On board equinox

[dkjretired]

Don - my apologies if you have already addressed this; we are boarding on the 6th - can you tell me about the texas holdem table in the casino? does it actually start at 9:45pm? any tourneys on sea days?

 

thanks

Keith

 

Sorry Keith, I don't play table games, really didn't pay much attention but did hear them trying to fill tables over the loud speakers.

[miXterOB]

Thanks so much for the great thread Don!

 

Can you specify which bus from the port to FLL please?

Which operator and costs etc.?

Very much appreciated if you can.

[dkjretired]

Thanks so much for the great thread Don!

 

Can you specify which bus from the port to FLL please?

Which operator and costs etc.?

Very much appreciated if you can.

 

We did the Celebrity bus to FLL airport for $35 per person. They had two buses, one at 7:40 and the other at 9:20. I would guess that could change depending on the number of people signed up. The bus line is right outside the terminal entrance, make sure you ask as the Miami airport buses are there also. . We did the transfer since we had quite a bit of on board credit. To sign up go to Customer Service not shore excursions. You will get a letter explaining the process and special luggage tags.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Some thoughts:

 

 

Since you were there at that Meet and Greet, what stopped you from introducing yourself when the mike was being passed? Perhaps you could have broken the ice? No one was stopping you! It is a little unfair to condemn others when you the did the same too.

 

 

I disagree ...I do not think it's rude to organize private excursions or collect money for same at the Meet and Mingle. Yes at the Welcome back party or something, but not at all rude at the meet and mingle.

 

Wow! Did you read my post? I said that I started. Introducing myself. I haven't condemned anyone. I just think it's a little strange and I wondered why one would attend an event where the stated purpose is to meet others from your roll call and then to refuse to introduce yourself.

[helen haywood]

We did the Celebrity bus to FLL airport for $35 per person. They had two buses, one at 7:40 and the other at 9:20. I would guess that could change depending on the number of people signed up. The bus line is right outside the terminal entrance, make sure you ask as the Miami airport buses are there also. . We did the transfer since we had quite a bit of on board credit. To sign up go to Customer Service not shore excursions. You will get a letter explaining the process and special luggage tags.

 

 

 

Unless you have OBC you want to use in this way...we've taken a Lyft or Uber for 2 people from POM to north FLL for $32-$42 total.

 

 

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[Purplsmurf]

Thanks for all the updates while you were on the Equinox. I hope you made it home without any complications.

 

I have read that the debarkation process in Miami is usually pretty fast and easy. I assumed that was because the passengers cleared customs in Key West. What was your debarkation process like?

 

 

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We were just on the Equinox as well. We got off of the ship at around 9:00 am. From the time we got off until the time we were in the van to the airport it was only 14 minutes!!! Fastest debarkation we have ever experienced!

[dkjretired]

Unless you have OBC you want to use in this way...we've taken a Lyft or Uber for 2 people from POM to north FLL for $32-$42 total.

 

 

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Yes, we did Uber there for $38 from fll embassy suites.

 

Also, we had a couple of problems with Uber

[helen haywood]

What problems did you have?

 

 

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[awhcruiser]

There was a band called Up and Up...played rock music. Also another band with the same music. Piano player and guitar player were in the Ensemble Lounge....If you like Frankie Valle I recommend seeing the December 63 show.

can you tell me who the entertainment music (band) wise is on board

 

thanks - what kind of music is played.

[dkjretired]

What problems did you have?

 

 

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First, he couldn't find the embassy suites in Ffl, had to call me twice. Followed only his GPS, not signs on highway or at port, missed turnoff in port for the ships. Kept telling him to look for ship with the big X on it. Kept looking at his GPS to find ship which obviously did not help. He was new and never been to POM so I didn't complain but he needs to know that not everything is on GPS. Didn't speak much English which was a problem when helping him get to Embassy Suites.

 

Also, did not have SunPass which actually helped because there was an accident on the Express lanes. That may not help him in the future.

Edited September 28, 2017 by dkjretired

[dkjretired]

Now for some reflections on the suite life. Wife and I are both retired high ranking Police Officers who have traveled with Celebrity since the early 90s. At that time we traveled with our kids and our last suite was in 1994 on the Horizon. I might also add that because of a life changing win on a slot machine in Vegas, price on a cruise ship is not an issue. The suite was a surprise for the wife and she was totally surprised a week before on her birthday when I told her we were in a suite rather than an outside cabin.

 

Celebrity has done a great job in upgrading the Celebrity Suite experience. We loved dining in Luminae and spent quite a bit of time in Michaels. The Michael's club Concierge Joel was a delight and a real credit to the organization. Our room although one room was very large with a great veranda which allowed us to see both the aft of the ship and the side. Nothing on the ship or anyone on the staff was a problem and overall we loved the cruise.

 

The question to be asked is would we do it again and the answer is probably not. We are very happy just to be on a cruise ship and spend very little time in our cabin. We hardly used the Butler which is not a reflection on him, he did his job and there are no complaints. We just are very simple people and are not Butler people. That's our feelings.

 

Wife and I discussed eating in Luminae and every meal we had was excellent. We both agreed that eating in Luminae in terms of food and service was still not equal to the meals and service in the MDR every night in the early 90s. Unless you were there you can't describe what happened then.

 

Celebrity has a good product with the suite life, I just hope they don't forget the people who can't afford or like us are just not suite people. With the Edge coming, I sincerely hope they don't discriminate.

[mafig]

"Life changing win." OMG...lucky you. So there's hope.:cool:

 

What casino?

[excitedofharpenden]

With the Edge coming, I sincerely hope they don't discriminate.

Don, I think it will give them the perfect opportunity to do just that. Welcome home. Glad you had fun and thanks for the reports. Sorry if I and others side tracked it a bit down the meet and greet road;)

 

Phil

[bessinfl]

Dkj, what a lovely post. As one will never travel in a suite, I do get tired of hearing endlessly how wonderful they are and how people can't do without Luminae or Blu. A cruise in an outside cabin is pretty damn nice.

 

 

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[dkjretired]

Don, I think it will give them the perfect opportunity to do just that. Welcome home. Glad you had fun and thanks for the reports. Sorry if I and others side tracked it a bit down the meet and greet road;)

 

Phil

 

That's okay Phil, I sort of started it and participated myself.

[dkjretired]

Dkj, what a lovely post. As one will never travel in a suite, I do get tired of hearing endlessly how wonderful they are and how people can't do without Luminae or Blu. A cruise in an outside cabin is pretty damn nice.

 

 

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I agree about the cruise in an outside cabin but to do it once for a special occasion was really nice.

[dkjretired]

"Life changing win." OMG...lucky you. So there's hope.:cool:

 

What casino?

 

MGM Grand in Vegas in 2006, there are a couple of people I have been on cruises with who saw the picture. The only reason I even posted that was because one time I posted a comment about the suites and someone wrote back that I was jealous because I couldn't afford it.

[excitedofharpenden]

Dkj, what a lovely post. As one will never travel in a suite, I do get tired of hearing endlessly how wonderful they are and how people can't do without Luminae or Blu. A cruise in an outside cabin is pretty damn nice!

Well said!

 

Phil

[MizDemeanor]

Im confused about the Edge comments and don't understand...can you clarify what you mean? Do you think they will treat suite passengers 'better' than everyone else becasue of this new ship?

 

Very nice summary of your trip btw...

[dkjretired]

Im confused about the Edge comments and don't understand...can you clarify what you mean? Do you think they will treat suite passengers 'better' than everyone else becasue of this new ship?

 

Very nice summary of your trip btw...

 

Just would not like to see them treat passengers differently because the suite area's are blocked off from other areas.

[MizDemeanor]

Just would not like to see them treat passengers differently because the suite area's are blocked off from other areas.

 

It's that way on some of the NCL ships....they have private areas too for suite guests and having done it both ways on some of those ships I have never felt any less well treated being non-suite. If you extrapolate it on the current Celebrity ships, I don't think the guests who are unable to enjoy Michaels Club feel less well treated on board than others who are able to. Its a perk that comes with the cabin choice. Even Aqua Class has perks and I don't have an impression that guests who are not in that category feel less well treated. Do you agree?

 

Some people do imagine that they are being slighted though, but I think that's just imagination running wild or maybe even something else.

[dkjretired]

It's that way on some of the NCL ships....they have private areas too for suite guests and having done it both ways on some of those ships I have never felt any less well treated being non-suite. If you extrapolate it on the current Celebrity ships, I don't think the guests who are unable to enjoy Michaels Club feel less well treated on board than others who are able to. Its a perk that comes with the cabin choice. Even Aqua Class has perks and I don't have an impression that guests who are not in that category feel less well treated. Do you agree?

 

Some people do imagine that they are being slighted though, but I think that's just imagination running wild or maybe even something else.

 

Agree but as I stated a little concerned on the Edge ships when they are segregated.

[Alabaster Cruiser]

Dkj. ...we had the wonderful surprise of being invited to some of the suite life. (Same cruise) Got the use of Michael's club, was invited to helicopter pad for Aruba arrival, got Zenith tags on disembarking. I totally agree that the Michael's club host was awesome. She made us feel welcomed eventhough we were in a balcony not a suite. She said that perhaps our play in the casino got us the invite. Did not get to use the suite restaurants though. We did get Tuscan grill one night from the casino. I must say that our main dining service was much better and rated up there with the service that we had in the 70's and 80's. We were delighted with this cruise.

 

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[dkjretired]

I'm trying to add things as I think of them and this is for the suite patrons on the Equinox, not a written perk but something they were doing on the ship during my cruise. We all know one of the written perks is the Butler will escort you to seats in the theater on Evening chic nights. We were surprised that on the other nights they were holding an area with front row seats in the balcony for suite passengers dead center. Nice seats.

[hcat]

Glad you are enjoying your cruise and suite life.! Go for it!

 

With thanks to you and your wife for your service on the job!