Trip Review: Celebrity Equinox - 9 Dec 2017 to 16 Dec 2017

[journeycollector]

Your photos are absolutely beautiful!! The colors are stunning!!

 

 

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Thank you! :cool:

[journeycollector]

Tuesday, December 12 - Saint Thomas, USVI

 

I am likely to get pilloried here on CC, but I didn't care for Saint Thomas. There, I said it. But here's the caveat: It's entirely ***MY OWN*** fault. See, I can admit my mistakes. I'm sure B's head is spinning around now. Glad he's on his way home from work as I type this!

 

So, what was my big mistake with Saint Thomas? I didn't plan any sort of excursion, either through Celebrity or independently. I didn't even think to ask for an island tour.

 

In Fall, my work schedule can be all over the place, so I didn't have time to research stuff like I usually do. I thought we could just fill the day walking around Charlotte Amalie...WRONG.

 

We got into port at 8:00am and docked at Crown Bay, which is further from downtown Charlotte Amalie and not quite as nice as the other dock - Havensight. Here's Crown Bay:

 

 

 

 

Not having big plans, we had a leisurely breakfast in the Oceanview Cafe and strolled off the ship around 9:30am. We payed the $4pp and took the open-air shared taxi from the port into downtown.

 

We were surprised by the hurricane damage in Charlotte Amalie--much more noticeable than in Old San Juan. Lots of downed poles, non-working traffic lights, power lines down, missing roofs, and piles of rubble.

 

After being dropped off downtown, we walked over to Fort Frederik. Not much going on there.

 

 

Then we headed over to the Frederik Lutheran Church. It was boarded up, having received extensive hurricane damage.

 

[journeycollector]

Tuesday, December 12 - 99 Steps, Saint Thomas, USVI

 

Before going on the cruise, I had printed out a little map of Charlotte Amalie with a listing of attractions. I found it helpful, especially since I didn't have data on phone: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NXRY5OlQAug/UTCGBQGLmFI/AAAAAAAAAeo/JIensIX_Oe8/s1600/Charlotte-Amalie.jpg

 

We headed over to 99 Steps to take some photos--very pretty area!

 

 

 

 

 

[journeycollector]

Tuesday, December 12 - Saint Thomas, USVI

 

We headed up to Blackbeard's Castle, but it's closed due to hurricane damage. Although we did stop to take a picture. Then we made our way to the waterfront and over to the Havensight dock to take the Paradise Point sky ride to get a bird's-eye view of the harbor...BUT they weren't in operation. Or at least, the closer we got, we noticed no sky gondolas were moving...so we gave up.

 

We then walked through jewelry row, but neither of us have any interest in that. We ended up having drinks and a light lunch at Cafe Amici.

 

 

 

Here's B, enjoying the scenery and warm weather!

 

 

 

 

We then took the shared open-air taxi back to the Crown Bay dock and boarded the ship. Again, it was my own fault for not booking a tour or doing some research ahead of time...I won't make that mistake again!

[rubiksgirl]

I am loving this review - thank you so much for posting! And your pictures are beautiful! We are on this same sailing in March, I'm getting so excited reading your posts :)

[journeycollector]

I am loving this review - thank you so much for posting! And your pictures are beautiful! We are on this same sailing in March, I'm getting so excited reading your posts :)

 

Thanks! I'm sure you will have a blast in March!...I would be curious to see what San Juan and Saint Thomas look like by then.

[journeycollector]

Tuesday, December 12 - Saint Thomas, USVI and Dinner in the MDR

 

When we headed over towards Havensight to see if the Paradise Point sky ride was operating, we popped over to a mall area (The Shops at Yacht Haven Grande) but almost everything was closed. I used the restrooms and the lights went out while I was inside. They had lost power. I fumbled around in the dark (no windows), washed my hands, and then had to feel my way to the door!

 

Back in the downtown area we noticed a lot of the shops had lost power too. At the Crown Bay shops, one of the storekeepers told us she had just got power back on at her home for the first time yesterday.

 

Here are a few more pics from Saint Thomas:

 

 

 

Crown Bay dock:

 

 

After getting back on board the ship, we relaxed a bit. With dinner in Tuscan Grille on Saturday, Murano on Sunday, and in San Juan on Monday, this was our first time for dining in the MDR for dinner.

 

We had the 6pm seating and took the card that had our table number on it to the host. We were escorted through the maze of tables to find our seats. The dining room is beautiful with its two levels and the wine tower display.

 

Our tablemates were delightful company. I talked to Grant and Cynthia about their cruises. They had taken one to Cuba which sounded fascinating. B chatted with Annette and Cuna--they were a hoot.

 

Here was the menu in the MDR for Tuesday night...

 

Starters:

• Caprese
  
• Grilled Asparagus Salad
  
• Wedge Salad
  
• Butternut Squash Soup
  
• Pasta Fagioli Soup
  
• Duck Terrine
  
• Ceasar Salad
  
• Shrimp Cocktail
  
• French Onion Soup
  
• Escargots
  

Entrees:

• Seared Branzino
  
• Turkey Parmesan
  
• Rigatoni
  
• Slow Braised Lamb wrapped in Phyllo
  
• Steak and Chips
  
• Toasted Israeli Couscous Cake
  
• Broiled Salmon
  
• Grilled Chicken Breast
  
• Grilled New York Sirloin
  

I opted for the broiled salmon, B had the sirloin. The food was OK...Keep in mind we were eating here after having dined in the specialty restaurants--so that probably colors are opinion...so take it with a grain of salt (food pun intended here!). Service was excellent.

 

Sorry, I don't remember what the desserts were, but I liked the apple pie a la mode, and B had his usual creme brulee.

 

Our dining partners:

 

Then B and I had a great idea...let's go for a swim! Sorry, mom, we didn't wait 30 minutes after eating. Actually we didn't really swim, but had a nice soak in the hot tub. We practically had the pool deck to ourselves.

 

After that, we cleaned up for the 9pm show featuring the Equinox singers and dancers.

 

Up next: Saint Kitts

[pearldentist]

Thanks! Most of these are just with my iPhone. Some of them I saturate to make the colors pop. Or I do a little adjusting when the sunlight is harsh.

 

 

Oh my gosh teach me your iPhone editing ways! Your photos are seriously spectacular.

 

Also, I really appreciate your honest review of Charlotte Amalie. Very helpful in determining how we should spend our time there. Did you happen to hear from anyone who went to Magen's Bay in St. Thomas? That's what we currently are thinking about doing when we are there...

[JaniceB]

Really enjoying your review and pictures. I think Miami look fantastic in your photos with a little cloud cover. The water was beautiful. Do you know the cost of your Uber from FLL to Miami and your hotel to the port?

Thanks for providing so much information in your review. Celebrity is only showing 4 shore excursions when we are in St. Thomas end of January. I wish we were going somewhere else and/or docking somewhere else.

[journeycollector]

Oh my gosh teach me your iPhone editing ways! Your photos are seriously spectacular.

 

Also, I really appreciate your honest review of Charlotte Amalie. Very helpful in determining how we should spend our time there. Did you happen to hear from anyone who went to Magen's Bay in St. Thomas? That's what we currently are thinking about doing when we are there...

 

Hah...thanks! :D We heard from some people on board who had a very relaxing day at Magen's Bay and some others took an island driving tour, too. I wish we would have picked one of those options. Enjoy your time there!

[njaloha]

Wow! For someone who didn't care for st thomas you sure took some incredible pics and reported many sites that inspired me to follow your same 'tour' on our trip in February.

 

What tour would you have booked if you could do it over?

 

I'm struggling with what we should do

 

 

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[journeycollector]

Really enjoying your review and pictures. I think Miami look fantastic in your photos with a little cloud cover. The water was beautiful. Do you know the cost of your Uber from FLL to Miami and your hotel to the port?

Thanks for providing so much information in your review. Celebrity is only showing 4 shore excursions when we are in St. Thomas end of January. I wish we were going somewhere else and/or docking somewhere else.

 

Thanks! The Uber from FLL to Miami Beach was $40 total for the 2 of us. Probably would be less if were staying in the city of Miami. From Miami Beach to the Port, the Uber was $18.

[JaniceB]

Thank you!

[journeycollector]

Wow! For someone who didn't care for st thomas you sure took some incredible pics and reported many sites that inspired me to follow your same 'tour' on our trip in February.

 

What tour would you have booked if you could do it over?

 

I'm struggling with what we should do

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Hah...thank you. I may have been "down" on Saint Thomas, but there are still pretty things to see! :D And I know the situation is just temporary.

 

What do we wish we had done? If we didn't pencil in Saint Kitts as our "beach day" we probably would have done Magen's Bay (or another nice beach) as a "beach day" or a guided island tour since it was our first visit. Repeat cruisers might have more ideas!

[mlmbar]

I am really enjoying this. We are on Equinox Sept 14 for 10 day. First time on Celebrity. I love your pictures and have found my iPhone 7 to take exceptional pictures. I was so happy to see your pictures of SJ and OSJ. I was there Oct 14, three weeks after maria on Adventure of the Seas and the damage was very apparent. We had to arrive the same day as the cruise because hotels were cancelled and no power. It was especially sad at sailaway to see a darkened SJ and especially El Morro

[journeycollector]

I am really enjoying this. We are on Equinox Sept 14 for 10 day. First time on Celebrity. I love your pictures and have found my iPhone 7 to take exceptional pictures. I was so happy to see your pictures of SJ and OSJ. I was there Oct 14, three weeks after maria on Adventure of the Seas and the damage was very apparent. We had to arrive the same day as the cruise because hotels were cancelled and no power. It was especially sad at sailaway to see a darkened SJ and especially El Morro

 

I agree about the iPhone. I still do take my "good" camera along when I travel, but sometimes it's a hassle to carry around.

 

Oh my...I wouldn't want to picture what SJ looked like in October...glad to see (parts) of it coming back!

[journeycollector]

Oops...one correction to Tuesday night's entertainment: I got it switched around. Tuesday night's show featured the group "Uptown" that have been making the rounds on the cruise circuit. Three young guys from NYC belting out some Motown classics. We liked it.

 

Now on to Saint Kitts...

 

Wednesday, December 13 - Saint Kitts

 

We woke up docked in Basseterre, Saint Kitts. Fun fact: Saint Kitts and Nevis is the smallest independent country in the western hemisphere (in both population and geography). It's home to around 55,000 people.

 

After breakfast in the Oceanview Cafe, we walked off the ship at around 9:30am and made up way down the pier to Port Zante.

 

 

 

 

 

B said he wanted one "beach day" while we were on the cruise, so we decided to make it Saint Kitts. We thought about doing the train ride, but it seemed a bit pricy. We just wanted to relax.

 

So we booked a beach excursion through Celebrity - the Saint Kitts "Beach Break." It was $40/pp. I just liked that everything was handled for us--transportation to/from the pier, beautiful beach, 2 reserved chairs, and a free rum punch drink. R-E-L-A-X!

 

We found our group quite easily under the pavilion at Port Zante. We waited 10 minutes or so before everyone was in attendance. Then they separated us into groups to put us on shuttle buses. There were around 14 people on our shuttle.

 

Our driver, Agatha, took us from Basseterre on a 25-minute drive to gorgeous Cockleshell Beach. We made one stop at Timothy Hill for a photo op. At Timothy Hill, you have a birds-eye view, with the Atlantic Ocean on the left and the Caribbean Sea on the right. Breathtaking!

 

Timothy Hill

 

 

...on to the beach!

[journeycollector]

Wednesday, December 13 - Saint Kitts Cockleshell Beach

 

I'm a geography nerd. If you look at a map of Saint Kitts, you will see it is shaped like a drumstick. This beach is at the bottom of the drumstick.

 

The driver let us off at the Spice Mill where we were each handed a cup of rum punch (or just fruit juice if you wanted). The food and drinks looked good there, but we did not partake. Other people in our groups said the food and drinks were good!

 

 

The beach was perfect! We got two front-row lounge chairs. Umbrellas are not included, but we purchased one for the both of us for $10.

 

Here's a view of Nevis across the way...

 

I can't say enough good things about this beach. It wasn't crowded when we were there. The sand was soft. It's in a protected bay, so you don't get huge waves. And the beach doesn't have a huge drop off at all. Just great for relaxing, swimming, or wading in the water.

 

Here I am thinking about all those poor suckers back in Wisconsin!

 

We had about 3 hours at the beach...and we didn't want to leave!

 

 

 

[Josie2]

Gorgeous shots ! Great review.

 

 

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[cruiser1323]

Curious - did you have lunch at the Spice Mill - if so, how was it?

[journeycollector]

Gorgeous shots ! Great review.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Thanks! :cool:

[journeycollector]

Curious - did you have lunch at the Spice Mill - if so, how was it?

 

We didn't...just weren't hungry. But we saw other people with food. It looked AND smelled very good!

 

It gets good reviews on tripadvisor: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g5538916-d1534908-Reviews-Spice_Mill_Restaurant-Turtle_Beach_St_Kitts_St_Kitts_and_Nevis.html

[kag19]

I need you to teach me how to take pics on my iPhone. My 6s pics look nothing like that! ;p Or maybe I need a new phone...which I have been telling my husband for months! What version iPhone do you have?

[journeycollector]

Wednesday, December 13 - Saint Kitts

 

The shuttle bus took us from the beach back to the Port Zante area in Basseterre. We did some souvenir shopping and grabbed a bite to eat.

 

Here's Basseterre:

 

 

Port Zante

 

Time to head to the ship

 

A couple last views from the ship before leaving port

 

 

We freshened up after we got back on board. At 6pm, we headed to dinner in the MDR. On the menu...

 

Starters

• Beef Carpaccio
  
• Chicory Apple Pear Salad
  
• Boston Lettuce and Gorgonzola Salad
  
• Celebrity Signature Crab Cake
  
• Tomato Watermelon Gazpacho
  
• Cream of Broccoli soup
  
• Spiced Duck Rillettes Quenelle
  
• Caesar Salad
  
• Shrimp Cocktail
  
• French Onion Soup
  
• Escargots
  

Entrees:

• Cajun Spiced Drum Fish
  
• Oven Roasted Chicken Saltimbocca
  
• Penne Primavera
  
• Roasted Pork Loin
  
• Braised Beef Short Ribs
  
• Vegetable Korma
  
• Broiled Salmon
  
• Grilled Chicken Breast
  
• New York Sirloin Steak
  

I had the crab cake starter and the short ribs entree. Both were OK. B had the Chicory Apple Pear Salad to start and salmon for the entree and liked both.

 

Sorry, but I don't remember the desserts. That's because the waiter came over and recommended a special not on the menu: grand marnier souffle...so that's what I had. Delicious!

 

After dinner, we did a little hot tub time, cleaned up, then went to the 9pm showing of "Elysium." On the Equinox, there were two particularly good female lead singers.

 

Up next...2 sea days.

[journeycollector]

I need you to teach me how to take pics on my iPhone. My 6s pics look nothing like that! ;p Or maybe I need a new phone...which I have been telling my husband for months! What version iPhone do you have?

 

Hah! :D:D:D I have an iPhone 7. Sometimes the good pics are just being in the right place, right time!