There is no doubt upon arriving at the terminal, seeing the beautiful Equinox you can expect great things. She is three and a half years old and looks magnificent. The best way to offer meaningful commentary is to address each element separately.
Embarkation
as many other passengers have commented, this process was outstanding. We were aqua class room 1650, 11th deck starboard side aft. From the time of arrival to the terminal at 11:20 to being on board was 15 minutes. That said, our next objective should have been to make a bee line for the Oceanview cafe. The stateroom hallways were sealed off so roaming the ship or beginning the inevitable weight gain process at Oceanview were the only options. By the time we elected to get a bite to eat at 1230, there was absolutely NO place to sit. We were with another couple and eventually found separate seating. The rooms were available at 1:15.
Our room in aqua class #1650 11th deck starboard side aft was very nicely appointed with the sofa located next to the balcony. The bathroom was very nice and the shower noticeably larger than the one on Ruby Princess. Gents, if you are waffling on upgrading to aqua class, your ladies will LOVE the shower! The only adverse comment I have to make is noting that unfortunately for us, the crew hallway entrance door was directly across from our stateroom, the slamming of the door was constant. No ship diagram online points this out, there was no way to foresee this. I had spent so much time finding the perfect room (staterooms above and below, down the hall to avoid noise, etc) this was disappointing. Of note, if you are planning Aqua class I advise NOT to book rooms on the 12th deck for 2 reasons. Your view above is obstructed by the cantilevered deck directly above plus there are also public spaces above you. If you don't care and are a heavy sleeper, enjoy