Cruise Spotlight
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Celebrity Eclipse vs Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady
The Celebrity Eclipse was built in 2010. It was renovated in 2025. It's 11 years older than the Scarlet Lady, which was built in 2021 and renovated in 2024. This is an adults-only ship; all guests must be 18 or older.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Eclipse is considered a medium size ship. Coming in at 1,040 feet long and 121 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.9 football fields, as wide as 2.3 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 13-story building. Compared to the Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady, the Eclipse is 11% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Celebrity Eclipse holds about the same number of passengers as the Scarlet Lady based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Eclipse has more space per person compared to the Scarlet Lady. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.
| Celebrity Eclipse | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Solstice | Lady |
| Gross Tonnage | 122,000 | 110,000 |
| Length | 1,040 | 912 |
| Beam/Width | 121 | 125 |
| Passenger Decks | 13 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,850 | 2,700 |
| Crew | 1,286 | 1,150 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.2 | 2.3 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 43 | 41 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Eclipse has ten different dining options like AquaSpa Cafe, Blu, and Murano. Of those options, nine are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other six options have an additional fee.
The Scarlet Lady has two more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are The Wake, The Test Kitchen, and Gunbae. Twelve of these restaurants are complementary.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Scarlet Lady might be a better choice. It has 20% more dining options than the Eclipse.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Scarlet Lady might be a better choice then the Eclipse. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Celebrity Eclipse | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 10 | 12 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 9 | 12 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 6 | 0 |
| % of Included Options | 40% | 100% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Celebrity Eclipse has 2 fewer bars than the Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady. The Eclipse has 16 bars like Ensemble Lounge, Oceanview Bar and Quasar. On Scarlet Lady, you can grab a drink at 18 different bars such as On The Rocks, Sun Club Bar and The Aquatic Club Bar.
| Celebrity Eclipse | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady |
|---|---|
| •Cafe al Bacio • Casino Bar • Cellar Masters • Ensemble Lounge • Il Secondo Bacio • Martini Bar • Mast Bar • Michael's Club • Oceanview Bar • Passport Bar • Pool Bar • Quasar • Sky Observation Lounge • Sunset bar • The Whiskey and Cigar House • World Class Bar | •Casino Bar • Draught Haus • Grounds Club • Gym & Tonic • Mezcal Bar • On The Rocks • Red Bar • Richard's Rooftop Bar • Sip Lounge • Sun Club Bar • The Aquatic Club Bar • The Athletic Club Bar • The Dock Bar • The Dock House Bar • The Grounds Club Too • The Loose Cannon • The Manor • The Social Club |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Eclipse and the Scarlet Lady below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Celebrity Eclipse has a total of 3 pools and 6 hot tubs.
Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady has fewer pools than the Eclipse and the same number of hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Scarlet Lady. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Eclipse.| Celebrity Eclipse | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | ||
| Total Hot Tubs | 6 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 4 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 2 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. On the Eclipse, 73% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Scarlet Lady, only 55% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Celebrity Eclipse | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Acrobatic Show | ✗ | ✓ |
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✗ | ✓ |
| Beyond the Podium Talk Series | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Group Fitness | ✗ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lawn Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Outdoor movies | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pickleball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Private Karaoke Rooms | ✗ | ✓ |
| Salon | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tattoo Studio | ✗ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Celebrity and Virgin Voyages are both considered "Premium" cruise lines. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Celebrity Eclipse will likely be cheaper than on Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Celebrity Eclipse | Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $18.00 | $20.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | Included |
| Soda Price | $4.75 | Included |
| Domestic Beer Price | $9.99 See drink menus | $8.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | $55 - $99 Learn more | No drink package available |
| Internet Plan | $19 to $30 per device per day | Basic Wi-fi is included. Premium is $30/day and Work from Sea is $50/day. |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Celebrity Cruise Lines offers an "All Included" program. Guests who book a cruise using this promotion will have wifi and alcohol included. Some sailings are available without this program so pay attention when booking. Typically prices are lower if they don't include "Always Included." The wifi and alcohol package are the base levels and can be upgraded for an additional cost.
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