CELEBRITY EQUINOX WESTERN CARIBBEAN 7/27/19-8/3/19

[MisterMet]

32 minutes ago, MJSailors said:

        Thank you for your review of the cruise  that obviously you and Mrs. Met enjoyed very much .

Interesting that the Equinox did not go through a complete “Edgification” during drydock, but that the elegant design and the decor of the ship was allowed to remain. Hoping the same for the Summit as we like to sail on her from NJ to Bermuda.It is convenient for us without having to fly to a port.

        As my DH and I are booked into the Fort Lauderdale Marina  Hilton for a three night per-cruise stay in a tower room,I was pleased to read about your hotel experience there.  Would you mind telling me the number of the room you had so I can hopefully choose a room with a good view using the app to check in before our arrival at the hotel ?

It was encouraging to read of a good experience at the hotel as I have read some negative reviews of it on Trip Advisor.

        Wishing you and Mrs. Met continued good days.😎

 

We really had a good experience there.  We were in room 804 and overlooked the causeway and port.  The amenities were nice, the room was spacious, clean and had lots of amenities, and you can't beat the location.  Try the 15th Street Fisheries for dinner.  You won't be disappointed.  Thanks for following along.

[MisterMet]

SAT. 8/3 FT. LAUDERDALE DISEMBARKATION

 

We reported to our designated Concierge Class disembarkation spot (Silhouette Dining Room Deck 4) and waited for our time to be called( 8:40) I think.  By the time we got there, Concierge Host Ross announce that luggage tags 19 were all set to go and we could leave the ship when ready.  As usual, Captain Kate McCue was thanking guests for sailing the Equinox on the gangway.  This is one of the areas in which Celebrity exceeds other lines in optics.  We've been on many other lines and have never seen the bridge officers so visible throughout a cruise.  This was our third Celebrity cruise and we saw the bridge officers many times throughout all our voyages.

 

We got caught up for a bit in the terminal as the disembarkation process came to a bit of a halt due to the facial recognition monitors failing.  There was a backup on the second floor of the terminal to allow the immigration officers to catch up processing passengers.  Once the luggage numbers were called, we simply showed the immigration officer our passport, collected our luggage, called the Park-n-Fly for shuttle pick up and were on the road home to Naples by about 10:00.  We walked through the door of our house to a rather excited Golden Retriever named Graziella who showered us with kisses and love for about 10 minutes.  A wonderful week of cruising the Caribbean had come to an end.  Here are some final thoughts on a tremendous time aboard the Equinox:

 

Concierge Class Experience:

 

We love the extra perks including the Embarkation lunch in the MDR.  The Afternoon Canapes were delicious, however, we would recommend that they give you at least toothpicks or a fork or two to eat them.  Yes, some of the treats were chip type things, others were not though.  Our ONLY issue of the trip.  That's it.  You can trade the sparkling wine for red or white if you wish.  We took advantage of the pillow menu.  It helped my wife's GIRD issue and my allergies.  The preferred Select Dining times in the MDR helped fit our schedule as well.  It was also nice enjoying our bigger balcony.

 

Cabin

 

The cabin was spacious enough that we didn't run into each other, but not so big that there was wasted space.  There is SO much storage space that we had room enough for everything we brought.  The over the bed bins were very helpful.  Bring some magnet hooks to hang hats or tee shirts.  Electrical outlets are limited, so try to bring ones that have multiple USB ports.  There are only 2 outlets on the desk and no outlets next to the beds.  The bathroom has lots of storage and the shower has lots of room and sliding doors instead of a flimsy curtain.  The shower head had great spray and lots of pressure.

 

The balcony was rather roomy.  The smaller table wasn't really a problem and we didn't miss the footstools.   Our aft facing balcony was a great place at night to lull yourself to sleep watching the ships' wake.  If you've never booked an aft cabin, we highly recommend it.

 

Dining

 

We found the food throughout the ship to be quite good especially in the MDR.  The entree selections were interesting and varied.  There was never an evening either of us struggled to find something to enjoy from the appetizers, salads, or entrees.  The OVC served up very good food as well.  We ate there mostly in the morning, but did have lunch there once.  The late night pizza is good.  Ice cream and desserts are great.  I had read some on CC panning the desserts, but I thought they were great.  Just ask my waistline if I liked them or not!  LOL😮.  The burgers and dogs and the Mast Grill were tasty to say the least, and I don't need to tell you how good the gelato and dolce in the Cafe al Bacio were.

 

Specialty Dining

 

The three Specialty restaurants we visitied (LePetite Chef at QSine, Murano, and Tuscan Grille) all were worth the up charge.  We did buy the package prior to boarding for $129 pp so we saved money by buying it.  We enjoyed the "show" at LPC and I especially enjoyed Murano's atmosphere and unique menu, while DW fancied Tuscan Grille.  Would definitely eat in any of the three again.

 

Activities

 

There was never a time when there wasn't something to do if you wanted to on the Equinox.  Whether it was trivia, art, wine tasting, dance classes, live music, hanging out by the outdoor pool, hanging out by the indoor pool, going to the spa, sleeping on the promenade deck in a deck chair, jogging, sipping cocktails at a bar, you could be engaged or as disengaged as you wanted.  The entertainment staff did a great job of offering just about anything you could imagine doing and most of it was really fun or interesting.  

 

Entertainment

 

The on-board entertainment was truly outstanding.  Sashi, the solo guitarist and Drift Duo were acoustic entertainers who played everything from 60's to today's pop with style and flare.  The top flight comedians Carl Banks and Steve Bruner kept us laughing, vocalist Jesse Hamilton wowed us with his vocal range, and house band Nu Image were great whatever venue they were playing in.  We skipped production shows Topper and Elysium as we had seen them on our September 2018 cruise and didn't feel we needed to see them a second time.

 

Excursions

 

Our Celebrity booked excursions Chacchoben Mayan Ruins in Costa Maya and 3 Reef Snorkel Tour in Cozumel were well run, professionally guided, and we felt were a good value.  We would definitely book these excursions again through Celebrity.

 

Public Areas

 

Our favorite areas to hang our were Cafe al Bacio on Deck 5, the Solarium pool, Ensemble Lounge, Passport Bar, and Sky Lounge.  All the public areas on this ship are beautifully decorated and very modern looking.  That's one of the things that attracts us to Celebrity in general.  The modern decor.

 

Service

 

From our cabin attendant Putra, Concierge Host Ross, MDR staff Herickson, Wutelais, Mervin, Gelato Hostess Bettina, and all the other wonderful crew and staff, we were treated so well from the second we stepped on the ship.  Everyone, we mean EVERYONE, was so friendly and helpful everywhere we turned.   From the Captain down to the bathroom attendant, everyone was smiling, happy, and seemed genuinely interested in helping you in some way.  Coming from two people in the service business, it was nice to see.

 

 

Since this was our third cruise with Celebrity, and second on the Equinox, I was wondering if we would be able to look a bit more objectively at this cruise and Celebrity as a whole given our familiarity with the line and the Equinox.  I think we can say we have done that.  Yes, we really like Celebrity.  Yes, we really like the Equinox.  However, it is only because from what we have seen, tasted, felt, heard, and experienced that we can say that we will continue to sail with Celebrity and would not hesitate for a second to sail on the beautiful Equinox. 

 

 

I/we hope this review helps you in your cruising plans in some way.  Please let me know if there's any questions you may have and I'll do my best to answer them for you.  Thanks for taking the time to read along.

 

Don't Postpone the Joy

 

MisterMet

 

aka Trip

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[farmermd]

👍

[Bimmer09]

On 8/5/2019 at 9:11 PM, MisterMet said:

With bellies full, we tried our hand at dancing at the Full Moon Party on the Pool Deck.  Maarten the Cruise Director really got the crowd rocking and everyone was enjoying a full blown raucous bash.  It was a total blast!  He is by far the best Cruise Director we've encountered over our many cruises.  Great energy and ability to get everyone enthused to participate.  It was a great day overall.

 

 

Hi Trip and thanks for the link to your new review!

Have to agree that Maarten is a fun cruise director as we enjoyed his enthusiasm on the Reflection in 2017.

Thanks for so many great pictures included. Those skies as you left Ft Lauderdale-yikes!

I am following along and am particularly interested in your food comments, especially the MDR selections. We will mainly do Specialty dinners on our upcoming Silhouette cruise but will hit the MDR for breakfast and a sea-day lunch or two.

Lawn Club Grill will be our first dinner aboard as we leave Southampton.

Norris

[MisterMet]

3 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

 

Hi Trip and thanks for the link to your new review!

Have to agree that Maarten is a fun cruise director as we enjoyed his enthusiasm on the Reflection in 2017.

Thanks for so many great pictures included. Those skies as you left Ft Lauderdale-yikes!

I am following along and am particularly interested in your food comments, especially the MDR selections. We will mainly do Specialty dinners on our upcoming Silhouette cruise but will hit the MDR for breakfast and a sea-day lunch or two.

Lawn Club Grill will be our first dinner aboard as we leave Southampton.

Norris

Norris,

 

Thanks for checking this review out.  The LCG is the one thing I wish the Equinox had.  I think outdoor dining in the Caribbean year round would be perfect!  Enjoy the cruise and as always I’ll be looking forward to your review.

 

Trip

[Bimmer09]

11 minutes ago, MisterMet said:

Norris,

 

Thanks for checking this review out.  The LCG is the one thing I wish the Equinox had.  I think outdoor dining in the Caribbean year round would be perfect!  Enjoy the cruise and as always I’ll be looking forward to your review.

 

Trip

 

Trip I am just on page 2 and see that already you are finished by page 4!

LCG is one of my favorite places at sea and that fact that only the Silhouette and Reflection have it means I will be less likely to sail on the other 3 S-Class ships. Also they don't have the Alcoves which we rent in warm climates and enjoy although they are lame compared to the Sanctuary on Princess. I have zero interest in the Edge class- some dim-bulb ideas in designing  and furnishing that, but would sail an M class if the itinerary compelled.

I very much liked the  Azamara experience but Cuba had a part to play in how memorable that cruise was.

Outdoor dining or drinking is my favorite thing ever and the LCG location can't be beat!

Norris, who will be armed to the teeth with cameras and lenses come September.

[MisterMet]

27 minutes ago, Bimmer09 said:

 

Trip I am just on page 2 and see that already you are finished by page 4!

LCG is one of my favorite places at sea and that fact that only the Silhouette and Reflection have it means I will be less likely to sail on the other 3 S-Class ships. Also they don't have the Alcoves which we rent in warm climates and enjoy although they are lame compared to the Sanctuary on Princess. I have zero interest in the Edge class- some dim-bulb ideas in designing  and furnishing that, but would sail an M class if the itinerary compelled.

I very much liked the  Azamara experience but Cuba had a part to play in how memorable that cruise was.

Outdoor dining or drinking is my favorite thing ever and the LCG location can't be beat!

Norris, who will be armed to the teeth with cameras and lenses come September.

Norris

 

The Equinox added these things that are in the shape of drops of water droplets that you can rent on the lawn.  I think they were $99 on port days and $249 on sea days.  They fit maybe 4 people at most.  More than roomy enough for 2 though.

 

Pam’s review of our Equinox ABC cruise last September took up most of my material and pictures of the ship.  I was hoping to talk a bit about the “Edgification” of the ship, but honestly it was mostly decorative and a lot of it I didn’t really even notice that much.  There were a few new things here and there like the Suite áreas by the pool deck and Retreat Lounge, but since we weren’t in a Suite this cruise, I had no access to those areas.

 

Trip

[MisterMet]

On 8/9/2019 at 9:25 PM, MisterMet said:

SAT. 8/3 FT. LAUDERDALE DISEMBARKATION

 

We reported to our designated Concierge Class disembarkation spot (Silhouette Dining Room Deck 4) and waited for our time to be called( 8:40) I think.  By the time we got there, Concierge Host Ross announce that luggage tags 19 were all set to go and we could leave the ship when ready.  As usual, Captain Kate McCue was thanking guests for sailing the Equinox on the gangway.  This is one of the areas in which Celebrity exceeds other lines in optics.  We've been on many other lines and have never seen the bridge officers so visible throughout a cruise.  This was our third Celebrity cruise and we saw the bridge officers many times throughout all our voyages.

 

We got caught up for a bit in the terminal as the disembarkation process came to a bit of a halt due to the facial recognition monitors failing.  There was a backup on the second floor of the terminal to allow the immigration officers to catch up processing passengers.  Once the luggage numbers were called, we simply showed the immigration officer our passport, collected our luggage, called the Park-n-Fly for shuttle pick up and were on the road home to Naples by about 10:00.  We walked through the door of our house to a rather excited Golden Retriever named Graziella who showered us with kisses and love for about 10 minutes.  A wonderful week of cruising the Caribbean had come to an end.  Here are some final thoughts on a tremendous time aboard the Equinox:

 

Concierge Class Experience:

 

We love the extra perks including the Embarkation lunch in the MDR.  The Afternoon Canapes were delicious, however, we would recommend that they give you at least toothpicks or a fork or two to eat them.  Yes, some of the treats were chip type things, others were not though.  Our ONLY issue of the trip.  That's it.  You can trade the sparkling wine for red or white if you wish.  We took advantage of the pillow menu.  It helped my wife's GIRD issue and my allergies.  The preferred Select Dining times in the MDR helped fit our schedule as well.  It was also nice enjoying our bigger balcony.

 

Cabin

 

The cabin was spacious enough that we didn't run into each other, but not so big that there was wasted space.  There is SO much storage space that we had room enough for everything we brought.  The over the bed bins were very helpful.  Bring some magnet hooks to hang hats or tee shirts.  Electrical outlets are limited, so try to bring ones that have multiple USB ports.  There are only 2 outlets on the desk and no outlets next to the beds.  The bathroom has lots of storage and the shower has lots of room and sliding doors instead of a flimsy curtain.  The shower head had great spray and lots of pressure.

 

The balcony was rather roomy.  The smaller table wasn't really a problem and we didn't miss the footstools.   Our aft facing balcony was a great place at night to lull yourself to sleep watching the ships' wake.  If you've never booked an aft cabin, we highly recommend it.

 

Dining

 

We found the food throughout the ship to be quite good especially in the MDR.  The entree selections were interesting and varied.  There was never an evening either of us struggled to find something to enjoy from the appetizers, salads, or entrees.  The OVC served up very good food as well.  We ate there mostly in the morning, but did have lunch there once.  The late night pizza is good.  Ice cream and desserts are great.  I had read some on CC panning the desserts, but I thought they were great.  Just ask my waistline if I liked them or not!  LOL😮.  The burgers and dogs and the Mast Grill were tasty to say the least, and I don't need to tell you how good the gelato and dolce in the Cafe al Bacio were.

 

Specialty Dining

 

The three Specialty restaurants we visitied (LePetite Chef at QSine, Murano, and Tuscan Grille) all were worth the up charge.  We did buy the package prior to boarding for $129 pp so we saved money by buying it.  We enjoyed the "show" at LPC and I especially enjoyed Murano's atmosphere and unique menu, while DW fancied Tuscan Grille.  Would definitely eat in any of the three again.

 

Activities

 

There was never a time when there wasn't something to do if you wanted to on the Equinox.  Whether it was trivia, art, wine tasting, dance classes, live music, hanging out by the outdoor pool, hanging out by the indoor pool, going to the spa, sleeping on the promenade deck in a deck chair, jogging, sipping cocktails at a bar, you could be engaged or as disengaged as you wanted.  The entertainment staff did a great job of offering just about anything you could imagine doing and most of it was really fun or interesting.  

 

Entertainment

 

The on-board entertainment was truly outstanding.  Sashi, the solo guitarist and Drift Duo were acoustic entertainers who played everything from 60's to today's pop with style and flare.  The top flight comedians Carl Banks and Steve Bruner kept us laughing, vocalist Jesse Hamilton wowed us with his vocal range, and house band Nu Image were great whatever venue they were playing in.  We skipped production shows Topper and Elysium as we had seen them on our September 2018 cruise and didn't feel we needed to see them a second time.

 

Excursions

 

Our Celebrity booked excursions Chacchoben Mayan Ruins in Costa Maya and 3 Reef Snorkel Tour in Cozumel were well run, professionally guided, and we felt were a good value.  We would definitely book these excursions again through Celebrity.

 

Public Areas

 

Our favorite areas to hang our were Cafe al Bacio on Deck 5, the Solarium pool, Ensemble Lounge, Passport Bar, and Sky Lounge.  All the public areas on this ship are beautifully decorated and very modern looking.  That's one of the things that attracts us to Celebrity in general.  The modern decor.

 

Service

 

From our cabin attendant Putra, Concierge Host Ross, MDR staff Herickson, Wutelais, Mervin, Gelato Hostess Bettina, and all the other wonderful crew and staff, we were treated so well from the second we stepped on the ship.  Everyone, we mean EVERYONE, was so friendly and helpful everywhere we turned.   From the Captain down to the bathroom attendant, everyone was smiling, happy, and seemed genuinely interested in helping you in some way.  Coming from two people in the service business, it was nice to see.

 

 

Since this was our third cruise with Celebrity, and second on the Equinox, I was wondering if we would be able to look a bit more objectively at this cruise and Celebrity as a whole given our familiarity with the line and the Equinox.  I think we can say we have done that.  Yes, we really like Celebrity.  Yes, we really like the Equinox.  However, it is only because from what we have seen, tasted, felt, heard, and experienced that we can say that we will continue to sail with Celebrity and would not hesitate for a second to sail on the beautiful Equinox. 

 

 

I/we hope this review helps you in your cruising plans in some way.  Please let me know if there's any questions you may have and I'll do my best to answer them for you.  Thanks for taking the time to read along.

 

Don't Postpone the Joy

 

MisterMet

 

aka Trip

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those who would like even more pictures of the ship, I refer you to my DW’s Equinox review of our ABC Islands trip in September of 2018.  It is jammed packed with Equinox pictures and even some videos I made at the end of the review.  She did an excellent job on it and it was her first one!

 

Mr. Met

 

 

[realnice46]

On 8/5/2019 at 12:56 PM, MisterMet said:

We really like the Concierge lunch served in the Main Dining Room on Embarkation Day.  We had a nice window table and enjoyed our first meal on the ship.  DW had the salmon and I enjoyed the chicken.  We both love the always available chocolate cake, and we could not wait to show our cards for our specialty coffee drinks from cafe al Bacio (love the doppio espressos and cappucinos).  By the time we finished our leisurely lunch, we were able to get into our room and meet our cabin attendant Putra.  He took excellent care of us throughout our voyage.  We had him empty our mini bar of its contents so we could fill it with beverages of our choice from our beverage packages, and made a simple request of ice in the morning and evening.

 

The refurbishment of the cabins was basically limited to carpeting and new linens.  They DID remove the footstools on the balconies.  DId we miss them?  Maybe?  Game changer for us?  NO WAY.   I really didn't expect that they would have my LA-Z-Boy recliner out there to begin with anyway!  The balcony table IS smaller.  However, it gives you more room to use the balcony.  We like to have breakfast out there on port days.  We could still manage it.  We're more of the continental breakfast type so it wasn't a big deal.  Even if it meant holding a plate while I was eating (god forbid), it still wouldn't be a game changer for us.

 

We really like the fact that the cabins have so much storage.  We were easily able to stow everything (we brought a LOT of stuff) and not have the room cluttered at all.  I'm a hat person and put my hats on hook magnets.  We also utilize a magnetic clothes line hung in the shower for our many bathing suits.

 

I hope they don’t remove the over they’ve bed storage, that’s a favorite for us. We loved the footstool, too bad they removed them. Not a game changer but will probably forgo concierge Class in the future, save a little money.