Cunard or Celebrity - which is the best? (In my opinion)

So I have now been back for a week and thought it is about time to tell you about my Celebrity Equinox Cruise from Fort Lauderdale. I have to be honest and say I was looking forward to this as I had enjoyed visiting the Eclipse last summer for a day in Southampton, but as I always say the 'proof of the pudding' is in the sailing!

In this job you speak to many different people, both customers and also representatives of the various cruise lines, and the view I was getting was that service and standards beat those of Cunard, so did it really match up to or beat the standards of my favourite ship, Queen Mary 2?

The initial embarkation at Fort Lauderdale was fairly easy, queues were not too long and we got onto the ship with little fuss or hassle. It was a Monday, and we had spent a few days in Florida before the cruise, so I am sure that on a Saturday and Sunday when Royals big sisters are in getting to the port would not quite be so easy!

Equinox in Cartagena, Columbia

So first we went to the Oceanview Cafe, in need of a bit of refreshment - airy, open and excellent food for a buffet. A good start. Will it continue.................


We then headed to the cabin, I had booked a Sunset Balcony cabin - not as big as some cabins we have had, but that was expected, however we chose for the views which were great. The bathroom was certainly the best we had had on any ship with a similar cabin, although we had a couple of niggles about towels and toiletries these were resolved by the Housekeeping staff, and I have to say that Leslie our cabin steward and his assistant were excellent.

Bathroom

View from the Balcony 

Now I had written a blog recently about luggage, and commented that irons were banned and I wondered if the cruise line would actually check all the bags. Well, only 2 bags turned up at the cabin and after speaking to our cabin steward we headed to Deck 2, Security, together with the numerous other passengers who were bringing contraband on board! Yes they did find and confiscate, made to feel a bit like a criminal!

I had expected that there would be a feeling of space when on board, although at time this was not the case especially heading towards the Theatre on Deck 4 near the shops, it could get a little busy here. Cellar Masters is a bit dark for me and not really enticing, so The Glass House on Azura wins hands down. And there does not seem to be a buzzing atrium to the ship, there is of course the Grand Lobby and Scenic Elevators but these could be a little clinical at times.

Bistro on five 

On deck there was plenty of space, loads of deck chairs and a generally good atmosphere and this was enhanced further if you went into the Solarium, excellent relaxed and of course no children!

Video of the Solarium (just click to play)

So what about the food and service? The quality and variation from the menu in the Silhouette Restaurant was good, and to be honest the food in the Oceanview Cafe was always good. As for the speciality dining, Tuscan Grill was awesome (to coin an Americanism)!

Tuscan Grill

However, we try to do the freestyle or open dining when in the Caribbean, gives greater flexibility for us coming back on ship from a day on shore. On P&O, Princess and NCL if there is no space then you get a pager, it buzzes when there is space. Now I am not sure whether it is just this ship or the staff organising Celebrity Select, but there was nothing but queues and no real system that I saw to make sure people got to their table in an ordered fashion. I do understand the queues, but you have to get people to tables in the order that they book in, and not leave them sat in Cellar Masters without letting them know the table is ready!

Main Restaurant

Dining is a key part to the cruising experience and in my experience, especially as we encountered the problems virtually nightly it was that bad that I would not recommend to my customers or consider the Select option for a future cruise with Celebrity.

Come on Celebrity you do most things great, but in my opinion this let you down, very badly.

Entertainment, was great. Excellent performers as well as good Celebrity Life events in various locations throughout the ship. The Dancing with the Stripes show was the funniest and most amusing hour watching passengers and Officers dance on the Sun Deck one evening in a take on Strictly come Dancing! The whole thing was brought together by an excellent Cruise Director, John Grantham - an ex actor and stuntman, he really brought some atmosphere to the ship.

So Cunard or Celebrity?

It is a close run thing, but just because of my experience on Select dining on this cruise Cunard still has it, but only just. The next question is of course would I sail on Celebrity again, see me next February on the Millennium, but for that cruise I have gone to a fixed dinner seating.