Luminae Lunch Closures

[Papacruises]

Yep. We have for many years. We're pleased with Luminae. It wasn't too long ago that there wasn't a dedicated dining room for Suites...and we were happy then and now.

 

You know I had to think about your reply.. so when there wasn't a dedicated dining room you were ok with it. I can understand that. You weren't promised anything and you didn't get anything. How about there was a dedicated dining room and you were promised one thing and didn't get it?

[Ma Bell]

We have also been staying in suites for years and although Luminae is wonderful in many ways we have no desire to eat there for every meal. Lunch menus in particular are very limited in their offerings and best left for sea days when the other areas are crowded. In fact there are only about three menus for lunch which are repeated. The buffet actually is very enjoyable on port days with a great selection of food and the opportunity to sit outside and enjoy the experience when most of the people are ashore. We are usually touring as well but having visited many ports multiple times it's sometimes nice to stay on board.

 

Practically speaking, it really doesn't make sense to have Luminae open on port days and personally we don't miss it one bit.

Edited August 14, 2016 by Ma Bell

[opa&oma]

First time in a suite...first time here posting but long time follower. There is nothing wrong with the buffet...but it wasn't what I believed I was getting when I booked. I am not a nickle and dimer. But I am disappointed and I can feel that way....and so can others. It is what it is but i can still be disappointed.

 

Question..... what was the date you booked? we were inaugural guests in Luminae, and from the very start there were no in port lunches. I guess the lesson learned, its up to customers to keep up in a business'es changes.:)

[Karynanne]

You know I had to think about your reply.. so when there wasn't a dedicated dining room you were ok with it. I can understand that. You weren't promised anything and you didn't get anything. How about there was a dedicated dining room and you were promised one thing and didn't get it?

 

 

I'm a very flexible person, and don't expect perfection. I understand change. After many years of cruising, I know that nothing is written in stone. If you have this attitude, then change won't be difficult to accept.

[Karynanne]

First time in a suite...first time here posting but long time follower. There is nothing wrong with the buffet...but it wasn't what I believed I was getting when I booked. I am not a nickle and dimer. But I am disappointed and I can feel that way....and so can others. It is what it is but i can still be disappointed.

 

 

Have you sailed yet, or is your cruise in the future? If you haven't, then why are you already complaining about a situation you haven't experienced?

 

You may be pleasantly surprised and actually enjoy yourself.

[dkjretired]

Have you sailed yet, or is your cruise in the future? If you haven't, then why are you already complaining about a situation you haven't experienced?

 

You may be pleasantly surprised and actually enjoy yourself.

.

 

It is perfectly acceptable to be disappointed, we were disappointed in our last cruise when they eliminated the unlimited water in AQ but Celebrity covers their but with wording in their documents that they can make changes. You make the best of it.

[Muushka]

Thanks VTCRUISING, for posting the menus. I can say that both the "Club" and the "Signature Burger" are terrific.:)

 

Cheers!

 

Turkey Club in Luminae? We ordered it and while it was an interesting sandwich, the lack of turkey on it was disappointing. I think ours had 1 thin slice of turkey. Now the Signature Burger...Delicious.:)

 

There is no buffet rage on port days. Most people are in port. Try it, you might like it.;)

 

No plastic trays either ;).

[Karynanne]

??? So lets check the facts.................

 

Charge top dollar for a suite - tick

Don't open Luminae or even MDR on port days - tick

Other "premium" lines manage to do it and they're presumably making money - tick

Only place to eat is buffet or shell out for Bistro on Five - tick

Buffet food is okay, but if that's what a suite guest wanted they'd be in an inside cabin on the Island Escape (been there, done that) - tick

Buffet rage is indeed a relative concept and yes, been there, done that - tick

 

I'm assuming throughout that you are one of the people who would be eating in Luminae, not one of the malcontents who bleat on about suite guests getting too much cream. If this is not the case then with respect, your opinion is so far from reality that it deserves zero credence.

 

 

.

 

 

Clearly, you aren't speaking for all Suite guests.

And some of us do not book Suites for the dining venue.

We like space. Closet space...drawer space...bathroom space, and balcony space. There is a value there.

We know that the MDR and Luminae is closed on port days. Not an issue. We don't feel cheated, or was led astray.

And if other cruiselines have a different policy, maybe it's time for you to make a change and find your bliss somewhere else. JMHO...

[jagoffee]

??? So lets check the facts.................

 

Charge top dollar for a suite - tick

Don't open Luminae or even MDR on port days - tick

Other "premium" lines manage to do it and they're presumably making money - tick

Only place to eat is buffet or shell out for Bistro on Five - tick

Buffet food is okay, but if that's what a suite guest wanted they'd be in an inside cabin on the Island Escape (been there, done that) - tick

Buffet rage is indeed a relative concept and yes, been there, done that - tick

 

I'm assuming throughout that you are one of the people who would be eating in Luminae, not one of the malcontents who bleat on about suite guests getting too much cream. If this is not the case then with respect, your opinion is so far from reality that it deserves zero credence.

 

 

.

 

I am not sure how by definition facts can be wrong, but you have managed to "twist the facts a little".

 

Can you name a cruise line who's MDR is closed on port days, but has a regular restaurant open for suite guests? That also has a buffet?

 

B5 was free for suite guests, but of course it is being replaced.

 

The Oceanview is an outstanding place to have a very nice lunch inside or on the aft deck on port days. Have you actually experienced the area of the port day? The grill and Aqua Cafe is also an option and perhaps the porch. I spend a lot of port days (my favorite days) on the ship and I have never seen it crowded anywhere on the ship.

 

I have enjoyed many cruises and now almost always cruise in suites. I am sure it is not your intent, but I am embarrassed by your comments. I hope people realize that your implications

are in no way shared by most suite guests.

 

I think the Luminae is a great addition/benefit, but I do not eat most of my lunches in the Luminae even of sea days. In fact many of our breakfast are enjoyed outside in the Oceanview cafe. I very much enjoy sharing my cruise experience with everyone on the ship and I could not care less about someone's cabin category.

 

It is nice to avoid the crowds sometimes, but not at the exclusion of the overall experience all the time.

 

Just my opinion of course

[Ma Bell]

I am not sure how by definition facts can be wrong, but you have managed to "twist the facts a little".

 

Can you name a cruise line who's MDR is closed on port days, but has a regular restaurant open for suite guests? That also has a buffet?

 

B5 was free for suite guests, but of course it is being replaced.

 

The Oceanview is an outstanding place to have a very nice lunch inside or on the aft deck on port days. Have you actually experienced the area of the port day? The grill and Aqua Cafe is also an option and perhaps the porch. I spend a lot of port days (my favorite days) on the ship and I have never seen it crowded anywhere on the ship.

 

I have enjoyed many cruises and now almost always cruise in suites. I am sure it is not your intent, but I am embarrassed by your comments. I hope people realize that your implications

are in no way shared by most suite guests.

 

I think the Luminae is a great addition/benefit, but I do not eat most of my lunches in the Luminae even of sea days. In fact many of our breakfast are enjoyed outside in the Oceanview cafe. I very much enjoy sharing my cruise experience with everyone on the ship and I could not care less about someone's cabin category.

 

It is nice to avoid the crowds sometimes, but not at the exclusion of the overall experience all the time.

 

Just my opinion of course

 

We feel the same way.:)

[Kevnzworld]

Oceanview cafe is a crowded madhouse with mediocre food. It remains the worst part of sailing Celebrity for me.

Lunch in Luminae was always an afterthought without distinction .

So Oceanview it is...Lord of the Flies.

Hopefully the new Edge ships will offer something competitive with the better cruise lines given that they will mostly be suites .

[dkjretired]

Oceanview cafe is a crowded madhouse with mediocre food. It remains the worst part of sailing Celebrity for me.

Lunch in Luminae was always an afterthought without distinction .

So Oceanview it is...Lord of the Flies.

Hopefully the new Edge ships will offer something competitive with the better cruise lines given that they will mostly be suites .

 

As others have said, Oceanview is not crowded on port days.

 

Where did you get the info that the new ships will be mostly suites.

[Kevnzworld]

As others have said, Oceanview is not crowded on port days.

 

Where did you get the info that the new ships will be mostly suites.

 

The Maitre D in Tuscan Grill a few weeks ago told me that.

[floatplan]

Can you name a cruise line who's MDR is closed on port days, but has a regular restaurant open for suite guests? That also has a buffet?

 

The Haven restaurant for NCL suites is open port days for lunch, you can even eat outside by the pool which can be nice. The Haven does breakfast better than Luminae (which I hope will improve).

 

At the price of a suite on Celebrity eating lunch in the Oceanview cafe is such a poor experience compared to eating in Luminae (on food, service and environment). For similar price/day on Oceania or Viking you get an excellent lunch (as good or better than Luminae) everyday.

[godfreyb]

I am not sure how by definition facts can be wrong, but you have managed to "twist the facts a little".

 

Can you name a cruise line who's MDR is closed on port days, but has a regular restaurant open for suite guests? That also has a buffet?

 

 

Cunard - Queen's and Princess Grill are open for suite passengers on port days

[Chunky2219]

Clearly, you aren't speaking for all Suite guests.

And some of us do not book Suites for the dining venue.

We like space. Closet space...drawer space...bathroom space, and balcony space. There is a value there.

We know that the MDR and Luminae is closed on port days. Not an issue. We don't feel cheated, or was led astray.

And if other cruiselines have a different policy, maybe it's time for you to make a change and find your bliss somewhere else. JMHO...

Clearly, and pretty obviously, none of us is speaking for all suite guests. Although some seem to know what's best for all of us and what we should accept.

 

As for other cruise lines, read my sig., we already sail with several. Last one was Celebrity, next one is Cunard, where by the way, the suites restaurant is open on port days. Did I mention that? Yes, of course I did, several times but still someone has managed to fire off a missive without reading all of the text they question. That's what you get when you are more focused on justifying a position than exploring the facts. No, it wasn't you. And thanks GodfreyB and Floatplan for sorting it out. Yes Jagoffee, I've been upstairs on almost every port day, but if I want lunch on a tray with juice from a plastic cup I'll spend more time at McDonalds. But I digress.

 

Here's where I stand...... having sailed exclusively in suites when with Celebrity (also when with Cunard and P&O) we decided in 2013 that dining didn't match the cost of real estate so we concentrated on others. Since then Celebrity has introduced Luminae, as well as free specialty dining for the higher suites, so we gave it another go in April this year. The restaurant is okay and no doubt will impress people who've only had MDR before but let's be clear, by the standards of other suite dining it's merely okay. By the time we were half way through our last cruise we were fed up with tiny menu, the same old repetition and the congealed MDR ship-ins so we ate specialty for the rest of the cruise.

 

Given the hike in suite prices and the change to poorer booking conditions in the UK, you can rest assured that we'll be doing no more port-intensive cruises with X until there's somewhere other than the buffet to eat at lunch times when in port. "Suite class" is a step forward in some aspects, but it has a long way to go to compare with price equivalent, premium competition. JMHO, that of my palette and my wallet - I'm speaking for all three of us.

 

 

.

Edited August 16, 2016 by Chunky2219
typo

[xmarksx]

The Haven restaurant for NCL suites is open port days for lunch, you can even eat outside by the pool which can be nice. The Haven does breakfast better than Luminae (which I hope will improve).

 

At the price of a suite on Celebrity eating lunch in the Oceanview cafe is such a poor experience compared to eating in Luminae (on food, service and environment). For similar price/day on Oceania or Viking you get an excellent lunch (as good or better than Luminae) everyday.

 

Float, I tried to book a Haven suite for the last two cruises and both times Celebrity beat them for price and other value items by a wide margin.

 

Not going to speak for Cunard but am going to guess that their price is far greater than the entry level suites for Celebrity.

 

This topic was the source of much consternation when they shut it down port days and Celebrity/RCI did not change their decision. I see no indication that new complaints will now influence them to reopen it on port days.

[need2bespoiled]

Question..... what was the date you booked? we were inaugural guests in Luminae, and from the very start there were no in port lunches. I guess the lesson learned, its up to customers to keep up in a business'es changes.:)

 

This isn't true. We were the ribbon cutting guests on the first ship to get Luminae (Summit) and there was most definitely lunch in Luminae on port days when it opened. There was brunch on formal nights so I guess that means there wasn't lunch?

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna