Eclipse Review-Dec 21 to Jan 4 sailing (2014-15)

[wedding96]

Just returned from the Celebrity Eclipse 14-night sailing (12/21-1/4/15) which we had previously done 2 years ago over Xmas. We had a great time on this cruise with excellent weather and a fun and diverse crowd. But overall, the standards on Celebrity have declined significantly with noticeable cutbacks. Most notably, I had previously found the food on Celebrity to be one of their strengths but I would rate the food in the MDR as a 6/10. This was a dramatic shift from what I had previously experienced on the Eclipse in 2012 when I would have rated the MDR food the best of all the Solstice class ships I had been on. In addition, the ship was PACKED with large families and groups traveling together. I was expecting this, but what struck me the most were the chair hogs. I had never been on a cruise where ALL loungers on deck 14 were taken by 7:30 A.M.

 

On this cruise, I was traveling with my partner, our 7.5 year old son, my father, sister, and her three kids (all in their late teens/early 20’s). 2/3 cabins were 1A category (Cabins 7211 and 7214, Midship on the hump), while the third cabin was 1B (Cabin 8267). Our Steward for 7211 always seemed rushed, was not particularly warm or friendly, and made no extra effort to wow me or my son (e.g., towel animals). My nieces in 8267 said they were never even introduced to their Steward. Nevertheless, I would say that I have never had a bad Steward on Celebrity so I’m hoping that our experience in this area does not represent an overall decline. (By the way, Celebrity has stopped providing chocolates at turndown!).

 

I will refrain from reviewing every detail about this ship that has already been covered, but wanted to highlight some of the things that struck me in good and bad ways on this journey. By the way, hats off to Chicagopaul who has done a very comprehensive review of this sailing which you should also refer to. However, contrary to Chicagopaul, I was not in Aqua class and had a completely different daily routine. I tend to wake up relatively early (7-8 A.M.), eat a small breakfast at the AquaSpa Café or Oceanview buffet, go to the gym for 90 minutes, relax in the sun until 4ish on sea days, go back to the gym for 30 mins, take a Jacuzzi, and then eat dinner around 7:30 in the MDR (Select Dining). On 6 evenings I had massages at the spa. Despite having a drink package as part of the 123 go promotion, I don't drink alcohol, coffee or soda. I don't generally go to any of the shows and I like to get back to the cabin by 10ish at night to read and go to bed while the rest of my family likes to stay out late. To some, this might sound a bit dull but it’s really what I need to do on vacation to recharge.

 

As mentioned previously, my impression is that cost-cutting has contributed to a general decline in the Celebrity cruise experience. I noticed this in many venues. The Aqua Spa buffet offerings, for example, continue to decline. The lunch options were pretty much the same on each day (chicken or salmon salad with a yogurt dressing, grain salad) and for dessert there was either bread or rice pudding and some kind of fruit. They seemed to offer a different soup each day which I never tried. The “smoothies” they make are undrinkable-absolutely vile! The morning muffins were good, but nothing lo-cal or healthy about them. Almond milk they stock has a bad taste and good luck trying to get Lactose Free milk. It was always a fiasco trying to locate a carton.

 

The main dining room was the worst ever. In the Select Dining section, service was slow and they seemed to be understaffed. The food was often served luke-warm and had no flavor. Even the pastas, which had generally been reliably tasty on previous cruises, were HORRIBLE. The best items on the menu were the shrimp cocktail and onion soup. I also enjoyed many of the salads they offered each evening and would combine two of them in one bowl. The Caesar salad, however, lacks flavor and has watery dressing. The turkey and pork tenderloin, when served, were dry and/or too salty. Fish was consistently dry and tasteless. Deserts had no flavor and/or were poorly prepared but the apple pie and chocolate cake on the daily MDR menu never disappointed. The best overall menu offered was the Top Chef Menu which they served on the second-to-last evening.

 

By the way, the Classic and Premium drink packages are supposed to include “freshly squeezed juices”. This is no longer available unless you are dining in Blu. This was a big disappointment for my father who had a drink package but who does not drink alcohol or coffee. It’s really a scam on Celebrity’s part to sell these drink packages with false claims.

 

The Oceanview buffet was actually better than the MDR and some of the best pizza at sea is served at the Oceanview Buffet-thin crusted and freshly prepared. Note that the pizza served in the MDR and via room service is thick crusted and nothing special. Desserts at the buffet, while they looked pretty on display, all lacked flavor and tasted the same.

 

While we enjoyed specialty dining on 4 different evenings (Qsine 2x, Murano and Tuscan Grille), I was struck again at how inconsistent the food was. We enjoyed Qsine the most but only one of the desserts, the chocolate brick (can’t recall the exact name) is worth ordering. The “make-your-own cupcakes” are just plain awful. The risotto at Tuscan Grill was like porridge and inedible. Some other items at Tuscan were better but I recall that the pasta was not as good as it used to be. Murano was the biggest disappointment. On past cruises, I could always count on a consistently outstanding meal but the food was just not the same. There was a noticeable decline in the goat cheese soufflé (seemed as if they had just heated it up). The salad with fried egg and pork rillettes had no taste, and the Grand Marnier and chocolate souffles were seriously undercooked. The woman who served us took forever and seemed overwhelmed and flustered.

 

This was my first opportunity to try out Canyon Ranch Spa and I was not that impressed. If you’ve ever been to Canyon Ranch, you should rid yourself of the notion that the standards of treatment will be comparable to their locations in Mass. or Arizona. I actually had 6 different massages over the 2 week cruise and used a different therapist for each treatment. I would rate most of the massages as average (with the hot stone massages being above average), while one massage was shockingly bad (I mentioned something to one of the Spa Concierge people to ensure I never got that therapist again). The therapists seem poorly trained and love reciting stock suggestions about treatments and remedies you should try to alleviate your aches and pains. Their recitations always sounded canned and rehearsed and one therapist had the nerve to prepare me a receipt to sign for all these potions that she talked about during the massage that I showed no interest in. On a positive note, the pricing was actually very fair if you purchase a package-I paid $675 for a package of six massages (2 of which were 80 minute hot stone massages). They then add 18% gratuity to each service.

 

Unlike on other cruises, the gym staff did not hold many of those silly health lectures where their main goal is to sell you something in the end. But they seemed to be pushing orthotics a lot and “gait evaluations”. Who goes on a cruise to get orthotics?! Ridiculous. I cant believe I’m saying this but the Steiner group that Celebrity used to use for the spa and gym were better organized and provided a higher quality service.

 

The activities director, Martin, and his assistant were excellent. But, again, Celebrity has eliminated many members of their activity staff as part of their cutbacks. The Fun Factory has a great program and once my son found some kids he liked, he was always happy to go.

 

Despite all the negatives cited above, you might wonder what keeps bringing me back to Celebrity and why I have already booked for 2016? The reason is that out of all the cruise lines, the Celebrity brand and aesthetic is what appeals to me most. The ship design, specifically the Solstice Class ships, are far superior to the other mass market lines out there. The passengers are always a diverse bunch with a variety of ages represented unlike some lines which tend to draw an older (e.g., Holland America) or rowdier (e.g., Carnival) crowd. The rooms are spacious, well thought out, and comfortable. These are all priorities for me with food and entertainment options being less so. The Fun Factory meets our needs when traveling with kids. I have to admit that I’m tempted to try higher end lines like Crystal or Oceania but when traveling with families, they’re just not practical.

 

Lastly, I should mention that this holiday cruise gets booked very quickly and prices rise the longer you wait. So if you’re even considering doing the longer holiday cruises in 2015 or 2016, a wait-and-see strategy is not advisable-BOOK NOW!

 

As far as ports go, we did the following at each location:

 

Aruba: Took a short taxi ride to Palm Beach and asked to be dropped off at the Hyatt. We rented chairs on the beach and were able to utilize the hotel facilities and Wi-Fi for no extra charge. The beach was packed but pretty.

 

Curacao: Prior to departure, I had researched which beach I wanted to visit but left the info on the ship. I didn't feel like going back onboard so went to the info counter for suggestions. I specifically said, “I want to go to an uncrowded, quiet, beach with good snorkeling and beautiful, clear water”. She sent me to Jan Thiel beach which was a very narrow piece of sand PACKED with Dutch tourists, many restaurants and no chairs. Immediately after being dropped off by the taxi, we returned to the ship. Later on in the day, we took a walk around the main town near the port which was beautiful. All stores were closed due to it being Xmas day.

 

St. Lucia: Definitely the highlight. We booked a private speedboat excursion with Joy Cruises for the day. We drove over to the Pitons and were then picked up and driven by car to the Sulphur Hot Springs/Mud baths followed by the waterfall. We then got back on the boat, and were taken to another part of the island for a BBQ on the beach. Afterwards, we got back on the boat and went to Sugar Beach (where the gorgeous Viceroy Hotel is located), snorkeled and relaxed. On the boat back to the ship, we ventured into different bays. The tour started at 9 A.M. and we returned to the ship at 3:30.

 

Grenada: Also one of our favorite stops. We hired a taxi for 90 minutes that drove us through the beautiful mountainous areas to the waterfall, with stops along the way to buy some spices. We were then dropped off at the QUIET end of Grand Anse beach. Very beautiful. We took a taxi back to the ship.

 

St. Kitts: Beautiful to look at but I knew from previous visits that I did not like the beaches so stayed on ship.

 

Barbados: Tried Mullins Bay and Holetown beaches which are small and congested areas with rough surf. We usually go to Paynes Bay but wanted to try something different. I think I’ll stick with Paynes in future or may not even get off ship.

 

Antigua: Took taxi to Dickensons Bay and rented a Jetski. Nice beach but crowded.

 

St. Martin: I have a secret, uncrowded, gorgeous spot that I always go to where you will not see any cruisers. Sorry-not going to let you in on my secret or my stretch of paradise will be no more. Got dropped off on Front Street for a little shopping before walking back to ship.

 

Hope this was helpful!

Edited January 11, 2015 by wedding96

[hellboundron05]

Thanks for the detailed review I have booked this cruise for 2016.

 

 

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[portofrome]

Thanks for your review.

[jagoffee]

Thanks. Although the machine was not always present I always receive fresh squeezed OJ at the OV Cafe. I will certainly be disappointed if I have to change my routine. I will let you know next week. I hope your father was mistaken and I am shocked that they told him that.

[keithm]

Just returned from the Celebrity Eclipse 14-night sailing (12/21-1/4/15) which we had previously done 2 years ago over Xmas. We had a great time on this cruise with excellent weather and a fun and diverse crowd. But overall, the standards on Celebrity have declined significantly with noticeable cutbacks. Most notably, I had previously found the food on Celebrity to be one of their strengths but I would rate the food in the MDR as a 6/10. This was a dramatic shift from what I had previously experienced on the Eclipse in 2012 when I would have rated the MDR food the best of all the Solstice class ships I had been on. In addition, the ship was PACKED with large families and groups traveling together. I was expecting this, but what struck me the most were the chair hogs. I had never been on a cruise where ALL loungers on deck 14 were taken by 7:30 A.M.

 

On this cruise, I was traveling with my partner, our 7.5 year old son, my father, sister, and her three kids (all in their late teens/early 20’s). 2/3 cabins were 1A category (Cabins 7211 and 7214, Midship on the hump), while the third cabin was 1B (Cabin 8267). Our Steward for 7211 always seemed rushed, was not particularly warm or friendly, and made no extra effort to wow me or my son (e.g., towel animals). My nieces in 8267 said they were never even introduced to their Steward. Nevertheless, I would say that I have never had a bad Steward on Celebrity so I’m hoping that our experience in this area does not represent an overall decline. (By the way, Celebrity has stopped providing chocolates at turndown!).

 

I will refrain from reviewing every detail about this ship that has already been covered, but wanted to highlight some of the things that struck me in good and bad ways on this journey. By the way, hats off to Chicagopaul who has done a very comprehensive review of this sailing which you should also refer to. However, contrary to Chicagopaul, I was not in Aqua class and had a completely different daily routine. I tend to wake up relatively early (7-8 A.M.), eat a small breakfast at the AquaSpa Café or Oceanview buffet, go to the gym for 90 minutes, relax in the sun until 4ish on sea days, go back to the gym for 30 mins, take a Jacuzzi, and then eat dinner around 7:30 in the MDR (Select Dining). On 6 evenings I had massages at the spa. Despite having a drink package as part of the 123 go promotion, I don't drink alcohol, coffee or soda. I don't generally go to any of the shows and I like to get back to the cabin by 10ish at night to read and go to bed while the rest of my family likes to stay out late. To some, this might sound a bit dull but it’s really what I need to do on vacation to recharge.

 

As mentioned previously, my impression is that cost-cutting has contributed to a general decline in the Celebrity cruise experience. I noticed this in many venues. The Aqua Spa buffet offerings, for example, continue to decline. The lunch options were pretty much the same on each day (chicken or salmon salad with a yogurt dressing, grain salad) and for dessert there was either bread or rice pudding and some kind of fruit. They seemed to offer a different soup each day which I never tried. The “smoothies” they make are undrinkable-absolutely vile! The morning muffins were good, but nothing lo-cal or healthy about them. Almond milk they stock has a bad taste and good luck trying to get Lactose Free milk. It was always a fiasco trying to locate a carton.

 

The main dining room was the worst ever. In the Select Dining section, service was slow and they seemed to be understaffed. The food was often served luke-warm and had no flavor. Even the pastas, which had generally been reliably tasty on previous cruises, were HORRIBLE. The best items on the menu were the shrimp cocktail and onion soup. I also enjoyed many of the salads they offered each evening and would combine two of them in one bowl. The Caesar salad, however, lacks flavor and has watery dressing. The turkey and pork tenderloin, when served, were dry and/or too salty. Fish was consistently dry and tasteless. Deserts had no flavor and/or were poorly prepared but the apple pie and chocolate cake on the daily MDR menu never disappointed. The best overall menu offered was the Top Chef Menu which they served on the second-to-last evening.

 

By the way, the Classic and Premium drink packages are supposed to include “freshly squeezed juices”. This is no longer available unless you are dining in Blu. This was a big disappointment for my father who had a drink package but who does not drink alcohol or coffee. It’s really a scam on Celebrity’s part to sell these drink packages with false claims.

 

The Oceanview buffet was actually better than the MDR and some of the best pizza at sea is served at the Oceanview Buffet-thin crusted and freshly prepared. Note that the pizza served in the MDR and via room service is thick crusted and nothing special. Desserts at the buffet, while they looked pretty on display, all lacked flavor and tasted the same.

 

While we enjoyed specialty dining on 4 different evenings (Qsine 2x, Murano and Tuscan Grille), I was struck again at how inconsistent the food was. We enjoyed Qsine the most but only one of the desserts, the chocolate brick (can’t recall the exact name) is worth ordering. The “make-your-own cupcakes” are just plain awful. The risotto at Tuscan Grill was like porridge and inedible. Some other items at Tuscan were better but I recall that the pasta was not as good as it used to be. Murano was the biggest disappointment. On past cruises, I could always count on a consistently outstanding meal but the food was just not the same. There was a noticeable decline in the goat cheese soufflé (seemed as if they had just heated it up). The salad with fried egg and pork rillettes had no taste, and the Grand Marnier and chocolate souffles were seriously undercooked. The woman who served us took forever and seemed overwhelmed and flustered.

 

This was my first opportunity to try out Canyon Ranch Spa and I was not that impressed. If you’ve ever been to Canyon Ranch, you should rid yourself of the notion that the standards of treatment will be comparable to their locations in Mass. or Arizona. I actually had 6 different massages over the 2 week cruise and used a different therapist for each treatment. I would rate most of the massages as average (with the hot stone massages being above average), while one massage was shockingly bad (I mentioned something to one of the Spa Concierge people to ensure I never got that therapist again). The therapists seem poorly trained and love reciting stock suggestions about treatments and remedies you should try to alleviate your aches and pains. Their recitations always sounded canned and rehearsed and one therapist had the nerve to prepare me a receipt to sign for all these potions that she talked about during the massage that I showed no interest in. On a positive note, the pricing was actually very fair if you purchase a package-I paid $675 for a package of six massages (2 of which were 80 minute hot stone massages). They then add 18% gratuity to each service.

 

Unlike on other cruises, the gym staff did not hold many of those silly health lectures where their main goal is to sell you something in the end. But they seemed to be pushing orthotics a lot and “gait evaluations”. Who goes on a cruise to get orthotics?! Ridiculous. I cant believe I’m saying this but the Steiner group that Celebrity used to use for the spa and gym were better organized and provided a higher quality service.

 

The activities director, Martin, and his assistant were excellent. But, again, Celebrity has eliminated many members of their activity staff as part of their cutbacks. The Fun Factory has a great program and once my son found some kids he liked, he was always happy to go.

 

Despite all the negatives cited above, you might wonder what keeps bringing me back to Celebrity and why I have already booked for 2016? The reason is that out of all the cruise lines, the Celebrity brand and aesthetic is what appeals to me most. The ship design, specifically the Solstice Class ships, are far superior to the other mass market lines out there. The passengers are always a diverse bunch with a variety of ages represented unlike some lines which tend to draw an older (e.g., Holland America) or rowdier (e.g., Carnival) crowd. The rooms are spacious, well thought out, and comfortable. These are all priorities for me with food and entertainment options being less so. The Fun Factory meets our needs when traveling with kids. I have to admit that I’m tempted to try higher end lines like Crystal or Oceania but when traveling with families, they’re just not practical.

 

Lastly, I should mention that this holiday cruise gets booked very quickly and prices rise the longer you wait. So if you’re even considering doing the longer holiday cruises in 2015 or 2016, a wait-and-see strategy is not advisable-BOOK NOW!

 

As far as ports go, we did the following at each location:

 

Aruba: Took a short taxi ride to Palm Beach and asked to be dropped off at the Hyatt. We rented chairs on the beach and were able to utilize the hotel facilities and Wi-Fi for no extra charge. The beach was packed but pretty.

 

Curacao: Prior to departure, I had researched which beach I wanted to visit but left the info on the ship. I didn't feel like going back onboard so went to the info counter for suggestions. I specifically said, “I want to go to an uncrowded, quiet, beach with good snorkeling and beautiful, clear water”. She sent me to Jan Thiel beach which was a very narrow piece of sand PACKED with Dutch tourists, many restaurants and no chairs. Immediately after being dropped off by the taxi, we returned to the ship. Later on in the day, we took a walk around the main town near the port which was beautiful. All stores were closed due to it being Xmas day.

 

St. Lucia: Definitely the highlight. We booked a private speedboat excursion with Joy Cruises for the day. We drove over to the Pitons and were then picked up and driven by car to the Sulphur Hot Springs/Mud baths followed by the waterfall. We then got back on the boat, and were taken to another part of the island for a BBQ on the beach. Afterwards, we got back on the boat and went to Sugar Beach (where the gorgeous Viceroy Hotel is located), snorkeled and relaxed. On the boat back to the ship, we ventured into different bays. The tour started at 9 A.M. and we returned to the ship at 3:30.

 

Grenada: Also one of our favorite stops. We hired a taxi for 90 minutes that drove us through the beautiful mountainous areas to the waterfall, with stops along the way to buy some spices. We were then dropped off at the QUIET end of Grand Anse beach. Very beautiful. We took a taxi back to the ship.

 

St. Kitts: Beautiful to look at but I knew from previous visits that I did not like the beaches so stayed on ship.

 

Barbados: Tried Mullins Bay and Holetown beaches which are small and congested areas with rough surf. We usually go to Paynes Bay but wanted to try something different. I think I’ll stick with Paynes in future or may not even get off ship.

 

Antigua: Took taxi to Dickensons Bay and rented a Jetski. Nice beach but crowded.

 

St. Martin: I have a secret, uncrowded, gorgeous spot that I always go to where you will not see any cruisers. Sorry-not going to let you in on my secret or my stretch of paradise will be no more. Got dropped off on Front Street for a little shopping before walking back to ship.

 

Hope this was helpful!

We're on the Jan.18'th trip. We did the Jan.26'th(2014)& loved it. We found the food excellent. Much better than Cunard(except the Grills,obviously)We're foodies(being in the food industry)so great food is a mainstay of our cruises. We will post a thorough review of our upcoming trip.As to port visits,sorry they weren't so great,but that's NOT Celebrity's fault! All our excursions were excellent(we've been to most of these islands 6-8 times)Without a doubt the "hawkers" selling their wares can be annoying. You need to observe closely before you plunk down & see where you're not going to be besieged by them. a few minutes of observation can clue you in. As to chair hogs..If you suffer in silence..oh well. Take action! Get a pool butler to move items,or as I do move them yourself(what I do)At least watch a little bit to make sure thay are not in the pool briefly.The towel animals! really! Such a minor issue,really.I found that if you ask politely,many items can be gotten for you. Do remember that the stewards do have many cabins to attend to besides yours. Perhaps it's a better idea to NOT choose the holiday trip. It's more pricey & more crowded. The reason we avoid it.I'd suggest you look at other lines as well. Check their posts. We love Cunard(more formal than you might like)The less trips to the Caribbean has disappointed us as of late. Food is much better on QM2 than the Victoria.Look at Princess, too. They offer a lot for the kids. Also look at some of RCCL's larger ships..plenty to do for families(less attention to detail,however)

[chicagopaul]

Thanks for the review! Like you said it is always great to read a review of someone else's experiences on the same cruise. I'm sorry to hear about the issues in MDR. I heard some people say they enjoyed it and others say exactly what you did. You mentioned the soufflé in Murano and I had a small chuckle. One of our friends who was in Blu loved all the food in Blu, but the only thing he did not like was a goat cheese soufflé. I wonder if it was the same one?

 

The chair hogs! I'm glad I was not the only one to notice this. They were awful. Not sure if you read my recent update on the review but one of our bartenders said s fight started over pool chairs when we were in Barbados. So bad that the Barbados police were called to come on board!

 

Despite some of the issues I'm glad you enjoyed your holiday. Hope to see you on a future cruise!

 

 

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[kelmac]

Thanks for the review! We were on the same sailing and as usual, had a very different experience. I will agree that this was the worst case of highly organized and blatant "chair hogging" I have ever witnessed in all of my cruises. All loungers were toweled up, clipped up, booked up, sandaled up by 7:00am and only about 10% were occupied. I had to just "let it go" as this is one of my biggest pet peeves.:( I've been known to gather up loads of stuff and make way for anyone who needs a chair, but not this cruise.):rolleyes:

 

Very interesting mix of people; many Europeans, mixed with first timers, loads of Elite and Elite Plus. Not many children for a holiday cruise. Fun, happy mix!

 

We had the best weather! We've cruised Celebrity since 1993 and are Elite Plus members, and this was the BEST holiday cruise we ever experienced (we've cruised 13 years in a row during the holidays). Food was excellent in the MDR; the buffet was the best in several sailings; Bistro on Five was great. We usually check the MDR menu and when it looks a bit weak, we will run down to one of the alternative restaurants and make a reservation. Didn't work this time, as all of the restaurants were booked every evening.

 

This does not bode well for holiday cruise prices, as everyone seemed to jam into the future cruise sales area to book their next cruise. This was a very happy cruise!!!

 

Enjoy!

Kel:D

[wedding96]

We're on the Jan.18'th trip. We did the Jan.26'th(2014)& loved it. We found the food excellent. Much better than Cunard(except the Grills,obviously)We're foodies(being in the food industry)so great food is a mainstay of our cruises. We will post a thorough review of our upcoming trip.As to port visits,sorry they weren't so great,but that's NOT Celebrity's fault! All our excursions were excellent(we've been to most of these islands 6-8 times)Without a doubt the "hawkers" selling their wares can be annoying. You need to observe closely before you plunk down & see where you're not going to be besieged by them. a few minutes of observation can clue you in. As to chair hogs..If you suffer in silence..oh well. Take action! Get a pool butler to move items,or as I do move them yourself(what I do)At least watch a little bit to make sure thay are not in the pool briefly.The towel animals! really! Such a minor issue,really.I found that if you ask politely,many items can be gotten for you. Do remember that the stewards do have many cabins to attend to besides yours. Perhaps it's a better idea to NOT choose the holiday trip. It's more pricey & more crowded. The reason we avoid it.I'd suggest you look at other lines as well. Check their posts. We love Cunard(more formal than you might like)The less trips to the Caribbean has disappointed us as of late. Food is much better on QM2 than the Victoria.Look at Princess, too. They offer a lot for the kids. Also look at some of RCCL's larger ships..plenty to do for families(less attention to detail,however)

 

Thanks for commenting on my review, but just wanted to clarify a few things. I'm not sure whey you thought I was complaining about Ports of Call on this cruise, nor did I mention any Celebrity excursions that I was disappointed with (we never took any). On the contrary, I think that the 14-night Southern Carib itinerary that Celebrity offers is one of the best out there-stunning settings with mostly great beaches.

 

As far as chair hogs go, I definitely would have spoken with the Pool Butler if I needed help but I always managed to find a lounger that suited me.

 

I disagree about your remarks re: the steward. I am a seasoned cruiser and have many prior experiences on other Celebrity ships to compare my recent cruise to and I will stand by my claim that the steward services on this cruise were barebones. Another ex: On prior Carib cruises, stewards have always left beach towels in our room at turndown to use the next day in port. It was fine that this steward chose not to do this at our first port (Aruba) but once I mentioned that this was something I wanted, I would have expected him to comply with this request going forward, which he did not. Instead, every morning I had to chase him down in the hall or venture up to deck 12 to get towels. Not a big deal, but really not in line with the Celebrity service I have become used to. As far as holiday cruises go, we will likely skip them in the future, morseso because the cost is almost double. But when you have a child, you have limited options so I wouldn't be surprised if I find myself back on one in the future! By the way, we have tried RCCL (Allure of the Seas) and HATED it-too big and crowded.

[wedding96]

Thanks. Although the machine was not always present I always receive fresh squeezed OJ at the OV Cafe. I will certainly be disappointed if I have to change my routine. I will let you know next week. I hope your father was mistaken and I am shocked that they told him that.

 

 

Sorry to say but the freshly squeezed juice machine no longer exists at the bar at Oceanview on the Eclipse (I remember it from past sailings too). My father befriended Miguel, one of the maitre d's in the dining room and in Tuscan Grille, who was able to get him the fresh OJ that he wanted every morning. If you ask a server or a bartender they will tell you that they no longer offer fresh orange juice. At least that was my experience at various drinking venues. It seemed to me that if you made a big stink about something you could likely get what you felt you deserved. For example, I noticed a couple receiving a fresh bowl of mixed berries every morning for breakfast at the Aqua Spa buffet. When I asked for one, server told me that she had received "special permission" from a maitre d to prepare this for them. She offered to give me the berries that morning but informed me that in the future she would need to get the same type of permission. I never bothered.

 

 

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[Oxo]

We're on the Jan.18'th trip. We did the Jan.26'th(2014)& loved it. We found the food excellent. Much better than Cunard(except the Grills,obviously)We're foodies(being in the food industry)so great food is a mainstay of our cruises.

 

We were on the Silly in Sept 2014 and Eclipse Nov 2014. With you being in the food industry, you must know that food is very subjective. However, I must agree with the review posted as I find his assessment very objective and unbiased.

 

We have cruised Celebrity since 1994 and have done over 20 Celebrity cruises. In fact we have done 5 Celebrity cruise since Jan 2013 alone. We have found that the food has definitely declined over those 2 years. The selection, quality and preparation in the MDR has declined.

 

Even in the Oceanview Cafe as some of the items that were available are no longer available. Examples: Grilled chicken breast has been replaced by Grilled chicken thighs. Sandwich bar is limited. Stir fry is not done fresh to order when in port. There are other examples.

 

The MDR Brunch was moved to the Oceanview and it is totally a smaller variety. Sushi was not fish type, but only the rolls. I asked about that and was told that they only do the real sushi at night. Other examples were found,too.

 

Why is it getting to the point that you must ask for items? To me if something like berries are available only if you ask for them, that is not the way to create a happy guest. You look around and see some tables getting this and that, instead of what is on the menu. Either put it on the menu or don't provide it unless it is necessary to help someone who needs a special diet.

 

Should I cruise another cruise line since I find these shortcomings with X? We cruise other cruise lines such as RCL and Princess. Celebrity was at one time much better in the food area than those two. However, not now. It really depends on the ship/time/etc.

 

I am just saying that Food is subjective, dining on the Cruise Lines are more banquet style food and they shouldn't try to bend over for a few, thus taking away from the majority. Some people try to get all the attention at the cost of others. JMHO!

[wedding96]

We were on the Silly in Sept 2014 and Eclipse Nov 2014. With you being in the food industry, you must know that food is very subjective. However, I must agree with the review posted as I find his assessment very objective and unbiased.

 

 

 

We have cruised Celebrity since 1994 and have done over 20 Celebrity cruises. In fact we have done 5 Celebrity cruise since Jan 2013 alone. We have found that the food has definitely declined over those 2 years. The selection, quality and preparation in the MDR has declined.

 

 

 

Even in the Oceanview Cafe as some of the items that were available are no longer available. Examples: Grilled chicken breast has been replaced by Grilled chicken thighs. Sandwich bar is limited. Stir fry is not done fresh to order when in port. There are other examples.

 

 

 

The MDR Brunch was moved to the Oceanview and it is totally a smaller variety. Sushi was not fish type, but only the rolls. I asked about that and was told that they only do the real sushi at night. Other examples were found,too.

 

 

 

Why is it getting to the point that you must ask for items? To me if something like berries are available only if you ask for them, that is not the way to create a happy guest. You look around and see some tables getting this and that, instead of what is on the menu. Either put it on the menu or don't provide it unless it is necessary to help someone who needs a special diet.

 

 

 

Should I cruise another cruise line since I find these shortcomings with X? We cruise other cruise lines such as RCL and Princess. Celebrity was at one time much better in the food area than those two. However, not now. It really depends on the ship/time/etc.

 

 

 

I am just saying that Food is subjective, dining on the Cruise Lines are more banquet style food and they shouldn't try to bend over for a few, thus taking away from the majority. Some people try to get all the attention at the cost of others. JMHO!

 

 

I wholeheartedly agree with your comments. The food on Celebrity was really the standout compared to other lines of it's type (eg. Princess, Holland America). No longer.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Oxo]

I wholeheartedly agree with your comments. The food on Celebrity was really the standout compared to other lines of it's type (eg. Princess, Holland America). No longer. Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

To repeat myself, your review was outstanding and very true. Thank you!

[NLH Arizona]

Thanks for the review and sorry about the things you didn't like or wasn't up to your standards. I would suggest you try Crystal; they are truly luxury and the food is fantastic. I've seen children on Crystal and they seem to be having a great time.

 

Here is some information on Crystal's children's program:

 

 

Both ships feature a fully supervised Junior Activities program for kids between the ages of 3 and 17 on Holiday voyages and nearly all summer sailings, each with dedicated play areas for both young kids and teens. Children are supervised during their activities with the Junior Activities Directors, and children with parents’ permission are free to come and go as they please. The Junior Activities program is not intended to be utilized as a babysitting service or daycare facility. Children under the age of the 3 must be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times.

 

Facilities

 

 

Fantasia welcomes children ages 3-7 and 8-12, with games, crafts, popular Sony PlayStation® and Xbox 360TM kiosks and large-screen televisions, board games and personal computers with entertainment and education. A video arcade at Waves keeps teens ages 13-17 entertained as well. The Library offers a selection of children's books and videos for in-room viewing; children can also see recently released films in The Hollywood Theatre.

 

Activities

 

 

On sailings with a Junior Activities Director, children receive their own daily newsletter – Surf Runner or Teen Scene, depending on their age – letting them know of the next day’s adventures. The hours of operation vary depending on the itinerary and number of children on board.

Scavenger Hunts

Hide and Seek

Story Times / Ice cream / Pajama Parties

Stretch-ercise / Dress-up Playtime

Bridge / Galley tours

Cookie Baking / Pizza making

Fashion Shows / Coke-tails / card games

Karaoke / Special Artists' Performances

Mask Parade / Trivia

Movies / Dancing

Mini Olympics / Relay Races

Pool Games / Paddle tennis

Water Polo / Swimming

Shuffleboard / Volleyball

Late Night Pool Parties / Teen disco

Trivial Pursuit Teen karaoke

Twister Popcorn Parties

Pizza Parties Computer University@Sea®

E-mail Services

Edited January 11, 2015 by NLH Arizona

[wedding96]

Thanks for the review and sorry about the things you didn't like or wasn't up to your standards. I would suggest you try Crystal; they are truly luxury and the food is fantastic. I've seen children on Crystal and they seem to be having a great time.

 

Here is some information on Crystal's children's program:

 

 

Both ships feature a fully supervised Junior Activities program for kids between the ages of 3 and 17 on Holiday voyages and nearly all summer sailings, each with dedicated play areas for both young kids and teens. Children are supervised during their activities with the Junior Activities Directors, and children with parents’ permission are free to come and go as they please. The Junior Activities program is not intended to be utilized as a babysitting service or daycare facility. Children under the age of the 3 must be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times.

 

Facilities

 

 

Fantasia welcomes children ages 3-7 and 8-12, with games, crafts, popular Sony PlayStation® and Xbox 360TM kiosks and large-screen televisions, board games and personal computers with entertainment and education. A video arcade at Waves keeps teens ages 13-17 entertained as well. The Library offers a selection of children's books and videos for in-room viewing; children can also see recently released films in The Hollywood Theatre.

 

Activities

 

 

On sailings with a Junior Activities Director, children receive their own daily newsletter – Surf Runner or Teen Scene, depending on their age – letting them know of the next day’s adventures. The hours of operation vary depending on the itinerary and number of children on board.

Scavenger Hunts

Hide and Seek

Story Times / Ice cream / Pajama Parties

Stretch-ercise / Dress-up Playtime

Bridge / Galley tours

Cookie Baking / Pizza making

Fashion Shows / Coke-tails / card games

Karaoke / Special Artists' Performances

Mask Parade / Trivia

Movies / Dancing

Mini Olympics / Relay Races

Pool Games / Paddle tennis

Water Polo / Swimming

Shuffleboard / Volleyball

Late Night Pool Parties / Teen disco

Trivial Pursuit Teen karaoke

Twister Popcorn Parties

Pizza Parties Computer University@Sea®

E-mail Services

 

Thanks for the info. I had researched this option last year and their pricing is just too high for my budget when traveling as a family over Xmas/New Years. And keep in mind that the only time they have a kids program is on the holiday sailings.

[cazzi]

Great review and as always very subjective

[NLH Arizona]

Thanks for the info. I had researched this option last year and their pricing is just too high for my budget when traveling as a family over Xmas/New Years. And keep in mind that the only time they have a kids program is on the holiday sailings.

You might want to consider the summer on Crystal, because they run their children's program during that time as well. BTW, they have a kids sale free program running through the first of March. Edited January 11, 2015 by NLH Arizona

[Duanerice1]

Wow, sorry it was such a bad experience. Only made it about 7 paragraphs but since nothing was edible or drinkable I didn't finish reading, no reason to. I didn't know every single food item could be so bad. I bet you lost a lot of weight. I'm glad I was on the Equinox.

 

Hope the next cruise is better for you.

Edited January 11, 2015 by Duanerice1

[jagoffee]

Sorry to say but the freshly squeezed juice machine no longer exists at the bar at Oceanview on the Eclipse (I remember it from past sailings too). My father befriended Miguel, one of the maitre d's in the dining room and in Tuscan Grille, who was able to get him the fresh OJ that he wanted every morning. If you ask a server or a bartender they will tell you that they no longer offer fresh orange juice. At least that was my experience at various drinking venues. It seemed to me that if you made a big stink about something you could likely get what you felt you deserved. For example, I noticed a couple receiving a fresh bowl of mixed berries every morning for breakfast at the Aqua Spa buffet. When I asked for one, server told me that she had received "special permission" from a maitre d to prepare this for them. She offered to give me the berries that morning but informed me that in the future she would need to get the same type of permission. I never bothered.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Thank you for the follow up. If I remember correctly the machine was not in the OV cafe on the Eclipse last January, but they served fresh squeezed OJ brought up from the machine wherever it was. I will search for it next week. I have a lot of options including the CC breakfast, Blu, and the OV Cafe. We prefer the OV for breakfast and lunch because we like to sit outside Aft.

[Oxo]

Wow, sorry it was such a bad experience. Only made it about 7 paragraphs but since nothing was edible or drinkable I didn't finish reading, no reason to. I didn't know every single food item could be so bad. I bet you lost a lot of weight. I'm glad I was on the Equinox.

 

Hope the next cruise is better for you.

 

Are you over reacting? That is not what he said or what others have said. Why can't we just accept others and their opinions. Food is very subjective. Enjoy your cruises.

[luvstosail]

Wow, sorry it was such a bad experience. Only made it about 7 paragraphs but since nothing was edible or drinkable I didn't finish reading, no reason to. I didn't know every single food item could be so bad. I bet you lost a lot of weight. I'm glad I was on the Equinox.

 

Hope the next cruise is better for you.

 

WOW !! I have to agree with Duanerice about your review.The only reason I read it Twice was because I was amazed at how many issues or complaints you had in 7-8 paragraphs. Wedding 96,you say you are a seasoned cruiser, but sorry IMHO you sound like a seasoned complainer. You had six spa treatments in 14 days and ate in four speacialty dining rooms during your cruise. You had the most beautiful weather and went to all wonderful ports on one of Celebrity flag ships and found a lounger everyday at the pool.I also am a "seasoned cruiser" as a matter of fact I have done holiday cruises with the Eclipse five years in a row and have sailed more than twenty Celebrity cruises. I am not saying some of the cutbacks have not upset me, but It is what it is!! I hope you can realize that sometimes in life it is better( such as this is), to sit back and count your blessings than to try and leave the impression that you did so for many cruise critic readers and future passengers. Again IMHO, fresh orange juice and a busy steward and your 18% tip that you could have removed...really?

 

luvstosail

Boston ma

[miched]

I am not a food expert and not a so called foodie as some like to proclaim they are. I have always booked AQ and dIned in Blu. Nov was our 3rd time in one year on the Eclipse for their 14 night Caribbean cruise, so I know from experience what has changed.

 

The quality of the food in Blu seemed not as good as in the past. It seemed as if every other night the menu had short ribs. We decided to try it one night as we normally order seafood but the fish always seemed to be too dry, overcooked but not hot when served. The short ribs were very grizzly, and tough. As for the deserts none ever appealed to us and as the OP posted they are just sweet with no flavor. Our waiter even asked us one night why we always left before deserts because the hostess made a comment to him about us leaving as if it took him too long to serve us. There are a few items in Cafe Al Bacio worth having but not many.

 

The activities and entertainment also took a hit in the cut back department.

 

In Mar 2014 I would go to bar in the buffet to get a drink made with fresh squeezed grapefruit juice for my wife and on the cruise in Nov the machines were gone. I asked about the fresh juice and was told that they didn't have any and the BT poured it out of a gallon jug.

 

We had this same cruise scheduled for Mar 2015 but decided to cancel when the final payment became due. There are many reasons why we canceled that cruise and comments that I made helped with our decision.

 

As I am writng this even though it is below freezing outside and snow on the ground but I am not sorry that I canceled. That cruise is about 8 weeks away but I am not ready or desire to spend more money on something that has lost it appeal. I have 4 more cruises booked thru 2017 but they are on different ships and itineraries.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

[Muushka]

Just some random thoughts....

 

We were also on this cruise. While neither of us are 'foodies', we are both pretty picky. We ate in the MDR about 12 of the 14 nights and we managed to eat each and every night. Some dishes were pretty good, some not. But we enjoyed the actual dinner, the surroundings and the company. So we were happy. We chose Select so each night we never knew who we would eat with and we met many nice people. And we are seasoned cruisers.

 

steward services on this cruise were barebones.

Sorry, this is not something that should be a ship-wide statement. We had 2 of the best stewards that we have ever had on a cruise. Karen and Abbey, awesome. They did everything we asked with a smile and efficiency.

 

Fresh squeezed OJ. Well my only comment is that we are grateful that we were in concierge class. We ordered 2 glasses of OJ and 2 of fresh squeezed grapefruit juice for breakfast. Stored them in water bottles and had it when we wanted it. I always got it at the bar with soda water, but I guess no more. I didn't try on this cruise because I didn't have the drink package.

 

One area that I think has gone very downhill is entertainment.

"YouTube sensation" and "... so and so Semifinalist" (from some contest)!

Are you kidding me? Not even the finalist or winner! Yup, the entertainment was not very good.

 

And finally, the children. If you did a search on my posts you would see that I am very pro-children, especially on holiday cruises. I have never said a bad word about a kid. I am going to say a bad word about KIDS!

 

We entered an elevator towards day 13 of the 14 day cruise. These kids were probably bored out of their skulls, but it still irritated me to no end.

Imagine stepping into an elevator with about 6 or so probably 12 year old girls, screaming their lungs out. Looking you right in the eye and refusing to stop screaming. I could go on, but I will stop.:eek:

 

We thought this was one of the best cruises we have ever taken.

But then, we don't lay out in the sun, so that helped.

[keithm]

We were on the Silly in Sept 2014 and Eclipse Nov 2014. With you being in the food industry, you must know that food is very subjective. However, I must agree with the review posted as I find his assessment very objective and unbiased.

 

We have cruised Celebrity since 1994 and have done over 20 Celebrity cruises. In fact we have done 5 Celebrity cruise since Jan 2013 alone. We have found that the food has definitely declined over those 2 years. The selection, quality and preparation in the MDR has declined.

 

Even in the Oceanview Cafe as some of the items that were available are no longer available. Examples: Grilled chicken breast has been replaced by Grilled chicken thighs. Sandwich bar is limited. Stir fry is not done fresh to order when in port. There are other examples.

 

The MDR Brunch was moved to the Oceanview and it is totally a smaller variety. Sushi was not fish type, but only the rolls. I asked about that and was told that they only do the real sushi at night. Other examples were found,too.

 

Why is it getting to the point that you must ask for items? To me if something like berries are available only if you ask for them, that is not the way to create a happy guest. You look around and see some tables getting this and that, instead of what is on the menu. Either put it on the menu or don't provide it unless it is necessary to help someone who needs a special diet.

 

Should I cruise another cruise line since I find these shortcomings with X? We cruise other cruise lines such as RCL and Princess. Celebrity was at one time much better in the food area than those two. However, not now. It really depends on the ship/time/etc.

 

I am just saying that Food is subjective, dining on the Cruise Lines are more banquet style food and they shouldn't try to bend over for a few, thus taking away from the majority. Some people try to get all the attention at the cost of others. JMHO!

Very few lines use real raw fish in the Sushi(too many sanitary issues))so it's "California" type rolls. We found the food to be overall excellent on the Eclipse. We feel that a lot has to do with the excutive chef on board. I know they have real limits, but a good one can still make things work.Seems food is really subjective on these boards. We cater to gourmet tastes & found celebrity to meet our needs.The MDR was the quivalant of a decent shoreside restaurant(I DON'T mean Applebees!)The specialty rest. close to a high end rest.The Oceanview cafe(like all lidos)pretty much ok banquet food.

[keithm]

Thanks for commenting on my review, but just wanted to clarify a few things. I'm not sure whey you thought I was complaining about Ports of Call on this cruise, nor did I mention any Celebrity excursions that I was disappointed with (we never took any). On the contrary, I think that the 14-night Southern Carib itinerary that Celebrity offers is one of the best out there-stunning settings with mostly great beaches.

 

As far as chair hogs go, I definitely would have spoken with the Pool Butler if I needed help but I always managed to find a lounger that suited me.

 

I disagree about your remarks re: the steward. I am a seasoned cruiser and have many prior experiences on other Celebrity ships to compare my recent cruise to and I will stand by my claim that the steward services on this cruise were barebones. Another ex: On prior Carib cruises, stewards have always left beach towels in our room at turndown to use the next day in port. It was fine that this steward chose not to do this at our first port (Aruba) but once I mentioned that this was something I wanted, I would have expected him to comply with this request going forward, which he did not. Instead, every morning I had to chase him down in the hall or venture up to deck 12 to get towels. Not a big deal, but really not in line with the Celebrity service I have become used to. As far as holiday cruises go, we will likely skip them in the future, morseso because the cost is almost double. But when you have a child, you have limited options so I wouldn't be surprised if I find myself back on one in the future! By the way, we have tried RCCL (Allure of the Seas) and HATED it-too big and crowded.

I'd say go back & read your own review! I mean it sounds like a pretty bad time. I mean 6 times to the spa & they all were pretty lame? One would have done it for me. You really were not too impressed with any of the island stops. Beaches too crowded etc.Food seemed totally inedible nearly every night.(except the buffet & the Ocean view cafe) Hmmm. One wonders why you would even consider this line after your review! Seems like you found every excuse to complain. As to the towel animals, again, really? That steward has 10 other cabins besides yours to take care of. By the way there is an animal towel "instruction" manual in the stewards maintainance closet. I've seen it myself.Feel free to figure out how to make one.

[DiamondDiva]

Muushka , we were on the Eclipse Nov23-Dec 7 2014 and totally agree with you about Karen and Abbey, our stewards on 12! They could not have worked harder to please us and keep our room in terrific shape. Our MDR table of 6 from 3 countries were generally very happy with our dinners and service, with only 2 or 3 items not top notch. Yes, things have changed, items are no longer available, but our room personnel and dinner staff are covering more rooms and tables than ever before.

 

On this last trip, more frustration came from other passengers ( chair hogs, people who would not move INTO the elevator, but remained right inside the door so others could not enter, kids pushing all the elevator floor buttons or screaming like described above, etc. ) and our thinking that there was a lack of true "activities" on sea days. I don't count jewelry showings, new watch introductions, , etc as an activity, but such items covered half the page each day!

But it is always interesting to see the different experiences from the same /subsequent ship sailings..it is all from one's perspective.