The premium class ship Celebrity Equinox will take you from Lisbon to Buenos Aires in Argentina in November 2024(!). Stops are planned in Tenerife, Salvador de Bahia (Brazil), Rio de Janeiro and Montevideo (Uruguay). Add to that 11 days at sea to enjoy the ship. The cruise is in November next year, making it suitable for a pleasant start for a trip to South America.
If you don’t need a balcony, you can get an inside cabin for €1,111 p.p. For single occupancy, prices start at a horrendous €2,674. So it is worth bringing an imaginary friend as a companion – if you don’t have anyone else to join you. Gratuities are included in the price. In the more expensive package, you also get many drinks and Wi-Fi.
Route
The route includes eleven days at sea. With only four stops, that’s quite a lot, but not entirely unusual for a positioning cruise by American cruise companies. The elegant ship, the excellent service and the good food will make this time seem very entertaining.
- November 21, 2024: Lisbon (departs at 17:00)
- November 22, 2024: At sea
- November 23, 2024: Tenerife (9 hours)
- November 24-29, 2024: At sea
- November 30, 2024: Salvador de Bahia in Brazil (8 hours)
- December 1-2, 2024: At sea
- December 3, 2024: Rio de Janeiro (13 hours)
- December 4-5, 2024: At sea
- December 6, 2024: Montevideo in Uruguay (9 hours)
- December 7, 2024: Buenos Aires (arrives at 5:00)
The Ship
The Celebrity Equinox is the second of five Solstice-class ships. She was launched in 2009 at the Meyer shipyard in Papenburg and has 4 diesel generators that supply electricity to the Azipods (also called E-Pods) hanging at the stern. This technology minimizes vibrations and makes the ship run very smoothly.
The Equinox is a ship for quiet and stylish cruising. The special features of the ship are not slides or amusement-park attractions, but elegant luxury in the equipment. High-quality materials and spacious rooms are comfortable without being unnecessarily pompous. The decks invite you to linger and relax. Particularly noteworthy is the large lawn area on the rear upper deck. When reading, you might be irritated as to what added value something like this is supposed to bring. On site, you feel like you are in your own garden, lying down in the hammocks provided.
The food, both in the buffet and in the main restaurant, is excellent on Celebrity Cruises. Attention is paid to high-quality ingredients and good preparation. The vegetables are not overcooked and not hard, seasoned sensibly and there are many optional spices available. In the main restaurant, it gets a little better in terms of quality. It’s also much quieter than other large dining rooms.
Although it is more of a classic cruise, the passengers are by no means old. Seeing Celebrity’s general pricing, however, it is more likely to be middle-class people, especially from English-speaking countries. There are both European and American power sockets in the cabins.
Equinox facts & figures:
- The on-board language is English and the onboard currency is US$
- Length: 315 meters, width: 37 meters
- Maximum speed: 24 knots (normally 22 knots)
- Built in 2009, modernized in 2019
- 2850 passengers
- 14 decks (for passengers)
- 4 restaurants & 3 pools
A few impressions of the ship:
Flights
The prices for the flights are indicative, as the flights for December 2024 cannot yet be booked. Getting to Lisbon is quite uncomplicated since not only the domestic TAP but also many low-cost airlines fly to Lisbon. From the airport, you can take the metro with one change to the cruise terminal. If you have a lot of luggage, you can also take a taxi for around €10.
The return trip is of course a bit more expensive. Flights from Buenos Aires to Europe usually start at around €500, e.g. to Spain
An interesting alternative is a separate booking for flights via Brazil – adding the experience of seeing the Iguazú Falls. The cheapest way is usually to book a domestic flight in Argentina, take a taxi to Brazil, cross the border, and then fly from Brazil. Sounds complicated, but it is not.
A flight from Buenos Aires to Puerto Iguazú (Argentina) costs as little as €50-60. The taxi ride to the Brazilian side costs about €30. From Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil) there are flights to Europe for less than €500.
By the way, it is even cheaper to fly from São Paulo for a bit over €300. Especially if you have suitcases with you, please always take licensed taxis in South America to avoid any thefts.
Cover Picture: ©Celebrity Cruises 2019 Michel Verdure