back from Equinox 01-20-2014 with tips

plan to write a review in a few days but wanted to let future cruises know that some of the tips put on this site came in handy for our trip.

#1 - collapse bins that fit above the beds - I took two, could have used up to six. come in handy since there is little drawer space. husband used them for socks and underwear. I will take more next time

#2. our dinner time was changed from 6:00 to 8:30 by "computer glitch" we immediately went MDR and then to customer service to get it fix - it took two days, but received chocolate covered cherries and bottle of champagne for the mix up. Dinner in MDR was first rate

#3 - had two bad celebrity excursions. Went to the excursion desk afterwards and let them know the problems we had - they asked if we wanted compensation and we said we didn't expect any, we just wanted them to know the problems we had - checked our bill and the end of the trip and they had given us 1/2 credit for the excursions.

#4 - we had the 123 promotion and took the drink classic alcohol package. Husband and I like wine with dinner, special coffee - next time we will take OBC credit and pay for a non alcohol package. We didn't drink enough to equal the cost.

Another guest posted about the old people on this trip. Ditto

I have never seen more scooters, wheel chairs, walkers and canes. Husband and I are in early 60's and we felt like we were teenagers compared to the rest of the guests.

Celebrity was first class and took care of any problems immediately. We enjoyed our trip and will go again

Vegas,

Thanks for posting. :)

Thank you for your post; and, your observations vis-a-vis the Celebrity experience are spot on.

Roxievegas,

Thanks for the tips!

I was just posting to another persons thread that cc hadn't really had and reviews from the Equinox 11 night cruise. Looks like we're going to get 2!

I'm looking forward to your review.

plan to write a review in a few days but wanted to let future cruises know that some of the tips put on this site came in handy for our trip.

#1 - collapse bins that fit above the beds - I took two, could have used up to six. come in handy since there is little drawer space. husband used them for socks and underwear. I will take more next time

#2. our dinner time was changed from 6:00 to 8:30 by "computer glitch" we immediately went MDR and then to customer service to get it fix - it took two days, but received chocolate covered cherries and bottle of champagne for the mix up. Dinner in MDR was first rate

#3 - had two bad celebrity excursions. Went to the excursion desk afterwards and let them know the problems we had - they asked if we wanted compensation and we said we didn't expect any, we just wanted them to know the problems we had - checked our bill and the end of the trip and they had given us 1/2 credit for the excursions.

#4 - we had the 123 promotion and took the drink classic alcohol package. Husband and I like wine with dinner, special coffee - next time we will take OBC credit and pay for a non alcohol package. We didn't drink enough to equal the cost.

Another guest posted about the old people on this trip. Ditto

I have never seen more scooters, wheel chairs, walkers and canes. Husband and I are in early 60's and we felt like we were teenagers compared to the rest of the guests.

Celebrity was first class and took care of any problems immediately. We enjoyed our trip and will go again

Thanks for the tips.

I already posted on the other thread but I want you to know as well, how much I appreciate people who take the time to post reviews. We are seriously looking at this cruise for this fall. We have never cruised Celebrity so I am looking for any and all tips. We are 2 star Mariners on HAL and let me tell you the age demographic sounds like what you experienced so we are used to that. If you are able please post pictures as well!

Thanks for the tips! We sail on the Equinox in 8 days...can't wait! You mention the bins for above the bed. Is this storage in those long cabinets I see in photos?? Thanks for the help!

Deb

Great tips ! Thank you have my bins ready for my trip on Eclipse:)

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

Thank you so much for thee tips. We are packing to leave on her in 8 days and can't wait to get out of the cold. We have the cubes set aside already as well.

the folding baskets/bins/cubes are sold at Walmart, Target or online with Amazon and not that expensive. with our cabin and I would think that they are pretty much the same, you can get three above each side of the bed. I used mine to store the camera cord, the charges, extra purse, anything small that I didn't need much but wanted out of the way. I am still amazed at the storage that you have in the cabin. We had one 24", one 21" and one 19" suitcase (we brought too much) and all three suitcases fit under the bed. We used on suitcase to hold the dirty laundry and I have those ziplock storage bags to put them in, seal them up and then they don't stink up the suitcase.

plan to write a review in a few days but wanted to let future cruises know that some of the tips put on this site came in handy for our trip.

#1 - collapse bins that fit above the beds - I took two, could have used up to six. come in handy since there is little drawer space. husband used them for socks and underwear. I will take more next time

#2. our dinner time was changed from 6:00 to 8:30 by "computer glitch" we immediately went MDR and then to customer service to get it fix - it took two days, but received chocolate covered cherries and bottle of champagne for the mix up. Dinner in MDR was first rate

#3 - had two bad celebrity excursions. Went to the excursion desk afterwards and let them know the problems we had - they asked if we wanted compensation and we said we didn't expect any, we just wanted them to know the problems we had - checked our bill and the end of the trip and they had given us 1/2 credit for the excursions.

#4 - we had the 123 promotion and took the drink classic alcohol package. Husband and I like wine with dinner, special coffee - next time we will take OBC credit and pay for a non alcohol package. We didn't drink enough to equal the cost.

Another guest posted about the old people on this trip. Ditto

I have never seen more scooters, wheel chairs, walkers and canes. Husband and I are in early 60's and we felt like we were teenagers compared to the rest of the guests.

Celebrity was first class and took care of any problems immediately. We enjoyed our trip and will go again

Thanks for the quick review. We'll be boarding the Equinox on the 10th for the 3rd time. What were the bad excursions you took. Just wondering in case we chose the same ones.

Glad you had a good time. We can't wait to get out of the sub-zero temps!!

We take a pop-up laundry basket and store in the closet. I never thought about taking cubes for the over head. I use these bins quite a lot, but do have trouble with things spilling out when I open them. A pop-up bin or two will be perfect for fitting all those little items in. :)

Another guest posted about the old people on this trip. Ditto

I have never seen more scooters, wheel chairs, walkers and canes. Husband and I are in early 60's and we felt like we were teenagers compared to the rest of the guests.

Celebrity was first class and took care of any problems immediately. We enjoyed our trip and will go again

We are 2 star Mariners on HAL and let me tell you the age demographic sounds like what you experienced so we are used to that.

And isn't it wonderful that these elderly passengers (and others dependent on medical devices) can still travel with the aid of their devices, and that they are not sitting home becoming depressed. ;) I am so thankful that my parents were able to travel with my family, almost up until the ends of their lives. The last few cruises we took together, both my parents used canes. For the last cruise we took, my father started out with just his cane, but we quickly determined that he needed a wheelchair to get around the ship. One was provided by the cruiseline. My Dad was embarrassed, but so happy to be traveling. I will always cherish those memories. :)

 

 

 

 

 

And isn't it wonderful that these elderly passengers (and others dependent on medical devices) can still travel with the aid of their devices, and that they are not sitting home becoming depressed. ;) I am so thankful that my parents were able to travel with my family, almost up until the ends of their lives. The last few cruises we took together, both my parents used canes. For the last cruise we took, my father started out with just his cane, but we quickly determined that he needed a wheelchair to get around the ship. One was provided by the cruiseline. My Dad was embarrassed, but so happy to be traveling. I will always cherish those memories. :)

I also cherish the memories of my grandmother's last cruise with us… Thanks for sharing your parents picture.

To the OP. Thanks for sharing your tips, glad you had a good cruise!!:):)

bad panama excursion due to two hour delay with road work going to Portobelo. The excursion was a trip to Portobelo and then back to the Gatun Locks - total time was for 3 1/2 hours and we were gone 6 hours. Five bus loads were caught up in the traffic jam.

second - Belize - Cahal Pech ruins. Because you have to use the tender to get to port - that takes 20- 25 minutes for just the boat ride - you still have to load and unload - took off in the bus at 11:10 - did not get to the ruins until almost 2:00 because of potty and snack break. Arrived at ruins and were told we had 45 minutes and then get back on the no air condition bus - Bus was loaded and ready to go until 3:00 - our driver had to kick butt to get us back to port in time to catch the last tender ride back to ship - ruins were great - bus ride and guide on the bus were not.

Side note regarding old people - I am a senior citizen, but I found a lot of the people on the ship with an attitude of entitlement. My mother had that attitude and it drove me nuts - just because you are old, you don't get to go in front of everyone else, you still need to say please and thank you, you don't push past people and crowd the elevator because you don't want to wait for the next one, you don't need to seat at a table in the Oceanview Café not eating while other people are waiting for tables. If an excursion says that there will be a lot of walking and climbing - don't sign up if you can't walk, climb stairs. There were many couples that seemed lost and should not have been by themselves - they needed help. Even the comedian made jokes about the old people on the ship and they were all true.

Thanks roxievegas.

About what size to buy for the fold up cubes to put above the bed. Thanks. Heather

but I found a lot of the people on the ship with an attitude of entitlement. My mother had that attitude and it drove me nuts - just because you are old, you don't get to go in front of everyone else, you still need to say please and thank you, you don't push past people and crowd the elevator because you don't want to wait for the next one, you don't need to seat at a table in the Oceanview Café not eating while other people are waiting for tables.

I know, but they cannot help it. :D Something about the old mind. They have a one track mind, and cannot really think about more than one task at a time. My father started to get like that at the end, but was still polite. He died at 85. My mother never was like that. She died 5 months later at 84.

I can remember trying to talk to a member of my church while he was walking down the hall with a cane. He was 90 at the time. He said that he could not talk to me because he was concentrating on walking and could I call him later at home. :D

Just like being patient with a child, you have to be patient with the elderly. Sometimes it's not easy, but you have to remember that you will be in their shoes one day. ;) And if you have had elderly parents, you will be more patient with other elderly people.

If an excursion says that there will be a lot of walking and climbing - don't sign up if you can't walk, climb stairs. There were many couples that seemed lost and should not have been by themselves - they needed help. Even the comedian made jokes about the old people on the ship and they were all true. .

I agree on this, but I have seen first hand that the excursion people do not always give out the correct information. My parents once booked an excursion to Dunn River Falls. It was a boat excursion that let passengers off at the bottom of the falls, near the beach. They were told that they could stay on the beach and not have to climb up any hills. I guess you know how that turned out. :rolleyes:

Oh, we all laugh at the jokes, too! :D

they show 9" X 10" by 11" and they are made of cardboard covered with canvas material.

We were on this cruise. Had a great time. Private tour in Cartagena to see senior center and day care center as well as downtown walking tour was great. Let me know if you want contact info. Also Indy tour to Embera tribe in Panama.

We were Aqua and enjoyed Blu and Persian Gardens.

Happy to answer any questions.

I would like information, please. We will be on this cruise a year from today! :D

For info on Cartagena go to http://www.friendsforcolombia.com. Tell them Myra sent you. For Panama go to http://www.emberavillagetours.com.

We were on the 1-10-2014 to 1-20-2014 Ultimate Caribbean Cruise, we were leaving as you were arriving ;-)

We 100% agree about the older demographic. We have done two February 7 day cruises on the Eclipse and Reflection and quite frankly, we were a little disappointed with our experience on the Equinox. We figured maybe the January time frame, maybe the cruise length had something to do with the older crowd.

PLEASE don't take my comment as slagging older cruisers, throughout the 10 days on board we met and thoroughly enjoyed the company of many 70+ cruisers who put us 50's to shame when it came to energy and enjoying life. Overall though, we felt the ship atmosphere was a bit sedate. For example there were nights when we passed the Molecular Bar and the Martini Bar and they were pretty quiet compared to past experiences of standing room only. Add to this Celebrity's cutbacks on live musical entertainment meant we felt the ship didn't have that upbeat vibe we experienced in the past.

For the most part the ship seemed to be in great shape but some areas, especially little things in our stateroom, are getting a bit tired. If we were first time Celebrity cruisers we wouldn't have been impressed with the blue info binder held together with layers of scotch tape, worn out port magazines and coating flaking off of balcony recliners.

Overall, we had a great cruise. Just not as great as the previous two.

If I can add a few highlights / hints they would be:

1) Introduce yourself to Iaroslav at Café al Bacio early in your cruise. He'll take good care of you! He's a great guy.

2) Get to know Bozho (Bo) at the Sunset Bar and Passport Lounge. He's a very impressive bright gentleman. Like Iaroslav, he kind of makes you wonder why he's working for a cruise line. Hint Hint... if you are relaxing at the Sunset Bar and like Daiquiri's and Bo is serving, ask him for his "special" Raspberry Daiquiri. He'll sub mellower xx+ proof ingredients that won't knock you out after one or two. My GF called them BoDaiquiri's ;-) Great way to sip away the afternoon on sea days watching the wake!

3) No matter how tired or sleepy you are, be prepared to smile broadly if you encounter Rabinger (spelling?) in the Oceanview Cafe for breakfast. He may be small in stature but he's a spark plug of positive energy. It's entertaining watching him work the room.

These are just our opinions. We're not trying to be negative. Just sharing what we honestly felt.

Thanks for the tips! We sail on the Equinox in 8 days...can't wait! You mention the bins for above the bed. Is this storage in those long cabinets I see in photos?? Thanks for the help!

Deb

Here is a video where they talk about the storage bins. We found ours at the Dollar store, wonderful.

Our cabin 1548 was very quiet. It was standard size but quite comfortable with nice chairs and footstools.

We were on the 1-10-2014 to 1-20-2014 Ultimate Caribbean Cruise, we were leaving as you were arriving ;-)

 

We 100% agree about the older demographic. We have done two February 7 day cruises on the Eclipse and Reflection and quite frankly, we were a little disappointed with our experience on the Equinox. We figured maybe the January time frame, maybe the cruise length had something to do with the older crowd.

 

PLEASE don't take my comment as slagging older cruisers, throughout the 10 days on board we met and thoroughly enjoyed the company of many 70+ cruisers who put us 50's to shame when it came to energy and enjoying life. Overall though, we felt the ship atmosphere was a bit sedate. For example there were nights when we passed the Molecular Bar and the Martini Bar and they were pretty quiet compared to past experiences of standing room only. Add to this Celebrity's cutbacks on live musical entertainment meant we felt the ship didn't have that upbeat vibe we experienced in the past.

 

For the most part the ship seemed to be in great shape but some areas, especially little things in our stateroom, are getting a bit tired. If we were first time Celebrity cruisers we wouldn't have been impressed with the blue info binder held together with layers of scotch tape, worn out port magazines and coating flaking off of balcony recliners.

 

Overall, we had a great cruise. Just not as great as the previous two.

 

If I can add a few highlights / hints they would be:

 

1) Introduce yourself to Iaroslav at Café al Bacio early in your cruise. He'll take good care of you! He's a great guy.

 

2) Get to know Bozho (Bo) at the Sunset Bar and Passport Lounge. He's a very impressive bright gentleman. Like Iaroslav, he kind of makes you wonder why he's working for a cruise line. Hint Hint... if you are relaxing at the Sunset Bar and like Daiquiri's and Bo is serving, ask him for his "special" Raspberry Daiquiri. He'll sub mellower xx+ proof ingredients that won't knock you out after one or two. My GF called them BoDaiquiri's ;-) Great way to sip away the afternoon on sea days watching the wake!

 

3) No matter how tired or sleepy you are, be prepared to smile broadly if you encounter Rabinger (spelling?) in the Oceanview Cafe for breakfast. He may be small in stature but he's a spark plug of positive energy. It's entertaining watching him work the room.

 

These are just our opinions. We're not trying to be negative. Just sharing what we honestly felt.

I look forward to meeting Bo as the Sunset bar is one of my favorite handouts. Any other stand out bartenders at Molecular, The Martini Bar, or any other bars?

For info on Cartagena go to www.friendsforcolombia.com. Tell them Myra sent you. For Panama go to www.emberavillagetours.com.

Thank you so much!