Celebrity Eclipse, Scandinavia and St Petersburg, 14 August,2016.

Celebrity Cruises has been rated [by the Cruise Critic,If I remember correctly] the best premium cruise-line 8 years in a row.I am not surprised. The check-in was a breeze [I was priority,but it wouldn't have been any slower had I gone "regular"]. Having with some misgivings handed over my solitary suitcase [ if it gets lost I have nothing,but if the lifts are full and I decide to walk up to the ninth floor...]Ten or so minutes later I was inside the ship,directions to the staterooms simple and clear,it was as easy as pie to get one's bearing.I have been on on the Eclipse twice- on 21 July 2012 for 12 nights to Scandinavia and Russia,doing probably the same itinerary as now.And then with my sister and her husband on 31 August 2013,8 nights to Norwegian fjords. Celebrity cruises have a loyalty program called Captain's club.When I tried to check whether my cruises had been registered,I realized that in 2012 I had stayed in a Veranda cabin at a Concierge level. To date the position of that cabin has been my favorite of all.I remember when sailing out of St Petersburg, the view behind was the most magnificent,not yet beaten by any other port including Stockholm or Venice.People are astonished when I tell them this Why? Just because it is Russia? Since 2012 the concierge class has been upgraded,more benefits added. When I opened the door into my cabin 9275 on the 9th floor my heart jumped with joy.Large room,large bed,large bathroom,large shower cubicle,large balcony with 2 large chairs to lie on. Magnificent. Sparkling wine on the table,three apples on a tray, a knife and a fork on a small plate,serviettes, a bottle of water. Gilchrist & Soames toiletries I am not familiar with,but if they are good enough for the other Concierge passengers,they will be good enough for me.Hansgrohe massaging shower head.A dressing gown [2,in fact].But no slippers.After the obligatory safety drill it was time to unpack,have a quick walk into the lobby to deposit $500 into my account[this had already been credited by the cruise company with $400 to spend as I please,as a kind of thank you for being a loyal customer],change and go down to have my first evening meal.My designated table was a table for 6.Not me,not myself,not Irene!6!Had I been explained in a sensible way I could walk up one floor and have a table to myself as a FREEDOM diner,it would have been a prefect end to a perfect day.But in all the excitement the nice young man at the door didn't tell me this[the freedom dining had been introduced after my last stay on the ship, was not aware of it],so I walked up to the self-service restaurant on the 14th floor.It was just as I remembered-spacious,light,food beautifully laid out. I had chicken curry,lentil dhal,rice,very nice.Some square dessert the name of which escapes me,there was nothing special to remember about it,in fact. And so to bed and try and work out how the TV works.All is well that ends well.I slept like a log until well after 9. Breakfast of porridge and red melon is my usual on a ship,orange juice from a dispenser undrinkable as was the coffee.Paid for a freshly pressed glass of juice and went to Cafe al Bacio for a cup of late with an extra shot,always an extra shot,otherwise it is too weak.Lunch in the Moonlight Sonata,one of the first to be in to ensure I had a table to myself.And I did.Fried sticks of cheese with a pesto sauce,edible,but would not have it again,sauce quite awful.Gazpacho soup with overpowering herbs,unpleasant. Grilled turkey medallions,risotto,some greens,loved it even though the chef was a bit heavy handed with the salt. Took a walk up to the self-service to see if a piece of cake I was dying for would be found.Nothing to my taste but a little roll with a bit of tuna filling did the trick. And so to bed and the TV. Yes,in the afternoon!