LIVE from Equinox (June 24, 2023), sailing on a budget

[AbbyCruiser45]

I fell off the live posts yesterday because we were really just enjoying a lazy day at sea! There is not too much to report. We read for more than half the day and enjoyed some drinks at the Sunset Bar. I do have one small complaint and it’s about the smoking at Sunset Bar. I love that spot but when a few cigar smokers get up there, the smoke becomes too much. I get a sore throat and headache within minutes. It’s only happened a few days we’ve been up there. 

Otherwise, we enjoyed our evening chic night! MDR service was excellent and we got a great window seat. I don’t have pictures but I got the lobster and a half order of the mushroom risotto. 

Afterwards, we watched the sunset, listened to live music, and won some money on slots! It was a great sea day. 

We’re starting off the day with something new, breakfast in the main dining room! I’ll let you all know how it is. 

 

Edited July 1, 2023 by AbbyCruiser45

[Older Sister]

Evening Chic Night:  Did you see many folks who dressed up for the evening (long/formal dresses for the women and dark suits for the men)?
 

Enjoying your posts!

[AbbyCruiser45]

24 minutes ago, Older Sister said:

Evening Chic Night:  Did you see many folks who dressed up for the evening (long/formal dresses for the women and dark suits for the men)?
 

Enjoying your posts!

There was a wide range of attire last night! I wore a long, cotton dress and kaleb wore a dress shirt and khakis. Some people were more dressed  down, others were more dressed up. I saw some women in formal dresses and men in dark suits. Whatever you want to wear that fits “evening chic” will be fine and there will be others in similarly wear! 

[itsanita]

15 hours ago, Dar & Bob said:

In January we were traveling with 2 other couples and we all made reservations for 7:30 - after 2 days of having to get a pager and wait to be seated we spoke to the maitre'd and were told basically no way they could/would honor the reservation. So IMO the reservation is worthless. 

The first time we made reservations, each of us made our own, all at the same time.  When we showed up...they had separate tables for all our reservations, and did not have a table to seat us all together.  So none of our reservations were honored that trip, we had to get the pager each night and wait for a table large enough for all of us.  Since then, one person makes reservations online ahead of the sailing for all members of our party.   We have done this many times and have had no issues at all.  Always seated at the time of our reservation, always together.

[AbbyCruiser45]

Okay I am not sure what we expected with the MDR breakfast, but it is just the buffet food 😂 I thought maybe the French toast would be a fluffier bread than the buffet, but nope.  We normally eat outside, so all we got from this breakfast was the same food, with a longer wait, in a noisier environment, with no view. The service was good, but never again for us! The plus is that if you order fresh eggs, you can wait while sitting instead of standing. Oh well, onto other sea day activities! 

[phoenix_dream]

17 hours ago, HS2BS said:

We exited the ship and I pushed the wheelchair to the tent(Bonaire carts’) to sign in. They then provided a shuttle to the cart location, and shuttle back at the end. The pickup and drop off was a short distance from the port entrance, the longest walk was the pier itself.

 

Hal

Thank you.  To confirm,  this was Bonaire Cruisers?

Edited July 1, 2023 by phoenix_dream

[HS2BS]

Yes, make sure you reserve in advance.

 

Hal

[Dar & Bob]

1 hour ago, itsanita said:

The first time we made reservations, each of us made our own, all at the same time.  When we showed up...they had separate tables for all our reservations, and did not have a table to seat us all together.  So none of our reservations were honored that trip, we had to get the pager each night and wait for a table large enough for all of us.  Since then, one person makes reservations online ahead of the sailing for all members of our party.   We have done this many times and have had no issues at all.  Always seated at the time of our reservation, always together.

Even though I had linked our reservations we could not make a reservation for all of us for our January cruise.  The first night we said we would all take our individual reservations.  The girl at the front podium told us no to that also and was not polite in the least about it.  For our next cruise I am going to see if I link our reservations and call in if we can get them all together.  

[lacy20]

I’ve noticed an absence of escargot on the menus you posted. Is that the case, or is there another page of the menus not shown? Thanks so much for posting!

[MJK Cruiser]

2 hours ago, itsanita said:

The first time we made reservations, each of us made our own, all at the same time.  When we showed up...they had separate tables for all our reservations, and did not have a table to seat us all together.  So none of our reservations were honored that trip, we had to get the pager each night and wait for a table large enough for all of us.  Since then, one person makes reservations online ahead of the sailing for all members of our party.   We have done this many times and have had no issues at all.  Always seated at the time of our reservation, always together.

We were on Equinox last April and had our reservastions linked, set up a time for MTD for each night and still had to wait in line every night for about 20-30 mins.  There was no pager where we could wait in a bar for our table to be ready.  When did they start the pager system?

[AbbyCruiser45]

6 minutes ago, lacy20 said:

I’ve noticed an absence of escargot on the menus you posted. Is that the case, or is there another page of the menus not shown? Thanks so much for posting!

Okay so the escargot is strange. It’s shown up on some mobile menus, but never in person. I personally don’t care for it, but Kaleb loves it. He finally asked for it last night and our server told us that we can order it ahead for the next night. So we did that last night, and he should have it today. 

[Cruise till you drop]

4 hours ago, lacy20 said:

I’ve noticed an absence of escargot on the menus you posted. Is that the case, or is there another page of the menus not shown? Thanks so much for posting!

Yes they’re on the menu called “things I wouldn’t dream of putting in my mouth” 😂 

[lovetocruisee]

4 hours ago, AbbyCruiser45 said:

Okay so the escargot is strange. It’s shown up on some mobile menus, but never in person. I personally don’t care for it, but Kaleb loves it. He finally asked for it last night and our server told us that we can order it ahead for the next night. So we did that last night, and he should have it today. 

  Well, we made it to Ft. lauderdale 👍🏽

[kywildcatfanone]

Can I ask a question?  We board in October, and like to hang out in our room and watch TV or movies in the evenings after a show.  We normally sail Princess which has lots of on demand TV shows and movies to choose from.

I have posted in threads, and people have commented that Celebrity and the Equinox does have some on demand programming to choose from, but no one gives me any examples.  Do they have either series or shows to watch?  A decent amount of movies of various categories to watch?  

[Alabaster Cruiser]

Question ...I've read on another site that they are allowing vaping in the casino.  Have you or did y'all experience this.  When these people that posted had asked security, they were told it started this cruise.  I sure hope that is not a new rule.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

34 minutes ago, Alabaster Cruiser said:

Question ...I've read on another site that they are allowing vaping in the casino.  Have you or did y'all experience this.  When these people that posted had asked security, they were told it started this cruise.  I sure hope that is not a new rule.

There is no way I would believe this rumor.

[AbbyCruiser45]

3 hours ago, kywildcatfanone said:

Can I ask a question?  We board in October, and like to hang out in our room and watch TV or movies in the evenings after a show.  We normally sail Princess which has lots of on demand TV shows and movies to choose from.

I have posted in threads, and people have commented that Celebrity and the Equinox does have some on demand programming to choose from, but no one gives me any examples.  Do they have either series or shows to watch?  A decent amount of movies of various categories to watch?  

The TV/on demand selection is not great. I don’t recall any series on demand but there were a few movies per category (comedy, drama, etc). I know some people have had success bringing Rokus on board, so that’s might be an option. 

[AbbyCruiser45]

35 minutes ago, Alabaster Cruiser said:

Question ...I've read on another site that they are allowing vaping in the casino.  Have you or did y'all experience this.  When these people that posted had asked security, they were told it started this cruise.  I sure hope that is not a new rule.

Vaping is now allowed. I am very sensitive to smoke and have not had a problem with it in the casino. 

[AbbyCruiser45]

1 minute ago, CHEZMARYLOU said:

There is no way I would believe this rumor.

Unfortunately, it is true. I have not really noticed it though. 

[AbbyCruiser45]

47 minutes ago, Alabaster Cruiser said:

Question ...I've read on another site that they are allowing vaping in the casino.  Have you or did y'all experience this.  When these people that posted had asked security, they were told it started this cruise.  I sure hope that is not a new rule.

 

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

49 minutes ago, Alabaster Cruiser said:

Question ...I've read on another site that they are allowing vaping in the casino.  Have you or did y'all experience this.  When these people that posted had asked security, they were told it started this cruise.  I sure hope that is not a new rule.

 

Even if it's not allowed, have you SEEN vapers out and about? They don't care where they do it and they "sneak" (in quotes because anyone looking can see them doing it) their puffs. Yet another example of the "My mummy says I'm a miracle..." generation who grew up with everyone getting a trophy just for showing up.

[39august]

This is terrible news! Vaping IS smokjing! I guess we'll spend less money in the casino in the future. I am going to look at Hal's ships that do not allow smoking in the casino. I know they do have some. Maybe this is a trial, like the MDR menus, and maybe with enough push back, they will revert to true non-smoking inside the ship. 

[CHEZMARYLOU]

14 minutes ago, AbbyCruiser45 said:

Unfortunately, it is true. I have not really noticed it though. 

Have you asked anyone about this? What is the overall feeling on board about it. 

[AbbyCruiser45]

22 minutes ago, CHEZMARYLOU said:

Have you asked anyone about this? What is the overall feeling on board about it. 

I haven’t heard anything. Non-smoking in the casino is rare, so I suspect most regular gamblers are not bothered. 

[AbbyCruiser45]

9 hours ago, lacy20 said:

I’ve noticed an absence of escargot on the menus you posted. Is that the case, or is there another page of the menus not shown? Thanks so much for posting!

Strangely enough, escargot was actually on the menu tonight!