Got off the "Equinox" last week....any questions.

[M&T]

ALLSTU, I am on your cruise. Did you get your info through the mail? We have not heard anything.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

ALLSTU, we did this itinerary in 2014. Our e-docs stated:

 

"Inoculation/Health

As detailed in our brochure, all guests must ensure they are medically fi t for travel. As such, we remind you to check with your physician at least

4 to 6 weeks before sailing to make sure you are up to date with any required immunizations or vaccines you may need (including but not limited

to certification of yellow fever vaccination) to ensure you will be permitted to visit each of the exciting destinations and tours on your itinerary.

For further information you may contact the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s Traveler’s Health website.

 

We did not have any vaccinations but we are from the US. About 4 months after sailing we donated blood and did not have any issues based on the specific areas of the countries we were visiting. It might be that the rules in the UK are different.

[ALLSTU]

Hi Everybody , thanks very much for all your replies .

We are really cross with T.A who never mentioned any vaccination issues, we only received the ticket booklet for flights and Equinox this morning

(Saturday 14th) So the stress flowed !!!

The TA contacted X in the US I think and the info was that it was NOT COMPULSORY only ADVISORY !! --- However prior to that I contacted X UK office who said the opposite i.e you must have the necessary shots !!!

Thus conflicting info = just what you need one week before our flight to Miami

BUT the good news is we managed to find a pharmacy in Canterbury

(20 miles away) who will give us the Yellow Fever,& Malaria .& poss Typhoid shot on Tuesday- we have already HEP A & B from our recent trip to Thailand , so all should be well . Lets hope for zero after effects.

To M&T who are on our cruise hope to see you at the Cruise Critic get together, failing that we are on deck 7 >7126 & 7124 .

See you then?

NOW GET PACKING !! Happy Sailing !! Stewart ,Brenda, Peter & Sue .

[swigso]

Hi Marco, Hope you had a great cruise. We sail on 23rd Feb a party of 4

fit seniors coming in from the UK. However we are in a bit of a panic!! Just received tickets etc to find that we MUST have various jabs particularly "YELLOW FEVER" which we don't have !! DOCTORS CLOSED UNTIL MONDAY hopefully we can get them done in time???

However if we don't - do they check every one at Port Everglades check in ?

Just spoke to TA in the UK they said it was only advisory ,but Celebrity UK said they wouldn't let us on the ship as we are going to Colon Panama, Mexico, Columbia, Puerto Limon, Belize City, Grand Cayman.

 

We are not going in the Jungle but if they wont let us on we have wasted a small fortune !!

Any info greatly appreciated- cannot understand if this was so critical why no info from TA . Thanks Brenda & Stewart

Hi folks

Don't worry you don't need it, been there done it many times

You will be fine

[Seatbelt_Bag_LOVE]

I was on the January 23rd ten day sailing as well.

 

What category cabin were you in?

 

Where was your favorite bar? Why

 

Did you use the spa?

 

I could go on with many questions since I have yet to sail on the Equinox, sailing in November.

I want to know everything! Thanks for sharing.

 

We were in one of the balcony 2C that is partially obstructed. Most cabins in this category have very minimal obstruction as the lifeboats come up to the floor of the balcony. Unfortunately ours had the taller pulley system that keeps the boats up right in front of our balcony, so it was more obstructed than most balconies in this category (6268).

 

Our favorite bar was the Gastrobar. We enjoyed trying all the beers with our premium drink package. Our favorite bartender was Santos, and he did a fantastic job of recommending beers for us to try based on our preferences. We liked the Molecular bar, but I wish it was in a more happening spot. It is in a dead location next to the art gallery. The martini bar is always fun, but I really enjoyed it much more on the Summit. Some of the martinis did not look or taste anything like the ones on the Summit. For example the Lycheetini wasn't the same color and the taste was different. Good thing the Equinox has so many bars to try. :)

 

How efficient were they at letting people off the ship during port days?

We were able to get off the ship very easily at every port with very little waiting. I was surprised that there wasn't more of a delay due to the motorcyclists on our trip riding their bikes out and getting photographed. There were quite a few people that didn't ever leave the ship on port days, so that probably was part of the reason it was so easy to exit the ship. At one of the ports there was more than 1200 people that remained on the ship.

[music]

Is there anything we should make sure to see/do on the ship?

 

Do they have black jack tournament? How much?

 

What is the lawn area like?

 

Did you like the glass show? How long is it?

 

Thanks!

[M&T]

Thanks ALLSTU. See you soon.

[cruisehome]

what were the venues for dancing and what kind of music did they play

 

thanks

[jfhtn]

We were on Jan 23rd sailing and wound up getting off the ship at about 11:30 am. I always book flights after 1 pm so had no problem. I know there are people on these boards saying that making early flights is no problem. That is only true if nothing goes wrong. On this particular cruise only 2 customs agents originally showed up for work. This is about the fifth time we have encountered debarkation delays in 31 cruises. Not frequent but definitely not rare!

 

We just got off the Equinox on Friday. Had an 8:45 flight and made it easily. The key is express walk off service. You carry your own bags and walk off at 7:15. We were through customs in 15 minutes. Caught a cab and were at the airport before 8.

[jfhtn]

We were on Jan 23rd sailing and wound up getting off the ship at about 11:30 am. I always book flights after 1 pm so had no problem. I know there are people on these boards saying that making early flights is no problem. That is only true if nothing goes wrong. On this particular cruise only 2 customs agents originally showed up for work. This is about the fifth time we have encountered debarkation delays in 31 cruises. Not frequent but definitely not rare!

 

Is there anything we should make sure to see/do on the ship?

 

Do they have black jack tournament? How much?

 

What is the lawn area like?

 

 

 

Did you like the glass show? How long is it?

 

Thanks!

 

I would see the hot glass show at least once. They have several shows throughout the cruise.

Yes there is black jack tournament and I think it's $25.

[ALLSTU]

VERY IMPORTANT INFO !!!!!!!!!!

 

Sat 21st . Feb 09.00hrs GMT !!

Hi Every one - JUST had email from X - all boarding DELAYED !!!

As X has to do major sanitation , both on board and in the Port Area !!

It seems there has been some kind of illness floating about - that's really very iffy eh?

We should have boarded at 12.00hrs >> NOW >> 4.00 pm. 5.00pm , it states ship now departs at 5.15pm.

Thought I would post this hopefully some folks will have lap tops or tablets so they can check it out .

We are leaving in a few hours for Heathrow /London & guess what its snowing in Maidstone -Kent !!! hope everybody has safe journey's , C U on board .

Regards ALLSTU . ( Stewart & Brenda )

[wallie5446]

They put the ship on CODE RED yesterday, boarding is delayed on Monday so,

 

"Three CDC Vessel Sanitation Program environmental health officers and one epidemiologist will board the ship in Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale) on February 23, 2015 to conduct an environmental health assessment and evaluate the outbreak and response activities. Specimens are being collected and will be tested by CDC to determine the causative agent for this outbreak."

[ALLSTU]

Hi All,, what a mess !!!!b Missed a few of the members as they were not told of meeting on the first morning, However great to meet Josse & Pierre.

The cruise was a total wipe out as we all became SICK with terrible coughs chills etc .Doctor said it was Tammy Flu!! Little wonder - it was like sitting in "GODS WAITING ROOM" so many really old folk in wheel chairs, Zimmer Frames ,& other walking aids - it seemed every one was coughing or sneezing & we coped it !! Heavy Doctor bills , unable to go on excursions except one too ill. We missed shows and a few dinners as stated a complete let down . VERY BAD LUCK!! The Equinox however was a beauty, with such lovely rooms , shame we did not enjoy it as we should have done, I am better now however my friends are still very poorly some 6 days after returning home to the UK!!

It has put us off cruising big time - & most certainly for a good time to come in the future. I think it's best to stick to "BOGNOR"

Hope you all had a much better time ,

Regards Stewart ( ALLSTU ) 11th March):mad:

[villauk]

Hi All,, what a mess !!!!b Missed a few of the members as they were not told of meeting on the first morning, However great to meet Josse & Pierre.

The cruise was a total wipe out as we all became SICK with terrible coughs chills etc .Doctor said it was Tammy Flu!! Little wonder - it was like sitting in "GODS WAITING ROOM" so many really old folk in wheel chairs, Zimmer Frames ,& other walking aids - it seemed every one was coughing or sneezing & we coped it !! Heavy Doctor bills , unable to go on excursions except one too ill. We missed shows and a few dinners as stated a complete let down . VERY BAD LUCK!! The Equinox however was a beauty, with such lovely rooms , shame we did not enjoy it as we should have done, I am better now however my friends are still very poorly some 6 days after returning home to the UK!!

It has put us off cruising big time - & most certainly for a good time to come in the future. I think it's best to stick to "BOGNOR"

Hope you all had a much better time ,

Regards Stewart ( ALLSTU ) 11th March):mad:

 

Stu,

 

Sorry to hear you had such bad luck on your cruise. We're on Equnox in a few weeks and I do hope the sickness has cleared by then :(. I'm sure you could go on another sailing and it would be a totally different experience - I know, no consolation when you've had such an unpleasant few weeks.

 

May I enquire, in the end, did anyone ask for your yellow fever documentation?

[Oxo]

Hi All,, what a mess !!!!b Missed a few of the members as they were not told of meeting on the first morning, However great to meet Josse & Pierre.

The cruise was a total wipe out as we all became SICK with terrible coughs chills etc .Doctor said it was Tammy Flu!! Little wonder - it was like sitting in "GODS WAITING ROOM" so many really old folk in wheel chairs, Zimmer Frames ,& other walking aids - it seemed every one was coughing or sneezing & we coped it !! Heavy Doctor bills , unable to go on excursions except one too ill. We missed shows and a few dinners as stated a complete let down . VERY BAD LUCK!! The Equinox however was a beauty, with such lovely rooms , shame we did not enjoy it as we should have done, I am better now however my friends are still very poorly some 6 days after returning home to the UK!!

It has put us off cruising big time - & most certainly for a good time to come in the future. I think it's best to stick to "BOGNOR"

Hope you all had a much better time ,

Regards Stewart ( ALLSTU ) 11th March):mad:

Sorry to hear you had gotten ill. However, as to age, all cruise lines have elderly people on long cruises and during the winter. Try HAL and see the difference. Or go Carnival to really see the younger generation.

 

We were on the Feb 23 Equinox and all the people we met and talked to never said anyone was sick with Noro as they cleaned the ship prior to us embarking. A few people hurt themselves by falling, but nothing more that we knew of. The first 3 days we were served, then it all went back to normal as the ship was clean. Maybe we were not in the same areas as you, however, we did the shows, Elite Happy Hour, Captains Table in Murano, etc., and were not aware of any sicknesses. Talked to the crew and they even were surprised at how clean the ship was.

[Oxo]

[quote name='villauk']Stu,

Sorry to hear you had such bad luck on your cruise. We're on Equnox in a few weeks and I do hope the sickness has cleared by then :(. I'm sure you could go on another sailing and it would be a totally different experience - I know, no consolation when you've had such an unpleasant few weeks.

May I enquire, in the end, did anyone ask for your yellow fever documentation?[/QUOTE]

We had a totally difference experience on the 2/23 Equinox. See my posting. We have cruised after many sailings that had the virus. This was the first time the ship was so clean of any type of illnesses. If there were any problems they were hidden very well. No one every asked for any yellow fever or any other medical documentation. You just signed a Health Form prior to embarkation.

[ALLSTU]

TO OXO --. > HI glad you had a great time- we were just damn unlucky, we are normally VERY HEALTY with almost totally excellent heath so we tend to get a bit blazay !!
WE did not get the Norovirus as you said the ship was spotless & I wouldn't have a word said against Equinox - she was just perfect!! However you must have heard & noticed the awful amount of coughing etc, particularly in the confined areas & we got the terrible coughs & our friends had severe chest infections, I am fine now but our friends are STILL ILL.!!!
It must have been a virus that we as Brits were maybe unused to eh ??
The waiting in the immigration to exit the port was very frustrating almost 2 hours to get through - just one customs guy for all the non US passengers, that was the last good kick as we were all poorly at that time !!
Just to finish off we flew back to London with B.A. on a really terrible flight, TURBULENCE like I have never known- I am a Private pilot & have no fear of flying - but I confess I was getting VERY CONCERNED !! Still we got there & now I am looking forward to our next trip to the Canary Islands in early May - we will still cru:)ise but not for a while . Take care & nice to e-mail with you.
All the best Stewart .

[ALLSTU]

TO VILLAUK-
Hi hope your trip will be healthy - just keep away from the coughing etc/ My wife luckily took loads of different medication , so take loads ie cough mixture & day & night nurse . It certainly helped me , but Brenda was unaffected & still very well ,unlike our friends who are still ill with all sorts now inc the runs , so goodness knows what they coped ??
Regarding the jab issue YOU NEED NOTHING !!! No body even brought the subject up , we had all the jabs EXCEPT Y.F. as far as we are concerned its all X hype you really need nothing. But just take normal precautions as we did - BUT we still got sick however not from a dodgy Caribbean gem - we did have HEP A & B = Tetanus, & Typhoid from our last trip to Thailand , But rest assured you will be fine on that score -- get a face mask ????!!!
As for the Equinox she is everything you can wish for- hope you have a balcony cabin as it was lovely- we were on 7th deck just fine - hope all goes well let us know, when do you sail ? All the best Stewart (Allstu)

[chamima]

We were on the Feb.2 -13 11day cruise on the Equinox.
We weren't aware of anyone being sick at all.
We were also NOT required to have ANY shots at all .

Sorry so many people were sick on your cruise - my guess is that some passengers came on sick and "shared".

As to disembarking - we were traveling with Canadian friends. We walked off the ship together and then were directed into two different customs lines (one for US citizens, one for everyone else). We were outside and waiting for our Canadian friends for [U]over an hour[/U]. We left the ship around 9:20 - good thing we had booked an 11:00 transfer.