This was a five day cruise out of Fort Lauderdale which is a great port for being close to the airport. She's a beautiful ship with great staff. Complimentary dining choices are limited and we found the food generally good to very good with a couple really bad misses. We were comfortable in our cabin and enjoyed the pools and solarium. The Equinox is a good choice and has a lot going for it.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
We've been on other cruises lately where we walked right on, but Celebrity had us sit in the terminal for a while then released us by the section we were seated in.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
We ate in the MDR every night and had excellent service and good food. We were especially impressed with the steaks at dinner which can be hit or miss on some cruises. We loved the variety of bread offered every night along with three different types of butter. We had breakfast in the MDR one morning and the scrambled eggs were pretty awful and the buttermilk pancakes were so tough you could hardly chew them. The one lunch we ate in the MDR we both ordered a smoked pork loin which I sent back; it was so tough, stringy and chewy. We were not impressed with the lack off options for lunch other than buffet and MDR on sea days. I noted to my husband that the buffet was heavy on sides, lacking in entrees at lunch. My favorite thing on the buffet was the empanadas.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
We really enjoyed the solarium--the pool was perfectly warm and the loungers padded. Also you would have the sun without the oppressive heat and humidity. We LOVED their towel policy. Just pick up the towels you need when you enter the pool area and drop them off when you leave. No checking them out or keeping track of them. We used the fitness center and it was well appointed and clean. The casino was non-smoking and was amazingly quiet when we would walk by.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Outstanding singing and dancing though sometimes the story they used to present the talent was muddled. Loved the ropes entertainers and the pair that lifted and danced together. The solo female singer that did a show about female rock and roll stars was excellent. Great costuming and comfortable theater
Children's Programs
no kids
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Great service wherever we went. Dining room managers were very attentive and interested in feedback.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Some of the smaller common areas where activities were held seemed crowded for the number of people that wanted to participate but they were nice and comfortable. We enjoyed that even the decks that were primarily cabins had a common area where you could over the look entertainment below (Beautiful library, etc) Elevators were responsive and fast. Everything was very clean. The theater was plenty big with very comfortable seating.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Very comfortable cabin, liked the balcony door mechanism, easy to use, bed on the hard side, linens comfortable, this cabin is close to the elevators but not too close, very quiet, adequate bathroom, lacks a bit of shelf storage for clothes, and the drawers are small and shallow. We enjoyed the complimentary beach bag.
Ship tip
If you are picky about where you sit at the entertainment, get there early!
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