Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Back from the Equinox - My Review

dabeers1

By dabeers1,
in Celebrity Cruises

 Share

Recommended Posts

dabeers1

dabeers1

Posted
Posted

Cruise Review - Celebrity Equinox - 3/24/17 - 4/2/17

 

Background: We are 46 and 48 and this is our 6th cruise, first on Celebrity. It has been 6 years since our last cruise so there were some firsts for us on this cruise. We booked an everything package which included the premium beverage package, unlimited WiFi, prepaid gratuities and some onboard credit.

 

Pre-cruise: We stayed at Rodeway Inn Cruise Port which boasts free shuttles from the airport and to the cruise port. The shuttle arrived at the airport about 20 minutes after we called and we were dropped off at the cruise terminal as promised. The hotel is bare bones but suited our purpose for an 11-hour stay.

 

Embarkation: We got in line at the terminal at 10:36am and were on the ship with champagne in our hands at 11:06am. The pool was open, the bars were open, and the staff was offering drink package upgrades and specialty restaurant discounts of 30% for that night.

 

Room: We were in room 6275 which was on the port side halfway between the aft elevators and the back of the ship. The room was very quiet. We rarely heard other guests but we could hear our neighbors’ room phone ring. There was no engine vibration except when we were docking or departing. No noise was heard from above or below. This was a partially obstructed view, and the lifeboat came up about halfway to the rail. Looking out was not a problem. Looking down we saw deck 5 behind the lifeboats. We brought a 4-port USB charger which helped us overcome the lack of outlets.

 

Pool Deck: On sea days, the closest 3-4 rows of chairs around the pool were saved by 8am. Usually by 9 or 10 most chairs were actually occupied and often no more were available. The solarium usually had chairs available except on the first very windy day when it was full. The brown wood part of the deck gets very hot so bring some shoes to wear when walking to the bar.

 

Dining: We took advantage of some OBC to book a meal in each specialty restaurant. We bought a 4-night package for $125 each plus nabbed a BOGO at Silk Harvest ($35/couple). I think the service sets the specialty restaurants apart and in some cases the food does as well.

  • Oceanview: Always had a wide selection of usually very good food. Once we visited for dinner and the chef’s special was cooked-to-order tuna, which was the best cut of meat I had the entire cruise. It was pretty crowded at breakfast and lunch but never dinner.
  • Main Dining Room: The food here was quite good. We only visited 3 times due to our specialty package and timing a couple nights. Service was good and there was no wait for a table when we arrived at 6:15 each time. The lobster was tender and of the several times we had lobster or parts of lobster, it was the best in the MDR.
  • Silk Harvest: The service was very good and the food was good. However, similar items were available in the Oceanview nearly every day so I’m not sure I would pay extra again.
  • Sushi on 5: This restaurant can be visited and paid a la carte or can be used as a specialty dining meal. We did the latter and were able to order as many apps and sushi rolls as we wanted. Had great service and a great experience here.
  • Tuscan Grill: The first time we dined here it was our favorite. The bread, antipasto plate, lobster pasta, and the big, thick filet were excellent. The second time around I was underwhelmed by the spaghetti and meatballs and the tuna. The filet was again nice.
  • Murano: The service here was the best on the ship. The tableside preparation is a special experience and most of the food was very good. Our lobster was chewy and it wasn’t until 6 days later when we had the MDR’s lobster that we realized how much better it should have tasted for $50/plate.
  • Cafe el Bacio: Always had treats any time of day. And remember, they are included for anyone.
  • Aqua Spa Cafe: I never ate here but I saw some nice healthy alternatives as well as made-to-order juices and smoothies.

Bars: I’m a beer lover but I did have some wine with dinner, some frozen drinks around the pool, and I think I tried every drink at Slush. Each bar has a slightly different selection of beers, but the one with the most is Gastrobar. The bartender knowledge was hit or miss here. There were plenty of beers included in the premium package and some that might work with the classic.

 

Entertainment: The entertainment was varied and of decent quality. We went almost every night. The Equinox singers are very talented and have Broadway-quality voices. The music around the ship in the bars and public areas was nice. The glass blowing show was fun and informative. I finally attended a Celebrity Life lecture the final day and wish I would have explored more of them.

 

WiFi: We had an unlimited WiFi package and it was generally very good. I uploaded several pictures and was almost always able to browse without delay. One ill-timed outage occurred right when we needed to check in for our Southwest flight.

 

Ports of Call: With an abundance of OBC we planned on taking Celebrity excursions to use it. But after spending most of it on specialty dining, we used the casino to convert our remaining credit into (less) cash so we could do the ports on our own.

  • St. Thomas: We took a taxi ($11pp) to Sapphire Beach and rented only one chair ($9) since I’d be snorkeling most of the day. The snorkeling was fairly good here and the only location from shore worth anything on the trip.
  • St. Kitts: We had planned in advance to take Thenford Grey’s Grand Island Tour ($55pp) as we had never been here before. It was a wonderful 6-hour tour with Thenford himself narrating. We drove through Basseterre, visited Romney Manor and the fort, and ended up at Shipwreck with the black sand beach.
  • Barbados: We took a cab to Boatyard ($5pp) and got our chair/umbrella/drink/turtle tour/taxi ride back for $20pp. There are about 8 beach clubs on the same stretch the offer similar amenities. My highlight was walking all the way to the other end to Cuz’ Fish Shack for a flying fish sandwich ($4).
  • St. Maarten / St. Martin: We arrived at 3pm the first day and 4 other ships were in port. 15,000 guests were scrambling back to their ships as we left ours. We grabbed the bus ($2pp) to Marigot. It was rush hour and it took us almost an hour to get there. Had some pastries at Sarafina’s and walked around for a while and took the bus back. All the shops close at 6. On Day 2, we got a shared taxi ($7pp) at the port and headed Orient Beach. We walked a couple doors down from the dropoff to Orange Fever. Here we got 2 chairs, an umbrella, and 2 welcome drinks all for $16. Food was delicious and beers were $3 each or $14 for 6. Returned in a shared taxi ($7pp) and got dropped off in Philipsburg for some last-minute shopping. The walk between the ship and Philipsburg is an easy 15 minute walk.

Debarkation: We did self-debarkation so we could catch an early flight. Scheduled time was 7:30 so we got into line around 6:40. We were about 15th in line. By 7:00 the line was around 100. At 7:11 they opened the gates and we walked off. Customs wasn’t expecting us until 7:30 but they finally got some lanes opened up. We were through at 7:28, got a taxi ($13.30) and were checked in and at our gate at 8:00am!

 

We really liked the layout of the Equinox. Floors 3,4,5 are very easy to navigate and get to all of the bars and restaurants, and the pool deck is easy to get around as well. The ship was clean and the service was excellent. It was Spring break, but it appeared there were only 10-20 kids under the age of 20 on the boat. The officers made themselves available and mingled with the passengers. Thanks as always to all of the members of the Cruise Critic boards for the invaluable information that helped us make the most of this cruise. We’re sure we’ll be cruising again with Celebrity in the future.

 

Link to photos with some menus, daily schedules, etc: https://goo.gl/photos/yJuL7hKtLRbYvCc26

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MR_T

MR_T

Posted
Posted

Great review, i enjoyed your review & the onboard updates as we board the Equinox in may and really looking forward to some sun after a long Canadian winter [emoji106]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rain_bowbrite

rain_bowbrite

Posted
Posted

Thanks for the review and for all your updates and info provided throughout your cruise. I looked forward to reading them each day and seeing what your latest info hunt was. I truly hope you and your wife enjoyed your cruise and were able to relax and unwind when not scavenging. :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rtn

rtn

Posted
Posted

Thanks for your review....really enjoyed it. We will be on the Equinox with the same itinerary September. It's our first Celebrity cruise so your review helped a lot. Also appreciated all the menus you posted with the various dining venues!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mrloug

mrloug

Posted
Posted
Cruise Review - Celebrity Equinox - 3/24/17 - 4/2/17

 

Background: We are 46 and 48 and this is our 6th cruise, first on Celebrity. It has been 6 years since our last cruise so there were some firsts for us on this cruise. We booked an everything package which included the premium beverage package, unlimited WiFi, prepaid gratuities and some onboard credit.

 

Pre-cruise: We stayed at Rodeway Inn Cruise Port which boasts free shuttles from the airport and to the cruise port. The shuttle arrived at the airport about 20 minutes after we called and we were dropped off at the cruise terminal as promised. The hotel is bare bones but suited our purpose for an 11-hour stay.

 

Embarkation: We got in line at the terminal at 10:36am and were on the ship with champagne in our hands at 11:06am. The pool was open, the bars were open, and the staff was offering drink package upgrades and specialty restaurant discounts of 30% for that night.

 

Room: We were in room 6275 which was on the port side halfway between the aft elevators and the back of the ship. The room was very quiet. We rarely heard other guests but we could hear our neighbors’ room phone ring. There was no engine vibration except when we were docking or departing. No noise was heard from above or below. This was a partially obstructed view, and the lifeboat came up about halfway to the rail. Looking out was not a problem. Looking down we saw deck 5 behind the lifeboats. We brought a 4-port USB charger which helped us overcome the lack of outlets.

 

Pool Deck: On sea days, the closest 3-4 rows of chairs around the pool were saved by 8am. Usually by 9 or 10 most chairs were actually occupied and often no more were available. The solarium usually had chairs available except on the first very windy day when it was full. The brown wood part of the deck gets very hot so bring some shoes to wear when walking to the bar.

 

Dining: We took advantage of some OBC to book a meal in each specialty restaurant. We bought a 4-night package for $125 each plus nabbed a BOGO at Silk Harvest ($35/couple). I think the service sets the specialty restaurants apart and in some cases the food does as well.

  • Oceanview: Always had a wide selection of usually very good food. Once we visited for dinner and the chef’s special was cooked-to-order tuna, which was the best cut of meat I had the entire cruise. It was pretty crowded at breakfast and lunch but never dinner.
  • Main Dining Room: The food here was quite good. We only visited 3 times due to our specialty package and timing a couple nights. Service was good and there was no wait for a table when we arrived at 6:15 each time. The lobster was tender and of the several times we had lobster or parts of lobster, it was the best in the MDR.
  • Silk Harvest: The service was very good and the food was good. However, similar items were available in the Oceanview nearly every day so I’m not sure I would pay extra again.
  • Sushi on 5: This restaurant can be visited and paid a la carte or can be used as a specialty dining meal. We did the latter and were able to order as many apps and sushi rolls as we wanted. Had great service and a great experience here.
  • Tuscan Grill: The first time we dined here it was our favorite. The bread, antipasto plate, lobster pasta, and the big, thick filet were excellent. The second time around I was underwhelmed by the spaghetti and meatballs and the tuna. The filet was again nice.
  • Murano: The service here was the best on the ship. The tableside preparation is a special experience and most of the food was very good. Our lobster was chewy and it wasn’t until 6 days later when we had the MDR’s lobster that we realized how much better it should have tasted for $50/plate.
  • Cafe el Bacio: Always had treats any time of day. And remember, they are included for anyone.
  • Aqua Spa Cafe: I never ate here but I saw some nice healthy alternatives as well as made-to-order juices and smoothies.

Bars: I’m a beer lover but I did have some wine with dinner, some frozen drinks around the pool, and I think I tried every drink at Slush. Each bar has a slightly different selection of beers, but the one with the most is Gastrobar. The bartender knowledge was hit or miss here. There were plenty of beers included in the premium package and some that might work with the classic.

 

Entertainment: The entertainment was varied and of decent quality. We went almost every night. The Equinox singers are very talented and have Broadway-quality voices. The music around the ship in the bars and public areas was nice. The glass blowing show was fun and informative. I finally attended a Celebrity Life lecture the final day and wish I would have explored more of them.

 

WiFi: We had an unlimited WiFi package and it was generally very good. I uploaded several pictures and was almost always able to browse without delay. One ill-timed outage occurred right when we needed to check in for our Southwest flight.

 

Ports of Call: With an abundance of OBC we planned on taking Celebrity excursions to use it. But after spending most of it on specialty dining, we used the casino to convert our remaining credit into (less) cash so we could do the ports on our own.

  • St. Thomas: We took a taxi ($11pp) to Sapphire Beach and rented only one chair ($9) since I’d be snorkeling most of the day. The snorkeling was fairly good here and the only location from shore worth anything on the trip.
  • St. Kitts: We had planned in advance to take Thenford Grey’s Grand Island Tour ($55pp) as we had never been here before. It was a wonderful 6-hour tour with Thenford himself narrating. We drove through Basseterre, visited Romney Manor and the fort, and ended up at Shipwreck with the black sand beach.
  • Barbados: We took a cab to Boatyard ($5pp) and got our chair/umbrella/drink/turtle tour/taxi ride back for $20pp. There are about 8 beach clubs on the same stretch the offer similar amenities. My highlight was walking all the way to the other end to Cuz’ Fish Shack for a flying fish sandwich ($4).
  • St. Maarten / St. Martin: We arrived at 3pm the first day and 4 other ships were in port. 15,000 guests were scrambling back to their ships as we left ours. We grabbed the bus ($2pp) to Marigot. It was rush hour and it took us almost an hour to get there. Had some pastries at Sarafina’s and walked around for a while and took the bus back. All the shops close at 6. On Day 2, we got a shared taxi ($7pp) at the port and headed Orient Beach. We walked a couple doors down from the dropoff to Orange Fever. Here we got 2 chairs, an umbrella, and 2 welcome drinks all for $16. Food was delicious and beers were $3 each or $14 for 6. Returned in a shared taxi ($7pp) and got dropped off in Philipsburg for some last-minute shopping. The walk between the ship and Philipsburg is an easy 15 minute walk.

Debarkation: We did self-debarkation so we could catch an early flight. Scheduled time was 7:30 so we got into line around 6:40. We were about 15th in line. By 7:00 the line was around 100. At 7:11 they opened the gates and we walked off. Customs wasn’t expecting us until 7:30 but they finally got some lanes opened up. We were through at 7:28, got a taxi ($13.30) and were checked in and at our gate at 8:00am!

 

We really liked the layout of the Equinox. Floors 3,4,5 are very easy to navigate and get to all of the bars and restaurants, and the pool deck is easy to get around as well. The ship was clean and the service was excellent. It was Spring break, but it appeared there were only 10-20 kids under the age of 20 on the boat. The officers made themselves available and mingled with the passengers. Thanks as always to all of the members of the Cruise Critic boards for the invaluable information that helped us make the most of this cruise. We’re sure we’ll be cruising again with Celebrity in the future.

 

Link to photos with some menus, daily schedules, etc: https://goo.gl/photos/yJuL7hKtLRbYvCc26

 

Thank you so much Dabeers1, we will be sailing in July. Excellent Review.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cachouonacruise Great Review Rare

cachouonacruise

Posted
Posted

Thank you very much for your review. My wife and I will be on our first Celebrity Cruise on the Solstice in May, which will be our fifth cruise. I really appreciated details provided on the different bars, dining venues, entertainment, embarkation and disembarkation processes. One thing not included in your review, is a comparison of your experience on Celebrity versus your previous cruises. Having sailed on Holland America and Royal Carribbean before, I would be very curious to know, how you perceived Celebrity in relation to your past experiences. If you have the time, I would appreciate any hind-sights you may have. Thank-you very much in advance!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dabeers1

dabeers1

Posted
  • Author
Posted
GREAT REVEIW, will be on the EQUINOX April 24th, 2017 & was wondering what time would be a great time to get to the Martine Bar before it gets too crowed?? I belive it opens at $pm

 

george35

I would say the bar top is generally full from 6pm on as people prepare for dinner or the show. There were other chairs and sofas available in the Martini bar area all the time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
griffy116

griffy116

Posted
Posted

I know there is a deck plan somewhere with this on it, but thought I could ask you now since you are on board. What deck will I find Cafe Al Bacio? I've seen the photos and my mouth waters each time. I feel like I'm going to spend a LOT of time there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MR_T

MR_T

Posted
Posted
I know there is a deck plan somewhere with this on it, but thought I could ask you now since you are on board. What deck will I find Cafe Al Bacio? I've seen the photos and my mouth waters each time. I feel like I'm going to spend a LOT of time there.

 

 

Deck 5

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...