My long Review of the Equinox: April 4-15

[Cruise Raider]

Here is my review of the Equinox for the April 4-15 sailing that I posted. Questions are welcomed and will try to answer within a timely manner.

 

Background: We are a retired couple that live in the San Francisco bay area and have been on nearly 50 cruises across many of the mainstream cruiselines, but with most of our cruises being on Princess and Celebrity. We love cruising on Celebrity and do love getting a balcony cabin but have been known to travel in an oceanview and inside cabin if that is what is within our annual travel budget.

 

We booked this cruise well over a year ago using a future cruise credit that we purchased on a previous cruise and we were able to also take advantage of a group booking through our travel agent that featured an Oregon winemaker with associated events.

 

We've sailed on the Equinox a little over 3 years ago and were excited about returning to this fabulous ship. She did not disappoint!!

 

Embarkation: We arrived at the pier around 12:30 PM. Security and elite check in were a breeze and we were on the ship with absolutely no waiting requirement in the terminal. The cabins were not ready for approximately one hour after we boarded so we simply went to the martini bar to get a cocktail while waiting for the 'cabins are ready' announcement. While at the martini bar, there was a bit of a push to upgrade to the premium package but the waiter was respectful when we told him we would have to judge the wines we would receive for our wine events before making the decision as to whether or not we wanted to purchase the upgrade. Of note, there were no martinis offered at the martini bar under the classic package, even if you asked for one of the smaller sized ones. This was a change from our previous cruise on the Equinox. There were call drinks available here so all turned out ok. Also of note, we found the classic package was sufficient so we never did upgrade to the premium package. Of note, there were a variety of the small martinis offered at some of the other bars onboard, just not in the martini bar.

 

Cabin: We were in a 2B category on deck 6 on the hump - directly across from the Internet Café. We noticed the glass doors that separated the cabin hallways from the elevator vestibule areas were no longer functioning, at least on deck 6. It appears that this was intentional as we noticed they also were not in place to separate the cabins towards the aft either. We were concerned with the probability of noise but had very little issue with this once in our cabin. A few times, we could hear some loud passengers when trying to sleep but they were few and far between. We usually went to sleep after all the shows in the centrum were done so we were never bothered by that. We had incredible room stewards. We requested ice for every day and always had ice. We asked for 2 soft pillows and they brought exactly what we wanted. Everything was kept so clean and tidy and it was as though Anthony and Victorino had anticipated our every need. We so appreciated such great service! If they saw us walk up with coffee in our hands, they dropped what they were doing to open the door for us. Nice job!!

 

The bed was very comfortable with crisp white sheets surrounding a comforter. Our refrigerator was not actually functioning but filled with mini bar items so didn't bother to report it. There was a desk near our balcony door which I used as a vanity. The TV seemed like it was new and on brackets so you could turn it towards the bed or the couch. It did make an awful little noise every time you turned it on or off. Available on the TV was the ability to watch TV, on demand movies, check your onboard account, order room service, listen to music or check out your pictures. This was very functional.

 

The bathroom is so nice with tons of shelves for all your toiletries. The shower has rounded doors that slide close instead of those icky shower curtains that stick to you when the ship is moving. The toiletries were of decent quality. The closet has ample room for all your clothes and there is extra shelving above the bed if needed. The balcony had a medium sized table and two pretty comfy reclining chairs. I like the flooring they use for their balconies on Celebrity -- kind of a soft wooden feel that seemed to quell any scraping noise from moving furniture on the decks above. It was kind of too hot to sit out on the balcony throughout much of the cruise, though. There was a full sized couch and a small cocktail table in the cabin which got a lot more use than the balcony did.

 

Ship: The ship looked as wonderful as it had 3 years ago. Nothing seemed in disrepair and everything appeared to be sparkling clean and nicely decorated. Of note, the public bathrooms are absolutely beautiful, especially when compared to other ships on which we've sailed. We noticed nothing that needed replacement in any of the public areas. Gone are the couches and cushy furniture out by the Oceanview bar, which we've enjoyed so much in the past, but understandable. It must have been a nightmare to keep those looking clean and fresh through all the usage they got. The Sky Lounge and the indoor pool area were a couple of our favorite hangouts while onboard for reading or relaxing.

 

Dining Venues:

 

The set up in the Oceanview Café was perfect with separate stations offering different types of food set up which kept the lines short. The tables were cleared quickly so not too much trouble finding a place to sit and eat your meal, the exception of the last morning. There were a couple of missteps in the buffet, albeit minor ones. One day, the majority of the romaine lettuce had seen better days and once when ordering an omelet, they gave mine to someone else and then forgot to make one for me. After waiting 20 minutes, I gave up and grabbed a hard boiled egg instead. Other than these couple of minor incidents, everything was just great. There were many friendly staff members that made sure we were well taken care of. One evening we ate dinner at the buffet and we just loved the coconuts with a straw ... very unique and very yummy! Bar service in the Oceanview Café and bar was never lacking. We were always served promptly and always with a smile.

 

Main Dining Room: We had anytime dining and Dorica, the maître' D, set us up at table #510 for us and our friends. Since this was a table for 8, after the first night we let Dorica know we would be willing to share and explained that we loved that table so much that we would like to dine around 7:15 every night. We ended up with 2 more couples that felt the same way so we made it a table for 8 every night with fill ins for the nights when we or others had alternate dining plans. Our waiters, Roger and Sandoval, were most incredible!! William was our sommelier and even though we only had the classic beverage package, he would find a wine that went well with the meal we ordered. He also found the perfect accompaniment for our friend that purchased the premium package. William was the best sommelier we've ever encountered on a ship. Osvin also came by to check on our table nightly to make sure every was fine, although we assured him, it was not only fine, it was always exemplary service! What a team -- we were very spoiled!!

 

The food ranged from very good to absolutely excellent. There was always something inviting on each night's menu.

 

We also enjoyed one breakfast in the Main Dining room, which was very good. Waiters strolled by every few minutes to make sure you had everything needed (coffee, water, juice, muffins, etc.)

 

Specialty Dining Venues: We tried each of the specialty dining restaurants with the exception of the Bistro on 5. First up was Silk Harvest. We were given a 30% discount that was offered pretty much throughout the entire cruise. Our food was phenomenal and we were even asked if we wanted anything else. Alas, we were stuffed so we passed!! The food did not outshine the service, which was also spot on! Since we were celebrating a birthday, they sent a nice chocolate cake to our room via room service as we were too full to eat it while in the restaurant.

 

Next, we were treated to a meal for us and our friends in Murano. This may have been the best food we have ever had on any of our many cruises. Again, the service was phenomenal, with the exception of the sommelier. Again, a minor misstep but after being spoiled by William in the main dining room, our expectations may have been set too high.

 

Our third specialty restaurant was in the Tuscan Grille, as we were invited to dine with the Hotel Director, Jaime, along with our friends and 2 other couples. We had an amazingly fun table and Jaime couldn't have been nicer or more welcoming. Maria, who was in training as the next Captains Club Hostess, took very good care of us. The ladies all got a rose and everyone had a beautiful picture of the table provided to us as a remembrance of our special evening. Again, the food was exemplary as was the service and the wine.

 

We had a special wine pairing luncheon the following day at the Tuscan Grille, which featured the same menu as the previous evening. The difference here were the wines, which were this time provided by the Oregon winery owners that were onboard. Another great meal, which happened to be on the last day of the cruise.

 

We took a little breather before we attended the elegant tea in Blu. It was also excellent but I was really full by this time so my description could probably never do it justice. It is funny to think that I have never attended this event before and now cannot figure out why I haven't.

 

We also ate in the Tuscan Grille a few times for the elite breakfast. It was always a most pleasant experience with a beautiful view and atmosphere. I love being able to get a cappuccino, a mimosa and a light breakfast of lox and bagels. Just perfect!!

 

Café Al Bacio: The service here was just as good as the other venues I have described. Whether we stopped for a sweet treat, a glass of milk, a great coffee drink or a cocktail, it was always just fabulous. Evalina, Reddy and Mint took very good care of us ... always with a smile and an offering to consume more calories ...but never pushy!

 

Gastro Bar: I miss Cellar Masters but can see that the Gastro Bar also has a bit of a following. We also had great service here but decided not to upgrade to the premium package due to the absence of Cellar Masters. It is a wonderful place to sit and listen to the low key entertainment they offered. We never did order off the menu but it looked rather tasty. The Gastro Bar is known for their craft beer selections, none of which were available on the classic package.

 

Mast Grill: This is the other venue where I feel there could be some improvement. There are no cooked turkey burgers available (or garden burgers for that matter). It takes 15 minutes from the time you order a turkey burger to getting one on your plate. One time, I waited about 20 minutes and it was so crowded that we could not find a table so took our lunch back to our cabin. It was disappointing to see that they gave us garden burgers instead of turkey burgers. Another time, there were turkey burgers that were already made so we got one right away and yet another time, there was almost a fight amongst the passengers over who ordered their turkey burger first. I just wish they had them available like the regular hamburgers without such a long wait; from what I can see, there is a need for it. Not a make or break deal as it certainly didn't look as though we were going to starve to death.

 

Aqua Spa Café: This is a nice place within the indoor pool area to just grab a quick snack, whether it be a small dish of tuna or chicken salad with a couple of those amazing breadsticks or a salad bar. I love this option and it was never too crowded.

 

Room Service: We had two morning tours so only ordered room service twice for breakfast. It was quick and accurate; they even give you a call before the delivery to make sure you are awake and in your room. The food arrived hot and with appropriate utensils and additions for the coffee. The delivery team does not wait around with their hand out so had to make them wait a few seconds the first time to find some cash for a tip. This is definitely an improvement from what we've experienced on our previous Celebrity cruises. Nicely done!!

 

Entertainment: Sadly, we missed a lot of the entertainment but heard from fellow passengers that the new production shows that they are rolling out fleet wide were spectacular. We did attend one show which featured a comedian. We did not think he was very good but the woman behind us what laughing heartily throughout the entire performance, so could have just been our tastes. We've seen the hot glass show before and really wanted to attend the evening show but were busy with other events that we never did make it. From past experience, I can tell you it is well worth your while.

 

We enjoyed the duo that performed, a female singer with a male guitar player. They played in different venues but we saw them in the Explorers Lounge and the Gastro Bar. She had a very unique voice and a great comradery with the audience. The band 'Take Five' were simply excellent and played music for all age groups to enjoy! The performance of the singers / dancers in the Centrum was fabulous. They had everyone on their feet. They also had a disc jockey that played some really good music by the martini bar that drew a big crowd. I would have thought that a DJ was rather cheesy but the music chosen was surprisingly good so no complaints from me there. I felt as though the volume was appropriate in each of the venues where the entertainment was offered.

 

Casino: We spent quite bit of time in the casino and had a fair amount of fun. We didn't find any luck but were treated well by the casino host, Andrew and his sidekick, Kevin. We had a bit of onboard credit, which could be used in the casino but as slot play that was loaded onto our player's club cards instead of getting cash. We are mlife gold members so the 5% fee was waived. (Maybe now waived for everyone?) When our onboard credit was exhausted, cash was given in lieu of slot play in the casino. This new system worked out well for us as we never cashed in our onboard credit just for the cash anyway.

 

Captains Club Hostess / Events: What can I say but 'Hello my darlings'? Claudia, who sadly is on her last sailing as I write this, was incredible. She made every one of the captain's club members feel as though they were so very special to Celebrity. She remembered names, birthdays, anniversaries, likes and dislikes. Whether we went to the elite cocktail hour in the sky lounge or breakfast in the coffee house, she always had time for a hug and chat. She invited us to sail away on the helipad while leaving Cartagena ... this is a memory that we will remember for a long time to come. Best of luck to such a sweet and beautiful woman!!

 

We made a point of attending the elite events, especially the cocktail hour in the Sky Lounge every evening. We would really miss that gathering if we ended up on a cruise with vouchers instead of using the lounge. Oleksiy was our bar server and I just have to say Wow! He just knew everyone by day 2 of the cruise, what they liked to drink, where they liked to sit and whom they liked to sit with. Asri and Val were also phenomenal and always made sure they served us some great appetizers .. all with fabulous smiles and stories of their day.

 

The elegant tea and wine tasting events were also well worth our while and we enjoyed both of these events immensely.

 

Photo Services: We entered a contest at the photo area otherwise may not have known where it is. It is kind of tucked in way back on deck 5. One of the photographers had stopped us for some photos. Because we do tend to cruise often, we don't pose for these sessions during the cruise, but we threw caution to the wind. The photographer must have known what he was doing as he asked us to pose like this and then like that. We were actually asked to look into each other's eyes and we just laughed (sorry to say, at the photographer) as we'd just about had enough. Well, that was the photo we purchased as we have nothing like it in our repertoire of cruise photos. I mean, really, how many photos of yourself can you have? Well, obviously the answer to that is 'one more'! It might be the best one we have taken. The photos are getting to be way overpriced, though. @ $25 for an embarkation photo and $30 for that photo we bought, that is a bit too high. They do have some digital packages, though, for just over $200 if you had a coupon, so might work for some.

 

Classic Package: Someone on my roll call asked me to list the wines available within the classic package so here goes:

 

Mezzacoron,a Dolomiti Pinot Grigio

 

Clifford Bay, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

 

St Francis, Sonoma & Seeker Chardonnay

 

Beringer White Zinfandel, California

 

Clos De Chance Merlot

 

Castle Rock, St Helena Pinot Noir

 

Excelsior, South Africa & Wente, California Cabernet Sauvignon

 

There were probably a few others available in some of the venues onboard but these are the ones that were listed on the menu.

 

Future cruise sales: Alina, at the future cruise sales desk is so very knowledgeable and quite personable. She was able to book a couple of future cruises for us while onboard. She knew every trick to save us more money or get us more perks. I have not always had the best luck with the future cruise sales people finding us the right deals but this girl knows her stuff!! Currently, they were offering 2 perks plus the onboard credit associated with the future cruise booking....and a one category upgrade where available. There was also a drawing for anyone booking a future cruise that day.

 

i-lounge: The day of our embarkation, the ship was upgraded with a newer, faster internet service; I believe it is called Xcelerate. While I still heard fellow passengers complain, I thought the new service was an improvement of a hundred fold over what used to be available. I only checked my emails, confirmed a reservation for a private tour in Cartagena and checked in for my flight so maybe the complaints of others were valid. For the basics, it was in and out and worked very well and it never dropped its connection on me. I never said a bad word while in the i-lounge in the numerous times I was in there. I cannot say this was the case on previous visits to the i-lounge when checking emails. Also, the apple computers in the café were really nice. There are sanitizer wipes available on every table. Everything was kept tidy and clean in this room.

 

Wine Group: We signed up for the Abacela wine group package that was set up by our TA. I have sailed on these group cruises a couple of times previously, always with Celebrity and always been very pleased with the events and the special additions provided to these groups. This time, it seemed very disorganized throughout the entire cruise. I am not sure where the problem stemmed from but we were not notified in a timely manner of the included events for this package. While still in port, I contacted our TA and they knew nothing of it as the group is small ... usually about 100 passengers only. Our TA forwarded us to the guest relations desk and they didn't know about it either. We showed up at the Sky Lounge the first evening right after sail away as that is where the first event was held on our previous cruises for these groups. Our assumption was correct. This wasn't well attended as I think a lot of people had not received any notification of the event, much less the time and place. There was also a misstep with the onboard credit, which was handled appropriately in the end and a change of venue for one of the wine events that maybe some didn't find out about in a timely manner. We were able to attend each of the events except for the galley tour, as we've been there, done that several times before. There was a hosted tour of the wine tower in the Silhouette dining room which was very interesting. The wine pairing luncheon, which was also available through the ship for a cost, was well worth it. The winery's better wines were served towards the end of the cruise and they were paired perfectly with the meals that were served.

 

Disembarkation: We signed up for luggage valet. This service is available for $20 per person with up to 2 bags. Since we only had one bag to check, we only signed up for this service for one of us and checked in online for the other one. BEST $20 ever spent and I would recommend it to anyone that qualifies for this. There are specifications that need to be met, such as airport, airline and flight time. We were then provided with a special luggage tag and put our bag out in the hallway in the evening. The next time we were to see it was at SFO -- our final destination. We signed up for the time we wanted to disembark and their schedule was spot on and since customs was a breeze, especially without any large bag, were at the airport for our 12:45 flight with plenty of time to spare.

 

Ports of Call: The itinerary was of particular interest to us as it was a bit different with stops in Cozumel, Costa Rica, Panama, an overnight visit in Cartagena and Grand Cayman. The original itinerary had not included the overnight stop in Cartagena and did include a stop in Belize, which was later canceled. In hind sight, this was very preferable as, even though it was hotter than hot in Columbia, this proved to be a very interesting and enjoyable port of call. The entire trip was worth it due to our favorite stop, which was in Panama. We stayed on the ship in both Cozumel and Grand Cayman as we've been there many times before and wanted to enjoy the amenities on the ship.

 

Excursions: One recommendation would be the tour we took in Panama to Fort San Lorenzo and the Gatun locks that was offered through Celebrity. This is one of the best tours we've taken and not only did we get to see the new locks, we also saw two different ships passing through the old / current locks.

 

In Costa Rica, we took the ship's tour to the Dole Banana Plantation. We enjoyed this tour but were left with a feeling of 'that's all?'. What we saw was interesting and well worth the trip out there but would have been improved with about 30 minutes more of touring at the plantation itself.

 

In Cartagena, since we had two days there, we visited the little zoo area right near where the ship docks. This was very worth our while and they had numerous native birds and animals. The second day we were there, we signed up for a free walking tour of the old walled city. We attended one of the lectures onboard prior to this tour which gave us some background into the history of Cartagena. It was an excellent talk held in the Equinox theater by one of the excursion staff members and enhanced our walking tour with a bit of knowledge going in. This walking tour was incredible even though it was so very hot. I do highly recommend it but it is good to know there is a stronger breeze in the afternoon than in the morning so maybe not quite as sweltering. This tour meets at the naval museum towards the oceanfront side of the walled city. We were almost duped by someone at the entrance trying to convince us he was our guide. Since you have to sign up for this tour in advance, I asked him what names he had on his list. He didn't have our names, so we ventured on until we found the correct tour that we signed up for and very glad we did. We found this tour to be very interesting and you cannot beat the cost ... just a tip at the end for our hard working guide.

 

We were told conflicting information about the price of a cab to Santa Teresa Plaza, which is near where the naval museum is located. We walked past those that were charging $20 and found a cab to take us for $10. The cab back was $8 and it does help if you speak a little Spanish, as it is helpful to get around while in this port.

 

Summary: This cruise got 5+ stars in our book! As mentioned, just a few very minor missteps but such awesome experiences and service that any complaints we may have had were overshadowed by all the good times. The Equinox is a beautiful ship with such a fun, friendly and helpful staff. The spoiled us and made us feel quite special. Just of note, as it is in the news, there were areas where we encountered some mosquitoes. We were warned that Zika was of concern so we made sure we didn't go out without our insect repellent. No bug bites even though we were in some areas of the jungle.

[Clarea]

Very nice writeup, thanks.:)

[wendyam76]

Thank you for sharing such a wonderful write up - we were on the same cruise and loved it too! Had the same experience with Alina, she was so hopeful and I was the one that won the raffle for extra onboard credit - she was so happy when I went back to thank her!

Wendy

[Keith1010]

Great review.

 

Keith

[wallie5446]

Thanks for helping the wonderful memories we have of the last two Thanksgiving's on the Equinox come flooding back!

EW

[debshomespun]

Enjoyed reading your review of the Equinox. We will be sailing on her next February.

[portofrome]

Thanks for your review.

[hcat]

Very complete and helpful review...we are booked on Eq in Jan 2017 for this itin...not sure if we'll take it...mosquito phobia!

 

Looking forward to sailing with OP on Infinity 2017!

[Lastdance]

Kudos for your review! Our very first cruise was on the Equinox, so she has a very special place in our hearts...it is nice to hear hat you really enjoyed your cruise and didn't let the temperature of the special cooler upset your cruise.:)

[awhfy]

Thank you for the time you put into your review, very interesting. We enjoy Equinox also

 

The one thing that Royal does better than X is photos. You get a free 8x10 photo with your Diamond card, quite nice

[SevenSeas1492]

Excellent review! We, too, were on this sailing. One of the best we have taken!

[Texed]

C.R.

 

Thank you soooooo much for posting. :)

[Cruise Raider]

Thank you for the time you put into your review, very interesting. We enjoy Equinox also

 

The one thing that Royal does better than X is photos. You get a free 8x10 photo with your Diamond card, quite nice

 

Good to know about the photos on Royal. We are Diamond due to our elite status on Celebrity and have an RCCL cruise booked for this fall. thanks for that info!!

[Cruise Raider]

Very complete and helpful review...we are booked on Eq in Jan 2017 for this itin...not sure if we'll take it...mosquito phobia!

 

Looking forward to sailing with OP on Infinity 2017!

 

I completely understand. We were thinking about canceling when all the zika news came out ... and it isn't just zika that those mosquitoes carry. Glad we didn't ... we took those Off Wipes with Deet ... very convenient and kept us bite free the entire cruise.

[Cruise Raider]

Enjoyed reading your review of the Equinox. We will be sailing on her next February.

 

We are also going on that Mardi Gras cruise. Are you on our roll call? It is crazy long....I think well over 400 members already signed up on it with over 6000 posts. CC had to close out our old one and start a new one. It should prove to be a very exciting cruise.

[Cruise Raider]

Thank you for sharing such a wonderful write up - we were on the same cruise and loved it too! Had the same experience with Alina, she was so hopeful and I was the one that won the raffle for extra onboard credit - she was so happy when I went back to thank her!

Wendy

 

Good for you! I didn't know who won it, only that it was not us. We booked 2 future cruises while onboard but looks like it didn't increase our odds of winning by much.

I was super impressed with Alina. We always book a future cruise while onboard and have never had great luck with the people that worked in that office. We always had to push for the discounts, category room upgrade and/or perks. She just turned that around for us!!

Congrats again on winning the raffle. :)

[Jiminy1955]

Thank you for taking the time to give such a nice, detailed review! Love the way you laid it out. We will be on the Equinox March 2017 for our first Celebrity cruise! Very excited!!

[wendyam76]

Good for you! I didn't know who won it, only that it was not us. We booked 2 future cruises while onboard but looks like it didn't increase our odds of winning by much.

I was super impressed with Alina. We always book a future cruise while onboard and have never had great luck with the people that worked in that office. We always had to push for the discounts, category room upgrade and/or perks. She just turned that around for us!!

Congrats again on winning the raffle. :)

 

Thank you - and if it helps any I also booked 2 future cruises - I had them all worked out and just went in quickly as there was no queue. It's so nice when you meet someone helpful like Alina was.

For those worried about mosquitoes - we took all the precautions and I don't remember seeing any!

Wendy

[NCHPcruiser]

Thank you for taking the time to write a great review! My first cruise was on the Equinox and I am looking forward to being on her again in September.

[liverpoollad]

Wow!! Thank you for the comprehensive review I enjoyed reading it.

[hcat]

I completely understand. We were thinking about canceling when all the zika news came out ... and it isn't just zika that those mosquitoes carry. Glad we didn't ... we took those Off Wipes with Deet ... very convenient and kept us bite free the entire cruise.

 

Thanks for the tip....will pick some up for the ABC cruise and outdoors in general!

[Cruise Raider]

Thanks for the tip....will pick some up for the ABC cruise and outdoors in general!

 

We purchased three packs of the wipes and didn't even use up one whole pack. But we will be going up to Alaska in the summer and those mosquitoes, although they don't carry Zika or Dengue, are fierce. I just hate having big old welts all over my arms and legs as if it is a bug that bites, it has a way of finding me.