Just Off September 23rd Equinox

[helen haywood]

A few quick notes.  Expedited Boarding has gotten more complicated every time we use it.  First time in July was quick, second time in August was slower and this time we had to be processed by four different agents.  I think the pier staff need more training on this new procedure. 

 

We were in cabin 6121.  It had all the updates except carpet and sofa.  Previously we were in an AQ and a CC cabin and those had been totally refurbed.  A different bathrobe from the waffle ones; this one is a soft flannel finish.

 

The Muster Drill did not show the Golden Bear video.  A demonstration of how to put on a life jacket and told a comprehensive video was on the TV.

 

Our OBC showed up on our TV account on embarkation day!  That’s never happened to us before...normally it takes a day or so to appear.

 

We were in a regular balcony cabin and did not receive a tote bag.  I did not ask for one.

 

As with every Caribbean cruise we’ve taken, regardless of length, Celebrity ran out of Diet Coke three or four days before the end of the cruise.  

 

The ship looked beautiful and the service was great.

[ROXY GIRL]

Hi Helen,

Were the bathrooms redone at all? I guess the carpet was ok. If you have pictures of the Ocean View Cafe that would be great.Thanks for any info.

[helen haywood]

The only thing changed in the bathrooms was the installation of the large metal cage that clamps the shampoo, conditioner and shower gel in large dispensers to the shower wall.

 

The Oceanview Buffet was unchanged.

 

I forgot to mention that I did look at the Kids Menu in the MDR and the filet has been replaced with a sirloin.  Never got around to trying that before it disappeared!

[ROXY GIRL]

Thanks Helen

[JFontaine]

That's very bad news about the child's filet, and disappointing.  I eat it many nights per cruise. Thanks for your report. 

[DebInAntigua]

15 hours ago, JFontaine said:

That's very bad news about the child's filet, and disappointing.  I eat it many nights per cruise. Thanks for your report. 

And I had promised my DH that he would always be able to get a filet if he didn't like the other entrees on any particular evening. (He's a picky eater). Darn.

[dazey]

We were on the Summit in May and the renovated cabins were fine except the bathroom was so small. The sink was large which left no counter space at all.  Did you notice that the bathrooms on Equinox had changed in size?  There was certainly no space for two  when one was getting out of shower and other using sink.

[jelayne]

 

38 minutes ago, dazey said:

We were on the Summit in May and the renovated cabins were fine except the bathroom was so small. The sink was large which left no counter space at all.  Did you notice that the bathrooms on Equinox had changed in size?  There was certainly no space for two  when one was getting out of shower and other using sink.

They are not changing the size/layout of the cabins.  The bathrooms on the M Class ships were always very small.  The biggest improvement in the bath was the removal of the shower curtain and addition of a glass shower door.

[yorky]

Yep our bathroom exactly the same, ocean view cafe also unchanged.

[calicakes]

I was on the September 13th sailing.  We debated between that one and the Sept 23rd sailing.   Our entire embarkation took 10 minutes.  Super easy.  We had express passes on our phone. 

[yorky]

24 minutes ago, calicakes said:

I was on the September 13th sailing.  We debated between that one and the Sept 23rd sailing.   Our entire embarkation took 10 minutes.  Super easy.  We had express passes on our phone. 

We also had the express passes, there was quite a hold up which was due to some issue or other we were not made aware of, overall though it was no big deal.

[helen haywood]

I had done the Expedited Boarding on the app.  We were checked in by one agent.  Then we stood in line behind a terminal attendant by an Expedited Boarding sign for some time.  Then Concierge Class was called to board.  So many people went through that I don’t think the terminal attendants were doing anything other than scanning Express Passes; I don’t think anyone was checking whether the flood were all CC.

 

 Finally our gate keeper let a few of us into another holding pen.  We saw people ducking under the rope and pointed this out to our attendant but she did nothing.  I saw the paper Express Pass of the lady in front of me; it did not say Expedited Boarding.  Then boarding stopped as there were too many people on the gangway.  Finally we are allowed to move toward the hallway but are stopped again when another agent had to take photos and scan the passports of the group in front of us.  So clearly they had not already checked in.

 

Then at last into the terminal hallway to the gangway but we are halted by another terminal employee who snaps a rope in front of us and goes off to ask if we had permission to board and he too scans our passes again.  There was nothing expedited about that boarding.  I just think the terminal employees need more training on how to use the iPads and greater attention should be paid to whether the people trying to board are the group that was called.  Like the airlines do.

 

Of course we put this behind us the minute we finally stepped on the gangway!

[hcat]

Sounds like chaos..what terminal was this?

 

We  were on the EDGE in Jan and  boarding in the the new terminal was  basically stampede style! After being scanned in, everyone was seated wherever...not by groups.  Very little organization or crowd control. Hoping it's better next month.

 

Do you recall the order of boarding ( after suites)?  Did they pair E + with AQ first, then E with Concierge etc? Or ?????

Edited October 6, 2019 by hcat

[helen haywood]

It was in terminal 25.  Suites and wheelchair assistance had already been announced when we were standing in line.  The next to be announced was Concierge “And only Concierge.”  On our previous Expedited Boarding at terminal 25 in August we were told we could board when they called Concierge as we were “expedited.”  This just seems to underscore that the terminal agents make an announcement...but then no one pays any attention to whether you are actually Concierge or other.  And on this boarding Expedited did not get us on with Concierge; Expedited was called after Concierge so I can’t say when E+ or E was called.  I don’t mean to alarm; it’s a learning curve and I’m sure they’ll iron out the glitches.

[chemmo]

On 10/5/2019 at 9:47 PM, yorky said:

We also had the express passes, there was quite a hold up which was due to some issue or other we were not made aware of, overall though it was no big deal.

 

There was a general delay as there was a Coast Guard inspection...We were in a suite and received an email and phone call suggesting not to arrive before 11am. We arrived at about 11.15 and ‘Special Delivery’ worked well but we were aware that many guests were waiting to board and there were long queues of guests on the gangway.