Celebrity Equinox Review
Review of Equinox, March 5-16-Panama Canal
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We are 2 married couples, ages 54-58, and this was our 8-10th cruise, my 10th. Our general line of choice is Princess and this was our first cruise on Celebrity. We spent one night pre-cruise at Embassy Suites on 17th Street near the port. It was a $15 cab fare from the airport to the hotel and we took a shuttle to the port in the morning for $7 each. Embassy Suites includes a great breakfast in the morning.
Embarkation was the best ever! Simple, fast, efficient and we were on the ship in record time. Lunch in the buffet was congested and difficult to find a table, which is not unusual on embarkation day. We got into our cabin around 1:30pm. The cabin was very nice. We especially liked the bigger bathroom, including storage AND a shower door! Much nicer than the Princess bathroom. We also enjoyed having the sofa so all 4 of us could visit comfortably in one cabin. The furniture on the balcony was nicer than Princess, too. We had 2 teak chairs (reclining) and a small table. Our cabin Steward (Renato) was great and took very good care of us. He worked in tandem but I don't remember the other gentleman's name. They were awesome. The ship is beautiful and exceeded our expectations. The furniture around the pool areas is so comfy with pads and small living room-style seating areas, creating a cozy ambiance. Bar service around the pool area was fine.
We chose select dining, and for the most part, had no wait at all to dine, even in the busier dining hours. We found the dining room to be a bit crowded in areas, where tables are almost touching. A bit uncomfortable at times, not really sure if we were dining with our neighbors or not. The service was superb. Our waiter (Kerim) could not have been better and they work very very hard. However, although the waiters are practically running back an forth, working hard for everyone, the average dinner was between 1 1/2 to 2 hrs, which is too long for us. The food was absolutely wonderful. We enjoyed every meal, even though they were lengthy.
Cabin Review
Deluxe Veranda 1C
Our cabin was a standard veranda cabin. The bed and linens were comfy and we slept well. We liked the sofa because all 4 of us could visit in one cabin. Although the cabin was near the elevators, it was very quiet and we heard no noise once we closed our door. The bathroom was especially nice, larger than I'm used to, with great storage and a nice shower with a door. The balcony furniture is teak. The chairs recline and there is a small table. The veranda wasn't huge, but it was big enough and we enjoyed sitting out there. The television offered some up to date movies on demand, some free and some were pay per view. Many good choices. The mini bar was stocked. There were enough electrical outlets for our needs. Our cabins (6133 & 6135) adjoined in the hallway, but we didn't use it. Instead we had our balcony partition opened by the room steward. Deck 5 underneath our balcony was a designated smoking area. Occasionally we got a sniff of smoke, but not too bad.