Background We have cruised 15+ times on various lines and usually go for the itinerary. We’ve always wanted to do Norway and this cruise popped up on Vacations To Go and away we were. We did book it rather late, probably a couple months prior. We had gone on Celebrity once before so we knew we had a good cruise line with a great itinerary. Little did we know just how great both would be. Traveling to the Port We flew two days earlier from the States so we would arrive a day early to get a night’s rest before embarkation. We used Celebrity for booking the flights, primarily American Airlines since we collect their miles, but the major flight over, from Philadelphia to Heathrow, was British Airways which was quite good. Upon our arrival at Heathrow, Passport Control was quite simple and we collected our luggage, albeit waiting a while for it, and met our driver just outside of baggage collection. We had arranged for a car from Smith’s for Airports and he was great. Hotel Since I’ve been collecting points at Best Western, we had decided to see if our points would pay off and booked the Best Western at Chillworth Manor. We thought that, in worst case, we’d have a bed and a shower and off we would go to embarkation. Were we pleasantly surprised! The hotel is, indeed, a former Manor. Not Downton Abbey, but quite nice and interesting. The grounds were lovely to walk about and we had a wonderful stay. The staff was excellent. We had dinner in the restaurant (highly recommend) and the breakfast, in the restaurant, was probably the best “free” breakfast we had ever had. Room was nice and comfy and we were very happy we selected the Manor. Embarkation We left the hotel via a hotel-arranged taxi at 10:00 AM and arrived less than thirty minutes later. We went through check-in quite quickly and easily and had a seat in the waiting lounge for no more than 5-6 minutes before our “number” was called to board. All-in-all, a great embarkation experience all around!! Stateroom Our stateroom was a balcony, 9109, quite far forward (about 5 rooms back from the front, but we found it to be great and quiet. There was a bit of a walk to the elevators, but that’s okay with us! Our cabin steward kept the room exceptionally neat and we had not a complaint. My wife has a CPAP machine and, having arranged it ahead of time, we had a gallon of distilled water and, much to our surprise, an extension cord awaiting us in the room. The room also had a water heater and we had tea out on our deck most days. As far as standard ship balcony rooms go, this was a good one. The Ship We had been on the Equinox and knew the general layout of the Silhouette. I have to admit that, when we found out after booking that she would be in drydock soon after our trip, I was a bit concerned that we were going on an “old” ship. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, many of us on board commented to each other that we didn’t really know why it was even being refurbished! It was a beautiful ship from stem to stern. Getting around the ship was easy. There were three decks of inside “evening” areas, including dining, shops, lounges, etc. Deck 5 had an outdoor walking area but did not entirely circumvent the ship, which is disappointing but appears to be the way with these ships nowadays. I long for the “Promenade deck” of old! The pool area got some use though this was a cooler itinerary. The indoor solarium pool was more the place to be if swimming is what you looked for. Given the itinerary, we didn’t even pack bathing suits! Dining We usually opt for freestyle dining as Norwegian calls it but, having booked so late, we were forced to have 6:00PM dining. It was okay but we would prefer not to eat that early again. Our wait staff was excellent and we had two other couples, one from the UK and one from Israel, at our table and we became fast friends. Food selection was very good as was the food itself. Specialty Dining We availed ourselves to one of the 3-night specialty packages and, though we probably wouldn’t do the package again, we were not disappointed with the experience. I think we’d stay in the MDR and just take one arbitrary night to do a specialty restaurant, if at all. Our first experience was the Lawn Club Grille, an “outside” venue – though it was fairly enclosed with the plastic walls. This is the place for steaks as they cook them right there on the grille and they were fantastic! Second experience was the Tuscan Grille. Here’s a tip – if you ever do the Norwegian Fjords itinerary, and you plan on eating here at all during the cruise, do so on the day you sail away from Flam. The restaurant is the aft-most one can be with large viewing windows and sailing away down the fjord is just magnificent. This is an Italian steakhouse and, once again, the food and staff were excellent. Our last experience, our last dinner on this cruise, was at Qsine. The “Les Petits Chefs’ experience is a once-in-a-lifetime thing that must be experienced. The table top animation is just tremendous, but that doesn’t take away from the great food and excellent service they provide. If you only do one specialty restaurant, make this one your choice. Activities There are activities every day and we admittedly did not participate much. The few we did – Question of the Day, Riddle of the Day, Movie/TV music themes – were fun and well-done and we probably did ourselves a disservice not participating more but there are only so many hours in a day. Suffice it to say that if Activities are your thing, there are plenty and seem to be well done. Entertainment We went to every one of the 7 theater shows and we were very impressed with all. The production team did three shows, all of them spectacular. The aerialists and acrobats were outstanding, as were the singers and dancers. One show was a local UK singer/pianist who did a very good job, especially on the piano. Another night was a comedian who was quite good and funny. The Flyboys were on board and they are a quartet of singers who transform “modern” songs into swing era style. The Overtures, the best 60’s band in the world according to Elton John, performed one night to rousing ovations and applause and did a quick set the last night in the Foyer area. The live music throughout the ship was top-notch. Two bands, once of which played a lot of 60s – 80s rock and roll, a solo guitarist/vocalist, a string duo (violin and cello) doing modern tunes with strings, were all great. We went to one of the “game shows”, Liars Club or some such thing, which was hilarious and I’m certain other shows were equally well done. On the final day, Captain George gave a talk about the ship and navigation and had a lengthy Q&A which was all very interesting. Ports The itinerary consisted of four fabulous ports. We used Celebrity for all tour excursions. We arrived in Bergen, Norway, at noon. Our tour was a little later and was simply a panorama tour of Bergen and the surrounding hills. Our guide was excellent and the tour was good. Also at Bergen is the ability to take a funicular up the hillside for views of the city. We did not do so but others on board did and report that it was great. Our second stop was at Alesund, Norway. Two things of note: If you go do Alesund and don’t do the Path of the Trolls tour, you have not been to Norway! And, though I know lots of cruise critics eschew ship tours, I heartily recommend you do the ship tour for this one or be prepared to fly yourself out to the next port. This is a LONG tour and is subject to so many possibilities of delays. Anyhow, the tour is excellent. You get to go well into the interior of Norway with its tremendous views. The third stop is the reason for taking a cruise to Norway, this cruise into and out of Flam. This town of only 400 is nestled at the end of an arm of Norway’s longest fjord. The cruise in and out is spectacular, with waterfalls almost within reach of the ship. We took the Flam railway up to the end, climbing up through the mountains with outstanding views of the Flam River valley and the various waterfalls. Flam is also a great town to walk about and get some souvenirs. The final stop was Stavanger which is a pretty good sized city at the southern end of Norway. From the ship, we took the cruise of the Lysefjord fjord. This was a great trip, despite the only real serious rain of the whole cruise. We had views of the great waterfalls and the famous Pulpit Rock. An interesting stop for waffles and coffee was also made and much appreciated. Disembarkation We elected to have our luggage taken off the ship and meeting it on shore, though a leisurely walk-off is also available. Getting off the ship was a breeze. We found our luggage quickly as that is well-organized. Customs was nothing since we had nothing to declare. We, again, had a ride organized with Smith’s for Airports and he collected us on time and had us to Heathrow with time to spare. Summary All in all, this was one of the best cruises we have ever taken. Admittedly, much of that credit goes to the itinerary, but the ship, staff, service, food and everything about the Silhouette was top-notch. Well done, Celebrity! Read Less

This was our first ever cruise. We chose Celebrity as our son and wife have cruised with them many times on the Celebrity Eclipse and they recommended Celebrity as opposed to P & O which they didn't like. We had a concierge cabin on deck 10 and therefore received an invitation on embarkation to a lunch for concierge guests in the main dining room prior to sailing. We went along as we thought we might receive valuable information about the ship and what is available on board. We were shown to a table for two near the kitchen entance and were then ignored for over half an hour. Not one member of staff noted our departure and other ignored guests were preparing to leave too. We found the main dining room overcrowded and claustrophobic and at that stage we didn't realise that we wouldn't actually be eating at level 3 of the main dining room in the evenings (we had anytime dining which meant we would eat at the less claustrophobic level 4 of the dining room). On leaving the restaurant without eating I did complain to the person at the desk. We were eventually contacted by the Maitre D a day or so later who wanted feedback. No gesture was forthcoming to help us forget this awful first experience. We seriously considered leaving the ship before it sailed as we could not have faced eating at level 3 of the dining room each day. Our cabin was finally ready. We were rather disappointed by the ugly and dreary maroon and brown decor and the cabins certainly need refitting. However the bed was very comfortable and the bathroom good. The final moan is that we had informed Celebrity of the need for gluten free food for my husband. The canapes delivered to our room were not gluten free initially until we spoke to our wonderful cabin stewardess who sorted it out. However as the canapes were mostly seafood we were concerned that they were not cold but room temperature and sometimes sat in the room for 2 hours before we returned to our cabin. We asked them not to serve any more. The rest of the cruise was enjoyable in that most of the entertainment was good (although not always to our taste), the waiting staff were excellent, as was our cabin stewardness, the food in the dining room was of reasonable standard, the silent disco, archery and quizzes were fun. Best of all were the new friends we made on board and chatting to all sorts of interesting people. We were not amazed by the fjords, the scenery in Canada is more stunning. The trip to Hardanger fjord was very poor but the Flam railway was good. Unsure at this point as to whether we would cruise with Celebrity again. Read Less

We chose this Cruise because having never visited Norway before we though it would be nice to go somewhere different . We have cruised several times to the Med and the Caribbean + Australia . Arrived at Southampton and boarded swiftly with friendly and efficient staff . Cabin was ready at 1pm Luggage arrived 10 minutes later . Our cabin steward Enrico introduced himself and was very pleasant . We were Aqua class so dined in Blu restaurant . Food was excellent as were the waiting staff . We had lunch a few times in the Ocean view self service restaurant ,the choice and quality was just fantastic . Silhouette is a beautiful ship and was spotlessly clean in all areas - with an amazing crew , from the Captain all the way down . Special thanks to Enrico our cabin steward you were a star . Cruise director Sue was brilliant -so much energy . We saw a couple of the shows and the comedian and thought they were very good . Ports of call were very good and the only organised one we did was in Flam ,although the scenery was beautiful I'm not sure it was worth the money -over £ 200 for the both of us for a 2 hour return train journey ! . All the other ports of call are walkable and very pretty I could go on and on about how great this Cruise was and if anyone wants to see Norway and the stunning Scenery they should give it a go and sail with Celebrity on the Silhouette . Read Less

I’ve been a bit concerned when reading some recent reviews on the Reflection so I was pleasantly surprised during this, my fourth time on this particular ship. I really cannot see what anyone has to complain about! It was my 23rd X cruise so I’ve had plenty of experiences to compare this with! The food quality, volume and selections were as good as usual. The Captain’s Club hostess (Luann) and the CD (Simon) were both efficient and entertaining. The Senior Officers were present on a few occasions and perfectly friendly. Guest Relations and Shore Excursions operated as normal. The check-in procedure was the fastest ever and debarkation went smoothly and ahead of schedule. Our waiter (Michelle) and stateroom attendant (Patricio) were excellent. Particularly good on this cruise were the bar and wait staff in the Sky Lounge during the 5-7 pm Elite and above “cocktail time”. Those were definitely the best appetizers I’ve had at these events! Even the entertainment was better than usual with the exception of a truly awful and embarrassing hypnotist show! Oh dear! My only complaint was that for the second cruise in a row X had arbitrarily changed my 6:00 pm early dining to 5:30 pm! That’s ridiculous (I’m not a 90 year old American living in Florida!!). I had no choice but to switch to late (8:30 pm) dining since selective was “full”. Anyway, I like set dining and having the same waiter and table mates! Read Less

We have always liked Celebrity. But, the Celebrity Reflection cruise last week from Ireland to the fjords of Norway disappointed us in several ways. First the pros: The shows each night were spectacular...the best we have seen on a cruise. The food in all the dining venues was excellent. Staying in the Aqua Class suite allowed us a tour of the galley and we felt so comfortable witnessing how clean and organized and focused on food safety they were. The waiters in the dining room were very efficient and kind. Our room steward got the flu, unfortunately, and we didn't see him again after the first few days, but the room was cleaned daily by different people. The cons: 6-months before the cruise, we realized that the two major shore excursions we booked the cruise to see (the major fjords) were already full. They did not open extra excursions and Norway does not have many private tours (the ones we did find were also already booked because the ship excursions were booked, or we were unable to book them because the ship offered such short time in several ports). We did luck out and find some city bus tours, but couldn't understand why Celebrity would take a ship full of thousands of people to such remote ports without offering sufficient things to do. We had bad weather (very windy) most of the time and four of us (in two separate cabins) were bothered intermittently with some kind of knocking or creaking in the walls when the ship would move with the wind. Our friends had someone come up to their cabin to see if they could find the cause, but it was to no avail. (Decks 9 and 11). All passengers had to get off the ship by 0730 the morning of disembarkation. This caused us to have to spend 6 hours at the airport before our flight was to leave back to U.S. If you want to actually "see" the fjords, we suggest that you try another cruise line or check the availability of the shore excursions before booking. Read Less

Having cruised with Celebrity many times we are Captains Club Elite members. We have always found them to be the best cruise line having cruised with Cunard, Royal Carribean,and P&O. The staff were unhelpful and sometimes rude. The perks we were entitled to were usually waiting inside your cabin for you, but this time you had to ask for them if you wanted them. Needless to say Celebrity obviously needs them more then we did so we told them to shove them where the sun doesn't shine. Embarking was slow, luggage didn't arrive untill early evening and when it did one of the cases didn't belong to me. Balcony was wet,as were the chairs. Flakes of paint and dirty tissues left uncleared from previous cruise. Very mundane menu in main dining room, buffet boring and not enough seating on sea days. Smoke from the ships funnels came onto the balconies which we have never experienced before. No daily news sheet, lack of daytime activities. One free session of Bingo where the prize was a Celebrity Towel! A bottle of Stella lager was $16! Yes roughly£12. Bottle of house white wine $54. Have always recommended Celebrity but never again. We complained at the the time to Guest Relations but it just fell on deaf ears. This is just my personal review of the cruise others may have a different view. But will never cruise Celebrity again. Not the Celebrity we once loved. Read Less

Sailed on the Silhouette to the Norwegian fjords on 27/4/19 on a 7night cruise from Southampton.We last sailed on this ship in 2013 on a Mediterranean which we enjoyed.We also had a enjoyable trip to Norway but one big problem is that this is designed for warmer climates when people can sit on balconies.. When the ship is in colder waters in April /May people are unable to sit outside on balconies or decks with the result there are serious over crowding in public rooms all day long. The ship itself is very clean and service is very good so we are looking forward to our cruise to the canaries in September when that weather will be warmer. We are in the dining room on second sitting where the service was excellent at evening dinner.We did have issues at breakfast time in the dining room at breakfast time. We tried to enter for breakfast at 08.30and asked for a table for 2 but 2 days running were told there were no tables available.Due to the very off hand way we were told this we went to the reception and made a complaint and subsequently had a further meeting with the maitre d.They blamed the problem on everyone turning up at the same time,which to me points out to staff roster problems.On a luxury cruise in this day and age you should be able to have a table for 2 if you want one. The cabin we found to be on the smaller side largely due to the balcony taking up some of the square footage. Draw space is very limited even for a 7day cruise. Three very deep draws are not the best for storing your clothes,let's hope when the next refit is completed something is done to improve this. Entertainment was in general average. . Steve Womack comedian and singer very good Fly boys harmony group. very good Pearl Modern contemporary show(did not like at all) Tom Seals singer and musician .excellent playing piano Ships own entertainment group shows (not very good. Anchors Vocal group .excellant Food served in the dining was was very good ,since we were last on thisi ship several things have changed. Four course meals seem to have become three and no chocolates with coffees or cheese . Read Less

We just returned from our 8th Celebrity cruise this time on the Silhouette 7 day Norwegian fjords cruise out of Southampton. Ship was clean as usual, stateroom and stateroom attendant were excellent, anytime dining was easy and a real plus. All in all, the cruise was fun relaxing, and well worth it, especially with the stunning scenery we saw in the Norwegian fjords. There were a couple of things, however, that really bugged us compered to previous Celebrity cruises. First of all, the beverage package seems to change each time we cruise -- by pushing more beer and liquor choices from "classic" to a "premium" status. The Ocean View cafe lunch selections are almost too exotic for an average palate -- fancy curry dishes, terrible fish selections, etc. How about more hamburgers, grilled sandwiches, etc? Embarkation was very slow compared to other Celebrity sailings -- it was more than an hour from arrival at our assigned time until we stepped aboard the ship. Thirty minutes of that time was spent in line on the gangway. Unfortunately, most days the mast grill was too cold to dine at, or we would have spent more time there. And finally, the shore excursion descriptions are not always what they turn out to be, so do your research and choose carefully. Read Less

OVERVIEW My husband and I are a 50'ish couple who are not regular cruisers. I have always wanted to see the Norwegian Fjords, and when i saw a good sale with 2 perks last fall, i jumped! We were originally booked in a standard veranda cabin but about 10 days before we sailed, we received an email offering us to bid on moving up to Aqua class. I bid $10 (per-person) over the minimum, and we won our bid. I had no idea how much we would adore that Aqua class! The restaurant, BLU, was fantastic. We loved, with one exception, every single item of food we ate in BLU. Everything about the ship and the staff was wonderful - the Silhouette is clean and elegant and full of nice, if sometimes goofy, spaces (that Sky lounge's decor is straight outta a Star Trek episode - like, an alien's idea of what a fancy bar on a ship on Earth should look like). Yet we grew quite fond of that funny Sky Lounge. We also spent a lot of time in the Ensemble Lounge as we really enjoyed the quirky yet super talented musical duo playing there most nights, along with a guitarist/vocalist who also played in the Lounge. It was music we actually wanted to listen to, but could still have a conversation, and it is dimly-lit, so i always looked very nice in the Ensemble Lounge. The staff, almost without fail, was efficient, friendly, and good at their jobs. The public areas, including bathrooms,were spotless no matter what time of day it was; we felt very pampered on this trip. We did miss a good full jogging track outside - the one they have is silly and not long enough. Since I am a walker and not a jogger, and it wasn't particularly beautiful weather, I just either walked on the treadmill or chose a floor with nothing but cabins, and walked long laps. My husband ran on the treadmills. However, had it been really nice weather, we would have been annoyed at having to be inside to get good exercise. Specifics below, if you want them: EMBARKATION - We are from the U.S., and had never been to Southampton, and I was a bit worried about getting to Southampton from London with all of our luggage, but we took the train down the night before, and then got a taxi to the pier in the morning. The train was comfortable and we just put our luggage next to our seats. it was very easy! Our instructions said to arrive between 10:30 and 11, but we arrived around noon. Since I had just been upgraded to Aqua, we hadn't received new luggage tags yet, but a guy was there, johnny-on-the-spot, and he made us new tags and carted off our luggage. We walked into the city terminal building and saw a pretty long line - it was not very organized in the "exterior" part of the line, so if for some reason Aqua class cabins could have gotten into a shorter or different line, nobody told us that or pointed us toward a different line. So we stood in the "main" line, and waited about 15 or 20 minutes before we got "inside" past security - at that point, we WERE directed by some very quick-acting and smiling people, to go to a special line, and we essentially went right up to a window to register and get our pictures taken and to get our Sea Pass cards. Once onboard, we received pink sparkling wine, and then wandered around the ship until our room was ready just a bit after 1:00. CABIN - We were in 1514, a very forward cabin on the Starboard side. My husband was worried about sea sickness and feeling the motion of the ship, so I therefore worried about how far forward we were and how high up we were, but really, she is a big ship, the Silhouette, and for the most part we never felt much movement at all. The very first morning we heard some odd noises above us, right around 7:00 AM - and learned later that we were right underneath the gym. The sounds were a combo of something being dragged around and then - maybe - someone on a bike or treadmill I think. ANYWAY, i then worried we would be awoken each day by these sounds, but that was the only day we really heard anything at all from above us. The only other noise issue we encountered was the night/morning we sailed into Geiranger, which is an town in an inlet in northern Norway. It was apparently an excessively and unrelentingly foggy night and morning, as the captain blew the fog horn every few minutes for HOURS. LITERAL HOURS. It was so loud in our room, it seemed like the horn was on our balcony. We got no sleep that night. Those were the only blights on the room. I thought it had lots of usable storage space, and we did like the extra-fancy shower experience that they provide in Aqua cabins. Our room steward was the best! Ali truly worked seemingly non-stop - our cabin was cleaned essentially the moment we left in the morning, and he somehow always knew when we were out for dinner to provide the turn-down service and leave us our chocolate and next day's planner. Dining - I can't say enough good things about BLU. One of the few other cruises we took was MANY years ago, on the Celebrity Mercury, and the dining room and food on that cruise were exceptional. We know times and the industry have changed so didn't expect much, but we were very happily surprised. It is "anytime" dining but we only ever had to wait one night - the very first night. Other than that, we could walk in at anytime and get a fantastic table immediately. My husband's steaks were tender and flavorful and cooked perfectly medium-rare, my salmon was always rare, as I like it, and our other entrees, as well as our starters and sides were very very good also - salads had fresh ingredients and vegetables were not overcooked. I do think they don't have enough staff in BLU and some nights we waited a bit to have someone take our order, but we could see the waiters practically being run off their feet, so we didn't take that personally. When they did come to our table, we got very personal and efficient service. But Celebrity should staff more appropriately in this restaurant I think. We ate most lunches in the OceanView and that food was delish as well. I tended to focus on the Indian food (REALLY REALLY GOOD), and the "grilled delights" were i could get a thinly-sliced piece of chicken breast that was nicely seasoned. The food was hot - even one day when we got in just as they were finishing the lunchtime meal - and plentiful. My husband liked the pizza and usually found something at the carvery to eat as well. Since it was not a hot weather cruise, I was worried the OceanView would be super crowded (people weren't inclined to eat outside), but we only had one day where we struggled to find a table. The service was good at the tables and staff quickly came over to get our drink orders pr clear our plates. Entertainment - my husband is a bit of a drag and refused to go see ANY of the shows. I did hear one couple describe one of the shows as "rubbish", and everyone around them nodded in agreement - it sounded kind of high-concept for a ship, some acrobatics, some singing, maybe an attempt at a plot? (maybe my husband isn't a drag, maybe he is just "wise") We focused on trivia - which we lost - but which we had lots of fun playing; Karaoke - which we only 'watched' but LOVED all of it - those English/Irish/Welsh are quite good at Karaoke, and the activities person in charge of Karaoke was hilarious. She was helpful when a singer needed some assistance (very rarely - since these were English/Irish/Welsh, people who seemingly spend the bulk of their lives in bars, learning the words and cadence to every single song written since 1960), she was full of funny asides, and just a perfect host for the event. We also, as I previously mentioned, like to spend time in the Ensemble Lounge, listening to the "contemporary duo" and also Angie, the guitarist/vocalist. Both acts are very talented and had shockingly large repertoires, they weren't really what we expected on a large cruise line, and we liked that about them. We enjoyed hanging out before and/or after dinner, and the wait staff and bartenders in Ensemble were lovely. They immediately remembered the beer my husband asked for on our first night, I think because they thought it was funny that anyone would want Miller Lite, and would have it for him practically as soon as he caught their eye. I have never really understood why people care who the cruise director is BUT we liked the looks of Sue as soon as we saw her picture, and one night in the SKY Lounge, she danced over to me and said something about what a fun night it was, and I have to say, I felt her good energy. PORTS: NORWAY IS AMAZING. WE LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. It is stunning, awe-inspiring, gorgeous (i could go on and on with superlatives, but will end there), the people are friendly, and it is easy to navigate. Bergen - we mostly walked around town looking for a bus to the mountain overlook - there is so much talk about the funicular to Floyen but I had it on good authority that Ulriken provided a better view. However, my google maps hadn't downloaded yet while we were in Bergen so there was no info on mass transit options. We finally found the bus station where a patient woman explained to us which bus to take and where to pick it up, and then we took the 12 to the Hospital (north exit, don't go under the bridge!) then walked behind the hospital, up the hill, to the cable car. It was AWESOME at the top of Ulriken. GO THERE. You won't be sorry. Alesund - we took a Celebrity excursion to a ski mountain where we had again AWESOME views. (the theme of Norway is definitely, AWESOME views). We had to take a bus and a ferry and a cable car, but it was well worth it. We also got traditional Norwegian waffles served to us at the top of the mountain, which was funny to us as we live around many people of Norwegian descent here in the midwest, and none of them claim waffles as the most beloved food of their home country. They all try to make us eat Lefse, which is bland and dull and quite inferior to a soft waffle. Geiranger - We had pre-purchased tickets on a local tourist bus - not a hop-on, it takes you to two specific scenic points in Geiranger - very inexpensive and picks you up right at the port! Sadly, one stop was inaccessible as we were so early in the season that the road at the very top was still closed because of snow (so we stopped at a slightly less-high point - I think that would have been fine, on a clear day - this was our foggy town - the fog came in on monstrous cat feet and sat, on its big fat haunches, overlooking the harbor, the town, the hills, the fjords, etc, and broke all of the Silhouette's passengers' hearts that day in Geiranger) - and the other stop seems like it would have been AWESOME, as it was a perfect view of two rock walls as the water curved between them - at this second stop, the fog lifted for a few seconds here and there, so we could get a glimpse of the stunning scene we were missing out on. Still, once the bus deposited us back down in the harbor, we walked up the waterfall that is right off the pier - it is a really easy walk to the top, and despite the fact that most of the landscape was still covered in fog and clouds, we could see rolling hills and green green grass and flowering trees and not just the waterfall we had walked up, but 2 or 3 others. It is a beautiful, awe inspiring area. I imagine the beauty of it all in sunlight would have blinded me,so it is probably fine that we had such bad weather there. Stavanger - crazy town! It is very industrial, as it is the petroleum capital of Norway (fyi, if you are interested in the petroleum museum, you do NOT need to purchase that as an excursion on Celebrity. The petroleum museum is essentially IN the harbor. You can make it on your own! We did not go in but we saw it RIGHT there.) But in the midst of this industrial town sit hundreds of charming white houses on cobblestone streets, which were originally built for cannery workers, and then restored in the not too distant past. People actually live in them, so don't stare in windows, but do walk around and through those streets. Just trust me on this one. Also, we took the Strandafjell cruise and that was AWESOME. I felt like we saw some of the grandeur we couldn't see in Geiranger. It was a gorgeous ride. We sailed to Pulpit Rock ultimately, with a stop in a cove with a history relating to bank robbers, AND a stop for WAFFLES. I am not sure how many cruises we will ever take in our lives, but we really enjoyed the ship, the people we met onboard, the crew, the Captain, the karaoke, and Norway. Read Less

Here's some quick thoughts and ideas if you're looking to book the Norwegian Fjord cruise on Celebrity (Silhouette). By the way, we learned all cruises to the Fjords STOP in 2025, so do it while you can. I traveled as a first time cruiser with my mom (65) and Aunt (60 something). I'm an active 37 yr old...and 18 months pregnant, for context. Cabin: review is below. Food: We dined in the main "Grand Cuvee" mostly in the evenings and sat with 2 delightful couples. Food was good, not great. Much better than the cafeteria though. Initially, the variety of the cafeteria dazzled, but the quality soon tinted our opinion of the place. Also, SUPER crowded at breakfast. Get yourself some room service in the morning. My fave place of all was probably the coffee shop. Definitely worth it to get the classic alcohol package, in my opinion. We also ate at the Tuscan Grill (specialty restaurant), which again, I would say was above average but didn't knock my socks off. Service was very nice at the main dining room and even the cafeteria, surprisingly. Pro tip: there is a grill that does burgers, dogs, fries, etc. (not the Lawn Grill restaurant, which is an extra cost) and I would actually take that over the cafeteria. The sushi restaurant looked pretty solid, but had to pass given the whole pregnancy thing. We had only 2 "evening chic" nights throughout the week, but I'd say folks erred on the dressier side, regardless. (Except for me.) I'm sure I could have asked, but you never knew what kind of night it was until the night before... Excursions: We did a LOT. Fjords is kind of the perfect cruise actually, because with a few exceptions, I personally don't think you'd want to be in these cities for longer than a day. Overall--really surprised at the descriptions, and not in a good way, so read with caution. Our ride on the funiculur/hike in Bergen and our trip to Pulpit Rock were both "strenuous" (note: Bergen hike was a ride up a street car, with a 1.5 hr walk up a paved hill and back. Pulpit Rock is a 4 hr (4.5 for my 65 yr old mom, who is in decent shape) round trip hike up and down "an uneven path". Read as: steep, jutting rocks that probably only mountain goats should climb). In Flam, we were supposed to have a coach ride home from our "walking tour", but ended up having to walk back about 2 miles. In Alesund's easy "highlights" tour we visited a museum...that was outdoors, and up and down hilly, graveled paths. Was fine for me, in all these cases, but my aunt and a few others on the excursions were taken by surprise and had great physical difficulty navigating. Of all the tours we did, I'd most recommend (please take into account my profile) the kayaking at Geiranger and the Pulpit Rock hike (Stavanger, which was hard, no doubt, but spectacular). If you're into the Flam train (I give it a 3/5 stars, tops), you can get tickets on your own, but that might be worth doing with the group too actually, because otherwise you spend your day in port waiting in line. Save money and figure out your own thing in Bergen, Flam, and Alesund. If you're a beer fan, don't miss Aegir in Flam and Molo in Alesund. Protip: if you don't want to buy your whole family matching Nordic sweaters, do your shopping in Bergen or Alesund, which were a bit more cosmo and had stores other than just souvineer shops. Also, buy as much in 1 store if/when you can--if you spend enough, you qualify for the tax refund and can get cash back. We got lucky with unseasonably warm weather and virtually no rain (Sept. 1-9). Ship Entertainment and Service: Jayne Curry performed several nights for us and she was fantastic--I think she appealed to multiple crowds. Singer/Comedian of sorts. Everything else was sort of hit or miss for me, but the entertainment catered to a slightly older crowd, so others might really enjoy. Who knew the ABBA sing along would be the hit of the week--not my thing but, WOW, everyone else had a good old time, ha! I enjoyed the gym and spa--great service and services (re: the spa, pretty pricey. Cheaper if you go on a port day). There were a few brave souls in the outdoor pool. Indoor pool was small and cold. Hot tubs were nice though. I paid for internet for the week because of my crazy work schedule. It was about 200 something? And I lost a day and a half of internet in Geiranger due to bad connections on the ship. A game room (for cards, etc.), a library, an "ilounge", and of course, shopping and a casino are all aboard. Protip: we didn't do many of the ship activities or raffles when we were in ports, but that first day at sea, it's worth it to participate. Lots going on and good way to get a feel for the ship. We won a facial! Wish I'd seen something like this when I first joined up on this cruise, so hopefully someone else finds it helpful! Read Less

This was our first time on Silhouette but we knew she was the sister ship to Eclipse so we felt we would feel 'at home' pretty quickly and we were sure we would be well looked after. Our embarkation was extremely fast and efficient, taking only about 10-15 minutes from arrival to the port to being welcomed with a glass of bubbly on board. As Concierge passengers, we had a delicious lunch in the Main Dining Room and were in our cabin by 1330. We were in cabin 1034 on Deck 10, which was very comfortable. Plenty of hanging storage, some drawers and plenty of storage space in the cupboards over the bed. My dresses and hubby's shirts are mostly packed on very light hangers for ease of unpacking and we knew that it would be easier to have medium sized storage cases for the overhead cupboards from past experience so our unpacking was very quick. We met our cabin steward, Joy, whilst we were unpacking and she told us how to contact her if we had any questions or needed help in any way. Throughout the cruise, she lived up to her name and looked after us very well. The food in the main dining room was at least as good as it had been on the Eclipse, or perhaps even better. We had Select Dining and we requested a table for two as my hubby struggles to hear conversations in restaurants with the general buzz of conversation. We were taken to Table 57 and were so very well served with recommendations and lovely service by Budi S, Kenneth and Bayu, that we requested this table for the rest of the cruise. After dinner we decided to see the show in the Theatre, which was a comedian called Paul Eastwood, a very funny guy with so much original material we were very impressed. Another great act is Jayne Curry, who has a fabulous singing voice and also one of the funniest comedienne's I have ever seen. We didn't go to the Theatre every night, but we heard great reviews of every show. As Captain Club Members, we were invited to their Party in the Sky Lounge with free drinks and canapés. Our first port was Bergen, where we took the Hop On Hop Off bus, which was very interesting even though it stayed quite local to the town. The cost was high in comparison to HOHO buses in other countries, but it is a fact that Norway is expensive anyway. Our next port was Flaam and we had booked the excursion on the Flaam railway, which had been highly recommended by our son and his wife when they travelled on it. The Silhouette had two carriages dedicated to it, but this did not prevent a total shambles when we were boarded. A few passengers were very upset that there were not enough seats for couples to sit together and with the unhelpful attitude of the train staff. I believe that this excursion, although arranged by Celebrity, was not in the control of Celebrity staff because it certainly didn't live up to the standard we have come to expect. I did report back, in writing, to the Excursion desk and was contacted and thanked for providing feedback which would be used when arranging future excursions on the Railway. This was the only excursion we had booked, because we had been to our other ports previously and were happy to stay fairly close to the port areas. The weather was really good and quite warm on almost the whole cruise, I think it only rained on one day. Overall, we had a fantastic time on the Silhouette, with the best of service, food and entertainment. Read Less

I chose this cruise because I wanted to see the Norwegian fjords, and because a travel agent had put together a group that included some dance lessons and dancing as part of the package. I would probably not have chosen to go on a cruise otherwise but I was very pleasantly surprised by the experience. The Norwegian fjords are beautiful and well worth the trip. The facilities and standard of cleanliness on the ship were very good, and the food was much better than expected - a good variety including some dishes which are tricky to do well, but we enjoyed everything we tried. We tried one specialty restaurant which was also good but not worth the additional cost. Also, generally the speed of service was slow at dinnertime, I would rather have had some of that time for other things. The cabins were comfortable and it was nice to have a balcony for the views although we hardly ever went out on it. I now think an outside cabin without a balcony would be just as good, as you still get the views and you are nearer the sea. We thought the evening entertainment was very good, and especially enjoyed the jazz quartet. The service was excellent, all the crew were very friendly and helpful, the emarkation and disembarkation process was extremely efficient. One gripe - I asked for my credit card charges not to be converted to my card currency by Celebrity, this was quite clear on the form I signed but they ignored it (and added their 3% conversion charge). As I didn't find out about this until several weeks later when my statement arrived, and they make it almost impossible to figure out how to complain once the cruise is over, I've just had to accept it. Read Less

We were told it was a wonderful way to see Norway and it was. Easy boarding at Southampton , the ship was beautiful and very well equipped . Cabins were large and very comfortable . Dining was lovely do try La petite chef you will love it. Service was second to none. Lots to do on board fabulous theatre entertainment. Very well organised excursions. You won’t be disappointed with this cruise. Celebrity are now my preference in cruising have tried a few we have actually booked with them having so enjoyed our trip. We were lucky enough to be picked to dine with the chief engineer which was a lovely and interesting experience. The pools were lovely and the gym facilities were excellent. All public areas were very clean. The eggs benedict served at breakfast were fantastic. The catering was all to a very high standard and the choice was plentiful . It really was one of my favourite holidays so far. Read Less

Saturday September 1st and we were in Southampton about to board the Celebrity Silhouette cruise ship we were on our first ever cruise and we were going to visit the Norwegian Fjords. There was a fair bit of apprehension and even more excitement at the prospect. The boarding process was smooth and efficiently done and we were on board in no time at all. It was a wonderful sunny day, so before we sailed, we had lunch in Oceanview restaurant, sitting on the outer deck. Shortly after that we attended an evacuation procedure demonstration in theatre, attendance was mandatory. Our cabin (Stateroom) was situated on the 7th floor and was equipped with a safe, air-conditioning, hairdryer, umbrella, bathrobes, tea and coffee making facilities. There was also a small mini bar, not included in our package, this was a chargeable service. We also had a balcony with chairs and a table. We departed from Southampton at 16.15, at is was a wonderful sunny day we sat outside and watch the start of our cruise unfold. As we sailed down the Solent, it took around 2 hours we sailed past the Isle of Wight, Cowes and Osborne House on one side with Portsmouth, Gosport and Bognor Regis on the other. We walked around the various floors of the ship exploring, it was an experience for us never having been on a cruise ship before. It was amazing so many shops, bars, restaurants, theatre, cinema and Casino. There was also an indoor pool as well as an outdoor one with jacuzzis. Day 2, Sunday, was totally at sea sailing in the North Sea towards Norway, surprisingly the weather was really good and we spend the afternoon out on deck sunbathing on the sun loungers, towels were provided. Day 3 we arrived in the City of Bergen, a distance 734 nautical miles from Southampton. Once we were allowed to disembark we went out exploring and sightseeing various attractions reviewed separately. In Bergen there was a complimentary shuttle bus from the ship to the Port entrance, the City Centre was less than 10 minutes walk away. The Floibanen funicular was a must do in Bergen, tickets available at the station. Everyone had to be back on board by 19.30 and we promptly set sail at 20.00, next stop Flam Day 4 we arrived in the small all Town of Flam, 135 nautical miles from Begen. We booked our tickets for the Flam Railway online, this is the main attraction in Flam. Day 5 Wednesday we sailed up the Geiranger Fjord, 287 nautical miles from Flam, this area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we sailed past 7 sisters and suitor falls, the Captain announced that we were approaching the falls and gave us some information about the area. This area was really the jewel in the crown and the highlight of the cruise. Day 6 we were in the charming town of Alesund a distance of 123 nautical miles from Geiranger. A climb up the steps to the Fjellstua viewing point overlooking Alesund is worth it. Was really nice as we sailed out of Alesund, a small boat saluted us by shooting jets of water into the air, a surprise, thought that only happened in old movies. Day 7 friday and the ship docked in the City of Stavanger, a distance of 260 miles from Alesund. This was our last port of call in Norway. Stavanger Cathedral, City Park, Old Stavanger are sights worth a visit. Day 8 we were at sea making our way back to Southampton, the weather was dry but windy it was not conducive to sitting out on deck. Sunday morning 9th September 614 nautical miles from Stavanger and adventure was over, we docked in Southampton and time to leave the ship, we have to be off by 08.00am. Our entire voyage was a total of 2,156 nautical miles, a nautical mile is equal to 1.15 land miles. Everyday we did receive a factsheet "Celebrity Today" detailing the itinerary for the day, this also included the events, which were plentiful, on board ship, there was always something going on. We were able to use some of the other restaurants on board, we did not bother as there was such a wide variety and choice of delicious food in the main restaurant. The Sky Bar, with its large panoramic window and wonderful staff, was our favourite bar. It was an ideal place to sit and watch the ship sail out of the various ports. It was possible to book tours and trips on board, however we found it cheaper to purchase tickets ashore, at the attractions on at the Tourist Information Centres. WiFi was very expensive on board ship so a lot of passengers waited for the ship to dock and then headed for the Tourist Information Centre where WiFi was free. A number of stores and cafe/restaurants also provided free WIFI. There was always entertainment on board band, in the theatre, lobby and bars the on board group, Trust Me - Jack became a bit tiresome. One evening in the Sky Bar, there was an ABBA evening, it was a great night. We did not catch the cruising bug, however during the cruise we did attend a presentation about cruising and expeditions in the Galapacos Islands, Ecuador and Peru, prior to this we had already booked earlier for April 2020. It was a wonderful presentation, made us wish we could go sooner. Throughout the cruise all of the staff that we encountered were amazing, friendly, polite and helpful, this was applicable everywhere, bars, restaurants, security staff We we well impressed with the ship and how clean and well maintained it was. Our cruise of the Norwegian Fjords was a memorable experience. Read Less

Had not been to Norwegian Fjords before. Itinerary was one of the best for several years, small towns and villages easy to get round without any strenuous tours. Those tours I did choose were with companies other than Celebrity and pre-booked online. Celebrity Silhouette was up to its usual standard of maintaining a smooth operation, embarkation at Southampton excellent. I didn,t disembark as carried on for second "back to back" cruise. Disembarking and returning from tours was again a smooth operation. I will not comment too much in regard to on board activities etc. as I do not participate in many of them. The bar staff at my favourite bar (Martini) were beyond excellent. The deck areas were always maintained clean but sometimes crowded. Stateroom was kept clean and tidy on a daily basis. Restaurants and dining, On this cruise everything seemed to be of an acceptable standard both in Main Dining Room and in Speciality Restaurants. However read my next review of the back to back cruise to Meditteranean where main dining came in for some criticism. All in All would recommend this cruise but not go again because once seen, once seen. Read Less

We wanted to see Ireland and Norway and thought the cruise was a fabulous way to do both as it departed from Dublin! The ship is beautiful and the crew were very pleasant and provided quick service! We were treated so well! Ray and his team were excellent servers at the main restaurant. They were fun, fast, efficient and met all our needs. Great job! Pleasure! The food choices in the buffet restaurant were excellent and varied every day....always something new and delicious at every meal. Our steward Jafar was excellent at his job! Always friendly, helpful and kept our room so clean! The entertainers were very talented, but the themes/comedian were not as enjoyable as those on other cruises taken. The singers/musicians throughout the ship were fabulous!! The shore excursions looked good, but were quickly filled & seemed costly and we did our own thing instead. Suggestions: 1) Make anytime dining more accessible. We had anytime dining and were told we still had to make reservations, which really defeats the purpose as we would have liked a bit more flexibility to see the entertainment or get involved in activities on or off the ship. 2) Move the soft ice cream machine away from the other ice cream choices in the buffet restaurant... usually a line up that could be eliminated with a small change Overall, would highly recommend this trip & ship Read Less

We have always wanted to see the Norwegian Fjords and they exceeded our expectations- absolutely breathtakingly beautiful! The weather was magnificent everyday, couldn’t have asked for more beautiful conditions! 4 of us traveling together, me and my partner, my mom and her best friend. We flew to Dublin 3 days early to enjoy the city. We had been before and loved it. It never disappoints. Embarkation and Disembarkation: There were some concerns before the trip as earlier cruises had some issues with Dublin port since they are new to having a ship begin and end there but by time we took our cruise, everything seemed to be ironed out and both were very easy and quick. Ship: We loved the ship. We have been on Reflection before so we were familiar with the majority of the ship. Sure hope Celebrity does away with the cheesy glass blowing thing and replace it with a lawn grill. Ship was very clean and always a lot of officers walking around inspecting things. Cabin: we were in an S2 Sky Suite...aft /wake view/ on deck 12. Loved the room, very spacious, lots of storage. Hated deck 12. Too much noise from the Oceanview Cafe above. Deck chairs dragging off and on all day long. My mom was also on deck 12 but over on starboard side and she heard rolling carts from the Oceanview Cafe all hours of the day and night. We will never book deck 12 again. Dining: ugh...so disappointing. We were excited about eating in Luminae but we didnt care for a lot of the menu options and the things we chose were just blah. Nothing was bad, just boring. Got steak one night and it had a strange texture. Sweet potatoes, squash and asparagus was in everything every night it seemed. We ordered from the main dining room menu a couple times in Luminae as we didnt care for our options in Luminae. We ate at Tuscan Grill one night....the Minestrone soup was good but my lasagne was terrible. It was just basically hamburger between a couple slices of lasagne noodles. Not several layers. Missing ricotta cheese, barely any tomato sauce, spices...clearly no Italian was in the kitchen. No wonder the restaurant was only half full....just dont think it was worth $180 for the 4 of us...We did Qsine..and most of it was good, but for being Tapas style...still think portions are too large to really enjoy very many courses... Our only really good meal was Sushi on 5 for lunch our last full day on the ship. It was excellent. Tasted very authentic and what you would expect. Entertainment: Can’t comment too much here, we dont really do the shows, few interest us. Don’t do trivia etc....There seemed to be a lot going on every day based on the daily newsletter thing that showed all the things to do. Service: Excellent. Everyone was fantastic from our butler and suite attendant. To our waiter at Luminae, concierge in MIchaels Club.... We felt like everyone was very genuine in trying to please us. In fact, our butler was better than most of the butlers we have had on Silversea. Only negative was that it took forever to get our drinks at Martini Bar once ordered. Shore Excursions: we only did 2 shore excursions through Celebrity. Both were very good and well organized. This itinerary is FANTASTIC!!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT! Read Less

Our first time in Aqua Celebrity Silhouette 30th April . Norwegian Fjords Embarkation We stayed overnight at the Premier Inn , Southampton Eastleigh Very good place to stay , right off the motorway , ample parking , clean and comfortable, with a bar and restaurant on site , best if all , only £43 for the night Parking We had booked parking at ABP , which is easy to find and use Porters collect the luggage from the boot of the car , and it’s outside the door of the cabin later Cross the road and a short walk , and you’re in the check in area Checkin Smooth and efficient , a short queue , a short wait in the departure lounge and we were onboard Cabin We were in 1547 , on the 11 th floor , I would not recommend this cabin. Even though it has a massive balcony as it is underneath a sun deck and quite noisy The cruise Was amazing ! Had a sea day to start , and we were exhausted. So flopped in the solarium, Reading our books and snoozing the first day Bergen We took a bus tour , and a trip to an ice bar , this was fun , we were given warm cloaks and gloves to wear , then had a drink in an ice tumbler , surrounded by carved ice decorations and an ice throne to sit on ! Alesund We walked around exploring on our own , climbed the 418 steps up to the view point Geiranger Beautiful , beautiful place Again we walked round on our own , climbed the steps ( can you see a theme Read Less

We wish to provide some feedback of our experience with Celebrity X Silhouette cruise, Southampton – Norway Fjords, April 30th – May 7th. Some general points picked up on, whilst on-board where: • No ships whistle was sounded on departure in Southampton? This was most disappointing. • Ships crew barging past and in front of us and fellow guests whilst walking around the vessel. • The ships Master and Staff Captain speaking in Greek in the Ocean View Café in front of guests. • The ships Officers not making any form of eye contact, conversation or even pleasantries whilst guests were walking around the vessel, both my partner and myself walked past several officers, made eye contact with them, for them to merely just look the other way. • I had to go to Guest Relations 4 times, to ensure the gratuities were removed, after being advised this had in fact been dealt with both in person at the guest relations desk and also verbal confirmation on the phone. • The guest relation officers were most rude, not very forthcoming what so ever. In fact when myself and my partner approached the desk, all 3 officers put their heads down and ignored us, pretending to be busy on their computers, it was only when my partner made her way across to one of them, they all decided to look up and acknowledge us. • Hotel Officer was noted on his phone, in the ocean view café, not even so much of a acknowledgement from him what so ever. • Furthermore, I believe the MCA would be highly interested in the photographs taken, of the Staff Captain leaning over the ships side on FB whilst a lifeboat is being recovered during Drill which isn’t exceptable while meant to be looking after safety. • Glass and hair was found in the room after it had been cleaned on the first day. • Crew on their phones during Drill • We both tipped personally our housekeeper (More than expected) and also all the restaurant crew, but yet found it very dismissive upon returning to our stateroom to find labelled envelopes, requesting more gratuities… • All in all, this was a very very disappointing cruise indeed, the Fjords were stunning and the bar and restaurant staff should be highly commended as if it wasn’t for them, and their welcoming, positivity on board the cruise would have been a total disaster. • Spa staff were rude and didn’t want to talk much. • Greeted a hotels service officer and was ignored This was my first cruise based on this I don't think I'd like to go again with the amount we paid out for it I expected something more better for the money. If you'd like to see the photos I can send them across to you but really should inform the MCA of a safety breach onboard. Read Less

After spending 4 wonderful days in London at the Grosvenor Hotel, we made the trip from London and back to Heathrow via National Express buses and both trips were very punctual and an easy taxi ride to the cruise ship pier. The buses were very clean with wi fi and the driver assisted with the luggage. We had a Sky Suite and dining was in Luminae. The menus (breakfast, dinner and lunch on sea days) and the service were excellent. The only items we ordered from the main dining room menu were the escargot (3 times), a shrimp cocktail and creme brûlée. Our waiter Tony and his assistant Ayu were both top notch. After day one they knew our drink preferences both during and after our meal and brought them to us without our having to ask. The ports visited were very beautiful and although rain was forecast each day we only had rain in Bergen. However, a walk around Old Town viewing the church and shops, then a ride on the funicular followed by a visit to the Magic Ice Bar cheered us up. Flam - we booked the "Norway in a Nutshell" tour with Celebrity and it was a wonderful 7 hr. tour including a very good lunch. Geiranger - We pre-booked a fjord cruise and a bus ride to Mt Dalsnibba on our own. Both were very enjoyable. Alesund - We booked "Path of the Trolls" tour with Celebrity and once again they provided us with an excellent 8 hr tour with a wonderful lunch. Stavanger - We pre-booked a 3 hr fjord cruise on our own. We enjoyed a very nice pizza for lunch and then visited a few shops. The prices in the shops were very expensive and the items for sale were almost identical in each port as were the prices. Celebrity had some very good entertainment but due to the all day tours in several ports and getting up very early for the tours we missed most of them. Rock City the first night was very good. On the last sea day there were 2 excellent shows, in the afternoon the singers on board did a show featuring Broadway/West End show tunes that was excellent. In the evening we went to Euphoria (unbelievable acrobatics) which was another excellent show. Lastly, I don't want to forget to mention that Captain Leo was very personable and witty and visible at numerous occasions. He even shook each passengers had as we disembarked. Read Less

Everything was fantastic. The ports of call were fantastic. I liked all of them very much, however Bergen was quite rainy and cold. That made it a little difficult to get out and find our way around very easily. Flam and Geiranger were a little more remote and rugged. Alesund and Stavinger were bigger towns than I expected. All in all it was truly the trip of a lifetime for my husband and I. Our time on the ship was quite fantastic as well. Plenty to do and see while on Sea days. We saw most of the shows and they really were a professional, well done job, with talented performers. In past cruises, that was a little bit of a let down, but the Celebrity Eclipse shows were really quite nice. The ship was clean, and we found all employees to be very helpful and friendly. All in all, it was a great trip. Read Less

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We chose this cruise for the destination and Celebrity Eclipse as I have travelled on her before and wanted my husband to see her......he was not disappointed!! Cruise director John Grantham would get my award for for best staff member. What an entertaining man he is. Never to busy to chat and make you feel like everything was being done just for you. Celebritys own shore excursions are very expensive and while my husband and I choose to do one each with them the rest we did alone. With Celebrity I did the RIB in Geiranger. Alot of fun, really enjoyed that. Most exhilarating !! The husband choose to ride a bike down a mountain, like you do!! He said it was the best experience tho there were some issues with his bike brakes, which is a bit worrying to say the least. In Flam we took a train ride which we organised ourselves, saving a lot on Celebritys price. Did the same in Bergen on the Funicular railway. After a lot of umming and ahhing we decided against a drinks package. We still had everything we wanted and as much as we wanted. This involved a lot of cocktails, beer and wine! Only thing that got me down a bit was, even up until the last sea day, we were asked every time we ordered why didn't we get a package. I appreciate that the staff are probably told to upsell but, seriously, surely after the first 48 hours they could stop with this. Did feel a little like a third class passenger at times, with this attitude. Only attended the theatre 3 times, but made very good choices there. The Flyrights, Paul Eastwood and the last night.......all excellent. A little disappointed with some of the other musicians/singers around the ship tho. Enjoyed some of the other entertainments like the quizzes and information lectures etc. Read Less

The unusually fantastic weather made this Fjords cruise a real treat. The area is stunningly beautiful and should be on everyone's bucket list. The Eclipse is getting on a bit long in the tooth now but still looks fresh, we were on her about five years ago and apart from the new Luminae restaurant she still looks the same. Celebrity train their people well and the service was as as good as ever in all respects. They need to sort out the Baristas in the Cafe al Bagio but everywhere else we were treated to excellent service. Just about everybody had a drinks package so the bar staff were under pressure but coped well. There was also an abundance of on board credit so the alternative restaurants were full and very few deals to be had. The shows were hit and miss, the on board entertainment staff worked hard but the productions were self indulgent rubbish imo. The guest entertainers were brilliant though, especially the Flyrights who I think were probably the best act I've ever seen on a ship. The resident bands and singers were mediocre, not bad but certainly not good. Our cabin 2149 was a concierge class and in quite a good position with a larger balcony on the bump but was spoilt by the noise from the trolleys banging the floor above. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed this cruise. Read Less

This was our 2nd time on Celebrity - first time on the Eclipse and Solstice class ships. Here are my thoughts by area - Embarkation - we arrived at the Southampton port around 1:30pm - easy check-in and we were on the boat within 20 minutes or so - one of the quickest check ins we have ever had. Ship - Grade A+ We were very impressed with the ship - clean, great condition, well laid out, interestingly appointed - exhibits the modern chic that Celebrity goes for. We never felt crowded at any time with the exception of a few times in the buffet at peak times. The buffet restaurant was the best layout I have ever seen - you don't see the long cafeteria style lines and instead get individual zones by cuisine - many 4-sided for easy access. Cabin - Grade A+ but (Pillows - F) We have traveled on several cruise lines (Disney, Celebrity, Princess, Carnival) and found this cabin to the best layout of all. The closet and storage space was ample - you did not feel like you were tripping over your luggage all week. The location of our cabin (7250) was very close to the atrium elevators in the middle of the ship so easy access to everywhere. The balcony had a great view with exception of looking aft when the bump out of the ship's middle obstructed slightly - nothing major. The only bad part of the cabin was the pillows - horrible!!! Both kinds were hard and lumpy. Dining - Grade B+ Overall, the dining was pretty good. We ate only in the buffet and the main dining room. The buffet had a nice variety every day - had a daily theme to appeal to all nationalities in some way. They do have a nice cook to order grill that made a very tasty tilapia filet. The main dining room food was pretty good - I have had better ones, but it was ok. I expected more seafood choices, but they were limited. Portions were usually spot on with a few exceptions - I ordered a scallop appetizer and got exactly that - one small scallop. Desserts were very good. Entertainment and Activities - Grade B- The Corning hot glass show was an A++ and was the definite highlight of the activities. There were a guest speaker on Norway who provided good info but was not a good speaker and the presentation was amateur. We did enjoy the photography class - very informative. However, overall daytime activities were a little sparse - a few quick games and some trivia contests. It seemed like most people just sat around the ship lounging and drinking.The nightly shows were a mixed bag - the magician and comic were pretty good, and the guest singers were good, but the production shows were very spotty. The first, Topper, started very slowly, but managed to save itself as it went on. The second one, Amade, was awful, in my opinion. We left after less than 10 minutes (we were not the first ones to leave) - was a mishmash of contemporary songs, Mozart, and very weird sets. The last production show, Euphoria, was entertaining - a lot of impressive gymnastics performed above the ground on wires. Service - A+ Solid service across the ship - not one bad experience. Our main dining room servers were very professional and attentive to our needs. Our cabin attendant kept our room in great shape the entire week - never saw him in our room, but it was always maintained well each day. Ports and Excursions - A Norway was awesome! Incredible scenery. Bergen, Norway (B+)- larger city with some interesting architecture and churches. We walked down to the harbor, but unfortunately the fish market was closed - assume it was due to the holiday. There were large crowds out and about and even a political rally as we were leaving. Flam, Norway (A+)- one of the highlights of the trip was the trip to Flam down the long fjord - beautiful snow capped mountains and tall waterfalls were everywhere. Flam is a very small place, but truly a beautiful place. We had an excursion on the Flam railway to the top of the mountain where we ate waffles at a local hotel and walked through the deep snow. Geiranger, Norway (A+) - another beautiful city nestled into a fjord - fantastic scenery. We climbed the hill up from the port to see the impressive waterfall and continued up to a local park. Near the port were the remains of two avalanches that we explored. Alesund, Norway (A) - a bigger city with interesting architecture. We climbed the 410 steps to the top of Mount Aksla for some breathtaking views and checked out a few churches in town. Stavanger (B-) - probably our least favorite - not as much charm as the other cities. We walked around and explored the shops and admired the interesting architecture. Disembarkation - we chose the walk off option at 6:30am and we were off the ship within 10 minutes - easy All in all, a once in a lifetime cruise to Norway - beautiful country with breathtaking scenery. If you like nature, you need to put this on your bucket list and going via Celebrity is a good choice as well. Read Less