of us, love the videos and photos. We were on the Eclipse last Feb and enjoyed it so much. We will be on the Equinox this coming Jan and Eclipse in Jan 2013. This time we will be going to Qsine for sure. We will have to wait until Jan 2013 but it will be worth it, I am sure.

 

Your kids are so cute and love their comments on the video.

 

Thanks again for sharing and looking forward to Rob's how to when you get home.

 

Suz