Live from Equinox! May 20-June 1. Venice to Barcelona

[chamima]

Haven't been to Gastrobar yet, sipping On a frozen Cocktail from Slush right now though :-)

 

They offer about 10 different at 10$ each, or 7$ without the alcohol (which are covered by the classic package).

 

Like them!

 

Thanks for posting!

Are they really using fresh ingredients at Slush, as the info sheet from Celebrity said, or are the ingredients canned/frozen with sugar?

[mido78]

They use different juices and have some fresh fruit like strawberries and oranges, most is juice though

[Susie51]

satellite is on the other side:)

 

Thank you for your reply. I don't understand what the other side means. Would you clear this up for me? I know the internet works because of satellites and the ship has a dish that receives the signal, but I'm confused about the "other side."

[need2bespoiled]

Thank you for your reply. I don't understand what the other side means. Would you clear this up for me? I know the internet works because of satellites and the ship has a dish that receives the signal, but I'm confused about the "other side."

 

I think it was a bit of sarcasm, no internet, because of no post, because the satelite was on the other side of the ship.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

[tteettimes]

I think it was a bit of sarcasm, no internet, because of no post, because the satelite was on the other side of the ship.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

True...please pardon my warped sense of humor .....just funning around :rolleyes:

[AZ ParrotHead]

Day 5

 

Hello! Sorry for the delay but my premium booze package has kept me very busy here on board the Equinox.

 

While it's fresh in my mind, I'd like to comment on the various "changes" everyone has been so up in arms about on Celebrity. In no particular order:

 

1. Bar Service. Has been phenomenal. There are plenty of pool attendants and I have been asked every 10 minutes if I wanted a new drink. Most of the time the answer is Yes, Please! Bar tenders are friendly and open. This crew seems happy and content.

 

2. Bistro on 5 is now $7 per person. And it's really, really worth it!

 

3. Gastrobar is still quiet. Like it used to be as the wine bar. The space is pretty though and well done. There are 5 TVs scattered throughout playing mostly European sports. I love watching rugby---so violent! On draft are three beers: Murphy's, Newcastle and some English one I've never tried. Lots of bottle selection.

 

4. Booze package. We upgraded to premium. That was always the plan. Bar tenders seem fine with it. In fact apparently they are getting tipped out the same as they would on a standard drink so they are flouting them fast. The wine list is more than adequate. I've only found 3 glasses of wine that aren't in the premium package. Jameson is now on premium. Not classic. There has been some grumbling on board about the changes. Mainly from the Cruise Critic addicts.

 

5. Miami DJs or should I say DJ is cool. His name is Gio and he's all over the place. The volume has not been too loud and I like the funky drum and bass around the pool. It feels like an upscale W in Vegas. By the way, there is also a guitarist, a classical string duo, and a great house band onboard. My favorites so far have been the drum and bass guys and Gio. In my opinion, it was a good call by Celebrity to bring them on.

 

6. Activities. Here's my take. They kept the activities that everyone liked and axed the crappy ones. There is still Trivia 3 times a day and fun one offs like crew versus guest bocce. The entertainment staff is helping out the activities director to keep a full schedule. Today was a sea day and some highlights included a free scotch tasting, flair bar tending show at the pool, lots of music all around the ship, and a couple of tournaments at the casino. Oh, and the ship tour was available also this afternoon. Unfortunately Crocheting 101 and Advanced Scrap Booking have been cancelled. No skin off our teeth (or 99 percent of those on board).

 

7. Food. I'm in Blu. It's awesome. End of story. Tomorrow we were going to do Tuscan for our anniversary but the food and service is so good in Blu we are just going back there. It's the best of both worlds. The intimacy of a speciality restaurant with the personal service of the MDR. We will not book in another class of service. By the way, they have been running some major specials in all the speciality restaurants. Tomorrow 30 percent off in Murano. On Day 1 all the specialties were half off.

 

8. Canapés in AQ and CC. Still suck. They always have. Everyone seems to know this and now if you really want the two chips and 5 olives you can fill out a little form. Tea in AQ is also still undrinkable. But I have a magic booze card, so I don't have to. Seriously though these 2 little things should be fixed. It's gone on long enough.

 

9. New venues. Crush is a little bar across from the Aquaspa Cafe. No big deal. The photo gallery is up on 15. It's just a little professional studio where you can schedule a sitting. Fine if you want to have some professional shot taken on board. Michael Kors store is, well, an overpriced bag store. But these are all over the place so no big deal here either. However, I did see several people with multiple Kors shopping bags. Their poor husbands....

 

10. Fellow cruisers. Freaking awesome. This is one of those special cruises where you meet really nice people who care. The cruise critic contingent is huge and we have a really fun group. There are less than 50 kids onboard and the average age seems to be in the mid to late 40s. Mostly American and British with a nice mix. A large Chinese contingent on board too.

 

11. Embarkation lunch in Blu. Total rumor and false. Blu is open for lunch though on Istanbul day 1.

 

Ok. On to the report.

 

Day 5. Venice

 

Our first full day in Venice was primarily focused on getting some Murano glass fixtures for our kitchen and dining room. We took the bus from the HGI to Piazzale Roma around 930 and grabbed the 10am water bus to Murano. Some nice cruisers advised us to get off at the third stop near the museum as it was closer to the galleries and fornaces.

 

Note: In Piazzale roma and St Marks Square there are a bunch of well dressed Italian guys offering free water taxis to Murano. Caveat Emptor. Some are honest and some aren't. If you take the ride you will be expected to visit and purchase in the store that is sponsoring the taxi and the guy. If you don't buy, you will most likely be kicked out of the store and not offered a ride back. long story short: take the Vaporetto.

 

We got off and started walking. First impressions was that Murano was like a mini Venice except with fewer tourists. We really like it. We spent the morning poking into lots of shops and galleries with little luck except some nice ornaments for the Xmas tree.

 

For lunch we stopped into a cafe and shared some Caprese and seafood risotto. It was excellent and only 20 euros with a 1/2 carafe of house wine. We asked the waiter where we could see some glass being blown and he directed us to the end of the canal. We popped into a couple of alleyways and found several shops that were actively blowing glass.

 

Note. Not all places let you watch. Some will for free. Others ask you to tip the masters. Some flat out say no. Others will give you a tour if you make a purchase. We had all of these experiences

 

In the first shop we watched a master hand pull glass statues of animals. The attendant working the shop explained the process and then tried to get everyone to buy a figurine. We did. Happily. For 5 euros! It will make a great souvenir for my sister in law.

 

In the second shop we just walked through and watched some guys making plates and glasses. The shop assistant was actually pretty frustrated that we were blocking his way and he eventually kicked us all out. After asking us all for a tip to watch the "free show"

 

Finally, we came to a gallery. At this point we were very disappointed that we hadn't found a light we wanted. We walked through and were greeted by a friendly salesman named Luigi. He showed us around the large gallery and we took interest in a light that was hanging up. He hooked us and we agreed to a price. He explained the manufacturing process and ensured that it would be well protected for the remainder of the trip in lots of paper, bubble wrap and tape.

 

While our piece was being wrapped we browsed the shop and came across some amazing glass wall hangings that were marked at 180 euros a piece. Luigi was able to knock them down to 100 for 3 and voila, we now have a piece of art to go above our living room couch. I am so excited to get them up!

 

We thought we we done but Luigi said "wait, you must meet the master". He took us back behind a sliding door into a large working glass studio. Some chairs were set up and Luigi asked us to sit. We did. He explained that he wanted us to see how our light was made so he asked the master to make a smaller version of the same piece as an example. Wow!

 

So as we are sitting, Luigi is explaining the process and he said "the last 5 Seconds are the most important, watch this..." Luigi then leaps out of his seat, grabs the glass rod of the piece that was being made for us, twirls it in the air and PRESTO he has made a perfect glass bell. unbelievable!

 

Luigi came back and of of course we asked him "do you blow glass too??"

 

"Of course! The master and I have owned this shop for 30 years....."

 

And that was our Venice glass blowing experience.

 

So, minds totally blown and giggling like school kids we headed back to Venice to wait for my parents to arrive. We got to the hotel around 4. I ran the rental car back to the airport and took the bus back. It was about a 30 minute round trip. Not bad at all.

 

By the way, the hotel sold us some 48 hour Venice cards. I highly recommend these. They are good on all buses and water buses as well as the shuttles to Burano and Murano. By far this is the easiest way to go. The ticket office at Piazzale Roma is always packed so buying tickets ahead or at a Tabacci makes the most sense.

 

My parents arrived at 630 on the train from Milan and after showering and resting we headed back to Venice for dinner.

 

My mom is in an electric scooter so you will hear about mobility a lot in this trip report. Many people in wheelchairs are turned off by Venice because of the bridges but if you plan it correctly it is very doable on a chair. We took the handicap accessible bus to Piazzale Roma and then she was able to wheel right on to the No 1 vaporetto. This time we got it right and enjoyed an early evening cruise down the Grand Canal.

 

We got off at Rialto and explored many of the side streets near the market and bridge. There is even a little street that runs right up to the grand canal in front of the bridge that's great for pictures. My parents were awed at the beauty and spectacle of the city.

 

Eventually we wandered off the piazza onto a side street and found a little restaurant full of Italians. winner! By the way, we have rules to finding good food in European touristy cities:

 

1. Get off the main thoroughfare. Get over at least 3 streets or two corners. It's expensive and those piazza restaurants cater to dumb Americans with lousy food and service.

 

2. Menu should only be in the native language and, maybe, English. Remember English is langua prima and folks from many different countries use it to speak to other foreign people. Avoid restaurants with flags on the menu and lots of different translations.

 

3. No pictures of food. Ever.

 

4. Do some research on the Internet. Know what the local cuisine is and look for it on a menu. By the way, pizza seems to be everywhere in Europe. Why? Because Americans buy it, and it's really really cheap to make. Remember you get what you pay for in life....

 

Dinner was great and we had some local dishes including risotto, seafood pasta, and Sheryl's new favorite dessert, Scrappino. Scrappino is lemon sorbet with vodka. It's awesome. You must try it! Also, don't forget that just about every restaurant in Italy and France have house wines that are local, delicious and cheap. Try that first before investing in a bottle.

 

Around 1130, slightly drunk and thoroughly sated we headed back to the hotel by taking the Vaporetto to P. roma and then a cab to the hotel for 12 euros. Note: we had to take a cab because the elevators on the waking overpass in the front of the hotel were broken. My mom can't do stairs so she would have been stranded on the wrong side of a divided highway.

 

This is common in Italy, Greece and other countries. Although handicap infrastructure is improving, it's not anywhere near 100 percent. You have to do research and then verify yourself that things work. If I had not checked the elevators the previous day, mom have have been stuck at a gas station....

 

Enough for tonight. More tomorrow

 

Buena Sera!

[wallie5446]

Has been phenomenal,

 

It's awesome,

 

Freaking awesome,

 

Bar tenders are friendly and open. This crew seems happy and content.

 

Nuff said! Thanks a bunch, now get back to the party!

 

EW

[LPCKG]

 

We made the drive to Venice and got to our hotel at about 500. We are staying at the Hilton Garden Inn in Mestre. You are asking yourself: why would this idiot choose to stay outside of Venice??

 

Let me answer. Bags. We are packed for three weeks and a cruise. That involves 3 bags (now 6 with the glass we bought in Murano). Venice is a charming city with BRIDGES and CANALS. See the problem here? The HGI offers free parking and is 2 stops on the bus to Piazzale Roma-- the hub of Venice transportation. The bus stop is literally in front of the hotel and it takes 6 minutes on the bus to get to Venice. In addition they have nice things like free internet, a gym, a pool and new rooms. Tomorrow when we head to the ship we can grab an inexpensive cab right to the terminal. If you are starting in Venice, you should consider this hotel. It's a great choice. We have been highly impressed. Oh, and the rooms are available on points.

 

We took the bus to the city and planned on taking the No 1 Vaporetto through the grand canal to St Marks. We ended up on the wrong boat and took the long way around in the middle of the channel past the cruise ships. Here's what we learned: check the dock assignment! The Vaporetti are marked with their routes and the docks are too. Look for it. The attendants on the boat aren't the most helpful and don't announce routes or stops. You just sorta have to know what's going on.

 

When we got to St Marks the main tourists had cleared out of the city and we got to enjoy the beauty and the majesty of the plaza. Truly a dream come true. The original plan was to take a gondola ride but after our long Vaporetto ride, we needed a break from boats. We meandered throughout the city for a couple of hours and found a restaurant that looked promising. We sat on the terrace next to a canal and sipped wine pinching ourselves that we had actually made it to Venice.

 

After dinner we got lost but eventually made out way on foot back to Piazzelle Roma. Another efficient bus ride and 10 minutes later we were in the hotel lobby sipping limoncello and gushing about the day. Sheryl was tired but I was wired. So I did what any good husband does: laundry. I am happy to say we now have enough clean underwear to get us through until the "laundry bag" special day in the middle of the cruise!

 

More tomorrow. Ciao!

 

We are also staying at the Hilton Garden Inn Mestre, pre-cruise, thank you for posting some information on the transfer to the cruise port.

Edited May 23, 2014 by LPCKG

[Pushka]

Sounds like you are having a great time. I'm looking forward to Venice in about 6 weeks.

[Cruising89143]

Thanks for the update. Sounds like it's business as usual on Celebrity with no issues.

[Susie51]

Great review! Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences with us.

[AZ ParrotHead]

Embarkation Day!

 

So it turns out that "slight buzz" from the house wine the night before in Venice was actually substantially more than slight. When we went to bed we had grand plans of getting up for breakfast in the hotel, heading to the ship and then spending the afternoon in Venice.

 

3 good carafes of Toscana Vino Rosso, 3 Advil, and a blackout curtain in the hotel room can do wonders for the body though. We rolled over at the crack of 11....Oops. My parents were the early birds of the day though. They got up at 1030. Now pretty rested, we skipped breakfast and packed our hotel room.

 

If you stay at the HGI know that 11 to 12 is the busiest time of day. Especially during cruise ship turn around days. A lot of cruisers stay here pre and post cruise. Remember that in Europe you have to sign your hotel bill manually at the end of your stay. That means you have to check out in person. Fortunately I'm diamond and they had a special line for us elite people so check out only took 10 minutes, not 30 like some others were waiting.

 

The hotel called us a cab to the ship. He showed up in less than 5 minutes and was actually pretty impatient that it took us so long to get packed up. We played Tetris in the trunk and somehow managed to get the electric scooter, 5 suitcases, 3 backpacks, 2 LARGE bags of Murano glass and 4 average Americans into the mid-size taxi. The cost of the ride was 40 euros because we had so much luggage and we tipped him a few extra because he actually turned out to be a nice guy once we got to chatting during the drive

 

The cruise ship port is near Piazzale Roma and it's surprisingly large. They can embark 5 ships at once. We were in port along with the new Princess ship. Later in the afternoon P and O showed up too. To get to the port you can take a cab directly to the ship. If you are staying in Venice you need to get to Piazzale Roma and then either cab it or take the 1.30E people mover. Keep in mind though that the people mover doesn't take you right to the ship. You have to walk a fair distance down the pier to be able to reach your ship. Tough with bags. I highly recommend a taxi.

 

We got to the terminal and were surprised that there weren't any porters to take the bags. This was a first. Since we didn't print our tags, we stood in a short line to get bag tags from one of the 2 port employees checking cabin assignments. Then you put your bags on the X-ray and then they take them. It felt like the TSA.

 

The terminal was crowded because we of course got there right at rush hour. We are select and AQ and both lines were empty. We took the elite line and quickly got our sea passes. I am happy to report that our passes were marked correctly with our 1-2-3 Go beverage package and we didn't have any of the check in issues others have mentioned recently. By the time this had been completed, they were calling group 24 to board

 

Note: The security line was long but that was for the current group being boarded. They kept a second line open for elites and passengers with lower boarding groups. Of course we had group 1 so we happily walked past the line and went straight to the checkpoint. A nice gentlemen from RCI was there. Turns out that he was some exec from Miami but I didn't catch his name. Nice to see all hands on deck to help with the embarkation.

 

We boarded and enjoyed a welcome aboard cocktail. Yes, they had juice, mimosa and champagne available. We immediately upgraded our packages and the fun began! From the time we got to the port to the time we got on the ship was about 30 minutes.

 

We don't do crowds so we headed up to Bistro on 5 for lunch. It is a best kept secret. Yes, it's now 7 bucks but totally worth it. The protein from the breakfast crepe burned off the last vestiges of my hangover.

 

We finished lunch around 2 and went to our cabin. We dropped our bags, admired the view of the city from our deck 11 balcony and took a deep breath. The cruise had begun! We planned to spend a couple of hours exploring the ship and then come back and get ready to head out into the city.

 

Our exploration stopped at the Lawn Club bar where we met Ikutu and his fellow team members. When we finally looked up, it was 5 pm, our buzzes had returned full force and any thoughts of leaving the ship had beat a hasty retreat to the back of our minds. Did I mention that I LOVE the premium drinks package?

 

There is a country song (or 10) about bringing your drunk wife home and that's just what I did. So while Sheryl peacefully slumbered I did what any good husband would do: unpacked. Lots of people have commented on the cabin layout so let me add just a couple of thoughts:

 

1. We found plenty of room for everything in the cabin, and, no, we didn't bring collapsible bins

 

2. The closet seems small but it's actually a lot bigger than you think.

 

3. Try the tv when you get in. It's got neat features you can use all cruise. As I type this I'm watching the map channel and getting excited as the ship gets closer to Istanbul

 

4. The attendants will open your glass divider if you know your neighbors.

 

5. If the lights don't turn on, you forgot there is a master switch. The knob just below the master switch dims the lights. Sexy!

 

6. I agree more drawer space would be nice.

 

7. Best. Cruise. Shower. Ever.

 

After Sheryl woke up we went to Blu for dinner. Somehow my parents were nowhere to be seen. Obviously Venice for the day was out!

 

PSA: if you are drunk, you need to be careful when you order room service. My parents somehow ordered $20 filets in the cabin while I ate the same thing in Blu for free. Kids, watch your parents around Jack Daniels.

 

Dinner in Blu was phenomenal. There are a lot of crew members from the Baltics onboard and they are excited about being near their home countries and that they can speak their native languages when they leave the ship. We have a great waitstaff and we look forward to dinner with them every night.

 

After dinner, we explored the ship a little bit more and headed to bed for an early morning jaunt into the city. Now I'm going to bed--the espresso from dinner is finally wearing off!

[drarill]

 

 

We don't do crowds so we headed up to Bistro on 5 for lunch. It is a best kept secret. Yes, it's now 7 bucks but totally worth it. The protein from the breakfast crepe burned off the last vestiges of my hangover.

 

 

!

 

I'm enjoying your review so much!! but I have to say that this is my favorite line so far... "We don't do crowds"... me neither!! I'm also heading to Bistro on 5 for lunch on the Reflection in July!!

:):)

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Enjoying your review but I must have had too much wine today because I'm getting lost. :D

 

We don't do crowds either.

 

Mary Lou

Edited May 23, 2014 by CHEZMARYLOU

[Pushka]

There's going to be a crowd in Bistro in July then. :p

[gimletgal]

AZ ParrotHead - Absolutely LOVE your writing style!!! This is a terrific review. Thank you so much for sharing your time with us.

[wallie5446]

Has been phenomenal,

 

It's awesome,

 

Freaking awesome,

 

:D

[mcdkaty]

Love this review!! So nice to hear so many positive things are happening-was reading the review to my DH and he said 'we are upgrading to the premium package so we can can be freaking awesome too!!" LOL

Sounds like you are having a great time-really enjoying hearing all about it as we are up next.

[QE2_Fan]

Great review and your writing style and enthusiasm is infectious....I'm getting excited even though I'm stuck at home on cold wet and grey old day! Loved hearing your experience with Luigi and the Murano glass, would love to see a photo of your treasures if you could! Moral of the story, hold out and don't rush into the first place you see....which I must admit to being guilty of on more than one occasion!! Lastly the premium package sounds fun and obviously good value for you guys...and the new features and overall service onboard Equinox seems on track, unlock what many threads in here at the moment would lead you to believe!! Thanks Again!!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[AZ ParrotHead]

Venice and Sail Away

 

Shockingly, we all got up on time on Wednesday morning since my parents had yet to see St Marks. I went to the gym early and got back to the room at 700. Breakfast had arrived along with my fresh squeezed OJ. We downed a couple of cups of coffee and got dressed to head out. We were off by 800.

 

Since we only had 2 hours to explore we were in a hurry. For some reason they had disconnected the gangway that we used to enter on deck 4 and we had to use the ramp on deck 2. This would have been fine except once off, there was no way to get out of the port. The Italians were making everyone walk up the (not working) escalator and then back down and out. Not cool with an electric wheelchair.

 

We hunted around and found a port agent who was very nice but didn't have the key for the door or the gate. She explained to us that the carbinieri had locked the doors and there was supposed to be someone on duty in case someone (like my mom) wanted to get out. The cop had literally gone out for an espresso and had been gone for an hour. Italy.

 

I will say that X did their best to help us get out. They sent a security supervisor out with us and between him and the nice port agent we finally found the officer to open the gate. Took about 15 minutes.

 

Time now really of the essence, we skipped the people mover and used X's water taxi to St Marks. This was a mixed experience. On one hand, it turned out to be handicap accessible and the boarding ramp was navigable for Mom. On the other hand, it doesn't drop you in St Marks. It drops you NEAR the piazza and you have to go over 3 bridges to get to the there.

 

The day before Sheryl had scouted the area and noticed that the bridge to the Vaporetto stop had mini ramps installed thus making it accessible. We assumed, falsely, that we would be dropped in the same place and could take the cart over the bridge. My mom is full of piss and vinegar so she bravely walked the stairs to the bridges while Dad and I lifted the scooter over the stairs. It took a while but she made it.

 

At 830 St Marks is still waking up so we had time to wander and explore the nooks and crannies without behind steamrolled by Chinese tourists.

 

By the way, a comment here. Remember I said that we don't do crowds? Well, the Chinese definitely do and my recommendation is to steer clear if you see a group of them. How can you tell? The Chinese have an aversion to the sun so you will see parasols, large hats, and some wearing 6 layers and gloves over their hands. It's really, really silly.

 

I've been to Asia several times so I have first hand experienced being bowled over in a subway station and being packed on a train by gloved policemen. This has become so cultural in the large cities that they have brought this pushiness with them everywhere they go. My mom was going up the ramp on the one accessible bridge in Venice and she was jostled and nearly pushed over by a large tour group. It was like she was invisible.

 

Its not just been in Venice. We noticed this in Verona and Orvieto also. Even on the ship yesterday during lunch time. Don't worry, I promise the ship wont run out of salad for the salad bar! We have learned to adjust and just keep away. It's the easiest thing to do.

 

We poked around for a couple of hours and, like clock work, the 10 am crowds showed up and it was time for us to leave. We were making our way back to the shuttle boat and we had a major mishap. My mom went over a cobblestone and the electrical leads from the battery to the motor broke. The soldering came off. We were dead in the water. Dad and I tried to jury rig it but we just didn't have the tools or electrical tape. We were also on the clock since the last shuttle boat to the ship left at 1030. We missed the 10am boat fiddling with the battery so we were up against a wall

 

While Sheryl and Dad pushed mom to the shuttle, I ran (literally) to a pharmacy to get a cane for my mom. She would have usually carried one but she lost it in the Munich airport a couple of days before. I found one near the hospital in St Marks and made the boat with no time to spare.

 

We got on the ship at 11 just as the cluster, I mean muster, was starting. We found our station in the theatre and waited through the interminably long drill. European cruise means muster announcements in 5 languages. We are also pretty surprised that there were so many missing people. Our station had 7 cabins unaccounted for. At 1145 the drill finally ended.

 

We pushed mom back to the cabin and called guest relations for help. We were really worried about our vacation with an out of commission wheelchair. The nice lady on the phone said "of course we will help you! Don't worry!"

 

We borrowed a ships chair and arranged to have one of the ships electricians take a look at the cart. Since they were in a drill most of the afternoon we went to lunch and met up with the electrician in the cabin about 4. We had to sign a waiver saying we wouldn't hold X responsible for any damage but that was fine with us.

 

The electrician and his assistant inspected the cart and then asked to take it down to their shop while we had dinner. When we returned from dinner it still wasn't back so we were worried. I checked around 10 and the cart had made it back to the room .

 

IT WAS FULLY REPAIRED AND BETTER THAN BEFORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

The techs had taken the time to reshape the battery case, solder the leads correctly, fix an annoying buzz in the wheel and secure the battery box so we shouldn't have to worry about rough streets going forward in the other ports. Simply unbelievable. Mom was so relieved she broke down and cried.

 

The next day I was able to thank both the Captain and the cruise director personally. I wanted to share this story so you know that, at least for us, X is as awesome as they were on our first cruise.

 

To the crew: We are so so so grateful. The crew of Equinox saved our vacation. Quite literally. THANK YOU! I hope the rep from X is reading this so he can pass it along to Miami. Your team on this ship is simply fantastic. You have made a customer for life and we intend to share this story with as many people on the ship, on the Internet, and at home, as we possibly can. Celebrity Rocks!

 

Sail Away

 

We were so focused on getting the cart fixed, we almost missed sail away. As everyone has said, it is breathtaking. It you have an Odd numbered balcony you will be on the St Marks side of Venice for sail away. The trade off is that during the 2 days in port you will face away from Venice.

 

We have an even numbered cabin so we cruised by the other side of Venice. But we woke up in the morning to sunrise over the city. A fair trade off in my opinion. The venetians don't want cruise ships taking out their city so I was a little surprised when I noticed for the entire length of the canal, we had tugs attached to the bow and stern. Makes sense. There are currents in the canal and if there was an engine failure, we would have ended up back in St Marks Square--the hard way.

 

The rest of the afternoon passed quietly as we settled into shipboard rhythm. Dad went to up to his favorite watering hole, the Lawn Club bar to meet new friends, Mom rested, and Sheryl and I explored. All four of us made it to dinner in Blu and we capped up the evening with a little time at the tables and some cocktails.

 

Off to the gym before we arrive in Istanbul.

[ThursdaysChild]

Thanks for a fabulous review! Equinox is the last of the S class ships for me to sail, and I'm on her for the 10/27 TA, so am excited to hear your report, especially since it brings back fond memories of my Venice/Adriatic cruise last Spring AND I always cruise AQ.

 

It doesn't surprise me that the crew on the ship fixed your Mom's scooter; I was on a tour in Seville 2 years back when a friend had a similar scooter disaster on the ancient cobblestones and the Silhouette electricians got him up and running again.

 

A question (multi-part): Can you tell me who the Maitre d' is in Blu? And sommeliers? Any favorite waiter so far?

[AZ ParrotHead]

Dubrovnik

 

We all awoke rested and refreshed yesterday for our day in Dubrovnik. As is my custom, I got up before Sheryl and hit the gym. You've probably figured out that I am a gym rat by now.

 

I'd like to take a moment and comment on the fitness center and health club on board. It opens at 6 and I have found the gym to be excellent. Better than on RCCL and Summit. I particularly like that there is a good pull up bar, lots of balls, kettle bells, and other "modern" workout tools. Dumb bells range from 1 to 75 lbs and there are multiples in the popular weight ranges. There is a great assortment of machines including 2 cable crosses.

 

For those doing cardio, there are 15 or so treadmills, 15 bikes, and 15 elliptical all facing the ocean. They were smart when they designed this facility because they did not put the treadmills up near the window. They are more center aligned which reduces the rolling motion in seas. Running on a treadmill is one of the hardest things to do when the ship is moving. I found it to be much easier on this ship then on the others I've sailed. Each cardio machine has a tv and a hookup for your device.

 

I am also happy to report that the music is not as obnoxiously loud as it has been on every other cruise. For some reason, cruise directors think your workout just isn't complete unless there is some techno European oonze oonze house music blasting at 100 decibels. On this ship, the oonze oonze was tolerable and the volume was reasonable. Very similar to a gym at home.

 

The 2 gym trainers are also really nice guys and, surprisingly, know what they are talking about. I am not a trainer in the real world but I am a religious P90X fan and I have been practicing yoga for years. I'm also a runner. I was happy to see the guys out and about offering free tips that actually worked. On other cruises, the trainers have been super skinny guys from Europe who would max out with 6 lbs in their hand. These 2 obviously have spent time in the gym, like what they are doing, and are educated about it.

 

I was doing my P90 on the pull-up bar yesterday and they both came over and talked about the how much they love the trainer (Tony Horton) and we compared the benefits of P90 to Insanity. Like I said these guys rock. I'd actually pay to have a session with them to tweak my workout. This is a first in over 10 cruises.

 

So after my workout I headed down for breakfast on the balcony and a needed shower. The sail in to Dubrovnik was phenomenal. Tall mountains, and a pretty city nestled in the hills. The water of the Adriatic is so clear!

 

We got off about 9 and took a taxi into the city. It was 10 euros for the 4 of us. X had a bus transfer but the cab was the easiest. I liked that they let the cab drive right up to the ship. The transfer was 10 minutes in a typically crazy European taxi ride. Fortunately the driver didn't hit any cars, sheep, or children.

 

We got off and walked the tiny walled city. Everything is compact and it can easily be explored in a morning. We popped into some churches and museums and had a coffee on the square. Great people watching. We opted not to walk the city walls but everyone who did said it was truly worth it. Keep in mind though that it's not free. It's 10e to go up and if you come back down you have to pay again to go up.

 

At 10 the bus tours showed up. We were also in port with Aida and Crosieres de Mer so they were American, German, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean tour groups following their guides with the little flags around the city. We tolerated the growing crowd for another hour, picked up an ornament, and took a taxi back to the ship.

 

I will say that I don't need to go back to Dubrovnik but I certainly want to spend a few days exploring Croatia. It's truly breathtaking and the coastline and beaches are spectacular. There is a vibrancy to to the culture as well that seems really interesting.

 

That's why we cruise. So we can get a taste of the places we want to explore and then make some future plans to come visit. It's how we fell in love with the Virgin Islands and ended up moving to St Thomas for 16 months.

 

After Dubrovnik, we spent the afternoon enjoying the ship. I spent some time at the pool and was pleasantly surprised that the outdoor pools were heated! Although with the weather we've had, heating has not been necessary. It's been sunny and in the mid to high 70s all week. Simply perfect weather.

 

After the pool Sheryl and I rounded out our afternoon with some time in the Persian gardens. We spent 20 minutes in the dry sauna and then 30 on the heated loungers. So pleasant and relaxing!

 

That night was formal night so we donned our tuxes and gowns and headed down to the martini bar. This being a longer, more expensive cruise, a lot of people got dressed. Many men had tuxedos and most had at least a jacket and tie. Sheryl likes getting dressed up so we have brought several gowns and dresses for her. After some James Bond vodka martinis we went to dinner in Blu.

 

Our team in Blu is Agung from Bali, and Deanna from Macedonia. They are simply lovely people. Diana is the sommelier and each of them has taken great care of us. We love having dinner with them each evening.

 

After that it gets a little fuzzy. I vaguely remember the casino, the martini bar, the sky lounge and, shockingly, karaoke. I am told I sing a mean Secret Agent Man.

 

Getting dressed for Istanbul!

[drarill]

Loving everything about your review, I can picture the italian cop drinking the expresso and the Chinese tourists with their parasols. Thanks for sharing your mom's electric wheelchair story. After so many negative threads lately, it is good to read a positive review. Can't wait to cruise in July!!:)

[OhioDogLover]

Thank you for posting. We are doing a similar cruise on Equinox this summer. I am enjoying reading about your adventures.

 

My Mom had mobility issues on the Century on a Med cruise a few years ago. Our experience was similar to yours. The crew was phenomenal in assisting us as needed.

Ohiodoglover

[Megan01]

Thank you for your informative and entertaining review. We are also on Equinox for the first time in October for the 13 day Barcelona to Venice return sailing and appreciate all the info on the ship and ports thus far. I too am a runner and work with kettle bells for exercise so the gym sounds awesome. Our last cruise on Connie, there were kettle bells but very low weight ones. Did you notice if they had 25 lb plus?

 

 

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