Celebrity Equinox Specialty Restaurants

We are cruising on March 27 on the Celebrity Equinox. Has anyone sailed on this ship before? If so, any specialty restaurant recommendations?

We are cruising on March 27 on the Celebrity Equinox. Has anyone sailed on this ship before? If so, any specialty restaurant recommendations?

Murano and Tuscan Grille are exceptional, IMO. Silk Harvest and Bistro on Five are good. :)

Tuscan Griile was very good. Silk Harvest- ok. Murano menu doesn't appeal to me. Bistro on 5- not recommended.

Tuscan Grill, good, Murano, excellent, Silk Harvest, good, Bistro,good (basically a creperie). Look, you can't go wrong with any of them and they offer a diversion from the MDR. Save Murano for that special night out. The lobster prep is to die for as is the sole. Tuscan is very good Italian and Silk is generally pan-asian food along the line of Chang's. We enjoy Bistro on sail away day as a respite from the mob in the Oceanview Cafe.

We sailed the Equinox last Nov and dinned 2x at Tuscan & Murano, and 1 time in Silk Harvest. They are all equally wonderful in their own way, with a very different menu. We are returning to the Equinox this Nov and will go back to all 3 yet again.

EW

ps: Host Andy is on right now, and just posted that his evening in Murano was the best meal on ship he has had in 23 years of sailing Celebrity.

The only celebrity restaurant we just won't eat in again is silk harvest. It is Asian fusion...just not sure what it's fused with. We were most disappointed with the sushi rolls which clearly had been made hours earlier...rice was dried out and the nori was soft, not crisp the way it's supposed to be. The free sushi in the buffet area at night is better (and of course cheaper).

Tuscan Grill and Murano are wonderful and worth the price (especially if they offer you 25-50% off which often happens if they're hurting for customers). If (I should say when because if you only go to one specialty restaurant, this is the one) you go to Murano, they prepare lobster (tail) at your table and it's one of their signature dishes. If you ask a day in advance, they'll also prepare steak diane at your table (it's not on the menu any more, but they generally will be OK with still preparing it). Alternatively, if you are a steak eater, ask if they can do a Chateaubriand for one. They will either say they can't do it because it's on the menu for 2...or they will say sure and do what they did for me...they just served me the entire filet for 2.

Enjoy Bistro on 5 when you board...avoid the mob in the buffet area and have a good lunch worth the $7 they charge.

Murano and Tuscan Grille are exceptional, IMO. Silk Harvest and Bistro on Five are good. :)

What an appropriate picture...

What an appropriate picture...

Thanks Don. The picture is at a friend's house in Norway. They fixed waffles when we visited there. I don't know how they knew we would like waffles. :p

Try them all! We consider it part of the cruise experience. As a matter of fact, our first night is always at Tuscan Grill. We love it. Often we get a group from our cruise critic roll call and begin our cruise getting to know some new friends at a great restaurant.

Murano is the most upscale of them all, but Tuscan is definitely the most fun.

We always eat at Bistro on Five a couple times a cruise. Always always when we embark. We avoid the buffet almost the entire cruise, but definitely the first thing on board. Word is that there is an expanded menu going fleet-wide.

Silk Harvest is our least favorite although many love it. Their appetizers and small plates are better than the entree dishes and that's mostly what we get.

Gastropub is great for craft beers and their burgers and flatbread pizzas aren't bad, but IMHO I believe they're overpriced and too similar to free items elsewhere.

Mast Grill is a free venue and they have wonderful burgers and fries. Aqua Spa cafe has some free items and some pay items. Seating is limited there.

We were on Equinox last March, had a Speciality Restaurant package, 5 nights Tuscan grille our favourite, going on Eclipse this March will go to Quisine and maybe one more, but gotta say for the simple life, the Mast Bar, with the Burgers and Beer on the top deck is just so perfect, late afternoon

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We were on the Equinox in March and as we entered the ship we noticed a reservation table was set up for Murano's that getaway evening (50% discount I think). My son-in-law and I signed up and we both had lobster flame which was fun (lots of fireworks) and delicious. As we were finishing dinner the maitre d came over and invited us to a select behind the scenes tour and cooking class of Murano's kitchen.

Three days later we attended the event that was hosted by the specialty restaurants head chef. There were approximatly 25 guests and we broke into 4 groups. Each group had a Murano chef as instructor. I was picked to make the mash potatoes. As is customary I wore the chef hat and crushed and sautéed several cloves of garlic with 5 pounds of butter. Luckily

I didn't have to peal the potatos. My son-in-law made the Grand Mariner soufflé.

After the cooking class was over I though the party was over but no. We went back to the Murano restaurant where we were served a four course filet mignon lunch by the maitre d and his staff and he served four of their top wines.

This was truly something special. I am not really a cook but my son-in-law is and he has prepared the Grand Marine soufflé recipe at home. He claims his taste as good as Murano's.

I think the cost was $30.00.

Murano's was excellent on the 2014 Holiday Equinox sailing. I had an amazing spinach, bacon and poached egg salad, fantastic pork belly and delicious venison dish (second best meat entrée I have ever had). Well worth the $50/person.

We tried Tuscan Grill for lunch and it was just okay. Mostly for the fact they charged $25 which I thought was pricy for lunch.

We were on the Equinox in January for the 2nd time. Love Tuscan; Murano was ok - my lamb chops were quite ordinary - service great; didn't like Silk Harvest (very disappointed as I love Asian food); never got to the Bistro. Next time around we will do Tuscan, forget the others.

 

I think the cost was $30.00.

 

Both Murano and Tuscan is $50pp when aboard and $45pp when booked in advance online.

That was the cost last month, maybe you can be lucky enough to get a discount, sometimes when supply and demand dictates.

Bistro on Five is pretty good - not great. I love it as a less stressful alternative to Ocean View Café on embarkation day. We were there for lunch that day but didn't eat there again for the entire 11 night cruise.

Fabulous Paninis are now available at Bistro on 5 at any time of the day - a big improvement but now costs $7/pp

Both Murano and Tuscan is $50pp when aboard and $45pp when booked in advance online.

That was the cost last month, maybe you can be lucky enough to get a discount, sometimes when supply and demand dictates.

Like I mentioned before they had a Murano 50% discount table set up just as you entered the ship on embarcation. If you are interested in dining there on getaway keep your eyes open as there was a crowd getting on and the table was not in plain sight. I agree with mickey89 that this is probably a hit or miss situation.

Like I mentioned before they had a Murano 50% discount table set up just as you entered the ship on embarcation. If you are interested in dining there on getaway keep your eyes open as there was a crowd getting on and the table was not in plain sight. I agree with mickey89 that this is probably a hit or miss situation.

If they are offering a discount the first night, you will be able to get that discount from any of the many places they are selling specialty restaurant dining. There is almost always one set up outside the buffet area if you miss the one on the dock, the one where you enter the ship, etc. It's almost easier to find a specialty restaurant sales desk than it is to find someone to order a drink :)

We are cruising on March 27 on the Celebrity Equinox. Has anyone sailed on this ship before? If so, any specialty restaurant recommendations?

Hubby and myself was on Equinox last March, my 1st Cruise, hubby's 13th, he bought the package deal of 5 nights, over fed, over watered, but a wonderful experience, at home eating out even in a steakhouse would cost a lot more. Tuscan was my favourite felt at ease quickly and they couldn't do enough to please. Enjoyed Silk Harvest, Murano all very good. You will love Equinox, my first cruise after 2 days we booked for Eclipse for 29th March, so looking forward to my 2nd of many.......

Like I mentioned before they had a Murano 50% discount table set up just as you entered the ship on embarcation. If you are interested in dining there on getaway keep your eyes open as there was a crowd getting on and the table was not in plain sight. I agree with mickey89 that this is probably a hit or miss situation.

Has anyone had problems getting a table they like at the MDR if they go to a specialty restaurant the first night? I worry all the tables for 2 will be given out and we will get stuck with whatever is left if we aren't there to be assigned a table on the first night.

We are cruising on March 27 on the Celebrity Equinox. Has anyone sailed on this ship before? If so, any specialty restaurant recommendations?

We have a nice Roll Call going for this Cruise, still time to stop by and introduce yourselves.

We have a Sail Away gathering planned a well as some other events.

Dennis

If you book online prior to cruise Murano is $45/pp and Tuscan Grill is $35/pp.

When on board they charge $50/pp for Murano, unsure but think Tuscan is $45/pp

I sailed on Equinox several weeks ago. My friend's husband pre-booked Tuscan Grille as a special treat for us and it was wonderful. And on the day we boarded, Silk Harvest advertised a 25% discount so we decided to try that also. Again, wonderful. We are doing Solstice next year and I'd love to visit both of those restaurants again.

Enjoy.