Detailed Photo Review of 3/14/16 Celebrity Equinox 11 Night Cruise

[Cindy]

Also, was it ungodly hot out? As I recall, it was last time we were there. Did you feel the tour was worth your time? thanks!!

 

As for the weather... Ugh!! It was in the upper 80's with like 99% humidity! I was a sweaty mess the entire day, but just drink a lot of water and try to find some shade and you'll be okay.

 

I hope you have a fantastic cruise and come back to tell us how it went!

 

It was HOT! I live in Houston, and it felt like August in Texas to me. The big difference was that everything here is air conditioned, and in Cartagena it's not.

 

We go to a lot of football games, so I've become somewhat obsessed with beating the heat. Two things I toted with me that really helped were microfiber towels and a small personal fan that hangs around my neck. That fan was a real lifesaver!:D I got mine from Amazon and it looks a lot like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Necklace-Vertical-Flow-Lanyard-Lime/dp/B00DB4KELM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1459280388&sr=8-4&keywords=mini+fan+personal+necklace

[LouisV]

Six weeks after we booked the cruise, JetBlue finally released their March 2016 flight schedule. We live in San Jose, CA, and we usually prefer to fly out of the San Jose airport. It is small, rarely crowded, has short lines at TSA, and is just an easy, enjoyable airport to use. Unfortunately, the only way to get to Ft. Lauderdale from San Jose would involve several plane changes. No thank you! I prefer direct flights whenever possible. Luckily, JetBlue flies direct to FLL from San Francisco's airport. We could take a redeye on Saturday night, land in Florida early on Sunday morning, and have all day on Sunday to recover from jet lag, shop for last minute necessities at the supermarket, and soak up some beach time, before boarding the Equinox on Monday. Sounds like a good plan to me! With our flights booked, it was time to book our excursions.

 

As a rule, I never book excursions through the cruise line. I would much prefer to do the research on my own and find a smaller, private company to show us the sites. In my experience, private companies cost less money, take fewer people on their tours, and bring you to more sites with better attention to detail and customer service than the tours offered through the cruise line. Based on the reviews I have read over the last 5 years, I KNEW I wanted to swim with the sting rays in Grand Cayman. After being rejected by 3 or 4 companies because they were already booked that day or because their tour times didn't match up to our port times, I finally found a company that worked for our schedule and booked the tour. I also had an easy time researching Cozumel because there are so many cruises that dock there and they are a very touristy port, so there was a lot of information available to me.

 

On the other hand, Puerto Limon is not a very popular cruise port, and Cartagena and Colon also don't see the same volume of cruise ships as compared to the more touristy islands in the Caribbean. As a result, there aren't as many private companies offering tours, nor are there very many reviews online to help me decide what to do each day. In the end, I found that I only had two or three companies with decent reviews from each port, and these companies took waaaay longer than normal to reply to my emails. I will go into more detail about what we did each day when I get to the day-by-day part of the review, but in summary, here is a list of the tours we planned:

 

Cozumel: Chankanaab National Park

Puerto Limon, Costa Rica: Oscar Brown Tours- Jaguar Rescue Center and Tortuguero Canal Combo Tour

Colon, Panama: Almiza Tours with My Friend Mario- Gatun Locks, Canoe Ride, Waterfall, and Embera Village

Cartagena, Colombia: 'Free Tour Cartagena' Walking Tour, Chiva Bus Night Rumba Tour, and El Totumo Mud Volcano

Grand Cayman: Captain Marvin Three-Stop Stingray/Snorkel Tours

 

By the end of July, we had all the port days planned out, and hotels and flights booked. All that was left to do was count the days until we flew to Florida! Or so I thought...

 

In September, J and I took a trip to visit his parents, and my parents went too so our parents could meet. Little did I know, J used this trip as an opportunity to propose! So now J is no longer my boyfriend but instead my fiancé :D It's a good thing I was mostly finished planning for this cruise because now I had A LOT of planning to do for our wedding!! J actually commented on that because he knows how much researching and planning I do for everything, and he knew I would be happy to focus all my efforts on planning the wedding without having to worry about the cruise too. Unfortunately, having this cruise planned meant that our honeymoon would have to be delayed until long after our wedding as this cruise used up all of our vacation days. Despite that, I refused to call this our honeymoon as it was 6 months before the wedding!

 

But anyway, back to stuff pertaining to this cruise hehe In mid-February, I emailed all our private excursion companies to reconfirm that our tours were all set. With all our tours confirmed and our cruise documents printed and organized, we were ready for vacation!

 

Since there was no photo related to this post, I will post this sunset photo to hold you over until the next post ;)

 

 

 

We are doing this itinerary in November so it will be timely to read your review.

[deladane]

It was HOT! I live in Houston, and it felt like August in Texas to me. The big difference was that everything here is air conditioned, and in Cartagena it's not.

 

We go to a lot of football games, so I've become somewhat obsessed with beating the heat. Two things I toted with me that really helped were microfiber towels and a small personal fan that hangs around my neck. That fan was a real lifesaver!:D I got mine from Amazon and it looks a lot like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Necklace-Vertical-Flow-Lanyard-Lime/dp/B00DB4KELM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1459280388&sr=8-4&keywords=mini+fan+personal+necklace

 

Oh that's right, I also borrowed a washcloth from our cabin and had it in my purse for all the port days. That came in handy on the super on the hot, sweaty days! haha

[Woobstr112G]

Looking forward to reading your future posts......:):):)

 

Bob

Edited March 30, 2016 by Woobstr112G

[Cruise Raider]

I booked our free tour on this website:

http://freetourcartagena.com.co/us/

 

We thought it was fabulous! Our guide Edgar really loves his city and he kept us entertained for over 2 hours as we walked all over the old city, seeing the most important sites. Considering the tour was free, we had low expectations going in, but I would definitely recommend the tour!

 

As for the weather... Ugh!! It was in the upper 80's with like 99% humidity! I was a sweaty mess the entire day, but just drink a lot of water and try to find some shade and you'll be okay.

 

I hope you have a fantastic cruise and come back to tell us how it went!

 

Bless your heart!! I definitely want to give this a try. We live just outside of San Francisco and so you can imagine that 80 degrees and 99% humidity and we start dropping like flies! Everyone is surprised when we tell them that we don't use our heat and don't even have air conditioning (very few of our neighbors do) ....and this is pretty much year around. Luckily, we don't have any real humidity to complain about here so anything is doable.

 

I am going to take your advice -- lots of water and will find some shade.

 

Thank you ever so much for the link! I think we are now set for all our ports.

[Shirley C]

Loving your review so far and looking forward to the future posts & pics. We are doing this same itinerary in January, except that our overnight is in Cozumel. It's hard waiting for the cruise to get here, so in the meantime I'll live vicariously through you.

 

Thanks for taking the time to do this.

 

 

Shirley

[ghjohnson]

I am a friend of Shirley's doing this same cruise Jan 2017.

Looking forward to your memoirs of this cruise along with

everyone else.

Edited March 30, 2016 by ghjohnson

[black forest]

Hi,

 

many thanks for this review & looking forward to reading more!

[deladane]

Looking forward to reading your future posts......:):):)

 

Bob

Thank you! I'll try to make the next post later today :)

 

 

Loving your review so far and looking forward to the future posts & pics. We are doing this same itinerary in January, except that our overnight is in Cozumel. It's hard waiting for the cruise to get here, so in the meantime I'll live vicariously through you.

 

Thanks for taking the time to do this.

 

 

Shirley

Wow, crazy that they changed the overnight port to Cozumel! I wonder if that was based on feedback from people with the Cartagena overnight or what? It also looks like your order of your ports is what we had originally, with Grand Cayman first and Cozumel last. I booked this cruise 10 months in advance, so I also had lots of waiting to do. Glad I can keep the excitement going in anticipation of your cruise!

[deladane]

Bless your heart!! I definitely want to give this a try. We live just outside of San Francisco and so you can imagine that 80 degrees and 99% humidity and we start dropping like flies! Everyone is surprised when we tell them that we don't use our heat and don't even have air conditioning (very few of our neighbors do) ....and this is pretty much year around. Luckily, we don't have any real humidity to complain about here so anything is doable.

 

I am going to take your advice -- lots of water and will find some shade.

 

Thank you ever so much for the link! I think we are now set for all our ports.

 

I live in San Jose, so I know exactly what you are talking about weather-wise! I even thought Florida felt humid, but was told it wasn't that bad by the locals haha Enjoy the walking tour! Just keep in mind that the website says it ends at 5pm but we didn't finish until 5:30!

[deladane]

I am a friend of Shirley's doing this same cruise Jan 2017.

Looking forward to your memoirs of this cruise along with

everyone else.

Oh that's great! I hope you find some helpful info in my review to help with your planning :)

 

Hi,

 

many thanks for this review & looking forward to reading more!

Thanks! More coming later today :)

[wencam]

Thank you for taking the time to write and post a picture review of the Equinox...we'll be sailing on Equinox next year, so I can't wait to read more ;)

[riredsox]

Thank you! I'll try to make the next post later today :)

 

 

 

Wow, crazy that they changed the overnight port to Cozumel! I wonder if that was based on feedback from people with the Cartagena overnight or what? It also looks like your order of your ports is what we had originally, with Grand Cayman first and Cozumel last. I booked this cruise 10 months in advance, so I also had lots of waiting to do. Glad I can keep the excitement going in anticipation of your cruise!

 

We loved the overnight in Cartagena! Went to dinner at a fantastic restaurant with a 7 course tasting menu. And it is almost as hot there at night as the day! Overall we thought this 3/14 cruise excellent!

[andrea2609]

I'll book my Mediterranean cruise tomorrow on Equinox

Can't wait to read more and see some pics

 

 

Inviato dal mio iPhone utilizzando Tapatalk

[Shirley C]

We loved the overnight in Cartagena! Went to dinner at a fantastic restaurant with a 7 course tasting menu. And it is almost as hot there at night as the day! Overall we thought this 3/14 cruise excellent!

 

I'm sorry to hear about the heat. We were there last May and it was almost unbearable. We are going in January and I was hoping the early months of the year would be much cooler -- it doesn't sound like it. 😏

[deladane]

Thank you for taking the time to write and post a picture review of the Equinox...we'll be sailing on Equinox next year, so I can't wait to read more ;)

I'll have lots of photos from around the ship throughout the review! She was a beautiful ship :D

 

We loved the overnight in Cartagena! Went to dinner at a fantastic restaurant with a 7 course tasting menu. And it is almost as hot there at night as the day! Overall we thought this 3/14 cruise excellent!

Oh wow, 7 courses?! Being in the heat and sun all day tends to take away my appetite, so not sure that I could have eaten 7 courses in Cartagena haha That sounds like a great way to spend the evening though :)

[deladane]

I'll book my Mediterranean cruise tomorrow on Equinox

Can't wait to read more and see some pics

 

 

Inviato dal mio iPhone utilizzando Tapatalk

 

Oh wow, I'd love to do another Mediterranean cruise some day! I will have lots of photos of the ship once I get to that part of the review :)

 

 

I'm sorry to hear about the heat. We were there last May and it was almost unbearable. We are going in January and I was hoping the early months of the year would be much cooler -- it doesn't sound like it. 😏

I actually asked our tour guide about the weather and he said the temperatures remain fairly constant year-round because they are so close to the equator! I can't imagine living like that year round, but he said they get used to it :rolleyes:

[Cruise Raider]

It was HOT! I live in Houston, and it felt like August in Texas to me. The big difference was that everything here is air conditioned, and in Cartagena it's not.

 

We go to a lot of football games, so I've become somewhat obsessed with beating the heat. Two things I toted with me that really helped were microfiber towels and a small personal fan that hangs around my neck. That fan was a real lifesaver!:D I got mine from Amazon and it looks a lot like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Necklace-Vertical-Flow-Lanyard-Lime/dp/B00DB4KELM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1459280388&sr=8-4&keywords=mini+fan+personal+necklace

 

We do have one of those cloths. Great idea ... I will get it packed.

[Cruise Raider]

I live in San Jose, so I know exactly what you are talking about weather-wise! I even thought Florida felt humid, but was told it wasn't that bad by the locals haha Enjoy the walking tour! Just keep in mind that the website says it ends at 5pm but we didn't finish until 5:30!

 

Ah yes ... I remember you posted that so you definitely know what I mean. I used to live further out and boy, what a difference from being close to the bay. That fog rolls in during the evening and we say, 'just turned on the a/c'. It took me a while to get used to it, but now that I have, wouldn't have it any other way.

 

I signed up for the morning tour on day two ... mostly because I thought it would be just too hot from 3-5 (or 5:30) and the one on day one starts at 10 AM which is what time we dock. Might have been cutting it too close. Plus, day one is on a Sunday and not sure if things we'd want to see would be open....or maybe that makes no difference.

I checked the map but couldn't tell as I am not sure where we dock in relation to the meeting spot. Is it close by or do we catch a cab to get there?

Also, if you would be so kind ... about how much do you think is fair for a tip at the end of the tour?

We signed up for 4 of us yesterday .. haven't heard back as of yet but not really expecting to have heard back so early? Do you know how long it took to get your confirmation? When I signed up, it did state it was open and there was a note that the one for today was already filled ... so think we should be ok.

 

Thanks again for all the info! My friends that are travelling with us are super excited about this one as well.

 

PS -- just packed the cool towels -- I think they might be a live saver for this tour.

[deladane]

After months of planning and anticipation, it was finally Saturday, March 12 and time for our flight to FLL.

 

 

It was a rainy Saturday night... Actually, it was a rainy last 2 weeks before we left for our cruise, but that just made us more excited to escape to the Caribbean sunshine! We went out to dinner then headed up to the airport. We made incredible timing and ended up arriving at the airport at 7:45pm for our 11:40pm flight- 2 hours before we planned to arrive. We checked our big suitcase and got through security fairly quickly, only to find out that our flight was delayed. At first it was only a 15 minute delay, and then it was increased to 30 minutes. With noting else to do but wait, we found a seat at our gate and made ourselves comfortable. As our updated departure time of 12:10am neared, we found out that we would have another 30 minute delay. Apparently our flight crew was delayed on their arrive in a different plane, and we couldn't go anywhere without them! Finally, at 12:50am, over an hour late, we were cleared for departure.

 

It was an otherwise uneventful flight. As usual, I didn't sleep a wink. I even got to watch my iPad clock skip 2:00am to adjust for daylight savings time! I watched a few movies as I watched the sunrise out my window.

 

 

Sunrise over the wing of the plane

 

 

Before we knew it, it was 10am and we were landing in Fort Lauderdale. We had a reservation at the Sleep Inn in Dania Beach for the one night before the cruise. Our rate included breakfast, free wifi, and the free shuttle between the hotel and the airport. They also offer a shuttle from the hotel to the cruise port for an additional fee of $10 per person.

 

After collecting our checked suitcase, we called our hotel for the free shuttle to pick us up. The driver directed us to walk to the hotel pick up point and he pulled up right as we got there. This was one of our few negative experiences at the hotel. The driver picked up our luggage and literally threw it into the van. As in he swung it back and forth a few times, then said "Just like a meat packing plant!" and tossed our large suitcase into the van. J and I immediately asked him to please be more careful with our bags and not to throw them. Well then the driver proceeds to do the same thing to my carry-on rolling bag! Presumably, the airport employees are rough with the checked luggage, and we have a hard-sided bag, so it wasn't a huge deal the first time (although it was definitely disrespectful!), but my rolling carry-on is always in my possession and contains breakable items so I was really annoyed that he threw it! Especially after we asked him to be more careful!! We asked him another time to please not throw our bags when he reached for J's carry-on, and I guess he finally took the hint because he just picked it up and placed it in the van normally.

 

Once our bags were loaded and we got in the van, we noticed the driver was talking to another couple standing in the hotel shuttle area. It looked like they got off the rental car shuttle at the wrong terminal, so our driver offered to take them around the airport to the correct terminal. After that 10-minute detour, we were finally en-route to the hotel.

[deladane]

We pulled up to the hotel at exactly 11am, and WOW was it a madhouse! I guess 11am is check out time, so there were tons of people and even more suitcases all over the lobby. We soon realized that they were all waiting for the $10 per person shuttle to their various cruise ships. J and I had already decided to take Uber to the ship on Monday, but this fiasco sealed the deal. A word of advice if you stay at this hotel, especially with a cruise starting on a Sunday (and probably a Saturday too): do NOT bother with the hotel shuttle! Those people looked like they had been waiting a while, and we overheard that one of the ships wasn't getting picked up until noon!

 

Anyway, once we finally made our way to the front desk, we were told there are 6 people ahead of us online to check in and our room probably wouldn't be ready until 2pm. No worries, we had some shopping to do anyway. I had called the hotel a few weeks prior and they confirmed that they could hold our suitcases until our room was ready. When I asked where to put our suitcase, the front desk employee said he did not have room to store our bags. What?!? But the other day you said that wouldn't be a problem! After some convincing, he agreed to store our bags behind the front desk. Minor problem #2 with this hotel: there is no dedicated luggage storage room and they seem to expect people who arrive early to keep their suitcases with them while they wait in the lobby breakfast area. That would not work for our plan so I am glad he agreed to h or our bags in the small front desk area. It is something to keep in mind if your flight lands early in the morning like ours did, or if you plan to stay here post-cruise and have an early debarkation zone.

 

We quickly used the lobby restroom to change into shorts and placed our luggage in the makeshift storage area, then headed out for some shopping. One of the reasons I picked this hotel was because it was within walking distance of several things we needed. There is a Walgreens right next door, although we found it to be overpriced. Across the street there is a shopping center with several abandoned stores, but the one store we wanted was open: Dollar Tree! As we approached the store, we weren't sure if it was still in business, but luckily it was open and we bought a few last minute items. They are also building a new Walmart Neighborhood Market in the same shopping center, so that will be very convenient whenever it opens (there was no indication of when that will be).

 

Next, we walked about a half mile up Sheridan Street to Publix. We went straight to the deli counter to buy some lunch since we hadn't eaten a full meal since dinner the night before and we were starving! After we ate our sandwiches, we bought a few more things for the cruise, including Cliff Bars to bring as snacks on our excursions, energy drinks, and champagne to keep in the cabin so we could enjoy mimosas on our balcony without schlepping to a bar first. We also bought some of the delicious key lime pie to enjoy as a special dessert!

 

 

It has been several years since I had some and it was just as good as I remembered. By the time we got back to the hotel, it was around 1:30pm and our room was ready. We checked in quickly and retrieved our bags from behind the front desk.

 

Our room was lovely! It looked newly renovated and very clean, with a comfortable king-sized bed, mini fridge, coffee maker, and hair dryer in the bathroom, and a small desk area. The best part was that the air conditioning was already o so the room felt so very cool after walking around in the heat and humidity!

 

 

 

 

 

[Shirley C]

Oh wow, I'd love to do another Mediterranean cruise some day! I will have lots of photos of the ship once I get to that part of the review :)

 

 

 

I actually asked our tour guide about the weather and he said the temperatures remain fairly constant year-round because they are so close to the equator! I can't imagine living like that year round, but he said they get used to it :rolleyes:

 

That's probably true. I live in Arizona and we have 100+ degree temps several months out of the year. I've gotten use to that. But it's not humid here. That's what's hard for me to take in South Ametica -- that humidity is so bad.

 

Shirley

[Shirley C]

I love your countdown candy idea.

 

Shirley

[Shirley C]

Enjoying the pics & review. Thanks again for taking the time to do it.

 

Shirley

[amsp]

I love your countdown candy idea.

 

Shirley

 

A new countdown idea for you!! ;)