Celebrity Equinox 4/1/11 to 4/11/11
When first boarding this beautiful ship you are greeted with a glass of champagne or a Mimosa. Having been on over 50 cruises I can tell you that there is a certain feel that comes over you when you first get on board.
 |
| Library |
Some ships have a gaudy feel and a Disneyland energy. I am not saying that that is bad, it’s just different. On this ship the feeling is serenity. The decor is elegant teak wood with shades of blue furnishings. There is a calmness on the ship.
We decided to book the "Aqua Class" balcony stateroom. It is similar to the
other balcony staterooms however, Aqua Class gets a pillow menu, flavored ice
tea delivered every day, hors d'oeuvres delivered every afternoon, fresh flowers
every day, unlimited use of the Persian Gardens and the number one item is the use
of the Blu Restaurant. For everyone else on the ship there is a charge to eat
there subject to availability. For Aqua Class passengers, we were able to eat in this restaurant
every night. The food is delectable. It is not prepared with heavy cream or
lots of butter but is prepared with olive oil and is a lighter flare. It still managed to gain weight!
One night we ate the most delicious fillet mignon and rack of lamb. We are
traveling as a foursome and every night the waiter brought us another entree for
the table just so we can taste it. We are truly being catered to.
We have been ordering our breakfast to be delivered to our stateroom so that we
can sit and eat on the balcony. They have delivered it on time and the selection
is abundant. Every morning they call to make sure that we enjoyed it. First time that has ever happened. Fresh squeezed juice, coffee, toast, eggs, sausage, ham, bacon, pastries, vegetables, waffles, omelettes. There is so much on the menu and they always bring it on time.
Our cabin steward, Alvin, has been a pleasure and brings us ice 3 times a day, and
our room has been kept clean and beautiful.
Yesterday we pulled into St Thomas and the shuttles to go to downtown, to Magen's
Bay or anywhere else on the island were lined up waiting. It is a $4.00 ride to
get downtown and the shuttle pulls up next to the outdoor flea market. It is in
this location that you can buy tee shirts, cover ups, knock off designer bags,
hats and silver. Definitely negotiate pricing in this area. Once you leave the
flea market you can walk down the main street. If you are not interested in jewelry
you may as well not go. Every store is a jewelry store with the exception of a
couple of electronic stores and perfume stores.
I did purchase a new camera from a store called Boolchand's and not that I
thought the prices were fantastic but it is duty free and you don't pay sales tax.
One night we decided to eat in the Tuscan Grill steak house and I have to say
that every single thing that we ate was better than the next item. Service was
excellent and I would say that it is well worth the extra charge of $35.00 per person.
We have been in Dominica before and although the Island is very beautiful; my favorite thing to do is the Whale and Dolphin excursion. The water close to the ship was very calm and we had lots of opportunity to see dolphins. The whales are in deeper water and we had to travel 8 to 10 miles. The water was very choppy and we did get to see whales, but the people who get sick easily were having a rough time. I happened to love it and did not have a problem. I was too busy looking at whales.
I have been in St. Martin many times and have seen all the local attractions. My favorite thing to do is shop on Front Street. There are tons of jewelry stores but with the price of gold being so high, the store owners are adding other items to their stores like handbags, shoes and souvenirs. It's a nice change to see something other than jewelry. However, it didn't stop me from buying some jewelry from my dear friend Jay, at JbestJewelers on front street, who never fails to make me feel at home.
Today was a sea day and I decided to relax at the beautiful adults only
solarium pool which has a glass dome enclosure. You can sit and relax in this
area rain or shine with cushioned lounge chairs. We had the most amazing weather and sunsets every day and the time flew by.
In closing, Celebrity had the most efficient disembarkation. We were able to stay in our stateroom until our assigned time. They we went to our assigned lounge and waited about 15 minutes. It was a very easy process and there were no people clogging the hallways because they have to be out of their rooms.
Kudos to Celebrity. I cannot wait to go again.
No comments:
Post a Comment