It happened with little fanfare.
Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Equinox set sail from Port Canaveral on Dec. 3 without fireworks, a Coast Guard salute, or any sort of pageantry.
In fact, aside from a little disarray in the terminal boarding the ship, it felt a lot like Celebrity had always sailed from the world's second-most-popular cruise port.
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Equinox, a midsized Solstice-Class ship, is sailing from the same terminal used by Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas, a ship that's essentially tied for being the second biggest cruise ship in the world.
Boarding for the first sailing was paused a few times, which port workers attributed to new personnel being trained. (My carry-on bag was checked by multiple workers, which appeared to be an exercise in teaching the security personnel what to look for on a scan.)
Once I was on board, however, the muster drill was smooth — although I never actually watched the safety videos, and that usually prompts the muster-station staff to demonstrate the life jacket for you.
Aside from that glitch, the ship sailed on time and without any sort of sign that the passengers on board are now part of Celebrity Cruises' history.
Image source: Dan Kline/Come Cruise With Me
Celebrity Equinox is a good choice
While it's not one of Celebrity's newest and largest Edge-Class ships, Equinox is a good choice for bringing the cruise line to Port Canaveral.
I'm partial to Solstice-Class ships as they offer most of the cruise line's popular bars and restaurants while also being small enough for passengers to get to know the crew.
In addition, the ship's size makes it easier to make friends and build relationships, as you will see the same people over and over again. The size of the Edge-Class ships works against that prospect: You might make a friend on night one and then never see them again.
Equinox is fairly similar to Celebrity Reflection, which I have spent about a week a month on for the past six months or so. It has one major plus in that it offers the Craft Social sports bar while Reflection has a little-used wine bar in the same space.
Reflection, however, has two more restaurants, the Lawn Club Grill and The Porch, while Equinox has a glass-blowing feature in the spot that's normally the Lawn Club Grill.
Aside from that, the two ships are nearly identical. and it actually felt a little odd to be on a ship that felt so familiar but did not have the many crew members I have come to know on Reflection.
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Celebrity has big plans for Port Canaveral
While its first sailing is a brief 4-night trip with stops in Bimini and Nassau, Equinox will actually be sailing 7-night trips to destinations including The Bahamas, St. Maarten, Puerto Rico, Belize, and more.
The cruise line shared a statement on its move to Port Canaveral, which is often called "Orlando," although it's about an hour outside the city.
“At Celebrity, we are continually striving to elevate our guests’ vacation experience from start to finish, and are delighted to offer even more ways to relax, unwind, and explore the Caribbean,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises. “The addition of Port Canaveral offers guests the ultimate flexibility for their perfect Caribbean getaway.”
Celebrity Equinox’s 7-night itineraries from Port Canaveral will visit more than 15 sought-after Caribbean destinations, including Jamacia, Grand Cayman, Mexico, and perhaps most importantly, Perfect Day at CocoCay, Celebrity Cruises’ highest-rated destination in the Caribbean.
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Perfect Day is actually my favorite cruise port, especially since the addition of Hideaway Beach, the adults-only area. Hideaway, which costs extra, offers a heated pool, which is a much-appreciated feature in the Caribbean winter, where it never dips much below 75 degrees, but the wind can make it feel a little more chilly.
Celebrity Cruises will further expand its Port Canaveral offerings next year. Starting in winter 2025, the cruise line Edge-class ships to the region with 7-night Caribbean sailings on Celebrity Apex.
A formal ceremony welcoming Celebrity Equinox to Port Canaveral will take place on Dec. 7.
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