Celebrity Eclipse Review
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We picked this cruise for the itinerary (UK, Ireland, Le Havre, Brugge, Amsterdam) and the ship. 14 days and only two at sea, so lots of ports and shore excursions, The ship was in great condition, the crew was very attentive, dining was above average for cruises, and the shore excursions were generally very good.
We are frequent Celebrity cruisers and particularly like the ships in this class (Reflection, Eclipse, Silhouette, etc.) Always a learning experience, we picked up some tips for cabin selection, shore excursions in some ports, and little lessons in things like currency exchange. Even after 25 cruises, there are things to learn.
Food: I hope people don't weight reports of past food quality as a criterion for picking a ship. The galley crew and chefs rotate regularly, so the overall dining experience can change in a few months, especially with senior food service staff turnover. We were very happy with Eclipse and have had only one sub-par cruise based on food quality. Remember, all these chefs are working with whatever gets delivered to the ship, unlike the TV chefs who shop daily in their local markets.
Cabin Review
Deluxe Veranda 1B
Were were midships in 9215 on the port side and it was great! There are three cabins in this location that are on the edge of the aft "bubble" where the cabins extend further out over the beam of the ship. The great things about these few cabins are: (1) Extended length of verandas to nearly double size; and (2) wonderful unobstructed views forward (at least below deck 11/12). There are matching cabins with these perks on the starboard side.
Hint: Choose your side of the ship wisely. For this cruise itinerary we should have picked the same cabin on the starboard side. This is a big deal to me but maybe not for you. I liker to get up at sunrise and see us come into the ports we visit (a Navy thing). If you sleep in through this experience, it doesn't matter which side you are on. On this cruise, the port side was great for 2 of 10 ports and not perfect for the others. Sometimes picking the right side is as easy as looking whether you are going clockwise or on your trip.
Port Reviews
Southampton
We explored Southampton and Southern England on our own using the train system. We recommend visiting the Navy Shipyard in Portsmouth, Winchester, and Salisbury. Bath was on our list but time ran out. There were some glitches with the rail system and record-high heat (over 90 F) but we pressed on.
Greenock (Glasgow)
We took the on-you-own tour of Glasgow. Big problems getting off the ship because of gangway and tide issues. Glasgow is a grimy, gritty city with some great architecture but it is amazing no one had tried to remove the Industrial Age filth from the old buildings.
Cobh (Cork)
We took a return tour to Kinsale that included a drop-off in Dublin for those interested. Pretty countryside and quaint town of Kinsale but not really worth it.