View an Eclipse 365 days a year

Conventional wisdom advises the use of special eye protection when viewing an eclipse. But none of that was necessary for the thousands of individuals who lined the banks of Germany’s River Ems last week to see Celebrity Eclipse embark on a fascinating adventure in cruising.

The third of five in Celebrity Cruises’ stylish, $3.7-billion Solstice Class fleet, Celebrity Eclipse made her first departure from the innovative Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, to embark on what is very likely to be the most challenging ride of her life: an event known as the “conveyance.”

At the tightest points along the way, there are as few as two feet between each side of the 1,040-foot-long, 121-foot-wide Celebrity Eclipse and the locks. The depth of the river and the draft of the ship allow for mere inches – or less – beneath the ship. These factors and others led Celebrity Cruises and Meyer Werft to essentially create a science all their own, carefully monitoring the position of the moon and tidal conditions to identify the precise moment when the depth of the river is ideal for the ship to set sail from the shipyard.

“Cruise ship captains generally do not expect to encounter the challenges the conveyance presents,” said Celebrity Eclipse Captain Panagiotis Skylogiannis. “Although I am accustomed to docking in tight ports, I prefer to be chasing sunshine in the open sea. Celebrity Eclipse is only a few feet slimmer than the narrowest lock we have to navigate, which isn’t much room, particularly when the president of the company is onboard, keeping a close watch! But we’ve done this twice before, and I am entirely confident of another smooth and successful passage.”

Celebrity Eclipse will be first ship to offer the “Celebrity iLounge,” complete with a retail area offering the latest products through Celebrity’s Authorized Apple Reseller status, and the first to present “Qsine,” a “uniquely unordinary,” interactive dining venue complete with wine menus on a personal touch screen.

After spending the next several months based in Europe, the ship will operate Caribbean cruises roundtrip from Miami. Like her sister ships – Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox – Celebrity Eclipse will showcase The Lawn Club, with real, growing grass; The Hot Glass Show, a glassblowing show and studio developed with The Corning Museum of Glass; 10 unrivaled dining venues, including Qsine; and widely varied entertainment, including shows with breathtaking aerial acts.

Your www iCruise.com personal cruise expert can tell you about the spectacular deals available for this spectacular ship.