Celebrity Cruises is known for its premium vacations that sail to nearly 300 destinations across more than 70 countries.
Whether you're a first-time cruiser or seasoned veteran, Celebrity Cruises remains a popular choice for travelers seeking an upscale, port-intensive getaway.
In 2025, my partner and I embarked on an epic weeklong cruise aboard Celebrity Eclipse to Norway. Although she isn't the newest ship in Celebrity's fleet, Celebrity Eclipse proved that you don't need to sail on the newest ship to have a memorable vacation.
Measuring 122,000 gross tons with a passenger capacity of 2,852 at double occupancy, she's not nearly as large as the line's flagship Edge Class vessels. However, there's a lot to love about Celebrity Eclipse.
Generally speaking, the ship is well-maintained for a 15-year-old vessel. She's also thoughtfully designed, featuring beloved Solstice Class favorites like Murano and the Lawn Club that have made the modest ships a favorite for nearly two decades.
After spending 7 nights on the Celebrity Eclipse cruise ship, it's clear why Celebrity wants to invest in its Solstice Class vessels to keep them lovable for years to come. While the size and intimate atmosphere are definite strengths, some areas, particularly the dated staterooms, could use a refresh.
Celebrity Eclipse cabins
Celebrity Eclipse has 1,437 staterooms divided into six categories: Inside, Ocean View, Veranda, Concierge Class, AquaClass, and The Retreat.
Each category is further broken down into multiple sub-categories, giving guests flexibility based on budget, location, and personal preferences. For example, on Celebrity Eclipse, there are basic Inside rooms, as well as Prime Inside staterooms in more desirable locations.
The Retreat is Celebrity's award-winning "ship-within-a-ship" program. Although it's not as expensive as newer vessels, all guests staying within The Retreat are guaranteed a premium experience, ranging from access to an exclusive dining room and lounge, butler service, and more.
Just a step below The Retreat is AquaClass, Celebrity’s wellness-focused stateroom category. While the cabins themselves are standard verandas, guests enjoy a range of benefits, including dining at the Blu restaurant, priority spa bookings, and access to the ship’s thermal suite.
Concierge Class was designed for travelers who want extra comfort, convenience, and extra benefits without splurging on AquaClass cabins or suites. Guests in these rooms can look forward to a dedicated concierge, priority embarkation, an exclusive welcome lunch, and other upgraded amenities.
Since Celebrity Eclipse isn't the newest ship in the fleet, the cabins are more outdated compared to the sleek staterooms on the Edge Class vessels. However, they're well-maintained and comfortable, coming with the same standard amenities you can expect on any Celebrity ship.
During my weeklong cruise on Celebrity Eclipse, my partner and I stayed in a Prime Veranda. The 7-night cruise to Norway cost $4,053.12 for two people, including the cruise line's "All Included" program. As such, the fare was more inclusive, coming with a Classic Drinks Package and Basic Wi-Fi.
Although the stateroom was starting to show its age with dated color schemes and worn furniture, it was clean and functional. Amenities included a mini-fridge, safe, bathroom toiletries, a television, and a decent amount of storage. One of the biggest drawbacks was the limited number of outlets near the vanity.
We decided to pay extra for a Prime Veranda and weren't disappointed with the location. The mid-ship stateroom on Deck 9 was conveniently close to key amenities, including the main pool area, adults-only Solarium, Sky Observation Lounge, Oceanview Café, and the famous Martini Bar.
Read more: I upgraded to a balcony cabin on a Celebrity cruise, and it was worth the $4,000 price tag
Things to do on the Celebrity Eclipse cruise ship
Unlike its sister company, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity isn't known for mega-ships packed from bow to stern with thrills. As such, you won't find waterslides, zip lines, surfing simulators, or ice skating rinks on any of the line's ships.
Instead, Celebrity focuses on a more refined, adult-focused experience that is centered around relaxation, enrichment, and world-class dining.
Onboard Celebrity Eclipse, you'll find a main outdoor pool area, an enclosed adults-only Solarium, multiple hot tubs, a main theater, a casino, a spa and thermal suite, and plenty of bars.
The ship's daily schedule is full of activities, too. Some are included in your cruise fare, while others, such as wine tastings or cocktail seminars, cost extra.
You can expect everything from late-night silent discos to trivia contests, bingo, live music, original theater performances, hilarious musical murder mysteries, and more.
Celebrity Eclipse also has an award-winning youth program called Camp at Sea. Age-appropriate activities include fun games, outdoor activities, video game tournaments, scavenger hunts, movie nights, slumber parties, and more.
Celebrity Eclipse restaurants
Celebrity Eclipse has more than 10 restaurants, from the included Moonlight Sonata main dining room and the casual Oceanview Café to the upscale Murano specialty restaurant and the convenient grab-and-go Café al Bacio.
My favorite complimentary restaurant was Moonlight Sonata. Even though my partner and I splurged on a few specialty meals, we ate in the dining room a few times and enjoyed every experience. The perfectly seasoned lobster tails were a highlight, as was the shrimp scampi and toasted Israeli couscous cake.
Celebrity's bread service is unmatched, too. Each night, you're presented with a rotating trio of dips and spreads, including whipped butter, a creamy horseradish dip, and a roasted red pepper dip.
Moving on, I'd argue that Celebrity has one of the better cruise ship buffets at sea. The Oceanview Café did not disappoint, with multiple made-to-order stations (including stir fry, my favorite), fresh salads, beautiful desserts, and a good selection of rotating dishes.
Other complimentary restaurants on Celebrity Eclipse include the Spa Café, Mast Grill, and Café al Bacio for light snacks and desserts. Guests staying in The Retreat can access Luminae for free, while AquaClass passengers can dine in the exclusive Blu restaurant.
Celebrity Eclipse also offers several specialty restaurants that are worth the extra cost, including Sushi on Five, Le Petit Chef, Tuscan Grille, and Murano.
During my cruise from the Netherlands, my partner and I dined at two specialty restaurants: Tuscan Grille and Murano.
We were impressed by Tuscan Grille's aft wake views, perfectly cooked steaks, and hearty Italian fare. In fact, it wasn't our first time eating at Tuscan on a Celebrity ship. After two memorable visits, I'd argue it is one of the best specialty restaurants at sea, consistently delivering good food and warm hospitality.
Murano on Celebrity Eclipse, however, was a first for us. The French-inspired restaurant is elegant and definitely appeals to more adventurous foodies with a pricey multi-course tasting menu. However, you can also go the à la carte route.
As such, we could order exactly what we wanted, from the goat cheese soufflé to the creamy lobster bisque, crêpe ballon rouge, and sorbet.
That said, we reserved Murano because of its famous tableside lobster tails, and they exceeded our expectations.
Kristine, our server and tableside chef, wheeled over a massive cart with fresh lobster and the necessary ingredients to flambe the tails and craft the creamy Dijon sauce.
The experience is unlike anything I'd ever seen on a cruise ship, and the food quality was well worth the $90 cover charge.
Where does Celebrity Eclipse sail to?
Celebrity Cruises is known for its destination-rich itineraries. As such, although they offer sailings to The Bahamas and Caribbean, you'll find a greater variety of immersive voyages to Europe, Alaska, South America, Asia, and beyond.
Through April 2028, Celebrity Eclipse is scheduled to sail to Europe and the Caribbean. During the winter months (November - April), she offers Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Itineraries include ports like St. Johns, Antigua; Castries, St. Lucia; Basseterre, St Kitts & Nevis; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and more.
During the summer and fall, Celebrity Eclipse moves to Europe, where she sails a variety of itineraries in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.
In 2026, for example, Celebrity Eclipse will call at over two dozen ports, ranging from Dubrovnik, Croatia, to Cork (Cobh), Ireland; Alesund, Norway; Reykjavik, Iceland; Tallinn, Estonia; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; and Santorini, Greece.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
In addition to writing for Cruise.Blog, Elizabeth has bylines in Business Insider, Royal Caribbean Blog, and Cruiseshipfood.com.
