Greetings from the Equinox!

[Muushka]

I'm loving these reports. We are doing this cruise in April, can't wait!

[crazygirl!]

Tell Hector - that Jo and Chris say hello... tell him I'm the one with the garlic olives.

Also go say hello to Ivan in the Molecular bar- he is great fun too!

 

Have fun! We just did the same sailing November 26-December 6

 

He says hi back - totally remembers you both!

[crazygirl!]

At your Beach in St. Thomas, were there decent restroom facilities? A beach bar? And they drove you 30-40 minutes for 10$ pp? WOW!

 

Yes, yes, and yes!

[crazygirl!]

That is good to hear (food). I am a loyal X cruiser, but reading some of the boards has me worried. I am on the Equinox in May for a TA to Rome. Can't wait!

 

Unfortunately, my lobster tail last night was overcooked but my scallops perfect. The other meats have been perfect though (lamb and beef), which I was never able to get on Princess.

[crazygirl!]

Running out of internet minutes, but I will definitely give a more in-depth report when I get back home. I will also answer the questions I have not addressed yet (I know someone is asking about our stateroom, but I want the time to give some specific details). *But, in the meantime, here are a few thoughts for today....

 

Murano - excellent service and a nice change from the dining room. *If you order the filet, they finish it table side which is fun. *The Diver Scallop Wellington is yummy and so different. IMO, worth the cover if you want an extra nice evening.

 

Really enjoying the Solarium. It's fairly quiet and peaceful, with soft music playing - great place to relax. *Aquaspa*Cafe is a nice option for breakfast and lunch with it's light plates (fresh fruit, yogurt, salads, quiche, etc.). I also like the flavored water (orange, lemon, lime slices).*

 

There is no shortage of pool towels, which I love. Ok, yes, I am one of those people who has like 4 towels all over my lounger :-) *but, I do put them in the used bin when I leave...

 

The Equinox show (circus show) is amazing!!! *Very advanced for a cruise ship show...They did a lot of Cirque du Soleil acts, just on a smaller scale. It was even more impressive knowing how difficult it must be on a rocking ship (and last night was definitely very rough). *The other shows are not that great, but I am a big broadway and theater person, so it's a bit hard for me not to be thinking of those types of shows. However, the performers all work hard and entertain, so I must give credit in that respect.*

 

There is a nice string quartet on board as well. *

 

The staff is extremely friendly and helpful and everywhere - always saying hello, how are you, and wanting you to have a good day.*

 

Well, I'm off to enjoy my last day. Thanks for reading and sharing my trip with me. And, like I said, I'll give a bigger report when I'm back at home. *

[crazygirl!]

Hi Crazygirl thanks for the info from the ship. DW and I are sailing on 2/18/11 same ports. How is your cabin what deck are you on. Any info will be welcome:):)

 

We were in cabin 6241 (Continental deck, port-side balcony). While the cabin was comfortable and in a nice location (close enough to mid-ship elevators, but not where you can hear the noise of people waiting), unfortunately it was just above the smoking section (small area with chairs on deck 5). Every time we went out on our balcony we could smell smoke and it was awful! On top of that, people would be gathered there at all times talking (especially late at night), so it was a bit difficult to enjoy sitting on our balcony. We did go to guest services to see if there was anything they could do, and they attempted to move the ashtray a bit further. It did not solve the problem, but I suppose there wasn't much they could do other than moving the smoking section all together. We did not let this ruin our trip, but it will definitely make us very cautious when booking a future cabin.

[crazygirl!]

Wow, love your energy :)

 

 

 

 

Thanks for sharing

Srpilo

 

Thanks :)

[d4m]

Did you actually swim in the solarium pool? Have heard it is unheated. How warm/cool is it?

[crazygirl!]

Sorry it has taken me so long to post, but I'm sure you all know how it is when you get back to your "real life" after being on vacation...Anyway, I saw several other reviews of this cruise have been posted already, and I agree - FANTASTIC trip!!!

 

I am not sure what else I can add to what I had already posted while on the ship, so I will just say that I was very pleased with Celebrity's outstanding service. It definitely lived up to its reputation in my book. We would absolutely choose Celebrity again, and most likely over Princess.

 

A few differences (between the 2 lines)...

 

Celebrity has a better selection of "free" drinks available all day - iced tea, lemonade, fruit punch, apple juice, orange juice, passionfruit guava juice, coffee, and a nice selection of hot teas (Princess only has juice available at breakfast).

 

Celebrity has an interactive TV - check your account, order room service, see your photos, etc. It also has a nice selection of free on demand movies, which you could pause and come back to (within 48 hours). Princess always seems to have the same 2 movies playing in your cabin all the time. And, while I don't just sit in my cabin watching movies during my cruise, it's nice to have something on while getting ready for dinner or before going to bed. However, there was no sleep timer for the TV, which we thought was odd (since it was such an "advanced" entertainment system).

 

Celebrity has a much better buffet, with many more variety and options. The overall food quality was good (not an easy feat at a buffet) and the meats were nicely cooked (usually buffets have dried out chicken and overcooked beef). Of course there were some hits and misses, but we always found something we liked. We also liked how there were international choices (Asian, Mexican, Indian), stir-fry, and healthier choices. The overall selection of food was at a higher level. Ice-cream is available all day, which is not the case on Princess. Plus, they had toppings (M&Ms, Sourpatch Kids, Reeses Pieces), which were fun. Oh, and you can sneak a bowl of candy to keep in your stateroom - shhh, don't tell ;) The only thing is that from 2pm-5pm, there are not many great options, so when you're just getting back from port and need something before dinner...

 

Princess seems to have more activities going on throughout the day. There always seems to be something happening and a variety of activities to choose from (day and evening). We felt that the activities were very limited on Celebrity and less of a variety.

 

The same on both lines (and probably any line) - RUDE people!!! It still appalls me to witness the manners of people in this world. First of all, you're on vacation - be nice! The staff is there to help you, not to be berated or to be your personal slave. They are people, working very hard to ensure your happiness, and deserve respect. Also, the tongs in the buffet are there for a reason - USE THEM!!! I can not believe how many people I saw using their hands to paw through the items in the buffet. No one wants to eat food that was touched by the fingers you just licked. And, there are plenty of elevators. If one is crowded, another one will be along shortly. You do not have to shove your way into one, pushing people out of your way. Also, maybe you can let people off the elevator before you block their way trying to get on (there will actually be more room for you when you allow someone to get off). And, finally, although you may not be attending a broadway show, there are still performers that have worked really hard to entertain you. This is not the time to review your photos of the day, talk about what you're going to do tomorrow, or come and go as you please during the show (standing up in front of others talking to each other while you decide if you're going to come back or not).

 

Note - while the above was very real, that was all meant as a bit of humor, as we all have witnessed "those people". We actually truly enjoyed a great number of the (nice) people we met, ate dinner with, chatted with on elevators and in lounges, etc. One of the highlights of cruising is meeting new people and sharing fun times.

 

If anyone has other specific questions (or wants me to elaborate or provide more details about something), I am more than happy to respond. Also, we have tons of pictures, so if anyone wants to see something in particular, we most likely have a photo of it.

 

Thanks for allowing me to share my cruise with all of you. Looking forward to reading all about your trips!

[crazygirl!]

Loving the up to date comments, DW & I are also onboard the January 7th cruise - same itinerary as you. We can't wait!

 

Many tahnks, enjoy the cruise and please keep the comments coming.

 

Have a GREAT trip!!!

[miXterOB]

DW swam there(Solarium Pool) frequently and loved it.

Trust me, she would not have repeated if it were cold.

 

Your review sounded very much like many of us on that cruise crazygirl

The post excursion munchies solution? Bistro on Five. We did it coming back from Barbados and Dominica.

Service and food were perfect

 

We loved Dominica as well. DW is ready to stay at the place near the end of the tour where you get a variety of juices.

Her guest houses are beautiful. So glad you commented about the incredible positivity of the Dominican people

[crazygirl!]

Thanks for posting==how is the music on board???

 

We are counting down to Jan 28th!!

 

There was a lovely string quartet. There was an A capella group that we did not think was very good (off-key a lot, but did okay with Barbershop type songs), but I believe this was their last cruise with the Equinox. There was also a nice pianist (male) who played in the lounges, but not to be mixed up with the guy who played on the main stage. There were a few other musical groups as well, but honestly we did not think the music/entertainment was that stellar. But, again, I am very picky (I work in the entertainment industry).

[crazygirl!]

Did you actually swim in the solarium pool? Have heard it is unheated. How warm/cool is it?

 

The pool is not heated and was quite chilly. However, when coming back from a hot, muggy day in port, it is refreshing - for about 10 minutes :eek:

[crazygirl!]

Oh, another Princess vs. Celebrity - the pools.

 

Princess has saltwater pools (maybe not all of the ships), Celebrity has chlorinated pools. The saltwater pools are soooo much nicer! And, while the Princess pools are not super-heated, they are definitely warmer than the Celebrity pools. Oh, and some of the jets in the Celebrity jacuzzis have cold water coming out of them!

[darrens]

Thanks for your reports. We were on the same itinerary last year (our first time with Celebrity) and are going back again this March as we loved it so much.

 

We are also considering booking Levi for our tour in Dominica so its good to get your positive report. Was there a group of you on the tour? Its working out quite expensive for just my wife and I so I'm weighing up if its worth it for the more "personal" experience.

[dotsofunn]

We were in cabin 6241 (Continental deck, port-side balcony). While the cabin was comfortable and in a nice location (close enough to mid-ship elevators, but not where you can hear the noise of people waiting), unfortunately it was just above the smoking section (small area with chairs on deck 5). Every time we went out on our balcony we could smell smoke and it was awful! On top of that, people would be gathered there at all times talking (especially late at night), so it was a bit difficult to enjoy sitting on our balcony. We did go to guest services to see if there was anything they could do, and they attempted to move the ashtray a bit further. It did not solve the problem, but I suppose there wasn't much they could do other than moving the smoking section all together. We did not let this ruin our trip, but it will definitely make us very cautious when booking a future cabin.

 

We are in cabin 6240 on the opposite side of the ship from you. Do you think we will have the same problem with the smoke? Is smoking only allowed on the port side of the ship? How was the size of your balcony? Were there chairs on it? Thanks for your help!!

[jackdiamond]

We were on this same cruise; and, you may remember that I was the fellow who pool walked between 1 1/2- 2 hours per day in the Solarium, where, the water temperature was 84. We never experienced any problems with smokers.

A bloody mary in Michael's in the morning before breakfast was very nice before breakfast in Blu.

The two brunches were a nice touch, as were all of the parties for the elites and, of course, the daily happy hour.

[excitedofharpenden]

We are in cabin 6240 on the opposite side of the ship from you. Do you think we will have the same problem with the smoke? Is smoking only allowed on the port side of the ship?

You'll be fine in 6240 as the smoking area is port side only on deck 5.

 

Phil

[Muushka]

We are in cabin 6240 on the opposite side of the ship from you. Do you think we will have the same problem with the smoke? Is smoking only allowed on the port side of the ship? How was the size of your balcony? Were there chairs on it? Thanks for your help!!

 

I'm not crazygirl, but we did spend 11 glorious nights in 6240.

 

No smoking problem in this cabin, and yes, 2 chairs. Balcony was a deep one, not the deepest, but it was nice. Bed by balcony.

 

My complaint about this cabin was the light from the life boat (well, and the life boat). I hate harsh light and at night sitting out there, the light bothered me. I wasn't crazy about looking down on the life boat. When we booked it it was listed as a 1A (by mistake). They did comp us $200, but I wish I had realized what we had booked when we booked it. Obstructed view. We spend a lot of time on balconies, so for me, I would have paid the extra $$ for the unobstructed view.

 

That being said, it was the best cruise we ever had, even better than our b2b on Century with one 5 night leg in a RS!

[crazygirl!]

Thanks for your reports. We were on the same itinerary last year (our first time with Celebrity) and are going back again this March as we loved it so much.

 

We are also considering booking Levi for our tour in Dominica so its good to get your positive report. Was there a group of you on the tour? Its working out quite expensive for just my wife and I so I'm weighing up if its worth it for the more "personal" experience.

 

There were about 10 or 11 people in our group, which was a good amount. Levi does not take more than 12 per group. We were driven in a comfortable van (with air conditioning and drinks - try the Dominican beer!) with Levi telling us all about Dominica as he drove. He stopped along the routes to point things out and to let us take pictures. He was very diligent about making sure everyone got their shot before moving on. We had no trouble hearing him and we could ask all the questions we wanted. He has a really fun personality and a great sense of humor! He knows the island so well and also got us to each place before the crowds. We felt like we had plenty of opportunities to chat with Levi directly and ask as many questions as we wanted. At each location he made sure that each of us had time to experience it, which I have never gotten in a big excursion through the ship (there are way too many people and they're already moving on by the time you get to see what you're supposed to see). I felt totally safe and comfortable the whole time. I suppose your experience would also depend on the others in your group, but we had a great group and we all took pictures of each other and made sure each of us took turns getting close up to things. I am not sure exactly what "personal" experience you are looking for, but I do highly recommend Levi if you like any of the group tours he offers. It was also fun having others to share the experiences with.

[crazygirl!]

We are in cabin 6240 on the opposite side of the ship from you. Do you think we will have the same problem with the smoke? Is smoking only allowed on the port side of the ship? How was the size of your balcony? Were there chairs on it? Thanks for your help!!

 

You should be fine, as I believe the smoking section is only on the port side. The balcony was a nice size (a bit larger than others since it's on an angle) with 2 chairs that reclined and a small table. Plenty of room! I can upload pictures as soon as I get them off my camera.

[crazygirl!]

We were on this same cruise; and, you may remember that I was the fellow who pool walked between 1 1/2- 2 hours per day in the Solarium, where, the water temperature was 84. We never experienced any problems with smokers.

A bloody mary in Michael's in the morning before breakfast was very nice before breakfast in Blu.

The two brunches were a nice touch, as were all of the parties for the elites and, of course, the daily happy hour.

 

84??? I find that hard to believe (I'm not trying to be rude)...

[jackdiamond]

84??? I find that hard to believe (I'm not trying to be rude)...

I measured it with my thermometer. By the way, many older folks who, at first, felt that it was too cold felt it was fine once they began an exercise regimen. Also, on December 20, both the air and water temperature at Emerald beach was 84.

[garardo]

A number of years ago when we sailed the Carabian. (sp) We listened to a great band pool side. Does anyone know if there might be one on the Equinox 1-17-2011?

 

garardo

[stanjj111]

Loving the up to date comments, DW & I are also onboard the January 7th cruise - same itinerary as you. We can't wait!

 

Many tahnks, enjoy the cruise and please keep the comments coming.

 

We are on the jan 7th also. Just 3 more days. Anyone who is on this trip looking to go witn Beno on a tour in Dominica we have planned? If so please contact me at stan.ttcc@yahoo.com