EQUINOX DEUX - 11 Night Ultimate Caribbean - PV Trip Report 3/13/17

[upwarduk]

Photos work for me, save a thousand words!

[bluwes]

Guess who is back? Yep! Me! It sure has been a while since my last post. Life happened and other priorities took over. But, I do want to finish this Trip report before we sail on Reflection March 23, 2018. It will most likely be heavy on the photos and light on the videos to get it finished. My memory does not have to be good because I took lots of notes. So brace your yourself I am back.

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

 

 

So glad to see you are back, and hoping that you are well. Looking forward to seeing all those pics you took. I may even appear in one or two of them..:D:D

[loving goldens]

Hi Kevin we were on this cruise with you last year we are from Nova Scotia we met at the slot pull... we are on the same cruise March 23 this year.... funny... is the other couple you travel with last year joining you guys again.... getting close 29 days.... :)

[poffles]

Guess who is back? Yep! Me! It sure has been a while since my last post. Life happened and other priorities took over. But, I do want to finish this Trip report before we sail on Reflection March 23, 2018. It will most likely be heavy on the photos and light on the videos to get it finished. My memory does not have to be good because I took lots of notes. So brace your yourself I am back.

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

 

Good to see you back Kevin. You were definitely missed. Hope life has been treating you good and great to hear you have another trip to look forward to in the near future.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Guess who is back? Yep! Me! It sure has been a while since my last post. Life happened and other priorities took over. But, I do want to finish this Trip report before we sail on Reflection March 23, 2018. It will most likely be heavy on the photos and light on the videos to get it finished. My memory does not have to be good because I took lots of notes. So brace your yourself I am back.

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

 

Glad to see you back! Enjoyed meeting you and Donna in beautiful PEI!

[kpark895]

So glad you are back to finish this. I had been worried about you when you seemingly disappeared, and glad that things are going OK now.

[FRMPEI]

Day 2 - Sea Day #1

 

Celebrity Today & Inserts

Celebrity Today Front Page #1

 

 

Celebrity Today Page #2

 

Celebrity Today Page #3

 

Celebrity Today Page #4

 

Celebrity Today Insert

 

Celebrity Today Insert

So there we go my first update since June. Thanks for your patience. I have to go read my notes and prepare the next set of photos to share.

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[cheeseheads4ever]

Hi Kevin,

Incredibly detailed review. I wished I had this much passion to do all the detail.

Fantastic job and keep up the good work..

We will be following.

[FRMPEI]

DAY 2 - SEA DAY - SUNRISE

 

I am not an early riser in my day to day life but, when I am cruising I love to set my alarm to to allow me enough time to get up to deck 14/15 to capture the sunrise. Today's daily says sunrise @ 7:05 AM. Normally I set up on Deck 15 just outside the midship elevators at the top of the stairs and point my camera gear to the front of the ship. Well! this morning if I did this I would be pointing in the wrong direction. So with camera gear in hand I headed to the Sunset Bar and set up a video camera on the little stair landing that is there. Today's sunrise was a complete bust... just to cloudy. As as matter of fact I don't recall the sun beaming much at all this day. But still a beautiful day to be in the Caribbean Sea rather than back in a Canadian Maritime Winter.

 

 

Camera in place to capture Sunrise

 

The best I could capture... BUST!

 

 

Donna and Norma Jean came up to walk the track. I gave up around 7:15 AM trying to capture the sunrise. Notice how I say walking track and not "jogging Track"? If you are up early enough it could be a jogging track but really it is a walking track.

 

 

I joined Donna and Norma Jean in the fitness area for an early morning 20 minute stretch class. I was getting along pretty good until I was lying flat on my back doing a stretch when I felt an uneasy sea sickness feeling coming over me. I popped up from back and just sat upright on the floor and breathed it out. During this same time period back home I was currently enrolled in a cardiac re-hab program and I learned motion sickness could be a sign of a heart event. I was pretty sure it was just plain old sea sickness.

Let's eat it is breakfast time.

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[FRMPEI]

Sorry Guys I would post more this evening but my over priced "High Speed" Bell Aliant internet is only uploading my photos to Smugmug at an amazing speed of 0.1 Mbps. I pay $153 for this and they are raising that by $8 next month. I love to hate Bell/Bell Aliant and their lousy customer service.

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[FRMPEI]

Hi Kevin we were on this cruise with you last year we are from Nova Scotia we met at the slot pull... we are on the same cruise March 23 this year.... funny... is the other couple you travel with last year joining you guys again.... getting close 29 days.... :)

 

Donna and I are excited to say hello to you again this year aboard Reflection. Ken and Norma Jean bailed out on us this year. They choose visiting their new grandson in Halifax rather than cruising this March break. We have signed up again for the slot pull and hope we have the same luck as last year.

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[FRMPEI]

DAY 2 - SEA DAY #1

 

One more before I gave up on the sunrise.

 

 

Our first breakfast of the cruise was taken in the main dining room. I don't know, I just like going to the main dining room for breakfast and lunch when open. Less rushed and crowded than Oceanview. "My Lady" was there greeting everyone... Donna was not up for a morning greeting from "My Lady" but was pleasant none the less. With my Cardiac Rehab I am trying to incorporate lessons learned into our lifestyle. When it comes to breakfast eggs I only like the whites and I would have those fried and had it in my head that I could not possibly like poached eggs. Then my DW convinced me to try poached and guess what? I like them that way. I have them poached hard so I can eat around the yolk.

Main Dining Room's Standard Breakfast Menu

 

 

Eating these perfectly cooked healthy eggs allowed me to have three chocolate croissants. What? The server told us that there were no calories only full of vitamins on her pastry tray.

 

These are divine!

 

Our Croissant Pusher.

 

 

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[FRMPEI]

DAY 2 - SEA DAY #1 - Connection Party

One more pic of my breakfast.

 

The CC Meet & Greet was at 10:15 AM in The Gastrobar (old Cellar Masters) on deck 4. We got there just after Donna's conversation with Sam who straightened out our Select dining arrangements.

 

 

This notice is posted next to guest services.

 

 

The CC Connection Party (Meet & Greet) was well attended by Roll Call members and Senior Ship's Officers. The cruise director welcomed us and introduced the senior officers including the captain .

 

The master of the Vessel.

 

 

I must admit I was not very active in the Roll Call even though I was the one who started the thread over two years ago. My heart was literally not into it, no pun intended. It was just to difficult for me to read and post on CC after my heart surgery. Missing out/cancelling on our 2 week 2016 Eclipse cruise was very disappointing and I think for me getting over that was by staying away from Cruise Critic. I would have loved to been more active in the roll call and been more familiar with the posters and hence not much mingling by me. I did meet a very nice couple from Vancouver, BC and just before we left fortunately for me I got to chat with CC poster "Bluwes" who recognized me form my 2014 Equinox Trip Report. "Bluwes" I am serious on my offer if you cruise into my home port of Charlottetown please let me know and I will meet you and tour you around "my Island". Don't think I am serious?

Thanks also goes out to the organizers of other Roll call Activities, Slot Pull, Cabin Crawl, & Pub crawl.

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[FRMPEI]

Glad to see you back! Enjoyed meeting you and Donna in beautiful PEI!

 

Hi Linda,

Donna and I had a great time meeting and touring you around a little section of "our island" on that not so warm October day. I wish we could of found a better place for you to enjoy your lobster roll. Oh well! next time? We can't wait to do it again.

Photo Taken by Linda!

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Hi Linda,

Donna and I had a great time meeting and touring you around a little section of "our island" on that not so warm October day. I wish we could of found a better place for you to enjoy your lobster roll. Oh well! next time? We can't wait to do it again.

Photo Taken by Linda!

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

 

We had a great time. You were fabulous hosts!

[nimiq]

Ok just came across this amazing fun detailed trip report and loving everything about it. I must saw if we ever meet before a cruise you will be my favorite friend for sure as I am obsess with cruise ships as well. I would have no problem taking pictures for 2 hours while watching all those sail always but my partner is not as a freak of ships as I am lol.

 

It’s almost 1AM here in Montreal and got four more pages to read and unfortunately will have to wait tomorrow.

 

Can’t wait to read more

Thanks again

Sea ya

Eric

 

 

Envoyé de mon iPad en utilisant Forums

[bluwes]

Kevin.

 

Thanks once again for the offer. We're very grateful.

You may recall from our conversations on board, we were looking at booking the Independence Day sailing on the Summit in June, which only got as far north as an overnight in Halifax on 1st July then heads back to Boston for an other overnight on 4th July. It had some other interesting spots. We went ahead and booked it.

We are hoping to meet up with past cruise mates in New York, Halifax and St Johns, New Brunswick, this time, so hopefully we will be able to meet up again sometime in the future.

Keep well my friend and looking forward to this rest of this review.

 

Wes

Edited February 28, 2018 by bluwes

[upwarduk]

Kevin,

 

Nice to see your photo of John Grantham at your meet and Greet. I believe he’s retired now.

[FRMPEI]

Ok just came across this amazing fun detailed trip report and loving everything about it. I must saw if we ever meet before a cruise you will be my favorite friend for sure as I am obsess with cruise ships as well. I would have no problem taking pictures for 2 hours while watching all those sail always but my partner is not as a freak of ships as I am lol.

 

It’s almost 1AM here in Montreal and got four more pages to read and unfortunately will have to wait tomorrow.

 

Can’t wait to read more

Thanks again

Sea ya

Eric

Envoyé de mon iPad en utilisant Forums

 

Hi Eric,

Welcome to my Trip Report. I hope you also take the time to check out my two videos of the ships leaving from the 17th St causeway? Only true ship watching connoisseurs like us really appreciate that stuff.:D

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[FRMPEI]

Kevin.

 

Thanks once again for the offer. We're very grateful.

You may recall from our conversations on board, we were looking at booking the Independence Day sailing on the Summit in June, which only got as far north as an overnight in Halifax on 1st July then heads back to Boston for an other overnight on 4th July. It had some other interesting spots. We went ahead and booked it.

We are hoping to meet up with past cruise mates in New York, Halifax and St Johns, New Brunswick, this time, so hopefully we will be able to meet up again sometime in the future.

Keep well my friend and looking forward to this rest of this review.

 

Wes

 

Hi Wes,

 

Have a great time on that cruise. Lots of interesting historic sites in Halifax and Saint Johns.

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[FRMPEI]

Kevin,

 

Nice to see your photo of John Grantham at your meet and Greet. I believe he’s retired now.

 

You know there has been a bit of discussions on here lately on how great a CD Richard Spacey is but, in my opinion I would much prefer our CD John Grantham on Equinox. John I felt did not need to be the center of attention unlike Richard Spacey who we experienced for the first time on Silhouette in 2015. But, my cruise never depends on how or what particular staff members are aboard. Just my two cents.

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[FRMPEI]

DAY 2 - SEA DAY #1 - cont'd

 

Ken and I always like to check out the free iLearn classes usually held in Celebrity Central. I consider my myself somewhat of an Apple "fanboy" and even I can pickup a thing or two at these classes. I find that these classes are well attended. The instructor was the manager of the iLounge and seemed quite knowledgeable. We were rushed out of the theatre when our time was up because Future Cruise was having a Galapanos presentation.

 

Ken and I found Donna and Norma Jean lounging up on deck 15. They point our a gentleman who was sun bathing in his underwear. That is correct they saw him take off his shorts. To each his own I guess. While we are on underwear/swimwear a Speedo is just wrong! Okay enough on undergarments isn't it time to eat yet?

Now I am not saying that anybody in this picture was the underwear model.

 

In the dining room we had just barely sat down and I dumped my glass of water all over the table. The waiter were quickly over to assist in the clean up. Lunch was great! We do like going to the main dining room for lunch on Sea Days.

 

Today's lunch menu.

 

Our lunch companions

 

During lunch we struck up a nice conversation with a couple and their two kids from Toronto or from the 416 as we called them from the 905(only Ontario people get this). There were very few children on this cruise. I would have to guess that the median age is much higher than the Celebrity Target beautiful people audience we see in their ads. Are you the Face of Celebrity? My old mug certainly is not. LOL!

 

At lunch we did not order dessert but, quickly made up for that with our stop at Cafe al Bacio. I took the opportunity to get my free scoop of Gelato it was so good I took Donna's card and enjoyed a second scoop of Gelato. This would not be my last Gelato of the cruise. I love this stuff.

 

 

I normally do not drink coffee but, I discovered this cruise that I like Cafe Lattes.

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[FRMPEI]

DAY 2 - SEA DAY #1 - cont'd

 

After gelato Donna and I checked out some of the shops. Donna found a pair of shorts she liked. Check out the t-shirt sales going on in the entertainment court. Checked out our embarkation photo. At least this time time we were able to have one taken because back in 2015 the photographers were long gone when we arrived to board.

 

A few photos taken while shopping

 

 

 

 

Tonight dinner would be taken in the main dining room. But, before then we had time to go to the Solarium. This is something that Ken and Norma Jean enjoy and we also have started to enjoy this before dinner.

 

Tonight is the first "Evening Chic" which to me means "no suit coat". My personal choice... I like to wear a shirt and tie on these evenings. I am not here to judge on what others wear. I could not care less if in the dining room I was sandwiched in between a golf shirt and a tuxedo on "Chic" night.

 

A little self photography before meeting up with Ken & Norma Jean

 

The purchased photo

 

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

[cruisefan123]

Kevin I am so glad you are back. We just returned from this exact cruise itinerary only we were on board Reflection. I love reading all your posts and look forward to the rest of your report.

 

 

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[nimiq]

Hi Eric,

 

Welcome to my Trip Report. I hope you also take the time to check out my two videos of the ships leaving from the 17th St causeway? Only true ship watching connoisseurs like us really appreciate that stuff.:D

 

 

 

Regards,

 

Kevin Reid

 

 

 

Hey Kevin,

Of course I check out your amazing videos and love them.

We own a place in Puerto Vallarta and are very close to the port and every time a ship comes in I’m always there taking picture from my balcony or from the beach.

Not to brag but one of my picture was in a cruise book that was made from passenger ship parade site.

The picture taken from or balcony attached.

 

 

 

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