A Few Observations From The Poop Deck Equinox

[ChucktownSteve]

3 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Well here is something really unusual in the annals of maritime cruising. Docked right across from the Celebrity Equinox is a real life "Hotel California", The FREEWIND.  A very 'storied' cruise ship indeed. It is docked rather permanently here in Aruba. It is a Retreat for Scientologists.

 

Do they also have the same shows every night?

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, ChucktownSteve said:

 

Do they also have the same shows every night?

Mind-bending ?  DW saw school children in school uniforms returning to the ship this afternoon and boarding the ship. They must be long term families on board.

Edited November 24, 2021 by morpheusofthesea

[CruiserRob]

6 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

It is docked rather permanently here in Aruba.

Not permanently.  Here it is last month in Curaçao 

[morpheusofthesea]

7 hours ago, CruiserRob said:

Not permanently.  Here it is last month in Curaçao 

So those children coming back on board have different school uniforms each month ?

[morpheusofthesea]

Here is something interesting. We docked this morning Willemstad, Curacao and are greeted by a continuous loop, on shore, loudspeaker announcement in English and Spanish that everyone wear a face mask and to wash hands at their hand sanitizing stations.

[morpheusofthesea]

Nearby Resort. How many on board will be frequenting this resort today ? (And how many at the resort wish they were frequenting the Celebrity Equinox?)

[morpheusofthesea]

When we got back from breakfast this morning the room steward 'over-anticipated' our need for extra pool towels. (We expect a phone call from the pool looking for some strays). This, in the luxury cruise market, is an example of 'attention to detail.' 

   The Luminae is closed for lunch in port so we tried room service menu items that were delivered by our butler/host to have on the balcony.  Though it is a nice, romantic idea, we now understand why Celebrity has opened Sushi on 5 (Le Bistro on Edge) on port days for guests. The room service fare is just so-so, standard and one only has about 15 minutes before the port side flies come to join the party.

[FLCruiser97]

23 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

When we got back from breakfast this morning the room steward 'over-anticipated' our need for extra pool towels. (We expect a phone call from the pool looking for some strays). This, in the luxury cruise market, is an example of 'attention to detail.' 

   The Luminae is closed for lunch in port so we tried room service menu items that were delivered by our butler/host to have on the balcony.  Though it is a nice, romantic idea, we now understand why Celebrity has opened Sushi on 5 (Le Bistro on Edge) on port days for guests. The room service fare is just so-so, standard and one only has about 15 minutes before the port side flies come to join the party.

Holy Stack of Towels Batman! Do you think you have enough? LOL

[morpheusofthesea]

It is 4 pm and the continuous loop loudspeaker at the port has been repeating the same message every 30 seconds. Orwellian future is here ! "Wear your face mask and wash your hands at our hand washing cruise terminal stations!"  

  The nearby resort  is the Mangrove Beach Corenden Curacao all inclusive Curio by Hilton (photo above) it is the only hotel next to a beach on this island (so advertised on line).

   A common question we get as passengers from staff every day is "Are you going ashore ?". Our reply is most consoling to them, "We do not bother going ashore when we are on a beautiful cruise ship like the Equinox, besides it is safer on board." (why rub salt in wounds? Most go months without shore leave).

  (Its 4:18 pm the commands have been silenced from shore).

[morpheusofthesea]

Here is idea for future occupants of this cabin in better more sociable times. Plan a soiree and hire the piano player to play this piano for cocktail hour before dinner some evening. Take pictures and post them here.

[morpheusofthesea]

We are really not that experienced with the amenities one is 'entitled' to in the cabin category. Reading another social media site (FB) under the Celebrity Retreat heading we note a post from the site's administrator that just got off the Celebrity Summit staying in a Royal Suite,  that she received and photoed a  cellophane wrapped  set of bathrobes and on day 5 received pajamas. Does one have to be a social media 'darling' to receive these complimentary robes ? 

[morpheusofthesea]

We asked our butler/host about receiving new wrapped bathrobes to 'take home' complimentary. He said he would have to check with his superior.  We got the robes.

[morpheusofthesea]

It is a beautiful day in Bonaire. No  'Orwellian' mega phone announcements at the port.

   Today is Thanksgiving and port day, so no Luminae. Big holiday buffet in the OceanView Cafe. Will try to save the turkey for tonight and opt for fried rice  for lunch. The Luminae has been posting many of its waiters in the Oceanview Cafe on these port days and these waiters have been searching us out and attending to us even in the buffet. Service has been marvelous throughout the entire trip.

[morpheusofthesea]

From my vantage point on deck 11, looking out at the rest of Bonaire (see photos above) one gets the feeling of Gulliver waking in Lilliput. There are no structures over 4 stories and the Celebrity Equinox is a giant come to visit.

[Travelexpert35]

Loved visiting Bonaire on our cruise a few years ago. Quaint little shops and as you said no more than 4 stories. Enjoy your day relaxing on the balcony. Happy Thanksgiving!

[morpheusofthesea]

My 'cursory' examination of the ultra luxury cruise ships versus the 'ship within a ship' mega liners brings to fore more differences than similarities, in favor of the latter. I am reminded of a TV episode I caught years ago of Great Railway Journeys of the World. This episode was dedicated to the top cabin aboard the Orient Express. The 'takeaway' was that the lowest cabin category on most any modern day cruise ship is more luxurious than the most expensive suite on the luxury Orient Express. (Just comparing apples to oranges).   Luxury cruisers are sacrificing in order to have their caviar on demand. Smaller ships of 600-1000 adults only, they get smaller cabins with smaller balcony, more exotic "glossy" unknown hard to get to places means early morning noisy "anchors away"  before sunrise. Many times sporadic WiFi.  And most profoundly the crew on a smaller ultra luxury cruise ship has to put up with an entire ship of 'prima-donnas' versus only 300 maximum on a mega liner 'ship within a ship'. (Myself included)

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

3 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

We asked our butler/host about receiving new wrapped bathrobes to 'take home' complimentary. He said he would have to check with his superior.  We got the robes.

 

I have zero interest in the pjs, but I love those robes.  Hope to have the same result when I sail next April.  When I booked, those were considered an amenity in the PH.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

18 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

My 'cursory' examination of the ultra luxury cruise ships versus the 'ship within a ship' mega liners brings to fore more differences than similarities, in favor of the latter. I am reminded of a TV episode I caught years ago of Great Railway Journeys of the World. This episode was dedicated to the top cabin aboard the Orient Express. The 'takeaway' was that the lowest cabin category on most any modern day cruise ship is more luxurious than the most expensive suite on the luxury Orient Express. (Just comparing apples to oranges).   Luxury cruisers are sacrificing in order to have their caviar on demand. Smaller ships of 600-1000 adults only, they get smaller cabins with smaller balcony, more exotic "glossy" unknown hard to get to places means early morning noisy "anchors away"  before sunrise. Many times sporadic WiFi.  And most profoundly the crew on a smaller ultra luxury cruise ship has to put up with an entire ship of 'prima-donnas' versus only 300 maximum on a mega liner 'ship within a ship'. (Myself included)

 

Interesting observation.  I will put it to the test when I sail Explora I in 2023, the new all-suite ship from MSC.  Having sailed in Yacht Club on MSC, I will be able to compare.  Plus Retreat class on Celebrity.

 

[morpheusofthesea]

Thriller.. Captain Tasos waits for 2 late passengers. The ship bursts into cheers as they run for the gangway. Captain sounds the horn in jubilation.. We leave Bonaire, all present and accounted for.

[morpheusofthesea]

What almost happened to the 2 passengers that just made it back to the ship. There were 2 calls on the Public Address system for the two passengers to contact the Guest Relations desk about 10 minutes apart. (In case they were on board, though they were logged still off).  The gentleman in the video on his phone in light blue with a backpack was the Celebrity Port Agent that was to be handed off these passengers' passports, which was just about to happen until they were spotted running by the passengers on deck raising a cry. The Captain had just moments before announced there were 2 passengers missing and it did not appear likely they would make it back to the ship on time. A Thanksgiving Day thanksgiving.

[morpheusofthesea]

We are on our way home. Comparing our recent trips on the only cruise line that has come closest to back to normal cruising, Celebrity. There are those on board that  still wish to wear masks, and the crew, they are the only reminder  of the pandemic. The rest still cram into elevators, refuse to wash their hands at the buffet, sit close together in the theatre, and don't cover their coughs in public settings, but we had a good time anyway because the ship was still under capacity.  We feel we experienced the same level of great service in the Retreat regardless of the cabin category. One important aspect we will consider in the future on any cruise ship due to our aversion to crammed elevators with coughers is to have all the important venues close by, not like present moment with our dining on deck 3 and our stateroom on deck 11. But that is only due to our age and climbing abilities.

[loerie]

We are on this cruise -fantastic -no complaints about anything!

[Pinboy]

20 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

The rest still cram into elevators, refuse to wash their hands at the buffet, sit close together in the theatre, and don't cover their coughs in public settings

THAT is why Pinboy is staying home , freezing his a-- off , and enjoying reading posts on CC--- 

Most are excellent and informative, as this one is -- Some , not so much.

( I know, I know --so don't read 'em ).

 

 

[morpheusofthesea]

Today is our last day of the cruise and the Captain has announced that we are 'hightailing it' back to Port Everglades 7 hours earlier than expected due to another medical emergency. Just finished a tour of the bridge and we are traveling at 25 nautical miles per hour and should arrive back to Terminal 29 at 11pm tonight, instead of 6:30 am tomorrow morning. Makes for a real breezy time out on the veranda.

   In photo below please note the glass window in the floor of the bridge, used to visually park the ship close to the pier.

[morpheusofthesea]

Interesting bridge tour.  About 12 of us assemble at the appointed time and place. No hand bags and requested to wear masks during tour. Security person 'wands' each guest and then escorts us to bridge security doors. First security door opens and group assemble in 'crew type' hallway as this security door automatically closes behind us before the next security door electronically unlocks 5 to 10 seconds after the first locks behind us.

  Videos are not allowed of the bridge, only photos. First is bridge, second official bridge hand waver, and the third is the biggest compass I have ever seen, confidently pointing in 'only' one direction (not spinning wildly in circles while traversing the Bermuda Triangle.)