Equinox 9/17 LIVE BLOG; Aqua Class - 1st Time Celebrity! Let’s Cruise!

[TravelBluebird]

28 minutes ago, SonuvaBeach said:

My wife smiled when she read that your husband brings your coffee...I have been bringing her her first cup of coffee( in bed) in the morning for 37 years...

We are at Fort Lauderdale  airport, right now, after an uneventful flight. It is too early to go to the ship, since our checkin time is at noon...and there are NO restaurants here!! I can't believe that. WE have nothing to do for another 90 minutes except stare at blank walls and grouchy airport people...BUT all is good! 🙂

See everyone soon!

 

Coffee in bed for 37 years; that is so sweet! I only get it on vacation, but I am not complaining! 

 

Great re your quick flight; bummer that there are no restaurants at the airport! UGH having to just hang around; hope the wi fi at the airport is good (and free!).

[txtechmk]

Love reading your review!  Stressful yesterday though.........I was rooting for you!  And I love all the posts from your "new" cruise friends that will also be onboard.  You guys are going to have a great cruise!

[TravelBluebird]

11 minutes ago, txtechmk said:

Love reading your review!  Stressful yesterday though.........I was rooting for you!  And I love all the posts from your "new" cruise friends that will also be onboard.  You guys are going to have a great cruise!

 

Thank you for following along! Today has been the opposite of yesterday; everything has gone smooth as butter! Now we are relaxing at hotel and downloading books to our Kindles and magazines to my magazine app (Readly)!  And yes, a great cruise and great group of cruisers in our immediate future! 

[MartinsCruise]

Alexandra at the Sunse tbar makes a really good frozen mojito.   Cheers!

[countess5]

Stayed at the  Renaissance Fort Lauderdale Marina two weeks ago before our Edge cruise. We are Bonvoy participants and was upgraded to a concierge floor which was 12 and our stay was great for one night. We did not have any smells and the room was comfortable. 

 

The Boat House Restaurant is across the parking lot which we had eaten at a few years ago. 

I would say for one night it is worth it. Did not use the shuttle but nice they offer it. 

 

Cheers! 

[TeaBag]

I see on the webcam that Connie is there with you and she is to sail an hour earlier.  I really like to watch other ships departing while we are waiting.

BTW, can the 2 of you watch the safety drill on the one app?  I ask because I don't have a cell phone and you think you're a dinosaur for using an SLR camera?

[Luckynana]

Have a wonderful time on the Equinox.  Great ship!!  What time is Sail away??

[countess5]

1 hour ago, TeaBag said:

I see on the webcam that Connie is there with you and she is to sail an hour earlier.  I really like to watch other ships departing while we are waiting.

BTW, can the 2 of you watch the safety drill on the one app?  I ask because I don't have a cell phone and you think you're a dinosaur for using an SLR camera?

We were on Edge two weeks ago and my DW and I watched the video on my IPhone together. 

[PinkSandGirl]

16 hours ago, TravelBluebird said:

 I’m a little confused on when the Evening Chic nights are; can anyone help me sort that out?

Hi!  Sunday and then Friday.  This is how it was on the (current) previous 9-night ABC sailings on the Equinox.    I'll be on in a few weeks so I asked someone who was on the sailing.  

 

Have a wonderful cruise! 

🍹

[TravelBluebird]

3 hours ago, TeaBag said:

I see on the webcam that Connie is there with you and she is to sail an hour earlier.  I really like to watch other ships departing while we are waiting.

BTW, can the 2 of you watch the safety drill on the one app?  I ask because I don't have a cell phone and you think you're a dinosaur for using an SLR camera?

 

Yes, Connie is there! She hasn’t left yet (5:15); I can see her right from my stateroom.

 

Yes, we both watched the safety drill together on my husband’s iPhone and were able to “check in” both of us as having watched it!

 

Here is Connie!: 

[TravelBluebird]

Today has been a flawless and stress-free boarding day! 

 

Left our hotel at 1pm sharp on the Cruise shuttle; no traffic; was at the port in 5 minutes. Our boarding time wasn’t until 1:30 but there was no line, so we were waved in. In spite of showing our vaccination cards, negative test results, passports, and xpress passes (some multiple times!) boarding took less than 10 minutes, so we were on the ship by 1:15!  Took some just-on-board photos and dropped our bags in our ready rooms, and went exploring!

 

First stop was the spa; we ran right up because we wanted to book a couples massage 2nd sea day. We took a spa tour which did give us the lay of the land for fitness classes, workout, center, types of massages. The tour also tried to sell you on lots of different treatments; it wasn’t a hard sell, and I don’t begrudge ANY cruise line trying to make money right now with such low capacities, but just so you are aware if you do it!

 

Next was lunch! Our tradition is always to check out the buffet on the first day; since we don’t eat lunch normally, its usually our only chance to sample it. We had small bites of trout cake and dill sauce (very good!), paella (also very good!) salads and shepard pie. Husband had ice cream for desert (he doesn’t drink!) and I had a frozen mojito  (I don’t sugar; well, except for 1 desert a night on vacation, and the occasional tropical drink).  Frozen Mojito included in Classic Beverage Package and very refreshing!

 

Then we ran into @MartinsCruise and @SonuvaBeach which was really nice!! We’ll see them again shortly at sail away.

[TeaBag]

2 hours ago, countess5 said:

We were on Edge two weeks ago and my DW and I watched the video on my IPhone together. 

Thank you so much.  Now with all the apps etc, it looks like DH will have to do the check in etc.  hee hee.  I always did all that on line.

[TravelBluebird]

2 hours ago, PinkSandGirl said:

Hi!  Sunday and then Friday.  This is how it was on the (current) previous 9-night ABC sailings on the Equinox.    I'll be on in a few weeks so I asked someone who was on the sailing.  

 

Have a wonderful cruise! 

 

After running into the Cruise Critic peeps, we went down to Murano and adjusted our specialty dining so it was not on the formal nights!   Much better!

[TravelBluebird]

3 hours ago, Luckynana said:

Have a wonderful time on the Equinox.  Great ship!!  What time is Sail away??

 I believe it is 6pm!

[TeaBag]

Thank you also, TravelBluebird for answering my question.  I see Connie hasn't moved yet.  wonder are they waiting for someone?  Maybe you'll have a race.....and they're off........🤣

You seem to be having a good time already.  Yes, it's nice to meet people from the roll call eventually.  I talked to an Australian woman for 18 months before we met on the cruise from Honolulu to Sydney and it was amazing to finally meet.  We still keep in touch and that was 14 years ago.

I really admire you not having lunch on a cruise and being careful about desserts also.  I usually gain about 3# because I love to eat food I haven't prepared myself.  Funny, during this awful COViD period, people are talking about gaining weight.  I am losing because there's no cruises for us at the moment.

Have a fabulous time.

[Ken the cruiser]

Just now, TeaBag said:

Thank you also, TravelBluebird for answering my question.  I see Connie hasn't moved yet.  wonder are they waiting for someone?  Maybe you'll have a race.....and they're off........🤣

 

Am I missing something? Isn't Connie's first passenger cruise set for Nov 7th?

[TeaBag]

The schedule said she was sailing at 5PM.  Maybe someone goofed?

 

Big plume of smoke from Equinox, you're definitely getting ready to go.

[TeaBag]

Here you are and all the lucky Equinox sailors.  Happy sailing!

[Luckynana]

I got to watch you go!!!  Have a wonderful time on your cruise!  I'm jealous!

[TravelBluebird]

4 hours ago, TeaBag said:

I really admire you not having lunch on a cruise and being careful about desserts also.  I usually gain about 3# because I love to eat food I haven't prepared myself. 

 

Busy day! Back in our room finally; its nearly 11pm!  The only reason I’m careful on a cruise is that I LOVE food so much. And I’m short, so if I gain 3 pounds on a cruise, its like a whole dress size!  Although I only eat 2 meals at home, I definitely get more calories on a cruise ship (including all the alcoholic drinks I don’t normally drink) but they get offset by all the walking! And exercise classes. Doing a Pulse Barre class in the morning! 

 

But these ;problems (trying not to gain weight on a cruise ship) are the kinds of problems I’m happy to have!

 

And unfortunately (well, fortunately really) food at home is great and Russ is the main cook, so I definitely gained those COVID pounds!

 

 

[TravelBluebird]

Great, fun busy day!

 

7 hours ago, PinkSandGirl said:

Hi!  Sunday and then Friday.  This is how it was on the (current) previous 9-night ABC sailings on the Equinox.    I'll be on in a few weeks so I asked someone who was on the sailing.  

 

Have a wonderful cruise! 

 

Thank you! We worked that out today; after lunch we went to Murano and they were able to move our reservations for Murano and Le Petit Chef to non-formal night days, since we’d like to eat at Blu on formal nights!

 

 

 

 

 

[TravelBluebird]

Ok; photos may have to wait until I talk to the internet people tomorrow; I only did iphone photos today, but they are stuck on my phone and I can’t get them to my iPad to post them here, since both devices can’t be online together (1 device at a time). 

 

That said, I did purchase the streaming internet which was $180 upgrade for the entire trip. Did it at the iLearning/internet place so I could check it out; nice facility; if I have time may try one of their classes.

 

Then we unpacked.At first I didn’t think everything would fit for neat storage, but we got 2 medium American Tourister and 2 small carry-ons worth of stuff all neatly stowed away. Wish there were some shelves in closet for tee-shirts and stuff, but I worked it out. Love all the storage in the bathroom; being vertically challenged, the over-the-bed storage is not useful to me, but I figured out what I could put up there that my husband would have to reach for me (I mean I can reach it if I stand on the bed!).

 

I did check out the “Aqua Class Reception” at 4:15. Since I had already taken the spa tour, not very useful except I did get to see the little outside relaxation area with sun chairs that I missed on the tour.  The only discounts for Aqua Class for treatments were on monster packages of $1,000 in treatments; you save $200...not useful AT ALL; I wish there was a general percentage off individual treatments for Aqua. And 3 free classes is OK but not overly generous; we’ll have to pay for additional fitness classes.

[TravelBluebird]

Sail away was exciting, beautiful..and very wet! We met back up with @MartinsCruise and @SonuvaBeach at the Sunset Bar, and had a marvelous time. It poured rain right right after sail away started, and we were all trapped at the bar under the awning while we waited for it to stop. If there is someplace you want to be trapped, its at the back of a beautiful ship at a bar with flowing drinks with friends!  So no one suffered, although photography was difficult.

 

Back to the room for a bit; I added an excursion at the excursion desk, where we ran into Doug and Pam (my  tired brain is drawing a temporary blank on their Cruise Critic user name). 

 

We thoroughly enjoyed our first dinner at Blu. The service was fast and attentive, the food was hot, and we loved what we had!  

 

We both started with the Chilled Maine Lobster Salad. This was soba noodles in a light sauce with three nice chunks of the lobster (photos to follow tomorrow!). I had the Dorade fish which had a nice, crispy skin like crispy salmon skin, with artichokes and other vegetables, and Russ had the Short Ribs (over mashed potatoes). We shared an extremely good NY Cheesecake for desert (nice, thick ricotta-like cheese and not sweet!), with a decaf espresso for me and a macchiato for Russ.

 

Then some Casino time (We lost! We won! We lost! We ended up even). If you are interested in social distancing, at 7:15 pm the casino was empty; at 9pm, the casino was completely full!

 

We ended the night with comedy in the main theater; the comedian was Corey Rodrigues. He was on the Equinox when everything shut down for COVID in March 2020, The theater was quite full (in a socially distanced way!) for a 9:30 show. Good comedian; observational comedy so not necessarily side-splitting, but he did a good set!

 

And here I am; 11:30. Very pleased to be back sailing the seas, and so far thrilled with my first Celebrity cruise!

[TravelBluebird]

OK! Figured out that I can transfer photos via AirDrop which uses Bluetooth! So...

 

Here are some photos of the stormy skies around boarding and sail away:

 

 

[TravelBluebird]

Dinner at Blu; the Chilled Maine Lobster Salad, bread basket and bread dips, desert and macchiato  (no mains;   forgot those sadly!):