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On board equinox


dkjretired
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We are on the ship too. That was the strangest meet and greet that I've ever been too. I left fairly quickly since it was going nowhere. We are hanging out by the pool and so grateful to just be on the cruise.

 

We're at the Solarium if you see a guy with a huge "Grumpy" t shirt that's me.

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Maybe Officers and CD had alot to do b/c of revised itin????

Was the social host/ hostess there?

Did they at least have all the registered names?

 

Celeb Meet and Greet ( fomerly Connections Party) never as good as Royal C but this location seems not very good for a party...

 

Enjoy the Cruise!

 

They didn't announce everyone individually and it was quick, just said their titles:(

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Now for the weirdness, Cruise director said a couple of things and introduced the officers who did not speak. He then turned the mike over to the people running slot pull and cabin crawl. Last woman finished her comments and went to give mike to CD but all the officers and CD were gone.'quite awkward and everybody left. I think setting up the equipment took longer than the meeting.

 

That same thing has been our experience for the past 5-6 cruises: CD introduces Officers, Captain says about 25 words. CD hands mike to one of the attendees who may or may not have any announcements. Officers and CD disappear and that's it. Group wanders off.

 

I no longer sign up for the Connections gatherings, waste of time IMHO. On the other hand we never miss Sail Away. More meeting & mingling at sail away than at the CC gatherings

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The other thing that Celebrity should do is have us put our screen names on the name tags. I've been saying this for years, we don't know each other by our names.

I don't think that Celebrity has access to our screen names. All the information they have is from our reservation. I agree with you but they need to add an item to the registration asking for your Cruise Critic ID. But there are a lot of other things on X's website that need fixed first.

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I don't think that Celebrity has access to our screen names. All the information they have is from our reservation. I agree with you but they need to add an item to the registration asking for your Cruise Critic ID. But there are a lot of other things on X's website that need fixed first.

 

True but when you come in they could ask you to put your ID on the name tag.

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We made our own tags years ago with screen name and given name. We just keep them in our suitcase so they don't get forgotten. They are the kind you get at conferences with the pin in the back of the clear plastic holding the card with the names on it. I agree, having given names only, on the card is useless as we all "know" each other by our screen names at the beginning.

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We sailed on the Equinox last November and they scheduled our Connections Party right after Muster!! Many hadn't had time to get to their cabins and didn't know about it...or never got the invite....now THAT was weird! Very few officers, nothing scheduled.....no introductions...nothing - other than having the Sky Longe reserved for us. Other Connections have had "finger food" and sparkling wine and most have had officers (at least the CD show up and welcome us aboard!)

 

Not sure why the Connections Parties don't get more visibility.....you'd think that X would encourage participation and would do "something" to make us feel more welcome. Odd.....:(

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This unfortunately sounds consistent with our last sailing on Equinox in November 2016.

 

The M&M was scheduled for the day of departure at 5:00 pm in the Sky Lounge. Our Roll Call had planned a Sail-Away so we could wave to the camera as we were leaving Port Everglades. I did not notice the M&M invite in our cabin so I was unaware of this schedule mishap. We had a group of about 50 at the Sail-Away and when I found out the event was in conflict with the M&M we had to rush to the Sky Lounge so we could make the M&M and missed the sail-out from port.

 

The M&M was crazy - kind of a "bust" in my opinion. We were having a better time at the Sail-Away.

 

When I coordinate a Sail-Away I pre-print nametags for the participants which helps with the M&M.

 

Sounds like there are opportunities for improvement on Celebrities part here. Appreciate the postings on this Thread - will give some thoughts to help with the M&M on the 6 OCT sailing.

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We did a B2B on the Silhouette in Mar. Both of the Connection Parties were held in the Cellar Masters Bar. They were only about 10 on the first on and maybe 20 for the second. I think 8 of us from the first attended the second one. Not many are bothering to attend anymore and I don't think X is making any effort to promote them.

 

I signed up for our cruise in Apr and didn't bother to attend as I wasn't really interested because I didn't need to connect to anyone.

 

Those that I have attended usually consisted of the same thing. Everyone grabs a seat and then don't mingle for fear that they might loose their choice seat. The officers come in, introduce themselves and then thanks us for attending, and then everyone leaves.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

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Sorry, didn't mean for this thread to go off on the M&M. Luminae was excellent yesterday had basically prime rib which was excellent. It was called I think Cote de Beouf. Evening Chic night, some tuxes, many suits and sport jackets but mostly shirts and pants.

 

Off today in Grand Cayman, have nice relaxing day planned at Palm hotel for our 35th anniversary.

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Sorry, didn't mean for this thread to go off on the M&M. Luminae was excellent yesterday had basically prime rib which was excellent. It was called I think Cote de Beouf. Evening Chic night, some tuxes, many suits and sport jackets but mostly shirts and pants.

 

Off today in Grand Cayman, have nice relaxing day planned at Palm hotel for our 35th anniversary.

 

Happy anniversary. Enjoy your day in Grand Cayman, lovely place

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If it's the Oct 6th sailing, it's the same itinerary (10 nights, stopping in Grand Cayman, the ABC islands and Key West). The latter stop has been changed to Falmouth, Jamaica as KW will not be open again to cruise ships until at least Oct 20th.

 

I know this because I'm also going to be on her sailing on the 6th - just 19 days away!

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This unfortunately sounds consistent with our last sailing on Equinox in November 2016.

 

The M&M was scheduled for the day of departure at 5:00 pm in the Sky Lounge. Our Roll Call had planned a Sail-Away so we could wave to the camera as we were leaving Port Everglades. I did not notice the M&M invite in our cabin so I was unaware of this schedule mishap. We had a group of about 50 at the Sail-Away and when I found out the event was in conflict with the M&M we had to rush to the Sky Lounge so we could make the M&M and missed the sail-out from port.

 

The M&M was crazy - kind of a "bust" in my opinion. We were having a better time at the Sail-Away.

 

When I coordinate a Sail-Away I pre-print nametags for the participants which helps with the M&M.

 

Sounds like there are opportunities for improvement on Celebrities part here. Appreciate the postings on this Thread - will give some thoughts to help with the M&M on the 6 OCT sailing.

For the last few months I have been unable to sign up. The web site tells me how many signed up but I am not given the opportunity. So the last few cruises I dont get the invite. During the last few months it is always at 10:15 AM the first sea day on Equinox. Used to be in the GastroBar, but the last few in Passport Bar. Did not even go yesterday. GastroBar was a better location.

We did a B2B on the Silhouette in Mar. Both of the Connection Parties were held in the Cellar Masters Bar. They were only about 10 on the first on and maybe 20 for the second. I think 8 of us from the first attended the second one. Not many are bothering to attend anymore and I don't think X is making any effort to promote them.

 

I signed up for our cruise in Apr and didn't bother to attend as I wasn't really interested because I didn't need to connect to anyone.

 

Those that I have attended usually consisted of the same thing. Everyone grabs a seat and then don't mingle for fear that they might loose their choice seat. The officers come in, introduce themselves and then thanks us for attending, and then everyone leaves.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

 

 

Sent from my LG-E980 using Forums mobile app

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We made it to Equinox, sailed an hour early, heading to dinner at luminae, our first suite ion Celebrity since 94. Flew fromNewark yesterday, stayed in Embassy Suites in FLL. New Uber driver who didn't read signs just his GPS, small speed bumps but no big deal.

 

Thank you for posting. Enjoy your cruise.

 

How is the Embassy Suites FLL?

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The other thing that Celebrity should do is have us put our screen names on the name tags. I've been saying this for years, we don't know each other by our names.

 

I don't think that Celebrity has access to our screen names. All the information they have is from our reservation. I agree with you but they need to add an item to the registration asking for your Cruise Critic ID.

 

I've responded to similar posts here before...

 

In late 2009, I took on the task of creating two sets of name tags--one for our Sail Away gathering and a second for our Meet & Mingle [then, Connections Party]--for ~ 240 members of our Roll Call... Months before our sailing date, I posted my exact plans to the Roll Call and included a spreadsheet--updated several times--containing the carefully collected information I could glean from Cruise Critic [screen name, and often, "home location"] for edit as well as a request for first names with intent of printing all three... The name tags looked great, included a graphic, and for the most part, Roll Call members were both supportive [though often not prompt; I was still reprinting name tags hours before I left for Europe so as to capture late additions/edits] and appreciative of the effort... That said...

  • I encountered two couples who didn't want name tags printed at all; instead, they asked that I bring along blank labels/markers--which they'd fill out with their identifiers as they chose to share them--if they attended either or both events...
  • I encountered another dozen or more who didn't want their screen names printed in the interest of remaining anonymous in the presence of officers/crew should they ultimately decide to post after-cruise negatives here... Apparently--and I certainly don't share the thought; it struck me as self-important/self-patronizing--some fear potential future retribution by the cruise line/its employees...
  • I encountered another couple who criticized me for misspelling their [non-US; unfamiliar to me] "home" location... Turned out that I'd printed exactly what they'd entered on their Cruise Critic profile and never--following multiple requests for edits--corrected it... They told me that I ought have caught their long-standing error!
  • I had one couple who joined the Roll Call after I'd left for Europe [six days before embarkation] and expressed dismay--despite the fact that I'd brought blank labels/markers--that their name tags were less "professional" looking than the rest...

The Social Hostess--whom I met with upon boarding ship to share the location of our large [and it was extremely well attended] Sail Away get-together--later extended compliments for the organization of our events... I thanked her but went on to explain some of my frustrations; she understood them and went on to say that the "anonymity" issue in particular manifests itself far more often than one might expect...

 

I sincerely doubt that Celebrity will ever collect Cruise Critic screen names; to my mind, there is reason why the Meet & Mingle registration is via a link to Celebrity systems... And while there is nothing to prevent Meet & Mingle attendees [Celebrity has no real way of knowing if a Sail Away event is planned via a Roll Call] from adding screen name to provided name tags for those choosing to do so--a few pens/markers will do the trick--I tend to doubt that Celebrity will ever encourage such practice in any way...

 

For me--given the time/expense I devoted to the undertaking--it was a "one and done" experience... When it comes to human nature, I thought I'd "seen/heard it all" after a nearly 35 year career in Human Resources with a Fortune 25 corporation... I was wrong...

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I don't think that Celebrity has access to our screen names. All the information they have is from our reservation. I agree with you but they need to add an item to the registration asking for your Cruise Critic ID. But there are a lot of other things on X's website that need fixed first.

 

Also there is no way all of us from Oct 27 cruise are going to fit in the Passport Bar! ;)That roll call list is huge.

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Thank you for posting. Enjoy your cruise.

 

How is the Embassy Suites FLL?

We had two suites at Embassy Suites FLL March 2017 & have stayed there a couple other times. The hotel is fairly old, but well kept. The staff has always been friendly & polite. They cater to cruise ship passengers. The breakfast & evening happy hour are always nice. My only complaint is the elevators are slow & there are not enough of them. The only time it is really a problem is in the morning when everyone is trying to get to breakfast &/or their ship. Lots of patience is needed in the mornings. I would stay there again.

 

Sent from my SM-G900P using Forums mobile app

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Weird CC party, held at Passport bar which is open and we had a large group. People walk by and ask what's going on should be in a closed room. The other thing that Celebrity should do is have us put our screen names on the name tags. I've been saying this for years, we don't know each other by our names.

How "large" was your group?

 

I'm organizing things on the 10/16 sailing and our Connections Party count got stuck on 127 when Celebrity rolled out the new website. No way we would fit at the Passport Bar.

 

Thanks, and hope you are enjoying the cruise.:D

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