Observations From The Poop Deck Christmas/New Years Equinox

[morpheusofthesea]

Attended the 7:00 pm show last night at 7:20 (got out of dinner a little late, don't like to rush). 'Our' seats are the last to fill in the theatre so they were still available. At then end of the performance we wait til the crowd has left before we get up to leave. This time a crew member with a back pack filled with disinfectant and motorized fogger did not see us still seated as he began his fogging the theatre just three feet from us. We popped up out of our seats and startled him. He immediately stopped and apologized profusely for fogging us. We returned to the theatre to 'catch' the first 20 minutes of the 9:00 pm show that we initially missed  (the seats were still unoccupied) and left at 9:20 to 'catch' an unoccupied elevator up to deck 11 while most the ship was in the theatre.

[morpheusofthesea]

The first 10 minutes of the show last night was the Captain and his staff. Most memorable and most interesting point was the Captain's remark that the Equinox has the highest ratings in the entire fleet for having the 'friendliest' staff and crew. I caught the statistic that the chef prepared 14,000 meals per day on board (they must of counted me twice). Our only 'problem' with the cruise is that the Luminae is closed on port days.

[morpheusofthesea]

The Captain just gave us his 10 am announcement that we have our first positive case on board. Been moved to isolation and contact traced are all negative (so far).

[morpheusofthesea]

It has been about 30 minutes since the Captain's announcement. I just finished looking up the definition of the word 'hypochondriacal', and checking my vital signs. I think this announcement has just changed the mood on board.

[Covepointcruiser]

With the a,out of new COVID infections a positive case can be expected.   I saw in the news this morning that Florida new COVID cases were up over 500% over the last two weeks.   Testing two days before sailing is not helping much.   I hope they can figure out how to test right before boarding at the pier.

[bigtony22127]

Thanks for your updates! I find them really informative. We are supposed to be on the Equinox on Jan 3 so I'm following this closely.

[Cruising is my passion]

Apart from anyone who may be traveling with this +person…..how are they contact tracing?  Unless they are using facial recognition on cameras around the ship?

[morpheusofthesea]

57 minutes ago, Cruising is my passion said:

Apart from anyone who may be traveling with this +person…..how are they contact tracing?  Unless they are using facial recognition on cameras around the ship?

We've only spent two nights on board. Must be just traveling companions ? Considering wearing masks in theatre tonight. 

[morpheusofthesea]

It's still great to be on board.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Thanks for the live from thread again.  We had this cruise booked for next year but switched to Reflection which is only New Year's.  Have you been up to the retreat deck yet? There were some pictures posted, that were supposedly of Equinox, with a hot tub but I think the ship was actually Silhouette.

[morpheusofthesea]

28 minutes ago, CHEZMARYLOU said:

Thanks for the live from thread again.  We had this cruise booked for next year but switched to Reflection which is only New Year's.  Have you been up to the retreat deck yet? There were some pictures posted, that were supposedly of Equinox, with a hot tub but I think the ship was actually Silhouette.

DW made the climb up to the Retreat deck to scope it out. She counted 12 guests at the time of her sojourn. No hot tubs, no pool which was planned until that crane accident/Oasis took precedence at shipyard refit. Elevator stops at deck 15. Talking about Retreat deck this lunch with a waiter, no one knows when but hoping for Retreat refit next dry dock ?

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Thanks, did not expect Mrs MOfTheSeas to make that climb. I suspected that the photos I saw incorrectly identified Equinox. Glad you are enjoying your cruise, stay safe and hunker down.

[morpheusofthesea]

Captain announced at 6:20 pm that another couple reported to 'sick bay' and tested positive and are in isolation. They were contact traced and those that were traced were quarantined to their cabins and all those tested negative. Business as usual. Port call at St. Thomas in the morning. No restrictions.

[luvcruzing]

11 hours ago, Covepointcruiser said:

Testing two days before sailing is not helping much.   I hope they can figure out how to test right before boarding at the pier.

You mean like NCL does?

[morpheusofthesea]

It is a most beautiful day in St. Thomas. The staff call this port of call a "free flow". Passengers can get off and do 'their thing'. This is a hard core group of cruisers. No one appears 'phased' by the announcements. Those with positives are being put off the ship for sure and most probably flown home like advertised. A lot of overnight deep cleaning has taken place. We were told that since this is a US port US officials can board at any time to inspect the ship.  Being Christmas eve did not 'slacken' protocols.

[harrywpb]

On 12/22/2021 at 4:25 PM, morpheusofthesea said:

Here are a few observations. Got to port at 10:15 am. Long line waiting to enter. No line for Retreat guests. Dropped DW off with her luggage and $40 tip to porter to put them on his trolley and wheel them over to security x-ray, while I went to park the car in the parking garage across the street. This was the first time in the last 6 months that the parking garage was full on the 2nd floor. The first floor is 'verboten' with some kind of work (with no workers on a Wednesday morning). Went up the parked up ramp to the third floor and only 5 spaces available. Backed into one of these spots and wrote down the nearest stairwell on my parking stub for future reference. Got a call from DW that the doors were opening for the terminal. No line for Retreat. Went up elevator for security screening and check in seated in Retreat Lounge. 

We’re going on the 1/3 Equinox. What pier did you leave from. I remember that there’s a parking garage close to pier 25. We recently went on the Reflection from pier 29 and I didn’t notice any parking there ( we didn’t drive to that one but will be driving in1/3 ). 
 

thanks Harry

[finny2]

56 minutes ago, harrywpb said:

We’re going on the 1/3 Equinox. What pier did you leave from. I remember that there’s a parking garage close to pier 25. We recently went on the Reflection from pier 29 and I didn’t notice any parking there ( we didn’t drive to that one but will be driving in1/3 ). 
 

thanks Harry

According to the Port Everglades app, the 1/3 Equinox will be at berth 29

[morpheusofthesea]

41 minutes ago, harrywpb said:

We’re going on the 1/3 Equinox. What pier did you leave from. I remember that there’s a parking garage close to pier 25. We recently went on the Reflection from pier 29 and I didn’t notice any parking there ( we didn’t drive to that one but will be driving in1/3 ). 
 

thanks Harry

Dear Harry,  Here is a photo I took from our suite of the port. We started out from Terminal 25. The multi level structure to the left of the ship is the parking garage. A five to 10 minute walk to the Terminal 25 entrance doors. We learned a lesson on that cruise when the Equinox returned to Terminal 29, a mile 1/4 away from this parking garage. Celebrity provided free shuttle service to the garage. Great if one travels 'light' with carry on luggage with rollers. But my DW had 8 suitcases (this trip 11). Best to just leave DW at curb with suitcases....take shuttle alone to retrieve car and drive back to pick-up DW. Too difficult to get multiple bags from curb of parking garage (Not allowed pickup from curb of parking garage by crossing guards) to parking garage elevators, then to level, etc.

[morpheusofthesea]

6 minutes ago, finny2 said:

According to the Port Everglades app, the 1/3 Equinox will be at berth 29

We return from this trip on Jan 3.  We were not notified that we would be leaving from Terminal 25 and returning to Terminal 29 ??? AGAIN ???

[finny2]

3 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

We return from this trip on Jan 3.  We were not notified that we would be leaving from Terminal 25 and returning to Terminal 29 ??? AGAIN ???

It looks like the Apex will be at terminal 25.

[harrywpb]

40 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Dear Harry,  Here is a photo I took from our suite of the port. We started out from Terminal 25. The multi level structure to the left of the ship is the parking garage. A five to 10 minute walk to the Terminal 25 entrance doors. We learned a lesson on that cruise when the Equinox returned to Terminal 29, a mile 1/4 away from this parking garage. Celebrity provided free shuttle service to the garage. Great if one travels 'light' with carry on luggage with rollers. But my DW had 8 suitcases (this trip 11). Best to just leave DW at curb with suitcases....take shuttle alone to retrieve car and drive back to pick-up DW. Too difficult to get multiple bags from curb of parking garage (Not allowed pickup from curb of parking garage by crossing guards) to parking garage elevators, then to level, etc.

Thank you. I’ve heard of this pier 25 departure and pier 29 return. Your system sounds good. Merry Christmas 

[harrywpb]

27 minutes ago, finny2 said:

It looks like the Apex will be at terminal 25.

Thank you for that information. 
Merry Christmas 

[harrywpb]

One more question I have. Does Celebrity provide shuttle service to pier 29 from 25 on embarkation day ?

thanks 

Harry

[morpheusofthesea]

30 minutes ago, harrywpb said:

One more question I have. Does Celebrity provide shuttle service to pier 29 from 25 on embarkation day ?

thanks 

Harry

I asked the same question the last time. NO. But there is supposed to be shuttle service from the garage across the street from Terminal 25 to and from Terminal 29. But waiting around I thought I'd ask the cross walk guards and they didn't have any answers of when or what.

[morpheusofthesea]

2 hours ago, finny2 said:

It looks like the Apex will be at terminal 25.

Thanks for the 'heads up'. You are correct. Just checked with Guest Relations. We left from Terminal 25 and return to Terminal 29 on the 3rd. Will have to take shuttle to retrieve car and return to Terminal 29 to pick up DW. You have been most helpful.