Live from Equinox 8/27/21 Sailing

[NaplesKnitter]

Thanks for a fun thread and a beautiful sunrise picture.

[abbydancer2003]

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your trip.  I think we're about 33 days out, and you helped build the excitement.

Edited September 5, 2021 by abbydancer

[DUTRAVEL]

Thanks so much for taking the time to do this review! I enjoyed reading about your cruise and can’t wait to get back to cruising in October. Safe travels home. 

[margie1221]

On 9/3/2021 at 4:55 PM, fstuff1 said:

 

Correction.. 7days 😮 😮 😮

Yes 7 days

[Arzeena]

On 8/30/2021 at 1:53 PM, terrydtx said:

the WiFi has been down most of the day. The stream package is so slow and spotty   i would hate the AI surf package. If you need internet connections for work forget it.

That was our experience as well.

[Arzeena]

On 9/2/2021 at 7:39 PM, RICCruisers said:

@jg51 Nice job regurgitating what happened the first cruise after the cases were discovered onboard Edge. Unfortunately you did not give your solution to the issue X faced. The reality is that the decision that was made was more of a “Ready - Fire -Aim”. The idea was fine, the execution was a failure. You seem to want to know who to blame for what transpired. Why?  It happened and they have a new protocol in place. 
 

As far as “goofysmom99l” is concerned, I only wish you could handle this situation with the “Class and Understanding” that she is showing rather than ranting about the demands she should be making. Chill @jg51 and let’s see how this situation pays out before getting so out of control. 

Although I absolutely agree with your thoughts above, I want to say OUCH!

And perhaps a bit of your own advise of “Class and Understanding” could be exercised by all on the forum, whether it be for a cruise line or a fellow cruiser or a poster we do not agree with or are angry with or anyone.

[Arzeena]

On 9/2/2021 at 8:54 PM, goofysmom99 said:

You're psychic.  It's Gelato time!

Late to this party, but SO HAPPY TO HEAR THIS!

We were on the 8/15 12 night cruise. One thing I observed was that on the deck 14 meeting room, they were having some sort of testing going on all the time. First I thought it was a medical conference with all the nurses going in and out. But then I saw crew with paperwork being signed off and I asked. Half of those days the internet was down and they had a note saying that.

My room attendant and many crew mentioned that they have to get tested once a week on routine basis and also if they come in contact with a positive case. Ours was also the first cruise where crew was allowed out as an "experiment" in Aruba. Was told that the HR manager is trying this out to see how it goes. 20 people were chosen from each department and went to a Eagle Beach in their own bubble. Reportedly they had to be only in their "bubbble", no shopping, no socializing with other people. My room attendant was chosen. She was really excited to go even though it poured in Aruba on and off. She mentioned that she was tested after (not sure immediately on arrival back or the next day)and all was good.

On this sailing there was one positive case announced when departing from St Croix. Captain announced that all contacts were traced and tested negative. He did not mention any other details or perhaps I did not hear anything else in the loud applause the announcement of contacts testing negative got. I later learnt that it was a guest and not a crew member. I definitely saw more masked guests after this.  I have to admit I got even more deligient after this, especially in the elevators or if someone came and sat right on the next table or lounger to us. We very politely got out of the elevator or got up and looked for other places to sit. It felt like "work" at times, but it did not mar my enjoyment. If we want to cruise we have to go with the flow and do whatever we feel comfortable with in protecting ourselves while respecting what other people feel OK with.

[RICCruisers]

28 minutes ago, Arzeena said:

Although I absolutely agree with your thoughts above, I want to say OUCH!

And perhaps a bit of your own advise of “Class and Understanding” could be exercised by all on the forum, whether it be for a cruise line or a fellow cruiser or a poster we do not agree with or are angry with or anyone.

@ArzeenaThank you for your post. You are probably correct that I could have simply ignored that post. 

[Arzeena]

On 9/3/2021 at 10:37 AM, Ken the cruiser said:

Terry, was there much going on in Celebrity Central on your cruise? I know on the Edge the venue known as The Club, which we were really impressed with, has definitely become the center of entertainment outside the main theater, to include a variety of game shows, movies and other forms of entertainment, being conducted there daily. The Edge also had between 5-6 assistants to the CD to keep folks entertained. How was it on the Equinox?

We were on the cruise before Terry's. I can tell you the events in the Celebrity Central and the foyer outside were packed during events. Passed by....no way were we going to wait to watch. Also the dancing events in the foyer, especailly Abba mania, silent disco had me saying to hubby that this was a disaster waiting to happen......no masks including the CD and Activities manager and entertainment staff, and neck to neck. People may be fine with it and I respect that, but I was not letting my guard down so fast, so we watched for a while from two floors above.

[Ken the cruiser]

10 minutes ago, Arzeena said:

We were on the cruise before Terry's. I can tell you the events in the Celebrity Central and the foyer outside were packed during events. Passed by....no way were we going to wait to watch. Also the dancing events in the foyer, especailly Abba mania, silent disco had me saying to hubby that this was a disaster waiting to happen......no masks including the CD and Activities manager and entertainment staff, and neck to neck. People may be fine with it and I respect that, but I was not letting my guard down so fast, so we watched for a while from two floors above.

Thanks! Glad to hear there was a lot to do, but at the same time glad we were on the Edge for our August sailings. The Club on the Edge, which I'm guessing is the replacement to Celebrity Central, had two stories and much easier to find comfortable seats to social distance while watching one of the many shows. But then again, the ship cost $1.2 billion so they could afford to add some quality enhancements to handle larger crowds. Never participated in Silent Disco when we sailed on a S class ship, but I have to say they were fun to watch for a little while from one of the stairwell openings a floor or two up. 😎

[Arzeena]

On 9/3/2021 at 1:47 PM, terrydtx said:

We saw something earlier today that is scarry from a virus perspective. We walked by the Effy shop and they were holding a raffle of jewelry and there must have been 50 or more passengers crammed in the shop most not wearing a mask and absolutely no social distancing,  I see a potential super spreader and Celebrity should ban these activities considering the cases this week.

I have also seen this too many times. They advertise a raffle and some ***** and bull free stuff in the dailies every day and at many times during the day. People were packed in the store.

 

[Arzeena]

Ruth, Terry , I enjoyed reading your posts and re living our sailing. I hope you and all others are back home safe and sound and planning more cruises!

[CTSandy]

On 9/1/2021 at 8:01 PM, terrydtx said:

Ruth, so sorry to hear this, hopefully you will be negative.  Has there been more than the three announced earlier this week?

 

I am beginning to question how many on our cruise used fake vaccination cards to board? They can be bought online for $10.

This was my thought, too.  I was on the cruise, along with my nephew and his wife.  She and I had exposure to someone positive, but he didn’t.  She and I were both confined to our respective cabins and had the whole nasal swab, food and drinks to the room, etc.  I am sure I know exactly where I was exposed - the casino - the gentleman a couple of machines down from me was coughing and sneezing.  My cabin was directly over the gangway when I saw the couple taken off in the evening just before leaving port.  It was definitely the guy coughing up a storm in the casino - playing video poker in case you’re wondering what part of the casino.  My nephew’s wife spent a lot of time at Sunset Bar so guessing she got exposed there.

 

Most disappointed because I had booked two golf carts for Bonaire and talked this up to the kids - really looking forward to it, but Celebrity needs to do what they can to keep people safe.

 

Other than this blip an amazing cruise!  I was enthralled by the empty elevators and having the Solarium as a pretty much private pool was pretty awesome!  I’ve done this itinerary before a couple of years ago and it’s one of my favorites.

 

Enjoying cruises right now, boarding Millenium on September 17 and hoping no Covid drama there.

[CTSandy]

On 9/1/2021 at 11:27 PM, goofysmom99 said:

No one called so called guest relations just now at the 3 3/4 hr point.  Test is negative.  That's the good news.  Bad news is I'm confined to cabin until 2nd test tomorrow evening which will also take "2 hours."  I expect their version of 2 hours will wipe out dinner tomorrow, too.  I intend to have a more serious discussion with someone about lack of follow-up.  Explained I was prepared to post on every public forum if it didnt improve.  So I guess now I qualify as PO'd, but relieved.

Same thing with no results for us after the first check.  When I didn’t hear from anyone by 11 pm I just went to bed and assumed I was negative - I was sure if I tested positive they would be zipping up to the cabin and bring me down to a quarantine room in the medical facility.  I did call in the morning to guest relations and they did apologize for not calling me with results.  Guessing they were just overwhelmed.

[pasta1]

14 hours ago, Arzeena said:

Late to this party, but SO HAPPY TO HEAR THIS!

We were on the 8/15 12 night cruise. One thing I observed was that on the deck 14 meeting room, they were having some sort of testing going on all the time. First I thought it was a medical conference with all the nurses going in and out. But then I saw crew with paperwork being signed off and I asked. Half of those days the internet was down and they had a note saying that.

My room attendant and many crew mentioned that they have to get tested once a week on routine basis and also if they come in contact with a positive case. Ours was also the first cruise where crew was allowed out as an "experiment" in Aruba. Was told that the HR manager is trying this out to see how it goes. 20 people were chosen from each department and went to a Eagle Beach in their own bubble. Reportedly they had to be only in their "bubbble", no shopping, no socializing with other people. My room attendant was chosen. She was really excited to go even though it poured in Aruba on and off. She mentioned that she was tested after (not sure immediately on arrival back or the next day)and all was good.

On this sailing there was one positive case announced when departing from St Croix. Captain announced that all contacts were traced and tested negative. He did not mention any other details or perhaps I did not hear anything else in the loud applause the announcement of contacts testing negative got. I later learnt that it was a guest and not a crew member. I definitely saw more masked guests after this.  I have to admit I got even more deligient after this, especially in the elevators or if someone came and sat right on the next table or lounger to us. We very politely got out of the elevator or got up and looked for other places to sit. It felt like "work" at times, but it did not mar my enjoyment. If we want to cruise we have to go with the flow and do whatever we feel comfortable with in protecting ourselves while respecting what other people feel OK with.

Great information and well said, will be on the Equinox 09/17  cruise.

[Arzeena]

11 hours ago, pasta1 said:

Great information and well said, will be on the Equinox 09/17  cruise.

Enjoy your cruise!