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Meet me on the Equinox - Eastern Med Review

pjs678

By pjs678,
in Celebrity Cruises

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pjs678

pjs678

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So, we come to the last morning of the cruise. We were scheduled to be off the ship at 8:30am to meet our ride to the airport from RomeCabs. It was actually nice to sleep until 7:30am and then go up for a final round of pancake roulette at the buffet. I think it was pecan or almond today.

 

We met one of the other couples on Deck 3 and decided to just meet the others outside. We left the ship for the final time. That final bing as you put your card through the security machine is so sad.

 

We had no problem finding our luggage, but due to the rain, it was packed in the covered waiting area just outside the main tent. We pushed our way to the end and found our driver. We loaded up in the van (this one was smaller than the one from the airport), waited for the other two couples and we were off.

 

It only took about an hour to get to FCO from the port. We were on a flight to Amsterdam first and then direct to Atlanta. We checked our bags through and sat at the gate with not much to do except read or snooze for an hour. No free internet in Rome airport by the way.

 

Our flight to AMS was delayed by the weather so when we arrived in Amsterdam, we had a mad dash through passport control (luckily, they waived us through because we had a tight connection) and then to the gate in another terminal. We just about made the flight as they were boarding all rows when we got there.

 

The flight to ATL was loooong - about 8 1/2 hours. I watched 3 movies, a TV show on my iPad, AND had time for a 2 hour nap. KLM fed us twice, which was nice, and we arrived on time around 8:20pm EDT, about 19 hours after we had woken up on the Equinox.

 

It was great to see the kids again. 13 days away was just long enough where we were ready to be home.

 

Up next: We Grade the Equinox

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AlwaysReadyToSail

AlwaysReadyToSail

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I know this seems random and petty but on my Caribbean cruise last year when getting back in the ship from a port day they had refreshments and cold towels being handed out at the security lines. Was this the case on your Med cruise? I found them a nice added touch on a hot day.

 

I will be traveling at the end of October/beginning of November so it may be too cool to warrant cold towels anyway by then.

 

I have thoroughly enjoyed your review, thanks for the time and effort to share.

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pjs678

pjs678

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I know this seems random and petty but on my Caribbean cruise last year when getting back in the ship from a port day they had refreshments and cold towels being handed out at the security lines. Was this the case on your Med cruise? I found them a nice added touch on a hot day.

 

I will be traveling at the end of October/beginning of November so it may be too cool to warrant cold towels anyway by then.

 

I have thoroughly enjoyed your review, thanks for the time and effort to share.

 

Absolutely! In every port. Thanks for the nice words.

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pjs678

pjs678

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Now we’re home. Time to evaluate: How was the ship? Was the drink package worth it? Did the ATMs all work? Did we make the right choices in each port? Here’s the lowdown…

 

The Ship – Equinox is beautiful. It’s three years old and looks brand new. It only took a day to figure out where everything was located. Most of the public spaces are on Decks 4 and 5 (restaurants, bars, theater) and Decks 12 and 14 (pool, spa, buffet). We were on Deck 8, right in the middle. Our favorite spot was the Molecular Bar. We enjoyed the drinks and enjoyed watching the talented bartenders make the drinks. It seemed empty most of the time. I think it was added after the ship was built because it does not appear on any of the deck plans near the elevators.

 

The Cabin – We were in a midship hump balcony cabin. We enjoyed the extra large balcony. The cabin layout was good, as was the bathroom. We liked the glass shower doors much better than shower curtains. We liked the above bed storage, but I could see how it would be a pain for shorter people or people with limited mobility. There was not much drawer space otherwise. We removed much of the minibar items and stuck them in a drawer so we could make room for bottled water and wine in the fridge. Our steward, Jose, was efficient. I think he only knocked one time when we were still actually in the cabin one morning. The rest of the time, he and his assistant came in when we were at breakfast and dinner to clean/turn-down the cabin. The TV could use some improvement. Most of the time the channels we received were CNN, Sky News, BBC News and Sky Sports News, along with Food Network and some Arabian channels. When NFL games were on, we somehow got an Asian ESPN channel showing the games. It seems like Celebrity can pick and choose what they get, so 3 news channels are too many. Show more live sports. Not that we watched much TV anyway – just when we were getting ready or going to bed. The free On-Demand movies were great – no need to pay for the other movies when they have a good selection of recent movies.

 

The Passengers – Interesting mix of people. Lots of Canadians, Aussies and Brits. A lot of South Americans too, thanks to a large group of Chrysler employees from Venezuela. I would say it was about 40% American/Canadian, 40% Brit/European, 10% Aussie/Kiwi and 10% South American/other. Only a few kids and teens were on board, none of whom were American, due to school having started back home.

 

The Crew – The staff was friendly and always met our every need with one or two exceptions (the warm smoothie and the college football game being the only two I can think of right now). The activities staff was enthusiastic and did a nice job running the passenger contests, game shows, bingo, etc. The Cruise Director was always out and about, introducing shows, participating in officer v. guest challenges, etc. He showed up to the CC party and introduced himself to everyone. Guest services staff were helpful and courteous. One of them actually allowed me to use the ship’s phone to call my travel agent in Miami when my OBC did not show up correctly.

 

The Entertainment – This was lacking somewhat. We liked one of the guest performers, but the rest were mediocre. I think it was poor planning to have two comedy/magic acts and two celebrity impersonation acts on the same cruise. How about a regular comedian and a regular singer or a band instead? There was no late night entertainment either. The nightclub would be better served as a full-time karaoke bar. The only time I saw anyone in there was during the two karaoke nights. The casino was mostly empty, but this could be a function of a large European and Canadian contingent, who are used to legal gambling and don’t make a big deal of a casino like we do. It was unusual to find a blackjack table with more than one or two people playing. Most of the casino employees were standing around a lot of the time. As for the shipboard entertainers, the band, Canonics, were good when they played big band, jazzy stuff on Deck 3 near the stairs, but awful at the pool. Salvatore the guitarist/vocalist was excellent. He played a great variety of rock/pop music and has a great voice. As discussed earlier, Equinox the Show was really good, but we were not fans of the other broadway-type stuff.

 

The MDR Food – Yes, the most subjective element. We were not impressed with the food in the MDR. To be honest, the last two Carnival cruises had better MDR food. Maybe we had high expectations, but I have never eaten dinner in a buffet on a cruise ship until this cruise, and we did it twice. The service in the MDR was excellent, so it really came down to not liking the bland and boring choices.

 

The Buffet Food – Good to excellent. We liked how the buffet was set up in stations. It was never too crowded, even when busy. The Indian, Thai and Mexican specialties were usually very good. The salad bar was excellent and the ice cream station with toppings was also very good. We ate breakfast here most days and enjoyed the daily pancake and French toast varieties, as well as the omelet station.

 

The Specialty Restaurants

Tuscan Grill – Good, but not great. The sunset view was excellent, but the food was hit or miss. First of all, the space is way too big. They could have added another restaurant or bar with a view and still had plenty of room for this place. The onion soup is very good, as is the mac & cheese side dish. The steak was OK, but for a fee, should have been better. This was also the only specialty restaurant where we had a sales pitch for their lunch as we ate our dinner.

Murano – My favorite of the three. The lobster and filet were perfect. The service was impeccable. The atmosphere was truly like a fine restaurant. The food is rich though, so go hungry and only eat part of your portions to save room for dessert.

Silk Harvest – We had high expectations, but the sushi was just OK. The appetizers were good and the Thai dishes were very good. JCS loved the Oriental Pearls dessert, but to me it was just fancy rice pudding. The service was more casual here, but still very good and the views on the starboard side were also a nice addition to the meal.

Bistro on Five – Only tried it for breakfast. I liked it, JCS not so much. It’s worth going for the Nutella crepe alone.

Café al Bacio – Great coffee and friendly staff. I meant to try some of the more unusual drinks, but I never got around to it. The food there changes from breakfast (mini-donuts, mini pastries) to lunch (mini sandwiches – didn’t get to try these, but I heard they were good) to dessert at dinner time. They are free so try them.

Aqua Spa Café – Only ate breakfast here once. We checked out the lunch one day, but JCS wanted to eat elsewhere. The food was a change from the high calorie stuff at the buffet. I don’t think too many people knew about it because it never seemed busy.

 

The Drink Package – I bought the premium alcohol package about two weeks before we sailed. I had been on the fence about it, but our friends had sailed on the Silhouette a month earlier and raved about the package, so I took the plunge. I was glad I did it. I tried a lot of funky martinis and other drinks that I would never bother with usually based on the price ($10-12). I also got a premium coffee every morning and had bottled water for us to take ashore with us. I know these boards have a lot of discussion about “sharing” packages, so I will briefly discuss our experience. I will say that I did not do anything sneaky like go buy a drink at one bar, give it to JCS and then get myself a drink at another bar. Did I order a drink and then let her try it? Sure. Did we sit at the Molecular Bar and “share” a cocktail? Yes. Not once did a waiter or bartender say one word to us about her taking a sip of my drink. We never got a dirty look, sigh or eye roll from any staff member. Frankly, a package for her would have been a waste. She would take a sip or two of my drink and that would be enough for her. She did buy a few drinks a la carte throughout the cruise, but not many. We shared the bottled water obviously when we were in port, but other than that, she was fine with the onboard coffee, water, juices, etc. As for wine, the sommeliers in the MDR and the specialty restaurants had me try some wines by the glass and it was nice for a change, but I am not a big wine drinker and by the last few nights, I was back to beer with dinner.

 

Internet Package – We bought the $99 package with 208 minutes (plus 15% bonus) and it was perfect for us. We checked email once or twice a day, usually early in the AM to catch the previous afternoon’s messages and then again at night to catch the morning messages. It was comforting knowing that if we needed to respond to an urgent message, we could, although nothing urgent really happened. We found the service to be a decent speed for email and always available (even in port). We just shared my iPad mostly, but JCS used her iPhone as well a few times.

 

Ports – We were able to DIY in all except two ports and had no problems with public transportation or just walking around. We would recommend a private tour in Ephesus, due to the distance from Kusadasi to Ephesus and the need to have a guide explain the ruins. We also would recommend a driver if you plan to visit the Amalfi Coast, especially for the first time. It helps to have someone who knows their way around and allows everyone to look out the car at the amazing views. Athens was easy to DIY, but I would keep an eye on the news regarding strikes and protests. We were lucky with the calm day we were there, but anyone there on 9/26 would have been not so lucky. Istanbul was probably my favorite port – such a melting pot of East v. West. It is also very easy to get around without a tour.

 

Money – We didn’t bring any Euros or Lira with us and we were able to use ATMs in Amsterdam airport, Rome airport, Istanbul, and Naples port with no problems. My bank only charged $5 for each transaction and we got the interbank exchange rate, so it was the most economical way to do it. We kept all our money in the cabin safe when on board the ship (except a few dollars for the casino).

 

Conclusions – Fantastic trip. Great value. Beautiful ship. Would we sail Celebrity again? In a heartbeat. Would we ONLY sail Celebrity again? No, but for us, it is as much about the itinerary as the ship/line.

 

I just want to also thank all those on these boards who were so helpful with our planning. Just scanning through the Celebrity board and the European port boards was a great resource in making sure we made the most of our time on board and in the ports.

 

If you have any questions, feel free to fire away.

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mizLORInj Great Review Rare

mizLORInj

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...That final bing as you put your card through the security machine is so sad. . .

 

 

I absolutely agree!!! Even the walk up to the machine is sad to me!

Thanks for your review. Appreciate all your comments about the ship itself as we're on it in 2013.

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suzzek

suzzek

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Great reveiw! Thanks so much for taking the time to post all of your insightful thoughts. We are really looking forward to our cruise in Nov. and you've been a wealth of information, not to mention your generosity in selling me your tickets to Ephesus and The Terrace Houses! Thanks :D

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MikeMary4449

MikeMary4449

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Thanks for taking the time to post all your experiences and photos from your Equinox cruise. We are leaving Rome on the Equinox on October 26 with a 7-day post-cruise trip to Southern Italy and the Amalfi Coast. Your review has been most helpful. Just one question: Did they confiscate your limoncello when you boarded the ship in Naples, or was this a non-issue as it was your last day aboard? You have prompted us to check out a Panasonic camera as your pictures were great, even in the rain! Thanks again, Mike and Mary

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pjs678

pjs678

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Thanks for taking the time to post all your experiences and photos from your Equinox cruise. We are leaving Rome on the Equinox on October 26 with a 7-day post-cruise trip to Southern Italy and the Amalfi Coast. Your review has been most helpful. Just one question: Did they confiscate your limoncello when you boarded the ship in Naples, or was this a non-issue as it was your last day aboard? You have prompted us to check out a Panasonic camera as your pictures were great, even in the rain! Thanks again, Mike and Mary

 

Good question. No, they didn't. We had it in my backpack and we just ran it through the machine. No questions asked. We obviously packed it in our checked suitcase when we flew home (along with the wine we bought at the beginning of the trip which we never drank.

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cruza

cruza

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Good question. No, they didn't. We had it in my backpack and we just ran it through the machine. No questions asked. We obviously packed it in our checked suitcase when we flew home (along with the wine we bought at the beginning of the trip which we never drank.

 

Thanks a lot for great review!!! How much your Amalfi coast tour cost?

Would you recomend this tour company?

Thanks,

 

Mike

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Jade08

Jade08

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I would highly recommend this company. It was 300 Euros for the entire day. Obviously, you could split that between 2 or 3 couples.

 

http://www.sorrentotopcar.com/

 

When we were there four years ago, we used ferry to reach Amalfi town then bus to top, the charming town of Ravello. I love the Villa called Cimbrone. The panoramic views over the Bay of Salerno were simply stunning.

 

This time, we plan to go to Capri, also DIY. Hope the weather will be nice. If not, we have plan B. Just visit Naples and its churches and museum.

 

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Coolcruise02

Coolcruise02

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We were not impressed with the food in the MDR. To be honest, the last two Carnival cruises had better MDR food. Maybe we had high expectations, but I have never eaten dinner in a buffet on a cruise ship until this cruise, and we did it twice.

 

Totally agree! Most here don't want to hear this but Carnival's dining room food is better than this "premium" lines.

 

Loved your review, thanks for sharing!

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pjs678

pjs678

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Did you watch the Steelers/Broncos game on TV or your laptop? We're going to miss a few games in November. Thanks for a great review.

 

TV. You would not be able to watch on laptop due to bandwidth. I expect you will get NBC & ESPN Primetime games and then a Fox national game on Sunday afternoon (that's what we saw). Have a great trip.

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pjs678

pjs678

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Thanks for all the kind words. It was fun to relive the trip again.

 

I forgot to add one annoying thing about Celebrity: They apparently have tried to "brand" everything from bingo to ping-pong to dance contests as Celebrity Life Activities. That's fine in itself, but the staff constantly reminds you that this is a Celebrity Life Activity to the point where it just becomes a pointless exercise in branding and self-promotion. We're already on board so you don't have to keep reminding us where we are.

 

Just a small quibble about the generally excellent staff and ship.

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Great Canadian

Great Canadian

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:D WOW,

what a great Thread and Review. Much Appreciated.

We are planning our 25th Anniversary, and looking to do similar cruise.

We may do a 7 day cruise with a pre or post stay in Naples, or

do the 10-12 day cruise?? Definetely it will be in August, as we are so tied up all spring and summer with girls softball.

Toss up between Royal (as we have done many with Royal) and

Celebrity (where we have heard great things).

How was the weather while you where there? I noted some pictures that passengers where wearing long pants and jackets?

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