Long and detailed review of Equinox cruise, mid-July 2022

[IUSteve]

I've already submitted this as a formal review, but I'm cross-posting here in case it's helpful.  Warning: it's long but I hope useful, especially to new cruisers as I was. I've appended lots of food and shipboard pics at the end.

 

This was a six-night cruise in mid-July 2022 to Key West, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel.  The ship was booked to about 70% capacity, which seemed great.  Nothing ever felt crowded (other than the pools at times, which are small and not meant for actual swimming), and I never had more than a few minutes' wait any bar.

 

I traveled solo.  As it was my first cruise, I was more interested in enjoying the ship and its amenities than the ports.  I only disembarked once, for a “Mexology” class in Cozumel.  Also, since it was my first time, I didn’t have any previous experience to compare it to. 

 

Despite some of the shortcomings and criticisms I note herein, I was very happy with this experience (rated it *****) and would eagerly cruise with Celebrity again.

 

Staff and crew:

 

As most people on cruises seem to experience, the single greatest impression you're left with is how great the crew was, especially the cabin steward and waiters – always gracious, helpful, and accommodating.  You leave the ship wondering why everyday life can’t run this smoothly and pleasantly.

 

Embarkation and disembarkation:

 

Both were smooth and hassle-free.  No real lines, and I breezed through check-in and was onboard before I knew it.

 

Cabin:

 

I booked an Aqua Class cabin, which had a veranda that was small but provided a nice place to have morning coffee.  (Pics posted.)  I was in Room 1548 on Deck 11.  This was a great location.  It was midship, so I virtually never felt any motion.  Quiet – never heard any disturbing noise.  And very close to elevators and stairs -- one quick flight up to the spa and pools. 

 

I had looked at a lot of pics and videos, so I knew what to expect with room size and layout.  I didn’t see any evidence of excessive wear and tear.  About the only moderately serious complaint I have is that, while closet space was good, the drawers are too few and much too small to allow you to fully unpack a week’s worth of clothes and personal items. 

 

The bed and sheets were very comfortable and high quality.  I slept well. 

 

Most people would probably find the A/C acceptable, but I would have liked it stronger and colder, especially on the first two days in Florida, which were the hottest and most humid.  The cabin steward brought me a fan the first day, which helped a lot all week. 

 

The bathroom is small, but that’s to be expected.  It’s nicely appointed with plenty of storage for toiletries.  One curiosity – you can’t take a refreshingly cold shower, at least I couldn’t.  Due to some quirk of the water system or plumbing, no matter how long you let the “cold” water run, it was always warm.  The “car wash” shower with multiple sprayers, a feature of Aqua Class rooms, wasn’t really useful: the nozzles are positioned too low, and the water pressure was only fair.

 

Housekeeping service was excellent.  They were in the room twice a day – none of this post-COVID-hotel “we respect your health and privacy so we won’t be cleaning your room” stuff.  My cabin steward was wonderful.  He found me a fan the first day, and since he knew I liked ice in the evening, each night when I returned to my cabin there was a fresh bucket of ice in the mini-fridge.

 

There are no outlets by the bed, a sign of the ship’s age.  Not counting the place in the bathroom where you can plug in a razor, There are only two outlets in the room, both by the little desk.  Bring a long charging cord (10 feet) if you want to plug in your phone and have it on the nightstand. 

 

“Aqua Class” was several hundred dollars more than the next-lowest fare for a veranda room, and I’m still not sure it was worth it.  The two main clear benefits were dining in Blu (which I loved; see above) rather than the cavernous main dining room, and free access to the spa’s “Persian Garden” (see above), which basically meant I got to go to the steam room anytime I wanted.  The web site hype promised a “spa concierge,” but there was no such person.  Apparently the soap and shampoo are a different brand in Aqua Class, but who really cares?   Supposedly it’s a different room service menu, but at least at breakfast, my menu just had all the predictable breakfast-type stuff, nothing fancy.  And does anyone actually use the yoga mat they throw in?  

 

Restaurants:

 

The food experience was my top priority for a first-time cruise, and Celebrity did not disappoint me.  I've uploaded a lot of food pics as part of this post. 

 

I ate most nights in Blu, the dining room for Aqua Class passengers.  The setting is beautiful -- much smaller and more intimate, chill, and sedate than the main dining room.  The food and service get my highest ratings.  The waiters and sommelier could not have been kinder or more attentive – they really do get to know you and your preferences.  I cancelled two advance reservations I had made in specialty restaurants because I was so happy with everything in Blu.

 

So often in normal restaurants I find myself continuing to eat something in the hope it will taste better with the next bite.  That never happened on Equinox.  At least at dinner, every night with virtually every dish, I literally savored every bite – no exaggeration, it was that good.  The portions were small, with a clear emphasis on quality rather than quality.  I didn’t mind that so much, since I often ate a larger lunch at the buffet.  Plus the small portions encouraged you to take your time and approach the dish thoughtfully. 

 

The *only* disappointment one evening was the “grilled octopus” starter – the plate had about four bitty little shards of tentacle, which were cold, such that if I didn’t know better I would have thought they had brought me leftovers on a plate they had cleared from someone else’s table.

 

I appreciated that if there was something on the menu of the main dining room that I liked better than the offerings in Blu, my waiter was happy to get it, even though it involved going to a different kitchen on a different floor.

 

Veal dishes actually showed up on several different menus in different dining rooms during the cruise.  I love veal, and it’s hard to find in restaurants these days. 

 

I ate one evening in Tuscan Grille.  The food and service were of the same very high quality.

 

I was eager to see if it was true what they say about cruises, that you can have two entrees if you want.  I had lunch in the main dining room on a sea day, and when I asked for two different entrées I wanted to try, the waiter didn’t bat an eye.  In Tuscan, among the main courses there was a lobster pasta I wanted, but also a grilled branzino.  If I had insisted, I think the waiter would have brought me both, but he suggested making the pasta a half-order, which turned out to be a good idea because it was so rich.  In Blu, on several nights I got a main course plus a small/half portion of another entrée that involved pasta.  And it was never a problem to order one hot starter plus a salad (also listed as a starter) in addition.  

 

In both Blu and Tuscan Grille, I didn’t find the selection of wines by the glass that interesting – most were commonly available wines I drink all the time.  A few times I had to press the sommelier to find me something new and different to try.  They were obliging, and having the premium drinks package meant I didn’t have to worry about price.  The Celebrity private-label Chard and Pinot Noir, both made by Kendall-Jackson, were actually very good; I was underwhelmed by the Cabernet.

 

It was a treat to always have a sommelier close at hand.  I also attended a wine tasting event (which was an extra charge but very well done) where a lot of them were present, and I was impressed by their knowledge and professionalism.

 

The specialty dining venue advance reservations appear to book up quickly before the cruise, but more slots were available once you were onboard.  By seeing a maître d’, I didn’t have difficulty juggling times and dates (and actually ended up cancelling two reservations because I was enjoying Blu.)

 

I had breakfast twice in Blu.  The omelets were flavorful and well-prepared.

 

As a solo traveler, I never felt ignored.  I received consistently excellent service.

 

Loved Café al Bacio, the Italian-style espresso bar where you could get a coffee drink and pastry.  

 

There is a “gelateria” near the Italian coffee bar, where they charge extra for gelato.  But I actually found the “ice cream” they serve throughout the different restaurants to be quite good, and it had the texture and flavor of gelato.  I was told they make the ice cream onboard, which at first I found hard to believe, but at the buffet, it’s scooped out of metal pans (not a commercial pail), and I actually found the flavor of the vanilla ice cream a little inconsistent (one time it was bland like ice milk, another time it was good), so perhaps the ice creams really are house-made in small batches. 

 

There were no supply-chain-to-blame outages or shortages that I could tell, but since this was my first cruise, I didn’t have much to compare it to.

 

Buffet:

 

I ate at the buffet four days for lunch.  Everything looked like it had been prepared from scratch.  Not gourmet, but for buffet food, it was high quality.  The beef and fish actually had good flavor.  On the first day there was a mountain of a wonderful seafood paella generously filled with calamari, shrimp, and mussels – I was hoping to see that again, but many of the hot entrees change daily.  The pizza by the slice, which was also available late-night, was OK – good flavor; crust thin but not crisp.  I heard someone raving about the Bolognese sauce – if it was the same stuff I had one day for lunch in the main dining room, I agree it was tasty and well prepared.

 

Room service:

 

Food quality and presentation were acceptable but not fancy – it was what you got at a business hotel like a Marriott or Hilton, back when those hotels were still providing room service.  However, it always showed up during the time I had specified on the door hanger, and the attendant who brought it was always nice. 

 

Whatever the coffee was, I didn’t like it – not rich and flavorful enough.  The fresh fruit was underripe the first day but got more ripe each day, as might be expected.  The “bran muffins,” supposedly made onboard, didn’t seem to have very much bran and had the taste and loose, crumbly texture of something mass-produced.  I actually found “oat bran muffins” at Café al Bacio that had better texture and flavor and were more convincing as something healthy.

 

Bars:

 

Equinox has plenty of bars, with the offerings ranging from basic bottled beer and frozen drinks at poolside to Johnnie Walker Blue at “World Class Bar,” which is apparently the highest-end bar on the ship (but which I didn’t actually get to visit).  My favorite place for an evening night cap was the Ensemble Bar with its dark wood, cozy chairs, and (LED) candle light.

 

There are lots of different and attractive-sounding cocktails offered across the various bars, but I didn’t see any true, serious craft mixology (though again, I didn’t get to World Class Bar).  The bartenders were usually too busy to be overly fussy.  The Martini Bar has a long list of creations but seems to be mostly about flashy technique and the "bar made of ice," which is actually not a bar made of ice, just chilled metal covered with a layer of frost.  The fruity drinks at poolside are based on pre-packaged mixes (various fruit daiquiris and the like), with the booze added. 

 

I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t see more diverse, interesting selection of whiskeys.  It was fine for leisure travel but won’t excite connoisseurs.  The highest-end bourbon I think I saw was a Jack Daniels Barrel Select.  World Class Bar had Johnnie Walker Blue, but other than that, the best scotches I saw in the bars were expressions from Macallan and Glenfiddich that are specially made for “global travel retail” and were also for sale in the spirits shop.  A simple Johnnie Red and soda at an outdoor bar was watered down because the warm ingredients melted most of the ice. 

 

I’m not meaning to be overly critical here, just providing information others might find helpful.  I sampled a lot of different drinks at different bars, and overall I enjoyed them. 

 

Spa and fitness:

 

The gym is very well equipped with ample and up-to-date machines and has large windows with great views.  It was never crowded.  The free-weight area is a little small.   

 

The spa is contracted out to a company called Steiner Leisure, “a global provider of spa services and operations.”  It was slick and inviting.  The lengthy list services, including acupuncture and other med-spa things, are all outrageously overpriced, but you expect that.  I was fortunate to find a massage therapist whose pressure and technique worked well for me, so I saw her several times. 

 

The “Persian Garden,” a collection of heated stone lounge beds, two showers, and two steam rooms (one of which was usually good and hot, the other of which wasn’t really doing anything) seemed slightly tired-looking and was never crowded.  The "aromatherapy" steam room had no discernible aroma.  Not sure what they charge for access to it, but I had free access as an Aqua Class passenger.

 

Entertainment:

 

I’m not a shows person.  The only one I caught was a very good comedy act by AJ Jamal.  But the onboard theater is large, modern, and impressive.  I didn't come for the entertainment, but I generally liked the bands and performers that rotated among different venues.  

 

Fellow passengers:

 

Celebrity, at least this ship, is the way to go if you want a cruise that caters to adults, not children.  A saw just a few small children and maybe a dozen teenagers.  Several gay male couples.  No one was loud or obnoxious. 

 

If anything, I had expected people to display a little more outgoingness and general joie de vivre.  You’re on a wonderful cruise!  But when I encountered people in elevators or seated at the next table in a restaurant, more often than not they just ignored you.  If you’re an introvert like me, you’ll be great.  I did enjoy meeting and talking to one guy at the wine tasting, and to a pair (mom and daughter) I saw at dinner most evenings. 

 

All crew masked at all times.  On the afternoon of the last full day, the captain announced they had reached 1% COVID cases, which would have been 18-20 people. 

 

Now for the things that were not so good.

 

Internet:

 

Serious demerits.  What they charge is outrageous for the poor quality of the service.  It usually connected to things if you gave it long enough, but there were dead spots, and too often I had to turn the wifi on my device off and on to refresh the signal.  I was able to stream some audio, but despite what they promise, using a streaming video service would be out of the question.  I visited the “iLounge” one day to complain, and they candidly told me it’s an older ship and the router setup isn’t great, so sorry, there's nothing we can do.  The real-time network speed, according to their monitor, was theoretically fine, but by the time it gets to your device it’s erratic and wonky. 

 

The Celebrity phone app worked well and was invaluable for checking out the restaurant menus and knowing what was going on on the ship at any particular moment.  Just know that most of the information isn’t reliable prior to the cruise – apparently they populate it months in advance with placeholder stuff that doesn’t accurately reflect the activities and entertainment offerings you’ll actually experience. 

 

The onboard sales pitches:

 

All the sales pitches get annoying.  The spa is the worst offender, and I assume they all work at least partly on commission.  (The spa is contracted out by Celebrity to an outfit called Steiner Leisure, “a global provider of spa services and operations.”)  On the first day, they encouraged you to register for a raffle/giveaway of services, but when you got there, as if you had stumbled into a promo for a time-share, you were required to sit through a series of sales pitches from the spa, med-spa, and fitness staff wanting to book you for various expensive services.  I had a series of acupuncture treatments in the spa, and the guy also tried to tell me I needed $200 worth of herbal supplements he wanted to sell me.  I also had a massage/facial, and the therapist came in at the end to tell me all the reasons I needed an expensive tub of Elemis day cream she was “recommending.” 

 

Beyond the spa, a good number of the “activities” on the calendar are actually disguised sales events for the various high-end boutiques.  Even the captain’s daily message was not immune, as we listened to him one morning reading an extended script inviting us to visit the “Future Cruise” office and book our next spectacular trip on Celebrity. 

 

Celebrity’s sales, pricing, and pre-cruise customer service:

 

On ship, the staff and crew are wonderful.  But Celebrity’s phone customer service was unacceptable.  About a week before the cruise I had some questions and it was impossible to get anyone on the phone, just an endless hold.

 

I hate the seeming lack of pricing transparency on the web site.  For a while, Celebrity's marketing slogan was “wi-fi, drinks, and tips ALWAYS INCLUDED.”  But apparently always isn’t forever, as that’s now changed: some fares are now “cruise only.”  If you do book an all-included rate, it seems impossible to determine what the upcharge would be for better wi-fi and premium drinks, so you don’t know whether or not it’s worth buying an all-included fare or just going ala carte.  

 

I had a serious issue with my own pricing.  When I purchased my fare, it came with $300 “onboard credit,” as well as the “Elevate” package, whose marketing said it included a $100 spa credit.  Since that credit was specific to the spa and the $300 “onboard credit” could be used for anything, I assumed the $100 was in addition to the $300.  But not so.  I was told by Guest Relations I had $300 onboard credit *total*, including the supposed spa credit, which they said could actually end up being charged for other things.  The explanations I was given never made any sense.  I'm not sure this was deliberate fraud, but it was unclear. 

 

Edited August 6, 2022 by IUSteve
Added info

[LGW59]

39 minutes ago, IUSteve said:

I've already submitted this as a formal review, but I'm cross-posting here in case it's helpful.  Warning: it's long but I hope useful, especially to new cruisers as I was. I've appended lots of food and shipboard pics at the end.

 

This was a six-night cruise in mid-July 2022 to Key West, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel.  The ship was booked to about 70% capacity, which seemed great.  Nothing ever felt crowded (other than the pools at times, which are small and not meant for actual swimming), and I never had more than a few minutes' wait any bar.

 

I traveled solo.  As it was my first cruise, I was more interested in enjoying the ship and its amenities than the ports.  I only disembarked once, for a “Mexology” class in Cozumel.  Also, since it was my first time, I didn’t have any previous experience to compare it to. 

 

Despite some of the shortcomings and criticisms I note herein, I was very happy with this experience (rated it *****) and would eagerly cruise with Celebrity again.

 

Staff and crew:

 

As most people on cruises seem to experience, the single greatest impression you're left with is how great the crew was, especially the cabin steward and waiters – always gracious, helpful, and accommodating.  You leave the ship wondering why everyday life can’t run this smoothly and pleasantly.

 

Embarkation and disembarkation:

 

Both were smooth and hassle-free.  No real lines, and I breezed through check-in and was onboard before I knew it.

 

Cabin:

 

I booked an Aqua Class cabin, which had a veranda that was small but provided a nice place to have morning coffee.  (Pics posted.)  I was in Room 1548 on Deck 11.  This was a great location.  It was midship, so I virtually never felt any motion.  Quiet – never heard any disturbing noise.  And very close to elevators and stairs -- one quick flight up to the spa and pools. 

 

I had looked at a lot of pics and videos, so I knew what to expect with room size and layout.  I didn’t see any evidence of excessive wear and tear.  About the only moderately serious complaint I have is that, while closet space was good, the drawers are too few and much too small to allow you to fully unpack a week’s worth of clothes and personal items. 

 

The bed and sheets were very comfortable and high quality.  I slept well. 

 

Most people would probably find the A/C acceptable, but I would have liked it stronger and colder, especially on the first two days in Florida, which were the hottest and most humid.  The cabin steward brought me a fan the first day, which helped a lot all week. 

 

The bathroom is small, but that’s to be expected.  It’s nicely appointed with plenty of storage for toiletries.  One curiosity – you can’t take a refreshingly cold shower, at least I couldn’t.  Due to some quirk of the water system or plumbing, no matter how long you let the “cold” water run, it was always warm.  The “car wash” shower with multiple sprayers, a feature of Aqua Class rooms, wasn’t really useful: the nozzles are positioned too low, and the water pressure was only fair.

 

Housekeeping service was excellent.  They were in the room twice a day – none of this post-COVID-hotel “we respect your health and privacy so we won’t be cleaning your room” stuff.  My cabin steward was wonderful.  He found me a fan the first day, and since he knew I liked ice in the evening, each night when I returned to my cabin there was a fresh bucket of ice in the mini-fridge.

 

There are no outlets by the bed, a sign of the ship’s age.  Not counting the place in the bathroom where you can plug in a razor, There are only two outlets in the room, both by the little desk.  Bring a long charging cord (10 feet) if you want to plug in your phone and have it on the nightstand. 

 

“Aqua Class” was several hundred dollars more than the next-lowest fare for a veranda room, and I’m still not sure it was worth it.  The two main clear benefits were dining in Blu (which I loved; see above) rather than the cavernous main dining room, and free access to the spa’s “Persian Garden” (see above), which basically meant I got to go to the steam room anytime I wanted.  The web site hype promised a “spa concierge,” but there was no such person.  Apparently the soap and shampoo are a different brand in Aqua Class, but who really cares?   Supposedly it’s a different room service menu, but at least at breakfast, my menu just had all the predictable breakfast-type stuff, nothing fancy.  And does anyone actually use the yoga mat they throw in?  

 

Restaurants:

 

The food experience was my top priority for a first-time cruise, and Celebrity did not disappoint me.  I've uploaded a lot of food pics as part of this post. 

 

I ate most nights in Blu, the dining room for Aqua Class passengers.  The setting is beautiful -- much smaller and more intimate, chill, and sedate than the main dining room.  The food and service get my highest ratings.  The waiters and sommelier could not have been kinder or more attentive – they really do get to know you and your preferences.  I cancelled two advance reservations I had made in specialty restaurants because I was so happy with everything in Blu.

 

So often in normal restaurants I find myself continuing to eat something in the hope it will taste better with the next bite.  That never happened on Equinox.  At least at dinner, every night with virtually every dish, I literally savored every bite – no exaggeration, it was that good.  The portions were small, with a clear emphasis on quality rather than quality.  I didn’t mind that so much, since I often ate a larger lunch at the buffet.  Plus the small portions encouraged you to take your time and approach the dish thoughtfully. 

 

The *only* disappointment one evening was the “grilled octopus” starter – the plate had about four bitty little shards of tentacle, which were cold, such that if I didn’t know better I would have thought they had brought me leftovers on a plate they had cleared from someone else’s table.

 

I appreciated that if there was something on the menu of the main dining room that I liked better than the offerings in Blu, my waiter was happy to get it, even though it involved going to a different kitchen on a different floor.

 

Veal dishes actually showed up on several different menus in different dining rooms during the cruise.  I love veal, and it’s hard to find in restaurants these days. 

 

I ate one evening in Tuscan Grille.  The food and service were of the same very high quality.

 

I was eager to see if it was true what they say about cruises, that you can have two entrees if you want.  I had lunch in the main dining room on a sea day, and when I asked for two different entrées I wanted to try, the waiter didn’t bat an eye.  In Tuscan, among the main courses there was a lobster pasta I wanted, but also a grilled branzino.  If I had insisted, I think the waiter would have brought me both, but he suggested making the pasta a half-order, which turned out to be a good idea because it was so rich.  In Blu, on several nights I got a main course plus a small/half portion of another entrée that involved pasta.  And it was never a problem to order one hot starter plus a salad (also listed as a starter) in addition.  

 

In both Blu and Tuscan Grille, I didn’t find the selection of wines by the glass that interesting – most were commonly available wines I drink all the time.  A few times I had to press the sommelier to find me something new and different to try.  They were obliging, and having the premium drinks package meant I didn’t have to worry about price.  The Celebrity private-label Chard and Pinot Noir, both made by Kendall-Jackson, were actually very good; I was underwhelmed by the Cabernet.

 

It was a treat to always have a sommelier close at hand.  I also attended a wine tasting event (which was an extra charge but very well done) where a lot of them were present, and I was impressed by their knowledge and professionalism.

 

The specialty dining venue advance reservations appear to book up quickly before the cruise, but more slots were available once you were onboard.  By seeing a maître d’, I didn’t have difficulty juggling times and dates (and actually ended up cancelling two reservations because I was enjoying Blu.)

 

I had breakfast twice in Blu.  The omelets were flavorful and well-prepared.

 

As a solo traveler, I never felt ignored.  I received consistently excellent service.

 

Loved Café al Bacio, the Italian-style espresso bar where you could get a coffee drink and pastry.  

 

There is a “gelateria” near the Italian coffee bar, where they charge extra for gelato.  But I actually found the “ice cream” they serve throughout the different restaurants to be quite good, and it had the texture and flavor of gelato.  I was told they make the ice cream onboard, which at first I found hard to believe, but at the buffet, it’s scooped out of metal pans (not a commercial pail), and I actually found the flavor of the vanilla ice cream a little inconsistent (one time it was bland like ice milk, another time it was good), so perhaps the ice creams really are house-made in small batches. 

 

There were no supply-chain-to-blame outages or shortages that I could tell, but since this was my first cruise, I didn’t have much to compare it to.

 

Buffet:

 

I ate at the buffet four days for lunch.  Everything looked like it had been prepared from scratch.  Not gourmet, but for buffet food, it was high quality.  The beef and fish actually had good flavor.  On the first day there was a mountain of a wonderful seafood paella generously filled with calamari, shrimp, and mussels – I was hoping to see that again, but many of the hot entrees change daily.  The pizza by the slice, which was also available late-night, was OK – good flavor; crust thin but not crisp.  I heard someone raving about the Bolognese sauce – if it was the same stuff I had one day for lunch in the main dining room, I agree it was tasty and well prepared.

 

Room service:

 

Food quality and presentation were acceptable but not fancy – it was what you got at a business hotel like a Marriott or Hilton, back when those hotels were still providing room service.  However, it always showed up during the time I had specified on the door hanger, and the attendant who brought it was always nice. 

 

Whatever the coffee was, I didn’t like it – not rich and flavorful enough.  The fresh fruit was underripe the first day but got more ripe each day, as might be expected.  The “bran muffins,” supposedly made onboard, didn’t seem to have very much bran and had the taste and loose, crumbly texture of something mass-produced.  I actually found “oat bran muffins” at Café al Bacio that had better texture and flavor and were more convincing as something healthy.

 

Bars:

 

Equinox has plenty of bars, with the offerings ranging from basic bottled beer and frozen drinks at poolside to Johnnie Walker Blue at “World Class Bar,” which is apparently the highest-end bar on the ship (but which I didn’t actually get to visit).  My favorite place for an evening night cap was the Ensemble Bar with its dark wood, cozy chairs, and (LED) candle light.

 

There are lots of different and attractive-sounding cocktails offered across the various bars, but I didn’t see any true, serious craft mixology (though again, I didn’t get to World Class Bar).  The bartenders were usually too busy to be overly fussy.  The Martini Bar has a long list of creations but seems to be mostly about flashy technique and the "bar made of ice," which is actually not a bar made of ice, just chilled metal covered with a layer of frost.  The fruity drinks at poolside are based on pre-packaged mixes (various fruit daiquiris and the like), with the booze added. 

 

I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t see more diverse, interesting selection of whiskeys.  It was fine for leisure travel but won’t excite connoisseurs.  The highest-end bourbon I think I saw was a Jack Daniels Barrel Select.  World Class Bar had Johnnie Walker Blue, but other than that, the best scotches I saw in the bars were expressions from Macallan and Glenfiddich that are specially made for “global travel retail” and were also for sale in the spirits shop.  A simple Johnnie Red and soda at an outdoor bar was watered down because the warm ingredients melted most of the ice. 

 

I’m not meaning to be overly critical here, just providing information others might find helpful.  I sampled a lot of different drinks at different bars, and overall I enjoyed them. 

 

Spa and fitness:

 

The gym is very well equipped with ample and up-to-date machines and has large windows with great views.  It was never crowded.  The free-weight area is a little small.   

 

The spa is contracted out to a company called Steiner Leisure, “a global provider of spa services and operations.”  It was slick and inviting.  The lengthy list services, including acupuncture and other med-spa things, are all outrageously overpriced, but you expect that.  I was fortunate to find a massage therapist whose pressure and technique worked well for me, so I saw her several times. 

 

The “Persian Garden,” a collection of heated stone lounge beds, two showers, and two steam rooms (one of which was usually good and hot, the other of which wasn’t really doing anything) seemed slightly tired-looking and was never crowded.  The "aromatherapy" steam room had no discernible aroma.  Not sure what they charge for access to it, but I had free access as an Aqua Class passenger.

 

Entertainment:

 

I’m not a shows person.  The only one I caught was a very good comedy act by AJ Jamal.  But the onboard theater is large, modern, and impressive.  I didn't come for the entertainment, but I generally liked the bands and performers that rotated among different venues.  

 

Fellow passengers:

 

Celebrity, at least this ship, is the way to go if you want a cruise that caters to adults, not children.  A saw just a few small children and maybe a dozen teenagers.  Several gay male couples.  No one was loud or obnoxious. 

 

If anything, I had expected people to display a little more outgoingness and general joie de vivre.  You’re on a wonderful cruise!  But when I encountered people in elevators or seated at the next table in a restaurant, more often than not they just ignored you.  If you’re an introvert like me, you’ll be great.  I did enjoy meeting and talking to one guy at the wine tasting, and to a pair (mom and daughter) I saw at dinner most evenings. 

 

All crew masked at all times.  On the afternoon of the last full day, the captain announced they had reached 1% COVID cases, which would have been 18-20 people. 

 

Now for the things that were not so good.

 

Internet:

 

Serious demerits.  What they charge is outrageous for the poor quality of the service.  It usually connected to things if you gave it long enough, but there were dead spots, and too often I had to turn the wifi on my device off and on to refresh the signal.  I was able to stream some audio, but despite what they promise, using a streaming video service would be out of the question.  I visited the “iLounge” one day to complain, and they candidly told me it’s an older ship and the router setup isn’t great, so sorry, there's nothing we can do.  The real-time network speed, according to their monitor, was theoretically fine, but by the time it gets to your device it’s erratic and wonky. 

 

The Celebrity phone app worked well and was invaluable for checking out the restaurant menus and knowing what was going on on the ship at any particular moment.  Just know that most of the information isn’t reliable prior to the cruise – apparently they populate it months in advance with placeholder stuff that doesn’t accurately reflect the activities and entertainment offerings you’ll actually experience. 

 

The onboard sales pitches:

 

All the sales pitches get annoying.  The spa is the worst offender, and I assume they all work at least partly on commission.  (The spa is contracted out by Celebrity to an outfit called Steiner Leisure, “a global provider of spa services and operations.”)  On the first day, they encouraged you to register for a raffle/giveaway of services, but when you got there, as if you had stumbled into a promo for a time-share, you were required to sit through a series of sales pitches from the spa, med-spa, and fitness staff wanting to book you for various expensive services.  I had a series of acupuncture treatments in the spa, and the guy also tried to tell me I needed $200 worth of herbal supplements he wanted to sell me.  I also had a massage/facial, and the therapist came in at the end to tell me all the reasons I needed an expensive tub of Elemis day cream she was “recommending.” 

 

Beyond the spa, a good number of the “activities” on the calendar are actually disguised sales events for the various high-end boutiques.  Even the captain’s daily message was not immune, as we listened to him one morning reading an extended script inviting us to visit the “Future Cruise” office and book our next spectacular trip on Celebrity. 

 

Celebrity’s sales, pricing, and pre-cruise customer service:

 

On ship, the staff and crew are wonderful.  But Celebrity’s phone customer service was unacceptable.  About a week before the cruise I had some questions and it was impossible to get anyone on the phone, just an endless hold.

 

I hate the seeming lack of pricing transparency on the web site.  For a while, Celebrity's marketing slogan was “wi-fi, drinks, and tips ALWAYS INCLUDED.”  But apparently always isn’t forever, as that’s now changed: some fares are now “cruise only.”  If you do book an all-included rate, it seems impossible to determine what the upcharge would be for better wi-fi and premium drinks, so you don’t know whether or not it’s worth buying an all-included fare or just going ala carte.  

 

I had a serious issue with my own pricing.  When I purchased my fare, it came with $300 “onboard credit,” as well as the “Elevate” package, whose marketing said it included a $100 spa credit.  Since that credit was specific to the spa and the $300 “onboard credit” could be used for anything, I assumed the $100 was in addition to the $300.  But not so.  I was told by Guest Relations I had $300 onboard credit *total*, including the supposed spa credit, which they said could actually end up being charged for other things.  The explanations I was given never made any sense.  I'm not sure this was deliberate fraud, but it was unclear. 

 

What a very well thought out and detailed and open minded written review, thanks!  I like good tasty food, though not a "foodie" as others say they are.  I am also that person that the pics of food and drinks do nothing for me, (you know make me "salivate" etc) though I do have to say, much of the food pics included here do not look appealing one iota, well the cheesecake looks delish.  🙂  

[PoppyandNana]

Thank you so much. We are going on the Equinox September 8th for the first time. While we have sailed on X many times ( we are Elite Plus) this will be our first time on this class of ship.  Also our first time in AC. Thanks again for the review.  

[misha1]

Photos are wonderful...love the moon shots

[lithiananner]

Thanks for the interesting and thorough review!  Much appreciated as I anticipate my upcoming Equinox cruise!

[Smmessineo]

Thanks for the honest and detailed review. I'm sailing on Equinox in December,  I haven't been on it since 2019, you have provided great info on how things are currently on this ship. 

[tweetylori]

Well I love any and all pics, especially the food ones, thanks!  Enjoyed your review as well!

[geena1029]

Thank you for this review!  Sailing Equinox in AquaClass in October, looking forward to it!

[PTC DAWG]

The “several gay male couples” comment seems out of no where. 
 

Re room storage, opinions really vary here, the Wife and I have no issues storing ours stuff, even for 9 night or longer cruise.  
 

Thanks for the Blu comments, Wife and I are sailing Aqua class on the Equinox next month..our 4th time on Equinox, first time in Aqua. 

[Eight_Paws]

Hello--  I'll be traveling solo on the Solstice in September. I'm toying with the idea of the discounted 'first night' specialty restaurant offer.  Did you find it awkward at all dining solo in the specialty restaurants?

 

Thanks!  Lisa

[D. B.]

Great take on a cruise from a First Timer and Solo at that.

 I sail Solo on X a few times a year myself as my DW only likes to do 2-3 cruises a year and is One and Done with most destinations.

  The Future Cruise department has perks that are only offered Onboard, and you can book an open future cruise that lets you pick your next cruise within 90 days and only requires a $100 PP deposit.

 I take advantage of these and have the booking transferred to my long-time travel agent.

   On Celebrity in the Future Cruise department, you can also book a future cruise on RCCL from My experience.

 I have never felt like the agents in the FC department were Trying to sell me anything. Just there to answer questions.

 And to Eight_Paws -I don't feel awkward dining Solo in the specialty Restaurants as I'm there for the Food.

[gfkcruiser]

When we get the premium drink package, the World Class Bar is a must.  Bartenders are great. 

[hotrock]

Thanks for the thorough review.  I'm thinking hard about giving Celebrity a try.  We always cruise on Royal Caribbean but I've been told that X is even better.  Is there anything in particular I should know before I book?