LIVE - Equinox 8/15/21 - Ultimate Caribbean - It’s finally here!

[sasset]

2 hours ago, aring75 said:

WiFi is out on the ship right now. And my cellular service is not great. Will be back a little later for today’s shore excursion review. 
 

Just letting you know I’m still here. 😊

So glad you are still there !!! 

And I meant to thank you on an earlier post - THANKS for posting pictures of the various SPA specials   😁

[Covepointcruiser]

We always bring our favorite nuts ( cashews and almonds) on our cruises.   The last time we were in a RS and out Butler said we could not get mixed or any other nuts in our stateroom because of potential passenger allergies.   I know folks have allergies but it shouldn’t control the food that others eat.

[wrk2cruise]

37 minutes ago, Susanb10567 said:

Just read through the protocols…the one that really didn’t seem accurate was the social distancing…we were on the Edge for the 7/17 sailing and there was no distancing…no markers..the casino tables were  packed..we had a great time and it felt like cruises of the past..I didn’t think that has changed it’s strange they included that in the document 

 

We were on 7/3 Edge sailing and I have to agree with you.   Suites were booked at 100+% (some more than double occupancy) and no sign of anything blocked off for distancing anywhere on the ship.  I've heard reports from other ships that there are seats blocked in the theater, not on Edge.

 

We did find it interesting that while touring the casino upon boarding we noticed some machines with a sign indicating it was blocked for distancing.  When the casino was open no signs.   Then during one of our port stops they had a tour of local travel professionals and the signs were back up even though the casino was closed.

 

I do wish they would establish a set of protocols and stick with them and have security enforce.  Those guys are not shy and wouldn't put customer facing crew in the uncomfortable position.

[Fouremco]

42 minutes ago, Covepointcruiser said:

We always bring our favorite nuts ( cashews and almonds) on our cruises.   The last time we were in a RS and out Butler said we could not get mixed or any other nuts in our stateroom because of potential passenger allergies.   I know folks have allergies but it shouldn’t control the food that others eat.

I'm guessing you've never had to deal with a child in anaphylactic shock because a friend's parents felt the way you do and sent little Johnny to camp with a stash of nuts. The experience might give you pause for further reflection.

[davekathy]

49 minutes ago, Covepointcruiser said:

We always bring our favorite nuts ( cashews and almonds) on our cruises.   The last time we were in a RS and out Butler said we could not get mixed or any other nuts in our stateroom because of potential passenger allergies.   I know folks have allergies but it shouldn’t control the food that others eat.

Fly much? 

[aring75]

11 hours ago, ev8876 said:

Not sure if I missed it but would love to see the drink menu from the World Class Bar if you stop by there!  Thanks.  Enjoying your reports.

I keep forgetting about WCB. But we do intend to stop here for a drink!

[aring75]

Today the ship was docked at St John’s, Antigua. We booked a shore excursion called “Antigua by Land and Sea.” Just FYI, no one was allowed to go ashore in Antigua unless they were on a ship-sponsored tour, regardless of vaccination status. 

 

I’m going to give the protocols and specific information for our cruise. As always, this could change for any upcoming cruises. 
 

Your shore excursion tickets are delivered to your stateroom along with instructions for your meeting time and place. For us, it was the Celebrity Theater. It is important to follow the signage when you arrive. They check you in at the shore ex table and give you your tour sticker with your group number. 
 

They then call tours in order of these numbers and will guide you to the gangway to disembark. They check everyone’s tour tickets before allowing you to leave the ship. 

[aring75]

You will line up on the pier like usual according to your tour number and everyone is walked in a group to the bus parking lot. Even if you wanted to shop (you can’t) almost none of the shops were open downtown. And we were told that interaction with vendors was not permitted at this time. 
 

We were the first ship to call on Antigua since the pandemic began. They had local news crews and several government officials giving interviews as we were leaving. 
 

Everyone seemed happy to see the ship in port. We even saw several cars pulled over on the road near the port and people out of their cars taking photos. 
 

[aring75]

We boarded a small bus with a total of 15 tour participants. There was no social distancing on the bus, however, we were instructed to keep our masks on while on the bus (it was air conditioned, so not too bad). We also had to use the provided had sanitizer when reboarding the bus after any stops. 
 

 

 

Our guide Eldon, was quite knowledgeable of local monuments and history and very pleasant and entertaining. He even sang the Antiguan national anthem for us. 
 

 

As we drove through the island’s interior, he would pass around different items and photos for us to see. It didn’t feel like a good idea for everyone to be touching all these things and passing them around, but I guess that’s what the hand sanitizer was for. 🤨

 

 

These are examples of local currency. 
 

[fstuff1]

2 hours ago, cltnccruisers said:

It makes for a better experience all around.  Want to wear shorts and a tee shirt?  Go to the buffet.

 🙂

i'll wear a hot neon pink mini skirt, unshaven legs, and flip flops.

(i'm a guy)  🤣

[fstuff1]

1 hour ago, Covepointcruiser said:

We always bring our favorite nuts ( cashews and almonds) on our cruises.   The last time we were in a RS and out Butler said we could not get mixed or any other nuts in our stateroom because of potential passenger allergies.   I know folks have allergies but it shouldn’t control the food that others eat.

what does nuts in YOUR stateroom have to do with food allergies of people not in your stateroom?

 

[aring75]

We drove for around 30-45 minutes to our first stop while Eldon pointed out local monuments and points of interest. 
 

The lookout is an abandoned guard house and military outpost. 
 

 

 

Behind the guardhouse you are treated to spectacular views of the harbor below. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

We spent around 20 minutes here before returning to the bus and heading to the marina. 

[aring75]

Once at the marina, we waited for two other buses to catch up to us before we boarded a catamaran sponsored by “Wadadli Cats.” 
 

 

[aring75]

Once everyone boarded, we headed out for a short tour around the southwest point of the island. 
 

We were given a small snack to hold us over before we stopped for lunch. A choice of cheese or tuna mini sandwiches. 
 

 

 

We pulled up right on the sand at a local beach and the crew brought out lunch. BBQ chicken, baked Mac and cheese, pigeon peas and rice, mixed root vegetables, and garlic bread. 

 

 

 

Anyone who wished to swim in the protected cove could do so. Also there was an open bar. The rum punch, local beer, bottled water, vodka, gin, and soda was free flowing. 

[aring75]

We were allowed to remove our masks in the catamaran. I wore mine when I walked up to the bar and when I went through the line to get my lunch. Mostly just out of courtesy for the people working on the tour and because standing in line for food was the closest people really got to each other. 
 

Today’s tour was good, but there were definitely a few more restrictions than usual. Obviously, this is to be expected, but I thought it would be good for anyone reading to get an idea of what to expect. 

[aring75]

Tonight’s dinner was at Murano. 
 

 

Main menu

 

 

 

Five Senses Food & Wine Pairing ($89)

 

 

 

Wines By the Glass 

 

[aring75]

The interior of Murano is very elegant and refined. A quiet place for a classic dinner. 
 

 

 

They bring a bread tray to your table and you can choose which one you would like. I got the multi-grain with toasted pumpkin seeds. 
 

 

 

After you order, your waiter will bring the chef’s introduction. An amuse bouche which changes day to day. 
 

Tonight it was a sea scallop with a crust of pistachio and garlic. It was delicious. I could have eaten five of them. 
 

[aring75]

First course was a lobster bisque. The one in the MDR tastes like lobster broth with no actual lobster. My bowl had four good-sized pieces of lobster. 
 

 

 

Next up was the pork belly. It had roasted apple pieces and parsnip purée. 
 

 

 

We decided to share the chateaubriand for two and then share an order of the lobster. 
 

They prepared our chateaubriand, but decided we each needed our own lobster tail. This was so much food. 
 

 

[Fatty_Nicky]

11 hours ago, NBliving said:

This reminds me of our search for chips onboard X ships. My husband loves to get his salt fix by eating chips of any variety. Celebrity does not have chips anywhere we have found in our cruising history! So now he brings a few small bags with him to get him through 😂

They do have chips….sorry if this has been answered already. In the Oceanview during lunch, near the sandwich section, in a bowl, typically salt and vinegar.

[susan0623]

Aring75 - I also want to thank you for bringing us along on your cruise.  I love your writing, your pictures, your positive attitude and all the great information you have provided us.  We’re on Equinox 8/27 with TerryD and I can hardly wait!

 

Enjoy every moment; I know you will! 😉

Edited August 20, 2021 by susan0623

[Beba-Beba]

I do not recall seeing this before.  Is it accurate?  I do not gamble.

 

If you are planning on using OBC in the Casino you may want to purchase some credit in your cruise planner using OBC where you get extra 10%  $55 credit for $50.   I think you can buy up to  $500 per passenger this way.

[aring75]

7 hours ago, Beba-Beba said:

I do not recall seeing this before.  Is it accurate?  I do not gamble.

 

If you are planning on using OBC in the Casino you may want to purchase some credit in your cruise planner using OBC where you get extra 10%  $55 credit for $50.   I think you can buy up to  $500 per passenger this way.

You can purchase credit pre-cruise. But the limit is $500 for table credit (with a $50 bonus) and $500 for slot credit (with a $50 bonus).
 

It is important to note that the table credit is in casino chips and must be played through. We purchased $250 each (table & slot credit) and were not happy about the table chips. I can understand requiring that the bonus chips must be played through, but the rest is YOUR money. It should have no restrictions. 
 

The slot credit is simply given as a voucher you stick in the machine and can be cashed out with the casino cashier. Same for the $50 per person Drinks & More credit. 

[aring75]

17 hours ago, luv4cruises said:

Has Celebrity accepted the CVS Rapid Antigen test at the pier?  Many are posting that they are getting them.

Not sure if your question was already answered. But we got the CVS Rapid Antigen test. The one you schedule an appointment for right in the website. It was readily accepted at the pier with no problem at all. 

[terrydtx]

7 minutes ago, aring75 said:

Not sure if your question was already answered. But we got the CVS Rapid Antigen test. The one you schedule an appointment for right in the website. It was readily accepted at the pier with no problem at all. 

I think the confusion for some has been if the Antigen and rapid Antigen test are one and the same. The answer is yes they are the same thing. CVS does not offer the rapid tests in all locations, in San Antonio we have about 8 of the total 40+ CVS locations offering rapid testing. To do the rapid test the CVS has to have the testing equipment in house for the PCR tests the testing samples are sent to regional testing labs which is why it takes a day or two to get results back. We have our appointment for next Tuesday at our CVS for the rapid test.

[aring75]

Today is Day 6 - We are in Dominica today. 
 

 

 

 

 

And today’s spa special is…