Same Ship Different Season: An Equinox LIVE Solo Review (6/18/22)

[GenerationX]

Checking in from a beautiful evening in FLL to share a little about my hotel.  My rule for myself for pre-cruise hotel stays is that when I’m sailing in a suite, I go a bit more economical on the pre cruise hotel but when I’m sailing in verandas I splurge a bit more on hotel.

 

This time I returned to my pre-Equinox cruise hotel from November, the Hyatt Centric Las Olas.  I’ve found the hotel to be just as nice as I remembered. They are definitely still taking room sanitation very seriously as evidenced by the strong smell of cleaning products wafting down my hallway as the cleaning crew turn checked out rooms.  So far I’ve only had  one hiccup.

 

I love the “cabana” room category at this hotel that has a patio that walks right out onto the pool.  It turns out that this weekend, the hotel is hosting hordes of teenage boys and their parents, siblings, chaperones, etc. for a basketball tournament and they are ALLLL at the pool and behaving how teenage boys behave when they’re away from home and at a pool.  

 

It seems the parents are also trying to live their best hotel pool lives because it was clear from the time I stepped on my patio at 4pm that they were all already SEVERAL mojitos deep, ordering shot rounds and determined to use their Bluetooth speakers to turn the pool area into Miami circa 1985 (and don’t ask me how I know what Miami circa 1985 was like, I may have been 3 years old at the time but I’ve WATCHED Scarface and Miami Vice, thank you).

 

I guess my point is: ye be warned, the cabana rooms are great IF the pool is chill during your stay.  If it isn’t, you’ll need noise cancelling headphones if you have any intention of taking a post-fish tacos jet lag nap.

 

I’ve just sat down to dinner at Lobster Bar Sea Grille which I also discovered during my November Equinox cruise.

 

Some pics from the hotel below. Full report on dinner to come.

 

 

 

 

 

[Mcgeneseo]

I love your description! I grew up in the Miami area and was in my 20's in the 80's (fun time in so. Florida!!!) and went to law school in Ft. Lauderdale, so I can just picture it!!  The good news is that you are cruisin' tomorrow and all will be forgotten. I met you on the November cruise....and am so jealous that you are cruisin' and I'm not! My husband would never let me do a solo cruise because he loves it as much as I do. Have a wonderful time!

[GenerationX]

On 6/15/2022 at 2:54 PM, hcat said:

Yes indeed..that's the one.. short but hopefully very suite! Dh and I  are looking forward to it.  Ship more so than the ports...

 

Def would be nice  to get together!  Have followed your reviews for quite awhile ....you and I have some stuff in common, although I am a few decades and dress sizes  Beyond You!

Hcat...

Looking forward to sailing with you! Same here, I’m there for the ship and don’t know that I’ll even bother going ashore at all.

 

I personally think decades and dress sizes are trivial numbers that society puts far too much importance on for us ladies.  I think we’ll have a great time.  Can’t wait to meet you in person!

[lola2013]

I’m spending my time on the treadmill this morning looking at Equinox on the Port Everglades webcam and wishing I was boarding with you!  
Hope you have a wonderful cruise 😎⚓️

[GenerationX]

IT’S EMBARKATION DAY!!!!

 

Since I spent most of my planned pool time yesterday sitting in the airport in STL, I got up early to take full advantage of my pool walkout room to swim some laps and sip some green tea poolside.

 

I’ve found outdoor pools in Florida tend to be a little cool for my taste but this one is a perfect temp.

 

Getting up was no problem at all because thanks to the amazing bed in my room (one thing I like about Hyatt Centrics, they don’t skimp on the sheet thread counts and sleeping on the mattress with weighted comforter is like being back in the womb) and the Lobster Bar dinner I had in my stomach, I slept like a baby last night.

 

Speaking of said dinner, when I got to Lobster Bar it was another reminder that the world is a different place than it was last November.  When I was last there, the bar dining area was somewhat busy but still felt laid back and kind of cozy. Last night it was full out jam packed with people, complete with DJ blasting club music.  

 

The atmosphere change fortunately didn’t affect the service or food though, both were just as good as before. I decided that because I had a rough travel day, life is short and YOLO, I’d start dinner with a cosmopolitan cocktail, then have the bone in rib-eye and whole lobster surf & turf with garlic mashed potatoes and a nice glass of Pinot and then finish off with strawberry cheesecake and a 20-year tawny port for dessert.

 

I didn’t have the steak last time and I’m so glad I tried it. Just as good as the lobster. Impeccably seasoned and seared to perfection.  It’s too bad I have to get home right after the cruise for work commitments. I would have loved to do a post-cruise night in FLL and go have that steak again.  Oh well, just a matter of mere hours now till Tuscan Grille steak awaits!

 

As I was finishing my port and convincing myself not to lick the last of the creme fraiche off my cheesecake plate, I felt my 1am wake up time and failed attempt at afternoon napping start to catch up to me.  I walked the 2 blocks back to the hotel, chromecast some Netflix on my room TV and was asleep within minutes.

 

After I finish my tea I’ll head in to shower, pack up, watch my safety drill videos in the app and get ready to head to port!
 

 

 

 

 

 

[GenerationX]

It’s the final countdown!  

 

Due to an earlier flight (noon), my end of cruise plan is to walk off carrying my own luggage first thing in the morning.  This necessitated dropping down from my usual 3 suitcases to 2.

 

Later in the review, if you see me start to go on about potential shopping  sprees and/or duty free alcohol purchases, please remind me that my large suitcase is already only 4lbs under American Airlines’s first class 70lb checked bag weight limit.  Thanks in advance!

 

 

 

 

[GenerationX]

HELLO FROM ONBOARD EQUINOX!!!

 

I arrived at the port right at my 11:30 check in start time and was onboard Equinox by 11:45.  Once I went through security and all my documents had been checked, I had a less than 5 minute wait in the seating area before my group was called up to board.

 

I just dropped my suitcase off in my stateroom and grabbed my seapass, checked in at my muster station and am settling in for the concierge class lunch.  

 

There was a small card in the envelope with my seapass telling me where and when the lunch would be.  It’s a good thing I got an early embarkation time as the lunch window is pretty short.

 

I’m already starting to bump into crew members who I met on my November cruise and it was so sweet how many remember me and greeted me with “Ma’am Charla, you’re back!” and seem so excited to see me.

 

In other good news, once I was onboard and connected to ship wifi, I was able to book Murano for dinner tonight through the app, even though it had been showing as all sold out online pre-cruise. So my S-class first night Murano tradition lives on!!!

 

I realize that this means I’ll now be eating 4 dinners  in Murano this cruise, but tradition is tradition and it’s a burden I’m willing to bear.

 

A tip for the solo cruisers following, it looks like even though I’m solo, the premium wifi package that came with my booking still covers two devices, so I’ll be able to connect my laptop to keep up on work without disconnecting my phone.

Speaking of which, unlike previous cruises, this time the onboard wifi right after embarkation has been fast and working very well.

 

 

Stay tuned for an afternoon report on concierge class lunch (most likely to be written at the Martini Bar with a Blue Wave in hand).

 

 

 

 

 

[MISTER 67]

GenerationX, we arrived home a few hours ago from our cruise aboard the Equinox which sailed on June 12th.

I hope your cruise was a good as ours, everything was great from the service to the food to the entertainment. The Equinox is a beautiful ship and after 66 cruises and with 3 on the Equinox I would say she is now our favorite ship.

As of yesterday when the Captain made a announcement, there were only 2 cases of Covid among the passengers and none with the crew. Of course there could have been some on board who didn't report being ill but I hardly heard a cough all week among the 2,002 passengers and 1,100 crew members

Again, enjoy your cruise!

Edited June 18, 2022 by MISTER 67

[CHEZMARYLOU]

We are going 3 days early for our New Year's cruise.

[Jim_Iain]

Curious about the hotel.   Would you mind sharing the name of the hotel you stayed at and the price range.    We may be stuck in tradition but always stay at Embassy Suites since we are so familiar with the area and close by Grocery and Shopping Centers.

[long time lurker]

When you go to Murano if Neeraj is still the sommelier you will get the best service.  He is hands down the best sommelier we have had on Celebrity.  He was in the dining room in October and Murano in March.  He pairs expertly with your meal!

[FlorenceItaly]

8 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Curious about the hotel.   Would you mind sharing the name of the hotel you stayed at and the price range.    We may be stuck in tradition but always stay at Embassy Suites since we are so familiar with the area and close by Grocery and Shopping Centers.

Jim,

I believe in an earlier post she mentioned Hyatt Centric which is at 100 Las Olas Blvd.  We have an emotional attachment to the Riverside Hotel on Las Olas Blvd.  You would love Las Olas Blvd!

[Janthere]

17 hours ago, GenerationX said:

Checking in from a beautiful evening in FLL to share a little about my hotel.  My rule for myself for pre-cruise hotel stays is that when I’m sailing in a suite, I go a bit more economical on the pre cruise hotel but when I’m sailing in verandas I splurge a bit more on hotel.

 

This time I returned to my pre-Equinox cruise hotel from November, the Hyatt Centric Las Olas.  I’ve found the hotel to be just as nice as I remembered. They are definitely still taking room sanitation very seriously as evidenced by the strong smell of cleaning products wafting down my hallway as the cleaning crew turn checked out rooms.  So far I’ve only had  one hiccup.

 

I love the “cabana” room category at this hotel that has a patio that walks right out onto the pool.  It turns out that this weekend, the hotel is hosting hordes of teenage boys and their parents, siblings, chaperones, etc. for a basketball tournament and they are ALLLL at the pool and behaving how teenage boys behave when they’re away from home and at a pool.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I stayed at the same hotel our last cruise from FLL but had no idea they had this room type - I will definitely check that out next time we stay - especially mid-week. Thank you for the tip!

[GenerationX]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

Curious about the hotel.   Would you mind sharing the name of the hotel you stayed at and the price range.    We may be stuck in tradition but always stay at Embassy Suites since we are so familiar with the area and close by Grocery and Shopping Centers.

Happy to give more info Jim! The hotel is the Hyatt Centric Las Olas. I believe my Hyatt loyalty member rate for my room was $280, but they have cheaper rooms if you don’t want the cabana level.

 

The Las Olas area has lots of great restaurants, museums and bars all within walking distance and it was a 15 minute, $12 Uber ride to Port Everglades.

[GenerationX]

Yep, definitely Martini Bar time…

 

As promised a report on concierge lunch:

 

It has been YEARS since I sailed concierge class and had the lunch.  When I got to the restaurant it wasn’t very crowded and I was escorted to my table by the beautiful Somjit who took such good care of me in Sushi on 5 in November. She let me know that she’s now working in Tuscan Grille and I’m looking forward to seeing her for my dinners there.

 

For lunch I had the Caesar salad, salmon and apple pie.  My salmon was beautifully presented but a little overdone. The apple pie was good but NOT my grandma’s, but the ice cream with it was delicious.  I remember years ago when I did this lunch there were some awesome lamb chops on the menu but looks like that’s no more.  

 

Overall I don’t think food quality wise  it’ll be my best meal of the week, but no  big complaints and it was a nice, relaxed way to have a sit down meal to start the cruise.

 

Pics of food and menu below!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 18, 2022 by GenerationX

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, FlorenceItaly said:

Jim,

I believe in an earlier post she mentioned Hyatt Centric which is at 100 Las Olas Blvd.  We have an emotional attachment to the Riverside Hotel on Las Olas Blvd.  You would love Las Olas Blvd!

2 hours ago, GenerationX said:

Happy to give more info Jim! The hotel is the Hyatt Centric Las Olas. I believe my Hyatt loyalty member rate for my room was $280, but they have cheaper rooms if you don’t want the cabana level.

 

The Las Olas area has lots of great restaurants, museums and bars all within walking distance and it was a 15 minute, $12 Uber ride to Port Everglades.

 

Thanks I missed that.    Really lookd comfortable.  When we are in a day early we usually walk down to Las Olas.   It is a nice area for sure. 

 

On our next cruise I currently have a non-stop booked from SFO to MIA so may be spending time in Miami area.

 

 

Edited June 18, 2022 by Jim_Iain

[GenerationX]

A quick update from Equinox:

 

I spent sailaway at the Sunset Bar with some new CC friends then spent some time rehydrating from my day’s antics reading on my veranda.

 

Just settled in at Ensemble Lounge for pre-dinner music and cocktails.  My cocktails are being mixed by the fantastic  Komang who took care of me at Sunset Bar in November and squealed with delight when he saw me sit down at the bar.  Our talented acoustic duo Radio Duo is performing a diverse set that’s included everything from Barry Manilow to Hoonastank.

 

I can smell the lobster wafting from Murano each time the door opens.

 

I am a happy girl.
 

 

 

 

 

 

[GenerationX]

Real Time Update:  

 

After my dinner in Murano (full report in the AM) I decided  I would get one more martini then head to bed.  But then I walked into a silent disco party that was NOT in the app schedule and got my second wind. Guess what kids, the Equinox Funmother  is BAAACK! 
 

 

[swigso]

15 hours ago, FlorenceItaly said:

Jim,

I believe in an earlier post she mentioned Hyatt Centric which is at 100 Las Olas Blvd.  We have an emotional attachment to the Riverside Hotel on Las Olas Blvd.  You would love Las Olas Blvd!

Hi Do not wish to hijack but am looking at the Riverside hotel

why do you like it so much

thanks

steve

[swigso]

By the way Generation X love your reviews

they are right up there with Jim 👍🍷
so much detail and good advice

Edited June 19, 2022 by swigso

[GenerationX]

A very good morning from the open ocean my friends!  Man, about that party last night.  On my way back to my stateroom I had to stop a crew member and double check that I was on a Celebrity ship and that this is an 8-night sailing.  The big crowd in the sky lounge, which looked like it heavily trended towards 20-somethings, was partying like this is a long weekend cruise.

 

When I finally remembered (halfway through the Cupid Shuffle) that I had to be up early this morning for spa appointments and called it a night at 12:30am, the dance floor was still going extremely strong.

 

While I’m lying in bed willing myself to take a shower and get some martini recovery breakfast before the spa, shall we talk dinner at Murano last night?

 

I decided for my first Murano night I would go ahead and order my go to favorites so that my other 3 dinners there this week I can do some menu exploration. This meant having the pork belly appetizer, Murano lobster entree and that thigh enhancing Gran Marnier soufflé for dessert.  I washed it down with a Californian Pinot and a Fladgate 10 year port, both included in the premium package.  That wonderful steak tartare was back for the amuse buche.  Everything was as delicious as I remembered and the service from Michael was wonderful!

 

As is standard at Murano, between my entree and dessert I was offered a cheese course.  What was not standard (at least not as of November when I was last on S-class) was that rather than rolling over a fancy cheese cart, doing a presentation and having me select which cheeses I wanted, the cheese assortment was pre-plated.  No cart to be found.

 

At the end of the day, the cheeses were still really good quality, but the loss of the cart made me a little sad.  There are so few places on land (at least in the Midwest where I’m from) or at sea (at least on cruise lines that I can afford) where fancy cheese cart presentations are still a thing and it’s something I always looked forward to at Murano on Celebrity.  

 

I’m kind of hoping maybe the cart was just broken for this sailing and that this isn’t a permanent change.  I get that Celebrity is trying to go more “modern” luxury and I really am here for it, but there are sometimes where old school luxury just can’t be beat and I feel like this is one of those.

 

Speaking of old school luxury (and actually the French for that matter), you would think by now I would learn my lesson and would cease using the forward elevators to get to Deck 5 so that I can avoid the shops.

 

Will you look at this beauty?  I think I remember seeing a post recently where someone was expressing surprise that the Louis’s and other super high end bags for sale on Celebrity are pre-owned.  This actually wasn’t ever a surprise for me as someone who regularly lurks the new Gucci/Fendi/LV lines (almost as often as I lurk other things I can’t possibly afford like the Silversea Antarctica cruise offerings and the Four Seasons Maldives).  I could tell these bags weren’t from any recent lines and the prices (still not cheap AT ALL but thousands less that what’s charged for new) were a dead giveaway.  The bags also have a tag and QR code on them from vintage fashion authentication company, so I don’t thing Celebrity is really trying to hide anything.

 

My dirty little secret is that the few ultra high end bags I do own are all bought from luxury second hand boutiques (my goal is to never be closet rich and cruise poor), so I have a little experience with assessing the condition and restoration level of the bags and the ones Celebrity sells do look like pretty good quality.  
 

That being said, once again, if anyone onboard sees me by the pool calculating the taxes I’d have to pay at customs declaration next Sunday if I buy this GORGEOUS bag, please feel free to slap my phone out my hand.

 

More to come later today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[FlorenceItaly]

1 hour ago, swigso said:

Hi Do not wish to hijack but am looking at the Riverside hotel

why do you like it so much

thanks

steve

We enjoy the location, decor, happy hour, and more!  With that said, we now only stay in the newer portion which is labeled "executive tower" rooms.  I say newer very loosely, lol.  We've had special times there, and this is part of why it is so special to us.  I hope this helps.

[cluso]

We love cheese carts too, but I would guess that Covid is the reason it is not in service.  🙄

[GenerationX]

I’ve managed to pull myself together to start my sea day.

 

I guess everyone else is still sleeping off the sky lounge last night because Oceanview is a ghost town at 8am.  No wait for made to order omelets and I had espresso and mimosa (hair of the dog, people) service within 5 minutes of sitting down.

 

Plans for the Day:

 

-Pedicure and Facial at the Spa

-Lunch at Sushi on 5

-Afternoon Pool and Reading Time

-Celebrity Production Show

-Dinner at Tuscan Grille

 

I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday and that your breakfast view is half as good as mine!
 

 

[cinderellen]

I’m curious what you are reading this cruise. You mentioned two books on your last cruise-“The Woman in Cabin 10” and “Crossing on the Paris”. I read both on our March Apex cruise and loved both of them.