Equinox March 6th - Trip Report

[Oradellian]

:) Celebrity Equinox March 6th 2010 – Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip

Ports of Call: Grand Cayman, Cartagena, Colon, Limon, Roatan, Cozumel

Sea Days: 4

Cabin: Aqua Class 1505, Port Forward, Penthouse Deck

 

My wife and I are age 58 and live in the Northeast USA; this is our 7th cruise; we had cruised as far back as 1974 when the ships all had propellers.

 

Selection: We sailed on the Celebrity Millennium in 2007 (Western Mediterranean) and were eager to try one of Celebrity’s new ships. This particular itinerary was appealing, as we have never been to Central or South America. All arrangements were made via Celebrity’s website.

 

Ship: New, beautiful, weird. Example: there are way too many bars and lounges; they’re empty. The lawn and glass blowing shows take up valuable space; meanwhile, the pools and deck chairs are overcrowded.

 

Services: Excellent . . . yet boarding took extra long – even though we were Aqua Class guests, Celebrity chose to close down the Aqua Class line at 1:00pm. Thus we were penalized for avoiding the crush while buying our own lunch on shore. Go figure. Other Aqua Class Amenities, the Blu Restaurant, and the Persian Gardens, were worthwhile for us.

 

Cabin: Best bathroom award, almost terrestrial sized. Bed has rounded end; again, weird. Not much storage space. Nice leather sofa and flat screen TV. Standard balcony, with comfortable chairs.

 

Food: Always excellent, except when it wasn’t. Case in point: Murano. DW’s “surf and turf” was badly overcooked and the whole affair took 2 ½ hours. However, we loved Blu (open seating always) and ate 3 times at the Tuscan Grille, probably sampling each of their entrees at least once. Room service, the Ocean View Café, Aqua Spa Café, and Mast Grille were perfectly fine casual dining. Wine: Nice selections, brutal prices.

 

Entertainment: We think Celebrity needs to do better here. The mass audience stage plays, including the Cirque d’ Soleil wannabe, left us bored. There were 2 comedians who gave “late-night” shows in Celebrity Central (yes, after midnight); both were funny, actually the 2nd guy was terrific.

 

Music / dancing: Boring, boring, boring. The resident dance band / resident guitar guy / resident piano guy / resident steel drum guy / all played the same sets every day. There was also an acappella group (from New Jersey?) and the comely usual suspects from the former Soviet Union playing chamber music in the grand foyer. I suppose we could have drifted up in the evenings to the lawn, and enjoyed a nice hot glass show, but we were too soused from our pub crawl across all 14 lounges.

 

Ports / Shore Excursions: Grand Cayman was crowded with 4 large ships in port. We hung back until 11:00am and tendered easily at that time. The Georgetown downtown area was bumper-to-bumper, so we stayed in town and did a little shopping. It was a relaxing day. Read my book.

 

Cartagena: We enjoyed the ship’s “Deluxe Cartagena & Fortress - CA08” tour. It was a hot, humid day and 4 hours of the tour were plenty. The street vendors are very aggressive, and the emeralds on sale in the legitimate stores seemed pretty dear. The tour includes plenty of shopping opportunities although there weren’t any bargains that I could see.

 

Colon: We took the ship’s lengthy “Panama City Tour - CO24” which is an all-day event. In retrospect, this was a bad move as the buses provided were “mini-buses” and barely comfortable. In addition to the slow-motion Gatun locks of the Panama Canal, you’ll enjoy the desperate high-rise windowless slums of Panama City, where lucky residents have a clear view of the new, sparkling Trump Tower. Very modest lunch included in tour. Colon shopping just across from the dock. Note: lots of sewage noticeable both in Colon and Panama City, so I don’t recommend any swimming adventures.

 

Limon: We taxied to Playa Bonita, which is just a few clicks north of town; nice sunny beach and warm water. Shopping at the dock.

 

Roatan: We reserved the ship’s “Magical Island Beach Day w/ Lobster Lunch - RT36” tour. Nothing magical about this tour; very modest beach and swimming. Bring a book, and get there early to enjoy a seat under a palm tree. Nice cold lobster and salad lunch. We left as early as possible, and did the required window shopping back at the pier.

 

Cozumel: Rainy and windy day, our “Passion Island Escape by Catamaran - CZ20” tour was cancelled. So, we spent the day shopping! Actually, this was the best shopping we’ve had in quite some time, and DW was able to get nice sterling silver jewelry as well as household knickknacks all made in Mexico not China.

 

Overall: Nice winter vacation. We won’t be hurrying back to Cartagena, Colon, or Limon. At age 58, we still felt “young” on this cruise. :rolleyes:

 

Best Memory: Sunset dining at the Tuscan Grille, DW, fine red wine and veal parmigiana!

Worst Memory: Street vendors poking at my wife in Cartagena; for a moment, I thought there would be an regrettable international incident.

[greeneg]

Actually the Sailing Date was March 8th, 2010. Otherwise fair revue. I was also on this sailing and will be doing a revue once I get my head above water.

[ORCRUISER]

Leaving in a few days, Would love to read your review.

[Lois R]

Actually the Sailing Date was March 8th, 2010. Otherwise fair revue. I was also on this sailing and will be doing a revue once I get my head above water.

 

Hi Ed:)...looking forward to reading it.....wondering about your

thoughts because I know ya'll have been sailing on Azamara and

that would be going from a teeney ship to a BIG ONE;)

[jackdiamond]

Is it true that Cartegena, Colon and Limon are significantly infected with crime?

[greeneg]

Although we saw none, there have been reports of recent unrest in Cartagena. The dock area in Colon is a pretty rough area visually and the word has been, "no exploring on your own" for several years. I am not aware of problems in Puerta Limon per se.

 

Probably more information in the Ports of Call Sections.

[Texed]

Ora,

Thanks for posting. :)

[emcee207]

We leave Monday on this cruise and I had planned to stay on board on most of the places you mentioned so I think I have it figured right. I booked the short (2 1/2 hr) tour of the canal so I think also was smart.

I'll let you know. I booked beach days at Roatan and Cozumel. We also booked Aqua Class so really want to make use of Persian Gardens, etc.

Also looking forward to Blu.

I think I'll hit all the lounges!!;)

[joycruise]

we are in AQ and am hoping there is no chemical odor. We are on portside towards back. I've read there is in some places on Equinox. When we were on Solstice last year I noticed a urine like smell and assumed it was the older passengers in that particular cabin. Now I realize it was the off gassing or sewage problem. I am very sensitive to chemicals. I hate to worry about this before a vacation, but 11 days is a long time to be on board and don't we all just want to be the most comfortable we can for what will be a wonderful vacation?.

[nikless]

Luigi

 

I am buying stock in Celebrity since you are sailing next week. Greasin' that SeaPass card is your specialty...:D

 

Review was much appreciated. We are on the same itinerary in feb 2011. Some of your comments about the ship in general were same as my observations on the Solstice last year. Appears to be a good bit of wasted space...get rid of the lawn and put in more chairs.

 

And it's good to know that the demographics havent changed.;)

 

Nick

[tortugas]

Enjoyed reading your review... very entertaining!!

 

Regarding Cartagena, I have several friends who vacation there regularly, and the general sentiment seems to be anything withing the walled city is gorgeous and safe. We are considering a vaca there if we can get a good rate on a flight from Miami. My understanding is the beaches there are not the best... that you have to do a day trip to one of the outer islands for primo beaching.

[Oradellian]

we are in AQ and am hoping there is no chemical odor. We are on portside towards back. I've read there is in some places on Equinox. When we were on Solstice last year I noticed a urine like smell and assumed it was the older passengers in that particular cabin. Now I realize it was the off gassing or sewage problem. I am very sensitive to chemicals. I hate to worry about this before a vacation, but 11 days is a long time to be on board and don't we all just want to be the most comfortable we can for what will be a wonderful vacation?.

 

:) We walked on almost all the passenger decks at least once during the 11 days, and I can honestly say that there were no odors. Also, we did not overhear any other guests complaining.

[bernnj]

:) .

 

Overall: Nice winter vacation. We won’t be hurrying back to Cartagena, Colon, or Limon. At age 58, we still felt “young” on this cruise. :rolleyes:

 

Thank you for your review. Guess there was a wave of silver hair people :) on the ship and I shouldn't be overly concerned about parents (both 80) sailing on this ship on 3/29.

 

They are on their second day of driving down to Florida today (taking it slow). Any suggestions I should give them when they call or e-mail to check-in with me?

 

Thanks,

Bernadette

[Oradellian]

:) .

 

Thank you for your review. Guess there was a wave of silver hair people :) on the ship and I shouldn't be overly concerned about parents (both 80) sailing on this ship on 3/29.

 

They are on their second day of driving down to Florida today (taking it slow). Any suggestions I should give them when they call or e-mail to check-in with me?

 

Congrats to your folks... I hope to be cruising when I am 80 nevermind driving to Florida.

 

The fortress in Cartagena was a tough climb... many on our bus sat it out in the (very limited) shade. Again, the temperature and humidity were oppressive.

 

In Colon and Limon, the conditions were better, and I would think that the ship's tours offer a good chance to see some of the attractions (the Gatun locks on the canal, and maybe the rainforest park in Colon).

 

Celebrity's website allows you to download a .pdf file with all the shore excursions, and recommended activity levels.

 

I heard that the "hot glass" shows were enjoyable, although I did not get there personally ... a lady that we met in the elevator said she attended all of them !

 

There's always bingo; I was able to play the slot machines for hours and only lost $4.

 

If your parents enjoy the bar scene, there are 14 different ones to choose.;)

[glassgirl76]

I would highly recommend the veragua rainforest in costa rica. they take you on a guided tour of the rainforest. The paths are all well marked with either concrete or wooden planks. there was a short 15 minute walk to see a waterfall that several in our group decided to skip. there is a shaded place with seats to wait if you do not want to make the trek to the waterfall. It is about an hour from the port and you spend about 3 hours there. One of the closer attractions.

[caliber35]

I must say that I found your impressions of the ship to be 'weird'. Ships today still have propellors, they just drive them electrically instead of with shafts. And the demographics of your cruise sound strange. The bars were certainly not empty on Solstice last year. You practically had to fight to get a space at the Martini Bar. Celebrity has used rounded corner beds for as long as the line has existed, for practical reasons of making them easier to get around. The music on Celebrity is intended to cater to a wide range of tastes, just not yours, I guess. At least they still offer live music in the evenings, which many lines do not. Ditto for the shows, which we found much better than the average Broadway Revue. Sadly, it sounds as if you missed the charms of Cartagena, which is one of the prettiest old cities in South America. History, not shopping, is the reason to go there. Yes, it is hot, as it is near the Equator, but it is a beautiful historic city that is very safe to visit. Regarding the other ports of call, as a TA I might suggest that the Southern Caribbean has a lot more to offer than the West. And perhaps the time of year had something to do with the demographics. Your age group would usually be mainstream on Celebrity.

[Boo2]

I have the "Celebrity Today" dailies for this cruise if anyone is interested. If you would like them, email me at shellybaillie@hotmail.com and I will send them to you. Do not post asking for them on this thread because I will not be checking it for requests. ;)

[joycruise]

:) We walked on almost all the passenger decks at least once during the 11 days, and I can honestly say that there were no odors. Also, we did not overhear any other guests complaining.

 

That's a relief, thank you.

[camella]

Bernadette

 

As for your 80 year old parents - I have been to most of these ports and the heat and humidity in Colon and Puerto Limon can be BRUTAL...and I'm from Miami!!! So take precautions, make sure that you always have water and sunblock!

 

Oradellian thanks for the review - we will be on there Monday. We haven't been on one of their new ships in a long time so I can't wait!

[bernnj]

Bernadette

 

As for your 80 year old parents - I have been to most of these ports and the heat and humidity in Colon and Puerto Limon can be BRUTAL...and I'm from Miami!!! So take precautions, make sure that you always have water and sunblock!

 

Oradellian thanks for the review - we will be on there Monday. We haven't been on one of their new ships in a long time so I can't wait!

 

Yes I agree and fortunately my parents will not get off the ship at every port. My mother's health precludes them from the sightseeing activities and my dad pushes her in a wheelchair. They will only venture a very, very small distance from the ship. Thank you all.

 

Bernadette

[emcee207]

yes, we leave Monday also.

 

IcePickNick, I didn't realize your cruise in feb 2011 was this itinerary; haven't had time to check it out. I'm not thrilled with the Itinearay here, picked it more for the ship and the 11 days.

I'll let u know.

 

I'm thrilled the ship has 14 bars and I will hit every one of them!!:D

[charlamagne1969]

Sorry to bother you... but if you don't mind, a quick question. I was wondering if you found the Health Club noise above AC 1505 to be much of a problem? (Aerobics?) I am blocked into the same cabin for an upcoming cruise and just figured out the configuration. (Poor planning on my part.) Anyway, your input would be helpful. Best regards. CX69

[Oradellian]

Sorry to bother you... but if you don't mind, a quick question. I was wondering if you found the Health Club noise above AC 1505 to be much of a problem? (Aerobics?) I am blocked into the same cabin for an upcoming cruise and just figured out the configuration. (Poor planning on my part.) Anyway, your input would be helpful. Best regards. CX69

 

Thanks for asking.... only on one occasion did we hear noise.... it was 10:00pm.... we went upstairs to investigate, and sure enough 2 people were doing high-impact aerobics, literally bouncing up and down to a DVD.

 

We ignored it, as we were going to a late show anyway, and had stopped back in our cabin to change out of formal clothes.

 

However, it certainly suggests that 1505 is at risk for noise. Good luck with your choices.

[nikless]

yes, we leave Monday also.

 

IcePickNick, I didn't realize your cruise in feb 2011 was this itinerary; haven't had time to check it out. I'm not thrilled with the Itinearay here, picked it more for the ship and the 11 days.

I'll let u know.

 

I'm thrilled the ship has 14 bars and I will hit every one of them!!:D

 

Yep, same itinerary. We chose it FOR the itinerary. As far as the ship, well, I'd rather be on the Journey or Connie, but we will survive

And you should know about the bars...same as the Solstice last Feb...but then maybe you don't remember much...

Hope you are having a good time.

The Ice Pick

[Holly2]

Hi! I love our itinerary also -- picked the ship inspite of its size and lack of a T pool. Loved the T pool area on Journey. See you on board...