Celebrity Cruise Lines launches new ship, Eclipse Celebrity, Eclipse, ship, Cruise, Lines

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Celebrity Cruise Lines launches new ship, Eclipse
Three years ago, when Celebrity Cruise Lines' Solstice was launched, it didn't take me very long to name it Ports and Bows' ship of the year.

As it turns out, I wasn't alone.

With the North American launch of the third ship in the Solstice series -- Eclipse -- nothing has changed my mind about my 2007 decision.

Celebrity has always been a premium brand. The Solstice series -- Equinox, Eclipse, Silhouette 2011 and Reflection 2012 are the others -- I would rank the line as premium plus.

This is an adult ship. While there is plenty for the kids to do, they are an add-on to the marketing of the Eclipse. Other lines (Royal Caribbean, Disney, Norwegian, to name three) embrace the family concept and build the facilities to match the high percentage of children on board.

Celebrity implies through its advertising that it's for adults, but sure, bring the kids along, too.

There are lots of meal choices included in your cruise cost. However, Celebrity has created an upscale area full of specialty restaurants, and there, you pay.

Murano, the French restaurant, is $30 per person, as is Tuscan and Qsine, the latest and most innovative restaurant. Bistro on Five costs just that -- $5.

Qsine is the latest offering from the man in charge of all things food for Celebrity, Jacques Van Staden, and, to some degree, it defies description.

It's part tapas and part high-tech.

When you enter, you're given an iPad. On it you will find all the menu items. You store your favourites, as does everybody else at your table, you compare entries and then decide what to order. We gave up in the decision area and left it up to the waiter.

It's like living in a small world of food. Everything is small -- like the utensils and plates -- and the food just keeps coming. Spring rolls on a spring, disco shrimp in a bowl with flashing disco lights, mini-hamburger sliders made with Kobe beef, Chinese, Japanese, Indian offerings, all in small dishes, all served in a unique style.

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It's not for everyone. If you like your food low-tech, pick another restaurant.

Still with food, the main dining room (Moonlight Sonata) is spread over two floors. The menu is unique, in that one side holds traditional favourites from over the years, while the other side changes every night.

The pool area by day has plenty of room, around the pool and above it. At night, part of the pool turns into a show, complete with lights and dancing waters.

Most cabins are 192 square feet with plenty of balcony room. The Aqua Class staterooms are the same size but offer a private restaurant, Blu, and many other amenities. Aqua Class costs more. There are 30 wheelchair cabins and four family cabins, along with about 60 suites of varying size.

They put on two musicals while I was on the Eclipse. One was Edge, music from the 1970s and '80s, and the other was Ovation, highlighting Broadway and West End shows. I hesitated going, after years of attending various cruise-ship shows that were best described as the "best of." These were better. The cast of 14 dancers and singers was as good as you will find in any theatre. The difference was that the lighting, aerial show, technology and sound matched the performance.

If you're an Apple person, Celebrity's iLounge is all Macs. They're for sale, and also used in daily workshops, with lots of people to help. I just hope the selling part doesn't eventually get in the way of the helping part.

Various classes are held throughout the cruise. If learning a new language interests you, Rosetta Stone is available in the lounge. The classes are not free.

And finally, under the heading of neat things, you can borrow an iPad and do an art tour of the ship. Many cruise lines -- especially in the premium and up category -- spend a lot of money on art. The iPad takes you around the entire ship, explaining each piece. Just another marriage of high-tech and tradition.

Celebrity President Dan Hanrahan told me there would be changes made for the Silhouette and the Reflection. When I asked if the changes would be dramatic, he said: "Let's call it interesting."

That covers it all, doesn't it?

The Celebrity Eclipse is the third in the cruise line's class of Solstice ships