Please note. We went on this Alaska cruise on Celebrity Eclipse 6 months BEFORE the global pandemic. There have been a lot of changes in the travel industry over the past few years, so please do further research about travel restrictions and requirements before booking. This post was updated March 2023.
Everything you need to know about taking an Alaska cruise on the Celebrity Eclipse cruise ship.
There’s a lot to consider when booking an Alaska cruise vacation. The cruise ship you choose can make or break your experience, so it’s wise to do your research. We could not find up-to-date content about the Celebrity Eclipse cruise ship, so this post will address the questions we had prior to booking.
This cruise departs from Vancouver and sails north to the magnificent Hubbard Glacier in Alaska (pictured above), the largest tidewater glacier in North America. It’s a 7 night cruise that includes visits to Icy Strait Point, Juneau and Ketchikan before returning to Vancouver .
This is a very long blog post with lots of photos from our time aboard the Celebrity Eclipse cruise ship. Use the table of contents below to skip ahead to a specific topic of interest.
You can also watch our video about the Celebrity Eclipse here .
Before we get started, we feel its important to let you know that we did NOT work with Celebrity Cruises and we did NOT receive any perks or compensation. Not even free wifi.
Alaska Cruise on the Celebrity Eclipse
Celebrity Eclipse Veranda Stateroom
Before we take you a tour of the Celebrity Eclipse, let’s begin with an overview of our veranda stateroom. Veranda means covered balcony (I did not know this prior to booking). Our stateroom was located on the 6th floor of the ship, starboard side near the stern.
The room number is 6242, in case you’re researching the Celebrity Eclipse deck plan .
The balcony stateroom is cozy and comfortable. It comes with a queen sized bed and a couch that converts to a single bed. The couch in the stateroom has a trundle bed underneath. Scroll down to see photos.
Some staterooms have a bunk bed set-up, where the top bunk folds up during the day. We prefer the trundle bed over the bunk bed system. We were nervous about our boys falling from the top bunk if the ship ran into a big swell. The trundle bed works well for us.
Bathroom in the veranda stateroom is quite spacious.
We’ve been on a few cruise ships and this bathroom is the biggest. The shower is quite large and roomy. Hot water is always available. Standard toiletries are included and replenished every day (soap, shampoo and lotion). A hair dryer is also included in the bathroom.
Staterooms have a mini-fridge.
The mini fridge is stocked with typical mini-bar items, like beer, spirits and soda. These items have an additional charge that is automatically added to your stateroom bill.
It’s nice having a mini-fridge in the room. Our youngest boy has a dairy allergy, so we bring rice milk and vegan butter when we travel.
Housekeeping service happens twice per day.
Rooms are cleaned and replenished in the morning, typically when you go for breakfast. And again in the evening, typically when you’re at dinner.
If you have special requirements, let your housekeeper know on your first day. They can’t help you if they don’t know what you need.
The television in your stateroom is interactive.
You can view room charges and order room service directly on the television. It also has on-demand movies and shows which is a nice feature. We’ve been on cruises where the television channels are not available while at sea, which doesn’t really help. In the evenings, our boys would watch a movie while we sat on the balcony with a glass of wine. It’s a nice way to end the day.
See video footage from our stateroom here .
We stayed in room 6242. We circled the room in red on the deck plan image above.
Above is the bathroom in the veranda stateroom on the Celebrity Eclipse cruise ship.
Travel tips for Alaska Cruise vacation:
Bring a multi-plug USB charger. The room only has a few power outlets, including a European outlet, but no USB ports. We always bring this wall charger because we have several devices that need charging at the same time.
You can bring wine with you. Guests are allowed to bring 2 bottles of wine per stateroom. We packed one bottle of wine in our carry on bag. You have to claim this after you pass through security.
Don’t double tip – check your bill before signing. Gratuities are often automatically added to your bill when purchasing alcohol. Don’t tip twice! Look at your bill and ask the bartender if gratuities are built into the price.
Ask for the high quality bathrobes. Staterooms come with two bathrobes that are small and thin. Ask your housekeeper for the better quality robes. You’ll be glad you did because they are much softer and warmer. They are ideal for walking to and from the pools. Remember, you’re in Alaska, not the Caribbean.
Room service is available – use it! Staterooms do NOT come with coffee or tea. If you like coffee or tea in the morning, and you don’t want to wander around the ship before your morning shower, take advantage of this included service.
Use packing cubes for your clothes. If you’re not already using packing cubes , we highly recommend. Especially if you’re traveling with kids. We use these packing cubes – see photo above. They keep your clothes organized and store easily in overhead compartments.
Bring clothes that do not wrinkle easily. Staterooms do NOT come with an iron or ironing board.
Don’t forget to switch your cellphone to airplane mode. The ship will cross international boundaries while at sea. Prevent unexpected data roaming charges by switching your phone to airplane mode.
Is it worth getting the balcony on a cruise?
Yes. The balcony on a cruise ship is a must, in our opinion. It’s nice to have the additional space and fresh air, especially when sharing a room with two young boys.
We enjoy spending our mornings on the private balcony. Watching the beautiful landscapes pass by while breathing the fresh sea breeze is a highlight from our Alaska cruise.
There’s a high probability you will see whales and dolphins on an Alaskan cruise. We witnessed at least a dozen whales and dolphins from our stateroom veranda. Scroll down to see some of the photos.
Before having kids, we went on a cruise and stayed in an inside cabin with no window or balcony. While we did save money on the room (inside cabins are less expensive), it was not ideal. I cannot imagine sharing an inside stateroom with kids. It would feel far too claustrophobic for my liking.
In the evening, the trundle bed is pulled out from under the couch. Each boy has their own single bed.
Watch our Alaska Cruise video tour of Celebrity Eclipse here .
Obstructed views in Celebrity Eclipse Cabins
Our veranda stateroom is classified as having an obstructed view. We paid less for this room, so we were concerned about how much of our view would actually be obstructed. Sometimes cruise lines will call these rooms with restricted views.
We did not mind the obstructed views from our stateroom on the Celebrity Eclipse.
I can see why Celebrity Cruises reduces the cost for these staterooms. You do have a bright orange safety boat in front of your room, which is a bit of an eye sore.
However, we were able to clearly see the passing landscapes. Most of our time on the cabin balcony was spent either reading or leaning on the railings, watching the scenery. When you stand up and lean on the railings, you no longer have the orange safety boats in view.
As you can see in the above photo, the obstructed views on our balcony is limited. We could clearly see the Hubbard Glacier from our balcony. However, the top of the safety boats is visible.
The below photo was taken on this balcony. This is room 6242 on the 6th floor.
Search for the best Celebrity Cruises deals here .
Is there room service on the cruise ship?
Yes. Room service on the cruise is included.
Staterooms on the Celebrity Eclipse do not come with individual coffee makers or kettles. Because of this, you cannot make coffee or tea in your stateroom. This is common on most cruise ships.
We like to have lazy mornings and let our boys sleep in when we’re on vacation. They typically stay up later, so we prefer to take it slow and let the morning dictate our pace. Because of this, we order room service every morning while on a cruise.
Room service is complimentary on the Celebrity Eclipse from 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Room service is available 24 hours a day, however late night room service has an additional charge.
No tipping or gratuities are required at the time of ordering or receiving your room service. However, if you’d like to leave a tip, you can either give a cash tip or add gratuity to room service staff. You do not need to sign anything when the food arrives. It’s a very easy process.
There are 3 ways to order room service on the Celebrity Eclipse:
order items directly on the interactive television in your stateroom
complete the room service card that is in your room and hang it on your door before you go to sleep
call room service from your stateroom
Every morning we ordered a large pot of coffee (see photo above), orange juice, fresh pastries, cereal for our boys (Frosted Flakes, Special K and Corn Flakes), bacon and scrambled eggs, fresh fruit and milk. Almond milk is also available, which was great for us because our youngest boy has a dairy allergy.
The time of delivery varies. However, we typically had our order arrive at 7:30 AM.
Amenities on Celebrity Eclipse
The Celebrity Eclipse cruise ship has a lot of amenities and activities to keep guests entertained while at sea. The ship has multiple outdoor pools, an adult only pool, hot tubs, spa, fitness center, arcade, teen club, kids club, outdoor basketball court, bars and lounges, grand theatre, retail shops, casino and a grass lawn on the rooftop observation deck.
Public areas on the main decks of Celebrity Eclipse:
Deck 3 – Moonlight Sonata Restaurant, Passport Bar, Eclipse Theatre, Grand Foyer, and Luminae.
Main Deck 4 – Moonlight Sonata Restaurant (upper section), Cellar Masters, Quasar (Night Club), Fortunes Casino, Martini Bar & Crush, Eclipse Theatre, and Shops on the Boulevard.
Main Deck 5 – Specialty restaurants – Blu, Murano, Tuscan Grille, Le Petit Chef at Qsine, Sushi on Five, Café al Bacio and Gelateria, as well as Ensemble Lounge, Michael’s Club, Art Gallery and Eclipse Theatre (upper section).
Deck 12 – Outdoor pools and hot tubs, Canyon Ranch Spa, Canyon Ranch Fitness, Spa Café, Persian Garden and Solarium.
Deck 14 – Sky Observation Lounge, Mast Grill, Oceanview Café, and Pool & Mast Bars.
Outdoor / Deck 15 – Fun Factory (kids club), XClub (teenagers club), ShipMates (children aged 3 to 5), The Lawn Club, Hot Glass Class, Sunset Bar, and Outdoor basketball court.
See the Celebrity Eclipse Deck Plan here .
Our boys enjoyed playing soccer and basketball on the outdoor court on deck 15
The above photo gives you an idea of the different levels on the cruise ship. Glass elevators offer views of each floor as it travels up and down the ship. It’s amazing how big this ship is.
This is the Eclipse Sky Lounge. We enjoyed this space and spent quite a bit of time here.
Hot tubs and pools on the Celebrity Eclipse
In total, the Celebrity Eclipse has six hot tubs and three pools.
The outdoor section, pictured below, has two outdoor pools and four hot tubs. The cruise ship also has an enclosed section with a large pool and two additional hot tubs (pictured above). This area is for adults only, but families are allowed to use it between 4:00 to 6:00 PM each day.
The pools use fresh water, not salt water. We’ve been on cruise ships that use salt water in the pools, which was a shock to the system the first time you jump in.
Towels are provided at each pool, so you don’t need to pack a towel. Do not use the towels provided in your stateroom for the pool.
See the Celebrity Eclipse pools and hot tubs here .
Outdoor hot tubs and pools on Celebrity Eclipse
The outdoor pools on Celebrity Eclipse are mostly used by kids. Most adults, including ourselves, prefer to use the outdoor hot tubs instead.
When the ship is at sea, the outdoor hot tubs are very busy. During peak hours, some hot tubs have up to 12 people in them.
There are plenty of lounger chairs available at the pools. Even though we had great weather on our Alaska cruise, it’s still a little chilly outside. Because of this, the outdoor spaces are mostly empty. It’s breezy when the ship is out at sea, so the pool is not the main attraction, like on Caribbean cruises.
The above photo was taken in the morning, which is why the pools and loungers are empty.
If you time it right, you can get the outdoor hot tub all to yourself. Braydon approves.
The outdoor pools are quite refreshing . That’s my positive spin on the pools being cold.
The hot tubs are a nice temperature for kids. Not too hot.
Life jackets are available at the pools
The ship provides life jackets for people who cannot swim. This is a nice feature. We wish we had known this prior to boarding the cruise ship because our youngest boy, Connor, is still learning to swim.
We always bring his life jacket vest so he can enjoy the pool, but it’s bulky and takes up a lot of room in our luggage. Knowing that the ship provides life jackets, we would have left his life jacket at home.
Adult only pool on Celebrity Eclipse
The ship has an enclosed pool and lounge area, which is a nice feature for an Alaskan cruise. Even in the summer, Alaska weather is cool and it rains often. Having an indoor space that is heated and protected from the rain is very nice. We spent time in this Solarium every day.
Although this space is Adults Only for most of the day, families are allowed to use the pool between 4:00 and 6:00 PM. This is the biggest and nicest pool on the cruise ship, so our boys enjoyed swimming here.
That said, it’s not advertised that family time is between 4:00-6:00 PM each day.
Therefore, we still got a few stink eyes from uninformed guests who thought we were breaking the rules. It would be nice for staff to inform guests with signage, so that families don’t feel awkward.
Pool inside the Solarium on the Celebrity Eclipse.
Watch our video tour of the Celebrity Eclipse here .
Our boys enjoyed the family swim time in the Solarium.
Outdoor seating on the Alaska cruise
The Eclipse has a lot of outdoor seating for guests to enjoy the passing landscapes. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot a few humpback whales breaching in the distance.
It can get chilly and windy on the upper decks, especially in the evenings. It’s best to bring sweaters and jackets with you. Blankets are also provided.
Many of the outdoor seating areas have glass walls to protect you from the wind.
Views of the upper deck on the cruise ship. This was captured when the ship passed through the Inside Passage on the way to Juneau, Alaska.
Comfortable chairs on a lower deck. The city in the backdrop is Ketchikan, Alaska .
Outdoor grass field on the cruise ship
One of the unique features on the Celebrity Eclipse is the grass field on the 15th floor observation deck. They call it the Lawn Club . Our boys loved running and rolling on this well groomed grass field.
Guests are provided complimentary bocce balls to play on the grass field. It’s not every day you get to play bocce ball on top of a cruise ship while it sails between icebergs and fjords.
Notice what we are wearing in the above photo. Even though we took this Alaska cruise in the middle of August, it can get cold on the outdoor decks. Pack accordingly.
The grass field is also a great place to witness humpback whales breaching.
Fortune Casino on the Celebrity Eclipse
Like most mega-cruise ships, the Celerity Eclipse has a full casino. Fortunes Casino has all of the standard games and tables one would expect, including craps, roulette, blackjack, poker and a lot of loud, bright slot machines.
We’re not big gamblers but we did play some roulette one evening. It only took us about 20 minutes to burn through our $50 budget.
The house always wins when we play!
Fortunes Casino hours of operation will vary. Generally, casinos open when the cruise ship enters international waters. The casino closes when the cruise ship is in port.
For Alaska cruises, the age limit to play in the casino is 21+ years old. Kids are not allowed in the casino but it’s fine to walk through the casino. You are not allowed to play games with kids sitting beside you.
Read the Celebrity Cruises Casino FAQ’s page here .
Eclipse Theater and entertainment
Every evening there is live entertainment and performances on the cruise ship. These shows are included, so you do not need to pay extra to attend.
Performances are different each night. Acts range from acrobats to comedians to magicians.
Shows are about an hour long. There are two shows each night. The first one typically starts around 7:00 PM, for guests who are dining at the early seating. The later show typically starts around 9:00 PM.
Seating is on a first come, first serve basis. The Eclipse Theatre is three stories tall, so it’s quite big and there are plenty of seats available. That said, some shows were completely full, so it’s best to arrive 15 minutes before showtime.
It’s recommended that guests follow the Smart Casual or Evening Chic dress code in the Eclipse Theater for evening performances.
Read the Celebrity cruise ship dress code here .
Live acrobat performance at the Eclipse Theatre.
Celebrity Eclipse Restaurants
There are several restaurants on the Celebrity Eclipse. The main dining area, pictured above, is the Moonlight Sonata Restaurant . It’s a two floor restaurant located on floors 3 and 4. We dined at the Moonlight Sonata every evening and found the food, service and atmosphere quite enjoyable.
Options for the main dining room are ‘Open Seating’ or ‘Set Seating’.
The upper section is for guests who have Open Seating (It may also be called ‘Select Dining’). The lower section is for guests who have Set Seating. There are two set dining times – 6:00 PM and 8:30 PM.
The seating times coincide with the nightly entertainment in the Eclipse Theatre. If you dine at 6:00 PM you can watch the 9:00 PM show. If you dine at 8:30 PM you can watch the 7:00 PM show before going to the dining room.
We chose the flexible ‘Open Seating’ option.
This meant we could arrive at the restaurant at any time. With kids, it’s sometimes difficult to make a set time, so we preferred to have the flexible option.
The downside to Open Seating is that it’s first come, first serve. So, you may have to wait a while to get a table. To avoid long wait times, you can make a reservation each day by calling the maître d.
We arrived at the restaurant around 6:30 PM each night. We rarely waited more then 10 minutes. In fact, most times we were seated right away. However, when we left the restaurant, at around 8:00 PM, there was always a long line. It’s a gamble.
The advantage to Set Seating is that you don’t have to wait for your table. You’re seated right away and you get the same table and same wait staff each night. This gives you familiarity with your dining experience.
You may be required to chose your seating option when you book your Alaska cruise.
Menu at the Main Dining Restaurant
The menu for the main dining restaurant rotates every day. However, there are a few items that remain consistent – see the timeless entrees on the sample menu above.
The menu has gluten free, vegetarian, no sugar added, and lactose free options.
Dining on the cruise ship is all inclusive, except for alcoholic beverages.
This means you can order whatever you want off the menu. Typically you would order one appetizer, entree and desert.
However, if you’re having a hard time deciding, you can order multiple items. We typically ordered 2 or 3 appetizers each at dinner. And, if you’re feeling bold, you can also order multiple entrees.
Scroll down to see photos of the food served in the main dining room. As you’ll see, the restaurant has a wide variety of cuisine, ranging from grilled salmon to prime rib to lobster, and everything in between.
We were impressed with the food in the main restaurant. It’s not easy serving hundreds of people at the same the time, yet the food was consistently good.
Guests can also visit the main dining restaurant for breakfast and lunch.
Fun facts about Celebrity Cruises
Below are some stats from a typical 7 to 10 day cruise:
Pounds of beef = 25,545
Pounds of chicken = 10,242
Liters of milk = 96,540
Fresh eggs = 15,200
Pounds of fish = 22,652
Pounds of fresh vegetables = 58,659
Bottles of wine = 18,450
Liters of beer = 35,000
Chefs, Cooks and Cleaning staff = 250+ people
Total Staff working in Dining and Food = 600+ people
Average number of dishes served PER DAY = 16,000
We went on a kitchen tour of the Moonlight Sonata Restaurant and witnessed the well oiled machine that delivers over 2,800 meals between 6:00 PM and 10:00 PM every evening.
Think about that for a moment. 2,800 meals in 4 hours!
Sample menu of the starters. The menu changes every day, except the Timeless Starters .
Moonlight Sonata Restaurant
We took food photos of the dishes we ate at Moonlight Sonata Restaurant. As you can see, the restaurant offers a variety of appetizers, entrees and desserts.
We are impressed by the selection and quality of the food on this cruise ship. It exceeded our expectations.
Unfortunately, we did not take a photo of the menu each day, so I don’t have the formal names and ingredients of each of these dishes. I’ll let the photos do the talking.
