Celebrity Summit Live report 4/4/15 - First Luminae and new suite benefits sailing

[ghstudio]

And the long awaited wine list to keep you information hounds happy. Not sure when it finally uploaded and if this link (dropbox) will work. Please note the file is more than 8meg.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2562oyjd07j8ft2/Celebrity%20Summit%20Luminae%20opening%20wine%20li20150406121345595.pdf?dl=0

 

Happy drinking, err, sailing,

Jenna

 

Thanks much...several choices of reds/blushes/whites and some others for those on classic drink package which is good to see. Also a new variety of wine that I'm very anxious to try "Cabernet Sauvginon". (sorry, but my eye just picks up these things).

[need2bespoiled]

By the way, the captain is Greek, want to know why? Because his parents are greek, and he was born in Greece, bah dum duhm.

 

Dinner menu is sitting here, soon to be posted.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

 

PS I don't think Dee knows how much I am posting, I do it stealthily, from my phone so hush hush

[Moobaby214]

PS I don't think Dee knows how much I am posting, I do it stealthily, from my phone so hush hush

 

It will remain our secret ;)

 

Aaron

[need2bespoiled]

Here is dinner and the beautiful scenery as we slip out of port in Barbados. It was a lovely mostly sunny day with a very light and brief sprinkle as we drove back from Daphne's about 4pm. You all have to wait for the dessert menu (don't be greedy), it wasn't available yet so I probably won't post it until later tonight as we're not having dinner alone. Patience!

 

 

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

 

 

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[wallie5446]

Thanks Jenna!

 

That pic just makes it harder to put up with waiting till we get there on Nov 25th!:D

 

Oh, our lips are sealed!:rolleyes:

[FKGirl]

Love your nails! :)

[Shining Clem]

In looking at the wine list, quite a mark-up is found from what we paid in the United States on Infinity in October '14 and your posting of the prices on Luminae this past month.

 

Specifically I am looking at #1061, Gevrey Chambertin from Louis Jadot, full bottle, priced at $106. I don't remember the year of the bottle on the Infinity, and no year is given for the 2015 Wine Menu just posted.

 

However, in Oct 2014 on a TransAtlantic the bottle was $62. for a significant, round birthday. (price in both United States and Blu) This year it is $106. :eek: Ouch!!!

[maggie.1008]

Want to hear how dinner was. It looked like a some what limited menu.

[ghstudio]

Want to hear how dinner was. It looked like a some what limited menu.

 

very true...anyone can write a good sounding menu. The key to success will be (or should be) the quality of the ingredients, the preparation and seasoning of the items and the presentation. Hopefully, the reports of all three will be glowing.

 

I wonder if the wine prices are different in Luminae than on the rest of the ship (for the same bottle of wine, of course).

[need2bespoiled]

Here are two pages I took the other day from Nornandie ("Murano") menu. They look the same as on Summit this past August and Millenium in Nov/Dec. more than Equinox a year ago (April 2014).

 

 

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

 

 

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[need2bespoiled]

Love your nails! :)

 

 

:)

 

Can't get those on Celebrity ;)

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

 

 

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[CHEZMARYLOU]

Thanks for the wine list. Can't wait to revisit some favorites and try some new ones hoping that they will become favorites.

[Century2000]

I can't thank you enough, Jenna, for posting these menus! But I must agree with Maggie.1008...the menus look pretty plain and quite limited, almost institutional. The menus provide no help in discerning how a particular entry might be special. We consider ourselves "foodies" who would gladly pay more for higher quality ingredients and innovative recipes. Not sure that Luminae (at least from the menus) is the right choice for us. In the coming weeks will be interested to read more reviews of the food itself.

[MartinsCruise]

Hi Jenna,

 

Now that I've seen a picture of Dee and know what your feet and nails look like, we shouldn't have any trouble finding you on board Saturday....lol

 

Sue

[wallie5446]

Hi Jenna,

 

Now that I've seen a picture of Dee and know what your feet and nails look like, we shouldn't have any trouble finding you on board Saturday....lol

 

Sue

 

Sue, have a wonderful time! Thanksgiving, back on Equinox, just sayin!

EW

[need2bespoiled]

Ok so dinner was EXCELLENT and my luck improved at the tables, yeah! Tonight I'm adding more commentary. Hopefully you like it. If not, oh well, it's like a book, just look at the pictures. If you'd prefer just pictures say so and I'll shut up.

 

The menus do not do the food justice. Ingredients seem fresh, have fresh herbs, micro greens, ingredients like caviar and truffle oil, and well prepared sauces. Servers do a fair job of answering questions in advance and explaining dishes when served. The order of the meal is "odd" to us with the palette cleanser (intermezzo) coming after the main and before dessert. We were told that is how it is done in Europe and at Michelin star restaurants. I've eaten in a few, it is new to me. Also three diners ordered 3 courses. 2 scallop, 1 curry soup and three salads but first course was served as Dee's broth, my soup, 1 scallop and 1 salad. Next we got 2 salads and 1 scallop. Was a bit odd (insert confused smiley here).

 

Food was the proper temperature, properly cooked and cane promptly. Wine glasses were filled too often if anything. A social meal for four took just over 2 hours but was well paced. One diner ordered and received a Caesar and Dee ordered broth (she asked for consume) to start. I confirmed my chocolate ice cream was gelato and joyed a scoop again.

 

On to the food porn you've been waiting for.

 

Each night we've received an amuse-bouche. Tonight was a grilled artichoke and tasted a bit like what I'd imagine parchment paper to taste like. E for effort is still not passing in the big leagues. Sorry chef.

 

 

A shot of the butter. It comes with s bit of sea salt on top and I think it is ok. There are many kinds of butter, it's good, not great. The rolls were ok, it's nice they serve different kinds each night. No bread porn though.

 

 

All soups, even the chicken broth Dee ordered come in a dry bowel (with ingredients in the bottom). The green curry was good, three nice properly prepared shrimp but my feeling is tails should be off once you burry them. I know in Thailand this wouldn't be the case as I was there in November and live green curry dishes. This version tasted fresher and was much thicker but very good.

 

 

A little perspective on me. I travel more than 200 days a year. I stopped counting 3 years ago to avoid depression, this means I eat out as many. I don't like chain restaurants but sometimes of course it's unavoidable. I look for the local favorite spot and stumble or find some great ones. My favorite restaurant is still at home. Fore Street in Portland Maine is a multiple James Bear best in New England winner and has been doing farm to table for neat 20 years. They serve an extensive menu that changes nightly. I have NEVER had a salad better dressed, seasoned and prepared than what they do. This version of a kale salad was good, another diner at the table loved it. I thought it was a bit under seasoned.

 

 

The cod was light, firm, flaky and well seasoned with very well cooked (read hot, firm, and seasoned veggies).

 

 

I had the Moroccan chicken. I really couldn't taste the Moroccan spices (I've been to Morocco) but the dish was excellent. Very juicy, the skin was just the right amount of crispy and it was (see pic) bone in breast. Maybe a bit large but I still finished it. In face nearly every dish was left empty. The cous cous was EXCELLENT. Firm but booked through, light and tasty. I was very happy with my dish.

 

 

While I would call the MDR banquet style dining, I've had some very good meals there. This is far better.

 

A quick note: we saw a table set for 10, at about 9

A group of 8 sat down so the will accommodate larger parties by combining tables.

 

Next up, dessert. Hint: still not better than the dessert cart at brunch but these are very well prepared pastries.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

 

 

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[need2bespoiled]

A huge step up in dessert quality. The hazelnut cake was a winner as per the person who ordered and those that shared it. , the Neapolitan was too chocolatey and was left unfinished after tasted by three.

 

 

 

 

And the yummy gelato.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

 

Ps these two posts took 45 min, thankfully the unlimited internet makes it possible and it seems slightly improved but photo uploads still fail and need to be redone and its fastest and easiest to post from my phone.. I also have to load, read and respond to questions so while I enjoy the comments and "fans"? Please keep it on topic.

 

 

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[need2bespoiled]

One more quick post about perks, that I didn't want to get lost in food porno land. The mini-bar refilling has been ok, not great at first but better today. We did run out of one thing though it was refilled later.

 

We did find two large bottles of water on our table when we got our shore excursion towels last night but it looks like not tonight for either towels or water though we do have plenty of bottled water in the cabin.

 

I still have not inquired about wine in minibar or spent much time in Michael's club. We did spend time there the last three sailings, not sure why we haven't this sailing. We stopped in tonight at about 7pm. It was empty, Jole wasn't there (it was posted hours) and the bartender must have been out back. On our way to the Martini bar we ran into our dining companions and we all agreed to head to dinner a bit early just in case we had a repeat of night 1.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

 

 

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Edited April 7, 2015 by need2bespoiled

[Project_gal]

Jenna: Thanks for the review. Even though we are not on the cruise we are enjoying all the postings you have made. One thing that surprises us is that they rolled this out and it seems like they are not truly prepared. Too many glitches regardless of how small or how many. This should not be a big thing considering that this is basically another Dining Room. They have all the resources to work these things out before they roll it out. They have been in this business long enough. It is not like they have never done this. JMHO!

 

As far as I am unaware, this is the first time Celebrity have tried to roll out a new restaurant on [almost] every ship in the fleet at [almost] the same time. Before, it has always been done one ship at a time. In fact, most major menu changes have been rolled out one ship at a time. For something like four or five years, it was Dominque Gamba who was on board to oversee the introductions of the new restaurants/menus.

 

They are attempting to roll out Luminae suite-wide in the absence of Dominque who is no longer with Celebrity. Anyone who had met him on board opening a restaurant will know how hard he worked. Celebrity are now implementing the opening of 9 restaurants currently located on four continents simultaneously.

 

When the suite restaurant was first announced, I had assumed the it would have been phased in over the past year so that it was up and running on every ship come April 2015. Guest who experienced the teething problems would have been receive an unpublished perk and may have been more forgiving. JMHO.

[uktog]

Thank you for all your postings Jenna

 

It was helpful, though a little disappointing to see the wine list where there has been under delivery on the hype of pairings. I see my preferrd drink for many fish dishes, the pouilly fume is now 50cents over the package whereas it was previously in the premium selection. Oh well, it will be silly on the paperwork but there will be some 59 cent or maybe $1.18 entries going through some nights!

 

The meals look nice though there is so much with nuts in it, DH is going to have to make so many separate arrangements, it is hard to plan your dinner 24 hours ahead, and I know he liked the menus in Blu where he could get most of the desserts (given that the chic cake, cheesecake and apple pie were all safe as were the sorbets) without hassle. I know they will look out for him and make adjustments, but usually that has to happen just after you have finished a large dinner the night before!

[WNcruiser]

When was that on Eclipse? We had no issue on the November TA. When Rose Marie was unavailable, a young lad from Murano stood in from breakfast time onwards.

 

We were won the Eclipse E/B T/A from FLL to Southampton last April. We never had an issue with the bar being staffed or taking drinks from MC. I think it was the second cruise to feature the new MC.

 

It seemed whenever we went in for a drink someone was there at the bar.

 

Jenna thanks for this thread...now I have to book a suite on something this year! :)

Edited April 7, 2015 by WNcruiser

[DYKWIA]

Here are two pages I took the other day from Nornandie ("Murano") menu. They look the same as on Summit this past August and Millenium in Nov/Dec. more than Equinox a year ago (April 2014).

 

 

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

 

 

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The mysteries of wine pricing - two of those Chardonnays are within a couple of quid the same price in the UK yet there's an $80 difference on board. Not as bad as the Oxford hotel that a few years ago was selling a little known £40 a bottle single malt for £60 a shot where the more popular and better brand that retails at more (about £50) was about £14 a shot.

Edited April 7, 2015 by DYKWIA

[need2bespoiled]

Breakfast. We almost always do room service but today we figured we'd try breakfast in Lumniae but it will be a quick breakfast. The menu looks the same and us dated Luminae 2 4/1/15 but they said they will change griddle items. Pastries look amazing. I passed, Dee is indulging and says it is "so so so good" (Almond Croissant).

 

 

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

 

 

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[need2bespoiled]

Where waiting for our water taxi and I thought I would comment on breakfast. It was Awesome. Eggs poached properly, excellent hash, steal cut oatmeal, wonderful parfait. However (isn't there always one of those?) everything was RICH and a few things didn't come as ordered but we only had a little bit of time and it was very fast. Cream in the oatmeal, butter in the hash, honey on the parfait...but yum!

 

 

 

 

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

 

 

 

 

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[Linlamb]

thx, needs to be spoiled....we board Reflection in a few days for the Trans-Atlantic....

Guess it will continuous dining for at least 6-7 days while crossing.

 

The photos are descriptions are wonderful....and hope they let us in, we are S-2, and have been shut out of Micheal's area in the past, because our suite isn't expensive enough.....

 

Hope to enjoy your items....all look yummy !!!