Just off Equinox. My first Celebrity cruise. Mixed review.

[Muushka]

Welcome back PC,

I am interested to hear what the issues were on your Equinox cruise. We absolutely loved the 4 night...can't imagine what happened!

 

As for the disembarkation problems, I noticed that many people were confused for some reason. We were sitting in the MDR waiting for our number and noticed many people coming up asking questions of the poor girl assigned to the area. They obviously had paid no attention to the instructions in the letter left in the cabin. They had no idea what number they were, showed up late (after their group had disembarked), or ignored what the staff member was telling them to do. Dont know if this was a language issue or not but frankly I felt sorry for her!

Our disembarkation went very smoothly, luggage was clearly marked and waiting for us and a very courteous porter carried it out to a waiting taxi for us. Sorry to hear others had a less than positive experience; it can certainly put a damper on your cruise memories.

 

We were not confused in the least. We knew our debarkation number (34), we knew where to meet (MDR), we knew what time we were supposed to debark (9:50) and yet we did not get off the ship until 12.

 

So much for paying attention to what they tell you to do!

 

Lesson learned. NEVER again. We will always carry our luggage off ourselves.

 

Other than the, the cruise was awesome!;)

[Brad1185]

When we were on the Solatice if we wanted canapes in the room in the afternoon you had to fill out a card requesting them and it said you had to physically be in the room when they brought them. If you were not in the room they would not leave them.

 

You must not have been on a RCI cruice in a long time if you thought RCI and Celebritys food was the same. To us there is no comparison between RCI and Celebrity. Celebrity is so much better in terms of selection and especially quality.

[gospelle]

I'm glad you gave Celebrity a try. Sorry it wasn't to your taste. If you prefer RCL, you should absolutely continue to cruise with them--it's your vacation.

 

I don't believe you can lay a customs snafu at Celebrity's door, they have no control over customs and immigration.

 

Our experience with Concierge Class embarcation and disembarcation has been different from yours--very smooth and quick every time.

 

I'm also a nondrinker. When boarding, I've been offered an alternative to the champagne. You have but to ask. Yes they do push drinks. I just smile sweetly and say no thank you if I don't want one. I've heard others complain if the waiters are not circulating constantly asking to take drink orders, so it seems that they're damned if they do and damned if they don't.

 

I certainly can lay some blame on Celebrity for the mess at disembarkation. They have decades of experience unloading passengers at fort lauderdale. They should know that the Non-US citizens are held back, sometimes for hours. This information should have influence on how they hand out their disembarkation que numbers and certainly we should be informed so as to leave at least 8 hours prior to our flights.

 

I had a 1:30pm flight and am a Canadian. This information was known to celebrity and they still gave me a disembarkation time of 9:15am, which should not have occurred if they knew I could be held up more than 4 hours in customs.

 

There is equal blame between Celebrity and the Customs and Pier folks. Celebrity for the reasons above, and the Pier folks for not keeping people in their que order. People who disembarked at 8am were mixed in with those who got off at 10:30am.

 

What's worse is Celebrity was touting how their way of doing things was so much better than other lines. This was my 8th cruise and all 7 previous (on other lines) were far easier than this debacle.

 

As for the drinks, I didn't "damn" anyone. I simply felt unwelcome. And despite your claims, when I asked if I could have something other than champagne or wine I was told flatly "NO".

[ellbon]

I believe it is up to the room attendant. I was never there but got them as late as possible. he refused to get my cheese and crackers instead. but in other ways he was wonderful.

 

I will see when I ma on the next 3 cruises how that works.

[gospelle]

How strange. We were in conceirge class and never got a card. When we told our cabin attendant that we would prefer cheese and crackers each day, that was the end of that. They were always there whether we were in the room or not. I never saw a card for turn-down service.:confused: I agree with Cheryl. Our staff was almost like a Butler staff. They were always available when we needed something.

 

Garry

 

 

When was your last celebrity cruise in concierge class? mine was two days ago. Is it not possible your information is now obsolete?

[gospelle]

Are you talking about the TA or the cruise that returned on Dec. 4? This issue of the gangway being too high was reported after the TA...hopefully they learned their lesson.

 

My experience was two days ago following the 11 night caribbean trip.

[gospelle]

Hey Gospelle

 

1st of all: Where were you at the cruise critic meeting on the ship? Sorry I didn't get to meet you.

 

2nd: This was also my 1st Celeb cruise and I have a mixed review as well (though mostly good) and I will be posting it shortly.

 

Great to be away but always better to be home :)

 

Yeah, I totally missed that. I was having too much fun and forgot. We didn't get a reminder the day of, but instead all of our captian's club events were on one sheet given at the beginning of the cruise.

[gospelle]

Welcome back PC,

I am interested to hear what the issues were on your Equinox cruise. We absolutely loved the 4 night...can't imagine what happened!

 

As for the disembarkation problems, I noticed that many people were confused for some reason. We were sitting in the MDR waiting for our number and noticed many people coming up asking questions of the poor girl assigned to the area. They obviously had paid no attention to the instructions in the letter left in the cabin. They had no idea what number they were, showed up late (after their group had disembarked), or ignored what the staff member was telling them to do. Dont know if this was a language issue or not but frankly I felt sorry for her!

Our disembarkation went very smoothly, luggage was clearly marked and waiting for us and a very courteous porter carried it out to a waiting taxi for us. Sorry to hear others had a less than positive experience; it can certainly put a damper on your cruise memories.

 

The process was smooth for US citizens, they didn't pull you aside and make you sit for an hour or more, then make you wait in the luggage area like sardines for another hour or more before allowing you into the customs line.

 

US citizens were allowed to disembark like I've been able to do on all other cruises, keeping my place in line and in an orderly fashion. For the several hundred non US folks, this was a nightmare. Even the porters would not help the Non-US citizens.

[gospelle]

Do they allow non-US citizens to self disembark? I believe a lot of the issue was lack of Customs staff which should never happen as the cruise line has the manifest prior to leaving port. Customs should be aware that in X number of days that ship will return with the same number of non-US citizens who will need to go through customs! Hopefully the communication will get better before I get off the ship in January!:D

 

Missy

 

There was no lack of customs agents. In fact, many in the "US Only" line sat idle while hundreds of non-US folks were lined up and missing flights.

 

Only after an hour or so of people complaining did they allow some non-US into those lines.

[uktog]

I am concerned about the posts about issues on disembarkation. It is three years since we did a Carribean trip with Celebrity - on those trips we had to see immigration the day before coming off the ship (albeit at a crazy time) and our paperwork was dealt with

Are you saying we now have to do it all shore side and are likely to be very held up as we have UK passports

We do not have a flight time but have a long drive to do that day and little room for margin for error, albeit we have based our plans on being able to drive away from Fort Lauderdale airport with our hire car we are collecting there by 1000. Do you think in January this is going to be possible?? (We are elite but I do not think status gets you off any earlier)

[gospelle]

We were not confused in the least. We knew our debarkation number (34), we knew where to meet (MDR), we knew what time we were supposed to debark (9:50) and yet we did not get off the ship until 12.

 

So much for paying attention to what they tell you to do!

 

Lesson learned. NEVER again. We will always carry our luggage off ourselves.

 

Other than the, the cruise was awesome!;)

 

And you were a US citizen. (I assume from your North Carolina home). Just imagine being forced to sit for another hour once outside the ship watching the US citizens fly by you, and then being herded into a corner in the luggage area for another hour as porters help the US citizens out the side way and into an empty customs line.

 

I have another cruise out of Ft Lauderdale in Feb. I will be off the ship with my own bags the moment we can disembark and if I'm made once again to sit for hours like some criminal it will be the last US based cruise I take.

[gospelle]

When we were on the Solatice if we wanted canapes in the room in the afternoon you had to fill out a card requesting them and it said you had to physically be in the room when they brought them. If you were not in the room they would not leave them.

 

You must not have been on a RCI cruice in a long time if you thought RCI and Celebritys food was the same. To us there is no comparison between RCI and Celebrity. Celebrity is so much better in terms of selection and especially quality.

 

My last RCI cruise was in 2007, my last Carnival cruise was 2008.

 

The food all seems equally good to me.

 

Selection on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity seemed equal to me. Carnival slightly less selection in the buffet, but main dining room on all three lines seemed equal.

 

We ate at all 3 specialty restaraunts on Equinox as well, and thought they were also similar quality to the specialy venues on the other lines.

 

It was comments like yours that raised my expectations of Celebrity prior to going but I just didn't see that much difference. In fact, some things, like their soft ice cream and indian food selections to name just a couple, were much better on Carnival Splendor than on Equinox.

[gospelle]

I am concerned about the posts about issues on disembarkation. It is three years since we did a Carribean trip with Celebrity - on those trips we had to see immigration the day before coming off the ship (albeit at a crazy time) and our paperwork was dealt with

Are you saying we now have to do it all shore side and are likely to be very held up as we have UK passports

We do not have a flight time but have a long drive to do that day and little room for margin for error, albeit we have based our plans on being able to drive away from Fort Lauderdale airport with our hire car we are collecting there by 1000. Do you think in January this is going to be possible?? (We are elite but I do not think status gets you off any earlier)

 

Had you been on my cruise, and followed Celebrity's instructions you would have missed your car hire time for sure. On your cruise, I suggest you carry off your own bags and disembark right away, or lie and say your flight is at 9am to get a priority que number (#1 or #2).

[gospelle]

I believe it is up to the room attendant. I was never there but got them as late as possible. he refused to get my cheese and crackers instead. but in other ways he was wonderful.

 

I will see when I ma on the next 3 cruises how that works.

 

My stateroom attendant seem very helpful in all other respects. I got the impression that his hands were tied on this.

[gospelle]

Oh, one other thing I liked that I didn't put in my original post, I found the Select Dining to be a fabulous option. We have never done an "anytime" dining option before and so we were skeptical but intruigued to try it. It is now my preferred option.

 

The only lineup we had was on the first day and it only took a couple minutes to get through that and get seated. Some folks ahead of us were upset, but I think it was because they wanted a table alone and none were available yet and they refused to sit with others. We said we didn't care and were seated right away at a larger table with two other couples.

 

Most other nights there was no line and we were seated at a table by ourselves.

 

My only complaint is that the tables for four are far too close together. (about 1 foot apart). You might as well be seated with them as you hear everything they say.

 

But the thing I liked best is that regardless of what our reservation was, if we wanted to eat earlier or later based on a show or something our daughter wanted to do at the teen club, we just showed up whenever and were seated right away. And if the wife's hair wasn't quite done by the time we were supposed to leave, no problem, we just went a few minutes later. FANTASTIC!

 

The other unexpected perk is that when we did sit with other people, some were interesting and some were annoying. When we were at a table with annoying folks it was nice to know that we wouldn't have to eat with them ever again. :p

 

Plus, we never felt guilty that we were bailing on our table mates if we wanted to eat at a specialty venue or casual dining.

 

All around this was a excellent feature and I will be requesting it if available on all future cruises.

[uktog]

Had you been on my cruise, and followed Celebrity's instructions you would have missed your car hire time for sure. On your cruise, I suggest you carry off your own bags and disembark right away, or lie and say your flight is at 9am to get a priority que number (#1 or #2).

Thanks a lot

Have too much luggage so will need to tell a porky pie ;)

[caladvoc8]

Thanks a lot

Have too much luggage so will need to tell a porky pie ;)

For the sake of us yanks, a "porky pie" must be cockney slang for a prevarication? :confused:

[uktog]

sorry porky pie = lie

Often abbreviated to "telling porkies"

[Muushka]

The process was smooth for US citizens, they didn't pull you aside and make you sit for an hour or more, then make you wait in the luggage area like sardines for another hour or more before allowing you into the customs line.

 

US citizens were allowed to disembark like I've been able to do on all other cruises, keeping my place in line and in an orderly fashion. For the several hundred non US folks, this was a nightmare. Even the porters would not help the Non-US citizens.

 

This US citizen did not think a close to 2 hour delay on a gang plank was smooth!

 

And you were a US citizen. (I assume from your North Carolina home). Just imagine being forced to sit for another hour once outside the ship watching the US citizens fly by you, and then being herded into a corner in the luggage area for another hour as porters help the US citizens out the side way and into an empty customs line.

 

I have another cruise out of Ft Lauderdale in Feb. I will be off the ship with my own bags the moment we can disembark and if I'm made once again to sit for hours like some criminal it will be the last US based cruise I take.

 

You are right. At least we did get to leave after the 2 hour wait. I hope that Celebrity addresses this fiasco.

[encoresue2]

I think the disembarkation problems are because of FLL....the last 3 times we have been there it has been a PAIN for non-US, which screws up the works.......(our pals that we cruise with are Canadian). Our last visit.....Navigator, Queen Mary and a large Carnival all came in on the same AM.....and they apparently had a few customs agents call in sick (or whatever). Our friend from Nova Scotia was in line for 4 hours longer than we were....and we sat in the parking lot waiting. It was horrid. Had this problem on Radiance the year before as well. BUT, it depends on the day of the week. Soooo, check your arrival date and see what other ships are coming in that day.....if there are BIGGIES....it will be painful. When in doubt...book out of Miami or Cape Canaveral....we have never had a problem there. Only FLL seems to be the issue.

[FinelyCruising]

When was your last celebrity cruise in concierge class? mine was two days ago. Is it not possible your information is now obsolete?

 

I was on the sailing on November 5th, the 14 night TA that ended in FLL on November 19th, and with Garry and in CC. There are changes from deck to deck and from cruise to cruise.

 

In addition, many experienced cruisers *know* what happens with immigration as a result of these TA trips and plan accordingly. So all the Customs complaining is really getting on my nerves. I knew nothing about it before, and learned about it on these boards from others and planned accordingly. Therefore, it was as predicted and I can't begin to start in with a bandwagon hue and cry of customs. It is what it is.

 

If your experience is such that on your Carribean itin that there were numerous Non-US travelers, well then I guess its good to suggest for future reference that with potential unanticpated numbers of Non-US travelers cruising in recent times its best to plan for delays.

 

Its too bad that an otherwise fantastic cruise is no longer the joy it was before the sailing once guests return and do nothng but moan and groan about customs as though the entire cruise never even existed.

 

So if you want to compare experiences, yes, I heard tons of terse and angry tones before I even caught my cab to the airport, I hated to be among that environment every second that I was, and I came home to find more of it here once I logged on.:rolleyes:

 

Maybe if Customs is too much to handle, people should just stay home.

[librarylady19]

Well put FinelyCruising!

[Muushka]

Its too bad that an otherwise fantastic cruise is no longer the joy it was before the sailing once guests return and do nothng but moan and groan about customs as though the entire cruise never even existed.

 

You have made a valid point. As someone who moaned on these boards, let me say that the 11/23 cruise was a wonderful cruise. I feel badly for all the staff and crew on the beautiful Equinox who worked very hard for 11 days to ensure a fantastic cruise to have it soured by the last 2 to 3 hours.

 

In the scheme of things, it seems pretty trivial (well, we didn't have a plane to catch though!).

 

We saw some of the best entertainment ever on a cruise, we loved the select dining, the weather was perfect, we saw many beautiful ports, we loved our cabin, the food was the best we have ever had on a cruise. And dang, that ship is beautiful!

[Michidoeme]

Although as 1st time cruiser, I have no means to compare, I thought this cruise (23/11 thru 4/12) was great and more than met my expectations. The ship is gorgeous and despite many passengers, never felt crowded. I loved it all ; beautiful, well appointed cabins, great beds, tasteful food and lots of variety, good shows, excellent, very courteous staff. Everything was in excellent quality.

Routing was good ; interesting ports of call with good excursions, mixed with leasurely days at sea. In short - I have become a great fan of Celebrity and will be back for more.

Only the disembarkation process - probably through no fault of Celebrity - was a complete disgrace. We arrived as scheduled in the theater by 9.15, waited for over 2 hours until our number was called and then stood for another 2 hours on the gangway and in terminal halls before getting to luggage and through immigration. We were only out after 1.30 pm and were by far not the last passengers to leave either.

[amberben]

My husband and I have just returned from the Eqiunox 23rd-4th dec. The ship is beautiful. Food, enough for everyone, even the fussy ones.! Islands we had never been to before was great.As for the drinks being pushed we just didnt find any one of the waiters pushy but they did come round a lot when by the pool.But a simple no thankyou was enough. But in the theatre it was a different story we could hardly ever get a drink..!! We only saw a couple serving the whole of downstairs.!! We never found a fault with anything, except the last bit, getting OFF the ship.!! Now that was another story.!! We had number 14 and had to be in the theatre at 8.35, which we was. But even at that tme of the morning we didnt get out onto the gangway until gone 9.30. So they knew of a holdup then.Once on the gangway and standing in line for ages US citizens was asked to come out of line and walk straight ahead through. Us being non us had to just wait and wait. Got into the big room was told to sit down in the line we was in. Sat there and then they let the line before us go.................then a load of people who had just come in was let through before us.!!! non US as well as US.!! after that we was let to go and collect our cases.Then ANOTHER line. It really was a nightmare.!!