Celebrity Equinox questions- sailing 1/27/24

[carrfan76]

Hi everyone-

This will be 9th sailing on Celebrity.  First time on the Equinox but have sailed on other M class ships.  Also, I have not sailed since COVID so I assume things might different from what I have read so far.  I am staying in Aqua Class.

I will be sailing on the 9 night ABC cruise so I have some questions about the boat and itinerary.

1) How many formal nights are there and when:  (Day 2: Sea Day, Day 3: Grand Cayman; Day 4: Sea Day; Day 5: Aruba; Day 6: Curaco; Day 7: Bonaire; Day 8 & 9: Sea Day). 

2) Are the formal nights worth going to the MDC rather than Blu or all the same?  Is the formal night food, better, fancier?

3) I heard they have pickleball courts 9I assume replacing the basketball courts).  Do they provide paddles?  Is there a fee?  Need reservations?

4) Is Blu open for lunch any of the days?  Breakfast they are open everyday?  Correct?

5) What time is the LGBT meetings each day?

6) Any recs on seeing the ABC islands?  I will not doing an excursions via Celebrity.

7) Can I reserve my speciality dining online.  I don't see an option at this point?

 

I'm sure I'll have more but it's a start.  Thanks!

 

Edited November 21, 2023 by carrfan76

[helen haywood]

Formal nights have been replaced by Evening Chic.  You can get dressed up or not…up to you.  Most likely Day 2 and 8.  Hard to say about the menus.  Celebrity seriously downgraded the menus but are currently bringing some things back.  The menus on the app are not reliable until very close to your sail date.  Blu is open for breakfast and dinner every day…never for lunch.

[1025cruise]

For number 6 you should visit the ports of call boards.

[39august]

LGBT gathering will be announced in your daily Today paper left in your cabin the previous night. Usually at the Martini bar at 8 PM. I understand pickle ball is done on the basketball court. I'm sure all equipment will be provided. No fee.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

On 11/21/2023 at 6:36 PM, carrfan76 said:

5) What time is the LGBT meetings each day?

 

As the PP stated, it will be in the daily paper you get. I will say that it's not necessarily super obvious. When I was on the Edge in 2020 I think it was just kind of asking people if that's what they were there for - I never saw a crew member coordinating. On the Summit this past summer, they did have a crew member who coordinated it to begin with and then took off for other responsibilities, but even then it was just overhearing her. Nothing set up like a table with a little flag or anything.

 

(I did meet a great couple that I hung out with a lot on the Summit. They told me about one cruise they'd been on years before where it was advertised as a "Friends of Dorothy" gathering (before LGBTQIA+ was more visible) and some women came dressed up in their Wizard of Oz best not realizing. They said it worked out and they all got a good laugh over it and they ended up hanging out with those women (who were not LGBTQIA+) a lot.)

[SouKnoMe]

I remember seeing the “Friends of Dorothy” listing when I first cruised on Equinox, had no idea who Dorothy was. So green. 😂

[Sungals]

Hi all! I’m glad the Op posted these questions. I have the same ABC itinerary for the 18th departure and had a lot of these questions. Enjoy your cruise. 😎

[RedIguana]

The first time I saw a "Friends of Bill W" meeting on a ship I was really confused. I knew I did not have any friends on that sailing, why would there be a meeting for me?

[SRch]

We just got off Equinox on Thursday on a 9 night abc islands cruise.

chic nights were night 4 and night 8. Haven’t eaten in blu so can’t comment on that. The food in the main dining room was pretty good all served hot.

there is pickle ball, they have rackets, I don’t believe there is a charge, I think it was available from 10-2. Our cruise was very windy, more so than previous cruises so pickle ball players said it wasn’t ideal. Plus I heard that the courts are not the proper size.

 

in the daily it would mention LGBTQ meetings

 

grand cayman we did 7 mile beach but I think previously we did Coral beach and liked it better, plus closer to port.

 

Aruba we were given a free bus tour excursion was way too long, we hated it! by the end everyone was miserable.  I would go to beach if you are beach people or do shopping

 

bonaire we did golf carts from Bonaire cruisers. Did south side. We enjoyed it and went to Sorobon beach for lunch and some beach time. We loved it. Sandy beach, but you could stop in many places along the road and go for a swim.

 

curaçao we did mambo beach which we liked but went super early and left at noon just as bunch of packed buses arrived. 
 

all in all a great cruise!

 

 

[cruisestitch]

4) Blu is not open for lunch

[The Fun Researcher]

OP I might be interpreting your post wrong but Equinox is an S class not M class.  Was not sure if you had them switched or if you were just saying that you have been on M class ships before

[carrfan76]

On 12/2/2023 at 10:30 PM, The Fun Researcher said:

OP I might be interpreting your post wrong but Equinox is an S class not M class.  Was not sure if you had them switched or if you were just saying that you have been on M class ships before

Yes thanks...I got my class letters mixed up.

[hasentreelake]

ABC all great for snorkeling.
We also have done golf carts on Bonaire but I will tell you not for the faint of heart.
We did the entire island and it was 'hairy' at times.  Southern Bonaire is much easier to do and has the Salt 'Pyramids'.   We rented a car on Curacao and it was much safer. On both Islands we stopped and snorkeled and did local rum tasting on our own time.  Aruba is beautiful and recommend beach time or snorkel.

On our recent Silouette cruise they had an LGBTQ meet every night at the Martini bar but it was either at 5 or 6, not 8.

From our experience you can reserve Specialty Dining online, but not day or time.
When you board go directly to one of the specialty restaurants and they will help you reserve.
Don't expect to get a 7PM time - they typically offer 6/6:30 or 8/8:30 depending on the restaurant.
Even though our cruise was fully booked, we were able to change our days/times along the way.

Enjoy your cruise.

[kayehall]

Aruba, we did the Trikes (3 wheel motorcycles) and then went to Bugaloe Beach Bar

Curacao, we did Irie tours

Bonaire, we rented the golf carts and did a self tour of the island

[kayehall]

Grand Cayman, we have done the Atlantis sub and swimming with the stingrays

[TeeRick]

We did this ABC cruise on Equinox in Jan this year.  Had a very nice cruise and great time.  It was in the beginning of major unannounced cutbacks (like the dinner buffet)  but a number of these things now have been moderated or restored.  Hope you enjoy it!