A total eclipse of the heart on liner

BILLED as a ‘Taste of Modern Luxury’ two-night cruise onboard Celebrity Eclipse, this was a perfect introduction to the premium line Celebrity Cruises’ offering to the British public of upscale roundtrip cruising from Southampton.

For the no-fly UK cruiser and available from now through to October 2015, before she repositions for the winter to the Caribbean, the Eclipse is fulfilling the term ‘Modern Luxury’, if my experience over the two nights I was onboard was anything to go by.

Taste in the culinary and wine sense was certainly fulfilled by the presence, work and influence of Michelin starred and Great British Menu chefs Adam Simmonds and Robert Thompson and I was fortunate on consecutive nights to dine in two of the three speciality restaurants available to all passengers (cover charges apply), Murano and Tuscan Grill, and enjoy two carefully crafted tasting menus from these two young lions of British cuisine.

Dishes such as ‘Confit Fillet of Trout with Veal Tartare and Smoked English Asparagus’ and ‘Roasted Saddle of Chart Farm Venison with Poached Oysters’ paired with excellent wines, as part of a wine flight, were the equal of dishes I have eaten in multi-starred restaurants in London and the south.

Adam and Robert and their stunning offerings can be caught up with again on 30 August when they are onboard for a 14-night cruise of the Western Mediterranean, again sailing round trip from Southampton

The two-deck Moonlight Sonata Restaurant is the passengers’ main restaurant for dining and of course is included in your fare. It has got to be one of the most memorable rooms on this whole ship, with it’s amazing ‘wine tower’ cellar projecting into the room across two decks like a ship’s bow and is made of stainless steel, glass and mirror. It reflects the white buttresses and furniture of this massive dining venue. We had breakfast there and both the best of British and American breakfasts (continental is also available) was enjoyed and was of excellent quality.

I was invited to a tasting of a selection of specialities at the suite passengers’ exclusive restaurant, Luminae, with its offering of modern, eclectic cuisine. The main driver here is that every dish is prepared and cooked to order using fresh ingredients, many of which are sought out at ports of call, including the unusual and unique, giving suite passengers a distinctive dining experience like no other.

Other features I enjoyed was the Martini Bar with its ice topped bar counter, a stunning Sky Observation Lounge forward, and an embarkation lunch of savoury crepes at their Bistro on Five (cover charge $10 pp).

Watching the mixologists, at the first ever World Class Bar at sea was both entertaining, informative and intoxicating in terms of inspiration and ideas!

Oz Clarke gave a stimulating and amusing talk on wines and with a range of 500 wines from value house to very high end wines, Celebrity Eclipse can rival lists from fine dining establishments, landside.

Pre-paid or order-on-board non-alcohol, classic (standard) or premium alcohol packages are available to help keep control of your on-board spend, with extra discounts for alcohol package holders on bottles of wines and even including those from their Reserve and Rare lists.

My cabin was a Deluxe Ocean View stateroom with veranda and was spacious and comfortable with one of the best bathrooms I have used for an equivalent grade compared with other ships with more turning space and plenty of toiletries’ stowage.

There was plenty of open deck space with a variety of comfortable single and double sunbeds, some canopied for shade and privacy, outdoor bars, a geletaria, the Mast Grill offering hamburgers and hot dogs, and, a first for me, a real grass lawn at sea, with croquet hoops!

Features to be enjoyed by passengers included a stunning three tier theatre offering Broadway shows, a ‘Hot Glass Show’ on an open deck showcasing the artisan craft of glass blowing and turning, a Canyon Ranch Spa, a large casino, and a range of shops that could shame a medium sized town.

Other dining venues included Qsine offering cutting-edge, imaginatively presented courses ordered via an I-Pad menu (cover charges apply), the Oceanview Cafe offering self service breakfast, lunch, all day snacking until 1am, and casual dining in the evenings with a wide range of cuisines and options including sushi, and the Gastrobar@Passport Bar serving British Pub Fayre.

I mentioned near the beginning of this review ‘Taste’, and certainly the breathtaking design of the interiors reflects good modern taste without being over glitzy. None more so can this be appreciated than in just riding the interior glass-walled lifts up and down the 11-deck atrium suffused from the top with natural light from its glass roof.

Like many British people I have, over the years, joined the ever-growing trend to cruise as a main holiday and have enjoyed the variety of offerings available to Britons by sailing from Southampton. The arrival of this line in recent years to UK waters is clearly a welcome addition to the choice Brits enjoy, with Celebrity Cruises offering a premium product at a range of fares and grades to suit all pockets and aspirations.   

Fact Box

Sample cruise: Celebrity Eclipse will be sailing on 30 August 2015 to the Western Mediterranean. Inside cabins (two sharing) from £1,199 pp. Sky suites (two sharing) from £4,439 pp which includes dining exclusively in the Luminae restaurant. All fares include meals, accommodation and entertainment. Drinks packages pppn from: non-alcoholic package, $18; Classic alcohol package, $55 (with 15% discount off bottles of wine) and Premium alcohol package, $65 (with 20% discount of bottles of wine). Supplements (selection) for speciality dining: Murano, $50 pp ($45 pp pre-paid) and Tuscan Grille, $45 pp ($35 pp pre-paid).

To book call 0845 456 0523 or visit www.celebritycruises.co.uk