Fantastic Cruise on Celebrity Equinox!
Celebrity Equinox Cruise Review to Caribbean - Western
Contributor Level:
Purser
Cruises: 2-3 cruises
Reviews: 2
Helpful Votes: 39
7 Night Western Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip)
Sail date: July 30, 2017
Ship: Celebrity Equinox
Cabin type: Balcony
Cabin number: 7200
Traveled as: Large Group
Reviewed: 6 years ago
Review summary
Great time on Equinox cruise! Enjoyed being with family who live far away. Classy ship - elegant decor, wonderful food and nice shows/ music. Great port stops. Unforgettable experience.Embarkation
Embarkation was a breeze! Quick check-in and friendly crew.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Our group of 12 was accommodated to eat together in the Silhouette Dining Room! Food and service were fantastic. We all looked forward to regrouping at dinner to catch up about activities. Kudos to Nixon and Rattikan our waitstaff who helped with suggestions and patience. Loved the selections each night which something for all tastes.
We ate breakfast and lunch in the Ocean View Cafe buffet. The choices were extensive with stations for various ethnicities and food types. Everything was fresh and cooked to order, if you selected that option.
I loved the poached egg station with varying toppings for breakfast. Pastries and coffee were always available.
We ate at Murano our first night on board and can't say enough about the wonderful staff and menu. Superb presentations and taste. Scrumptious dessert as well.
We dined at Silk harvest once and enjoyed the menu, though not very extensive. Staff were slow and the community shared plate option was not well explained. Very small portion for all to share. I ordered individually and they gave my order to another person in the group. Overall it was a beautiful dining room and the group enjoyed it.
Onboard Activities
This smaller ship is geared to an adult population with none of the big amusements like rock walls, water slides or even golf. We would have liked a few more active things to do on board.
The outdoor pools were small and always crowded and though there were not many children, they dominated the shallower pool(3-4ft).
The other outdoor pool had all adults, but was an odd depth(5'9"-6'1") so if you were under 6'5" you had to keep paddling or cling to the side, which most did. There were 4 hot tubs around the edges.
I used both pools mostly in the morning when less crowded and enjoyed it.
I have to say there were ample deck lounges. They were everywhere on the pool deck and above. Crowded together, but comfortable with cushions. There were also beds and hammocks.
They had a walking track on the deck above the pool, but unfortunately it was the main thoroughfare for getting to the buffet too.
The solarium pool was nice. An indoor pool for adults only, which was a nice break. In cooler weather this must be a blessing, but for a Caribbean vacation most wanted to be outside. I went there once.
There was a basketball court and ping pong table, but we didn't use them.
Entertainment
I enjoyed all the main evening entertainers: the comedians were great, as was the Broadway musicals show. I didn't stay long at the "Topper" production which seemed like a cirque d'soleil type show. The impressionist was very funny, but kind of insulting to all the handicapped cruisemates, as he did a skit about them. He was also pretty crude at times, using language not appropriate at a main show. They should have him at a late night adults only performance.
I loved the disco party and danced to my old favorites. My nephews enjoyed the silent DJ parties. The venue for the first one in the central midship area was too crowded, but the one in the sky lounge was great. There was always music somewhere on board too. I especially enjoyed the late chill out performances by Victor Cruz on guitar in the Ensemble Lounge.
My favorite show was "The Rock Show" on the last night of our cruise. This midwestern band rocked. They played real rock and roll with great musicians and singers. Standing O, all around and an encore.
Children's Programs
Had no children in my group
Service and Staff
Can't say enough about the friendly, hard working crew. As I mentioned before our wait staff went above and beyond to assure we all had a wonderful experience. My room steward was fantastic. The room was tidied whenever we left and if I needed anything he came quickly.
Most other staff were professional and did a good job. I would have liked better information about shore excursions they provided. After waiting online to speak to an agent, they only repeated what was written in the brochure. They couldn't handle specifics.
Ship Quality
The ship was beautifully maintained with an elegant interior. I appreciated the artistic decor. Since the ship is smaller than many, there was no problem getting around fairly quickly. Elevators and stairs were plentiful. All common areas were clean and attractive.
I liked that the staff provided Purell when entering the ship or dining area to limit germ exposure.
My favorite places were the outdoor tables in the aft and the Ensemble lounge.
Cabin / Stateroom
Our balcony cabin was a decent size and the bed was very comfortable. However, I could hear voices coming from the cabin next door, so the insulation was not the best. I did sleep well.
The bathroom was a good size and I had no problem with the shower. Everything was clean and fresh.
I loved the table and chairs on our balcony to enjoy the ocean view.
We were adjacent to the elevator which helped my handicapped roommate.
Ship tip
Relax and enjoy the wonderful food and shows. Wander through all the public areas early to find one you like. My nephew found a quiet place in the library! Don't get caught up in all the raffles and sale come ons! You will wait in crowds for long periods and come away empty. Spend your time your way.
Thumbs up
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Ports of call
Miami, Florida Did not visit port
Laid back, fun little town with lots to see and do. Take the conch train to get an overview and get off at the Southernmost point and wander back.
Visited Hemingway's house and as a cat lover, enjoyed all the six-toed kitties wandering around. It was mad hot, so I stopped at the Six-toed Cafe for mimosas and lunch. Great food.
There are chicks and roosters running around that are hysterical to watch.
Stopped at Kermit's Key Lime Pie shop for the best key lime pie ice cream ever.
If you like artsy places and don't mind crowds, this place is great.
My group wanted to visit the ruins at Chaccoban and booked an outside tour with Native Tours. They were excellent, but you had to walk a half mile to their office from the ship. It was super hot, so I would have gone to a beach adventure if by myself.
The tour was very informative and the ruins site was fun to explore.
I desperately wanted to snorkel in Cozumel having heard about it for years, but made the mistake of booking a trip with the ship's excursions. I asked about the companies providing the excursions and for recommendations, but the staff onboard knew nothing. It was a mistake.
I took the "Three reef snorkel" and these guys were awful. They did not share much knowledge about the reefs or fish, they took us to reefs within sight of the cruise ships so we never got to see much of the
island's beauty. The water itself was lovely and we did see a few fish. The crew member who went in with us dove and poked a few coral formations to encourage a crab or eel to appear, but they didn't oblige.
He mostly blew bubbles, I guess to amuse us, but that was not what we paid to see.
I climbed the ladder to get back onboard and a crew member stood in my way at the top, so I fell on the rough deck and cut my knee. A fellow passenger said I was bleeding a lot and I saw a large scrape. I tried to stop the bleeding with a tissue and the crew did nothing. Awful
The port itself was wonderful. Disembarking the ship on the tender not so much. We had an early tour to visit 'stingray sandbar' on a catamaran. They gave out numbers for groups with tours and had us wait in the theater. Well my number was 22. So one hour late for my tour we met up with the tour company.
Come to find out it was not a catamaran at all, but an aquabus. They took us by bus to a marina and then to the stingray sandbar.
The sandbar experience was the highlight of all my excursions! They swam around us, brushed up against us and one even swam up to me for a hug. Enchanting, peaceful creatures. Amazing experience
Because of the delay in departure we got back too late for me to go to the beach which I so wanted.
I did discover an entrance to their Marine Park right off the road along the shoreline in Georgetown.
As I had brought my own snorkel, I went in and saw some beautiful fish all around the coral reef and some sea urchins.
Stopped for a Margarita and was shocked to find very high exchange rate for dollar. Cost 20% more.
Disembarkation
Luggage was picked up outside room and we waited on a long line to visit customs. They were quick and efficient. All went well, but I had a late flight from Fort Lauderdale airport. I had asked for information about things to do there, while onboard ship, they knew nothing. Only had info for Miami.
I checked my bags early at FLL and looked around, saw "the Sun Trolley" posted on a sign. It is a free weekend bus that takes you from the airport every hour to river walk Fort Lauderdale! What a great find!
They had a Sunday Jazz Fest and lots of cafes/bars to cool off. Great time!
Traveler Photos
