Images on board the Celebrity Eclipse

The Moonlight Sonata on Decks 3 and 4, which offers fine dining.  Passengers seated below must observe defined meal times.  Select dining - come when you want - is on the upper level.  We're enjoying the latter.

The aft elevator area

The Sky Observation Lounge on Deck 14

Leading to the Sky Observation Lounge..

Sky Observation Lounge

Midship atrium

Not long after we'd left Miami

The lawn area on the Solstice (16th) Deck

Sun worshippers by the pool

There are two small outdoor pools, one indoor pool, and several hot tubs and whirlpools - on Deck 12.

The indoor pool

The indoor pool

The casino (Deck 4) - by the third night, the slot machines had paid winnings of US$49,000.  We heard no mention of passenger losses.

The Library on Deck 10

Outside the Cellar Masters, Deck 4, where the flamboyant pianist, Perry Grant, performs to a small group of dedicated fans who follow him from Celebrity cruise to Celebrity cruise.

The Cellar Masters

The two-storey wine rack in the Moonlight Sonata - don't worry, there's a lot more in storage in the hull.

The staff hard at work in the kitchens

There is all sorts of quality entertainment aboard Celebrity cruises.

All sorts of quality food.  Here are sample dishes from the Qsine, where we'll dine on our last evening.

The crew like to tell you all about it.

The Molecular Bar on Deck 5..

Bistro Five on Deck 5, and the Martini Bar on Deck 4.  We've patronised the latter.

The northern coast of Cuba on our first sailing day 2 March, 2015..

Sun worshippers lazing by the pool on the starboard side...

Breakfast at the ship's stern - the Oceanview Cafe on Deck 14.  Our cruise director, Sue, said the ship has 'fun at the front, food at the back'.

Port side sun worshippers..

From near the bow looking back..

Sailing into Oranjestad, Aruba on the morning of 4 March..

Interested passengers witness our 7.45 am arrival at the island of Aruba..

Day One at Sea

2 March 2015

Somebody told us this morning we were sailing past the northern coast of Cuba, so we rushed to the starboard side to see a far away island, lining the watery horizon like a thin skirting board.  Around 3pm, we'd come much closer; Cuba is an island with significant coastal high ground.  I gazed in wonder at the land of the Castros - picturing the many past escapees fleeing from communism in small boats in the waters we were now privileged to sail through - a land which has at last normalised relations with the US.

We felt excited to wake up this morning on a cruise ship.  After breakfast, we met the cooking crew and toured the kitchens with Morris, a sous chef.  We also toured the more expensive restaurants, such as the Qsine, the Tuscan Grill and the Murano.  The food served in the Qsine is a work of art, representing the countries of the world.  These restaurants cost extra.  We booked to dine in Qsine on our last evening on the ship - 14 March, the evening before our 25th wedding anniversary.

Before lunch, we attended a tours workshop, which explained the various tours of the islands we will soon visit.  We also attended a 'History of Diamonds' seminar, which told that diamonds were first discovered in India in 3000 BC, and Alexander the Great introduced them to Europe.  After lunch, Jean spent some time in the casino on Deck 4, while I swam in the pool on Deck 12.  I also investigated on Deck 6 what to do about getting wifi, which is not easily available without paying through the nose.

Tonight is the ship's first formal night, of which there will be three.  Overnight, we should pass between Cuba and poverty-stricken Haiti, and enter the Caribbean Sea.

The outdoor pools on Deck 12

The indoor pool on Deck 12

The chefs were introduced to us.

Morris told us all about how food is prepared on the Celebrity Eclipse.

Chefs are hard at work to pamper the passengers.

Information in the kitchens

A food demonstration in the Qsine Restaurant

The casino on Deck 4

All day, we sailed along the northern coast of Cuba.

Miami Airport - the world's worst

Miami - from our hotel window

Yesterday, we flew into Miami.  The nine hour, 35 minute flight from Heathrow was not too painful.  Our flight path had taken us over Wales, across Ireland and out over the Atlantic.  We flew south of Reykjavik, south of Godthab (Greenland), over the Labrador Sea, and on to the Nova Scotia area of Canada.  The plane flew directly over Boston and near New York.  Along the way, lots of snow was to be seen.  

We landed at 5.36 pm local time to a wet but warm Miami.  It was about 8.33 pm when we FINALLY arrived at the airport's Immigration officials, where our passports were stamped and, what I think is an utterly shameful practice by the Americans, we were fingerprinted.  One Brazilian traveller described the practice as arrogant.  Jean and I voted Miami Airport as the world's worst - queuing for nearly three hours behind disgruntled, tired passengers - just to reach the Immigration point!  And during the queuing, we witnessed plenty of pushing in!

We arrived at our hotel, the Aloft Miami Brickell, tired and hungry.  Today will be better - we board our cruise ship and set sail.

Last day in Aberystwyth

It is our last day in Aberystwyth.  Tomorrow, we will drive to near Heathrow Airport, and stay overnight in a hotel.  The day after, we'll fly to Miami, Florida.  The day after that, we'll board the ship, Celebrity Eclipse, and sail the Caribbean for the following fortnight.

We've spent good, quality time with family and friends over the last 10 days, visiting them in their homes, and patronising some of the cafes and restaurants around town, such as Coffee #1 and the Starling Cloud.  Jean and I also went to see the daily feeding of the red kites at Bwlch Nant yr Arion, driven nearly to extinction years ago, but whose numbers have been revived through dedicated efforts by authorities and interested persons (see more about this in my blog To Ephesus with Love, 2013).

It was not a red kite but rather a seagull which messed Tom's car up this afternoon.  It was a complete and utter mess, and it took the seagull only a few moments.

The site of the feeding of the red kites

Red kites circling for the daily feeding

The mess on Tom's car

Tom cleaning up the seagull's mess....