Celebrity Equinox Review
Amazing Cruise to the Southern Caribbean
Review for the Southern Caribbean Cruise on Celebrity Equinox
knani
2-5 Cruises • Age 50s
Rating by category
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Sail Date: Apr 2023
Cabin: Concierge Class 1
My husband and I love tropical vacations and we wanted to explore the Southern Caribbean. This particular cruise went to a number of islands that we've never visited. We were a little nervous that a 10-day cruise, bookended by two days At Sea at the beginning and end might be a bit too long, but it ended up being perfect!
Embarkation couldn't have been easier. We were able to check in on the app, so once we got to the port, it was so easy to just get onto the ship. We had a veranda stateroom on Deck 8 and it was very nice. I was a little disappointed that our cabin didn't have the bed by the veranda, but that was OK. The bed was very comfortable, the bathroom was a nice size for a cruise ship, and a lot of toiletries like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion are provided. The quality of the products is very basic, but it was nice to have them. I knew the cabin had only two outlets, so I brought along a power strip, which was a huge mistake. My suitcase was held up in security and the power strip was confiscated. Lesson learned. Overall, we were happy with the cabin though and our stateroom attendant was amazing, greeting us by name from Day 1 and throughout the cruise.
The ship was super clean and the crew was wonderful - so friendly and welcoming. The Cruise Director, Lewis was the best I'd ever seen. He was so entertaining! The Activities Team did a great job keeping everyone busy. We really enjoyed the daily trivia games and watching the fun activities around the pool. The Activities Director Mariana's presentations about her experience with Covid and the Cruise Industry and about her home country of Ukraine were fascinating.
Cabin Review
Concierge Class 1
We had a Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with Veranda stateroom on Deck 8 and it was very nice. The bed was very comfortable, and there was plenty of storage space in the closet, above the bed, and in the dresser. The bathroom was a nice size for a cruise ship, and a lot of toiletries like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion are provided. The shower was fairly roomy, although the faucet was a little difficult to figure out. There are shelves and drawers in the bathroom as well for storage. As mentioned, there are only two electrical outlets in the cabin and they are at the desk (none by the bed). Even the hairdryer plugs in at the desk. (Something it took me a while to figure out). :) Overall, we were happy with the cabin though and our stateroom attendant was amazing, greeting us by name from Day 1 and throughout the cruise.
Port Reviews
Antigua
Antigua - Took a taxi to Ffryes Beach for $10pp each way ($40 total), where we rented an umbrella and two lounge chairs for $20. I did a lot of research and settled on Darkwood Beach, but was told at the taxi stand that "nobody asks to go to Darkwood". I think the beach would have been pretty at a different time, but unfortunately, there was quite a bit of Sargassum seaweed (which stinks!) up on the shore and sunk in the water when we visited. Being from Florida, we are all-to-familiar with this, and I was concerned about our other ports of call at that point. We relaxed and had lunch at a local restaurant with a great view, and the locals were very friendly, so it wasn't a loss.
Our taxi driver picked up passengers at Valley Church Beach as well, which may have been a better option. We couldn't see the shore from the van, though, so it was likely covered with seaweed as well.
We spent our honeymoon at Sandals Antigua 31 years ago and that was a much prettier beach.
Barbados
Much flatter island than the others on this cruise. Beautiful ocean with one of the healthiest reefs I've seen. We booked a Snorkeling Tour aboard the El Tigre Catamaran through Get Your Guide and had a wonderful day snorkeling, sailing, and relaxing with rum punch. We saw turtles, spotted eagle rays, and a variety of tropical fish.
Martinique
The port itself in Fort-de-France was the nicest of the cruise, but our experience here was our least favorite. The ferry, Vedettes Tropicale, although reasonable was quite difficult to navigate and unpredictable. They don't seem to run by the posted schedule. The ferry ride was very ride, at $7 pp for a round-trip ticket. We meant to go to Anse Mitan, but missed our stop and ended up at Anse de l'Ann, which wasn't the prettiest beach, but it wasn't crowded and the restaurants and bars on the beach seemed very reasonably priced.
St. Kitts (Port Zante)
St. Kitts was beautiful. We highly recommend The Grand Tour of St. Kitts with Grey's Island Excursions, which we booked through TripAdvisor. We learned a lot, visited many beautiful places like Romney Manor Botanical Gardens, Caribelle Batik, Brimstone Hill Fortress, Timothy Hill, and South Friars Beach.
St. Lucia
St. Lucia is such a beautiful, unspoiled island. We booked a Land and Sea Tour with Edmund Tours and it was wonderful! We visited a banana plantation, drove through the rainforest and quaint fishing villages, took a boat to a bat cave and snorkeled at Anse de Piton where we saw a lot of beautiful fish, visited Toraille Waterfall, and took a soak in therapeutic mud baths at Sulphur Springs. It was an unforgettable experience.
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