As I boarded the Celebrity Eclipse in Southampton two words reverberated from the British passengers around me. Brilliant and stylish. The wow factor is exactly what Celebrity Cruises is striving for on Eclipse. But before the line’s newest ship carried any paying passengers it was called to carry out a mission like no other.

To the rescue

Eclipse didn’t set out to be a hero ship on its first cruise with passengers, but that’s just what happened right after it left the shipyard. The vessel’s late April inaugural celebrations were put on hold to participate in a unique and unprecedented rescue mission. Eclipse sailed to Bilbao, Spain to pick up more than 2,000 British tourists stranded by the shutdown of European airspace following the Icelandic volcano eruption.

Simon Weir, Eclipse’s hotel director noted that a party at that time was frivolous. “We had a window of opportunity to do something extraordinary – we had to help out.” And, boy did they. Rescued tourists traveled back to England in the lap of luxury onboard the 122,000-ton, 2,850-passenger Eclipse. Weir said many rescued travelers told him Eclipse was far better than the land-based vacation they had in Spain and were sold on sailing the ship for their next vacation.

Eclipse is easy on the eyes

The line hit a homerun with the launch of Celebrity Solstice two years ago and Eclipse carries on the captivating qualities. Like its two sister ships (Solstice and Equinox) the big appeal is the seamless blending of differing characters throughout the ship. Passengers who have been on the aforementioned sister ships will find themselves in familiar territory. Eclipse offers The Lawn Club, with real, growing grass; The Hot Glass Show, a glassblowing show and studio developed with The Corning Museum of Glass; 10 dining venues, along with vast entertainment offerings including shows with breathtaking aerial acts. But there are some interesting new additions and changes.

There are some cosmetic differences with the interior color scheme, artwork, and various refinements that make the ship even smarter and improve the overall guest experience. One very welcomed change is the modification of the entrance area to the AquaSpa that separates the spa reception area from the entrance to the gym. The previous design had guests funneling through the spa reception area to get to the gym.

Tweaks in the design aside, it’s the new offerings onboard that are making this ship better than its predecessors. The most unique addition is Qsine, a new restaurant by Jacques Van Staden, Celebrity’s vice president of culinary operations. Qsine turns the dining experience upside down—literally. The quirky venue is enveloped in avant garde décor, furniture, and large table lamps hanging upside down from the ceiling. Even the menu presentation is gimmicky – diners are given Apple iPads with descriptions of the main menu offerings and the desert menu is a paper cube that you unfold to find the selections. The menu features childhood favorites with contemporary touches served in small portions. It’s all-you-can-eat for the $30 cover charge.

The food was delicious and a lot of fun. The menu selection called Crunchy Munchies is an assortment of fried items presented in a paper cone. Sushi lollipops are served on a stick. Spring rolls are presented in vertical springs. An assortment of three cold soups is served in test tubes with a straw. Popcorn fish and chips were served in a red-and-white popcorn box. Other options include Kobe sliders, ceviche, tacos, and lobster and escargot fritters.

Another new feature on Eclipse is the Celebrity iLounge, a hip computer center stocked with Apple products, including 26 MacBook Pros. The ship also is authorized to sell Apple products as well as offer classes on how to use them. The iPhone/iTouch classes onboard were standing room only. Clearly a big hit.

Celebrity targets landlubbers

Weir tells me that Celebrity no longer competes with other cruise lines but with the great hotels of the world like the Bellagio. “We’re not just an American product, but an International one and we will adapt to sailing in differing regions,” added Weir.

Celebrity is targeting the cosmopolitan, upscale resort crowd and the Solstice-class ships like Eclipse are the perfect bait. It’s a large ship with a lot of passengers, abundant space, yet it’s still intimate and rarely feels hectic or crowded. Best of all it manages to be two things that many cruise ships aren’t these days — to be exhilarating and classy at the same time.

If you go:

Celebrity Eclipse cruises its inaugural season with sailings from Southampton with various cruises ranging from 14-night Baltic and Mediterranean sailings that begin at $1,913 per person. On October 31, the ship will sail a transatlantic voyage to Miami, Florida, where it will begin a series of alternating 7- night Eastern and Western Caribbean voyages through April 2011. Prices begin at $649 per person. All aforementioned prices are based on inside staterooms, double occupancy. Visit Celebrity Cruises Web site for more details.

Cruise lines are scrambling to find new ways to top each other in the innovation stakes. Bigger ships and never-before-seen features are the shape of things to come on the high seas in 2010.

Ship class of 2010

Fifteen new ships will be ready for their close-ups next year, with one being the second largest cruise ship ever launched. Here’s a summary for the Class of 2010, in order of the month they debut.

January– Costa Cruises 92,700-ton Costa Deliziosa will carry 2,828 guests and will homeport in Dubai for the winter with sailings around the Middle East. The ship will transition back Europe in May to cruise the Baltics during the summer and the Mediterranean for the rest of the year.

February - AIDA Cruises, Germany’s largest cruise line, (owned by Carnival Corporation) will launch its seventh ship in 2010, the 68,500-ton, 2,050-passenger AIDAblu. The vessel is the sister ship to AIDAdiva, AIDAbella and AIDAluna and will cruise European waters year round.

March - The MSC Magnifica will be MSC Cruises’ 11th ship. The 93,330-ton ship will carry 2,518 passengers. The ship will feature its MSC Yacht Club, exclusively for suite guests. The ship will be based in Venice where it will sail year-round seven-night cruises.

March - Avalon Waterways is the fastest growing river boat cruise line in the world. The company will launch two new vessels this year bringing the fleet size to 10 riverboats. Carrying just 138 passengers Avalon Felicity will ply the waters of the Rhine until the winter season.

April -The Celebrity Eclipse will be Celebrity Cruises’ third ship in the Solstice-class. For summer 2010, Eclipse will cruise from Southampton, England – the first time a Celebrity ship will based in that port. The ship will be 122,000-tons and carry 2,850 passengers. In November the ship will transition to the Caribbean.

P&O Cruises’ 116,000-ton Azura will carry 3,100 passengers. The ship will sail alternating 7- and 14-day European itineraries from Southampton, England.

May – Compagnie du Ponant Yacht Cruises will launch its first new vessel in a decade, the 264-passenger Le Boréal. The luxury French line’s new vessel will sail various European itineraries year round.

California-based AMAWATERWAYS is an upscale European river cruise company that was launched in 2002. The company will launch the MS Amabella bringing its fleet to 11 boats. The Amabella is sister ship of the MS Amacello and carries just 148 passengers. Itineraries for the new vessel have not been disclosed.

June – The Seabourn Sojourn is the second of three new ships for the Yachts of Seabourn. The ultra-luxury 32,000-ton Seabourn Sojourn will accommodate 450 lucky guests. The yacht’s itineraries will begin with sailings around Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, and Caribbean before it embarks on its 111-day world cruise from Los Angeles.

The most anticipated ship launch of 2010 is Norwegian Cruise Line’s (NCL) Norwegian Epic. It will be NCL’s largest and most innovative ship to date, featuring an Aqua Park, an ice bar, wavy staterooms, and the largest private villa complex at sea. The 153,000-ton ship will carry 4,200 guests and sail alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries.

July - Holland America Line’s 86,000-ton Nieuw Amsterdam is the second of the line’s “Signature Class” vessels. The ship, which will carry 2,104 passengers, will sail 12-day sailings around the Mediterranean. In mid-October, Nieuw Amsterdam will head to Fort Lauderdale for the winter season sailing seven-day Eastern Caribbean sailings.

August – Avalon Waterways will launch Felicity’s sister ship Avalon Luminary in May. Like Felicity, Avalon Luminary will carry just 138 passengers; however, it will cruise year-round on the Rhine River.

October – Cunard Line launches the new 90,400-ton, 2,092-passenger Queen Elizabeth, sister ship to Queen Victoria. The ship will sail round-trip from Southampton on various Mediterranean itineraries. In January, the ship will begin its 103-day world cruise.

November – When Sea Cloud Cruises launches the Sea Cloud Hussar it will be the largest three-mast passenger ship ever built. The 69 exterior cabins offer space for 136 passengers, who are looked after by a crew of 90. The ship will sail routes in the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf. And, like its sister ships it will be sailed in the traditional way – by hand.

December - Allure of the Seas is the sister ship to the Oasis of the Seas, and thus is the second of two of the world biggest ships. At 222,000-tons it will carry 5,400 guests (6,300 max) and 1,650 crew members. Like Oasis, Allure will offer distinct neighborhoods, unique interior staterooms, and a zip-line. Allure will sail year-round from Fort Lauderdale offering 7-day alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries.

Booze cruises

German cruise line AIDA Cruises’ new AIDAblu will have a microbrewery – a first for the cruise industry. The microbrewery, staffed by renowned brewers from Bavaria, will serve the beer it brews for free, while also offering specialty beers for a fee.

Inspired by the original ice bars and ice hotels in Scandinavia and one of only 14 ice bars in the world, Ice Bar on Norwegian Epic will be the ultimate chill. This frozen chamber of iced vodka is set in changing hues of blue, green and purple LED lighting that simulates the Northern Lights and creates a distinctive arctic atmosphere. The centerpiece is a giant ice cube that glows and changes colors to the beat of the music. The venue will accommodate 25 guests who will be given fur coats, gloves and hats to keep them warm, since the room’s temperature will not rise above 17 degrees Fahrenheit.

Dinner in a circus

Norwegian Epic will offer the only “big top” at sea in an intimate 265-seat theater-in-the-round. Dubbed “Cirque Dreams and Dinner”, this one of a kind interactive theatrical dining experience will be performed in the air, while juggling dinner courses, with music, mayhem and acrobatic imagination. During the two-hour show, guests will marvel in amazement and become part of a celebration of spectacle and fantasy. The entire experience will be unlike anything else at sea.

Stylish staterooms

Norwegian Epic incorporates several new types of accommodations – the curved New Wave staterooms; the largest ship-within-a-ship suite complex at sea, comprising 60 suites and villas on two private decks at the top of the ship; a new category of inside staterooms for the value-conscious traveler – The Studios and Living Room; and spa and family-friendly accommodations.

More kids invade Europe

Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and thousands of American kids are headed back to Europe. In April, the Disney Magic will return to Europe, where it first sailed in 2007, only this time with a few new itineraries. The Magic will offer its first-ever 10,11, and-12-day cruises to Scandinavia, Germany and Russia, in addition to a lineup of Mediterranean itineraries that include calls at three new ports. And in each port Disney will add its magic touch to enhance the family touring experience.

Less Alaska

Alaska’s 2007 imposition of a head tax on cruise passengers has caused a tsunami of cruise ship defections from the state’s waters. Carnival, Princess, Holland America Line, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line have reduced capacity in Alaska significantly for 2010 and more are scheduled to leave in 2011.

Rick Meadows, executive vice president of marketing, sales and guest programs, for Holland America says the change reflects the rising demand for Europe itineraries. “Our guests are finding a cruise to be the best value for their money in Europe, and interest in Mediterranean and Northern European itineraries continues to grow,” he said. With fewer ships sailing Alaska’s waters cruise fares are bound to go up, which means less bargains for cruise travelers.

Given the bounty of new ships, changing destinations, and wacky amenities, 2010 is shaping up to be a very interesting year for cruise travel.

With seven themed neighborhoods, from the open air Central Park with live plants and trees to a Boardwalk with a Coney Island feel, including a carousel and a zip-line, Oasis of the Seas is so much more than the world’s largest cruise ship – it’s on another level and has changed the face of cruise travel. But will cruise travelers want to sail with 5,400+ passengers and pay high fares for the experience?
Oasis split personality

Oasis touts a range of innovative and revolutionary features set to change the face of cruise travel forever. With its split superstructure creating wide open interior spaces, Oasis has captured the imagination of cruisers and non-cruisers alike. “Until you get onboard you don’t realize how it all came together the grandeur of it,” says Royal Caribbean International’s chairman and CEO, Richard Fain.

Fain’s assessment is correct.

The moment I stepped onboard Oasis, I was blown away by the architectural magnificence of the two football fields long Royal Promenade. The décor is original and exquisitely designed with amazing crystal canopies that flood natural light down from the Central Park neighborhood high above. These areas are filled with shops, restaurants, cafes, live trees, and the Rising Tide Bar, which travels vertically between the Royal Promenade and Central Park.

Oasis has four pools: Two are made to feel like a beach, with sloped entries you can walk into just as if you were walking into the ocean. A pool situated at the very back of the ship (the deepest at sea) is by night an outdoor amphitheater, hosting a water ballet and diving shows that feature professional divers who will jump from as high as 72 feet up. During the day guests can swim or take scuba lessons in the pool, or choose to relax on loungers located on the surrounding tiered platforms. If all this isn’t gimmicky enough the ship has a bagpiper, psychic and tattoo parlor, and a horticulturalist.

The Youth Zone features 28,700 square feet just for kids and teens, with Kids Avenue, a central boulevard connecting various themed play areas; a nursery for infants and toddlers; and a theater for children. For kids of all ages there’s ice skating, rock climbing and two FlowRiders to surf on, but it’s the zip-line that’s the coolest thing on any ship anywhere. All these high-octane activities certainly affords parents time to enjoy the adults-only retreat, the gorgeous open-air Solarium. Adults have their own swimming pool and six whirlpools—four of them cantilevered 136 feet above the ocean. Nearby there’s the amazing spa and gym.

There are 25 restaurants and 37 bars with 60 percent of the dining venues being complimentary while the 9 specialty restaurants charge for fare from $4.95 at Johnny Rockets to the $75 for Chef’s Table. Perhaps the most intriguing restaurant is 150 Central Park where for $35 you can dine on a ten-course tasting menu by Chef Keriann Von Raesfeld, a 23-year old “culinary phenom” that the line has hired in the hopes of creating their own celebrity chef. After dinner guests can hit the casino with gaming tables and nearly 500 slot machines, or see a show in the 1,380-seat theater for Broadway-style productions including “Hairspray” or take in an ice show at the Studio B arena.

Oasis has revolutionized cruise ship accommodations, with 37 different categories and unique offerings such as duplex “loft suites” that have 18-foot windows looking out to the ocean. Other staterooms will have views of the line’s seven “neighborhoods,” such as Central Park, the Boardwalk, home and other venues.

During my two-night media preview cruise I was accommodated in one of the Central Park balcony staterooms. At first, it seemed ideal with views of the treetops and café scene below. However, it quickly became apparent that noise, lack of privacy, and heat during the day made the balcony a bust. Guests assigned to Boardwalk view staterooms had a much worse time with noise from screaming zip-liners above to the boisterous carnival scene below to the loud LCD screens around the aft pool.

Every superlative to describe the ship is on target. Oasis is so huge it doesn’t feel like a cruise ship, it barely seemed to move and it’s possible with all that’s going on onboard to rarely acknowledge the ocean. It’s almost the anti-cruise.

Technology enhancements

It is natural to focus on Oasis’ size. Will it take hours to get on and off? Will it be hard to get into shows, restaurants? Will it fit into ports? With Oasis, size is not the story behind the ship. The technology created to move and plan for the masses is nothing short of amazing.

Starting with embarkation in Port Everglades with the world’s largest cruise terminal that offers 91 check-in counters with the goal to get passengers from curbside to the vessel in just 15 minutes. Royal Caribbean was careful to choose ports where Oasis could dock directly and not have to tender guests ashore. Current ports include: Nassau, St. Maarten, Labadee, and St. Thomas. Eventually, Falmouth, Jamaica will be added along with Costa Maya, Mexico. Other ports are expected to build facilities to accommodate the Oasis-class ships over time. Of course, getting guests on and off the ship was given careful planning – there will be gangway elevator buttons, escalators that go right into port, and multiple shore side security screening areas.

Then there’s the onboard safety command center with an electronic mustering system that scans a guest’s Sea Pass cards for attendance purposes. Best of all, guests no longer have to lug life vests to the drill as they are stored in the direct proximity of the muster stations. There’s also automatic electronic counting in all the restaurants, which is then relayed to dozens of monitors around the ship letting guests know which venues are available or full.

“Larger doesn’t mean less personalized but the ability to make it more personalized,” adds Fain. Since Oasis is so large with so many options the line’s website offers guests who tend to be control freaks the ability to plan out all their cruise activities from ship to shore. The website also lets the company know if there’s a huge demand for one activity and allows them to augment in that area.

More impressive is the environmental savings per passenger, Oasis uses 30-40 percent less energy than ships Royal Caribbean built 10 years ago. Green practices such as the use of 14,000 square meters of solar panels atop the Viking Crown Lounge, enough to power the entire promenade area, are commendable.

Big ship, big fare

Royal Caribbean is betting large and hoping that more cruise vacationers open up their wallets and live up to the corporate motto: “Why Not?”. Oasis of the Seas is the most expensive cruise ship ever built, costing some $1.4 billion. It’s no surprise then that fares for the ship have also followed the costly course.

Fares for Oasis’s Dec. 5 sailing range from $1,649 per person based on double occupancy for an inside stateroom to $16,659 for the luxurious 1,524- square-foot Royal Loft Suite. “You have to really want to sail on Oasis and willing to pay the price,” says Stewart Chiron, a cruise industry expert who is nationally recognized as The Cruise Guy. He notes that Oasis’s inside stateroom fare is double the cost of sailing in similar digs on Celebrity Solstice and Emerald Princess.

Fain defends the higher prices because of all the ship’s unique offerings. “We plowed some of the savings from economies of scale back into the ship that’s how we get the higher prices. We could have taken the savings and built something safer, but that’s not our style.”

Style or not, in an economy with double digit unemployment, and with Royal Caribbean’s competitors offering steep discounts it remains to be seen if Oasis’s higher pricing holds. Chiron believes that will be determined in the coming weeks to see if all the media hoopla surrounding the ship has made an impact. Chiron adds, “Once people are exposed to Oasis, they’ll better understand what this amazing ship has to offer and bookings are expected to pick up without having to lower prices.”

Fred and Deborah Marenna were looking forward to celebrating their 25th anniversary on the Carnival Miracle. It was the perfect itinerary for celebrating as it would visit exotic Panama and Costa Rica.

But the day before the Connecticut couple was to fly to Fort Lauderdale, things started to fall apart. Their travel agent called with bad news: The Miracle’s entire itinerary was being altered and the ship would no longer be visiting Panama or Costa Rica. The couple had the option to continue the cruise with the revised itinerary that would include a $50 onboard credit or they could opt to receive a full refund.
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