LIVE BLOG! From the EQUINOX - AUG 25th Sailing - CHICAGOPAUL

[chicagopaul]

Really hope you are going to do a blog for your November Reflection sailing 🤞🏻

We are sailing on her for a 14 night cruise in December and I am mega excited and your blogs make everything come to life. Thank you for all the time that you put into them!

 

 

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Oh I definitely will!

 

 

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[chicagopaul]

Many thanks, Paul, for devoting so much of your time to another fun and informative review. I just love opinionated reviews, so your's are always a hit with us.

 

 

 

I would like to know your thinking on additional tipping in specialty restaurants. I realize that none is required but I've been thinking that we probably overdue it. Also completely understand that more is sometime warranted and other times, not so much. Having said all that, with excellent but not over the top service what would you leave, if anything? This is, of course, apart from the sommelier. We will be on a T/A this fall and will probably have a multi-night package.

 

 

 

Again my thanks for the ride along.

 

 

 

Mary Anne

 

 

 

It’s a great question and one that is always asked and we too think we go over as well at times. Typically we leave $10 in cash for each specialty dinner and then usually a little extra for the sommelier at the end of the cruise if we frequented the same restaurant and had good service.

 

 

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[chicagopaul]

Love, love, love this review. Going on Equinox October 5th, and I thought I was excited before, but now forget it I am overly excited and wish time would go even faster then it seems to already be going. lol.

Great pics, this will be our first time on The Equinox and only second on Celebrity. There will be 14 of us.

 

 

 

Thank you! You’ll love it! I’ll be posting more pics and comment on many other points soon. Right now I’m just sitting on the plane waiting to take off. We’ve been delayed over 2 hours due to weather in Chicago. Thankfully we should be taking off soon.

 

 

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[chicagopaul]

Well, I spoke too soon. Apparently despite the fact that the plane was sitting at the gate for 3 hours it was not inspected and they have to replace a tire. So we all had to deplane and now we wait for them to change a tire. Thankfully clearance got us a later slot at ORD but let’s hope we make that!

 

 

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[CHEZMARYLOU]

What a lousy way to end a great cruise. We are on Reflection on Nov 26 for my birthday. Looking forward to your blog before we leave. Are you by chance in a suite for this cruise?

[slugger44]

Thanks Paul for such a great blog. Hope to meet you on the Feb 24th Edge sailing.

 

 

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[mesamarie]

Thank you, Paul! Brilliant blog.

 

 

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[Essiesmom]

WE had a short flight from MIA to JAX, and all was on time. We did Luggage Valet for the first time, and my suitcase did not come off the carousel with my sisters. Because it was in the American Airlines luggage room, having taken an earlier flight...EM

[2 Dinks]

Thank you for taking the time to do this awesome review! We are sailing Celebrity for the first time in October so we found your posts especially helpful. Belated Anniversary Wishes!

[chicagopaul]

What a lousy way to end a great cruise. We are on Reflection on Nov 26 for my birthday. Looking forward to your blog before we leave. Are you by chance in a suite for this cruise?

 

 

 

We just arrived in Chicago. Waiting for our gate. Just can’t wait to grab luggage and head home. To answer your questions yes, we are in a Sky Suite S1 corner aft for the Nov Reflection cruise!

 

 

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[chicagopaul]

Thanks so much to everyone for taking the time to say kind words and to everyone who has followed along. Over the next couple of days I’ll continue to post some recap reviews on here as well as more photos and some YouTube videos. Feel free to continue to ask any questions.

 

 

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[kdkcruiser]

Amazing review - thank you!!!!

[ryansmousehouse]

Thanks so much to everyone for taking the time to say kind words and to everyone who has followed along. Over the next couple of days I’ll continue to post some recap reviews on here as well as more photos and some YouTube videos. Feel free to continue to ask any questions.

 

 

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Great review.... Will be in aft corner s1 sky suite on the Nov 5th cruise also we just might run into you.... [emoji846]

 

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[miched]

Nothing to do with your cruise.

 

I think you mentioned that you live in a hotel in Chicago. I know that celebrity’s have lived in hotels in NY and Al Capone live in hotels in Chicago.

 

I am curious on how the rent and accommodations are for a full time resident. I am sure that it is different than what I have have experience as a overnight guest.

 

Do you have a kitchenette or do you have to rely on room service or dining out?

 

Does a maid come in daily or are you responsible for cleaning the room, bath and linens?

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[chicagopaul]

Nothing to do with your cruise.

 

 

 

I think you mentioned that you live in a hotel in Chicago. I know that celebrity’s have lived in hotels in NY and Al Capone live in hotels in Chicago.

 

 

 

I am curious on how the rent and accommodations are for a full time resident. I am sure that it is different than what I have have experience as a overnight guest.

 

 

 

Do you have a kitchenette or do you have to rely on room service or dining out?

 

 

 

Does a maid come in daily or are you responsible for cleaning the room, bath and linens?

 

 

 

Happy cruising [emoji305][emoji568][emoji631][emoji560]

 

 

 

So we live in a building that has a hotel on the bottom and private residences above. The first 14 floors are hotel and the remaining up to 50 are apartments. So we have a regular apartment / flat and even a shortage entrance but have access to some hotel amenities such as room service, the bar, restaurant, Starbucks valet parking if we prefer that over parking our own car etc. so it’s definitely not as elaborate or expensive as how celebrities live but it has a few nice special perks.

 

 

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[miched]

So we live in a building that has a hotel on the bottom and private residences above. The first 14 floors are hotel and the remaining up to 50 are apartments. So we have a regular apartment / flat and even a shortage entrance but have access to some hotel amenities such as room service, the bar, restaurant, Starbucks valet parking if we prefer that over parking our own car etc. so it’s definitely not as elaborate or expensive as how celebrities live but it has a few nice special perks.

 

 

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Thanks for answering.

 

I know a few people that live in the Chicago area, one being my Godson who is a manager at one of the most exclusive restuarants in Chicago. I think it is called Gibson’s. He is always telling us about the celebrities that were there. From what I understand tips pp usually amount to more than a meal would cost at Murano and the place is usually packed.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[TommyD3]

You mentioned the lack of cloth towels in the public restrooms. I was B2B yesterday. The restroom I am talking about is the men's room at the aft end of Ensamble lounge. No cloth towels in the morning during disembarkation. When I got back on after B2B with customs it was fully stocked with cloth towels. At approx 6 PM enroute to dinner there was not one cloth towel. Also the rest room must have been recently serviced since both the used cloth towel ha mper and paper towel trash can were empty! Probably another LLP cost savings cutback!

 

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[CHEZMARYLOU]

We just arrived in Chicago. Waiting for our gate. Just can’t wait to grab luggage and head home. To answer your questions yes, we are in a Sky Suite S1 corner aft for the Nov Reflection cruise!

 

 

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Thanks, we are in a RS on our cruise so looking even more forward to reading your blog before we go.

[Land of Ice and Snow]

Hi Paul:

Thank you so much for your fabulous updates as you journey along. We are thinking now of booking a Baltic Cruise and have sailed with Celebrity for eight cruises including a 12 night Med on the Summit in 2008. Having both recently retired we are happily looking at our options. BTW, our daughter just moved from Chicago, we loved visiting her there, just a short jaunt from her apartment to the downtown core. It is a beautiful city. Thanks again for taking the time to take us along on your voyage.

[Cruiz'nBaers]

Thank you for the wonderful blog. I read last year's Equinox blog

before we took our first Celebrity cruise on that ship. I read this review as we are preparing for our second cruise on the

Equinox October 5. We were on the ship for about 5 minutes last year when I told my husband "I think this is my favorite ship". We obviously had a great time, because we're back. We would love to run into you and Edward on a cruise sometime. Of course in the Martini Bar, our favorite watering hole. Sorry you had to return to reality, the first few days are tough.

 

Linda

Edited September 4, 2018 by Cruiz'nBaers

[chicagopaul]

You mentioned the lack of cloth towels in the public restrooms. I was B2B yesterday. The restroom I am talking about is the men's room at the aft end of Ensamble lounge. No cloth towels in the morning during disembarkation. When I got back on after B2B with customs it was fully stocked with cloth towels. At approx 6 PM enroute to dinner there was not one cloth towel. Also the rest room must have been recently serviced since both the used cloth towel ha mper and paper towel trash can were empty! Probably another LLP cost savings cutback!

 

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Yes, this is exactly what I am talking about. I saw it at the bathroom by the MDR / Martini Bar and also in near Ensemble. I'd notice that the bathroom would be recently serviced just as you said, but no cloth towels. However, someone on our cruise posted that the woman's bathroom always had cloth towels. Oh well, I guess we will just have to wait to see what the future brings in this department. The cloth towels, I always thought, were very classy and the bathroom attendant that was almost always there cleaning during high traffic times was a nice touch. I hope that comes back or is at least not gone for good.

[Cruisini]

Edward, thanks again for a great blog! You're a joy!

[miched]

if the cloth towels are being elimated what is next? The quotes over the urinals? 😰. Hopefully they won’t eliminate the big white mint, that is like a all day sucker. 😱

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[misspuss]

Hi, Paul, I have been loving your blog. Please excuse a silly question. Those wonderful pictures of the cheese plates have me in lust! Do they serve crackers with them? If we are unable to finish it all, can we ask to take them to our cabin for future reference?

[Stem to Stern]

Sure. Just dump them in your purse. Just kidding. Ask for a doggie bag.

 

 

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