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Other Activities
Although there were some unique items to be found, much of what was on display was duplicated by shops at our ports of call.
About 10 interconnected shops are found on the starboard side of Deck 5. We can only say “about” because the shops blend from one to the next—only the signs out front distinguish one from another.
Starting from the end closest to the Eclipse Theater, Adagio and Jasmine sell fragrances for women, with a small section in Adagio devoted to men’s colognes. Most of the tops lines are represented, with the main focus on Chanel and Estee Lauder products. The Showcase features women’s handbags, mainly leather, and primarily from the Fossil and Guess labels. This flows into Moda, where colorful purses by Mary Frances and dresses by Canadian designer Joseph Ribkoff are displayed, along with showy necklaces and some swimwear.
The Men’s Shop sells resort wear by Polo Ralph Lauren and Tommy Bahama, which segues into The Collection and Pieces of Time, where watches by Marc Jacobs, Citizen, Rado, Tag Hauer and the Joseph and Thomas Windmills line from England. At the Artisan Studio and Exquisites we found larimar pieces from Marahlago and H Stern jewelry; Boutique C had a collection of inlay jewelry by Kabana of India.
Photographers roam the ship, particularly during designated events (like gangway and embarkation), taking photos of cruisers. Portrait studio photographers are also available for formal sit-down shots. The photos are displayed on racks and available for purchase—$19.95 each for any size up to 8×10. A DVD of the voyage is also available at the end of the cruise, for $34.95.
Photo albums, frames and a small selection of cameras are also sold here, along with binoculars, tripods, batteries and memory cards.
On each cruise a different artist is aboard with his or her work. The artist is available to discuss their art and arrange for sales. On our cruise the art was good, and we much preferred this to the art auctions that are common on some ships.
Also known as the Fortunes Casino Shops, this series of interconnected venues was flanked on one side by the casino (perhaps to capture some of your winnings?). Less upscale than the Galleria Boutiques upstairs, this was the place for informal cruise mementoes and sundries.
Starting from the forward end, Spirits and Such sells liquor, cigarettes and Dominican cigars; note that merchandize purchased here is held until the conclusion of the cruise. Next door, Glitz sells cultured pearl jewelry by Honara, crystals from Swarovski, glass jewelry from Antica Murrina of Venice, and baubles from the Guess and Fossil brands. Serendipity had odds and ends ranging from drug store sundries (sun block, toothpaste, razors, tampons, etc.), snacks, stuffed animals and sunglasses. Last in the line is the Eclipse Shop, where Celebrity Eclipse logo merchandize—caps, T-shirts, etc.—can be purchased, along with Samsonite travel gear.
Located next to the main pools, this spot was handy for outdoor goods left behind. We found sun hats, flip flops, T-shirts and sun block, but a much better selection was available at shops on Deck 4.
This computer lounge was Apple’s first outlet at sea, and 27 MacBook Pros are available for guest internet. Classes are also offered (at an additional charge). The lighting is fairly bright here, cast by wall-size screens marketing Apple products—it’s not a very relaxing place for web surfing, though we were told that some guests felt the signal was best in this part of the vessel, mid-ship Deck 6.
A small selection of Apple products is available for purchase, at prevailing prices—tax-free. As incentive to purchase the more expensive items, a complimentary Internet package is thrown in: Buy an 11-inch MacBook Air ($999) and earn 200 minutes of Internet (valued up to $150), etc.
WiFi on board was .75 per minute, though there were packages that brought the per-minute rate down (38 minutes for $24.95, 90 minutes for $49.95, etc.) along with specials that popped up one several days of the cruise that added bonus minutes to the packages.
For those who are sold on the Celebrity style of cruising, this small office handles bookings for future cruises. Reserving a berth here avails shipboard credits on a future cruise.
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