Eclipse: Our Celebrity Suite and Aqua Sky Suite Experience

[bnurick]

2 hours ago, someguyfl said:

Are there any rules that only kids can order from that menu? 😉

Well, being I am a kid at heart ❤️ only, IDK! 😆 

 

2 hours ago, RichYak said:

The chef needs a day’s notice to make a burger? I honestly can’t tell if this post is tongue in cheek or serious. 

Probably could pre-order at lunch, but once you go past a certain level of ingredients, it might actually need to be a day. So to keep it simple for them, I would just say one day by default. Cheers!

 

2 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

Thank you.  That’s about 1/3 of the water we would go through in any given day.  I will talk with our “Retrat host/stateroom attendant” to see what is possible.  The rest well simply bring from the bars/lounge. 
 

So we are now up to 4 large bottles sitting together. I guess I will start the water guzzle. 😆 In all honesty, they have handled this issue with class. Cheers!

 

[abbydancer2003]

On 10/30/2023 at 10:15 AM, Jim_Iain said:

Thanks for the post.     I'm really surprised of the Up-charge for a Filet in Luminae.   That is especially concerning when on E-Class and can't order from MDR.   I wonder how they handle that.

 

 

I wonder - is the charge for any filet, or for the upcharged one with morel mushrooms and truffle sauce?  I read on a post a while ago that they got one of the upcharge items but at a discount.

[tfred]

I don't think that one can be a "selective eater" and be in a suite- especially on Edge Class. We have eaten in Luminae and always find something that is interesting and good.  The menu is the menu and it generally has an edge to it

 

Luminae is not a "bring me what I want or I only eat what I eat" kind of place. While the service is very personal and attentive, if you are there for only the service aspect you will find Luminae to be a low value.  I have seen a few people eating Mac and cheese with well done steak night after night and wonder what they chose a suite since Luminae is a big part of that experience. 

[doghog]

12 hours ago, someguyfl said:

Are there any rules that only kids can order from that menu? 😉

Not at all. You can order your entire meal from the kids menu if you want. I always order the Mac n Cheese whenever I don't like what's served with the entree. As recent as our 8 October Eclipse cruise. 

Edited November 2, 2023 by doghog

[jelayne]

8 minutes ago, tfred said:

I don't think that one can be a "selective eater" and be in a suite- especially on Edge Class. We have eaten in Luminae and always find something that is interesting and good.  The menu is the menu and it generally has an edge to it

 

Luminae is not a "bring me what I want or I only eat what I eat" kind of place. While the service is very personal and attentive, if you are there for only the service aspect you will find Luminae to be a low value.  I have seen a few people eating Mac and cheese with well done steak night after night and wonder what they chose a suite since Luminae is a big part of that experience. 

We booked suites on E class in spite of Luminae.  We book because we enjoy the Retreat Sun Deck, Retreat Lounge and overall service.  For someone who can not eat seafood/fish the kids menu has been a go to on many nights on E class ships when the MDR items are not a option 

.

[SerraG]

2 hours ago, tfred said:

I don't think that one can be a "selective eater" and be in a suite- especially on Edge Class. We have eaten in Luminae and always find something that is interesting and good.  The menu is the menu and it generally has an edge to it

 

Luminae is not a "bring me what I want or I only eat what I eat" kind of place. While the service is very personal and attentive, if you are there for only the service aspect you will find Luminae to be a low value.  I have seen a few people eating Mac and cheese with well done steak night after night and wonder what they chose a suite since Luminae is a big part of that experience. 

 

I agree.  I am always a little confused when people say that the Luminae menu is uninspired.  It seems so varied and interesting to me, but I guess I wasn’t thinking about picky eaters.  When I look at the dinner menu tonight on the Edge, for example, this is what I would be thinking as I read each item: 

——-

APPETIZERS: 

 

Braised Short Ribs: Short ribs are one of my favorite ways to eat beef. Yes please! Parsnips are a bit sweet and sound like a great accompaniment, especially with a little sweet and sour bursts of flavor from the pomegranate seeds! 

 

Turkey Escarole Soup:  I am honestly not a big fan of Turkey, but I would be willing to try this.  I’m not sure if I’ve ever had Escarole, which is usually somewhat bitter, in a soup before so that sounds interesting. And the Gruyère croutons sound delicious!

 

Crispy Kale Salad: Looks great. I love that they are using kale instead of regular lettuce because it’s so much more flavorful and has a nice texture.  Watermelon and feta is a classic combination that seems like a good choice to pair with the kale.  

 

Pig’s Foot Carpaccio: Wow! Okay, this does sounds really weird, but I love how different it is. I like pickled pigs feet so I would probably like this. (Note: I assume carpaccio just means sliced thinly here. I wouldn’t eat raw pork.)

 

———

ENTRÉES

 

Veal Cannelloni - Hmm. I was influenced by the anti-veal campaign early in my youth and probably wouldn’t be able to order veal.  Love the sides (chestnuts are so good!) but this would be a “no” for me. 

 

Cod Basquaise - Nice white flaky fish in a Spanish style tomato sauce.  Sounds good.  I had to look up what “piperade” was: peppers, onions, garlic and tomatoes.  That’s a nice combination of vegetables.   

 

Pepper-crusted Muscovy Duck Breast - I love duck and don’t get it vary often. I wouldn’t even really know where to buy it to cook at home, so I’d definitely order this.  My only concern is that duck can be easily over-cooked.  I also love the idea of the Mille-feuille sweet potato side dish with mole and corn, seems like an elevated Mexican flavor profile. 

 

Grilled NY Strip - Okay, this one does sound a little boring, but I am occasionally in the mood for a steak and I love truffle mashed potatoes  and roasted veggies are always good.  Oh, and a beet-port reduction sounds amazing!  I would get this just for the side dishes.    

 

Butternut and Swiss Chard Lasagne - This is with a Gruyère Béchamel sauce, so not your typical lasagne.  What a great vegetarian option with interesting vegetables. I’d love to try this one. 

 

———

So almost all of these look like delicious and extrémale well constructed dishes to me.  I would actually have a hard time choosing between menu items and would definitely be looking forward to coming back so I could try the other options.  

 

That being said, I can see how a picky eater might feel really limited. If you only eat beef and chicken, then you are down to about 2 appetizers and 2 entrées.   But I still can’t imagine calling this menu uninspired or boring.  

[hcat]

not picky..just prefer main line food..

good beef, lamb, poultry and fish.. fresh and  served warm!   no kale!

 

one and done for us..but great for those who love it..we prefer BLU!

 

[jelayne]

28 minutes ago, hcat said:

 

we prefer BLU!

 

With you on that.

[DaKahuna]

@hcat & @jelayne  You have convinced me that i need to try Blu on our next cruise.  Is there a particular night's menu you prefer? A specific dish?  What is it about Blu's food that makes you prefer it over Luminae?   We'll be on a 13-night cruise so I am sure I'll have a couple of opportunities to try and dine in Blu (space available) as we're in an Aqua Sky Suite on Millennium.

 

[hcat]

45 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

@hcat & @jelayne  You have convinced me that i need to try Blu on our next cruise.  Is there a particular night's menu you prefer? A specific dish?  What is it about Blu's food that makes you prefer it over Luminae?   We'll be on a 13-night cruise so I am sure I'll have a couple of opportunities to try and dine in Blu (space available) as we're in an Aqua Sky Suite on Millennium.

 

BLU on Beyond was bright and light..great views (not so on Edge) . We found  most of LumInae on BEYOND to be darkish. Service in BLU was exceptional..languid( ?,,,)  in Luminae other than wine service.. also hood in BLU  .To us, BLU is less pretentious modern clean cuisine...cooked to your tastes.More about the food than the fancy!

 

Dinner in BLU starts with asst bread, crisp breadstick, flatbreads and  butters, " spreads,  veggie.  Refilled. In Luminae..bread lady doled out bread & disappeared.  

 

Love the fresh  crisp Salads in  in BLU.. with tasty fresh dressings.   Shrimp cocktail had  huge firm fresh shrimp and tangy sauce.  In Lum..we were  served limp salads and mushy wsrm  shrimp.

 

BLU gave us abundant veggies , hot or great cold  soups,  perfectly cooked fish,  beef and poultry..sauces and gravy on the side...less salty.   But Luminae is def better at desserts.

 

Blu Can get tedious with poultry so check the menu before you line up.  

It,s all good.. we are assigned in BLU on ASCENT but have 3  specialty res..just to break things up a bit.

 

Nice to have choices.. . would love to hear what you think!

[hcat]

I see you are on the Millie  Japan thread where BLU is shown..maybe you can inquire abt  menus and good there.

[hcat]

2 minutes ago, hcat said:

I see you are on the Millie  Japan thread where BLU is shown..maybe you can inquire abt  menus and food there.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 2, 2023 by hcat

[Cruise a holic]

I found Blu on the apex poor.  First, it is located in a hallway- some tables near the hallway and people see in and out-  If you are early, make sure you get a table far from the noisy hallway.  The food was fair.  Not great.  For the past 10 plus years, they put out the same spreads and breads and veggies.  Time for a change-  The tables for two were almost on top of each other- people jumping in on your private conversations.  Not for me anymore- have moved up to suites and really prefer luminae on all classes of ships.  Other options dine in speciality restaurants- rotate.  Our favorites are Eden and on S class Silhouette and Reflection Lawn club grill.

[hcat]

Agree, diff ships have  diff BLU set ups.

 

We did not like location on EDGE but it  was good on BEYOND...hope it is good on ASCENT!

 

Based on your comments happy we  are not going to be in AQ Class on APEX.. we will have the 4 mdrs( sailing in an SV)

[abbydancer2003]

12 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

@hcat & @jelayne  You have convinced me that i need to try Blu on our next cruise.  Is there a particular night's menu you prefer? A specific dish?  What is it about Blu's food that makes you prefer it over Luminae?   We'll be on a 13-night cruise so I am sure I'll have a couple of opportunities to try and dine in Blu (space available) as we're in an Aqua Sky Suite on Millennium.

 

Keep in mind that on the M class ships, if the Maitre'd is willing, you can order off the Blu menu in Luminae.  On the Summit last spring, our server brought all 3 menus every night.

[jelayne]

@DaKahuna love the short ribs in Blu, lamb, there used to be a Osso Buco that was amazing.  Folks complain about the tables for 2  being close together but tables for 2 in Luminae are also close together.  
 

Service in Blu is as good as Luminae.  Our last 2 cruises we had dinner 1 night each in Blu.  The sommeliers took our wine order ( they had wines Luminae didn’t have) brought the bottle and left it for us to enjoy.  

[DaKahuna]

10 hours ago, abbydancer said:

Keep in mind that on the M class ships, if the Maitre'd is willing, you can order off the Blu menu in Luminae.  On the Summit last spring, our server brought all 3 menus every night.

 

 We were told we could not on our last sailing on Millennium because I asked.  The Maitre'D did offer to have the chef prepare something from the Blu menu for us if we gave him advance notice. 

 

8 hours ago, jelayne said:

@DaKahuna love the short ribs in Blu, lamb, there used to be a Osso Buco that was amazing.  Folks complain about the tables for 2  being close together but tables for 2 in Luminae are also close together.  
 

Service in Blu is as good as Luminae.  Our last 2 cruises we had dinner 1 night each in Blu.  The sommeliers took our wine order ( they had wines Luminae didn’t have) brought the bottle and left it for us to enjoy.  

 

 I remember very fondly the Osso Bucco in Blu.  I also remember there being a wonderful gumbo as well.  

 

 We did not have an issue with tables being too close together in Luminae and remember them being much closer together in Blu but it has been a while.  

 

 I have asked the Luminae sommelier for wines that I saw listed on the menu in Blu and was able to receive them.  Our Sommelier never left us a bottle but our waitstaff was always topping off our glasses when the sommelier was busy. 

[lovecruzin]

We board Eclipse on the 11th. Other than the menu in Luminae how is the overall service including wine? The server we had in May is on holiday and the somm has moved to Ascent.

 

Edited November 3, 2023 by lovecruzin

[bigbenboys]

59 minutes ago, lovecruzin said:

We board Eclipse on the 11th. Other than the menu in Luminae how is the overall service including wine? The server we had in May is on holiday and the somm has moved to Ascent.

 

We were on Eclipse in Sept/Oct. Service in Luminae was very good. Assistant waiter G was great. Our somm was ok. He was better after a couple of days. The ribeye was horrible.

[bnurick]

10 hours ago, lovecruzin said:

We board Eclipse on the 11th. Other than the menu in Luminae how is the overall service including wine? The server we had in May is on holiday and the somm has moved to Ascent.

 

Wine service is good. First night in Luminae we did a tasting and picked our preferred bottle. I see a few tables that get a bottle of their preference so they can pour as they want without having to wait. Unlike the E-Class ships, the restaurant is never full, so it’s more personalized. Cheers from the Eclipse at sea!

[jelayne]

12 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 We were told we could not on our last sailing on Millennium because I asked.  The Maitre'D did offer to have the chef prepare something from the Blu menu for us if we gave him advance notice. 

 

 

 I remember very fondly the Osso Bucco in Blu.  I also remember there being a wonderful gumbo as well.  

 

 We did not have an issue with tables being too close together in Luminae and remember them being much closer together in Blu but it has been a while.  

 

 I have asked the Luminae sommelier for wines that I saw listed on the menu in Blu and was able to receive them.  Our Sommelier never left us a bottle but our waitstaff was always topping off our glasses when the sommelier was busy. 

Dined in Blu last night on Edge, short rib night.  The food was excellent.  We have been in Luminae, Blu and 1 of the MDRs  and all seems short staffed, particularly sommeliers.  Staff is running full speed, service in Blu was the best of the 3, the waiter handled our wine order, making recommendations and then leaving the bottle on the table for us.

[Baynanno1]

 

@Jim_Iain "I'm really surprised of the Up-charge for a Filet in Luminae."

 

@bnurick "Hey Jim, I agree the filet charge feels inappropriate given the price per day for The Retreat and we have the same concern for our upcoming Beyond sailing."

 

 @DaKahuna "As with @Jim_Iain I am surprised to hear about the off menu order of a filet in Luminae results in an additional charge."

 

We have just completed 15 nights on Solstice. Filet Mignon was on the menu twice (about a week apart) in Luminae at no extra charge.. Once a week was enough for me, as I like variety each day.

 

Others may disagree, but I feel that if one is ordering from another venue, any item with a charge noted on that day's menu for that venue, it is reasonable to expect to pay that charge.

On the other hand, I absolutely agree I would be unhappy if an upcharge appeared on the Luminae menu.

 

I ordered my lunch and dinner at breakfast each day (food allergy) and was accommodated well. My orders throughout the cruise were probably about 50/50 Luminae/MDR. On one occasion nothing was either safe or appealing as an appetiser, so our excellent server Budi arranged a special salad made to order containing all the ingredients we requested.

[lovecruzin]

13 hours ago, bnurick said:

Wine service is good. First night in Luminae we did a tasting and picked our preferred bottle. I see a few tables that get a bottle of their preference so they can pour as they want without having to wait. Unlike the E-Class ships, the restaurant is never full, so it’s more personalized. Cheers from the Eclipse at sea!

Thanks. Our last time on Luminae on Eclipse the ship was full so this may be a nice change.

[DianneLovesToCruise]

We are staying in a Sunset Suite starting tomorrow. Our friends have booked Concierge class. Has anyone ever had any experience in bringing a guest with them to Luminae because I’d like to invite them during our sailing down to Cabo? Thank you in advance!

Edited November 4, 2023 by DianneLovesToCruise

[39august]

You need to clear it with the Maitre d in Luminae and then you will be charged $30 pp for dinner.