LIVE - Equinox 8/15/21 - Ultimate Caribbean - It’s finally here!

[aring75]

Can you believe we are finally getting back to cruising?! Have you been reading every single LIVE thread just hoping it helps the time move a little faster, like I have? Are you so ready to get back onboard that you’ve been packed for two weeks!? No? Just me?

 

My husband Mark and I are onboard Equinox for twelve whole days (!) starting Sunday. Our ports have been changed, but we DO NOT care. We are so happy just to get back onboard that we could float around for twelve days and be supremely happy. 
 

 

Went today to CVS Minute Clinic for our rapid antigen tests. Q-tip in the nose. Easy peasy.
 

 

Nurse will call with results in 20 minutes. Felt like I held my breath that long. 
 

Phone call on the way home…

 

 

Aforementioned suitcases are packed. We are driving down halfway the day before. Staying in Ft. Myers (which may end up being a really stupid choice given that Tropical Storm Fred will likely be arriving around the same time we do) Saturday night at Crowne Plaza at Bell Tower Shops.  

 

 

We will drive the remaining two hours Sunday morning hoping to arrive somewhere near our 12:30 pm scheduled boarding time. 
 

 

[LGW59]

11 minutes ago, aring75 said:

Can you believe we are finally getting back to cruising?! Have you been reading every single LIVE thread just hoping it helps the time move a little faster, like I have? Are you so ready to get back onboard that you’ve been packed for two weeks!? No? Just me?

 

My husband Mark and I are onboard Equinox for twelve whole days (!) starting Sunday. Our ports have been changed, but we DO NOT care. We are so happy just to get back onboard that we could float around for twelve days and be supremely happy. 
 

 

Went today to CVS Minute Clinic for our rapid antigen tests. Q-tip in the nose. Easy peasy.
 

 

Nurse will call with results in 20 minutes. Felt like I held my breath that long. 
 

Phone call on the way home…

 

 

Aforementioned suitcases are packed. We are driving down halfway the day before. Staying in Ft. Myers (which may end up being a really stupid choice given that Tropical Storm Fred will likely be arriving around the same time we do) Saturday night at Crowne Plaza at Bell Tower Shops.  

 

 

We will drive the remaining two hours Sunday morning hoping to arrive somewhere near our 12:30 pm scheduled boarding time. 
 

 

Have a wonderful trip!!

[aring75]

Just a few specifics. 

 

We’ve sailed on 40+ cruises (I’m too lazy to look up the actual number). We have enjoyed them all. This will be our second time on Equinox. 
 

We are Elite CC members, but we are sailing in a regular balcony cabin. We booked this as a casino comp cruise early 2020. Casino cruises don’t come with any perks, so we added the Drinks & More package and a few specialty dining reservations. 
 

I take pictures. Lots of pictures. And I post many of them here. You will see food and drink photos, menu photos, ship photos, excursion photos. You have been warned. 
 

Feel free to ask questions. I will do my best to find the answer.

 

If you are sailing with us, please feel free to drop by and post your thoughts and photos!

 

 

[aring75]

1 minute ago, LGW59 said:

Have a wonderful trip!!

Thank you so much!

[CruisinMama2003]

Wow 12 whole days! That is going to be wonderful! And those ports arent to shabby either. This is going to be a great Live review, thanks!

 

Have a great cruise and safe travels.

 

Cheers 🍹

[aring75]

4 minutes ago, CruisinMama2003 said:

Wow 12 whole days! That is going to be wonderful! And those ports arent to shabby either. This is going to be a great Live review, thanks!

 

Have a great cruise and safe travels.

 

Cheers 🍹

Thanks CruisinMama! I really am looking forward to the ports.

 

Since the last-minute change, we still don’t have a tour in Aruba or Curaçao, and I think our tour in St Lucia has been canceled. ☹️ Going to wait until we get onboard before we try to book again.

 

But I’m excited to be live posting again and I can’t wait to see what this cruise brings!

[ymncruise]

Let us know what you do at the ports. We sailed on equinox last month and are thinking about going again in September.  The ship is in great shape!  Have FUN!! 
 

[flwinejunkie]

Oh I'm so excited for you!! 🤗

 

My DH and I will be boarding Equinox shortly after you depart for an ABC island cruise.  This is our first X cruise so I'm looking forward to following along and learning more.  We booked this cruise with another couple who love X, but they have now backed out.  That's OK, because we'll still have a great time together celebrating our 30th anniversary.

 

Have a great cruise!

Mary Jon

[BSR]

Enjoy your cruise!

[Loracpin2]

48 minutes ago, aring75 said:

Can you believe we are finally getting back to cruising?! Have you been reading every single LIVE thread just hoping it helps the time move a little faster, like I have? Are you so ready to get back onboard that you’ve been packed for two weeks!? No? Just me?

 

My husband Mark and I are onboard Equinox for twelve whole days (!) starting Sunday. Our ports have been changed, but we DO NOT care. We are so happy just to get back onboard that we could float around for twelve days and be supremely happy. 
 

Firstly, wish you a FANTASTIC cruise. Secondly, we are scheduled for the current itinerary on the January 9, 2022 sailing and I am optimistically hoping that our sailing will also be changed to your revised itinerary. We would much rather visit Aruba and Curacao!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 14, 2021 by Loracpin2
Only wanted to respond to a specific comment.

[Cruisin_FL_Girl]

Hi! My sister and I are new cruisers (well new-ish, we took a 3 night Carnival cruise once a few years ago). We will be in this cruise with you!! Just got our negative tests back today and we are so excited for a twelve day cruise. Will we love it or are we going to regret going from three nights to twelve nights??? I hope we aren’t to spoiled after this! Lol. 

[KAE27]

I'm loving your style already and can't wait to read your reports!

[aring75]

14 minutes ago, ymncruise said:

Let us know what you do at the ports. We sailed on equinox last month and are thinking about going again in September.  The ship is in great shape!  Have FUN!! 
 

I will absolutely report back on anything we do in port. Which ports are open, what it’s like in town, etc.

 

And thanks!!

 

10 minutes ago, flwinejunkie said:

Oh I'm so excited for you!! 🤗

 

My DH and I will be boarding Equinox shortly after you depart for an ABC island cruise.  This is our first X cruise so I'm looking forward to following along and learning more.  We booked this cruise with another couple who love X, but they have now backed out.  That's OK, because we'll still have a great time together celebrating our 30th anniversary.

 

Have a great cruise!

Mary Jon

Wow! Happy early Anniversary! We’ll keep everything in order for your arrival. 😁 I think you’re going to love Equinox. We’ve only sailed her once, but I remember how much I loved that cruise!

[MR_T]

Fingers crossed for a great cruise, it’ll be really interesting to here how it goes on a longer cruise vs the 7 nighters that’s been happening so far. 
 

Enjoy and I’ll look forward to all the posts/pictures 👍🏻😊

[aring75]

12 minutes ago, BSR said:

Enjoy your cruise!

Thank you so much!

 

@Loracpin2

Firstly, wish you a FANTASTIC cruise. Secondly, we are scheduled for the current itinerary on the January 9, 2022 sailing and I am optimistically hoping that our sailing will also be changed to your revised itinerary. We would much rather visit Aruba and Curacao!!!!

 

Thanks for the well-wishes! And fingers crossed for you. 😊

[aring75]

9 minutes ago, Cruisin_FL_Girl said:

Hi! My sister and I are new cruisers (well new-ish, we took a 3 night Carnival cruise once a few years ago). We will be in this cruise with you!! Just got our negative tests back today and we are so excited for a twelve day cruise. Will we love it or are we going to regret going from three nights to twelve nights??? I hope we aren’t to spoiled after this! Lol. 

Hello, Cruisin FL Girl, and welcome to Cruise Critic! Glad to have you here and I’d love to hear your thoughts about the cruise as a “new-ish” cruiser! I think you guys are going to love it and maybe we will see you onboard. 

 

8 minutes ago, KAE27 said:

I'm loving your style already and can't wait to read your reports!

Thank you very much!

 

1 minute ago, MR_T said:

Fingers crossed for a great cruise, it’ll be really interesting to here how it goes on a longer cruise vs the 7 nighters that’s been happening so far. 
 

Enjoy and I’ll look forward to all the posts/pictures 👍🏻😊

 

Yes! 12 nights! Woo Hoo!! Hoping for a happy, healthy, and fun cruise. 
 

And thanks!

[davekathy]

Bon Voyage. 🥂

[Cruisin_FL_Girl]

Thank you thank you for the warm welcome! I know we will love it and we are both so excited! We can’t drive down until Sunday, but only have about a four hour drive. 
 

our check in time is at 2:00 pm. Can we come a little earlier or should we try to time it just right? I’m sure they probably don’t want a bunch of people standing around waiting. Maybe we should try to stop for lunch in the way?

[aring75]

5 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Bon Voyage. 🥂

Thank you! Love the clinking champagne glass emoji. Hoping we’ll get another one of these balcony pictures for the scrapbook. 
 

[aring75]

8 minutes ago, Cruisin_FL_Girl said:

Thank you thank you for the warm welcome! I know we will love it and we are both so excited! We can’t drive down until Sunday, but only have about a four hour drive. 
 

our check in time is at 2:00 pm. Can we come a little earlier or should we try to time it just right? I’m sure they probably don’t want a bunch of people standing around waiting. Maybe we should try to stop for lunch in the way?

From everything that others have reported back on recent cruises, I would say you should arrive very close to your assigned boarding time. You’re right that they don’t want too many people hanging around. 
 

Lunch would probably be a great idea! Might make for a more relaxed, leisurely day. Have a safe trip!

[parrothead33]

Have a great cruise!  Looking forward to following your adventure.

Cheers.

[aring75]

7 minutes ago, parrothead33 said:

Have a great cruise!  Looking forward to following your adventure.

Cheers.

Thank you!!

[jg51]

2 hours ago, aring75 said:

... I take pictures. Lots of pictures. And I post many of them here. You will see food and drink photos, menu photos, ship photos, excursion photos. You have been warned. ...

.

Hello, "aring75," and thanks for starting this thread.

 

We look forward to reading it, partly because of your marvelous personality, and partly because we hope to be on the same ship for twelve nights, later in 2021!

 

You probably noticed that we highlighted your words, "menu photos."  We'd like to ask two favors of you -- but if you cannot do them (or if you forget), we won't be upset.  ["No biggie," as some say.]

(1)  Please take photos of the MDR's lunch menus.

(2)  Please take photos of the MDR's dinner menus, including those for the nights when you will be in specialty restaurants.

 

Many thanks, in advance.

Enjoy yourselves immensely!

.

[scrapcreator]

Bon voyage! 🥂 Looking forward to reading about your cruise.

[aring75]

22 minutes ago, jg51 said:

.

Hello, "aring75," and thanks for starting this thread.

 

We look forward to reading it, partly because of your marvelous personality, and partly because we hope to be on the same ship for twelve nights, later in 2021!

 

You probably noticed that we highlighted your words, "menu photos."  We'd like to ask two favors of you -- but if you cannot do them (or if you forget), we won't be upset.  ["No biggie," as some say.]

(1)  Please take photos of the MDR's lunch menus.

(2)  Please take photos of the MDR's dinner menus, including those for the nights when you will be in specialty restaurants.

 

Many thanks, in advance.

Enjoy yourselves immensely!

.

Hi jg51 and thanks for the kind words. I will definitely take photos of the MDR menus. Not sure if they are doing printed menus right now or if they are suggesting we use the app. I will let you know what I find.