Newbie Equinox ABC Cruise Summary - Sept 16-24, 2023

[CunucuMom]

Brief background; DH and I are in our mid-50s-60s.  First cruise for DH and my only cruising was in the early 70s and 80s (Sitmar, Cunard, NCL) so the experience has changed significantly since that time.  Fond memories of the flaming baked Alaska waiter parades, MDR tableside food prep and beautiful midnight buffet displays. I'll do my best to keep the recap brief and hope my comments may help other newbies.

 

EMBARKATION/DEBARKATION

Couldn't have been any easier.  We drove to PE and arrived early because we didn't know what to expect.  Eventually they starting lining up pax in the queues outside the building and it was fun chatting with the staff and other pax equally excited to board. Once we went inside, the security check was quick and they seated everyone first-in/first-out so the actual boarding process wasn`t chaotic at all.  One thing that`s odd to me for those who park in the garage across from the terminal is the lack of curb cuts/pedestrian markings to cross the street to and from the terminal.  Perhaps I missed them or they're trying to encourage pax to use the porters but it wasn't anything like trying to cross the street in front of an airline terminal so it was a bit of a challenge to stay out of the mass of people and luggage and navigate high curbs trying to get in and out of the terminal/garage area.

 

SHIP/ROOM

We booked a Concierge Class Sunset Veranda online with a big box travel service.  No issues at all and I was able to take advantage of a few price reductions and OBC promotions between the time we booked and final payment.  Our room and the ship itself were just as we envisioned; beautiful and very clean.  We didn't notice any blatant wear and tear issues especially on a ship that sails day in, day out.  My biggest issue were chair table combos that didn't fit so I sometimes felt like a giant trying to eat off the small cocktail tables ringing the deck outside the OVC or when I felt like I was seated at a kiddie table in Al Bacio (high table, low seat).

Our cabin attendant, Raymon, was very professional and kept our cabin impeccable. We did receive the daily Concierge canapes and while they weren't earth-shattering culinary treats, we did appreciate the gesture although we passed on them a few times when we had had a late lunch.  We did receive chocolates on our pillows every night except the last one (go figure...).

Although the ship was full, there was plenty of comfortable seating indoors and outdoors and lots of places to relax and read or just sit in quiet.  As many others have noted, ship staff is constantly cleaning and polishing.  I'm guessing they have strict rules about cellphone use and/or internet access because I don't recall seeing any staff doing hidden texting or surfing like I see employees doing at home.  Very few kids on board.  Mostly toddlers and didn't notice them much except for the adorable little girl in her jammies who was shepherded around the loud late night venues with her dad (looking for mom, perhaps?).

 

DINING/BAR

We're not bar hanger-outers and seldom order cocktails so I really don't have much to say about the bar service except for the surly guy at the pool bar.  I had ordered a Yellow Bird (which I thought is a common Caribbean drink) but he had no clue what's in it and didn't offer up a menu so I could choose something more in his wheelhouse.  I didn't carry my phone around so I couldn't access the app menus.  He later barked at me when I had the audacity to try and place me empty glass at the end of his bar.  I guess he prefers that folks leave their empties scattered on the pool deck.  Not a big deal...just didn't go there again. 

We ended up doing zero specialty restaurants and dined in the MDR and OVC.  I respect the experienced X cruisers lamenting the decline in MDR quality but for us it was exactly what we expected and I would best liken it to dining at Bonefish.  No gripes but I certainly wouldn't characterize it as gourmet fine dining.  Wonderful service from Vijay, Julina and sommelier John.

OVC variety and quality were better than I expected; definitely a step up from Golden Corral.  Even the make-to-order items such as eggs/omelets and caesar salad were quick and delicious.  Never had an issue finding a clean table in the OVC.  Plenty of free cookies to be found at OVC and Al Bacio.

One comment about cleanliness...we didn't find any issues with Celebrity.  Plenty of hand sanitizer stations throughout the ship and friendly smiling women offering Purell squirts at the OVC entrances.  My issue was with the pax who used the restrooms without hand-washing afterwards (I'm talking to you, red backpack baseball cap guy, among others) and the people who roam the OVC stations while eating off of their plates and licking their fingers after using serving utensils.  Ewwwwww!  I carried on the same practices as I did pre-covid; lots of hand-washing, take immune boosters when in crowded places and used hand sanitizer after I had filled my plate and used salt and pepper or condiments before I unrolled my silverware bundle.  So far neither myself nor DH are sick since disembarking.

 

WIFI

I had Basic and DH had Premium.  Basic was almost useless.  I could get emails but had difficulty accessing some websites (including CC) and checking video feeds of our pups at the kennel.  I could have logged in using DHs passcode but it wasn't worth the hassle especially when I didn't want or need to be tethered to my phone.

 

PORTS

To most people, our vacations are akin to watching paint dry so our port excursions were no exception.  We've been to Aruba several times so we went to the grocery store to pick up a few Indonesian foods and hit the salad bar for chicken salad and tuna pasta salad (they're nothing special but they're just so darn good) and a few fresh baked pistolets and headed to Druif (Divi) Beach to hang out.  Pizza Bob's for late lunch (again, nothing special but it's one of our Aruba traditions).  Waited a long time for the bus back to downtown and when it finally arrived we let two local woman board ahead of us and then the driver shut the door and told us to catch the next bus because he was full.  The odd thing is it was rush hour but we saw very few busses compared to previous visits.  We walked over to Alhambra and caught a cab back to port ($13 + tip).

 

Never visited Curacao and had no plans except to explore on our own.  Picked up the walking map and found it handy to identify the historical sights.  Took the water taxi and walked over the swinging bridge a few times.  Overall a charming island that I would enjoy visiting again.

 

In Bonaire we rented a golf cart from bonairecruisers and did both the southern and northern loops.  We didn't have a long day in port so we didn't get off and explore very much but it was fun to see the diverse terrain of the island.  It's a good thing the locals are used to tourists on golf carts because we couldn't drive near as fast as the cars (especially outside the town center) and 
on many of the backroads there weren't safe places to pull over and let traffic pass.  We're glad we explored the island but we're not divers so didn't find any compelling reason to return unless Bonaire is on a cruise itinerary.

 

ENTERTAINMENT

Enjoyed Elysium and Topper (didn't see Life).  Cruise Director Lewis could make me laugh hysterically with just his high-pitched squeal and "ankle-pant poses."  I have to wonder if he'll move to Ascent since his home is in Fort Lauderdale and he's soon to be the father of a baby boy.  Loved Carib Sensation and The Waves.  I'm a 70s disco wannabe and was disappointed with the disco night DJ in the Skylounge.  Too much techno mixing and soundtracks that weren't disco in my book.  Had I known, I would have brought my disco CD collection on board and showed him what disco is all about.  lol

To close, we had a wonderful cruise and loved the Equinox but it's doubtful we've become cruise addicts.  We were never bored but I guess we're just more beach people.  We're looking forward to celebrating our milestone "Thanksgiversary" on Ascent in November and checking out the Edge class.  If you've made it this far, thank you for reading and happy cruising to all!

[peanut head]

What a wonderful review. Thank you. 

[C4HCG]

Thanks for the review, very interesting.

[kywildcatfanone]

Thanks for sharing.  Your comments sound very similar to how we like to cruise, and I'm glad to hear your expectations were met with the food venues.  We don't have super high expectations, but do like some variety for options.  Sounds like there are plenty.  We are onboard next month, and I'm so looking forward to getting away.

[boxkite]

Thanks for sharing your cruise experience with us!

 

We love Aruba and can't wait to visit again next April.

"One Happy Island"

[NaplesKnitter]

Thanks for posting your wonderful trip report. 

[Texed]

Thanks for posting.  😊

[SusieAV8R]

We were on the same sailing.  We independently booked a cooking class with Chef Helmi, Caribbean Chef on Curcao.  There were 14 of us; 3 others were on the Equinox too.  It was a fantastic experience!!  Tip:  we walked across the floating bridge to catch a cab, which was half the price of those waiting by the pier.

[maiaaya]

Thanks for posting! We were on Equinox in July and we also loved Lewis!!🥰

[Arzeena]

Great review! I enjoyed reading it. Thank you.

[Michele M]

Thanks for the review.

 

Question about the wifi. Did you happen to try wifi calling or send pictures through email with the basic package?  I try to call my 90 yr old mom for a few minutes each day. She only has a land line. The basic wifi on Princess allows me to use wifi calling and email pics a few at a time. Just wondering if I have to upgrade.  

 

Edited October 3, 2023 by Michele M

[kywildcatfanone]

2 minutes ago, Michele M said:

Thanks for the review.

 

Question about the wifi. Did you happen to try wifi calling or send pictures through email with the basic package?  I try to call my 90 yr old mom for a few minutes each day. She only has a land line. The basic wifi on Princess allows me to use wifi calling and email pics a few at a time. Just wondering if I have to upgrade.  

 

I hope for others to chime in.  I've had basic wifi on Celebrity once and it was barely usable for anything other than reading email, wouldn't even download pictures.  I would expect you would need premium to make wifi calls.  

 

Princess only has one wifi I think, so they don't segregate between basic and premium. 

[NBliving]

On 9/29/2023 at 9:53 AM, CunucuMom said:

few fresh baked pistolets a

@CunucuMom which grocery store did you to to? We love pistolets and are heading to Aruba in February!! TIA

[bikerunner]

36 minutes ago, Michele M said:

Thanks for the review.

 

Question about the wifi. Did you happen to try wifi calling or send pictures through email with the basic package?  I try to call my 90 yr old mom for a few minutes each day. She only has a land line. The basic wifi on Princess allows me to use wifi calling and email pics a few at a time. Just wondering if I have to upgrade.  

 

I have used basic wifi for wifi calls, no issues, its when you start doing pics and large data transfer its not really usable.  

[Michele M]

Thanks

[NBliving]

On 9/29/2023 at 8:00 PM, SusieAV8R said:

We were on the same sailing.  We independently booked a cooking class with Chef Helmi, Caribbean Chef on Curcao.  There were 14 of us; 3 others were on the Equinox too.  It was a fantastic experience!!  Tip:  we walked across the floating bridge to catch a cab, which was half the price of those waiting by the pier.

Hi @SusieAV8R, I’d love more info on the cooking class - how you booked etc. You can email me at kgwoods at swbelldotnet or post here. Sounds like fun!

[CunucuMom]

2 hours ago, NBliving said:

@CunucuMom which grocery store did you to to? We love pistolets and are heading to Aruba in February!! TIA

Since we went to the beach in the low rise section of the island we picked up snacks at Ling & Sons (Super Foods is the main grocery store in the high rise section).  Nice salad bar, bakery and cheeses.  We also enjoy browsing the non-US branded products.  Originally planned to take the bus but there were several cabs right outside the pier so we took one to Ling for $10 + tip.

[CunucuMom]

2 hours ago, Michele M said:

Thanks for the review.

 

Question about the wifi. Did you happen to try wifi calling or send pictures through email with the basic package? 

 

DH upgraded to Premium during one of the flash sales so the only phone calls we made were from his phone.  He did try to call and text my phone (basic wifi) but it didn't work.  We could have swapped the Premium passcode between our phones but it wasn't worth the hassle as long as we had one phone that could make calls.

[MisterMet]

On 9/29/2023 at 10:53 AM, CunucuMom said:

Brief background; DH and I are in our mid-50s-60s.  First cruise for DH and my only cruising was in the early 70s and 80s (Sitmar, Cunard, NCL) so the experience has changed significantly since that time.  Fond memories of the flaming baked Alaska waiter parades, MDR tableside food prep and beautiful midnight buffet displays. I'll do my best to keep the recap brief and hope my comments may help other newbies.

 

EMBARKATION/DEBARKATION

Couldn't have been any easier.  We drove to PE and arrived early because we didn't know what to expect.  Eventually they starting lining up pax in the queues outside the building and it was fun chatting with the staff and other pax equally excited to board. Once we went inside, the security check was quick and they seated everyone first-in/first-out so the actual boarding process wasn`t chaotic at all.  One thing that`s odd to me for those who park in the garage across from the terminal is the lack of curb cuts/pedestrian markings to cross the street to and from the terminal.  Perhaps I missed them or they're trying to encourage pax to use the porters but it wasn't anything like trying to cross the street in front of an airline terminal so it was a bit of a challenge to stay out of the mass of people and luggage and navigate high curbs trying to get in and out of the terminal/garage area.

 

SHIP/ROOM

We booked a Concierge Class Sunset Veranda online with a big box travel service.  No issues at all and I was able to take advantage of a few price reductions and OBC promotions between the time we booked and final payment.  Our room and the ship itself were just as we envisioned; beautiful and very clean.  We didn't notice any blatant wear and tear issues especially on a ship that sails day in, day out.  My biggest issue were chair table combos that didn't fit so I sometimes felt like a giant trying to eat off the small cocktail tables ringing the deck outside the OVC or when I felt like I was seated at a kiddie table in Al Bacio (high table, low seat).

Our cabin attendant, Raymon, was very professional and kept our cabin impeccable. We did receive the daily Concierge canapes and while they weren't earth-shattering culinary treats, we did appreciate the gesture although we passed on them a few times when we had had a late lunch.  We did receive chocolates on our pillows every night except the last one (go figure...).

Although the ship was full, there was plenty of comfortable seating indoors and outdoors and lots of places to relax and read or just sit in quiet.  As many others have noted, ship staff is constantly cleaning and polishing.  I'm guessing they have strict rules about cellphone use and/or internet access because I don't recall seeing any staff doing hidden texting or surfing like I see employees doing at home.  Very few kids on board.  Mostly toddlers and didn't notice them much except for the adorable little girl in her jammies who was shepherded around the loud late night venues with her dad (looking for mom, perhaps?).

 

DINING/BAR

We're not bar hanger-outers and seldom order cocktails so I really don't have much to say about the bar service except for the surly guy at the pool bar.  I had ordered a Yellow Bird (which I thought is a common Caribbean drink) but he had no clue what's in it and didn't offer up a menu so I could choose something more in his wheelhouse.  I didn't carry my phone around so I couldn't access the app menus.  He later barked at me when I had the audacity to try and place me empty glass at the end of his bar.  I guess he prefers that folks leave their empties scattered on the pool deck.  Not a big deal...just didn't go there again. 

We ended up doing zero specialty restaurants and dined in the MDR and OVC.  I respect the experienced X cruisers lamenting the decline in MDR quality but for us it was exactly what we expected and I would best liken it to dining at Bonefish.  No gripes but I certainly wouldn't characterize it as gourmet fine dining.  Wonderful service from Vijay, Julina and sommelier John.

OVC variety and quality were better than I expected; definitely a step up from Golden Corral.  Even the make-to-order items such as eggs/omelets and caesar salad were quick and delicious.  Never had an issue finding a clean table in the OVC.  Plenty of free cookies to be found at OVC and Al Bacio.

One comment about cleanliness...we didn't find any issues with Celebrity.  Plenty of hand sanitizer stations throughout the ship and friendly smiling women offering Purell squirts at the OVC entrances.  My issue was with the pax who used the restrooms without hand-washing afterwards (I'm talking to you, red backpack baseball cap guy, among others) and the people who roam the OVC stations while eating off of their plates and licking their fingers after using serving utensils.  Ewwwwww!  I carried on the same practices as I did pre-covid; lots of hand-washing, take immune boosters when in crowded places and used hand sanitizer after I had filled my plate and used salt and pepper or condiments before I unrolled my silverware bundle.  So far neither myself nor DH are sick since disembarking.

 

WIFI

I had Basic and DH had Premium.  Basic was almost useless.  I could get emails but had difficulty accessing some websites (including CC) and checking video feeds of our pups at the kennel.  I could have logged in using DHs passcode but it wasn't worth the hassle especially when I didn't want or need to be tethered to my phone.

 

PORTS

To most people, our vacations are akin to watching paint dry so our port excursions were no exception.  We've been to Aruba several times so we went to the grocery store to pick up a few Indonesian foods and hit the salad bar for chicken salad and tuna pasta salad (they're nothing special but they're just so darn good) and a few fresh baked pistolets and headed to Druif (Divi) Beach to hang out.  Pizza Bob's for late lunch (again, nothing special but it's one of our Aruba traditions).  Waited a long time for the bus back to downtown and when it finally arrived we let two local woman board ahead of us and then the driver shut the door and told us to catch the next bus because he was full.  The odd thing is it was rush hour but we saw very few busses compared to previous visits.  We walked over to Alhambra and caught a cab back to port ($13 + tip).

 

Never visited Curacao and had no plans except to explore on our own.  Picked up the walking map and found it handy to identify the historical sights.  Took the water taxi and walked over the swinging bridge a few times.  Overall a charming island that I would enjoy visiting again.

 

In Bonaire we rented a golf cart from bonairecruisers and did both the southern and northern loops.  We didn't have a long day in port so we didn't get off and explore very much but it was fun to see the diverse terrain of the island.  It's a good thing the locals are used to tourists on golf carts because we couldn't drive near as fast as the cars (especially outside the town center) and 
on many of the backroads there weren't safe places to pull over and let traffic pass.  We're glad we explored the island but we're not divers so didn't find any compelling reason to return unless Bonaire is on a cruise itinerary.

 

ENTERTAINMENT

Enjoyed Elysium and Topper (didn't see Life).  Cruise Director Lewis could make me laugh hysterically with just his high-pitched squeal and "ankle-pant poses."  I have to wonder if he'll move to Ascent since his home is in Fort Lauderdale and he's soon to be the father of a baby boy.  Loved Carib Sensation and The Waves.  I'm a 70s disco wannabe and was disappointed with the disco night DJ in the Skylounge.  Too much techno mixing and soundtracks that weren't disco in my book.  Had I known, I would have brought my disco CD collection on board and showed him what disco is all about.  lol

To close, we had a wonderful cruise and loved the Equinox but it's doubtful we've become cruise addicts.  We were never bored but I guess we're just more beach people.  We're looking forward to celebrating our milestone "Thanksgiversary" on Ascent in November and checking out the Edge class.  If you've made it this far, thank you for reading and happy cruising to all!

Great review.  Thank you for your efforts.  We LOVE the Equinox.

[SusieAV8R]

6 hours ago, NBliving said:

Hi @SusieAV8R, I’d love more info on the cooking class - how you booked etc. You can email me at kgwoods at swbelldotnet or post here. Sounds like fun!

Go to helmismeulders.com or google Helmi Smeulders-Caribbean chef.  She was doing business with X, but then there was a falling out.  No idea why, but I can tell you the 5 of us from X paid about half what X had quoted us. Helmi showed us how to look for ripe fruit /veggies, edible native flowers, tricks in peeling the fruits/veggies, etc.  Then we "students" each prepared a dish (some of us 2 dishes) and once done, we all sat outside to enjoy the results of our combined labor with a glass (or more) of wine or ice water or a non-alcoholic beverage.  We each received a copy of the menu we used to produce the dishes and one of Helmi's cookbooks.  She is a very entertaining, approachable teacher.  (It was an eclectic group of both males and females.). We enjoyed it so much that we are looking into doing that class again on our cruise to the ABCs in January 2025!

[KKB]

On 9/29/2023 at 9:53 AM, CunucuMom said:

 We're looking forward to celebrating our milestone "Thanksgiversary" on Ascent in November and checking out the Edge class.  If you've made it this far, thank you for reading and happy cruising to all!

We are similarly aged (me 57, DH 60); began cruising 20 years ago & loved it (Vegas was our 1st love, so makes sense).

Tried Celebrity 10 yrs ago & felt it was a small step up from others in service & food.

 

WORD OF WARNING--ECLASS IS THE BOMB!! 

Truly, I'm obsessed with Eclass.

They are step up from Celebrity (and all other mainstream lines that I have sailed) overall!!

 

Shoot if I had known you are beach people I have great suggestions for Curacao & Bonaire. 

Our nephew lived in Bonaire & recommended Sorobon beach & it did NOT disappoint. 

Did a Celebrity excursion--tour around the island (which was great) & a stop a Sorobon for several hours. HIGHLY recommend.

(Curacao was 10 yrs ago...IDK the name, just that it was miles long & fabulous)

ABC islands are my fav in the Caribbean.

(tho doing Barbados, Dominica & Antigua for 1st time in Dec...we shall see how we feel then!)

 

But I get it--we have friends who are All-inclusive addicts.

They cruised...liked it but not as much as AI.

We have thought about AI...but think we would be bored. 

I KNOW DH could not spend days on end at the beach...I am limited to no more than a couple on the Caribbean! (we do have a couple favs in Costa Maya & Cozumel, and now Bonaire, it seems!)

Edited October 6, 2023 by KKB

[Cruise till you drop]

Thanks for the review 

 

PS - we’ve done about 25 Caribbean cruises and have never heard of a Yellow Bird 😂 

[hcat]

https://www.thespruceeats.com/yellow-bird-recipe-761642

 

link to recipe..