Any advice for upcoming Equinox cruise?

[bEwAbG]

One thing I hadn't though about is tipping. If you have a drink package are you expected to tip every time you order a drink? I know the 18% is already included in the price but never having a drink package before I don't know what is the norm.

 

The gratuity is included in your package. You may tip extra if you want but it is not required.

[DENIE]

On our September 2017 Infinity cruise we found the Main Dining Room offerings quite satisfactory. Did not feel the need to go to any of the specialty dining restaurants. We only dined in the Oceanview a few times for breakfast and lunch, and it was fine. The breakfast in the Main Dining Room was terrific! You should be pleased with the offerings....

[miXterOB]

What date are you leaving?? We board the

Equinox the 25th

 

 

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The Nude cruise!

Lucky girl!

I'll wave at you as I'm boarding this Saturday 12/2

[lefy]

We just got back from our cruise & I have to say that Celebrity seems to be a step up in quality & service from the other lines I've traveled on so far. My wife loved it & said it was the best cruise she ever had. We plan on going Aqua class next year just to have the option of the extra restaurant but that is really more for me than my wife. The ship seemed to be less crowded that others we've traveled on too. All & all the trip was great so I'm only going to list the things that kept it from being perfect for me since we're planning on the same ship next year. The quality of the food was very good but I have to say I was disappointed in the variety & the amount of different places to eat on board as I expected. There is no 24 hr. place where you can even get a muffin or danish late night or early morning. Even though I'm in my late 60's I missed there not being any slides at the pools. The Equinox feels like the ship designed for older people so that's probably why we liked it so much but I wouldn't recommend it for my kids or any party type people.

[JaniceB]

What time do they close the food venues? Since room service charges after 11 is anything available?

[bEwAbG]

What time do they close the food venues? Since room service charges after 11 is anything available?

 

There is a late night spread in the buffet (not the full buffet but items to snack on) until around midnight or 1 (closing time depends on the cruise). The pizza & pasta station & salad bar is usually open slightly later (a half hour to an hour longer). The hours will be listed in the daily. I've seen the pizza & pasta station open until 2am on Reflection. You could also always take something from earlier in the day and keep it in your cabin if you wanted something late at night.

[nj356]

Hello Marliegirl

 

You have a small typo. If you leaving on the 25th you will be at the port wondering what happen to the ship, It will have sailed. My family and I are leaving on the 24th. This will be our first time on this ship and we are looking forward it being on it. Have a great time.

 

Norm

[lefy]

I'm sorry but when you have a ship with between 2000 to 3000 people on I find it lacking that there is not one place open all night where you can get even a danish to eat. I've been on ships half that size that had a 24 hr. place where you could even get hot meals off a limited menu. I usually only sleep about 6 or 7 hours. Some nights I fall asleep early & might get up early like 4am & some nights i have a hard time getting to sleep so i'll stay up till 2am. Not having a place to get a sandwich or bowl of soup at those times is a bit frustrating for me. Let's face it, it's all about the money & there are not enough people like myself that make it profitable for them to accommodate that small amount of people. I'm sure can they make a lot more money with another bar than an all night eatery.

[chemmo]

I'm sorry but when you have a ship with between 2000 to 3000 people on I find it lacking that there is not one place open all night where you can get even a danish to eat. I've been on ships half that size that had a 24 hr. place where you could even get hot meals off a limited menu. I usually only sleep about 6 or 7 hours. Some nights I fall asleep early & might get up early like 4am & some nights i have a hard time getting to sleep so i'll stay up till 2am. Not having a place to get a sandwich or bowl of soup at those times is a bit frustrating for me. Let's face it, it's all about the money & there are not enough people like myself that make it profitable for them to accommodate that small amount of people. I'm sure can they make a lot more money with another bar than an all night eatery.

 

Bars aren’t open all night either! If you book a suite all night room service is free....I think the cost if you are not in a suite is fairly minimal, hopefully someone will confirm the actual price. Whilst we have never used room service during the night we have used it regularly during the day and found it arrives promptly, hot and tasty! There is a good and varied choice. All of us have ‘additional extras’ we budget for during any vacation be it speciality wine, a top range malt...perhaps midnight snacks will be your ‘extra’!

 

Another option is as you move from Dining Room to bars mid evening when the buffet is still in full flow pop in and collect a few sandwiches, cheeses, salad, cookies....Stow in your room and enjoy at leisure! When we cruised with a very young son I used to take a Tupperware and fill with nibbles for better half and self to enjoy with a tipple on the balcony when our little one was fast asleep...

 

If you cruise with a partner and prefer a venue so your snacking doesn’t disturb your other half it may be worth a conversation to see if your room service could be delivered to an alternative venue....

 

Failing that, if it is really important for you I do suggest you book your next cruise with a line that can offer you an all night venue....

 

Re slides in pools. Again when our son was young we booked Carnival and RC for the slides, we book Celebrity now because they don’t have them.

 

If the lack of 24 hr dining and slides were both news to you on Celebrity a real message is, before taking your next cruise with a new line, to do a little more research first. All of us have things that are important to us and CC is a great site to ensure you know all about a cruise line and specific ship before you board.

 

Sincere best wishes for a great next cruise!

[lefy]

Bars aren’t open all night either! If you book a suite all night room service is free....I think the cost if you are not in a suite is fairly minimal, hopefully someone will confirm the actual price. Whilst we have never used room service during the night we have used it regularly during the day and found it arrives promptly, hot and tasty! There is a good and varied choice. All of us have ‘additional extras’ we budget for during any vacation be it speciality wine, a top range malt...perhaps midnight snacks will be your ‘extra’!

 

Another option is as you move from Dining Room to bars mid evening when the buffet is still in full flow pop in and collect a few sandwiches, cheeses, salad, cookies....Stow in your room and enjoy at leisure! When we cruised with a very young son I used to take a Tupperware and fill with nibbles for better half and self to enjoy with a tipple on the balcony when our little one was fast asleep...

 

If you cruise with a partner and prefer a venue so your snacking doesn’t disturb your other half it may be worth a conversation to see if your room service could be delivered to an alternative venue....

 

Failing that, if it is really important for you I do suggest you book your next cruise with a line that can offer you an all night venue....

 

Re slides in pools. Again when our son was young we booked Carnival and RC for the slides, we book Celebrity now because they don’t have them.

 

If the lack of 24 hr dining and slides were both news to you on Celebrity a real message is, before taking your next cruise with a new line, to do a little more research first. All of us have things that are important to us and CC is a great site to ensure you know all about a cruise line and specific ship before you board.

 

Sincere best wishes for a great next cruise!

 

I was just pointing out the negatives of the ship for me but I was in no way saying that I wouldn't want to cruise on the ship again. There were so many pluses on the ship that me & my wife already decided to book our next cruise on the same ship. None of the two points I brought up were deal breakers & I totally understand there not being any slides at the pools since the ship is geared to a more mature clientele. I just don't understand why a ship that nice doesn't have some kind of all night snack venue especially when you're geared to older people who are more likely to get up at very early hours. As for room service, that wouldn't work since the whole idea is getting out of the room so i don't wake up my wife while she's sleeping. If you remember my original assessment of the cruise ship it was very positive so I only wanted to point out the two things that kept it from being perfect.

[bEwAbG]

I think it would be a more valid complaint if they didn't offer anything at all, but with the option of room service or collecting muffins earlier to eat in your cabin later, I don't think you'll find much agreement with the position. It would be a tiny percentage of people who would go to a 24-hr dining venue at 3 or 4am. I find it more egregious that they only have limited hours in the full service dining rooms, honestly. Yet I've somehow never gone hungry.

 

The lack of slides is a selling point for many. :)

[crash3x]

My hubby and I enjoy the sandwiches and cheese plates from room service. On sea days we enjoy a break from the busy deck and buffet. We also enjoy doing breakfast and lunch in MDR ...meals are good and it is quieter and less confusion going on than the buffet.

[JaniceB]

There is a late night spread in the buffet (not the full buffet but items to snack on) until around midnight or 1 (closing time depends on the cruise). The pizza & pasta station & salad bar is usually open slightly later (a half hour to an hour longer). The hours will be listed in the daily. I've seen the pizza & pasta station open until 2am on Reflection. You could also always take something from earlier in the day and keep it in your cabin if you wanted something late at night.

 

Thanks for this information.

[shelling4life]

My husband and I were on the very large ship Oasis...Deck 8 I believe which had a park. They had complimentary eatery that offered hot sandwiches, panini, salads, desserts...it was delicious. Does Getaway offer a location like this...it was delicious,

[shelling4life]

We are booked for Maya Chan..never been there. Setting us up with the Taco Palapa...has anyone tried this area? In the buffet area a few rows back. Supposedly where they bring the ships crew for decent internet. Beach chairs also located near beach. It does look like an enjoyable stay for the day. Has anyone tried the fish on the buffet?

[kands6191]

We are booked for Maya Chan..never been there. Setting us up with the Taco Palapa...has anyone tried this area? In the buffet area a few rows back. Supposedly where they bring the ships crew for decent internet. Beach chairs also located near beach. It does look like an enjoyable stay for the day. Has anyone tried the fish on the buffet?

Maya Chan has fabulous food and excellent service and drinks. Everything about it is top notch. The only thing we did not like was the trash that was floating in the ocean. I mean plastic bags, bits of broken up plastic, that sort of stuff. I thought it was gross and I just couldn't get in the water. On the van ride there we noticed that the beaches had about a 3 foot wide swath of trash that had washed up on the sand. Maya Chan raked their beach so the sand was nice but the water was terrible. I don't know if this is a seasonal thing but we were there in February.

 

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[like2cruise]

I didn't take your comments Lefy as a negative. You made it clear that you rebooked and was happy with your experiences...there were just a couple things you would have preferred. We have sailed Celebrity for several years. We have lots of things we prefer. We prefer the food options that used to be on the menu in the MDR such as Lamb Shank and Ahi Tuna. We miss the special fancy lunch buffet they used to have with the big chocolate fountains on the last sea day. However, there are plenty of things we like that keep us booking Celebrity. I may be wrong, but isn't Cafe al Bacio still a 24 hour option that offers some simple snacks like cake, cookies and muffins.

[lefy]

I didn't take your comments Lefy as a negative. You made it clear that you rebooked and was happy with your experiences...there were just a couple things you would have preferred. We have sailed Celebrity for several years. We have lots of things we prefer. We prefer the food options that used to be on the menu in the MDR such as Lamb Shank and Ahi Tuna. We miss the special fancy lunch buffet they used to have with the big chocolate fountains on the last sea day. However, there are plenty of things we like that keep us booking Celebrity. I may be wrong, but isn't Cafe al Bacio still a 24 hour option that offers some simple snacks like cake, cookies and muffins.

 

Actually my thoughts exactly were that the Cafe al Bacio should be open 24 hrs. but it is not. It was one of our favorite places. I can't remember what the hours were but it wasn't open all night. That would be a great idea.

[shelling4life]

My husband and I were on the very large ship Oasis...Deck 8 I believe which had a park. They had complimentary eatery that offered hot sandwiches, panini, salads, desserts...it was delicious. Does Getaway offer a location like this...it was delicious,

Sorry, I mean't the Equinox. We are sailing the Getaway the week after our Equinox cruise. Im also going to try and find nice sandwich and salad complimentary areas to dine on Getaway as well.

Thank you.

[lefy]

Sorry, I mean't the Equinox. We are sailing the Getaway the week after our Equinox cruise. Im also going to try and find nice sandwich and salad complimentary areas to dine on Getaway as well.

Thank you.

 

The quality of the food on the Equinox was very good but besides the MDR & the main buffet there isn't anywhere else that I can think of to get sandwiches. They do a have place by the pool that serves hot dogs & hamburgers for a limited time. The Cafe al Bacio has some nice desserts that are complimentary but the Equinox was definitely not designed for people who like to eat at a lot of different venues. If there's some place that I missed on the Equinox I hope someone will chime in because we're planning on going on it again this year. It's still my wife's favorite ship & we sailed on the Oasis a few years ago too.

[ldgiff]

Which nights on Western Equinox itinerary are "casual chic"?

[louhut]

The quality of the food on the Equinox was very good but besides the MDR & the main buffet there isn't anywhere else that I can think of to get sandwiches. They do a have place by the pool that serves hot dogs & hamburgers for a limited time. The Cafe al Bacio has some nice desserts that are complimentary but the Equinox was definitely not designed for people who like to eat at a lot of different venues. If there's some place that I missed on the Equinox I hope someone will chime in because we're planning on going on it again this year. It's still my wife's favorite ship & we sailed on the Oasis a few years ago too.

 

 

 

Just want you to know I still did not lose weight on our cruises. I seemed to find enough to eat to keep my fighting weight.

 

 

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[like2cruise]

Which nights on Western Equinox itinerary are "casual chic"?

 

Sunday (Key West) & Wednesday (Cozumel)