Ship Preview: Celebrity Eclipse

In San Pedro, Calif., I recently toured Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Eclipse for a behind-the-scenes look of what travel advisors can expect from the Solstice-class ship after it is “revolutionized” during its March 2021 dry dock.

The Celebrity Revolution is a $500 million refurbishment initiative that brings popular elements of the line’s newest Celebrity Edge ship to the rest of the fleet. After seeing Eclipse’s current set of suites, it’s clear they are special, but after the redesign, the Suite Class will sport lighter gray tones, fewer dark woods, lighter curtains and new flooring. Eclipse will newly feature Reflection and Signature Suites (currently onboard Celebrity Reflection), and all other staterooms will be refreshed with cashmere mattresses, RFID locks and updated designs.

Meanwhile, Eclipse’s shared spaces will be given the same attention to detail. During our ship tour, we saw renderings of the revitalization that previewed what each venue would eventually look like, including The Retreat Sundeck. The Solstice Deck at the forward top of the ship — currently a public space — will be made private for suite guests, as will the already-exclusive Michael’s Club, which will be renamed The Retreat Lounge.

Cellar Masters will be transformed into Craft Social, and Passport Bar will be reworked, as well. Enomatic wine-sampling dispensers have been removed from Cellar Masters, as it will become a craft beer haven with new furnishings. It will offer more than 40 varieties of craft brews, in addition to cocktails, comfort food and flat-screen televisions. Adjacent to the reception desk, Passport Bar will be similarly redone with an airier design.

Rounding out the list of upgrades will be expanded spa offerings, including the SEA Thermal Suite from Edge; new retail experiences such as Shinola, John Hardy and Hublot; and new watering hole Sunset Bar. The rendering shown to us indicates that the space will be enlarged to include a central bartender and a cantilevered deck extension as seen on Reflection. Other renderings illustrate additional seating thanks to the removal of The Lawn Club’s bocce ball grass along the ship’s sides.

We also previewed the enhanced dining experience via a lovely lunch at Qsine, which has already received Le Petit Chef, an animation experience that playfully activates the table with mapped 4K video projections. Small characters digitally craft a guest’s meal before it is physically presented. I had previously seen the original show, which was very enjoyable, but the second “Le Petit Chef and Friends” one adds not only a reason to return during a sailing, but also an improvement on the cuisine itself.

In the encore performance, the little French chef is joined by his Spanish, Italian and Japanese cooking friends for an international flavor competition. From Spain comes the delicious Marinated Tomato Salad with manchego, serrano, pine nuts and ciabatta; from Italy, the Truffled Five Cheese Ravioli with mushrooms, shallots and parsley; and from Japan, the Green Tea Matcha Cake with white chocolate, pumpkin and togarashi. But, in my opinion, the winner is the fantastic entree from France: Steak Frites with slow roasted steak, french fries and bearnaise sauce. Still, what makes the experience special are the animations, which must be seen in person to be fully appreciated.

The Details
Celebrity Cruises
www.celebritycruises.com