6 Nights Grand Cayman, Mexico & Key West Cruise

Unexpected but Wonderful

We prepared for the Best of Scandinavia with much excitement – we are of Scandinavian descent and were eager to set sail on the beautiful Eclipse to explore the lands of our ancestors. After a long slog through Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, we were met outside of the baggage claim by the Celebrity rep and whisked away on a comfy bus to the cruise terminal. This is a bare-bones terminal but I understand Amsterdam is building a new one. There was no wait as we checked in - oops, we were supposed to have a QR code on our phones which we didn't, but the staff was friendly and helpful and we soon had the required code. There is seating and restrooms in the waiting area but no drinking water available. There was only a short wait, however, and we were able to board. We checked in with our muster station and then went to the 14th deck, the Ocean View Grill (the buffet deck), where we had something to eat before our cabin was ready, about an hour's wait. We set sail at 5 p.m. We had our dinner at the buffet and had a great window table where we watched our departure on the Amsterdam Ship Canal, with the fascinating boat traffic on the waterways. It seemed like a two-hour sail through the canal with pleasant, calm scenery as we approached the lock to take us through the famous Netherlands dikes to the North Sea. It was exciting as we entered the lock, the water rose, and – we sat. We just sat. Just sat in the lock. Nothing happening. A woman came in from the outside deck and said a protester had chained himself to the lock. Cruise ships are great polluters, you know! Shortly, the captain, Nigel Smythe (an Irishman) came on with an announcement that we would wait for the authorities and all was under control. We eventually went down to the cabin and went to sleep. We awoke about 2 and were at sea, but a helicopter was hovering over us with a spot light! Now what! We later learned a crew member was taken ill and thus airlifted off. Enough excitement for the beginning of our cruise! A day at sea, and then our first port was beautiful Oslo, Norway, water and small mountains and islands and all kinds of vessels. It was a Sunday and a national holiday, Confirmation Day, and local women and girls were dressed in their traditional dress. It was lovely to see. There was a general feeling of festivity and people were friendly, not seeming to mind that cruise ship passengers were “intruding” on their special day. It was an easy walk from the pier to a large square, with fountains and statuary and the Nobel Peace Hall. An old fort loomed nearby and the business district was up the way. However, almost every place was closed because of the holiday. We got soda in a small “convenience store” and there as a tourist gift shop with some very nice things set up on the pier. But it was pleasant to walk through the streets and parks and soak in the scenery and experience “the day.” The amazing scenery continued as the ship made the trip back down the fjord. Our next port was Skagen, Denmark, at the northern tip of Denmark, an artists colony and tourist destination as well as a commercial fishing port. At the pier was a small tourist building with WIFI, restrooms and a few things for sale. It was a longish walk to town but doable The day was sunny but very windy and chilly. We stopped at the Swedish Sailors' Church, a little place with a folk-art interior that was quite charming. The pastor was there to talk about the history of the church. We found the town to be equally charming. Most of the buildings are yellow with red roofs. The flowers were blossoming as well as lilacs and what I thought to be rhododendrons. The shops were just beginning to open, but this was a Monday and some places were closed. We had a delightful walk through the town, and a delicious fish and chips lunch at a sidewalk cafe, thankfully out of the wind. On our way to Stockholm, we passed through the Great Belt Strait and other narrow straits and were fascinated by the passing scene and the amount of shipping as we entered the Baltic Sea. Wednesday was Stockholm, Sweden, where we had arranged to meet Swedish friends for lunch. It was entirely unexpected when at 7:25 Wednesday morning the Captain announced the port of Stockholm was closed! High winds, a gale, had swooped down causing high seas and “the authorities” had closed not only Stockholm but the next day's port of Visby, Sweden, where we had booked a tour to view the Viking museum. It took more than a few minutes to deal with this disappointment. But there was nothing to be done but to turn back south and ride through the waves on our way to Estonia. Celebrity credited each cabin with $100 for the “inconvenience” which was a nice thing for them to do. Additionally we would be spending two days instead of one in Tallin, Estonia, where we arrived in good shape the next day, looking out the window to see the old city rising like something out of a Russian fairy tale. The walk to the city center from the pier is quite long, and we opted to take a bus which charged 12 Euros for an all-day pass. It would take pages to describe Tallin, which is a modern city but we all come to see the medieval town, still surrounded by the old walls and towers. It is truly stepping back in time, but with shops and cafes and even period re-enactors. We strolled around, browsing through open-air markets, resting in a lovely park, eating a delicious treat of pancakes and ice cream. We had booked a tour for the next day, which took us further into the old city, to the Russian Orthodox Cathedral, all golden, and the Lutheran Church with its banks of shields, and to the high point on the wall. A note of caution – the streets are steep and cobblestones can be challenging. We had a terrific guide and also free time to rest, shop, eat and explore. Helsinki, Finland, right across the strait was our destination for the next day. It would be challenging for most people to walk to the city from the pier but beaches and benches and parks are not far. There a shops on the pier as well as Santa Claus available for free photos. We had a tour here and it was a bit haphazard as well as amusing. Our guide was a sweet man who seemed to be a bit out of sync – his watch certainly was! There was much confusion at the sites we visited, with many tours and people scampering for the correct bus. Helsinki is a modern, bustling city and we found ourselves in the middle of a marathon – hundreds and hundreds of joggers. Everyone we saw seemed to be very fit – whether jogging, pushing strollers, walking dogs, biking. We had three stops, the first a an ultra-modern church carved into the rock, the second at a waterside park with a monument to the composer Sibelius, and the third at the stately Lutheran Church where we were given free time to shop or to visit the church or do both. I chose to sit in the church because my feet hurt. The sanctity of the place seemed compromised by the horde of noisy tourists. Others who went to the shopping district reported back with stories of confusion and feeling lost. Our bus eventually made it back to the church which was our meeting place, and I felt most of us were just exhausted and glad to be on the bus and going back to the ship. Another sea day, again, the waves were rolling. Our last port was two days in magical Copenhagen, Denmark. The port area is under construction and a long way from the city. There are buses and cabs available. We had a tour the first day. The bus was a bit late in arriving and so the tour was a bit rushed. This was a tour of Christiansborg Palace, Tivoli Gardens and a visit to the Little Mermaid statue. The Palace and Tivoli would be tours in themselves. The Palace was opulent, as most are, but the 45 minutes we were given at Tivoli did not suffice – we could have spent all day there. The flowers, the cafes and shops and amusements – I would recommend anyone young or old spend the whole day there. There was not enough time to thoroughly take in the place. The harbor scene, with the Little Mermaid perched on her rock, was peaceful, but the day and the tour were at the end. The next day we took an Uber to the National Museum of Art and that was amazing. Another day at sea, again rolling waves, and then back to Amsterdam, getting through the lock easily this time. We found the Eclipse to be a happy ship. I have never been treated so well by the staff, and that includes all the staff, no matter what their position. Our cabin was comfy and very conveniently located. The food was very good. There were a couple snags with the entertainment because of cancellations by the performers, but some shows, especially the impromptu Beatles and Elton John show put on by Peter, the cruise director, were spectacular. We had a gourmet meal at La Petite Chef and that was thoroughly enjoyable. Most of the ship has been refurbished, with possibly the exception of our bedside tables which were water-damaged. Unlike other cruise lines, we still had cabin service twice a day. We also liked the indoor pool area and the library. The main dining room was elegant, and the buffet in sections (not high school cafeteria style.) All the passengers seemed to be having a great time. It was a cruise which had its surprises but definitely one of the best.

Busy Itinerary

Cruise was delayed one day due to dry dock delay. Celebrity did great in compensating passengers with onboard refundable credits and $400USD for extra night needed in Amsterdam. We picked an interior in a unique area on 12th deck. it was below the spa so we thought it would be quiet. Not so much. In the middle of the night, we were awakend by banging. It was as if someone was doing deadlifts dropping weights. After 3 nights, they moved us to balcony room at no additional charge. Food was excellent. Ports were great. Staff were very nice and happy. Entertainment was okay but we did not go on this cruise for the entertainment. It was our vessel to the ports. Highly recommed this iteniarry to see UK and Northern Ireland. It gives you a taste of each. One of our best cruises so far. Celebrity is our favourite line and with how they handled noise and delay, they are our fav even more now.

Experience of a lifetime!

We enthusiastically recommend the British Isles cruise with Celebrity . It was a wonderful cruise. The ship, Eclipse, was lovely. Service from housekeeping (Marie) to food and beverage (waiters, bartenders, sommeliers), accommodations (our cabin in Concierge Class was beautiful and quite spacious), food (especially in Murano) were excellent. Great ports of call and both ship and off ship excursions were fun and enlightening. We even had fantastic weather! We never felt like we were on a cruise with over 3000 other people. So many public places to appeal to all types of people and personalities . Only negatives were the day late departure due to issues with dry dock and the ensuing repairs (painting, etc) still going on during the cruise and availability of certain beers and wines that were supposed to be included on the Premier drink package we had. We are so looking forward to our next cruise with Celebrity!