The Celebrity Equinox: A Huffington Post Travel Cruise Ship Guide

From approximately December to April, the

departs from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to a number of ports in the Caribbean on 10- and 11-night cruises that might include some of the following ports: Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Basseterre, St. Kitts; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Roatan, Honduras; Puerto Limon, Costa Rica; Colon; Panama; Belize City, Belize; and Cozumel, Mexico. In the months between May and November, the Equinox plies the waters of the Eastern Mediterranean on seven-, 10- and 11-night cruises that depart from Rome and could include stops at the following: Santorini, Greece; Istanbul, Turkey; Mykonos, Greece; Athens, Greece and Naples, Italy. Lastly, the Equinox offers 14-night trans-Atlantic cruises twice a year, once near the end of November and again at the beginning of April.

The Celebrity Equinox considers itself a luxury ship. While the ship does offer programs for kids and teens, the Equinox's focus is on providing guests with a sophisticated, chic atmosphere and features rather than wild and crazy amusement park-like attractions. The Equinox is 1,041 feet in length and can accommodate 2,850 passengers.

If being on water occasionally makes one yearn for terra firma, then visitors will enjoy digging their toes into Celebrity Equinox's beautiful

, which is located on the ship's highest deck. Other features on this ship include a wine cellar, where guests can taste and learn about wines from around the world, a beautiful spa, a glass-making show, a casino and an adults-only pool. Other pools are open to all ages.

The basic interior stateroom on the Equinox offers between 183 and 200 square feet of living space. These staterooms have a sitting area with a 31-inch LCD television and a separate bathroom area. The Equinox also offers a 575-square-foot family suite, which has two bedrooms and a sitting area. The largest suite available on the Equinox is the penthouse, which measures in at 1,291 square feet and features a separate bedroom area and a living room with a grand piano.

Prices for an interior stateroom start at $949 for a 10-night Caribbean cruise in January, and $799 for an early December 11-night cruise. Suites begin at $2,599 for a 10-night Caribbean cruise in April, or $2,549 for an early December 11-night cruise. An interior stateroom on the seven-night Mediterranean cruise starts at $819. For the 10-night Mediterranean cruise, an interior stateroom can be had for as little as $699 in November, or $949 for an 11-night cruise. Suites for seven-night cruises start at $1,999 in October, $1,799 for the 10-day in November and $1,899 for an 11-night cruise in November. Interior rooms for a 14-day trans-Atlantic cruise start at $899, and suites start at $2,849.

For those taking one of Celebrity Equinox's Caribbean cruises that stops in Panama, an excursion to see the famous

is highly recommended. Try the Grand Tour of Panama excursion, which not only includes the canal tour, but will also take visitors to a native Indian village.

Unlike some cruise ships that serve buffets, the Celebrity Equinox offers its customers sit-down menu choices in its main dining room. Guests can choose to have either flexible seating or a pre-arranged time and table for the entire cruise. The ship also has casual dining spots and specialty restaurants -- some at an extra cost -- available around the ship. Complimentary 24-hour room service is also available.

According to several sources, including

, the Celebrity Equinox actually had two "maiden" voyages. Its first was scheduled for Aug. 8, 2009, but the cruise line decided to do a pre-inaugural voyage on July 31, as well. This ship was built for Celebrity by

.

Our research revealed no notable news stories or safety concerns regarding the Celebrity Equinox.