Live Equinox 2/16/19

[hiccups]

We are taking our first X cruise on Equinox in June (first cruise after dry dock), so I'm enjoying your ship pictures to see the "before" version.  The dailies are really helpful, too!  We've sailed on Azamara the past few years and aren't used to having many activities, so it's nice to get an idea of what we might want to do.  Thanks for posting!

I wish we were doing this itinerary, but the June 1 western Caribbean fit into our schedule better.  I told my DH we kind of "lost out" because had we booked the June 8 cruise with the eastern Caribbean itinerary, we would have received an insurance payout with the port switch from Punta Cana to Tortola.  Normally I wouldn't be happy with a changed or missed port, but the insurance softens the blow.

[Cruiseluv19]

what is the gastro pub and have you tried the food?  is there a menu online?  just curious....

 

thanks again.

[h20cruzer]

10 hours ago, Cruiseluv19 said:

what is the gastro pub and have you tried the food?  is there a menu online?  just curious....

 

thanks again.

 

10 hours ago, Cruiseluv19 said:

what is the gastro pub and have you tried the food?  is there a menu online?  just curious....

 

thanks again.

Haven’t been there yet will try to get a copy of the menu for you.

[h20cruzer]

Thursday Feb 21.

i did not look at the daily for today before going to bed last night, oops had to turn clocks back an hour....

We were in Samana yesterday. I did not tender in, but heard comments from others about locals being to aggressive and nothing to do. I don’t know if there is any truth to that and caught me off guard when I head it. IMO. If there isn’t enough shopping some people are not happy. We had cocktails on our balcony, scenery was beautiful. Ocean looked pretty calm but the tenders were sure bouncing up and down like corks. We also ate outside at the ocean view cafe, it was not crowded and it was an Italian themed lunch. I thought they did a nice job.I got my fill of prosciutto!!!!

Then if course I had my afternoon nap. Went to the 7pm show called Uptown. It was good even bought their CD which is unusual for me. 

We were going to eat in the dining room but nothing appealed to us so back to Sushi on 5.

Kids went back to the kids club, they are very happy there, have made new friends and have a lot to do.

Today we are at sea, will probably to to the pool and just relax. Isn’t that what you are supposed to do on a cruise.

i haven’t made any purchases, seems the stores have the same thing as my last several cruises....

Casino isn’t dead... lots of players but still able to find a slot machine. I have last $40.00.

[mfs2k]

14 minutes ago, h20cruzer said:

Casino isn’t dead... lots of players but still able to find a slot machine. I have last $40.00.

 

You have your last $40 or you have lost $40?

The former is scary. The latter isn’t bad at all. 

[hcat]

Re first photo above .after the dailies...Is that the Liquor store, sep tasting area?  Looks interesting..but can't  quite figure it out...

[ghstudio]

Always interesting reading the daily events...

 

-a new activity: "Fine Jewelry Auction"

-lunches offered at both Tuscan and Murano on the same day

-$500 Blackjack Tournament?

-free drinks from 9am to late at casino for players on sea days

-Tag Heuer giveaway?

 

[ghstudio]

9 minutes ago, hcat said:

Re first photo above .after the dailies...Is that the Liquor store, sep tasting area?  Looks interesting..but can't  quite figure it out...

 

My guess is that's the area identified as the "lawn club shop" on deck plans which recently has been a Diageo brand liquor store..  

[mfs2k]

25 minutes ago, ghstudio said:

My guess is that's the area identified as the "lawn club shop" on deck plans which recently has been a Diageo brand liquor store..

 

Interesting if true.  One of Diageo's brands is Bulleit and Celebrity only carries Bulleit Rye.  Maybe they'll start carrying Bulleit bourbon, which is my fave.. 

[Pier290]

Would u be able to ask if they are getting rid of Sushi on 5 and the hot glass show post Revolution?   Or if there will be new entertainment shows post Revolution? Please and thank you!!

[Saturngrl]

Thank you for all of the photos and updates!  I can't believe it was just last week that my friend and I sailed on this ship.  We had SUCH a great time!   Loved Sushi on 5, Tuscan Grille and Silk Harvest.  Dinner in the MDR was always wonderful with Sannta being our best sommelier ever.  Elysium featured the wonderful actors, singers, dancers and acrobats....loved your photos of the stars there. 

 

Enjoy today and tomorrow...hard to believe the cruise week passes so quickly!

[hcat]

6 hours ago, ghstudio said:

 

My guess is that's the area identified as the "lawn club shop" on deck plans which recently has been a Diageo brand liquor store..  

Thanks.. i recall something up top that was having liquor events..forgot what it was before that.... they come and go!

[hcat]

On 2/19/2019 at 9:49 AM, h20cruzer said:

Some random pics from the last 2 days.

Love this...HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

[h20cruzer]

8 hours ago, mfs2k said:

 

You have your last $40 or you have lost $40?

The former is scary. The latter isn’t bad at all. 

 that’s what I get for not re-reading my post I have lost $40 thank God I’m not down to my last $40 ha ha .

Norma

[h20cruzer]

7 hours ago, mfs2k said:

 

Interesting if true.  One of Diageo's brands is Bulleit and Celebrity only carries Bulleit Rye.  Maybe they'll start carrying Bulleit bourbon, which is my fave.. 

It’s on deck 15 before you go out to glass blowing. It was closed when I took the pictures but it looks like a Johnny Walker store plus tasting room. I was on the Eclipse in November and they had nine WEst purses up there,  hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of purses .

[MartinsCruise]

On 2/18/2019 at 2:48 PM, h20cruzer said:

My favorite bartender is there, so I have been there every night!! Santos is the guy I am talking about.

Norma

We did a mixology class with him and had so much fun!  Do you know who else is tending bar with him?  I can't remember the names of the two women who were with him but the three of them were a great team!  We were there every night.  Enjoy the rest of your cruise!

[h20cruzer]

On 2/20/2019 at 11:08 AM, Cruiseluv19 said:

what is the gastro pub and have you tried the food?  is there a menu online?  just curious....

 

thanks again.

Here is the menu, there were a couple pages of wine but I didn’t take pictures of gnoses.

[h20cruzer]

Friday February 22 last day. Today we are in Nassau the Bahamas.The weather looks a little sketchy today the decks are wet but it doesn’t appear to be raining now as you’re pulling in and I see a lot of new construction.

My peeps are planning on going to a beach somewhere not sure where yet. I am staying on board and I’m going to pack up for the kids and myself and just relax by the pool. We have dinner reservations at the Tuscan Grill tonight one last big meal before we head home and back to work and out diets.

 Surprisingly getting a seat in Cafe Al Bacio has never been an issue.  this morning it was dead at 8:30 I will post a couple of pictures as proof ha ha Ha .

[h20cruzer]

[Cruiseluv19]

Thanks for the info about Gastrobar and all the pictures! Enjoy your last day! 

Cant wait to be on board.

 

[CruisinRoxy]

Thanks for all the pics! I am so sad to see the libraries be done away with! Such a relaxing place, refined and old fashioned concept  is a library. Really too bad.  Our room was directly across from it and I felt good just walking thru it every day!  

[h20cruzer]

On 2/21/2019 at 5:52 PM, MartinsCruise said:

We did a mixology class with him and had so much fun!  Do you know who else is tending bar with him?  I can't remember the names of the two women who were with him but the three of them were a great team!  We were there every night.  Enjoy the rest of your cruise!

There is only one girl working there, her name is Lalta.

[h20cruzer]

Saturday, Feb 23

We were off the ship so quickly this morning picked our luggage and through immigration in less than 20 minutes,  in an Uber by 8:20 and at the airport by about 8:45am. I was shocked how quickly everything movef this morning. We then went on to a Cuban restaurant for breakfast and Cuban coffee which was delicious. Then on to a hotel in Fort Lauderdale and a nap and a swim in the pool. We went to dinner early because we knew we had an early flight in the morning, at the Bonefish Grill. Dinner was excellent. When I get back home I will do a recap of the cruise and answer any questions anybody may have thank you all for reading.

Norma

 

Edited February 24, 2019 by h20cruzer
Duplicate entry

[4cats4me]

Thank you very much, Norma. I really enjoyed your blog! We will be onboard in October. 

[mattsmall1972]

I just got off this cruise with you and am home now. My 8-year old son named Will says he met your granddaughter in the Fun Factory, and I think that I saw you in the World Class Bar because my family met there every night before shows and dinner.  I got to know Lalta very well and took the mixology class with her and Santos. They are the best!

 

I have been on 5 Celebrity cruises so far and this one had the best service and food, by far.  The only problem with this cruise was the Semana port which was terrible.

 

Semana was sketchy at best. Without enough time to research and plan excusions, the only option was to go on the whale watching tour (offered by Celebrity) or  check out the town. The locals were aggressive and a taxi cost $5/person to town... a two-shop tourist trap literally three minutes from the port.

 

My brother’s family went to the whale museum and he said they felt like they were being herded to somewhere to be robbed and it was underwhelming.

 

I loved this boat but not the itinerary.  That was fine since I like to relax.

 

Glad you had fun.