Upgrade from C2 to AQ on Equinox

[ginza]

We are on Equinox in a few weeks -- paid $1049 for C2 mid ship - larger balcony. Can upgrade to AQ for $210 each -- not sure what to do...have not done AQ before. Also curious on caribbean cruise do you use the persian gardens? Thanks.

[Miaminice]

210 $ for AQ seems like a no brainer :)

Not because of the Persion Garden but because of Blu restaurant!

[srdancer]

Check the cabin reviews for aq on equinox. Many are under the pool and buffet and can be noisy very early am.

[Muushka]

We are a bit biased because we are among the few who did not care for Blu.

 

But....we adore the C2 cabins on the slant, deck 12. Close to the elevators, close to the pool area, quiet, we love it. We wouldn't up grade even if it was free.

If you haven't experienced this C2 cabin yet, I would hold onto it and go for Aqua next time. But that's just me. You'll have a great cruise either way.:)

[2onboardagain]

We were in AQ on Equinox in the Mediterranean under the pool deck and had no noise issues at all. Maybe that doesn't totally translate for a Caribbean cruise but we thought Blu and the shower in AQ were well worth it!

[ghstudio]

Aqua/Blu is nice, but only at a price you are comfortable with. We kind of think $10-15 a day pp is reasonable for the extras. You do have to be careful with aqua cabins because of (potential) noise from above. Try to find a cabin that's not under the pool deck, if possible. Concierge cabins tend to be in what I would consider "better" locations since they are generally between passenger room floors. Having said that, you can have what should be the quietest cabin in the world and then have neighbors who sit on their balcony all day and night with the door open and the TV playing music at full volume (has happened to us) so all you can do is take your best shot and hope....

[keesar]

We are on Equinox in a few weeks -- paid $1049 for C2 mid ship - larger balcony. Can upgrade to AQ for $210 each -- not sure what to do...have not done AQ before. Also curious on caribbean cruise do you use the persian gardens? Thanks.

 

$210 each would buy 4 nights of meals in Specialty Restaurants. That is something to consider. I would probably keep the larger balcony in C2 although I am a fan of Aqua Class. Blu is a nice dining option but it is by no meals a Specialty Restaurant.

[4cats4me]

Before doing so, check which cabins are available and then check the spread sheet here I. This forum and read comments regarding the cabins on deck 11. We always do AQ and have never had one of the infamous noisy cabins. Some A2s in the front section are quiet,

1501- 1529. Not sure about 1531. 1535-1547 get some bad reviews due to being under the Aqua spa kitchen. On the opposite side, you could be under a gym, so we stay away from 1502 onward.

The aforementioned cabins are on the bumpout, so you will always be able to get some sun.

 

For the A1s, those are all under a huge overhang, so you won't get sun on your balcony We have booked 1559 for our next cruise. That cabin is under a hot tub in the solarium, and our friends had 1557 on a cruise and it is right next door to 1559 and both are quiet rooms. Rooms under the solarium are quieter, except for the aforementioned rooms underneath the small Aqua cafe.

The noisiest rooms seem to be underneath the outdoor pool deck

And I think some rooms under the ocean view cafe get bad noise reports as well.

 

 

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[ginza]

Should have mentioned we are in cabin 6242 and the upgrade to AQ would put us in 1634. Thanks for all the comments so far. Also wondering if I should wait to see what happens with prices. Last week when I called they wanted $660 for both of us to upgrade, yesterday $420....

[4cats4me]

Should have mentioned we are in cabin 6242 and the upgrade to AQ would put us in 1634. Thanks for all the comments so far. Also wondering if I should wait to see what happens with prices. Last week when I called they wanted $660 for both of us to upgrade, yesterday $420....

 

 

 

1634 is good , as it is below other cabins

If you look at deck 12 above, you will see what I mean. [emoji3]

I would NOT wait to see about other prices, as it usually doesn't get much better than this unless you get an AQ guarantee, and you could end up anywhere. For a 10-day cruise you are essentially paying $20 more pp per day, which is cheaper than the cost of eating in specialty restaurants onboard, plus you get the spa.

That deal could disappear overnight, too.

We got in on a good deal last August for the Equinox, and were told the deal would be good for a month. Well. Deals are capacity controlled, and so many people signed up for this "deal" that the offer was yanked two weeks earlier than originally posted.

 

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[atlantagirl3833]

I would definitely go for AQ. I've been spoiled by AQ and Suites and just can't go below that class any more. Blu is fantastic. I've never had a meal in Blu that I didn't love. Our last Celebrity Cruise was on Reflection and we booked a Sky Suite to see if it was worth the price increase for Luminae and Michael's Club. Short answer, yes for Michael's Club, no for Luminae. In fact, we only ate in there one time and went to Blu or Murano the rest of the cruise. You won't regret going in Aqua Class!

[jelayne]

We got off the Equinox on Fruday and were in AQ. Blu has a new menu and the food and service were outstanding. Eleven nights and we didn't consider going to s Speciality Restaurant.

 

Jump on that upgrade you won't regret it.

[Duanerice1]

$210 each would buy 4 nights of meals in Specialty Restaurants. That is something to consider. I would probably keep the larger balcony in C2 although I am a fan of Aqua Class. Blu is a nice dining option but it is by no meals a Specialty Restaurant.

 

Agree with this. I am a Aqua fan but not sure I'd do it for an additional $420. I don't use the Persian Gardens and they are lacking. Not much to it. I like Blu but for $400 I could eat in a couple of nicer restaurants.

 

Either way you should have a GREAT time

[omarchs]

Food is so subjective, we also just got off the Equinox on Friday. We were in a A2. Room was nice, but we never stepped into Blu since we never liked the menus on nights we didn't have speciality reservations.

[BridgeMates]

I keep reading how wonderful Blu dining is. Is the meat better quality, more options, different desserts, etc? I'm assuming the dining room is smaller and quieter but just trying to determine what makes Blu so special. Thanks.

[Miaminice]

Blu is much relaxter and much more quiet than MDR. It is smaller and has a specialty dining feeling.

Service is fabulous and not rushed in any way.

 

The food is a bit more resouceful and maybe a bit healthier - I would not call it health food though.

In a nutshell: Blu is what gets 99,9 % addicted to AQ.

 

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[Cruise Raider]

Should have mentioned we are in cabin 6242 and the upgrade to AQ would put us in 1634. Thanks for all the comments so far. Also wondering if I should wait to see what happens with prices. Last week when I called they wanted $660 for both of us to upgrade, yesterday $420....

 

6242 is not a C2 -- it is a 2C category -- way different!! One is concierge and one is not. So, with the 2C, which is the one that is not concierge, you won't get the little concierge goodies anyway, which includes extra captain club status points.

My limit, for a 10 night cruise, to upgrade to AQ is $400 ... so in this case, I might go for it. If you are already in a concierge cabin, I probably would not. I know many say the perks thrown in for a concierge cabin are nothing to get excited about but I like some of them. I value the extra points, the footstool for the balcony and the pillow menu. I also like the priority boarding and such. You will also get all of these goodies with AQ, but will also receive Blu, Persian Gardens and relaxation lounge.

However, I love the location of 6242. We've stayed in 6240 before and it has been one of our favorite rooms! The balcony is larger and this may be your determining factor, there is an audible white noise in these rooms. We love that ... others might not.

1634 is not a bad choice for AQ but your balcony is going to be smaller than 6242 .. but you will have footstools. It will just be rather crowded out there. If you have friends you want to dine with that aren't in AQ or a suite, they will not be able to join you for dinner. You could, however, make arrangements to eat in the MDR or a specialty restaurant with them. I love Blu, I love those heated tile chairs in the Persian Gardens and love the Relaxation Lounge, which luckily for me, gets very little attention. I also love stretching out to take a nap on the balcony, much easier to do with footstools. I love the pillow menu and those shower heads in AQ are also fabulous. So, if given that option, if only $420 more, I might make the switch ... but only if $420 from a regular veranda ... not from concierge. And, would only pay that much more for a 10 night cruise, not a 7 night. Not sure how long your cruise is. Everyone has their limits, the $400 limit is mine, though. It really depends on how often you would use Persian Gardens and how much you need those extra captains club points, though, as you can purchase a lot of specialty restaurants for $420. Blu is great but Muranos, Silk Harvest and some claim the Tuscan are above and beyond.