Same Ship Different Season: An Equinox LIVE Solo Review (6/18/22)

[kabmab]

What a pretty pic of you with your Spritz (guessing) and the sea!  We did same itinerary in March on the Edge, and back on Edge for B2B in September.  We love the Equinox too!  Great Lives (and outfits)!

[peanut head]

You certainly  sparkle on the high seas!  I can’t believe just how blue the water is behind you in the pictures. Just beautiful. 

 

[39august]

A request, if you have time and think to do it, please. Ask Z and Potu where Isaiah is now working or if he is off the ship? Potu and Isaiah were at WCB in May, then the last couple of days I was on board, Potu disappeared and Z joined Isaiah at WCB. I remember her from back last Sept. Anyway, I thought Isaiah told me he was on until Sept.  Thanks. 

[peanut head]

Oh, btw, is staff still serving guests in the buffet?

[Altynat]

We were on a b2b and got off Saturday.. Putu was assigned somewhere else and Z was working with Isaiah. Then Isaiah  had to go home because his father had a heart attack so Putu is now back helping Z. Last we heard his father is doing ok and he should be back soon. All 3 of them are great.

[GenerationX]

Halfway through semi-sea day check in:

 

After my morning getting through a few chapters of my book and a couple of sangria spritz’s I headed to the food and wine tasting workshop.

 

I’ve done this wine event once before years ago on Reflection.  That time, it was held in the late morning after Jeremy and I had celebrated a promotion he’d just found out he got at work with TWO bottles of Taittinger at dinner followed by a late night in the sky lounge.  In other words, at the time, I was in no condition for a food and wine pairing class.

 

I thought it would be nice to finally give it another try when I wasn’t running on 3 hours of sleep and praying to all the sea gods that my head wouldn’t explode.   I definitely enjoyed the event much more this time!

 

After wine tasting I decided to try and get into lunch at Sushi on 5 for lunch without a reservation, but they were completely booked up, so I headed to MDR lunch instead and was very happy with everything I ate.  If you’re a mushroom person, that mushroom soup is fab!  
 

When I ran back to my room after lunch to change into a swimsuit I found another nice little surprise from Ana.

 

I’m letting my lunch digest relaxing on the pool deck drinking something special that my awesome pool bartender from South Africa recommended.  It’s slightly sweet, quite strong and the flavor reminds me of a pink Starburst candy (my favorite Starburst flavor btw). I can’t post the name directly without violating CC terms of service but it’s called a Fruit [Term Frequently Used in Game of Thrones that Refers to a Child Born out of Wedlock]. I’m pretty sure this has replaced the Miami Vice as my frozen drink of choice for the duration of the cruise!

 

More to come later from Puerto Rico!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GenerationX]

9 minutes ago, peanut head said:

Oh, btw, is staff still serving guests in the buffet?

 
Yes, staff is still serving. Personally this is one COVID change that I would not mind at all if Celebrity made permanent.  Pre-pandemic I saw some truly disgusting hygiene practices from my fellow passengers in the buffet over the years and it really turned me off eating there which is a shame because there are so many good options!

[GenerationX]

1 hour ago, peanut head said:

You certainly  sparkle on the high seas!  I can’t believe just how blue the water is behind you in the pictures. Just beautiful. 

 

Thank you! The water has been gorgeous! I can’t wait to swim in it in St. Thomas!

[GenerationX]

Just got back to my room after  my afternoon at the pool and I’m munching on my concierge afternoon snack which was again much improved from the canapés of a few years ago.

 

Funny story: When I got to my stateroom door, I fished around in my favorite Tory Burch pool tote for my seapass card and was super vexed when after a couple of tries it still failed to open my door. It took me a minute to realize the issue…oh Charla…wrong room, wrong stateroom class, WRONG SHIP…time to drink some water and lay down, sweetie.  Also maybe ease up on the cruise bookings.

 

 

 

[2B A VTer]

I'm really enjoying your descriptions and pictures.  I loved sailing on the Equinox.  

[gschwartz001]

We have a back to back on equinox coming up in a few weeks negative test permitting. We have not been on equinox in a few years. What do you recommend at raw on 5? We used to love the lobster ramen and shrimp and lobster dumplings. Are they still available? We were not impressed with the raw on five menu on edge and apex so hoping equinox menu has not changed. Thanks and loving your blog so far! It’s making me so excited for my upcoming cruises. 

[39august]

If you mean shrimp and lobster wontons, yes. And it's Sushi on 5 on Equinox. We love lunch there. 

[GenerationX]

30 minutes ago, gschwartz001 said:

We have a back to back on equinox coming up in a few weeks negative test permitting. We have not been on equinox in a few years. What do you recommend at raw on 5? We used to love the lobster ramen and shrimp and lobster dumplings. Are they still available? We were not impressed with the raw on five menu on edge and apex so hoping equinox menu has not changed. Thanks and loving your blog so far! It’s making me so excited for my upcoming cruises. 

Yes both the dumplings and the lobster ramen are still available. Those lobster dumplings are one of my favorites too. I also really enjoy the pork ramen. I think it’s one of my favorite dishes on the whole ship actually.

 

I too was underwhelmed by Raw on 5 on Edge.  I saw a menu somewhere online that someone posted from Raw on 5 on Beyond and it looks MUCH improved from the Edge menu. I’m looking forward to trying it in November.

[hcat]

Glad you made it.  I have to catch up.on this thread

 

so many delays and cancellations lately...weather and lack of crews

 

We are going to Fl a week ahead for our Nov cruise and will stay at our place on West Coast, drive across fl and  stay pre cruise night in Port. 

 Have to sort out testing..

 

Would def be easier to fly  into port 2 days ahead but cant take the risk nowadays

[GenerationX]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

Glad you made it.  I have to catch up.on this thread

 

so many delays and cancellations lately...weather and lack of crews

 

We are going to Fl a week ahead for our Nov cruise and will stay at our place on West Coast, drive across fl and  stay pre cruise night in Port. 

 Have to sort out testing..

 

Would def be easier to fly  into port 2 days ahead but cant take the risk nowadays

 

This sounds like a very good plan.  I’ve thought of going in 2-4 days ahead as well to avoid flight issues, but with the testing requirements right now it presents so many financial and logistical complications.  I don’t want to fly all the way to Florida, pop positive on a covid test and then have to pay for quarantine accommodation in FL till I can fly back or rent a car and drive 17 hours back home.  So I don’t feel comfortable going wheels up till I know I’m negative and able to board. So much easier when you have a place in FL!

[lola2013]

17 minutes ago, GenerationX said:

 

This sounds like a very good plan.  I’ve thought of going in 2-4 days ahead as well to avoid flight issues, but with the testing requirements right now it presents so many financial and logistical complications.  I don’t want to fly all the way to Florida, pop positive on a covid test and then have to pay for quarantine accommodation in FL till I can fly back or rent a car and drive 17 hours back home.  So I don’t feel comfortable going wheels up till I know I’m negative and able to board. So much easier when you have a place in FL!

We have the same challenge flying on Friday for a Sunday cruise.  We will have to test in Florida on Saturday…but I will likely test here at home before flying to verify I am negative at that point.  I don’t want to pay for a flight and hotel just to get bad news the next day.  I know the testing is important, but will be happy when that requirement is lifted…hopefully by February in time for my Equinox adventure 😎

[GenerationX]

Good morning from the US Virgin Islands!  

 

While I’m eating my al fresco breakfast at OVC and listening to the welcome steel drum band in port, sharing a little about last night:

 

Pre-dinner I had my nightly visit to Komang and Abdul in Ensemble and listened to a set by our party band BR4. 

 

For dinner #2 in Murano I was thinking of doing the 5 senses pairing meal where each course comes with a different glass of ultra premium wine for a $90 upcharge. 

 

But then Pavle the Murano sommelier, having gotten a sense of my tastes during the food and wine pairing workshop yesterday, told me that he had a better idea.   

 

He had a few old world red blends in the cellar by the bottle that he thought I would love and would go well with all the courses that I ordered and would save me $20-30 vs the 5 senses fee (even before my by the bottle discount with the premium wine package).  

 

I decided on a blend from a woman owned/run Italian winery.  65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and I was very happy with my choice.

 

Pro tip: if the ship is going to be in port late evening while you’re dining, especially in Puerto Rico or USVI (which are subject to US alcohol tax rates), ask the sommelier if they can hold off on charging your account for your dinner wine bottle purchase till the ship sets sail so you can avoid the extra tax.

 

For my meal courses, I went with the lobster bisque, mushroom risotto, baked pear, venison loin and chocolate cake.

 

I desperately wanted to finish the lobster bisque, but knew that would be a poor decision with 4 more courses coming.  You know you’re living your best life when you’re sipping a 5 year old Super Tuscan and telling yourself not to fill up on lobster bisque.

 

This was my first time trying the risotto at Murano and I’m kinda mad now that I’ve been sleeping on this dish.  Did you guys know that garlic foam was a thing?  First project when I get home is to get on YouTube and learn how to make this stuff.  Totally gonna host a garlic foam (dinner) party!

 

The pear in phyllo I wasn’t a huge fan of.  The flavor profile just seemed weird.  I’m glad I tried something new, but won’t be ordering that one again. After a few bites I called it quits on it to save prime real estate for venison and chocolate cake.

 

As for the venison, this is another one I haven’t ever ordered because my husband hunts (no judgement please, deer are horribly overpopulated in the area where we live and as a result they spread disease and destroy food crops so managed hunts are an important part of ecosystem maintenance) so we usually have a freezer full of venison.  This one though is going into my Murano rotation going forward.  It’s super tender and not at all gamey.  I recommend ordering it chef’s recommended temp (medium rare) and swirling each bite in the lingonberry sauce and the celery root purée.

 

The chocolate cake:  does not beat my favorite the Gran Marnier soufflé, but I liked it better than the crepe ballon rouge which had been my go to back up dessert choice.  That white coffee ice cream that comes with it is just as good as the gelato in the gelateria.

 

After dinner I headed to the pride party at sea which was moved from the pool deck to the grand foyer due to weather. The party was well attended, including a stop by from Captain Matt and a surprise dance performance by the production dancers.

 

After the party wrapped up I hit the sky lounge for a bit with some new friends from Detroit and then put myself to bed around midnight.  When I got to my room I saw that Pavle had already arranged to have the rest of my bottle of wine sent up along with an appropriate Reidel glass.  I can’t wait to spend my evening tonight finishing that baby off on my veranda in my PJ’s.

 

After breakfast I’m going to go hang by the pool for a bit till it’s time to head out on today’s excursion: a half day champagne catamaran sail and snorkel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kim714]

Thank you for your incredible trip report!  Your attention to detail is making me even more excited for our July departure on Equinox!  After a 12 year hiatus from cruising, I'm ready to be back.  Enjoy the rest of your voyage.  I'll be reading and taking notes!  

[CHEZMARYLOU]

I want to be on board with you right now.  We tried the risotto for the first time last cruise and it was soooooooooooo good.  I might just make a meal of that and lobster.  We got caught with the sales tax thing in Florida when we ordered a bottle of champagne at lunch. If we do it again we'll ask that they charge it after we leave port. 

[Laurab23]

Really enjoying your posts and pictures.

 

[ecslady]

Wow!  I learned something new.  I didn't know you can have the bottle of wine from dinner sent back to your cabin.  That's great!

[Jim_Iain]

52 minutes ago, ecslady said:

Wow!  I learned something new.  I didn't know you can have the bottle of wine from dinner sent back to your cabin.  That's great!

You can also have your free bottle of wine in your room to your dining room or if dining in a specialty you can have it either sent from your dining room to specialty or from Specialty to your dining room. 

[GenerationX]

Good afternoon friends! Is there anything more amazing than coming back from a hot sunny day at port to a cool, clean stateroom with a beautiful view?  

 

Full report on my day in St. Thomas to come, but I had a wonderful time.  I was famished though by the time I got back onboard and today’s concierge canapés were not gonna cut it for snack.  The melon and prosciutto were good but the potato salad stuff not so much.  So I’m sitting at OVC again hearing the steel drum band in port and munching some pizza and rehydrating.

 

BTW please forgive me for making a quick plug: If you’ll be cruising to St. Thomas and this Rising Stars steel drum group is playing in the port shopping area right as you get off the ship, be sure to stop for a listen and consider making a donation in their donation box in front of the stage.  

 

When I got off the ship, I realized that all the talented musicians I’d heard at breakfast are local children and teens and they’ve had kids rotating out playing in the port all day in the heat.  I looked up the Rising Stars group online and it’s actually a program started by a judge in the criminal court here on the island with the purpose of giving local youth a constructive outlet through music education and thus preventing school dropouts and juvenile delinquency.  The money the band raises goes to cover expenses for music teachers, uniforms, instruments, etc. but also to fund SAT/ACT prep courses and college scholarships for the kids who participate.

 

Giving a little something seems like a great easy way to give back to the local community in a small way and support an important mission while in port.

 

I think I’ll hang out here to watch sail away then head back down to take a shower and throw something on for an early buffet dinner.  More to come tonight!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mattie123]

Thought you'd like to know the Vivino ap gave your wine 4.4 stars at a price of 

$85 per bottle. Think you got a great deal!

[mchell810]

On 6/14/2022 at 7:18 AM, GenerationX said:

Hello My Dear CC Friends!

 

Guess what I’m doing in 3 days? 

 

Flying to Florida to sail away again on the Equinox!  Anybody in the mood for another GenX live review?

 

When last we spoke (at the end of Gen Z and I’s wonderful mother-daughter Millennium cruise in March), I was due to stay on land until hubby and I sail together again in late July.  

 

But then came a series of both fortunate and unfortunate spring events including…

 

1) An extremely stressful several weeks at work which ended with me FINALLY closing a deal that I’d been losing sleep/meals over for over a year; 

 

2) An Omicron outbreak rearing it’s ugly head at Gen Z’s school and then making its way to my home (fortunately thanks to vaccines Gen Z and I had only mild cold symptoms and hubby, who had fresh booster immunity, never tested positive) taking us all back to the days of lockdown;

 

3) A nice surprise on our tax refund thanks to our brilliant accountant; and 

 

4 ) A very reasonable reduced solo supplement fare for a last minute 8 night Caribbean cruise booking!

 

By the time I got wind of said fare deal, the ship was completely sold out for aqua and suites (been a while since I’ve seen that, oh well, half full ships were fun while it lasted) so I’ll be sailing in a concierge class stateroom this time. 

 

Concierge rooms weren’t priced too much higher than basic verandas so I decided it was worth spending a little more to have an included sit down lunch at embarkation, the free bottle of bubbly to drink while I pack on the last day, and 16 extra Captains Club points.

 

I was on Equinox just last November visiting  the ABC islands, but this cruise has an entirely different itinerary.  Our ports this time will be Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Tortola and Nassau.  Stay tuned for a separate post shortly about my plans while onboard and ashore.  I booked during a sale where upgraded internet, premium beverage package and OBC was included in fare so I will be indulging in lots of specialty dining and a few excursions.

 

As always please feel free to jump in and ask any questions and let me know if there’s anything in particular onboard that folks would like info on. I’ll of course be thorough when it comes to sharing reports on and pics of food, drink and nightlife.

 

Looking forward to taking everyone along on another cruise!

 

 

Here I am, late to the party since you started while I was sailing.   I see your thread already 7 pages in and I haven't even started!  At least I know  I'll have something good to read for awhile.  😀 🥂