Murano, Silk Harvest, Tuscan Grill

[lisalovlee33]

Hi,

We're thinking of trying the Murano. We've never tried it and was wondering what is the experience like for those who have used it. Thinking of doing it before they hike the price since we can book it online as well. (sailing in November this year). I suppose they're all the same across Celebrity ships? The one we're sailing on is Solstice Nov 16. Anyone know when is the formal nights for this cruise, so we can avoid clashing with it?

 

Wednesday, November 16, 2011 Barcelona, Spain -- 5:00 pm Thursday, November 17, 2011 Nice (villefranche), France 10:00 am 8:00 pm Friday, November 18, 2011 Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy 7:00 am 7:00 pm Saturday, November 19, 2011 Rome (civitavecchia), Italy 7:00 am 7:00 pm Sunday, November 20, 2011 Naples/capri, Italy 7:00 am 7:00 pm Monday, November 21, 2011 At Sea -- -- Tuesday, November 22, 2011 Dubrovnik, Croatia 7:00 am 5:00 pm Wednesday, November 23, 2011 Venice, Italy 2:00 pm -- Thursday, November 24, 2011 Venice, Italy -- 1:30 pm Friday, November 25, 2011 Kotor, Montenegro 10:00 am 6:00 pm Saturday, November 26, 2011 At Sea -- -- Sunday, November 27, 2011 At Sea -- -- Monday, November 28, 2011 Barcelona, Spain 6:00 am --thanks in advance.

[bdpnatl]

We have eaten in the Tuscan Grill on two different ships (Constellation post refit and the Equinox). It was a wonderful experience on both ships and we enjoyed the food alot. The service was excellent on both ships but not quite as formal as in Murano. We actually preffered the less formal atmosphere. The bread that they serve with the salad course is amazingly good. The servings are large so we learned to be careful not to eat too much of the Antipasto and Appetizers so we had room for dinner and dessert. They were always willing to let us have what we wanted. So I was able to have a side of pasta with my steak even though that was not the way it was advertised. The pasta and the steak were both great. We ended up going twice on both ships we enjoyed it so much. We are a little disappointed that after the Summit is refitted she will not have a Tuscan Grille but will have Qsine instead.

[benatty]

I would recommend Murano in a heartbeat. While the food in the MDR was quite good, the meal we had in Murano was exceptional. It is an extra $35 ($40 if you book after 9/1), but in my opinion, well worth the splurge. After all, you are on vacation.

[Lsimon]

Hi,

We're thinking of trying the Murano. We've never tried it and was wondering what is the experience like for those who have used it. Thinking of doing it before they hike the price since we can book it online as well. (sailing in November this year). I suppose they're all the same across Celebrity ships? ...

 

Murano's is great food and service in a formal and elegant setting. They've standardized the menu and it is the same on all Celebrity ships, including the specialty restuarants operating under a different name on the M Class ships (Ocean Liners, Normandy, etc). While the menu is the same I've seen some minor differences in preparation and presentation depending on the ship and/or chefs. They also often have specials as well as option dishes they'll present if you dine there more than once and these tend to vary between cruises - especially on the seafood side.

 

The menu for Muranos from the Eclipse in Feb (same as Ocean Liners on Connie in March) is on my photo site: Click here The photo linked to is the standard "ala carte" menu which is the one covered by the basic cover charge. The photo after that is the wine pairing menu which has an extra charge for the wine and is a bit more limited in some ways. The second photo after the linked Murano's menu is the Tuscan Grill menu.

 

 

We have eaten in the Tuscan Grill on two different ships...

 

...The bread that they serve with the salad course is amazingly good.....

 

....We are a little disappointed that after the Summit is refitted she will not have a Tuscan Grille but will have Qsine instead....

 

We really like Tuscan Grill too! Your comment about the bread is an understatement!! That focaccia is just unbelievably good. We also agree wholeheartedly about a preference for Tuscan Grill over Quisine on the three other M class ships when they are Solsticized. While Qusine is a lot of fun it is due to its uniqueness it is not a place we'd want to dine at more than once a cruise. But Tuscan Grill though is a great alternative for great quality food and on longer cruises we'd really like to have it available to visit more than once in addition to the Murano's type restuarant.

[Compass Rose Monica]

The food at Murano's is wonderful!! Elegant service too. I liked Tuscan Grill but didn't think it was as good but then maybe I didn't order the right food.

[TLCOhio]

Hi, We're thinking of trying the Murano. We've never tried it and was wondering what is the experience like for those who have used it. Thinking of doing it before they hike the price since we can book it online as well. (sailing in November this year). I suppose they're all the same across Celebrity ships? The one we're sailing on is Solstice Nov 16. Anyone know when is the formal nights for this cruise, so we can avoid clashing with it? --thanks in advance.

 

We were on your same Solstice cruise schedule in mid June with an exact ports to match yours that is upcoming. We had scheduled Murano in advance for our wedding anniversary evening and then added the other two speciality places with the three for $79 special they offered on the ship.

 

We enjoyed very much this variety and changes of pace on our cruise on the Solstice!! Here are more details on Murano, Silk Harvest and Tuscan Grille. Also, the visuals tell more about our enjoyable experiences with these three options. The "same thing" in the same location night after night is not our most desired situation.

 

You can see all of the details and lots of visuals on our June 7-19 Solstice cruise from Barcelona that covered stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Had great weather and a wonderful trip. Lots and lots of special pictures with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., plus much on Barcelona are covered. These postings are now at nearly 30,000 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

TUSCAN GRILLE: We were here at 7 pm with a great view out the back of the Solstice as we departed from the main port near Pisa. After a visit to Lucca and other places in Tuscany, what’s better than to be in the Tuscan Grille? Be warned!!! The portion at this place are large and you need to plan and sample accordingly. You can get super stuffed here with very good food. The food and fun was almost too good here as I forgot to get more early pictures on many of the dishes we enjoyed. You’ll kind of get the idea that we liked it.

 

SILK HARVEST: We had a nice table next to the window for the sailing out from the harbor near Rome. We always like to be BOTH enjoying food and seeing interesting sights, other ships, etc. We had some Asian beers to start out our visit here.

 

MURANO: We dined there with Central Ohio friends Amy and Milt for our 39th Wedding Anniversary on June 17. It was very nice and elegant. Super special!! This is a wonderfully appointed room with nice wood, ceiling, glass, etc., details. Maximum capacity for seating in 90. For the last night, they had 30 people on a waiting listing. We booked ahead which was smart in order to get a specific date for our anniversary.

 

Each location is very different and it is hard to say and quantify which might be called “best” for each person’s personal tastes, interests and style. Try all three, especially if they offer that three for $79 special (or slightly higher after the recent price hike.. Sorry, we were so busy enjoying the food and setting at Tuscan Grille that I didn't get as many food pictures there.

 

See more Speciality Dining Photos/Tips:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1434523&page=2

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

Here is an overview for this wonderfully appointed Murano room with nice wood, ceiling, glass, etc., details. Maximum capacity for seating in 90. For the last night, they have 30 people on a waiting listing.:

 

 

 

The “Creamy Maine Lobster Bisque” is one of their most popular starter items. It is far different from what is served on the rest of the Solstice. It involves seven hours prep time for the different items. The broth is poured into your bowl with nice drama . . . and great taste. There are ten different starter options. You can have as many courses of starters as you wish. I had a second starter of Diver Scallop Wellington-Style. The warm goat cheese souffle is also a popular item here.:

 

 

 

Three of us had the Murano Lobster as our main entrees. It is cooked and prepared table-side from lobster tails that are first presented table-side.:

 

 

 

My dessert choice was “Les VI Etoiles du Murano”. It is six different bite-sized desserts. My wife and I were going to share this one, but she switched for the souffle. I got this whole selection, but, don’t worry, I didn’t and couldn’t eat it all. Very delightful!:

 

 

 

Doing dining “family-style” is especially fun in an Asian-style setting like Silk Harvest. That sharing of the experience adds to the fun and interest. This first course is called “small plates” and we started with a nice mix, including interesting sauces that added much to the enjoyment.

 

 

 

This was the Tuscan Grille “Signature Creme Brulee” that I enjoyed.:

 

[pete_coach]

Just got an email from Celebrity regarding specialty resturants. The website it took me to has some menus on it. There are sample menus for all the restaurants aboard all the ships.

http://www.celebritycruises.com/onboard/tabLanding.do?pagename=onboard_dining&tab=onboard_specialty_dining_tab%2Fonboard%2FasrPanel.do%3Fpagename%3Donboard_specialty_dining&ecid=em_17675390&rid=149290655&mes=Celebrity%20Dining%20Price%20Increase%20August%202011%20EM%20&emsc=CBKDSL0000000EM&empf=Y&emct=C&lnkid=DINING_SPECIALTY

Hope this helps.

we loved Murano and the Tuscan Grille. Did not like Silk harvest as much and on our cruise, it always seemed empty of customers.

[Hapytocruise]

The food at Murano's is wonderful!! Elegant service too. I liked Tuscan Grill but didn't think it was as good but then maybe I didn't order the right food.

 

 

I agree, while Tuscan is very good..Muano's is a very special dining experience..while formal, don't stress that part - just enjoy and engage the waiters allowing them to lighten up a bit. Worth every penny:)

[jv_nyc]

Yes, definitely go to Murano. We still talk about the lobster bisque two years later - also have the souffle I didn't leave room for. I hear it's to die for! Tuscan holds a special place in my heart because that's where we got engaged; sorry, I don't remember how the food tasted, but the restaurant views are awesome!

[1Puglvr]

Nice pictures, Goat Cheese Souffle at Murano's, The Creme Brulee at Tuscan was one of my favorites:rolleyes: So much food and great service. Enjoy!

[lisalovlee33]

Thanks all for the insight. Can we order more than 1 entree, or more than 1 dessert.. etc? Thanks

[TLCOhio]

Thanks all for the insight. Can we order more than 1 entree, or more than 1 dessert.. etc? Thanks

 

1Puglvr: Nice pictures' date=' Goat Cheese Souffle at Murano's, The Creme Brulee at Tuscan was one of my favorites [/quote']

 

YES, you can order more than one. BUT, the sizes of servings are fairly large and you can fill up fairly quick. You need to "pace" your orders and eating. Otherwise, no room at the end for dessert.

 

Below is a picture of another souffle option at Murano. Very wonderful!

 

THANKS for the picture comments! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Recently back from a June 7-19 Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 29,779 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

Three at our table at Murano went for the “Grand Marnier Souffle” with Creme Anglaise a la Grousse Tahitenne. It was loved so much, especially the sauce that poured in the middle.:

 

[Lsimon]

Thanks all for the insight. Can we order more than 1 entree, or more than 1 dessert.. etc? Thanks

YES, you can order more than one. BUT, the sizes of servings are fairly large and you can fill up fairly quick. You need to "pace" your orders and eating. Otherwise, no room at the end for dessert.

 

I agree!!

I don't think I've ever walked out of one of the specialty restuarants less than stuffed.

 

If anything, the only extra item I can remember asking for is an extra appetizer course at Murano type restuarants (there are so many good ones) and at Tuscan it isn't too unusual to get an extra pasta for the table to share as side dishes along with the entree - or to get a side of the mac & cheese to share if you're not getting the entree that it normally comes with. If anyting they generally give you too much food.

[lisalovlee33]

Thanks again for all the input. Murano it is. The souffle looks DELICIOUS!

[Gonzo70]

The souffle looks DELICIOUS!

 

It is; I can't wait to have it again next month! :)

[riandei]

LSimon

 

what was the charge for High Tea in Murano ???

 

was it much different than High Tea in the MDR ??

 

thanks

[riandei]

I agree!!

I don't think I've ever walked out of one of the specialty restuarants less than stuffed.

 

If anything, the only extra item I can remember asking for is an extra appetizer course at Murano type restuarants (there are so many good ones) and at Tuscan it isn't too unusual to get an extra pasta for the table to share as side dishes along with the entree - or to get a side of the mac & cheese to share if you're not getting the entree that it normally comes with. If anyting they generally give you too much food.

 

I had the Sole and got a Lobster tail on the side to split with my sister ... I highly recommend...we ate it up !!

 

we were stuffed however