A vegetarian on Edge: 4/3-4/10 live(ish) recaps

[bonjourfriend17]

I am mostly a lurker here but have found everyone’s reviews so helpful I decided I wanted to do the same! My husband and I are in our early 30’s, from Boston, no-kids, laid back travel style- love food and nature. Hubby is camera shy (wouldn’t want his pics online) so most of my photos will be of food and because I have basic internet smaller size unfortunately- sorry about the pics I had issues rotating too!

 

Getting from Boston To FLL was crazy with the weather and flight cancellations. Long story short, I had originally booked a same day flight for 5:45 that morning to land at 9,  but after reading that it was a bad idea thankfully a view weeks ago changed it to the evening before. If we had kept our original flight we would have missed the cruise cause it was cancelled. We were so lucky to get out- however we had a three hour delay and most of it on the tarmac- got to our hotel at 2:30 am! So rough start but once on the Edge it turned around fast.

 

@GenerationX I was inspired by your Amazon dress for embarking and took you up on the challenge- it is very comfortable indeed!

 

Embarkation was slightly delayed and people didn’t really understand how they were leaving parts of those wavy benches open but we were on by 11:30. We immediately went to Le Grande Bistro and were the only ones there for a minute. As soon as the bread came and the sommelier pour us a delicious rose our problems faded away! He told us about the different tastings and we signed up for a food and wine pairing one for later. I started with the crispy chèvre and garlic crepe and had the mushroom leek tarte for my entree. Both were excellent and we split profiteroles with chocolate ice cream as well. We then enjoyed exploring the ship- as our first edge class ship we are totally blown away.

Our aquaclass room is beautiful; I know some on here have high room standards but the last time we cruised celebrity was San Diego to Vancouver on the Infinity for our honeymoon six years ago in an interior- so just being able to have the window that opens is a treat to us!

 

 

We checked out the thermal suites at the spa- my husband had an issue with his locker. Is working so had to retrieve someone but we enjoyed the different rooms. We stopped at Cafe Baccio for a cappuccino- can’t wait to try the alcoholic ones but we weren’t ready yesterday. 

 

Dinner was in Blu. I started with a picking season cocktail and chicory salad (I forgot to take a pic cause I was worried there was sliced meat on top but it was wine soaked apples- my husband was happy to taste for me haha). Then I had the pumpkin gnocci which was an excellent dish- the sundried tomatoes, artichokes and pesto had great flavor and the little goat cheese balls added a nice creaminess. The gnocci melted in your mouth. Hubby and I split the peach clafoutis. Well executed but not huge fan just not my style of dessert.

 

After we walked the track a bit, enjoyed the peace and quiet of the windy deck. We went to the 7:30 comedian- Jason Blanchard. He was very good and I enjoyed when he gently mocked some drunk hecklers in the front row. I have a feeling he will be even funnier for the late night raunchier show tonight. After that show we sat on the loungers facing the ocean by the regular pool for a little then headed to bed early since we were wiped from our crazy flight the day before. 
 

This morning we had light bites at the spa cafe and enjoyed the solarium with no one in the pool or hot tub. Then we grabbed chairs outside to read before the pool deck started getting busy. I’m reading Ali Wong’s book, Dear Girls and it’s funny and interesting so far!

 

 

Just feeling so happy and grateful to be on vacation after a long two years.

[mhoffrob]

sounds delightful!  IS that the avocado toast from the Spa Cafe?  I'm looking forward to trying that!!

 

[bonjourfriend17]

53 minutes ago, mhoffrob said:

sounds delightful!  IS that the avocado toast from the Spa Cafe?  I'm looking forward to trying that!!

 

Yes it’s on the every day menu at the spa cafe… it had shredded egg on top and the multigrain bread went nicely with the avocado!

[Susanb10567]

Following along…we got off the Edge on Sunday and miss it already.

 

Wishing you a wonderful cruise..can’t wait to get back on board in September.

 

 

[bonjourfriend17]

 

Day 2: 

After breakfast we enjoyed the Solarium area and outside ocean facing loungers on deck 14 for a while until it got crowded. Apparently our cruise is the most that has sailed since Covid 2017 people and even more would have been here if not for the flight problems. Hubby and I try to do the opposite of what most people are doing to have more peace/quiet and space to ourselves.

 

The staff is overburdened for the number of guests a bit but personally I am still finding the service to be very good.

 

At 10:45 we left our chairs to go get more coffee at Cafe bacio. They didn’t have the days desserts in the case yet or we would have split one. We ate such a light breakfast that hubby and I were hungry at 11. It turns out that 11-12 is a very dead hour on the ship there is almost no food to be had anywhere! I thought Oceanview had some type of all the time offering but not really. We waited hungryly at 11:40 until they dropped the ropes around 11:52 haha. It was very busy there tbh so forgot to take pictures but I just did fries and Mac and cheese. We also split a few desserts the best of which was the Brownie cake… the Boston creme pie was okay but could have used more vanilla flavor in the custard.

 

After lunch we had a wine and food pairing tasting scheduled at 1 in Normandie though they moved it to Tuscan Restaurant. I can’t remember the name of our Sommelier but he was from Bali and very fun. As a vegetarian I knew there would be a some items on the plate I couldn’t eat like chicken and fish- I did ask if they had vegetarian plates without them but they didn’t. No big deal because no food was touching so I could just eat around and participate when it came to tasting wines with tomatoes, olives, cheese, and chocolate. At 40pp wouldn't do again but thoroughly enjoyed.

We prebooked massages online and headed to the spa. My husband and I both had the best massages of our lives. My masseuse was Ni and his was Nika- highly recommend them. Mine was aromatherapy hot stone and I am pretty sure I haven’t been this relaxed in two years! I loved the relaxation room too-comfy chairs perfect windows.

Dinner was in Blu. I was proud of ya we skipped the bread basket cause we weren’t super hungry. My blue cheese soufflé was rich and flavorful. I wasn’t as much a fan of the orchiette mushroom pasta I got, which while it had a nice mushroom flavor was missing the asparagus tips and I thought could have used much more veggies and spice. I should have got the vegetarian chili or veggie burger but the veggie burger is on the Blu menu every day so I’m sure I’ll try that. We also skipped dessert - trying not to gain as much this cruise. 

 

We headed for the deck which was quiet and enjoyed sunset.

 

At some point we went down to Bacio for boozy coffees I loved my amore (amaretto and coffee) . We split coconut cake which was a little dry maybe cause it was end of day.

 

 

Then back up to the deck some more… was so great having the deck to ourselves as much people were at the show. It was truly a perfect first day at sea.

 

Edited April 5, 2022 by bonjourfriend17

[Chriskoo]

Thanks for the awesome review and pictures! That goat cheese appetizer at le grand bistro looks incredible. My husband and I are on the ship as well, absolutely everyone we’ve talked to has a story about trouble getting here due to flight issues (ourselves included!).

[KandMB]

Thanks so far, I am following as we are in Aqua class for our next cruise and interested in the veggie options in Blu. 

[bonjourfriend17]

Day 3: Hubby made clear no light spa breakfast today so we had breakfast I blu. The menu is pretty extensive and they walk around offering pastries and lavazza coffee. I was being a little bit healthier and decided to get an English muffin, roasted tomato, l and two poached eggs. It also came with perfectly cooked asparagus! Where was that in my dinner the night before haha?

After breakfast we decided to sit and read in a variety of indoor and outdoor spots- I liked the sunny chairs in Eden though I didn’t spend that long in the swing chair for fear I would somehow be the one to break it! We also sat on deck 15 near the horse statue, and then by the sunset bar for a while. I was over the sun faster than Hubby but tried not to rush him- I like it in small doses but prefer shade! 

We did a sit down lunch in cosmopolitan. I didn’t ask if there was a veggie menu as I have been trying not to bother the hard working waiters that much- got a garden salad which was super fresh and then the only veggie option on the regular menu: veggie burger and fries. It was a standard but good veggie burger but the bun was light and amazing bread- clearly made fresh. Didn’t take any pics sorry- the hubby got banana creme brûlée too share and I liked it more than I thought it would as it has really chunks of bananas in it.

 

We headed to the thermal suites which were pretty busy and thus not as relaxing to us so after that returned to room to rest for San Juan. We went outside to watch docking. It was amazing pulling in past the forts and just seeing the beauty of this port from the outside deck.

Because of limited port time all the San Juan groups left at once so the theatre to tour bus experience took a while with huge lines. We did the excursions Pld and New San Juan. We had a very nice driver who shared a lot of history and insights. We made 3 15 minute stops- one at the fort, one near the presidential walkway and a final stop at La ventana a la mar.

Our driver offered to let people off in Christopher Columbus park or ship- we got off in the park and walked around a bit to take in the colorful architecture. Disappointing shopping at this hour (7) but we found one pretty mosaic blue and white leaf thing for our coffee table at a typical tourist gift store. We both would like to come back and have more time but we didn’t really know where to go at night.

Back on board we decided to try Cypress tonight. I like Blu but also like variety and haven’t experienced the regular 4 restaurants. Cypress ended up being my favorite meal we had so far. I got the hot melted cheese Saganki: which is kefalograviera cheese with lemon and sourdough bread. It was delish but having already enjoyed the bread basket ( we were very hungry) I def couldn’t finish this vat of delicious cheese! For my entree I had the fried masala potatoes which came with rice, raita, and a cute mini bread (not white naan darker and flatter). Highly recommend this dish! The plan was for hubby and I to share the melted lava cake but waiter Warner’s it was really small so to get two and we did. It came with coffee ice cream and was so great. We loved the ambience and service here! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have a big day today in BVI so headed to bed early !

Edited April 6, 2022 by bonjourfriend17

[jimbri]

Enjoy your trip!

[ChiSloop]

As a vegetarian, I had excellent food in Blu on Constellation in February.  Ask for the vegetarian menu.  It is from the main dining room and was additionally provided to me each night.  I usually ordered the clean vegetarian option from the Blu menu, but it was nice to have the options.  Also, don’t miss the excellent vegetarian and vegan options in Oceanview at lunch.  Enjoy!

[bonjourfriend17]

@chisloop interesting… I’ve heard mixed as to if you can order of the mdr menus from blu on the edge class ships so I’ll give it a try tonight and report back!

[bonjourfriend17]

British Virgin Islands/ Tortola day 4:

Another wonderful day but totally packed. We docked around 8 in Tortola and had to be off by 8:15 for our first shore tour (yes you heard me right we did two yesterday which was a little crazy). We had an early breakfast at the Oceanview Cafe which was fast and perfect so we could get ready. From our infinite balcony we could watch the sun rise over the British Virgin Islands which was so cool!

 

 

Our first tour of the day was going to the Baths. It takes around 40 minutes my catamaran and 15 on an open air mini bus. We were shocked with how many people they let do the trip my guess was around 125 or so as each bus held 25 and I think there were at least 5. The first part walking down to Devils Bay beach was not too hard though being in such a pack of people took away a little it was still beautiful. We loved the beach and the crystal clear warm water.

 

 

Then when it was time to do the walk through the baths to the other beach, the tour capacity really showed to not be ideal. Btw Hubby and I bought water shoes as recommended and they were helpful! We spent a lot of time waiting in line i the caves just to take a next step. Felt like I was in a Disney world line haha except this moved slower. Also not good if you’re claustrophobic as at that point no way out too many people. Finally we found the cause of the Jam, a ladder you walk backwards down. We were thrilled to be able to walk through the final part and emerge onto a beach where we bought some tee shirts. Then back to bus to boat to ship. 

I perhaps in insanity booked a second tour- my logic was just wanting to see as much of the island as possible. Our timing was tight (I had to have the shore excursion staff on edge override the one hour buffer gap they have on excursions). We had no time for lunch though. This one was called town and country drive and we had an excellent tour guide Kuumba. He drove us up and down the island talking about his life, the culture, the recent hurricanes etc, geography/nature. If you have a fear heights this one isn’t for you as most of the drive feels like you’re hanging off a cliff. Gorgeous view and pictures though from the top.

 

Then we headed to Cane Garden Bay beach where thankfully we could revive our self’s with mango smoothies (no alcohol way too much time in bright sun to want it haha).

 

 

We finally got back to ship around 4:30. We both had mixed feelings on doing two. It would be nice if celebrity had an all day offering that included lunch but oh well. 

 

We were both wiped but had made a reservation at Normandie the other MDR restaurant we wanted to try. Service was a bit slow but very friendly. We started with French Daquiri cocktails which were light and refreshing: Bacardi rum, rose, vermouth and lime. Then we both tried the Alsatian Potato Gruyere tarte to start. For dinner I asked for two appetizers and they obliged: the spinach ricotta ravioli and and apple pear blue cheese salad. From all of the activity we decided each on our own desserts- I had the regular chocolate cake which is amazing- light with dulce de leche layers, and my serve brought it with ice cream on the side for me!

 

We met a nice couple from Canada sitting next to us- married 49 years with a zest for life/travel and lots of tips for us on jewelry buying in St Martin, our next stop!
 

 

[bonjourfriend17]

I will keep my day 5 recap pretty short: had a quick breakfast in Oceanview then got ready to meet our private tour guide. Highly recommend Sunitas Taxi and Tour company- she and her husband, and so. Raj run the business and are amazing guides and will take you all around the island not rushing you but letting you decided the pace. We saw all of the major spots such as Orient Beach, Grand Case, Fort Louis and Marigot, Rum tasting in Sampson Bay, Maho beach planes, shops of Phillipsburg etc and little touches too like stopping to see iguanas or have a fresh coconut.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For dinner I did a spinach salad, truffle gnocci with a poached egg, and we split a sachertorte for dessert. The gnocci was the best most sophisticated item I think I’ve had- so recommend!

 

 

 

Then we went to hang in Eden and listen to the acoustic performers they are so talented and it was such a peaceful spot we loved it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BeeMinor]

I am enjoying your posts! The gnocchi looks delish. Is that in Blu? 

 

If you haven't been to the little Eden Cafe tucked away kind of on the left as you're entering the space you might like to check it out. They had some good veggie options when we sailed on Edge a few years ago, and if I remember correctly everything was made on the spot so you could modify pretty easily. I had a roasted vegetable wrap from there for breakfast one day which was good enough that I remember it 3+ years later!

[bonjourfriend17]

@BeeMinorwe still haven’t done Eden for breakfast between it opening too late on shore excursion days and my husband loving Blu breakfast but I convinced him we need to try it today because they wrap does look amazing!

 

Day 6 at sea day:

I must be tired from our long shore days because I barely took pictures all day! In the morning we started by grabbing cappucinos from Bacio II and sitting out on Deck 15 reading. I am now onto Colin Josts book “a very punchable face” which is really good! We had breakfast in Blue when it opened- I basically tried to order a breakfast sandwich deconstructed since it wasn’t on their menu and they obliged, bagel+slices of cheese on a plate+ two fried eggs haha. Also tried the mango smoothie which was nice and not too sweet. May have also discovered how good the chocolate croissants are eek.

 

Back to reading until the morning announcements we realized the captain was giving a talk in the theatre and we were both interested. We headed down and enjoyed his talk (learned a lot). When it was over it was almost lunch time. 
 

We chose a seated lunch in Cosmopolitan: I had a key lime avocado salad, then a veggie burger again cause I didn’t want whole wheat spaghetti the only veggie lunch option. I ordered chocolate fro yo for dessert but what came out was peach ice cream lol. I didn’t send it back but hubby was nice enough to share part of the brownie sundae he got. Anyone who know me knows I need some kind of chocolate in my dessert!

 

We changed into our suits after lunch and went between the deck and the spa pool then hung in the solarium some more. We decided to check out the future cruise desk but ultimately didn’t book because the price for a future cruise we were considering was pretty high- we had a much better deal on this one and also the cancellation policy is not flexible anymore and we have several things going on in our lives that make it harder to plan far out. Disappointing but oh well.

 

Hubby wanted a new celebrity polo shirt- the one the got 6 years ago is “well loved”. He found one but it was 75 dollars and a thin material (eye roll). Shops have no captains club discount on celebrity merch either.

 

After changing into formal wear we headed to dinner at Blu. I forgot to take a picture but I had an awesome appetizer- a fried jalapeño with sweet potatoes and avocado crema. Then I had two appetizers for dinner- a fennel tomato soup with grilled cheese croutons and a blue cheese salad.

 

Dessert was amazing and luckily I did remember the picture! Baked Alaska!

We headed to Eden to hear music but they were on a break. We still managed some cocktails - two planters which contain Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, cardamom syrup, lime juice and Curacao.  

 

We needed then as we noticed JetBlue is still having tons do flight issues and the flight we are taking home has been delayed 2-3 hours most days this week. Never again with JetBlue. They aren’t the same as they used to be.

 

Anyways we headed back to the room to watch tv and relax after that. So sad we only have one more at sea day but I know it  will be a good one.

[dgoz]

Thanks for this awesome review and the pictures. Wonderful.

[bonjourfriend17]

Day 7 and post-debarkation shore excursion of Everglades to Airport.

 

On the morning of our last day Hubby slept in a bit and we went to Eden cafe for the first time. Thanks for the recommendation @BeeMinor the good start wrap: roasted vegetables, potato Roark, spinach, avocado and tomato spread is not to be missed. Flavorful but full of good veggies. Hubby and I also split a bear claw and enjoyed the cool plates/ mugs. The outdoor seating there is always a peaceful area, highly recommend! 
 

 

We spent the next hour or two obsessing over all of JetBlues flight issues and ultimately deciding to move to a later flight with a better track record. Trying to do this on the regular speed wifi was painful - we headed to the internet help area where we used a mac to successfully finish the change. Then we waiting at the shore excursions area to add the Everglades bus tour in the morning, to minimize airport time a bit.

 

We decided to sit on deck 15- I put on my suit and finally sat in a martini glass hot tub while Hubby read some more. We made a lunch reservation for Le Grand Bistro because we liked it so much on day 1! I was feeling a bit sad and emotional as I love travel but it will likely be a while before we are cruising again. Ah, life.

 

We started with the lemonade Provencal- it was highly refreshing but also strong!! Fresh lemon juice, lavender, Sage, thyme, rosemary and Plymouth gin.

 

I decided to start with the arugula salad this time as well as the cheese. My favorite was the port salut which according to google is a “semi-soft pasteurised cow's milk cheese from Pays de la Loire, France, with a distinctive orange rind and a mild flavour.”

There is only one vegetarian entree but I was thrilled to get the leek mushroom tarte again. Perfection.

For dessert I ordered the floating island which is meringue floating in creme anglaise with caramel- like a fancy marshmallow- very good. I also got a Nutella croissant to go which sadly had barely a trace of Nutella in it when I went to snack on it later in the afternoon.

We napped in the afternoon, enjoyed our veranda and then went back outside. We did an early dinner at Blu. I wasn’t thrilled about the menu so asked for the other vegetarian menu which was just mdr- it does not seem like they have separate vegetarian menus anymore printed which is too bad. I decided on the daily vegetable for my appetizer: super bean cassoulet with cannellini, chickpeas and kidney beans, kale in an almond pesto. It was huge so I guess not an appetizer- the clean eating part of the blu menu is confusing that way. It tasted like Italian chili haha.

 

 

I really wasn’t in the mood for pasta so my waiter, Allen, recommended the beyond burger and said it’s Captain Kate”a favorite, so then I had to try it- love her! It was my third veggie burger of the trip as I tended to have in at lunches in Cosmopolitan. However this one was the best much thicker on a great bun with avocado spread, crispy onions, piquillo and fries. It’s like 3x thicker than a regular veggie burger. I was too stuffed to finish it or have dessert!

It was cool and breezy on the deck so great weather to do walk the track for a while. We then headed to the Magic Carpet to watch the sunset- Hubby doesn’t like heights so we hadn’t spent much time there.

 

 

 

After that we had some tea in Cafe Bacio and watched the martini bartender show a little. Somehow the server remembered my husband and I even though we didn’t go there every day.

 

We both had trouble sleeping worrying about our flights. At 6:30 am we enjoyed our final breakfast in Blu. I started with the blue parfait which has granola, Greek yogurt and blueberry compote. It was so good! Then I tried the Berry pecan pancakes also good. Stuffed we went back to spend a few minutes in the room.

 

 

 

Our excursion met in the club and was a pretty small group. Getting off the ship was fast and easy and the coach very comfortable! We had a nice guide and enjoyed the airboat. We saw lots of birds but no alligators - apparently it was a bit cold for them.
 

Then we saw the alligator show which was impressive and included one of the guys from Gator Boys on animal planet.

 

We got to take a pic with a baby alligator which was fun!

 

 

Ride to airport also smooth and so far things are going much better for us than they did last week.

We are now sitting in FLL and our flight is on time.

 

Thanks for cruising with me!