Celebrity Equinox Check-In and Boarding
After a long Uber ride to Port Everglades, we were grateful for a super quick and easy terminal check-in. We had already checked in and submitted our photo online which meant that we breezed through the photo recognition software at the port. I’m so glad that each time we cruise, the process seems to get easier. I highly recommend checking in online for an expedited experience at the cruise terminal.
Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas was in port with us – this is the first cruise ship we ever went on!
Another difference from last year is that we were able to immediately go to our room, grab our room key cards and drop our bags. On previous trips, our room wasn’t ready until after lunch and we had to carry any of our carry-on luggage with us until then. While our rooms still weren’t ready to actually use, at least we could access them!
Complimentary champagne as we boarded the ship
On Board the Celebrity Equinox
Craft beer at Craft Social
After dropping our luggage, we headed to Craft Social for a drink. Jordan tried one of the craft beers and I had a Pineapple Moscow Mule. Craft Social also has bar food but for a cost, so we never did try it. After we finished our drink, we headed up to the pool deck for a frozen drink, then to the buffet for lunch. The buffet was incredibly busy as usual on the first day because it is one of the only lunch options. We managed to find a place to sit after a while and enjoyed our first meal on the ship.
Enjoying a drink at Craft Social
Once our rooms were ready, we headed back there to unpack our bags. Three of our bags arrived but we were missing the fourth one. Sometimes it takes a while for the luggage to be sorted, so we weren’t too worried. However, we did mention it to our room steward, Ariel when he greeted us. Of all the cruises we’ve been on, he was the best room steward. He was so friendly and helpful and he tracked down my missing bag in no time! (My luggage tag had fallen off in the process of boarding and so it was in the “lost and found” pile.)
We went back to the pool deck for the sailaway but it was pouring rain so there wasn’t a lot of people out on deck. The ocean was pretty choppy due to the storm passing through so I actually took Gravol and had a nap before supper. I’ve never been seasick on a cruise ship before so I was shocked! Everyone says that the Eastern Caribbean itinerary is rougher than the Western and I believe them now. Our room being at the front of the ship didn’t help matters either as we felt a lot of movement there. Thankfully it wasn’t as bad outside of our room in the main areas.
Frozen drinks from the pool bar
Our First Evening Onboard
We went to the main dining room every night for supper, as I mentioned in my Ultimate Celebrity Equinox review. On the first night, Jordan had the French onion soup and a spring roll as an appetizer, prime rib for his main and an éclair for dessert. I had a cream of mushroom soup and a spring roll for my appetizer, prime rib for my main, and a dulce de leche dessert. We started supper around 7pm and finished around 8:30pm, which is average for a three course meal on a cruise ship.
Our first meal in the main dining room
After supper we went to the comedy show at 9pm, which was okay. I think it was our first time watching a comedy show on a cruise ship but we would definitely do it again. After a busy day, we headed to bed after the comedy show. Overall, it was a solid first day on the Celebrity Equinox!
CLICK HERE FOR DAY 2 ON THE CELEBRITY EQUINOX
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