Need Advice about Eclipse Entertainment and Night Life

[ATLJFL]

Hello,

 

We just returned from the RCI Allure yesterday and loved it. We have friends that have sailed previously on the Eclipse and loved it. However, they have little feedback on entertainment and nightlife because they don't care about that as much and are more about the ship's food, service etc:

 

So while on the Allure this past week, we booked a future cruise on Celebrity Eclipse because of our friends review and recommendations. But when reading Cruise Critic reviews there seem to be some that report the night life slim to almost non existent.

 

We plan to cruise in late November right after Thanksgiving and prefer an 11 to 14 day southern Caribbean or possibly Panama. The 7 day Allure was wonderful but too short and we have been to the Ports it offers many times.

 

So we booked the Eclipse 14 day Nov 30th for it's length and attractive Southern Caribbean itinerary.

 

After reading the reviews we are just unsure about a 14 day cruise with little to do at night.

 

We are in our 60's and very young at heart and fitness level. (More like mid 40's). We love shows from Broadway style to Vegas Style, a comedian if they are really funny and not repetitive. No interest in juggling acts. We do not like piano bars, Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra stuff or things from our parents era.

 

We love dancing and shows that have music we can relate to such as 1960's Motown, 50's, 60's Rock and Roll, 70's Disco and even 80's and current. Also would enjoy a night of Country Line Dancing (but not a steady diet of it).

 

On a 14 night cruise we would expect a show and/or dancing after for 12 to 14 nights. Love the idea of live bands and orchestra's for both shows and night life.

 

In addition to the Allure (not sure that could be topped and wish it was longer with a more diverse itinerary), we have sailed Holland America Vista class and on some ships entertainment was fantastic and others not so much. This is also the case with Princess where for the most part entertainment is good but can vary from one cruise to the next. We have also sailed RCI Voyager Class ships and liked them too but again lack in length and diverse itinerary.

 

We do not like NCL thus far where entertainment has ended at 10:00 p.m. and dancing was mostly to disc jockey when he was not on break.

 

Carnival has entertainment but is geared toward spring break college kids and a more wild party atmosphere that we have long since out grown.

 

So back to the Eclipse. It has a lot of great reviews, but what do the passengers really love to do on the ship? Since we are very eclectic when it comes to food, we are very easy to please with selections any ship has to offer. And we are very light drinkers so we want more than eating and drinking.

 

A nice spa and day time entertainment by day and shows and dancing by night is what we cruise for. We go in port to tour and shop.

 

We live in Florida so lounging around in a beach chair is something we can do at home.

 

OK Celebrity cruisers, sell us the Eclipse. What is the day like on board and what is the nightlife like for active music and theater loving baby boomers?

 

If it is not for us, please be honest and suggestions are welcome for an alternate plan.

 

Thanks in advance. :)

[JanineM]

We were on the Eclipse TA through last Friday. We're in our early 50s and have sailed on Celebrity for about the last 5 years. We're not really late night partiers, but we do usually get out and see what's happening at least a few times every cruise. Here are a few things that may help you with your decision.

 

The Celebrity experience tends to be more subdued than Royal Caribbean, Princess, Carnival or Norwegian. People don't sail Celebrity for the nightlife, they typically sail for the food, the relaxed atmosphere, the ports and the ships.

 

There are activities later at night (usually starting at 10), but you may not find that the nightclubs are rocking after midnight. There are theme nights most nights (80s, 70s, Motown, etc.). The staff always work hard to keep people out at night, but often there will be just a few dozen people out late in the evening. You're more likely to find a group hanging out together in one of the bars than out dancing.

 

One of the more popular later night activities is Perry Grant in the Sky Lounge. He's a cabaret entertainer in the true sense of the word ... but if you don't like Sinatra or entertainment that reminds you of the 60s then you will not like him.

 

All of that said, depending on the sailing we've seen as much bar action on Royal Caribbean as we have on Celebrity, but in my opinion you're less likely to see people rocking out on Celebrity than on other lines.