Equinox Embarkation

[tapacuk]

Hi everyone,

 

Happy New Year!!

 

I’m sailing on the Equinox in a few weeks and I’m looking for some tips for embarkation day. I plan on arriving early so that I can book reservations for my 4 night specialty dining package. Any suggestions as to where the best place to go to do this? I want to get this taken care of ASAP so that we aren’t stuck eating dinner at 5:00pm. 

 

Once I’ve got that taken care of, what should we do? Any suggestions for lunch without too much of a crowd? What time might we expect for our cabin to be ready?

 

This is is our first time on X and our first cruise in a long time, so I’m open to any suggestions you experienced cruisers can offer.

 

Thanks in advance for your input!

[LPCKG]

Hi tapacuk, reservations need to be made with each restaurant by phone or in person once onboard. I’m pretty certain you can only book a package on the pier, we’ve always booked on board. Enjoy.

 

cabins are usually ready about 1pm. Unless you’re in a suite I suggest grabbing lunch in ocean view sometime after 1pm as most people head down to their cabin and it will get a bit less crowded.

Edited January 3, 2019 by LPCKG

[Lastdance]

My DH and I always board early.  We find a good spot at OVC, and then I do a few errands checking on some things. I am usually back before lunch opens.  Even when we are in a suite, we still do Ocean View Cafe, as the food is fresh, and variety is great...that may or may not work for you, but I thought I would share.  

 

Now on Edge, you can go to your room first, so whether that will change after ships are updated...TBD.  I hope you enjoy your cruise!!!

 

Personally, my DH and I love the Chateaubriand for two in Murano...

[suzzek]

This is a little off topic, but does anyone know where Equinox wil be in November and early December?  Sailings end the last of October and don’t start again until mid December.  My research shows she is scheduled for dry dock in May, so that can’t be the reason there are no bookings in November.

[tapacuk]

Thanks everyone for the replies!

 

If we arrive relatively early, is there a good chance that we’ll be able to get reservations at the specialty restaurants for when we want them, most likely Saturday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at around 8?

[Saturngrl]

Tapacuk,

 

Other options for embarkation day lunch include Sushi on 5 (ala carte charge per item) and the Aqua Spa Cafe' (also a potential upcharge). 

 

Those of us who pre-purchased a Specialty Dining package will be assigned the first restaurant on choice of Day 1 or 2.  My friend and I plan to confirm our other reservations after we board and enjoy the Concierge luncheon. 

 

Hope this helps.

[cangelmd]

1 hour ago, tapacuk said:

Thanks everyone for the replies!

 

If we arrive relatively early, is there a good chance that we’ll be able to get reservations at the specialty restaurants for when we want them, most likely Saturday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at around 8?

 

Tapacuk - when you get on board and they hand you bubbly, you can ask where can I make reservations for dining, likely they will be either right there at Al Bacio or just down the hall in front of Murano. Typically you will see waitstaff or maitre d's in the uniform of their restaurant hanging around some computers or with clipboards offering discounts.

 

We have never had a problem getting the specialty restaurant on the day we wanted, making reservations at embarkation  - the time is another issue, you may need be a little flexible on that. You can make a single night reservation online before leaving, but IIRC, you can't use any package nights ahead of time.

 

I would highly recommend that if you make your reservations at embarkation, be sure to confirm them the next day. You can do that at any restaurant, they will still be manning a reservation station at the OVC on the first full day for example. On our last cruise we met someone whose  reservation made on embarkation got lost. It is chaotic that first day, and they were double booked at a small venue with a later seating, so the lost reservation became a problem.

 

Enjoy your cruise and don't sweat the reservations too much. People cancel as the week goes on, and some simply don't show up, so I think you can usually make a favored date and time work - worst comes to worst, have another drink!

 

[CHEZMARYLOU]

On ‎1‎/‎2‎/‎2019 at 10:36 PM, suzzek said:

This is a little off topic, but does anyone know where Equinox wil be in November and early December?  Sailings end the last of October and don’t start again until mid December.  My research shows she is scheduled for dry dock in May, so that can’t be the reason there are no bookings in November.

Equinox is doing alternating 7 day sailings, Eastern and Western Caribbean, from Ft. Lauderdale in November and December.  We are booked on the Nov 16 sailing.

[kokopelli-az]

On 1/2/2019 at 3:06 PM, tapacuk said:

I’m sailing on the Equinox in a few weeks and I’m looking for some tips for embarkation day. I plan on arriving early so that I can book reservations for my 4 night specialty dining package. Any suggestions as to where the best place to go to do this? I want to get this taken care of ASAP so that we aren’t stuck eating dinner at 5:00pm. 

 

Once I’ve got that taken care of, what should we do? Any suggestions for lunch without too much of a crowd? What time might we expect for our cabin to be ready?

I'm not sure if you already have the 4 night dining package or want to book the package on-board.  But in any event, can you make your dining reservation times on-line?  If it's not too far ahead of your sailing, you can go into your account on the Celebrity website and go to Cruise Planner where there is a selection for Dining.  There you can reserve restaurants and dining times.   If you already have your dining package but no dining times, you might contact your travel agent or Celebrity to see if you can select your times ahead of time.

 

I've attached the page of the Equinox newsletter for embarkation day (from last April) that shows what is open when you board.   The times should be about the same when you sail.  The Oceanview Cafe is where the employees try to steer people upon embarkation and it will definitely be the busiest restaurant.  

 

Our rooms have always been ready at 1pm.  But again, when they announce the rooms are ready you might want to hang out somewhere for a while until the crowd clears. 

[Carried_Away]

I sailed on the Silhouette about a month ago and bought a four-night specialty dining package in advance. Staff from the specialty restaurants were available in multiple locations to make reservations. There was a specialty dining desk near guest relations. That’s where my friend and I went after our concierge class lunch in the MDR on embarkation day. Throughout the cruise, specialty dining staff were outside the buffet and sometimes near the elevators to offer reservations. You could also go to any specialty restaurant, and the staff there could help you with all restaurants. 

 

We didn't have trouble getting dates and times that suited us. The staff told us that 7 and 7:30 were the most popular times and therefore the hardest to get. We wanted to make our reservations for 8 or 8:30, and that was no problem. We also changed our reservations several times during the cruise, and when our ideal plan wasn’t doable, the staff helped us make a Plan B we were happy with. 

 

No need to worry about the reservation that Celebrity will make for you for the first or second night. I never even knew what we were assigned. We just went to the specialty dining desk and made all our reservations for the dates and times we wanted.

 

To clarify some points raised in the responses of this thread, specialty dining pacakages can be bought in advance, but specific reservations for the packages can only be made on board. 

 

 

[gold1953]

On our last 2 cruises cabins were not ready until 1:30.   Oceanview was mobbed!!

[39august]

If you choose to lunch in the Ocean View Cafe, there will be a person taking specialty dining reservations at a podium just outside the doors there. No need to go to each restaurant to do so. Another lunch option is the Mast Grill above the pool deck. A nice place to wait for your cabin to be open is up in the Sky Lounge, however, bar there is not typically open at that time. I find embarkation day to be a perfect day to utilize the gym. So I carry on my gym clothes and after lunch, I do my gym routine. I take the one carry on with me and leave my other carry on with money, jewelry and passports with my husband. Cabin is open by the time I am done. 

[tapacuk]

Thanks everyone for the information!!

[oneputt18]

You will be boarding on Deck 5, as soon you board make a left and the first restaurant you will come to is Murano. Entrance is next to the Ensemble Bar and whomever is at the desk  can make reservations for any restaurant. 

[suzzek]

On 1/4/2019 at 7:45 AM, CHEZMARYLOU said:

Equinox is doing alternating 7 day sailings, Eastern and Western Caribbean, from Ft. Lauderdale in November and December.  We are booked on the Nov 16 sailing.

Thank you!!

Edited January 6, 2019 by suzzek

[keesar]

If you don't like crowds, head to the Aqua Spa Cafe by the Solarium.  No cover charge there unless you go for a fancy smoothie.  Food is fresh with light fare.  Good stuff.

 

I do admit that the Ocean View can be a zoo.  Like the last meal some people will ever have.  I would get a table outside at the aft area.  It may be a bit of a walk but worth it.  

 

You only have to go to one location and the dining arrangements for restaurants are usually made there for all.  Enjoy!

[mhafod]

This is what we did on our new year's eve sailing on the Equinox: we headed directly to the solarium where we spent some time in the pool. The aqua spa café had some light snacks ready as pointed out by keesar. Very few people in there as most headed to the oceanview café. 

 

As for specialty restaurants, we did go to Murano and sushi on five. While it was for lunch, the price was far below the advertised price. Our waiter in the MDR did the reservations for us. No need to stress at all!