Anyone Sailing on the 1/3 Equinox ? Firsthand Report?

[FBrew]

17 minutes ago, Luv2croose said:

They told us that when a crew member tests positive they get sent home.  So that is why we have some different people.  We were here on the 15th of August for Ultimate Southern cruise.  We have tried to keep the same staff for the most part.  Our server Jesus has a different asst, Bianca the hostess in Luminae is no longer here as well as her husband who was the retreat bartender.  Also the sommelier is not the same and not as good imho.  I have not made it to the pool deck yet as the weather has not been great.  But I will try to check on Jerome.  

We were on the August15th cruise as well.  Our paths must have crossed at 1 time in Luminae.  Jesus was a good waiter.  We had Maria as we sat in the back room.  Is the women maitr'd still there? I like the husband-and-wife team. If you go to the martini bar, please tell Janu and the boys we will see them Sunday. Thank you for the information.  Enjoy your cruise. You know where we spend our time at the bars.

[FBrew]

8 minutes ago, natanya13 said:

I would also love to hear from anyone on the current cruising. My daughter and I were to be on board.  Sadly I tested positive on the pre cruise test. I just had a stuffy nose but from what I had heard from others recently I had a feeling it would be positive.  My dd was negative until today and even now we both have only mild symptoms.  

 

We would have been in Sky Suite 2150. If some one can take a picture from the aft deck for me it would be appreciated.  We are hoping to be able to rebook for March. 

I was in Cabin 2150 in August for 12 days.  I love aft cabins.  I would call myself an aft cabin snob, but after staying in that cabin for 12 days I wouldn't stay in an aft cabin on that deck.  Every day between 3:30AM and 3:45 AM scrapping of the chairs would begin.  I finally had to go to the retreat and complain to Jonathan.  They were aware of the noise.  Luckily for the cruise I am going on Sunday when I booked, they didn't have aft cabins ion deck 12.  I like deck 12 I am on the side .

[ILgirl]

Hey Cangelmd!  This is Kathy.  I met you and your husband on the 8/1 Equinox sailing.  Usually in the vicinity of the bar, ha ha. Thought I would help you with the date.😀. Hope your Reflection cruise goes as planned.  I am scheduled for the 1/30 Edge sailing but will be weighing my decision to sail based on mask requirements.  Have fun!

[Tulsaparrothead]

1 hour ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

That group of rooms is at the end of a hall.  They did not use the entire deck. 

Correct...our room is the aft room at the end of that hall

[natanya13]

5 hours ago, FBrew said:

I was in Cabin 2150 in August for 12 days.  I love aft cabins.  I would call myself an aft cabin snob, but after staying in that cabin for 12 days I wouldn't stay in an aft cabin on that deck.  Every day between 3:30AM and 3:45 AM scrapping of the chairs would begin.  I finally had to go to the retreat and complain to Jonathan.  They were aware of the noise.  Luckily for the cruise I am going on Sunday when I booked, they didn't have aft cabins ion deck 12.  I like deck 12 I am on the side .

Good to know for future bookings. 

[cangelmd]

6 hours ago, ILgirl said:

Hey Cangelmd!  This is Kathy.  I met you and your husband on the 8/1 Equinox sailing.  Usually in the vicinity of the bar, ha ha. Thought I would help you with the date.😀. Hope your Reflection cruise goes as planned.  I am scheduled for the 1/30 Edge sailing but will be weighing my decision to sail based on mask requirements.  Have fun!

Hi! I remember you better than the date! I knew it was second sailing, and in August, but really fuzzy on day!

We are actually on an almost B2B - Silhouette, day off, then Reflection. This should of been a bucket list trip to Tierra del Fuego, but that cruise did NOT go, lol! Going to be spending a lot of time outside.

[Tulsaparrothead]

18 hours ago, Tulsaparrothead said:

Correct...our room is the aft room at the end of that hall

Well no need for me to worry now, they moved us up to the 9th Deck as of today.

 

[AbbyCruiser45]

1 minute ago, Tulsaparrothead said:

Well no need for me to worry now, they moved us up to the 9th Deck as of today.

 

Why did they move you? 

[Tulsaparrothead]

5 minutes ago, AbbyCruiser45 said:

Why did they move you? 

Didn't say.  I'm fine with it as we had a partially obstructed view in a 6th deck aft cabin and were moved to a center ship no obstruction.  My assumption going by what someone said earlier is they would not put you in a room where covid people had been...maybe that was the reason, as they've had been using part of deck 6 for covid positive or covid contacts at least on the Equinox cruise that came back last weekend.  But I'm just guessing.

 

[Raintree]

On 1/4/2022 at 3:54 PM, Luv2croose said:

They told us that when a crew member tests positive they get sent home.  So that is why we have some different people.  We were here on the 15th of August for Ultimate Southern cruise.  We have tried to keep the same staff for the most part.  Our server Jesus has a different asst, Bianca the hostess in Luminae is no longer here as well as her husband who was the retreat bartender.  Also the sommelier is not the same and not as good imho.  I have not made it to the pool deck yet as the weather has not been great.  But I will try to check on Jerome.  

On board Equinox last week and the sommelier was taken out from Luminae right after dinner started as a "close contact".  A new one immediately replaced her within seconds.  We were also there when Bianca was taken out after lunch the last full day and her husband.

[morpheusofthesea]

On 1/4/2022 at 1:35 PM, FBrew said:

Is Jerome still at the pool Bar?  I know Janu is at the martini bar.  After Jonathon recovers from the covid is he going home or back to the Equinox? I know he is due to go home shortly.  Thank  you

Do not know Jerome or any bartender outside the Retreat (social distanced during entire cruise). Bartender in the Retreat Lounge ( Luminae hostess Bianca's husband) both were removed after lunch on Sunday, missing at dinner time. On Jan 1 we were in Retreat Lounge at 1:30 with Kumar (future cruise agent) and Jonathan. Jonathan told us a story about his father in the merchant marines and how he just received a flu shot two days prior ( we are counting the days from our encounter). Jonathan also told us he was leaving for vacation in February and after vacation will be on Apex. (Interesting side note; Jonathan said the worst thing he encountered working on board the Equinox that made him 'jump ship' to the Apex, was when a friend aboard the Apex sent him photos of the crew laundry room displaying a bank of brand new washing machines "and they all work !" Apparently there are 12 ? crew washing machines on the Equinox and only 2 are still in working order.) Next day Jonathan is isolated complaining of headaches, but we were told he tested NEGATIVE. Could be from FLU SHOT ? Because his closest cohort is Yulia who was on duty the last day escorting us off the ship from the Retreat Lounge. Luminae hostess Bianca and her husband Retreat bartender plan on leaving Equinox and starting a business and family back home.

[Travelw]

Any Covid cases on board this cruise?  We are boarding on the 9th, pending negative Covid test on Friday.

[nooligans]

4 minutes ago, Travelw said:

Any Covid cases on board this cruise?  We are boarding on the 9th, pending negative Covid test on Friday.

I am currently on the Equinox- the captain said there are 697 passengers. He announced last night there was one case of covid and that contact tracing did not uncover any other cases. Most people are good about wearing masks. Surprisingly the cruise director Shawna and Activities Manager (can’t remember his name) were dancing last night with passengers and did NOT wear masks. 

[Essexcruiser007]

8 minutes ago, nooligans said:

I am currently on the Equinox- the captain said there are 697 passengers. He announced last night there was one case of covid and that contact tracing did not uncover any other cases. Most people are good about wearing masks. Surprisingly the cruise director Shawna and Activities Manager (can’t remember his name) were dancing last night with passengers and did NOT wear masks. 

Thank you for putting our minds at ease. We are flying from U.K. and are fully vaccinated. Really looking forward to whatever happens. Not too fussed about getting off at many of the islands.

[Travelw]

Thanks for the info.  The media only reports the number of cases but never the number of total passengers/crew or the positivity rates.

 

[FBrew]

5 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Do not know Jerome or any bartender outside the Retreat (social distanced during entire cruise). Bartender in the Retreat Lounge ( Luminae hostess Bianca's husband) both were removed after lunch on Sunday, missing at dinner time. On Jan 1 we were in Retreat Lounge at 1:30 with Kumar (future cruise agent) and Jonathan. Jonathan told us a story about his father in the merchant marines and how he just received a flu shot two days prior ( we are counting the days from our encounter). Jonathan also told us he was leaving for vacation in February and after vacation will be on Apex. (Interesting side note; Jonathan said the worst thing he encountered working on board the Equinox that made him 'jump ship' to the Apex, was when a friend aboard the Apex sent him photos of the crew laundry room displaying a bank of brand new washing machines "and they all work !" Apparently there are 12 ? crew washing machines on the Equinox and only 2 are still in working order.) Next day Jonathan is isolated complaining of headaches, but we were told he tested NEGATIVE. Could be from FLU SHOT ? Because his closest cohort is Yulia who was on duty the last day escorting us off the ship from the Retreat Lounge. Luminae hostess Bianca and her husband Retreat bartender plan on leaving Equinox and starting a business and family back home.

Thank you for the update on the crew.  I will be on the Apex in April for 2 weeks so hopefully I will see Jonathan.  In Aug. I spent my days at the pool and somedays it would be 9:30 before any other passenger's came up to the pool. I guess I am a chair hog, but my chair is never out of my sight except when I go to lunch and then only a 1/2 hour. I know all the martini gentlemen, so I guess now you know where I spend my time.  I have decided this cruise at the martini bar I will keep my mask on lift it up when I want to take a sip of my wine. We don't go to shows. We have quite alot of OBC so we might have to go to the casino, and we don't usually go there.   Thank you again I have enjoyed all your post on all your journeys.

[Antropos]

1 hour ago, nooligans said:

[...] He announced last night there was one case of covid and that contact tracing did not uncover any other cases. [...]

I was on the previous EQ sailing. Every day the captain would indeed tell us the number of new cases among the passengers (and not once the number of cases among crew). And every time he said they immediately traced all close contacts (without giving any clue on how they do that) and those close contacts always tested negative. And every time I heard that I thought "of course they tested negative... the incubation period is 3 - 5 days on average". I always wondered if those "close contacts" would have tested negative if they were tested four or five days later. But to my knowledge, the contacts are only tested once which is immediately after a positive case has turned up.

[Alakegirl]

On 1/4/2022 at 4:54 PM, Luv2croose said:

They told us that when a crew member tests positive they get sent home.  So that is why we have some different people.  We were here on the 15th of August for Ultimate Southern cruise.  We have tried to keep the same staff for the most part.  Our server Jesus has a different asst, Bianca the hostess in Luminae is no longer here as well as her husband who was the retreat bartender.  Also the sommelier is not the same and not as good imho.  I have not made it to the pool deck yet as the weather has not been great.  But I will try to check on Jerome.  

They aren’t sending crewmembers home from silhouette

[Dave Judy]

5 hours ago, nooligans said:

I am currently on the Equinox- the captain said there are 697 passengers. He announced last night there was one case of covid and that contact tracing did not uncover any other cases. Most people are good about wearing masks. Surprisingly the cruise director Shawna and Activities Manager (can’t remember his name) were dancing last night with passengers and did NOT wear masks. 

Big Thanks Nooligan !

 

We are booked for 1/9 and are testing tomorrow… Were on the Millennium in September and Apex in October.  Both at far less than 50% occupancy.  Very excited for this upcoming cruise. It’s all about the warm weather and beautiful ocean.  Ports are secondary.  

[nooligans]

Last evening the captain announced 3 more cases among fully vaccinated passengers. On a positive note last night’s dancing event was held at the pool (outside) so it was easier to social distance.

[nooligans]

The Equinox is in Costa Maya today. My husband and I are continuing on a Holland America cruise next week, and needed to get the covid test. Unfortunately, Celebrity doesn’t offer the test if you are not continuing on one of their cruises (we even offered to pay for it).  We had sailed on the Millennium last August and were able to get the test with no issues, so this was very frustrating. 

 

We had brought along the Emed video tests, and with the help of a wonderful IT tech named Cheryl in the iLounge we were able to get good enough quality internet to complete the tests (both negative).

 

I will post later if the Captain announces any new positive cases.

[39august]

Thanks for all the info about the Retreat crew. Glad to hear Bianca and husband are going to be starting their own business and family!  According to another poster, Jonathon did end up in quarantine. But how that turned out, I don't know. What a great cruise we had with these people in Sept./Oct!

[Jim_Iain]

On 1/4/2022 at 8:58 AM, FBrew said:

 

deleted

Edited January 7, 2022 by Jim_Iain

[jimmybean]

On 1/4/2022 at 4:14 PM, natanya13 said:

I would also love to hear from anyone on the current cruising. My daughter and I were to be on board.  Sadly I tested positive on the pre cruise test. I just had a stuffy nose but from what I had heard from others recently I had a feeling it would be positive.  My dd was negative until today and even now we both have only mild symptoms.  

 

We would have been in Sky Suite 2150. If some one can take a picture from the aft deck for me it would be appreciated.  We are hoping to be able to rebook for March. 

What a disappointment for you!   Get well soon...

[TourDeCruise]

14 hours ago, nooligans said:

Last evening the captain announced 3 more cases among fully vaccinated passengers. On a positive note last night’s dancing event was held at the pool (outside) so it was easier to social distance.

4 Covid cases total for passengers so far? Hope it stays low. We board on the 21st.

 

Is anyone from the January 9th Equinox cruise going to report on Cruise Critic to let us know how things are going?