Nov 21 - Equinox 10 day Ultimate Caribbean Cruise Review

[Sandy1975]

My husband and I just got back from the 10 day Ultimate Caribbean Cruise on the Equinox. We loved this cruise and I think it was one of the best ones yet. We had a balcony located on mid-ship on deck 7 and the location could not have been better. Just a little about us: We are in our late 30’s and had the classic beverage package. This was our 7th cruise but 4th with Celebrity.

 

I tend to be a bit wordy so here is a quick summary of the overall cruise: Cruise was fantastic and the service in all areas (even when bars were crowded) was pretty good. Waters were rough for the Caribbean so you could feel the boat moving and rocking. We ate the MDR and were happy with the food quality and selection (we really enjoyed the Top Chef Menu they had one of the nights). Music in my opinion was the weak area. I wish it was livelier and made you feel you were on a tropical vacation but instead I felt like I was at a local coffee shop listening to soft melodies even around the pool area (it literally put me to sleep). Disembarkation was not chaotic and pretty quick. For those of you interested in means of transportation, we use Uber to go / from the port. Cost was on average $7.50 for the 2 of us + tips from/to a hotel located by the beach.

 

Now here is a more detailed review:

 

Embarkation / disembarkation: We were at the port by around 10:50. Lines were not long at all and the wait time in the terminal was only about 5 – 10 minutes. We were on board and having lunch at the Oceanview café around 11:15. Getting off the ship was also painless. We didn’t have to rush to get off and requested to be in the last groups to be called. Our departure time was 9:55 and our number was 48, however, by around 9:15 they allowed all groups to leave the ship. Once in the terminal, I was pleasantly surprised to see that immigration was also painless.

 

Entertainment: I think there was something for everyone. We had the Broadway type shows and guest musicians on the first 3 days. I can’t comment on them because we didn’t stay / attend to them (Broadway show was pretty much the same as in every other cruise we have taken and the musicians were not something we enjoy). Other entertainers were a Juggler, a Hypnotist, and a Ventriloquist / Comedian. We enjoyed them, especially the comedian. There were also shows held in the Foyer (Masquerade) and at the Sky Lounge (Latin Night). We also attended to the Hot Glass Shows and I thought they were great! I was just amazed at the work these artists did and their talent.

 

Games / Music/ Other/ Presentations:

 

- Games: both my husband and I participated in some of the games / contests held during the duration of our cruise. He enjoyed playing golf and was the closest (according to Paul Baya, CD) to ever get a hole in one! I played pool volleyball against guests and later vs. the officers (we lost :eek:). I also participated in the Top Chef Quick Fire challenge and lost (again! Is this a pattern? Hmmm).

 

- Music: my comments refer to the music played in the public areas. I know this is subjective and it has been a hot topic here. I didn’t encounter the loud and obnoxious music others report. In fact, it was the opposite! Music was pretty sedated and the only times I felt like there was lively / fun music playing was during the Volleyball contest and at the day DJ Miami was playing at the Martini Bar. I asked why the music was so quiet and was told that it is what most of the people that are currently in the cruise preferred and that anything louder / different would trigger complains.

 

Bar Service / Drinks/ Drink Package:

 

- Drink Package: like I mentioned earlier, we had the classic package but we were curious about the premium one so we decided to wait until the cut off day to upgrade and test it out (more on this later on).

 

I did another post about this while I was on the cruise but to summarize what I posted, I asked people to post questions about the Classic Package and I would answer. What I discovered is that I believe (and this is my assumption only) Celebrity is on its way to transitioning to the list that is currently posted on their website. It excludes some brands that were formerly part of the classic (Bombay, Crown Royal, Ketel One are the ones I inquired about. When I asked the bartender about the first 2 brands I mentioned, he said it wasn’t included. I was later corrected by another poster so I asked again the question and at the suggestion of another poster, I got a copy of what was in the celebrity website. When I asked the question again, I was told yes, they are included but as I looked in the list I got from the website, they were no longer part of classic. So I think that is where the confusion came from).

 

Now that my explanation is out of the way, I can move on and discuss the packages. For me, the classic was sufficient and enjoyed better than if I would have upgraded. I don’t drink beer and I mainly drink rum and wine. My rum of choice, Bacardi 8, was included and the wine selection while not stellar was OK for me (I wish the Kendall Pinot Noir was part of it but oh well, not enough reason to upgrade). When the time to upgrade came, only my husband did it. I did have a sip (to taste) of a few of his premium drinks (mainly from the molecular bar) and while they were tasty, they were not something I would order/drink/or miss too much not having (the only martini I wish I could have had access to was the Blue Martini but again, not worth the upgrade). He also didn’t think it was worth the upgrade since he doing OK with the classic selections.

So if you are into the type of Martinis at the Martini / Molecular bar, then you might want to upgrade. If you are upgrading for the wines, I don’t think it is worth it, unless you are looking to upgrade and pay the difference for the more expensive wines.

 

-Bar Service: Overall pretty good. At times, you had to wait just like you would at a busy land bar. They were a bit overwhelmed on the first day I think due to weather and everyone staying indoors but they were working hard to get everyone served.

 

Food: this will be a short one. Food is subjective but to us the MDR food was pretty good (I think I am one of those people that like Applebees, TJI Fridays and Olive Garden like another review on the same trip said :)). We especially liked the Top Chef Menu we had one of the nights.

 

Our waiter/ asst waiter / sommelier were good and attentive. The one person that I never saw during the 10 day cruise was the Maitre D (sorry for the spelling). Doesn’t he get a portion of the tip? In other cruises, they at least stopped by to say Hi and introduced themselves. While the tip is a small portion of the overall gratuity, I didn’t feel it was justify for this person. I wish it could had been removed and added to the other wait staff that did work with us (just my opinion).

 

Café Al Bacio, just amazing! I love the drinks they make here. I am already missing the Aspen!

 

Ports: Ports of call were St Thomas, St Kitts, Barbados, Dominica and St Marteen. What can I say about them that it is not known? They are fabulous! We are beach people and became beach bums at every port (Except Dominica. Here we just explored the city as it was not a good day. Pretty rainy day)

 

So this is it for our latest cruise. We loved it and can’t wait for the next cruise. We just need to figure out when that will be!

 

I will be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Edited December 3, 2014 by Sandy1975

[Max Circus]

Thank you for the review!! We head onto Equinox on 12/22.

[ColdinOH]

Thanks for the review. We have the same Equinox cruise in January. We also have the classic drink package. Your input is valuable to our planning and deciding whether to upgrade. We now think we will wait a day or two after boarding to decide. You mentioned going to beaches other than Dominica. We plan on trying a few beaches also. Do you have any beaches that you highly recommend or other that you might suggest steering away from??

[BuddyR]

We're on the Equinox December 12! We cruise Celebrity twice a year and I don't remember a Top Chef menu. Can you remember some of the items on this menu and which night of the 10-night cruise it was offered on? We've bought a specialty restaurant package and would hate to miss something new!

 

Laura

[Sandy1975]

Thanks for the review. We have the same Equinox cruise in January. We also have the classic drink package. Your input is valuable to our planning and deciding whether to upgrade. We now think we will wait a day or two after boarding to decide. You mentioned going to beaches other than Dominica. We plan on trying a few beaches also. Do you have any beaches that you highly recommend or other that you might suggest steering away from??

 

St Thomas: this time we went to Trunk Bay in St John. It was a beautiful place but you need to take a ferry. We took the Self Explore Excursion as it was pretty much the same cost as the do it yourself and it left right from the pier. Only problem was that waters were rough and made be very queasy. Once we got there I felt better. Other times we went to Magens Bay, which is about 20-30 min cab ride that feels like you are in a roller coaster! Both places are beautiful but I think next time we will go back to Magens Bay as it is more convenient IMO.

 

St Kitts: we went to South Friar's Bay at the Carambola Beach Restaurant. This place was breathtaking! Fantastic snorkeling just a few strokes from the beach with beautiful corals. You can walk to the other end where you will find black sand at the Shipwreck. Highly recommended!

 

Barbados: We love Carlyle Bay. It was our second time and we went to Harbour Lights. You might get lots of vendors come by but they are polite and respect if you say no. If you are up for it and in good shape, you can swim about 300 yards and see the turtles where the boats drop people to snorkel and feed the turtles. Just remember that you will need to get back :)

 

St Martin: We just decided to go to Great Bay, the beach that is downtown St Martin, Dutch side. We were originally going to go to Orient Beach again but decided to take it easy near the port. I am glad we didn't go to Orient because another couple we were talking to told us that it was not the same beach it was before the hurricane that hit about a month or so. The beach was full of seaweed and so was the water. So if I were you, I would keep an eye on that and make a decision when you go as this was a beautiful beach.

 

Hopefully this helps. :)

[wallie5446]

Sandy we were on the week before you and YES! The overall music was boaring! We are 57/60.

EW

[Sandy1975]

We're on the Equinox December 12! We cruise Celebrity twice a year and I don't remember a Top Chef menu. Can you remember some of the items on this menu and which night of the 10-night cruise it was offered on? We've bought a specialty restaurant package and would hate to miss something new!

 

Laura

 

It is something new according to Paul Baya (CD). We asked him and he said they were just starting to add it to the menu. Maybe this was this 2nd or 3rd ship that had it, can't really remember. I took a picture of the menu and according to my camera it was the 22nd which was the first sea day.

 

Here is the menu but unfortunately I can't read the description or who created the recipe. I hope this helps:

 

Appetizer: Tuna Tartare and Beef Short Ribs (I had the short Ribs)

Soups: Tomato Gazpacho and Minestrone (I had Minestrone)

Salads: Baby Mustard Green Salad

Entrees: Barbecue Chicken, Roasted Veal Loin, Flank Steak (I had this one), Salmon Confit

Dessert: Vanilla Tres Leches (I had this one) and Strawberries and Cream.

Edited December 4, 2014 by Sandy1975

[tbmrt]

Disappointing about Orient Beach...Usually our favorite!

[CrazyCruisersRUs]

I totally agree about Orient Beach. We were there 2 weeks ago and the beach was so eroded and there was so much seaweed! I wish our tour guide with Bernard's Tours had informed us so we could have chosen a different beach in St Maarten. We did visit Maho Beach but there were only small planes landing because it was so late when we got there. And the traffic coming back to the ship was AWFUL...took over an hour from Maho Beach to the ship. We will stay in port when we go back in January.

 

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[Sandy1975]

I totally agree about Orient Beach. We were there 2 weeks ago and the beach was so eroded and there was so much seaweed! I wish our tour guide with Bernard's Tours had informed us so we could have chosen a different beach in St Maarten. We did visit Maho Beach but there were only small planes landing because it was so late when we got there. And the traffic coming back to the ship was AWFUL...took over an hour from Maho Beach to the ship. We will stay in port when we go back in January.

 

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Forums mobile app

 

The couple we talked to took an excursion with Celebrity and they also wished they would had known about the condition of the beach because they were very disappointed. I read about how hard Orient got hit and that is why we decided to check Great Bay first. I had my reservations about it because in the past it was always so crowded but been the only ship in port made the decision easy. It was clean and water was clear.

[portofrome]

Thank you for the review.

[gsb]

Do you remember the price of the Molecular Bar drinks?

They've been $12 on some ships, $15 on the Eclipse out of Southampton, etc.

[FRMPEI]

Hi Sandy,

 

Thanks for sharing the recap of your Equinox cruise.

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[Oskial]

Thanks for the review Sandy. We'll be sailing on the Equinox in April. This is our first time on Celebrity. I'm hoping that the upgrade from Carnival to Celebrity is worth it. From other posts it sounds like Celebrity is a better cruise line than Carnival. The information about the beaches is very helpful. I plan on writing a review when I get back. It will be nice to be able to compare the two cruise lines and I will put that part in the review.

[Sandy1975]

Do you remember the price of the Molecular Bar drinks?

They've been $12 on some ships, $15 on the Eclipse out of Southampton, etc.

 

They were $13. The drinks at the Martini Bar were $12. I think people would had been outraged if the Molecular Drinks were priced out of the premium package, even if it was by $1 or $2!

[Sandy1975]

Thanks for the review Sandy. We'll be sailing on the Equinox in April. This is our first time on Celebrity. I'm hoping that the upgrade from Carnival to Celebrity is worth it. From other posts it sounds like Celebrity is a better cruise line than Carnival. The information about the beaches is very helpful. I plan on writing a review when I get back. It will be nice to be able to compare the two cruise lines and I will put that part in the review.

 

We really like Celebrity. I have never been on a Carnival cruise so I can't comment there and anything I know is based on other peoples comments, etc but the one thing I am certain is that the demographics will be quite different. In this cruise I think probably about 10% - 15% of passengers were 40 and under. Also don't expect music blasting everywhere (see my comment about music).

[BuddyR]

It is something new according to Paul Baya (CD). We asked him and he said they were just starting to add it to the menu. Maybe this was this 2nd or 3rd ship that had it, can't really remember. I took a picture of the menu and according to my camera it was the 22nd which was the first sea day.

 

Here is the menu but unfortunately I can't read the description or who created the recipe. I hope this helps:

 

Appetizer: Tuna Tartare and Beef Short Ribs (I had the short Ribs)

Soups: Tomato Gazpacho and Minestrone (I had Minestrone)

Salads: Baby Mustard Green Salad

Entrees: Barbecue Chicken, Roasted Veal Loin, Flank Steak (I had this one), Salmon Confit

Dessert: Vanilla Tres Leches (I had this one) and Strawberries and Cream.

 

Thanks! So the first sea day is NOT a formal night? Then, I guess the first formal would have been the 3rd night or the second sea day. Would you by any chance have the sequencing of the 10 nights of the menu? I thought I would ask the maitre d if he would share the menus with me so that I can plan which nights I want to use the specialty restaurants, but I don't expect to have much luck with that. We usually don't eat in the specialty restaurants but are treating ourselves this time for our anniversary gift to each other!

 

Laura

Edited December 4, 2014 by BuddyR

[Sandy1975]

Thanks! So the first sea day is NOT a formal night? Then, I guess the first formal would have been the 3rd night or the second sea day. Would you by any chance have the sequencing of the 10 nights of the menu? I thought I would ask the maitre d if he would share the menus with me so that I can plan which nights I want to use the specialty restaurants, but I don't expect to have much luck with that. We usually don't eat in the specialty restaurants but are treating ourselves this time for our anniversary gift to each other!

 

Laura

 

Formal Nights were on the 2nd and 3rd sea days (right before St Thomas and right after St Martin). There were 5 port days between sea days.

I don't have the menus but you can request to see it in advance (the couple next to us always looked at the menu a day in advance).

Edited December 4, 2014 by Sandy1975

[redjetz]

They were $13. The drinks at the Martini Bar were $12. I think people would had been outraged if the Molecular Drinks were priced out of the premium package, even if it was by $1 or $2!

 

Celebrity adds a 15% tip to the drinks on cruises out of Southampton, which pushes them up to $13 or so, due to cultural differences around tipping, but they are still included in the premium drink package.

[Sandy1975]

Celebrity adds a 15% tip to the drinks on cruises out of Southampton, which pushes them up to $13 or so, due to cultural differences around tipping, but they are still included in the premium drink package.

 

Out of Southhampton will be $14.95 ($15 rounded). The $13 is without the 15%.

[Luckynana]

We were in St. Maarten this past March, and will be there next March. What is the name of the beach where we took the little ferry? Is that where the damage was done from the hurricane?:confused::confused: We were looking forward to going there on this next visit...

[Sandy1975]

We were in St. Maarten this past March, and will be there next March. What is the name of the beach where we took the little ferry? Is that where the damage was done from the hurricane?:confused::confused: We were looking forward to going there on this next visit...

 

If you are referring to the water taxi you take just steps from the pier, then the beach is called Great Bay, located downtown Phillipsburg (Dutch side). Orient Beach, which is about 20 - 30 min is the one that was impacted the most by the hurricane (you can search for pics online) and was full of seaweed according to others that went there.

[izzy19]

Thanks for sharing...we leave on the 12th and are looking forward to getting out of the snow...also will skip Orient Beach...

[Fredric22]

I'm a bit confused... are the Molecular Bar drinks still fully covered by the premium package? This has always been the case on previous cruises. Or now will I have to pay $1 extra every time I get a drink there?

[Luckynana]

If you are referring to the water taxi you take just steps from the pier, then the beach is called Great Bay, located downtown Phillipsburg (Dutch side). Orient Beach, which is about 20 - 30 min is the one that was impacted the most by the hurricane (you can search for pics online) and was full of seaweed according to others that went there.

 

 

Thanks Sandy..the water taxi is exactly what I was talking about! We really enjoyed the Great Bay beach and are looking forward to going there again:D