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

[ambrtonj]

Thanks for taking us along for the trip. Enjoyed it tremendously!!!

[Beba-Beba]

1 hour ago, 39august said:

Were there 2 or 3 Chic nights, please?

2

[jcpc]

aring75,

Thanks so much for all your posts while onboard.  It appears that you two had a wonderful cruise.  I have a quick question regarding disembarkation and taxi service/private limo service for you or for anyone else who recently disembarked.

 

As I recall, when I sailed in 2019 and we disembarked at Terminal 25, we had quite a walk with our luggage down to the end of the roadway (to the right of where you walk out of the terminal) to get a taxi cab.  Do you know if this is still the case?   Did you happen to see taxis right in front of the terminal as you were exiting?  Also, any info on private car service (i.e., limousines).  Do they pull right up to the door to pick you up or do you have to drag all your luggage down the sidewalk to get your ride?  Thanks in advance for any info you or anyone else can provide.

[aring75]

1 hour ago, jcpc said:

aring75,

Thanks so much for all your posts while onboard.  It appears that you two had a wonderful cruise.  I have a quick question regarding disembarkation and taxi service/private limo service for you or for anyone else who recently disembarked.

 

As I recall, when I sailed in 2019 and we disembarked at Terminal 25, we had quite a walk with our luggage down to the end of the roadway (to the right of where you walk out of the terminal) to get a taxi cab.  Do you know if this is still the case?   Did you happen to see taxis right in front of the terminal as you were exiting?  Also, any info on private car service (i.e., limousines).  Do they pull right up to the door to pick you up or do you have to drag all your luggage down the sidewalk to get your ride?  Thanks in advance for any info you or anyone else can provide.

We parked in the parking garage, but as we exited the terminal, there was a woman directing “taxis, ride shares, and privately arranged transportation” to the right. I could see people waiting just about 50 yards away. Not sure if taxis were further down or not. 
 

Directly to the left, there was a waiting area for people to stay with their luggage while someone else went to pick up the car from the garage. 

[aring75]

4 hours ago, 39august said:

Were there 2 or 3 Chic nights, please?

 

3 hours ago, Beba-Beba said:

2

Beba-Beba is correct. Two Chic Nights. Second sea day and second to last sea day. 

[dahank23]

On 8/21/2021 at 1:28 PM, LGW59 said:

My number one spoil me event on a cruise:  I have breakfast in my cabin/balcony (weather permitting) every single day.  I am a creature of habit and rotate between two different breakfasts each day.  Eggs benedict, potatoes, tomato, sausage, fresh strawberries.  Next day, three eggs over easy, bacon (extra crispy), tomato, strawberries, wheat toast, slathered in butter.  On arrival day, I always try to make it easy for the butler and tell him/her I won't have a ton of requests, but this is my breakfast menu (I have it printed out and hand it to him/her) for the week, thanks so much in advance for your assistance.  I have never once been disappointed.   That is my fixed requests, a few other little odds and ends pop up during the cruise and they have always been so accommodating.  

How do you get eggs benedict for room service?  Are you in a suite?

 

On 8/21/2021 at 1:28 PM, LGW59 said:

My number one spoil me event on a cruise:  I have breakfast in my cabin/balcony (weather permitting) every single day.  I am a creature of habit and rotate between two different breakfasts each day.  Eggs benedict, potatoes, tomato, sausage, fresh strawberries.  Next day, three eggs over easy, bacon (extra crispy), tomato, strawberries, wheat toast, slathered in butter.  On arrival day, I always try to make it easy for the butler and tell him/her I won't have a ton of requests, but this is my breakfast menu (I have it printed out and hand it to him/her) for the week, thanks so much in advance for your assistance.  I have never once been disappointed.   That is my fixed requests, a few other little odds and ends pop up during the cruise and they have always been so accommoda

[chefestelle]

On 8/26/2021 at 4:48 PM, Daneenm said:

@alibaba1This link is not working for me.  Is there possibly a typo?

 

@aring75Thank you so much for all of the details you have shared!  We will be sailing on Celebrity for the first time and you have given me a great education.

try thepreismans.com. The e is before the i. 

 

[Reijo]

On 8/13/2021 at 7:22 PM, 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. 
 

 

We were on Equinox with you and had such a wonderful time cruising again.  It was so awesome and hope you had great cruise.

[BillfromWV]

We were on Equinox on 8/8 .  Taxi is a long walk.  Exit terminal to the right walk all the way to the end.  Room service for breakfast.  If it's not on the menu,  write it in.  They will bring it.

[maxmtex]

aring75,

You have a gift for reporting.  Must have taken Journalism in school.  Your attitude is wonderful, your pictures fabulous, and your sense of humor perfect for this medium.  Thank you for doing this, as my wife and I are on the same Equinox 12-day trip departing September 5 (God willing), and you have helped us immensely.  We will be watching for any cruises you report from going forward.

 

[jcpc]

1 hour ago, BillfromWV said:

We were on Equinox on 8/8 .  Taxi is a long walk.  Exit terminal to the right walk all the way to the end.  Room service for breakfast.  If it's not on the menu,  write it in.  They will bring it.

Thanks for the info.  My memory was telling me that it was a long walk to get a taxi.  

[TravelNLesa]

On 8/22/2021 at 12:17 PM, terrydtx said:

I know all about this, I am VP of our HOA Board of Directors,  lol

 

People go online and call us terrible names for enforcement of the rules they agreed to when they bought their homes.

 

On 8/22/2021 at 1:05 PM, Jim_Iain said:

LOL --- you made me chuckle as the President of our HOA ====  I hear that very often. 

As a resident of an HOA community, thank you for taking on those responsibilities! Just like cruisers that want to complain about the current situation being different than pre-pandemic cruises, people that choose to buy in an HOA community shouldn't if they can't/won't follow the HOA rules. The rules are there for a reason. Way back in 1997 when we bought a house in our first HOA neighborhood, I received a non compliance notification. The only thing it told me was "Mailbox, leaning". The pevious owners mentioned that the HOA was very strict on our "required" wooden mail box posts being in good shape and upright. So I go out with a level and the post was level all the around! The little metal address thing attached to the top of the box was leaning just a tad to the right, LOL! The metal was soft enough that I could reposition with my fingers so no big deal but I kept an eye on our address plate and the post after that! My current HOA neighborhood doesn't even have a mailbox type requirement.

 

[Jim_Iain]

1 minute ago, TravelNLesa said:

 

As a resident of an HOA community, thank you for taking on those responsibilities! Just like cruisers that want to complain about the current situation being different than pre-pandemic cruises, people that choose to buy in an HOA community shouldn't if they can't/won't follow the HOA rules. The rules are there for a reason. Way back in 1997 when we bought a house in our first HOA neighborhood, I received a non compliance notification. The only thing it told me was "Mailbox, leaning". The pevious owners mentioned that the HOA was very strict on our "required" wooden mail box posts being in good shape and upright. So I go out with a level and the post was level all the around! The little metal address thing attached to the top of the box was leaning just a tad to the right, LOL! The metal was soft enough that I could reposition with my fingers so no big deal but I kept an eye on our address plate and the post after that! My current HOA neighborhood doesn't even have a mailbox type requirement.

 

 

We have a great community except we are having a hard time getting all 5 of our board slots filled.   No one wants to volunteer and do have a tendency to complain. 

 

I started doings something new about 3 years ago and when someone complains or makes a suggestion to put the monkey on the Boards back,   I respond that is a great suggestion,   would you be willing to chair a committee to address the issue.  Guess what they go away and stop complaining.  

 

Having said that we had a group setup a committee to get our swimming pools back open and in compliance with a Covid Reservation System where only one family could use the pool in each 50 minute slots.    It worked to perfection and the community was rewarded where most communities just kept their pools closed. 

[pmcue]

We sail in November and this was so helpful.  We have sailed Equinox twice a day nice to see the new additions.  We also have ton of credit and was wondering if you felt the Cabana was worth it.  I have it booked for Sea Days, but we also have access to retreat so just wondering your thoughts. 

 

Didn't seem to have music at Sunset bar.  We used to love hanging there before dinner, but didn't see it in the dailies.  Did I miss it or was it not a thing. 

[TravelNLesa]

Thank you so much for your day by day posts Aring75! We're not big cruise people but really miss them, too! The number of cruise vacations for us exploded after we moved to South FL in late 2012 but stopped with the pandemic, of course. We hope to do a European river cruise in 2023 but want to do a Panama Canal, cwiruise through the canal in 2022. In the meantime we are planning to visit our floating week (as opposed to a fixed week--not literally floating, LOL)  timeshare in Aruba in November and are taking one of our adult nephews and his long time live in girlfriend (she's wonderful and we hope she'll be his long time wife one day but that's their decision. We just want them to stay together!) with us on this trip. As of now, we're required to have a negative Covid test when boarding a plane in the US--it can be rapid but all the details are here https://www.aruba.com/us/traveler-health-requirements. As you mentioned, there are strict curfews in place and they are in place until tomorrow. I expect the curfews will be extended. Aruba's vaccines are coming from The Netherlands and I assume other Dutch connected islands are receiving vaccines from them as well. I do not know what other European countries are providing to their islands or where the independent islands are getting vaccines. 

Your rant on cruisers complaining? They are in the absurd bit of first world people that don't have a clue! Bravo to you for bringing that to our attention and letting us know that those people have moved from the mainland to the boats! I've traveled land/sea/air many places and have encountered ugly Americans. It is shameful since we live in such a bountiful country. How did people in my own country become so ignorant? Well, I guess that's my rant!

 

[purduebeth]

Already purchased BinaxNOW "Monitored" Home test from Royal Caribbean..This is an Antigen rapid test..As a back up we are going to make appointments at our local Minute clinic...They only offer PCR rapid tests..Is there any issue..Antigen vs PCR tests..

 

Steve

[kruisinkris]

aring75,

 

I just found your report on your August Equinox cruise just a few days ago. It was very informative and your pictures were great!  So I've been savoring the report for the last few days. Thank you for taking the time to do this and kind of take us along with you on your cruise. 

 

I realize this thank you may be a little late (so you might not see it) but I'm taking the chance because a late "thank you" is better than no "thank you".

 

Thanks again,

Kris

 

 

[beerme1]

aring75 I too would like to say Thank You!

I read the entire thread and learned a few things. We will be first timers on Celebrity, graduating from Royal. We'll see how that goes but we have an eleven night itinerary that includes Christmas and New Years next year. 

Your pictures and details were awesome! Thanks again.

 

Oh, almost forgot, we got an aft cabin and I'm psyched about that for an eleven night cruise. This will be our second aft cabin. You simply cannot beat a private balcony on the very rear of a ship.

Edited October 13, 2021 by beerme1