What Changes Should I Expect?

[packedandready]

We sailed on the Equinox in April '11 and are doing the same intinerary/ship in April '14. What changes have been made in the service, ship or anything else that comes to mind? With all the cruiselines doing cutbacks I'm hoping nothing major has changed.

[PORT ROYAL]

We sailed on the Equinox in April '11 and are doing the same intinerary/ship in April '14. What changes have been made in the service, ship or anything else that comes to mind? With all the cruiselines doing cutbacks I'm hoping nothing major has changed.

 

Sadly you will notice differences -

Let us start in spa cafe

No Seared Tuna

No Cut of Salmon

No Breast of Chicken - 1 Piece

No Tiger Prawns

Three types of bread-stick - used to be 5

Three types of stewed fruits - Used to be 5/6

Reduced selection of salads

The fresh fruit selections (bowl of) - you now have to pay $5 per serving

 

The list of cutbacks could go on throughout the ship with foods and dining experiences..........

 

But Celebrity still delivers a cruise experience above most....

[roysue]

We will be sailing the Equinox in March of 2014. This will be our 3rd cruise on her in the past 3 years. To answer your question, "it depends on what you are looking for". Although I was disappointed a bit in the spa café menu changes, it wasn't a place that my group frequents, so the changes there aren't a big deal. We did find things changing in the dining room. Dining staff seems a bit overwhelmed at times. All in all, I agree with the previous poster - Celebrity is still a great line and Equinox still a lovely vessel! Enjoy!

[divadiverfl]

We are going again on her in January 2014. Celebrity is the best for service. They can take items away. As long as they don't take the service. :)

 

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Forums mobile app

[20pluscruises]

Sadly you will notice differences -

Let us start in spa cafe

No Seared Tuna

No Cut of Salmon

No Breast of Chicken - 1 Piece

No Tiger Prawns

Three types of bread-stick - used to be 5

Three types of stewed fruits - Used to be 5/6

Reduced selection of salads

The fresh fruit selections (bowl of) - you now have to pay $5 per serving

 

The list of cutbacks could go on throughout the ship with foods and dining experiences..........

 

But Celebrity still delivers a cruise experience above most....

 

What??????? No salmon? What the heck is left???????

[Brad1185]

The spa cafe is the biggest change and now a real disappointment. Most of the space has been taken over for the $5 fruit bowls.

[willieg]

You will find larger mugs in the buffet and to-go cups for coffee. The service was as good as ever.

[20pluscruises]

The spa cafe is the biggest change and now a real disappointment. Most of the space has been taken over for the $5 fruit bowls.

 

What??? They now charge for fruit????

[PORT ROYAL]

What??? They now charge for fruit????

 

Yes - And it is just a small portion of.

[20pluscruises]

Yes - And it is just a small portion of.

 

I think I may just bring my bowl of fruit down from the room, grab a seat at the spa and sell it for half the price :D

 

I remember when the spa cafe first started...they had the best black bean tostados, split pea souffle and the best low fat deserts. Those were the days...

[PORT ROYAL]

I think I may just bring my bowl of fruit down from the room, grab a seat at the spa and sell it for half the price :D

 

I remember when the spa cafe first started...they had the best black bean tostados, split pea souffle and the best low fat deserts. Those were the days...

 

I think it is called progress by Celebrity.

 

But in service they do look to deliver, but sadly it is now based on pot-luck in the MDR as to where you sit, as to who you get. It never used to be like that.

 

But in saying that Celebrity are still better that most, but it is becoming harder to justify the price differential, with a new price hike due next year.

[ghstudio]

The biggest change is the aqua spa cafe and for us, it's a negative change under the guise of being somehow better for us because it is SPE certified or something like that. Actually, there still is cooked to order salmon, every other day with a 15 min wait but now there is a line to get anything (or even to order the salmon)...and just one server who makes up a salad based on your choices (while everyone else waits). I just wanted soup and I had to wait in line behind 9 people who wanted salads. Just terrible.

 

There are new craft drinks ($) available at various bars.

 

You may find that Michael's club is now a vip private lounge until 7PM...definition of VIP is unclear.

 

Park West is back with their art auctions.

 

Still a wonderful ship...but change is inevitable.....

[20pluscruises]

I think it is called progress by Celebrity.

 

But in service they do look to deliver, but sadly it is now based on pot-luck in the MDR as to where you sit, as to who you get. It never used to be like that.

 

But in saying that Celebrity are still better that most, but it is becoming harder to justify the price differential, with a new price hike due next year.

 

ITA! I remember one table we moved to we nicknamed the "misfit table"...all four couples had asked to be moved from therir original table. We had the best time!!!

 

Our very first Celebrity cruise in 1990 we asked to be moved and ended up with four couples that we later met up with in New York city for a weekend. It was such a fun group and what got us hooked on cruises. Sadly, my husband is ready to jump ship. The excitement of meeting new friends is really gone. Do you think this is due to the pre paid tips? They use to bend over backwards to make your cruise enjoyable.

[PORT ROYAL]

ITA! I remember one table we moved to we nicknamed the "misfit table"...all four couples had asked to be moved from therir original table. We had the best time!!!

 

Our very first Celebrity cruise in 1990 we asked to be moved and ended up with four couples that we later met up with in New York city for a weekend. It was such a fun group and what got us hooked on cruises. Sadly, my husband is ready to jump ship. The excitement of meeting new friends is really gone. Do you think this is due to the pre paid tips? They use to bend over backwards to make your cruise enjoyable.

 

Maybe as there is select and fixed sitting dining.

Select tips are pre-paid and staff could not care less, as they already have their tips (unless you are a suite - then there is a lot of forelock pulling and toadying to encourage additional grats).

With fixed dining, staff have feeling that they may get stiffed (daily tips added withdrawn by PAX) so they do the minimum.

 

So sad - So sad - But this is the sign of the times. Just like Formal Dress (but that is another soapbox)

[Brad1185]

I think I may just bring my bowl of fruit down from the room, grab a seat at the spa and sell it for half the price :D

 

I remember when the spa cafe first started...they had the best black bean tostados, split pea souffle and the best low fat deserts. Those were the days...

 

I remember all that, really good creative food and great low fat deserts.

[bighairtexan]

One positive change that was on the Millennium last night (and supposed to be fleet wide) was the addition of the SPE items in each category in the MDR. SOme of those selections were excellent. Kind of like getting a BLU menu item (But better IMHO) in the MDR.

 

I believe the standard room service bkfst menu has been downscaled but still hot items like eggs (scrambled) and bacon.

 

String quartets of old now seem to be string trios.