LIVE from the EQUINOX June 1-June14

[wallie5446]

What a great review. Full of positive things but also an open mind about some things that aren't perfect.

 

And a great writing style, please keep it up. Looking forward to the rest.

 

And are you looking forward to sailaway in 156 days!

 

David, wonderful.

[sldispatcher]

Okay..getting in lost in the day count.

 

Santorini!

 

First time visit here. Off the ship and up the mountain in no time. Private tour today with jaw dropping views one after the other...fantastic lunch with local favorites on a black sandy beach that my DW never wanted to leave.

 

HOWEVER.......line for gondola down was a good 500 or more people. We chose to walk the donkey trail down. It was a scene from Dante's Inferno as we descended through the multiple levels of uneven stones and marble lined edges while dodging donkey presents all the way down. We were well below the 9th level by the time we reached the tender.

 

Most of the issue was related to 4 ships in port and far too early of a sail-away time in my humble opinion.

 

Sail in was BEAUTIFUL this morning and I encourage folks to wake up for it as well as plan for sail away. We have been dodging islands since we have left the caldera of the volcano.

 

Town of Oia is just as gorgeous as you can imagine. The views are incredible all over the place. Our private tour got us to all of the brochure places and then some views not often seen.

 

Now some words of honesty....

 

Celebrity doesn't always get it right..let's be honest.

 

Today was an example. Shameful to think that with just 140 miles to travel tonight they couldn't extend the port stop until 700pm or even later. Perhaps local services are not available OR they cost more?

 

Some dishes in the dining room just fall flat of what is expected, BUT it is basically suped up banquet food. 3 of the last 4 fish dishes in the dining room have been "fishy". Tonight's tilapia was much improved, but far too many of the fish dishes have not hit the mark as well as they should. That always = frozen in my book until proved otherwise.

 

Rising food costs are definitely taking a toll on all of us and will do so on the cruise lines. I agree that it has hit this line with a soft right hook, but they still seem to be pouring out their heart in what they are doing in the kitchen.

 

We've had slippers gone missing in the room and a daily program not left in the room.

 

Cleaning cloth left in our neighbor's bathroom.

 

Jamming every possible soul in a tender instead of just launching them to get people going especially when one is just sitting idle right behind us.

 

Short changing us in Santorini with time. They can do better and also relieve the congestion/anger/heat stroke occurring in the cable car line at the top.

 

Some policing of dress code for the dining room and dining venues is in order. Either make it all sports casual and let it slide or make some effort to tick off a few to maintain some respectable appearance to the world. I, for one, just vote that they go Sports Casual and let it be the end of it. That is controversial for sure, but not enforcing anything is more chaotic than sticking with the rules.

 

Most of those are rather petty issues, but nonetheless are areas of improvement. I can overlook all of them and none of them ruin our trip. Besides, this itinerary, which I think is fantastic for a complete look at the Mediterranean, is geared to those who can really hit the ports each day. If you can't be a little flexible, you shouldn't even be on here.

 

After all, we are having such a good time that I can't even remember what day of the cruise it is anymore.

[wallie5446]

David have you had a chance to meet cruisingator? He must have been standing right beside you on top of the mountain when he took this pic today!

[sldispatcher]

I had better views than that ;)

[d4m]

Wonderful writing style! Can't wait to read more. Two thumbs up:D

[drarill]

Excellent review.... thanks for taking the time to share your cruise with us. I'm having a great time reading about your trip.:)

[Lastdance]

I have also been enjoying your remarks as you cruise, especially since I have traveled to the same places. Yes, Eze does need more time, but it is oh so beautiful with it's winding paths and gorgeous views! We had a great guide using RIL in Florence and sorry that yours was very difficult to understand; those things happen. Our private quid in Santorini was the same way. He took us all over the island but could only smile. We later found out that he was hired by another company to sabotage the company we used. Again, things happen, but you can't let it dampen the experience. Sometimes i think our expectations soar on a cruise that so much time and energy has been spent. Wanting everything to be perfect is not reality: our lives certainly aren't that way.

I too like your style as easiness of your words so keep it up and that way I can tag along with you!

Happy Sails!:) Less than two weeks to my cruise in Europe; so excited!

Edited June 8, 2014 by Lastdance

[sldispatcher]

Day 8 – Bare Footed on the Back Porch

 

I wonder if people who have never sailed to the Mediterranean have a very stereotypical view of the ports of call? No two are alike. Here we are, 8 days into a 14 night cruise and nothing seems to be repetitive. Even for the ports we have been to previously, the experiences were unique. From the terrain to the people, the Mediterranean is full of cultural, historical, and geological wonders.

 

As I write this, the sunlight has all but slipped away from the edges of the outer layers of the atmosphere. A cargo ship slipped right across our wake as we make 16 knots through the Aegean Sea filled with a myriad of islands. Yesterday, as we left Santorini, we slipped right past the island where Homer was born and wrote a couple of books high school and college students are probably familiar with.

 

My bare feet are propped on the glass verandah wall and the hypnotic sounds from the churning ocean below make me a bit sleepy. With darkness now ruling the sky, the air has become almost cool again. The scene reminds me of growing up in the country when you could feel the cool tile floor on one’s bare feet while the cool breeze from a nearby thunderstorm pours through screen windows providing welcome relief from a warm sunny day.

 

Overnight, the Equinox had made it from Santorini to Athens in good time. The vibrations from the maneuvers to get us into the dock in Athens woke us up briefly at 430am. Looking in the morning, our berth was a rather tight fit. I still think we should have left Santorini much later, but that is a battle I will lose.

 

Athens was just a little humid today but the sun in this part of the world seems merciless at times. These northern latitudes just seem to make it sear a little more than at home. At any rate, we zipped off the ship and met our guide for the day without much delay. Being Sunday in Athens, traffic was minimal. The temple of Zeus, the Acropolis, the Olympic Stadiums both old and new were visited rather efficiently. The Acropolis was the main attraction as there were mountains of tourists pouring into the complex.

 

A little shopping and then off to a local lunch spot. There we had moussaka, Greek salad, grilled veggies with balsamic vinegar, gyro meat and an eggplant stuffed with tomatoes, feta, and onions and baked.

 

After a little more touring we were back to the ship and ready to get there as we needed some rest time. Our view from the aft of the ship let us see the comings and goings of the ferries in and out of the passenger portion of the harbor. We were the only cruise ship in port today.

 

The ship never seems crowded. Whether at dinner or even going to/from the show, traffic flows very well on these ships with this crowd. I did have a lackluster experience in the Caribbean on the Eclipse a few years back, but I do think that had as much to do with the mix of passengers onboard as anything. We have found a waiter we really like and will continue to request him at dinner. No one is waiting for tables for the open seating. The staff are all hard working and we should never lose sight of what they are putting into our vacation each and every day (and all through the night).

 

Don’t get me wrong, we’ve encountered a few of the Entitlement Class folks on the ship. But they are far outnumbered by a generally courteous bunch. Our location pretty much insulates us from the door slammers. Do people slam doors like that at home? Whether in a hotel or a cruise ship, it doesn’t take much effort to exit the cabin like you enter. Use the key card and it will let you quietly close the door. However, the way these doors are designed, just gently pulling the door closed will accomplish a very quiet exit.

 

I was raised differently than those folks.

 

Thanks to wonderful parents and a country lifestyle, I can appreciate most anything in life. Big things and little things. Take the Equinox for example. I don’t have to be bedazzled each time I sit down. We are thankful we are just able to take this cruise. If there is torn carpet somewhere ( and there is none) or a verandah railing that might need a little TLC (it is a ship at sea after all) or an entrée that might not be seasoned just to my exact liking, you have to ask yourself is it really a big deal?

 

If we invited the crew and staff to our own homes would we be able to pass that same test? After all, it is their home and we are just the visitors.

 

Besides, I’m happy just being bare footed on the back porch…err…verandah.

[GoldenRetriever]

I'm thoroughly enjoying your live reports, you are a very descriptive writer and it makes for great reading. Thanks again for taking time from your vacation to share your experiences with us.

 

We sail on Equinox September 20 and although most of the ports you are visiting differ from ours it is still helping me to get excited about the cruise and being onboard the ship again.

[Lestel]

Hi sldispatcher

Thanks so much for your updates on your Equinox sailing. :D We are also on-board in September for our first Mediterranean cruise so your regular updates are helping with the excitement and anticipation.

 

I'm thoroughly enjoying your live reports, you are a very descriptive writer and it makes for great reading. Thanks again for taking time from your vacation to share your experiences with us.

 

We sail on Equinox September 20 and although most of the ports you are visiting differ from ours it is still helping me to get excited about the cruise and being onboard the ship again.

 

Hi Golden Retriever, sounds like you may be on the same sailing we are on. If you are interested we have a great active roll call with now over 100 people from all over the world.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1824642&page=39

 

See you in September!

 

Lesley :)

[az4ship]

I am enjoying this. I am on 12 aug sailing!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[LINGBER]

Fabulous review! Thanks so much for sharing your experiences onboard Equinox. I am looking forward to reading more! We sail on her next month and can't wait!

[vulcan1971]

I am so hungry for Greek food now! :D

[sldispatcher]

Day 9 – Turkey and Dressing

 

A couple of nights ago, the Equinox was serving a traditional turkey and dressing dinner complete with sweet potatoes, etc. It almost seemed out of place. At the same time, that combo seemed popular with the dining crowd. The different components of that entrée could have been at home on many other dishes, but together, they form what those of us in the US would consider to be a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. That very dinner often brings together long separated family members and serves to pull together people if not but for a little while. Sounds a bit stereotypical though, doesn’t it? Speaking of which…..

 

Okay. I’ll admit it. I had a stereotypical image of what I just knew the Kusadasi stop was going to be all about. The Turkey I encountered today was modern, clean, great roads, flowers everywhere, fruit trees all over the place, big resorts, water parks, historical sites, and receptive people. In fact, the lecture by the Equinox staff did a great job of preparing us for this port of call. Fortunately, Celebrity places all of those lectures on television in your stateroom to view at your leisure.

 

It’s a bit warmer now. Humidity has climbed just a tad. We slipped into our berth at Kusadasi alongside a Thompson Cruises ship. Azamara and Windstar had representative ships present as well.

 

For the first time this sailing, we had a civilized breakfast in the dining room. Service was prompt and food was served fresh. Not a big shock as we’ve had this before. In and out in 30 minutes. I much prefer the dining room, but my DW likes to sleep up until the last minute before beginning preparation time. The next steps require the use of weapons of mass construction for up to 45 minutes. THEN, we are able to leave the room and present ourselves in a public fashion. Therefore, she generally prefers room service breakfast.

 

Most of the private tours plan lunch around 1pm so one needs to eat accordingly at breakfast.

 

We met our private guide outside the port and were escorted to a nice van and driver. By far the best price for a private excursion on the entire trip. Driver, guide, van, lunch, entry fees, etc. were all included.

 

Amazingly, the Celebrity site asked us all to make sure we had our Turkish visas before sailing. $40 later, no one ever asked us for one today 

 

The countryside reminds me very much of Northern California/Coastal Range of Oregon. Lots of fig trees, orange trees, and orchards of peach trees. The soil is fertile and the air seems just right for growing things. We even had a few mid-day raindrops accompanied by some rolling thunder which helped to cool things off from the 83 degree high.

 

Ephesus looked like the Magic Kingdom just after the Main Street Electrical Parade. Waves of humanity went through the gates and down the marble streets meandering through the ruins of the former city of 250,000 (and that was just the population inside the walls). Only 15 percent of the city of Ephesus III has been excavated (that’s right, this is the 3rd site of the city of Ephesus) and probably will remain at that level as the surrounding land is agricultural and most likely will stay that way. Too much to tell here, but we had a good visit in spite of the large number of big tour groups and blazing sun. At least it was all downhill. The guide did a great job of maximizing our shade time and giving us the details of the city.

 

I won’t get into the gory details, but we had a private fashion show at a leather store later in the day complete with lights, music and models who had either not eaten in 4 months or the guys who kept smiling at my DW and friend’s wife each time they turned around. There was a demonstration of carpet making…by hand…by pure silk…..and even how to get silk from silk worms. (Had no idea one cocoon of a silk worm had 1 mile of thread in it.) We had a traditional lunch outside in a garden. A few bartering sessions over various goods. A visit to a Revelator’s burial place.

 

Back on the ship, many people how now picked up on the secret of going to the opposite side elevator bank after getting back onboard.

 

I need to comment about food here. I think the quality/quantity continues to be at or above expectations with the exception of the fish which continue to come out rather bland or fishy. It’s not a universal problem…yet…but my guess is someone will need to look into that sooner rather than later. Soups have been good to great. Salads have crisp greens and I’ve always been a fan of the Celebrity dressing tray. Appetizer selection is often where a lot of adventure can be found. Tonight, the thinly sliced roasted veal with arugula and oil was actually quite tasty and just the right bite.

 

We have been trying the pasta dishes for the middle of the table and really hit a great dish tonight complete with cream sauce, pork bits and a poached egg on top. The dining room did not really fill up until 745pm.

 

We waved goodbye to Kusadasi and I will definitely have no problem returning. We are sailing all of 100 nautical miles tonight to Mykonos. Our tour is from 10-2 so I’m sure we will have some more sun exposure. The ladies will go shopping and the friend and I will hold bags and patiently wait while they take 20 minutes to decide that if they can’t have everything than they will take nothing at all.

 

The cruise portion of the trip is now starting to build to a close as we start moving west. Mykonos, Dubrovnik and Venice are our final 3 stops. We are a bit more tan than when we left and certainly a great deal more stuffed. I’m very glad we’ve come this far east to a country (and continent) we’ve not visited previously.

 

The menagerie of countries and cultures we have encountered so far really do start to paint a tapestry of history that we often relegate to distant memory or a boring class in school. With this trip, the past tries to warn us of our own future. A warning which we most certainly will ignore.

 

By seeing so many different historical sites and cultures, you can appreciate that no country in the Mediterranean lived in a vacuum. Italy goes with Greece and Greece goes with Turkey and Spain was influenced by its neighbors. As different as each place may be, they just go together in a complementary fashion and share an interwoven past. Visiting those places in such rapid succession can open your eyes to see what is around you a little more clearly.

 

Sort of like Turkey and Dressing.

[fun4us2]

I think we area all really enjoying your review and I know what cruise I want to do next year. Thank you for taking the time to write it and I am like your wife, most of my cruise breakfast are delivered to our room.

[cazzi]

Keep up the great article

[Phamer55]

I live in a Northern California and when I visited Ephesus I commented to my DW how much the area around Ephesus looked just like it does at home. Funny that you had the same impression!

[sldispatcher]

Day 10 – One Too Many - Mykonos

An ever so slight haze this morning greeted us in the sun splashed port of call at Mykonos. Breakfast in the dining room at 830 and then off the ship by 940 for our tour of the island.

To keep it brief, we meandered the labyrinth of small streets and shops before heading to a lighthouse, a beach, high vistas, and a seaside lunch. The water was so clear it looked like you could drink it. The sun just seems to shed more intense light in these waters. There are nearly 1000 churches on this island of 3000 full time residents. Most are family chapels.

 

The roads are serpentine at best. Our driver/guide, Frederico, struggled at times with the clutch but the van didn’t seem to mind being violently lurched forward are abruptly stopped. We got back safely and that counts for something.

 

Mykonos makes me think of St. Thomas of the Greek Isles. Not in a bad way, though. This is not so much an island for “touring” as it is for adventure seeking, beach combing, and shopping. It is much less crowded than St. Thomas and with a great deal more charm.

 

Lunch at the seaside hotel was delicious. We had a shared selection of local favorites. Thin sliced stuffed eggplant rolls, fried zucchini balls, fried shrimp (as in the whole shrimp..soft shell) and a delicious salad.

 

A few comments about the sailing. This is smoothest cruise I believe I have ever been on. It is though we are on a pond. If dust is the enemy, then this ship is the conqueror of all. Cleaning and dusting is a constant and meticulous effort from all ship staff involved. There is still some inconsistency in food temperatures coming out of the kitchen. Most everything is more than adequate, but from time to time it is noticeable. Fish dishes continue to have sauces that are trying to masquerade the frozen taste in an effort to cover up the preparation shortcomings. Other dishes are fine. My phyllo dough encrusted veal was delicious.

 

The night ended with a GREAT show. I mean one of the best we have seen at sea. A piano playing, singing, comedian who was so funny we could barely get our breath. Jon Courtenay was hysterical to say the least. If you see him on your program, make sure you make that show.

 

Finally, you know you’ve been inside one too many churches when it affects your sleep.

 

My DW awoke this AM laughing about her dream. I won’t go into the details of it, but it was a combination of the previous night’s act, an embarrassing moment by one of our fellow travelers, and a set decorated ……in the style of a Greek Orthodox church.

 

That’s a sign of one too many churches.

[gfkcruiser]

I have enjoyed reading your review. We were on her last November in the Mediterranean and visited many of these places or visited them on previous cruises. We spent our second visit to Kusadasi walking around the town and enjoying a drink.

 

I ordered the turkey dish on our last cruise and previously and thought the turkey was done to perfection and the other items on the place were delicious.

 

We will be on the equinox in December.

 

Enjoy the rest of your trip.

 

Gail

[merlot101]

Thanks for all of your opinions and insights. We are now in Venice and will join the ship the day you get off. Have a safe trip home.

[sldispatcher]

Day 11 – Zombie Apocalypse

 

A day at sea! I love those dearly. Piddling around the ship at 8am was easy as the only real traffic was up at the Oceanview Café. Not much was going on even around the pool. By 930 am, though, the cruise zombies awoke from their slumber and hit the buffet with a vengeance. I innocently made my way back from the empty Sky View Lounge for a drink of iced tea. The cruise zombie apocalypse had hit the eatery with a vengeance.

 

You can recognize them easily. They have tomato red ripe skin, smell of suntan lotion, red eyes, and make the sound of flip flops dragging across the floor then slapping upward against the coarse dry skin of their feet. The hair, if any is present, on top of the head hasn’t been brushed in 12 hours and they really don’t care. Some even sit there with glasses at the water station pushing on the black button to make ice come out and into their glass. They do it over and over again and hear the grinding of the machine. They stare at it and glare at it without emotion. Push and release. Push and release. At this point they don’t even think about it anymore. Their eyes never registering the large “OUT OF ORDER” sign posted just above eye level.

 

The water has the appearance of a blue licorice ganache with a dusting of silvery powdered sugar as you look into the distance. There is a definite haze today as the humidity has increased significantly in the last 24 hours. It’s still not bad in the shade as the outside temperature is only 71 degrees as we sail in the Ionian Sea.

 

By 1045am, I decided that the DW (dear wife) had finally had enough sleep and got her up and at ‘em for lunch. We dined at Bistro on 5 and then headed to the future cruise bookings area to lock down rooms for……well, I’d rather not say publicly ;) But we wound up getting 4 rooms just in case all invited parties wish to attend.

 

From there, it was a relaxing afternoon in the cabin and then off to dinner at Murano. There have been some obvious changes to Murano over the years. It still ranks as highly favorable with impeccable service and great care taken in food preparation. The entire starter section of the menu is top rate. The Dover sole was adequate, but the sauce was an unusual brown concoction as opposed to the more zingy lemon caper butter traditional preparation. The chateaubriand was cooked nicely to a rosy medium and tasted great. Although it says for two, a seasoned meat eater would enjoy that dish by themselves.

 

Food is sooooo subjective, so reporting on that particular aspect is always suspect in my humble, but correct, opinion. I have as much fun eavesdropping in on some of the Entitlement Class (EC) making some awkward statements. Tonight, we had nearby guest request red pepper flakes in the lobster dish (not a bad idea) but then complained later that there were no shallots in the dish as she requested. She said so because there were no “green” things in the dish. When she cooked the dish at home, she always added red pepper flakes and shallots to the dish. The two servers did the best they could to address the fact that she was either talking about chives or green onions, but that didn’t get anywhere. Oh well.

 

The ship doesn’t seem to have any signs of creaking, moaning, or unusual vibration. The poolside areas were completely slammed today with future skin cancer patients. There were some Carnival Cruise Line type games being played in the pool areas, but they are easily avoided by ignoring deck 12 or 14. The Solarium still has some sanity left in it for those who want to relax on the chairs without the ever growing nonsense cooked up by onboard staff to “entertain” the cruise zombies.

 

Tonight was “The Show” in the main theater. Again, very well attended and essentially standing room only for Celebrity’s version of Cirque de Soleil. It’s well done and with limited stage space and entertainers, I think they put on a great spectacle for a production at sea. Upper floor is best for viewing this particular presentation.

 

Just for CC hardcore members, I noticed that the middle upper section was roped off I’m assuming for the higher level suites. I did see a white gloved staff member patrolling the area and asking for non-qualifiers to leave the area. Personally, that is a good thing in my book because that is the cruise line delivering on a promise of service to people who paid for it. I know there is disagreement about the further segregation of different cabin categories with the upcoming suite only dining area, but for me, it is hardly noticeable. No one really goes around with a big hat, a big pin, or sash around their waste announcing they are a Royal Suite guest. No other cruiser onboard really gives a rat’s patooty about where another person on the ship is staying as long as the person next door or above is not making any extraordinary noise. So far Celebrity to hand out a few perks is fine by me to those who value such things.

 

Tonight, the nearly full moon is shining across the water. Looking aft, the rhythmic pattern of the ship’s wake reflects that light effortlessly and silently. After 11 days, all of us onboard may be getting a little numb to new sites, new foods, and new shows. You can tell that by people who can now go through the buffet with their eyes closed. Or there isn’t nearly the sudden direction changes as people leave elevators going one way only to realize that they should be going the other direction.

 

Tomorrow is Dubrovnik, Croatia. 83 is the expected high and sunny to partly cloudy skies. The cruise zombies will leave the ship going out to seek fresh photo opportunities, quick fading T-shirts, and that rarest of cruise gems, Tanzonite. (Weren’t they supposed to have run out of that stuff 5 years ago??)

 

Then on cue, we will return to the ship by 315pm saddened that we are coming to the end.

 

Just another day in paradise for a cruise zombie like me.

[h20cruzer]

Delightful. just delightful, love your style, sad its soon coming to an end.

Norma

[Majkman]

Dear David,

 

May i ask what you do for a living??:rolleyes:

 

Your writing is beautiful. Please continue to post your day-to-day activities even after you get home. You paint a great picture.

 

I'll be on EQ next week. I'll be sure to look for the "green" shallots!!

 

Thanks,

 

Andy

[vulcan1971]

Dear David,

 

May i ask what you do for a living??:rolleyes:

 

Your writing is beautiful. Please continue to post your day-to-day activities even after you get home. You paint a great picture.

 

I'll be on EQ next week. I'll be sure to look for the "green" shallots!!

 

Thanks,

 

Andy

 

Yes, i agree.... i think David could make any activity sound interesting. In fact, he should keep us apprised of future cruising schedules so we can decide if we should also book to be on board with him! :D

Edited June 12, 2014 by vulcan1971

[sldispatcher]

Day 12 – Little Things Mean a Lot

 

It is getting time to reflect on what the last two weeks have meant from a Cruise Critic perspective. Somewhere in the tangled web of opinions and reflections, there are grains of truth that can be gleaned from everyone.

 

Many people compare previous cruise experiences to their present one and that is certainly valid. For this trip, two of us can compare to a previous experience aboard the SOLSTICE 2 years ago. The other two travelers come from the background of enjoying cruises on other lines.

 

Neither couple has kids and have a variety of travel experiences in our backgrounds. Status is not that important but great experiences are of a necessity. Simple walks, like the one we took around the Cavtat peninsula today at 9am outside of Dubrovnik, can be far more rewarding than a busy downtown street.

 

It was hot today. Almost too hot for our tastes. 90 degrees, sunny, and a bit humid. The pleasant walk in Cavtat with postcard clear water was pleasant with the soft breezes and shady pines lining the smooth sidewalk. I strongly recommend that walk to anyone visiting Dubrovnik. New white benches were being installed as we strolled along. Old City Dubrovnik was quite the contrast with the crowds, humidity, and small streets filled with stale air just draining the life out of us. We were glad to get back to the ship by 215pm for a 4pm sail away from the scenic Dalmation Coast.

 

We just wanted ice water and a piece of fresh fruit to cool our roasting innards. What a shock. The Oceanview Café was packed! People all over the place eating large amounts of food. It was overwhelming. We try to stay clear of that place because it is just unreal how people eat. Of course, most of them were coming in from tours that did not allow a food stop like we had at a little pizzeria behind the fortified high walls of the city.

 

We watched departure from our verandah’s and are now sailing on toward Venice.

 

So what about that CC perspective I mentioned earlier?

 

Wellllll, it seems like a culmination of details determines a person’s cruise experience. Often times, just one or two details that go awry make people come back and give a 1 star review while 5 others will give 4 and 5+ star reviews on the SAME cruise.

 

It’s all in the details. And it takes so much effort on the part of the cruise line to meet or beat the expectations of the passengers. It is a relentless effort that often goes either unnoticed or underappreciated. Shore excursion choices make a HUGE difference in my book on how once perceives a Mediterranean cruise. These are not simple jewelry store lined streets in another Caribbean port. The details make the ports of call come to life.

 

Let’s give a greatly culled list of some of the details that have been observed so far.

 

-the man yelling “good morning, good morning, gooood morning everybody!” in the Oceanview Café

-the people cleaning the louvers in the midship elevator bank near the Library every morning

-the way the sole is deboned in Murano and then placed on a heated dish

-icy cold towels waiting for you on your return to the ship

-the way nothing is ever trashed or looked unkempt

-the intelligent elevator system; it’s there, just study them and you’ll see what I mean

-shoes arranged just so in the closet each night

-water glasses getting filled without asking

-bread baked by a nameless person at 3am each day

-waitress from Silk Harvest seeing you in a different venue 5 days later and remembering your name

-a simple smile from waiter when you know he is tired by 8pm

-a Guest Relations operator who simply takes care of the request without question and it happens

-someone has to hand cut those pineapple chunks

-entertainment and programming for all tastes and age groups…every day…..18 hours at a time

-someone designed a ship that doesn’t creek or moan

-art that is always present but not always noticed

-a crepe made with care

-a quiet hallway

-a TV with on demand movies that are not always “blockbusters” but have great humor, life and drama that a cruise helps you enjoy even more

-a bathroom that has a nightlight that comes on when you turn off the overhead light

-never waiting long on hot water and not running out of it

-someone is watching the sun and lowering shades appropriately in public venues

-writing in a request on door hanger breakfast menu and that request being honored

 

Oh, I can list the negative ones as well. But they are outnumbered greatly by the positive ones.

 

I could compare this cruise to another line or even two years ago for the SOLSTICE trip. But that would be betraying the magic of the trip we are on.

 

It has been great because we have put in the effort to make our OWN details.

 

So over 2000 people will have a culmination of their own little moments and pieces that will have made their cruise special. There would be over 2000 opinions of the ports, excursions, ship activities, food, etc.

 

My best advice? Make your own details and get out to sea.

 

You’ll get a lot out of all those little things.