Thanks Celebrity Equinox January 25th 2010

[travelberlin]

I am aware that people have different experiences, so this posting does not try to generalize on anything. I am sharing my experience only, so please forgive me for always using the "I" form and if some readers do not agree to what I am saying.

First I would like to thank Celebrity Equinox for a very pleasant cruise. I have enjoyed it!. I have liked the cabin very much, I have found the ship interesting, the service was friendly, the room attendants did a good job, the sommelier Marina friedly and efficient and the room service good.

The itineray had for me some interesting places, but others I did not found that nice. For example I have loved Cartagena and Roatan but I found Puerto Limon not a place where I wish to come back. I have used the ship excursions in every port with the exception of Cartagena, and I have to say that the organized excursions besides being expensive, did not meet my expectations. For example Tortuguero canal experience in Costa Rica. At that excursion I had a feeling of going more to a ZOO due to the fact that some animals kept in captivity like monkeys or crocodile are hold for turists to take pictures of them. I would have prefered to have the experience of the nature alone and not animals in captivity.

Concerning the entertainment I have liked Mario d'Andrea and the celebrity team. The other entertainers did not meed the expectations of many guests, since I have seen many people walking out in the middle of the show.

In relation to the food, I have enjoyed the breakfast bufett, the nice german type of bread, and the many options. I did not liked that lunch buffet was always the same. The firts week, I have eaten already all options and the second week became quite boring. Since I like long trips, I appreciate very much when things do not repeat every week. My major dissappointment was the food at the MDR. I did not have once the feeling of eating in a good restaurant. For example a shrimp cocktail which was not a shrimp cocktail but a bowl of 3 not fresh looking lettuce and 3 shrimps on top of it. Another example the lobster tail... On that evenining I had ordered a champagne for dinner thinking that it would match perfect my lobster selection. What arrived was a small mild tasting lobster tail, which probably could have been served as a starter but not as a main dish. Another example a lamb cotelette, which in the menu was adviced as lamb rack ( it takes more than one lamb cotelette to make a lamb rack and I am not talking about numbers). Another example, on the last evening I have ordered a duckleg confit, what came was a duckbreast, which looked as it had been panfried. As a fellow cruiser who also found the food dissappointing put it: "Meals at the MDR were a negative surprise each evening".

I found the selections of desserts also very dissappointing. Their names sounded good and I had already those desserts sometime in other cruises or in restaurants all over the word. However what was served did not taste the way I tought it should, for example the Sacher torte. Since every thing has a good aspect on it, having an average food at the main dining room did not make it too difficult for me to skipp dinner. Anyhow, from my perspective this area has a good potential for improvement at celebrity equinox.

Nevertheless I had a lovely time! I understand that it must be difficult to please every body. Dear Celebrity, I know you are always looking for ways of improving. Maybe what I have written above, gives you some ideas of areas of intervention. Mr Jacques Van Staden do you think this feedback could be helpfull?

Would I sail again with you Celebrity? If the itinerary is right and the price affordable, I would do it. Thank you for an overall pleasant cruise!!!:)

[uktog]

Thanks for posting your review which I think was a very fair reflection of our experiences on this cruise. As you say, it was still overall a pleasant cruise

[portofrome]

Thank you for the review.

[ellbon]

I was on the jan 4th cruise-same ports.. i booked local tour operators everywhere but CR. .ther i used the ship's tour for whitewater rafting in the rain.

 

even in the rain it was a fun tour.. lunch was good too.

 

i have learned the hard way local tours are better..

 

MDR- i had some great meals there and some the menu's were boring. but i went with friends and ate very little.. the main's in general are boring to me. meaning i like to try new foods and some were dull.

 

the chicken with the banana was good as Spanish style meat the last dinner.

[travelberlin]

Water rafting sounds interesting! maybe next time...

 

Concerning local tours, my only experience was in Cartagena. At the port, there were so called "independent operators" offering their services. It was necessary to have a minimum of 20 people but this was no problem at all. After about 15 minutes we were already 21. Our guide was a man called Genaro. He worked with his son and was well informed and entertaining. The tour costed 20 dollars and it included the major points of interest in Cartagena.

[denims]

What did you do in Roatan? We are going there in April. First time for us there.

[travelberlin]

What did you do in Roatan? We are going there in April. First time for us there.

In Roatan, I have taken an organized tour with Celebrity. It was an island tour, which has taken us to different places. For example an Iguana farm were iguanas were just walking around. The tour took us also to the home of two residents from Roatan. She was from Peru and he was from barbados. They have a small bar on their terrase, in which they sell bier for USdollar 2 and I think ron with cola for US 3. Apparently those are the cheapest prices on the Island.

At the ende of the tour we went to a new resort which is trying to advertise the place. They have properties for sale. they also have a nice shallow beach. If you go there take your swimmsuit, although the time spent there is very short.

Fellow cruisers took as similar tour at the port. I think they have just taken a taxi, made up a price for an island tour and were on their own as long as they wanted.

Another fellow cruisers told they took a tour with someone called Victor Boden. Their office was right on port also. You might want to look on the Internet to see what they offer.

I hope this helps...Enjoy your trip!

[denims]

Thanks for the info!

[gayoung]

What did you do in Roatan? We are going there in April. First time for us there.

Whenever I am in Roatan I spend the day at Sante Wellness Spa...Not only for the spa but also their beach and snorkelling