Jim_Iain - 9/5 and 9/17 Equinox B2B - Come along for a Live Blog

[fstuff1]

Is almost 7pm and we're still in port??

All aboard was 530p so we should have sailed at 6p.

 

Wonder what's wrong?

 

Edited September 8, 2021 by fstuff1

[funatseascott]

This is our 2nd day in the Persian Garden.  It seems it’s busier during the day but we come at 6, as we eat later.  Nobody in here yesterday and had a couple that was leaving as I was entering today.  If you like the heated beds, u will love it.  The “herbal” steam sauna, on one side, is nice but has no scent.  The “aromatic” dry sauna, on the other side, isn’t very hot and no smell at all either.  There are 2 showers in here as well.  We renewed our vows on this ship 7 years ago and loved the old Persian Garden.  Even the Milli we sailed in June had better saunas, just didn’t have the beds.  With Covid, limited to 8 at a time and need to make an appointment.  I hate making appointments as I just like to experience when I feel like going.  It’s a negative to me but totally understandable.  Just sharing in case others were wondering.

[funatseascott]

Sophia does the gym.  I go in to give her a kiss before heading to the spa.  LOL. Yesterday was busy at 5 with about 15 people that dropped to a couple at 6.  Today, less then 10 around 6.

[Arzeena]

25 minutes ago, fstuff1 said:

Is almost 7pm and we're still in port??

All aboard was 530p so we should have sailed at 6p.

 

Wonder what's wrong?

 

Hoping everything is OK and it is only that the Captain just hasn't returned from his shopping spree.😁

[funatseascott]

26 minutes ago, fstuff1 said:

Is almost 7pm and we're still in port??

All aboard was 530p so we should have sailed at 6p.

 

Wonder what's wrong?

 

Guess the wait is due to changing ports tomorrow.  Not going to Antigua as we are now going to St Thomas.  Our Suite Concierge or his manager have been updated on anything yet.

[Jim_Iain]

News Flash

 

Antigua was cancelled for tomorrow (no reason given except working with health care professionals) and we will be  going to San Thomas  tomorrow instead.    Must be reason we just set sail.

 

Good reason I  didn't schedule any excursions.

[fstuff1]

2 minutes ago, funatseascott said:

Guess the wait is due to changing ports tomorrow.  Not going to Antigua as we are now going to St Thomas.  Our Suite Concierge or his manager have been updated on anything yet.

It's 730p and I just heard the ships horn.

We're moving.

 

Yes, Antigua tomorrow cancelled because covid and replaced with st Thomas.

Since it's usvi, I'm assuming we're allowed off without excursion (like in st Croix).

 

Would have preferred aruba or curacao as last minute substitution port  🙂

 

[raudacruise]

More books

 

There’s a number of Icelandic thrillers that are good reads.  These are especially interesting to me since I know almost nothing about Iceland.  I started with “Snowblind” by Ragnar Jonasson.  (Book 1 of 6 - Dark Iceland)

 

Still can’t quite figure out how to pronounce the place names.  (I’m a language nerd.)

[pasta1]

3 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

I would say it varies by time  of day and which floor level but about 10-15% but notice a good 30-40% have them on their wrist or hanging from their lanyard for cases when  6' distancing is difficult.  

 

In St. Croix today,  masks are mandatory in all places inside and everywhere on the grounds of resorts except when swimming, eating or drinking. 

Thank you for your response, will be on the Equinox on the 17th, Tim and Malou.

[Oville]

Thanks TommyD3 and Jim/Iain for your input!  We just booked a cruise on the Edge in April and are very much looking forward to it.  Our FCCs from all our canceled cruises were adding up so decided to take the plunge and keep our fingers crossed Covid will be on the decline.  Looking forward to the Edge’s Retreat experience once again.

 

Jim, loved your pix from your fun time today.  Katie

[rastone79]

49 minutes ago, funatseascott said:

This is our 2nd day in the Persian Garden.  It seems it’s busier during the day but we come at 6, as we eat later.  Nobody in here yesterday and had a couple that was leaving as I was entering today.  If you like the heated beds, u will love it.  The “herbal” steam sauna, on one side, is nice but has no scent.  The “aromatic” dry sauna, on the other side, isn’t very hot and no smell at all either.  There are 2 showers in here as well.  We renewed our vows on this ship 7 years ago and loved the old Persian Garden.  Even the Milli we sailed in June had better saunas, just didn’t have the beds.  With Covid, limited to 8 at a time and need to make an appointment.  I hate making appointments as I just like to experience when I feel like going.  It’s a negative to me but totally understandable.  Just sharing in case others were wondering.

Do you have to pay extra to use the Persian Garden?  My wife loves those heated seats and on other lines we’ve had to pay for their use.  

[funatseascott]

41 minutes ago, rastone79 said:

Do you have to pay extra to use the Persian Garden?  My wife loves those heated seats and on other lines we’ve had to pay for their use.  

Access is free in Aqua Class but additional cost for other cabins.  I think 250 for 1 person or 400 for a couple for the cruise.

[funatseascott]

For the people that want to know about Oceanview for dinner, I’ve attached pics from tonight.  The chef is from Bombay, so the Indian food is very good.  The pasta tonight was warm, at best.  No ability to make your own pasta.  Plenty of choices for an average dinner.  MDR and specialty are better, we just like the relaxed atmosphere a few nights.  Maybe 50 people in total, some wearing masks, most not.

[GreenValleyDogWalker]

28 minutes ago, funatseascott said:

For the people that want to know about Oceanview for dinner, I’ve attached pics from tonight.  The chef is from Bombay, so the Indian food is very good.  The pasta tonight was warm, at best.  No ability to make your own pasta.  Plenty of choices for an average dinner.  MDR and specialty are better, we just like the relaxed atmosphere a few nights.  Maybe 50 people in total, some wearing masks, most not.

 

Following along - thank you SO MUCH for your posts and pictures !!

 

[Richard&JohnSTX]

3 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

St Croix - September 8

 

We had the most incredible day in St Croix.   Thanks to a wonderful Cruise Critic member -  I can't find their user name -    Richard and John who live in St Croix.      They were most hospitable and spent the entire day with them.    More later as I have a lot of uploading to do.

 

First up is arrival in port -    We were to meet Richard outside the port at the bus stop just north of the Old Customs House -

 

The tourist board had entertainment to greet the PAX

 

https://youtu.be/ttG9OY5TGBg 

 

 

Thanks so much Jim,

 

It was an honor to show you and Iain around St Croix.

 

Thanks so much for your detailed reviews, it helps so many CC members in their future planning!

 

Richard

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

3 hours ago, 19pamela68 said:

Good for you!  I'm the same way.  My truck is 16 years old.  😉

 

I've got you both beat.  I drive a 21-year-old Lexus that I bought used when it was two years old and paid cash.  I've paid for one repair in all that time.  Hope to get many more years out of it!

[taylortime05]

3 hours ago, funatseascott said:

This is our 2nd day in the Persian Garden.  It seems it’s busier during the day but we come at 6, as we eat later.  Nobody in here yesterday and had a couple that was leaving as I was entering today.  If you like the heated beds, u will love it.  The “herbal” steam sauna, on one side, is nice but has no scent.  The “aromatic” dry sauna, on the other side, isn’t very hot and no smell at all either.  There are 2 showers in here as well.  We renewed our vows on this ship 7 years ago and loved the old Persian Garden.  Even the Milli we sailed in June had better saunas, just didn’t have the beds.  With Covid, limited to 8 at a time and need to make an appointment.  I hate making appointments as I just like to experience when I feel like going.  It’s a negative to me but totally understandable.  Just sharing in case others were wondering.

Thank you for all the great info.  We’re on the Equinox on the 17th.  Is it difficult to get appointments in the Persian Gardens?  Do you also need to make appointments for the hot tubs or is there a limit on how many people can be in there at one time?

[funatseascott]

1 hour ago, taylortime05 said:

Thank you for all the great info.  We’re on the Equinox on the 17th.  Is it difficult to get appointments in the Persian Gardens?  Do you also need to make appointments for the hot tubs or is there a limit on how many people can be in there at one time?

If you want to use it between 1 and 5, I’d say book when u board.  I don’t have experience with morning hours as we don’t leave the room until lunch.  After 5, I think it’s pretty open.

[AshleyDillo]

We watched them take someone off in an ambulance from the Equinox in St. Thomas in an ambulance this morning from our balcony on Allure. Hoping for the best for them!

[Jim_Iain]

16 hours ago, raudacruise said:

More books

 

There’s a number of Icelandic thrillers that are good reads.  These are especially interesting to me since I know almost nothing about Iceland.  I started with “Snowblind” by Ragnar Jonasson.  (Book 1 of 6 - Dark Iceland)

 

Still can’t quite figure out how to pronounce the place names.  (I’m a language nerd.)

Thanks for the  lead.    I  have a lot of  homework to do  when I get home.   I think I have 7 series on the  list now.

[Jim_Iain]

16 hours ago, Oville said:

Thanks TommyD3 and Jim/Iain for your input!  We just booked a cruise on the Edge in April and are very much looking forward to it.  Our FCCs from all our canceled cruises were adding up so decided to take the plunge and keep our fingers crossed Covid will be on the decline.  Looking forward to the Edge’s Retreat experience once again.

 

Jim, loved your pix from your fun time today.  Katie

Congratulations on your booking.    You will love it back at sea.   We are really enjoying it.   We were talking last night at dinner that we had not been out to dinner together in 16 months .      It is so nice to be pampered and so romantic to have quiet dinner discussion and engage with the wait staff.

 

Speaking of that.

 

Food -    So far the food has been the best we have ever had on Celebrity.    We talked with the Chef of Luminea last night and told him how much we were enjoying his meals.    He was really excited to hear.      Not sure what it is but everything seems to be just that little extra touch and the quality of the fish, meat and poultry have been very good. 

 

For some of the Non-Suite members, we have been ordering  at least 50% off the main dining room menu.  

[Jim_Iain]

14 hours ago, Richard&JohnSTX said:

Thanks so much Jim,

 

It was an honor to show you and Iain around St Croix.

 

Thanks so much for your detailed reviews, it helps so many CC members in their future planning!

 

Richard

Richard -

Great I saw that username and was searching on just JohnSTX.     Again thanks for a very memorable day in the sun.  If you are ever in the Bay Area I hope you will give us the opportunity to share a tour with you and John.

[Jim_Iain]

14 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

I've got you both beat.  I drive a 21-year-old Lexus that I bought used when it was two years old and paid cash.  I've paid for one repair in all that time.  Hope to get many more years out of it!

While I don't still own the   car I  think I could beat that.   LOL.    My first car in High School was a Corvair (Remember unsafe at any speed).      I bought it for $50 and rebuilt it from the ground up.   The horn didn't even work.   I put 150,000 miles on it.  

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, AshleyDillo said:

We watched them take someone off in an ambulance from the Equinox in St. Thomas in an ambulance this morning from our balcony on Allure. Hoping for the best for them!

When we were leaving  the ship the stopped us at the security area and they wheeled the person buy.   They looked like they were in a scuba hazmat type garb.   There wasn't an inch of skin showing and couldn't even tell if it were a man or woman.

[TravelBluebird]

8 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

When we were leaving  the ship the stopped us at the security area and they wheeled the person buy.   They looked like they were in a scuba hazmat type garb.   There wasn't an inch of skin showing and couldn't even tell if it were a man or woman.

 

That sounds—scary—for the person in the garb and any loved ones. Is that how all COVID positive people leave the ship?  In any event, I hope they are OK. 

 

I tested negative on my COVID test and since my exposure was now 1 whole week ago I think I should be fine.  I’m grateful that the exposure will have been 15 days exactly prior to cruising so no worries on the health form. I’m perplexed that I could be so near someone for so long with no masks and not end up COVID positive (we were both vaccinated; her in February and me in April).

 

I feel like I’m holding my breath till next Wednesday and can take the pre-boarding COVID test; other than 1 grandchild school event I have to attend (in N95 mask and social distancing) I don’t think I’ll leave my home (or have visitors) till Wednesday! Too nervous.