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| my view of Salerno Port – Italy from Celebrity Cruises, Equinox |
Another adventure took place last week and this time in the Med on board of a ship! Ever since I was invited to going on a cruise I have been asking my friends, family, fellow bloggers and neighbors if they ever considered or even been to one. To my surprise some have found the idea quite attractive and some had been to one and loved the experience, and they are looking forward to going again. One of them, a young lady, told me that was the best holiday ever! Now, if you’d asked me if I considered going on a cruise, the answer to that would be never! Until I went to Taste of London back in June, Celebrity Cruise event of food and wine matching for a taste of their on-board service. That was a dream, and I can now tell you that I lived the dream! Thanks to lovely people of Celebrity Cruises and Great British Chefs
It was very exciting from planning the packing, I found this article very useful: travel hack, to spending overnight in an airport hotel, not to miss the very early flight to Italy to actually arriving at the Italian port of Salerno and the unforgettable first sight of the ship, that I is engraved in my memory forever. It is a floating city! When you get near the ship, its quite frightening as it’s ginormous! I felt so small and quite insignificant standing next to it. Remember: its a ship and not a boat!
Boarding the ship is like going through any International airport and passport control. Checking papers, passport, x-ray machine and metal detectors. That happens every time you leave the ship and re-board it. You are reassured of a safe environment at all times. Once the papers are check you are given a card, this card open doors, allows you to re-board the ship and pay your bills on-board, the card is linked to your credit card for easy and seamless payments. No cash payments on board.
The trip, a four day cruise experience around the Med with plenty of foodie activities including wine tasting and cheese paring, cookery demo, behind the scenes of a cruise ship, bespoke local tours, sampling local and on-board delicacies and of course plenty of dining experience. The route: boarding in Naples (Salerno), Rome (Civitavecchia), Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Provence (Toulon) and finishing at Barcelona to fly back home (UK).
The cabin – ocean view stateroom at Equinox
This ship is a floating city, I am not exaggerating! It’s complex maze with branching pathways, corridors, mezzanines, a series of glass lifts that takes you to every deck or large double stairs for those who are impatient. Once I got to my cabin I was elated! What a fabulous room with a balcony overlooking the infinite ocean with fantastic views when sailing…
Ports are not the best looking sights, but many exciting adventures wait for you beyond them. The cabins are equipped with mini bar, nice size shower room, flat screen TV and hairdryer. If your livelihood depends on wi-fi while away, you are in for a chock; the added-fee wi-fi doesn’t work well at all times and phones don’t work while the ship is sailing- in this case sailing took place at night. Bear in mind some trips you are at sea for one or two days. You will definitely feel on holiday!
I love the on board newspaper, a small and perfectly formed ‘newspaper’ The Celebrity Today, is delivered every evening with detailed of ship programs, fitness schedules, featured events, cocktails suggestions and details/sightseeing of next port and nearest city for the next day. You are never bored on board of a Celebrity Cruises ship. There are plenty of activities including glass blowing, cookery demos, theatre etc.
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| Stateroom at Equinox |
Exploring Equinox
One of the highlights of Celebrity Cruises Equinox is the multiple dining venues including added-fee speciality restaurants like fine dining Murano, Silk Harvest and Tuscan Grille, with menus crafted by James Beard-featured chefs, the different cuisines deliver a very impressive experience.
A lovely gelateria and swell coffee shop serving delightful drinks and free-cake are on offer too, together with tons of outside eateries and bar space. The casual dining, Oceanview cafe is a glorious buffet style serving food from all over the world, Mast Grill for burgers by poolside, AquaSpa cafe and Blu for healthy alternatives, Bistro on Five serving crepes, GastroBar for bar food. In total there are 14 eateries, so there’s something for everyone no reason to go hungry.
Celebrity Cruises Equinox has a signature top-deck green space, the Lawn Club with real grass! There are bars all over the ship again plenty of choices, about 15 of them, catering to your every need and desires.
They have a nightclub, a art gallery and a selection of shops from clothes to accessories to technology all tax-free and open when the ship is sailing only. It is a mini city for 3,200 guests and about t 1,200 staff. I promise you don’t notice that many people on board.
I thoroughly enjoyed this trip; I didn’t think I would. It has totally changed my views of cruises being for retired and mature folks. In this particular trip there were young couples, honeymooners, a few groups of friends (25-35-year-olds), couples with babies, and even a wedding! People from all over the world looking to see as many countries as possible without having to change hotels or just staying on board and relaxing. The dress-code was casual during the day and casual-formal during the evening.
Overview cafe – casual dining
Once I made myself at ‘home’ at my Equinox Stateroom, which, by the way, was every bit of luxury I dreamed of, I was ready to explore the rest of the ship including the eateries and the bars. First top, the top deck the Overview cafe and bar, a relaxing casual restaurant, with many choices of food from all over the world and catering for all dietary requirements. Some freshly made pizza and pasta on display. A massive buffet of fresh salads, hot and cold buffet, cold meats, cheeses, fruits and great looking desserts and ice creams. All looking vibrant and enticing. There are other restaurants that will be explored later on…
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| Overview outside area, relaxing drinking and eating |
entertainment on board Equinox
lawn club
mow the lawn everyday at 4am. That’s the only task for that employee…. who is this lucky person?
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| The main swimming pool surrounded by bars |
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| Oceanview outside bar |
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| loungers on top deck |
Equinox – The main hall
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| Perfect service |
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| Passport Bar – Deck 3 |
spa, fitness and pampering at Equinox
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| Salon and spa treatments – hair, nails, plenty more pampering and endless treatments from body wraps to detox to ageless programs. Tip: when the ship is sailing you get 20%-25% in any treatment. All prices on board are in dollars. |
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Gym with a view – yoga and numerous classes throughout the day, great to burn off all the calories loaded food on-board.
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| The Library – A beautiful space to relax, read and home of the destination concierge, who organises and suggests tailor-made tours or group tours for each destination, these day trips have an add-on fee. |
Silhouette – Main Dining Room
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| Silhouette dining room at Celebrity Cruises Equinox -the main dining room a two level eatery hosting 2-seatings per night. The centre piece of this room is the wine tower holding about 3,000 of carefully selected bottles of wine |
A delicious Gelateria on board – best gelato on this trip – I had pistachio cost U$4
The Molecular bar
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| The Molecular bar at Equinox, my favourite bar on-board, carefully prepared cocktails and great service |
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| GastroBar – Deck 4 – glass of cava U$9 + gratuity |
Great fun at Martini Bar
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| Martinis are priced at U$12 each + gratuity |
Showtime at Equinox
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| The theatre, every night the artists put on a different show with two sessions at 8.30pm and at 10.30pm |
THE VIEW FROM MY BALCONY SAILING TO ROME:
Hey Rosana a fabulous trip to be invited on! Like you say, I'd never consider such a cruise myself, I love being at sea, but i need to smell and see the water around me, yet this looks like a really elegant ship to be on and great to see Campania Felix in the backdrop!
Looks like you had a fantastic time. I was lucky to enjoy a short trip on the Equinox, had a fab time, but looks like they have revamped a few areas since I was there!
Hi Fede (@Pastabites) I think you should consider. Brilliant way to discover the world. x
@Andrew I had no idea you'd been to Celebrity cruises before. I really enjoyed the experience.
I want to go back to the MARTINI BAR Rosana! LOL! What a GREAT time we had……Karen xxx