Celebrity Equinox Eastern Caribbean Review | November 9-16th, 2019

[janineallison]

Bit late posting this but I'm finally getting it posted on my blog and I figured I'd share it here as well! Hope you enjoy! :)

 

 

Celebrity Equinox Check-In and Boarding

After a long Uber ride to Port Everglades, we were grateful for a super quick and easy terminal check-in. We had already checked in and submitted our photo online which meant that we breezed through the photo recognition software at the port. I’m so glad that each time we cruise, the process seems to get easier. I highly recommend checking in online for an expedited experience at the cruise terminal.

 

Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas was in port with us – this is the first cruise ship we ever went on!

 

Another difference from last year is that we were able to immediately go to our room, grab our room key cards and drop our bags. On previous trips, our room wasn’t ready until after lunch and we had to carry any of our carry-on luggage with us until then. While our rooms still weren’t ready to actually use, at least we could access them!

 

Complimentary champagne as we boarded the ship

 

 

On Board the Celebrity Equinox

 

Craft beer at Craft Social

 

After dropping our luggage, we headed to Craft Social for a drink. Jordan tried one of the craft beers and I had a Pineapple Moscow Mule. Craft Social also has bar food but for a cost, so we never did try it. After we finished our drink, we headed up to the pool deck for a frozen drink, then to the buffet for lunch. The buffet was incredibly busy as usual on the first day because it is one of the only lunch options. We managed to find a place to sit after a while and enjoyed our first meal on the ship.

 

Enjoying a drink at Craft Social

 

Once our rooms were ready, we headed back there to unpack our bags. Three of our bags arrived but we were missing the fourth one. Sometimes it takes a while for the luggage to be sorted, so we weren’t too worried. However, we did mention it to our room steward, Ariel when he greeted us. Of all the cruises we’ve been on, he was the best room steward. He was so friendly and helpful and he tracked down my missing bag in no time! (My luggage tag had fallen off in the process of boarding and so it was in the “lost and found” pile.)

 

We went back to the pool deck for the sailaway but it was pouring rain so there wasn’t a lot of people out on deck. The ocean was pretty choppy due to the storm passing through so I actually took Gravol and had a nap before supper. I’ve never been seasick on a cruise ship before so I was shocked! Everyone says that the Eastern Caribbean itinerary is rougher than the Western and I believe them now. Our room being at the front of the ship didn’t help matters either as we felt a lot of movement there. Thankfully it wasn’t as bad outside of our room in the main areas.

 

Frozen drinks from the pool bar

 

 

Our First Evening Onboard

 

We went to the main dining room every night for supper, as I mentioned in my Ultimate Celebrity Equinox review. On the first night, Jordan had the French onion soup and a spring roll as an appetizer, prime rib for his main and an éclair for dessert. I had a cream of mushroom soup and a spring roll for my appetizer, prime rib for my main, and a dulce de leche dessert. We started supper around 7pm and finished around 8:30pm, which is average for a three course meal on a cruise ship.

 

Our first meal in the main dining room

 

After supper we went to the comedy show at 9pm, which was okay. I think it was our first time watching a comedy show on a cruise ship but we would definitely do it again. After a busy day, we headed to bed after the comedy show. Overall, it was a solid first day on the Celebrity Equinox!

[mom says]

We'll be aboard next month so following with interest. What was that delicious looking frozen drink?

[CruiserN1]

We're on this itinerary in about 6 weeks.  Looking forward to the rest of your review!

[RickT]

Looking for room photos and entertainment reviews!  Less than 60 days until we board. Trying to figure out what updates were done in dry dock.

[ASell]

Reading your review here and your ultimate review have me really wanting to get back onboard Equinox. She is a wonderful ship and I am glad to see you enjoyed her so much.

Thanks for bringing back good memories with your reviews !

[janineallison]

On 1/15/2020 at 9:41 PM, mom says said:

We'll be aboard next month so following with interest. What was that delicious looking frozen drink?

I believe it’s a French Caribbean and maybe a Mango Daiquiri? 

[janineallison]

On 1/15/2020 at 10:32 PM, RickT said:

Looking for room photos and entertainment reviews!  Less than 60 days until we board. Trying to figure out what updates were done in dry dock.

I posted a big review on my blog which includes those topics! You can read it here: https://janineallison.com/2020/01/12/the-ultimate-celebrity-equinox-review/ 🙂 

[janineallison]

6 hours ago, ASell said:

Reading your review here and your ultimate review have me really wanting to get back onboard Equinox. She is a wonderful ship and I am glad to see you enjoyed her so much.

Thanks for bringing back good memories with your reviews !

Thanks so much for your kind comments! 🙂 

[LSKC]

following along 🙂 

 

[aml3679]

We will be on the Equinox again from Feb 15th until the 22nd and we cannot wait - our favorite ship.

[redwings1958]

We were on this ship over Xmas and absolutely loved it;  Your review was right on the money

[cruising princess 1964]

we were on this same cruise with you   funny thing about getting sea sick    never happened to me before either but I too had to take a gravol   was fine but that was some crazy wind the first day

[Jim_Iain]

Thanks for the review.   Enjoyed both your post here and the review. 

[janineallison]

Celebrity Equinox Eastern Caribbean Review: Day Two

 

First Sea Day

Day 2 aboard the Celebrity Equinox was a sea day, which always means a day of leisure for us! We went to the buffet for breakfast, then spent the morning lounging between the Solarium and the pool deck. The Solarium is great when you get too warm out in the sun as it is has a class covering and air conditioning. With the quiet atmosphere and tranquil music playing, it’s a fantastic place to read a book (or have a nap!). The pool deck is always loud, sunny and boisterous, so we alternated between both.

 

Celebrity Equinox Buffet Breakfast

 

For lunch, we went to the Mast Grill on deck 14. It’s perfect if you want to grab a poolside snack without dealing with the buffet crowds. We both had hot dogs and fries, and I discovered my new love for sauerkraut.

 

Celebrity Equinox Mast Grill

 

Martini Bar

 

After heading back to the room and showering, we went to the Martini Bar for a few drinks before supper. This is a definite hot spot on the Celebrity Equinox – it is always busy there! Luckily we were able to snag two seats at the bar when another couple left. The bar top is covered in ice which is really fun and the bartenders there are the best! They have great chemistry working together, plus they are incredibly friendly and efficient.

 

Celebrity Equinox Martini Bar

 

Main Dining Room

 

For supper that night, I had the escargot for a starter, steak for my main course and a fruit phyllo pastry for dessert. Jordan had the honey pear soup for his appetizer, followed by the steak and an apple cobbler for dessert.

Celebrity Equinox Main Dining Room Food

 

After supper we decided to go to bed. One thing you’ll quickly realize about us is that we are the type of cruisers who like to sleep in late and go to bed early. I know – it’s terrible! But what are vacations for if not for catching up on copious amounts of missed sleep? It didn’t help matters that I felt queasy again on our sea day, plus taking Gravol made me extra sleepy. At least we were docking in San Juan the next day so I could put my feet on steady ground for a while!

 

Celebrity Equinox Martini Bar

[janineallison]

 

 

Land at Last

By Day 3 on the Celebrity Equinox, I was ready to put my feet on land but unfortunately we weren’t due to arrive in San Juan until late afternoon. We started our day with a late breakfast at the buffet, then spent the early afternoon lounging in the Solarium. Our port stop for San Juan was scheduled for 3:30-11pm, which was a first. Typically you are in port during regular business hours (for example, 7am-3pm, 8am-4pm, or 9am-5pm depending on the itinerary). This was also our first time visiting San Juan. We attempted to do an Eastern Caribbean cruise in 2017 on the Norwegian Escape but the route was changed to Western Caribbean due to Hurricane Maria. Needless to say, we were thrilled to finally visit some new countries after three Western Caribbean cruises!

 

Living my best life on the Celebrity Equinox!

 

San Juan, Peurto Rico

 

Finally, we see land!

 

We arrived in San Juan at 3:30pm and got off the ship around 4pm, once the initial crowds dispersed. We didn’t have a plan except to find some wifi (we never buy internet while cruising) and a place to eat. There is a Starbucks located a few steps away from the cruise port terminal, so we went there for a cold drink and wifi. We like to visit local spots when cruising but Starbucks is a sure bet for wifi in the Caribbean.

 

Sailing into San Juan, Peurto Rico

 

It was really strange to see the baristas in Starbucks dressed in santa hats considering it was scorching hot. In Canada, I associate Christmas with snow and cold. Christmas décor aside, it was a nice reprieve from the heat and we were able to get in touch with family & friends back home. I was also able to pick up the Starbucks “Been There” Peurto Rico mug! I’ve been collecting them for a few years and try to grab one whenever we visit someplace new.

 

I love all the colorful buildings and beautiful architecture

 

The famous umbrella street in San Juan

 

After Starbucks, we set our sights on a local bar that I had found on Google before we left Florida. We were hoping to visit a brewery but couldn’t find one directly in San Juan. However, this bar promised over 50 beer on tap and over 100 bottled varieties. After a lot of walking and map-studying, we finally stumbled upon La Taberna Lupulo. Thanks to the expansive beer list, I was able to find my first sour beer in the Caribbean and I enjoyed it with some delicious tacos and chips. The service was great and it was nice to visit a local spot away from the hubbub of the cruise port. I will definitely go back there on another trip to San Juan!

 

Delicious food at La Taberna Lupulo

 

Hot Tubs and Pool Deck

 

The Solarium water display at night

 

Once we left the bar it was getting dark, so we decided to head back to the ship. Thankfully the walk back was all downhill and slightly cooler! We got back on board around 6:30pm and decided to go for a dip in the Solarium hot tub. I think we had the whole Solarium to ourselves at that point, since most people were still ashore!

 

Pool deck at night

 

It was a beautiful evening so we decided to lounge poolside after we left the hot tub. They had live music playing – a duo that sang folksy cover songs. We had a few drinks by the pool then went to the Sunset Bar on the aft of the ship for sailaway. It was beautiful sailing out of San Juan after dark and we were already looking forward to visiting again the following week.

 

Beautiful view of San Juan at night

[ciera123]

Loving your review, and all the pictures!! 

[CruiserN1]

Keep it coming! Sailing this itinerary on Equinox in 4 weeks.

[janineallison]

Celebrity Equinox Eastern Caribbean Review: Day Four

 

Magen’s Bay, St. Thomas

Day four on the Celebrity Equinox was another port stop, this time in St. Thomas (U.S. Virgin Islands). St. Thomas is known for its beautiful beaches and so our plans for the day involved a trip to the famous Magen’s Bay Beach. We grabbed a quick breakfast in the buffet before getting off the ship in St. Thomas. We didn’t book an excursion, opting to travel to the beach via an open-air cab. The cost from the Crown Bay cruise ship terminal to Magen’s Bay is $10 per person one way. There are lots of cabs to choose from just outside the cruise port but the rate is a flat rate and doesn’t vary.

 

The ride to Magen’s Bay was very interesting, to say the least. You basically go up one mountain and down the other. The roads are narrow and full of twists and turns, with no sidewalks and steep cliffs. Our cab driver was a woman and she was lovely & did a great job of getting us there safely, but I personally wasn’t a fan of the drive itself. However, it did lend itself to some beautiful views of St. Thomas!

 

The view from the taxi!

 

The group of tourists traveling on our cab made plans with our driver to pick us up at the beach in three hours. Once we got to the beach, we separated from the group and walked down to grab a lounger in front of one of the bars. We spent about three hours lounging in the shade, swimming, and enjoying the view. I have to be honest, though – Magen’s Bay is rated one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, but it wasn’t our favourite. I can’t explain why and I’m glad I went there, but I don’t feel the need to go back again.

 

Magen’s Bay Beach

 

Supper and Martini Bar

After we got back to the ship, we decided to grab burgers at Mast Grill for a quick afternoon snack. We then spent some time reading on the pool deck before heading back to our room to get ready for supper. I recall watching the view of the sunset that day and just feeling so happy and grateful to be there. Ever get those moments where you think “Is this real life?”. That’s how I felt that day.

 

Lounging in my favourite place with my favourite drink. Docked next to a Royal Caribbean ship!

 

A beautiful evening with the sun setting on the boats!

 

For supper that night I had the creamy butternut squash soup as my appetizer. I couldn’t decide between the rigatoni and the grilled branzino so Reggie brought both and I’m so glad he did as the branzino was amazing and not to be missed! Jordan had the caprese salad for his starter and steak and chips as his main. For dessert, Reggie brought us a chocolate mousse cake to celebrate our honeymoon! It was very tasty and needed to say, we were absolutely stuffed. I think we are both in agreement that this was our favourite meal of the cruise.

 

 

After supper, we went to the martini bar for drinks. We tried quite a few different martinis and got a little tipsy that night! I think we finally went to bed around 11:30pm which is late for us, especially considering we had an early rise the next morning for our excursion in Tortola.

 

Martinis from the Martini Bar