The Eclipse tonight live..what's new.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

We were also on the Dec 1st cruise.

 

I loved Wil who was the events coordinator, but felt Gabriella ( the Captain's Club hostess) was one of the worst we ever oncountered. Jason seemed fine to us. Michael from the activities staff was hilarious-hope he is a CD soon.

 

Interesting how impressions and experiences can be so different on the same cruise.

 

We thought the food was good, guest services was friendly and responsive, and the staff (other than internet and Gabriella) was pleasant and competent, and the cruise overall was great.

 

I think one of the reasons we enjoyed the cruise so much is that we had a bunch of friends we had previously sailed with plus others that we met at a precruise dinner and the Connections party.

 

We liked it so much that we are booked again in November.

 

Happy Sails to You

 

OOOEEE:D:D Bob and Phyl

 

It is interesting how people's experiences differ. In my view, Gabriella was the friendliest and most personable captain's club hostess I've ever encountered. I couldn't for the life of me tell you the names of any of the other ones I've sailed with, but she made an effort to chat right off the bat.

[City_Woman]

I did hear that they are fixing some kinks with the teams. Not everyone is happy and that's okay (but it's obvious - from all levels including management), but key leadership needs to be aware and get to the heart of the problem.

 

Again, the Blu team was top notch. Looking forward to seeing them again in April.

 

We did manage to meet up with some former crew members that were delightful and remembered us. But something was missing the entire 14 days.

 

This was also the first cruise that the officers were almost invisible. Unless we were at an event that they were required to attend. Again, a first for us on a solstice class ship. Never did see the captain!

 

Was surprised there was not live music entertainment in Sky Lounge during Elite cocktail. It was packed with Elites, but we missed having the entertainment we experienced on the Equinox.

 

We're going to cruise again in April and if we're just not convinced that the Eclipse is meeting our previous cruise expectations, then it just might mean we're back to the Equinox for the fall.

 

I do hope they work things out. I do love the 14 days!

 

Don't get me wrong, we love Celebrity and love solstice class. It was just that sense of "it's just not quite up to the standards that CELEBRITY has led us to expect from them" that left us with the "well, that was different" feeling.

 

Judy

[ghstudio]

 

Again, the Blu team was top notch. Looking forward to seeing them again in April.

 

Judy

 

This certainly wasn't our feeling on the transatlantic...Blu seemed to have everyone floating around trying to help everyone instead of assigning assistant waiters/etc to a section. One day we had to wait 10 mins for orange juice; another day it was impossible to get decaf coffee although we asked at least four waiters for it...later, they told the maitre'd that we'd asked not to be served coffee.....either they don't understand English or just lie when asked.

 

Net: service was a bit of chaos, no matter where you sat in Blu. Far different than our experience on the equinox earlier in the year which was wonderful.

 

Hopefully, they've gotten organized, but that assumes they ever knew they were disorganized, of course.

[City_Woman]

This certainly wasn't our feeling on the transatlantic...Blu seemed to have everyone floating around trying to help everyone instead of assigning assistant waiters/etc to a section. One day we had to wait 10 mins for orange juice; another day it was impossible to get decaf coffee although we asked at least four waiters for it...later, they told the maitre'd that we'd asked not to be served coffee.....either they don't understand English or just lie when asked.

 

Net: service was a bit of chaos, no matter where you sat in Blu. Far different than our experience on the equinox earlier in the year which was wonderful.

 

Hopefully, they've gotten organized, but that assumes they ever knew they were disorganized, of course.

 

Based on what I saw, the hiccups you describe have been fixed. By the second day, they knew all of our preferences for breakfast and supper!

 

There were 3 cruises in between the transatlantic and ours.

 

The problem, I think, is the Equinox is one fine ship with one fine crew and one fine group of officers and one fine captain. It seems to be the experience many of us compare all our cruises to.

 

Judy

[Ex-Airbalancer]

This certainly wasn't our feeling on the transatlantic...Blu seemed to have everyone floating around trying to help everyone instead of assigning assistant waiters/etc to a section. One day we had to wait 10 mins for orange juice; another day it was impossible to get decaf coffee although we asked at least four waiters for it...later, they told the maitre'd that we'd asked not to be served coffee.....either they don't understand English or just lie when asked.

 

Net: service was a bit of chaos, no matter where you sat in Blu. Far different than our experience on the equinox earlier in the year which was wonderful.

 

Hopefully, they've gotten organized, but that assumes they ever knew they were disorganized, of course.

It think on our TA there was a lot of new crew on board, I understand there was only 2 left in Blu from our June Greek cruise on the Equniox

[cruising teacher]

We were on the November 9 and November 17 sailings and found Gabriela to be a very gracious and helpful Captain's Club hostess. We hope that she is still there for the January 12 sailing although I believe she is going to the Infinity.

 

We were also on the Dec 1st cruise.

 

I loved Wil who was the events coordinator, but felt Gabriella ( the Captain's Club hostess) was one of the worst we ever oncountered. Jason seemed fine to us. Michael from the activities staff was hilarious-hope he is a CD soon.

 

Interesting how impressions and experiences can be so different on the same cruise.

 

We thought the food was good, guest services was friendly and responsive, and the staff (other than internet and Gabriella) was pleasant and competent, and the cruise overall was great.

 

I think one of the reasons we enjoyed the cruise so much is that we had a bunch of friends we had previously sailed with plus others that we met at a precruise dinner and the Connections party.

 

We liked it so much that we are booked again in November.

 

Happy Sails to You

 

OOOEEE:D:D Bob and Phyl

[Lotus Girl]

Hope you are all having a great time. We should have been on this cruise with you. I was the one that kept the roll call.

 

I did watch you sail away on the webcam and was wishing that I was sailing with you all.

 

Did you meet up after muster and have you had your official X meet & mingle yet?

 

Hope you all have a great New Years Eve party.

 

Thanks

 

Karen

[Notagoose]

I hope you have a wonderful cruise. I will eagerly await your updates as we are hopping on just as you hop off. :)

[USVI-4-me]

Kevin, thank you for taking questions while you vacation.

 

Is Wireless available in the MDR?

Are passengers posting during meals?

 

-Marisa

[seabreeze78]

The menu is the same on all the Celebrity ships. It's a rotating 14 day menu. I went to the galley tour today, and the head chef announced that Tuscan Grill was getting a new menu in February, Murano's was updated in November.. They are also working on improving the Oceanview Cafe. I am finding the lunch at Oceanview the best I've had yet on a Celebrity ship. What a difference from the Millennium!

Do you remember what the updates to Murano were?:)

[gimletgal]

 

Is Wireless available in the MDR?

Are passengers posting during meals?

 

-Marisa

 

I seriously hope not!

[HAM]

I seriously hope not!

 

What she said! If they are, get me a new table!!!!!!!!!

[SkystheLimit]

Kevin, thank you for taking questions while you vacation.

 

Is Wireless available in the MDR?

Are passengers posting during meals?

 

-Marisa

 

Please NO!

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

We were on the November 9 and November 17 sailings and found Gabriela to be a very gracious and helpful Captain's Club hostess. We hope that she is still there for the January 12 sailing although I believe she is going to the Infinity.

 

 

That would be great if she were still on the Infinity when we board in May!

[Kevnzworld]

Update.

Yes there is wifi in the MDR, thankfully for some of us that cruise solo occasionally . The Internet is MUCH faster, what a difference.

New Years Eve on the Eclipse was great. There is a very lively crowd on this ship, much more so than any cruise I've been on. The pool party was great, they emptied the jacuzzis and loaded them with ice and champagne. The band was rockin, and the dance area and the floor above were packed.

Kudos to the staff. The martini bar was fun, the atrium band filled the ship with music, even Cellar Masters was crowded. It's larger and has many more wines than other ships I've been on, and no bar. I bought a wine card for the first time.

It was lobster night in the MDR, and it was good. All in all, great...a new tradition for me has began.

[grammyandpoppy]

It is interesting how people's experiences differ. In my view, Gabriella was the friendliest and most personable captain's club hostess I've ever encountered. I couldn't for the life of me tell you the names of any of the other ones I've sailed with, but she made an effort to chat right off the bat.

 

Can't agree with your comments regarding Gabriella. IMHO she was largely responsible for the elite disembarking debacle on the Dec 1 cruise. Tony is always doing damage control when it comes to the specialty restaurants. Never again will we pay extra at the "give us another chance to make it right" venues.

 

Somethings need to get better.

[USVI-4-me]

Kevin,

I'm happy to read about the good times on your cruise holiday. New Year w/ice & Champagne in the whirlpools made me laugh.

 

If tablemates use wireless in the MDR, I'll be prepared.

 

Thank you for the reply.

 

-Marisa

[EMS8]

Kevin,

Glad you are having a great cruise so far. I'll be anxious to hear about your disembarcation since we have read about some recent problems with Eclipse. We will be sailing her in March.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Can't agree with your comments regarding Gabriella. IMHO she was largely responsible for the elite disembarking debacle on the Dec 1 cruise. Tony is always doing damage control when it comes to the specialty restaurants. Never again will we pay extra at the "give us another chance to make it right" venues.

 

Somethings need to get better.

 

I get that you don't agree with my comments. However, I reserve the right to my opinion which happens to be that she was the best Captain's Club hostess I have yet encountered. By far.

 

Also:

 

A. Gabriella was sick and confined to her cabin on December 1. Per doctor's orders.

 

B. I don't believe the Captain's Club hostess is responsible for the debarcation process.

 

C. We had absolutely no issues with debarcation December 1. We are elite. Well, except for the fact that no food ever showed up in the elite lounge. Oh well. It didn't kill me to go without my free specialty coffee that morning. It was a bit painful not to have an almond croissant or a chocolate croissant, but I survived. :D

[grammyandpoppy]

We disembarked on Dec 15 - not Dec 1. Gabriella instructed ALL elites to leave the Tuscan Grill and follow her to the aft staircase and so the debacle began. On our sailing, coffee and danish were provided the day of disembarkation and no one expected anything more. Hope this clarifies. Happy New Year.

[Katie H]

We disembarked on Dec 15 - not Dec 1. Gabriella instructed ALL elites to leave the Tuscan Grill and follow her to the aft staircase and so the debacle began. On our sailing, coffee and danish were provided the day of disembarkation and no one expected anything more. Hope this clarifies. Happy New Year.

 

We were on the Dec. 1 cruise disembarking on the 15th also. I agree that Gabriella caused a problem by taking all numbers from the Elite Lounge at the same time. Then she walked through other areas saying, "All numbers follow me", so others who had not been in the Elite Lounge also joined the line. The backup on the stairs was dangerous. We saw many people ahead of us with numbers much higher than ours.

 

When we approached Gabriella in the mornings when we went to Elite breakfast, she would chat with us in a friendly way. But she never initiated anything. She just stood at the podium flipping through a magazine. We were in the Elite happy hour every evening that it was offered and sat at the same table and she never once stopped to speak with us. I agree with the previous poster that she was the worst Captain's Club hostess we have encountered.

 

However, Darko, our waiter at Elite breakfast and Tomas, our waiter at evening happy hour, more than made up for her lack of attention. They truly made us feel special.

[texmex.ferr]

Hi,

 

Is there any way of finding out who the CD will be on 23 March sailing, someone on our roll call is asking?

 

Thanks for any help, hope you're still enjoying your cruise.

[Hapytocruise]

Thanks for all the Eclipes info. We will be on her april 6th and are really looking forward to it. Can you advise who the Matr'd is in Blu? Just wondering based on your (or someone's) remark that a lot of staff are from infinity which we traveled on Feb 12.

[lovestx]

Hi Andy:

The hotel director is Ryan Kingston, the cruise director is Patti Honacki.

 

Glad you are having a great cruise, Kevin! And encouraging to hear that the Eclipse is improving.

 

I had to chuckle when I saw that Patti Honacki is your CD. She was ours on the Equinox last June and, like another poster said, she didn't seem genuine to us. More like a plastic person. But we thought that perhaps we just didn't know much about CD's as we were new to cruising. We just got off the Connie and Esperanza was the CD. She was so warm and enthusiastic.

 

Curious what your impression of Patti is given that you are a seasoned cruiser. We loved the Equinox so maybe we should give her more credit!

[C 2 C]

Hi,

 

Is there any way of finding out who the CD will be on 23 March sailing, someone on our roll call is asking?

 

Thanks for any help, hope you're still enjoying your cruise.

 

Based on the rumour mill and the alignment of the stars, the CD about to take over on Feb 9th and on to March will be Sue Denning, a personal favourite.