Equinox Revolution

[vtcruising]

1 minute ago, MissLittle1959 said:

That's good to know, so thank you for that, but I don't understand why you would have to ask if it's a perk of those cabins.  Even if it is that way, Celebrity should be the ones to tell us.  

True, the cabin attendant should ask if and when you would like your sparkling wine. We have had them do that, which is better for us - if we get a bottle on ice right away, the label is often falling off by the time we use it.

[MissLittle1959]

17 minutes ago, vtcruising said:

True, the cabin attendant should ask if and when you would like your sparkling wine. We have had them do that, which is better for us - if we get a bottle on ice right away, the label is often falling off by the time we use it.

I can't argue with that!  This is why I research the death out of a vacation so I know what I'm getting into.  And this is why these boards are so valuable.  We don't go until November 30th so I should be well informed. lol

[lhsail]

26 minutes ago, vtcruising said:

True, the cabin attendant should ask if and when you would like your sparkling wine. We have had them do that, which is better for us - if we get a bottle on ice right away, the label is often falling off by the time we use it.

We just upgraded to Concierge for our August cruise and will have the drink package so not sure I even want this, but if it was in the cabin and chilled when we arrived it would probably be opened. Does orange juice make it tolerable?  

[MissLittle1959]

8 minutes ago, lhsail said:

We just upgraded to Concierge for our August cruise and will have the drink package so not sure I even want this, but if it was in the cabin and chilled when we arrived it would probably be opened. Does orange juice make it tolerable?  

wouldn't that sort of be a mimosa?  Worth a try!

[mari10]

1 hour ago, VikingRob said:

Yes! They no longer bring it until you ask for it. When you ask for it they bring it chilled in a bucket of ice. 

On our June 1st Equinox Cruise, our cabin attendant asked us which night we would like to have the sparkling wine. We asked for the 6th night and it was waiting for us around 4:00P chilled with 2 champagne glasses. 

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

1 hour ago, MissLittle1959 said:

I can't argue with that!  This is why I research the death out of a vacation so I know what I'm getting into.  And this is why these boards are so valuable.  We don't go until November 30th so I should be well informed. lol

 

Yes! Somehow I missed this as a perk of Aqua Class! Making a note to ask for it on embarkation day so I can enjoy a glass or two sailing away on my verandah!

[chamima]

2 hours ago, lhsail said:

We just upgraded to Concierge for our August cruise and will have the drink package so not sure I even want this, but if it was in the cabin and chilled when we arrived it would probably be opened. Does orange juice make it tolerable?  

 

 

If you have the drink package the sparkling wine makes a nice little gift for your favorite crew member.

Even if they don't drink they can trade it for something they DO want.

(And we do NOT count that as part of our tip to that person!)

[toddmanka]

4 hours ago, chamima said:

 

 

If you have the drink package the sparkling wine makes a nice little gift for your favorite crew member.

Even if they don't drink they can trade it for something they DO want.

(And we do NOT count that as part of our tip to that person!)

Just got off Equinox . Forget about eating on balcony . New tables you can fit one plate and one glass. Phones internet and TV , down half of the cruise.

Footstools gone, smell every night when you went to bed . Don’t know if it was the pillow cases sheets or headboards. I have been on Silhouette 3 times and going on Reflection in March. Celebrity should have spent there 500 million elsewhere.

No more Equinox. Moved all the slot machines in Casino  You can barely walk in the aisles  Nice tables in  casino bar. But if you are looking to watch any sporting event that’s not on ESPN forget it. Great place for everyone that wants to watch Cricket 

 

 

 

 

[39august]

That's always been the case in the casino bar. 

[FlyingAnchor]

9 hours ago, albi said:

and enjoyed good food and great service in BLU.

We love Blu and are excited with the latest promotion we were able to upgrade to Aqua for our Equinox cruise next year. This is our first sailing on a Solstice class ship. What is the Blu restaurant like on Equinox? On Constellation/Summit it always had lots of window seats and was fairly well sized. On EDGE, I don't remember many (any?) window seats and it seemed small in comparison. Not complaining, just an observation! We've always enjoyed a nice view out the window of the sun setting during our dinners in Blu on Constellation and Summit. 

[keesar]

18 minutes ago, s5cmh170 said:

We love Blu and are excited with the latest promotion we were able to upgrade to Aqua for our Equinox cruise next year. This is our first sailing on a Solstice class ship. What is the Blu restaurant like on Equinox? On Constellation/Summit it always had lots of window seats and was fairly well sized. On EDGE, I don't remember many (any?) window seats and it seemed small in comparison. Not complaining, just an observation! We've always enjoyed a nice view out the window of the sun setting during our dinners in Blu on Constellation and Summit. 

 

If you want really nice views, book Tuscan Grill.  Views are spectacular.  In Blu, the tables are rather close together. If the sun is coming into the dining room, the curtains come down. That is the decision of the maitre d'.   Food is very good in Blu but there are fewer choices than in the MDR.  Breakfast is outstanding in Blu.

[FlyingAnchor]

5 minutes ago, keesar said:

If you want really nice views, book Tuscan Grill.

Thank you for the heads up! We have some OBC to use on this upcoming sailing so I'd definitely like to book some specialty dining. We haven't done La Petite Chef yet, so that will be on the list, as well! 

Also, we've never done breakfast in Blu despite almost all of our Celebrity sailings being in Aqua class. We always opt for room service! I'll make sure we give it a try this time. I appreciate your recommendations! 

Edited June 16, 2019 by s5cmh170

[81Zoomie]

On 6/13/2019 at 8:10 AM, hiccups said:

I'm not sure if we had a new mattress in our cabin on Equinox, but it was pretty hard.  Both my husband and I said if the "pillow top" portion was a little thicker, that would have helped tremendously.  A recent foot surgery has left me with some IT band/sciatic nerve issues, and I woke up several times each night because the mattress had no "give" and was putting pressure on those areas.

I wish they just bought Marriott mattresses. They are awesome 👍

[4cats4me]

9 hours ago, toddmanka said:

Just got off Equinox . Forget about eating on balcony . New tables you can fit one plate and one glass. Phones internet and TV , down half of the cruise.

Footstools gone, smell every night when you went to bed . Don’t know if it was the pillow cases sheets or headboards. I have been on Silhouette 3 times and going on Reflection in March. Celebrity should have spent there 500 million elsewhere.

No more Equinox. Moved all the slot machines in Casino  You can barely walk in the aisles  Nice tables in  casino bar. But if you are looking to watch any sporting event that’s not on ESPN forget it. Great place for everyone that wants to watch Cricket 

 

 

 

 

This concerns me, as I saw a picture today on social media depicting aqua balcony with tiny tiny the size of a small pizza and chairs WITHOUT the footstools, which I very much look forward to.  Since Aqua has taken away the daily water, the fun amenities in the bathroom and now the table and the foot stools, I think we will call our TA tomorrow and cancel this one and book on Princess instead, where we will get foot stools and the cruise will cost half, plus we won’t have to fly.   Too bad.  We were really looking forward to the refurbished equinox , but the pictures of those very square,  sharp  uncomfortable looking balcony chairs and tiny  table”ette” and the missing foot stools are the last straw for us.  The whole thing is ridiculous, because where are the  supposed upgraded Aqua amenities in cabin? I am not talking about Blu.  I want in-cabin amenities as listed in the brochure.  

[Cruise a holic]

2 hours ago, 4cats4me said:

This concerns me, as I saw a picture today on social media depicting aqua balcony with tiny tiny the size of a small pizza and chairs WITHOUT the footstools, which I very much look forward to.  Since Aqua has taken away the daily water, the fun amenities in the bathroom and now the table and the foot stools, I think we will call our TA tomorrow and cancel this one and book on Princess instead, where we will get foot stools and the cruise will cost half, plus we won’t have to fly.   Too bad.  We were really looking forward to the refurbished equinox , but the pictures of those very square,  sharp  uncomfortable looking balcony chairs and tiny  table”ette” and the missing foot stools are the last straw for us.  The whole thing is ridiculous, because where are the  supposed upgraded Aqua amenities in cabin? I am not talking about Blu.  I want in-cabin amenities as listed in the brochure.  

IMO you cannot compare Princess with Celebrity- Yes they changed the size of the table and balcony furniture, but the Princess ships have much less to offer.  The adult pool area on Celebrity is so much better then Princess as is the food and all of the venues.  We found Princess to be slipping and not cleaned well.  I would book a regular balcony on Celebrity and eat a couple of times with the money saved in Specialty restaurants- Also the all inclusive packages on Celebrity make it a much better buy!  

 

Not sure about the flying issue, except if you live on the west coast.  

 

Enjoy your cruise whatever you decide.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

2 hours ago, 4cats4me said:

This concerns me, as I saw a picture today on social media depicting aqua balcony with tiny tiny the size of a small pizza and chairs WITHOUT the footstools, which I very much look forward to.  Since Aqua has taken away the daily water, the fun amenities in the bathroom and now the table and the foot stools, I think we will call our TA tomorrow and cancel this one and book on Princess instead, where we will get foot stools and the cruise will cost half, plus we won’t have to fly.   Too bad.  We were really looking forward to the refurbished equinox , but the pictures of those very square,  sharp  uncomfortable looking balcony chairs and tiny  table”ette” and the missing foot stools are the last straw for us.  The whole thing is ridiculous, because where are the  supposed upgraded Aqua amenities in cabin? I am not talking about Blu.  I want in-cabin amenities as listed in the brochure.  

 

What amenities are you talking about?

 

And can anyone who is in Aqua (or has been recently) confirm that?

[albi]

We wonder if  anyone tried getting a foot stool from their cabin steward?  I see guests have requested and received a lounger for the larger balconies?

Hope Celebrity responds to our concerns as they are doing on the Edge.

Oh well, won’t let this ruin an otherwise positive experience.

 

 

[chamima]

2 hours ago, 4cats4me said:

This concerns me, as I saw a picture today on social media depicting aqua balcony with tiny tiny the size of a small pizza and chairs WITHOUT the footstools, which I very much look forward to.  Since Aqua has taken away the daily water, the fun amenities in the bathroom and now the table and the foot stools, I think we will call our TA tomorrow and cancel this one and book on Princess instead, where we will get foot stools and the cruise will cost half, plus we won’t have to fly.   Too bad.  We were really looking forward to the refurbished equinox , but the pictures of those very square,  sharp  uncomfortable looking balcony chairs and tiny  table”ette” and the missing foot stools are the last straw for us.  The whole thing is ridiculous, because where are the  supposed upgraded Aqua amenities in cabin? I am not talking about Blu.  I want in-cabin amenities as listed in the brochure.  

 

17 minutes ago, Cruise a holic said:

IMO you cannot compare Princess with Celebrity- Yes they changed the size of the table and balcony furniture, but the Princess ships have much less to offer.  The adult pool area on Celebrity is so much better then Princess as is the food and all of the venues.  We found Princess to be slipping and not cleaned well.  I would book a regular balcony on Celebrity and eat a couple of times with the money saved in Specialty restaurants- Also the all inclusive packages on Celebrity make it a much better buy!  

 

Not sure about the flying issue, except if you live on the west coast.  

 

Enjoy your cruise whatever you decide.

 

 

I agree with 4cats4me.

We sail with both Princess and Celebrity.

I don't think Princess has "much less to offer".

Yes, some of the Princess ships don't have the indoor pool but some do.

The ships are just as clean and the food is similar - I know that's objective but we've found the food varies from cruise to cruise depending on the chefs. We've even done back to backs where the same dish has changed in flavor and presentation.

We find the crew on Princess seem to be happier.

There is a LOT more to do in the evening on Princess.

 

We will REALLY miss the normal size table and the ottomans (foot stools) on our Aqua balcony.

4cats4me - I hope you let Celebrity know of your displeasure rather than just leaving. This is something easily remedied if they want to.

[mari10]

19 minutes ago, albi said:

We wonder if  anyone tried getting a foot stool from their cabin steward?  I see guests have requested and received a lounger for the larger balconies?

Hope Celebrity responds to our concerns as they are doing on the Edge.

Oh well, won’t let this ruin an otherwise positive experience.

 

We were in concierge class on the June 1st class and asked our cabin attendant about getting us foot stools. According to him, they were gone as they did not match the new furniture. We asked for 2 loungers instead which he provided. Luckily we had a hump balcony to accommodate the loungers as well as the existing chairs ( which do recline a bit) , the small cocktail table and the table from inside as well. 

[MissLittle1959]

Oh my goodness.  I’m so glad I don’t take a cruise for footstools and tables on the balcony.  That is the least of our worries.  We are spoiled by the entertainment on royal and I don’t think we will get the same on celebrity but everyone we talk to says celebrity is the best so we are giving it a shot.  Thankfully we chose this ship for it’s good reviews and itinerary for our November 30th cruise. 

[lhsail]

3 hours ago, 4cats4me said:

This concerns me, as I saw a picture today on social media depicting aqua balcony with tiny tiny the size of a small pizza and chairs WITHOUT the footstools, which I very much look forward to.  Since Aqua has taken away the daily water, the fun amenities in the bathroom and now the table and the foot stools, I think we will call our TA tomorrow and cancel this one and book on Princess instead, where we will get foot stools and the cruise will cost half, plus we won’t have to fly.   Too bad.  We were really looking forward to the refurbished equinox , but the pictures of those very square,  sharp  uncomfortable looking balcony chairs and tiny  table”ette” and the missing foot stools are the last straw for us.  The whole thing is ridiculous, because where are the  supposed upgraded Aqua amenities in cabin? I am not talking about Blu.  I want in-cabin amenities as listed in the brochure.  

We cruise both Celebrity and Princess and are happy on either. Word of caution if you are planning to book Princess, they are taking the side chairs and coffee tables out of the standard balcony cabins.  So, unless you book a mini-suite there is no additional seating in the cabin, other than the desk chair, no place to put your room service coffee, etc. We are sailing in a balcony cabin for a month next year on Princess and this is going to be uncomfortable. Unfortunately, the price on the Australia leg of the trip has skyrocketed since we booked and moving up to a mini-suite is just not cost justified. All mainstream cruise lines seem to be cutting something. 

[lhsail]

18 hours ago, chamima said:

 

 

If you have the drink package the sparkling wine makes a nice little gift for your favorite crew member.

Even if they don't drink they can trade it for something they DO want.

(And we do NOT count that as part of our tip to that person!)

Great idea. Thank you. 

[deliver42]

As per the table and chairs in cabins. We just got off the Ruby in May, and the table was in our room on arrival. I jokingly asked guest services about the chair, and by late afternoon we had one.

[lhsail]

12 minutes ago, deliver42 said:

As per the table and chairs in cabins. We just got off the Ruby in May, and the table was in our room on arrival. I jokingly asked guest services about the chair, and by late afternoon we had one.

Interesting as others have posted they are no longer anywhere on the ship so no chance of getting one. We’ve actually talked about taking a cheap camping table and leaving it behind, bringing a balcony chair inside, etc. We’ll have to come up with something for a month. 

Edited June 16, 2019 by lhsail

[hrhdhd]

1 hour ago, MissLittle1959 said:

Oh my goodness.  I’m so glad I don’t take a cruise for footstools and tables on the balcony.  That is the least of our worries.  We are spoiled by the entertainment on royal and I don’t think we will get the same on celebrity but everyone we talk to says celebrity is the best so we are giving it a shot.

 

Well, I don't cruise for the entertainment, so I guess I can care about the balcony furniture. 😉