Luminae - lunch

[Oville]

Then I would appreciate folks stop saying "try it first" bc that has nothing to do with the premise of my concern as I have stated nicely many times. And the posts saying the same thing over and over again ("Try it First") are adding up too. Just sayin'.

 

#this-is-post-21-for-those-who-are-counting

 

 

On this thread.

[C-Dragons]

i"d be willing to place a pretty large side wager that she won't discuss the brunch/lunch issue at all....or the inconsistency across the ships (on anything, not just luminae)

I didn't see any restrictions placed on the types of questions that could be asked.

And I believe someone has already posted a question regarding this matter.

[ghstudio]

I didn't see any restrictions placed on the types of questions that could be asked.

And I believe someone has already posted a question regarding this matter.

 

Yes...in the two previous live talks with Bayley and Tina, they ignored most of the questions...saying they'd get back on them....and never did. I expect the same here....mostly a "we love you and here's how good it is and how good it will be" session. That's what I'd do if I was CEO...and I'll be (pleasantly) surprised if she takes on any of the "confusions" or other issues on the call.

[uktog]

My solution

 

Brunch some days as happens now plus free access to Bistro on 5 for all suites all the time.

 

And sorry it's petulant and pedantic many of the arguments

 

Until you have experienced what actually happens, you cannot form a full view

 

Differences happen between ships - thank goodness. I don't want carbon copies, that's what I get in bottom end Travelodges - differences happen in evert a Ritz Carlton I've stayed in, that's an appeal......

 

 

OK flame away ...........

[ghstudio]

My solution

Brunch some days as happens now plus free access to Bistro on 5 for all suites all the time.

And sorry it's petulant and pedantic many of the arguments

Until you have experienced what actually happens, you cannot form a full view

Differences happen between ships - thank goodness. I don't want carbon copies, that's what I get in bottom end Travelodges - differences happen in evert a Ritz Carlton I've stayed in, that's an appeal......

OK flame away ...........

 

no flames...but no one is looking for a "solution". The fundamental question is what did celebrity say when they announced Luminae, what did "celebrity cruises", Celebrity's official representative here, tell us...and what is Celebrity delivering. Is there a policy? Are the ships making up their own schedules or is this HQ's plan...or what is HQ's plan? Net: What should we expect when we book a suite?

 

I'm not sure I've seen anyone post that what's being delivered is better than what was announced...most of the positive comments I"ve read say it's OK either way although not what was expected when the suite was booked. Dinner is not an issue....it is what was announced and is apparently pretty darn good.

 

There is a side issue of the times that the restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch or brunch...whichever the ship does....but that's more in the line of a suggestion to Celebrity if they want the restaurant to appeal to suite passengers such as Kevin...and he is right in the middle of the target audience....they probably should listen, but that's their prerogative.

[uktog]

And they will be listening to those who have been onboard.

 

On my 12 night cruise, the lunch was empty, max 1-3 couples no more, therefore neither cost or manpower efficient.

 

There was one suggestion for a minor tweak in hours that was noted.

 

They are not going to be swayed solely by opinions on these boards, it is what the customers who experience the offerings on board that are going to persuade them, and as in all things, it will be the majority view.

 

The level of suite repeat bookings to suites on our cruise was very high, that's the kind of metric that will be of interest to Miami. And those saying I want a Silverseas type offering, I understand where you are coming from, but if Celebrity can fill their suites without the cost of a Silverseas type offering, you can bet they will because it's all about economics.

[Kevnzworld]

 

The level of suite repeat bookings to suites on our cruise was very high, that's the kind of metric that will be of interest to Miami. And those saying I want a Silverseas type offering, I understand where you are coming from, but if Celebrity can fill their suites without the cost of a Silverseas type offering, you can bet they will because it's all about economics.

 

I agree. If in fact the suites continue to sell, good for Celebrity. I noticed most 2015 European sailings had suites offered at 40% off original fares on the Tuesday specials. There's five up now for August. I booked my upcoming Brittish isles cruise that way...

I mentioned Seabourn, Oceania, Regent, Viking...not Silverseas.

They all offer a real restaurant experience with great food for lunch, buffet plus menu items, all changed daily.

Their prices are comparable if one factors in alcohol and gratuities .....that's the market that Celebrity is aiming at with the Suite class.

Edited June 25, 2015 by Kevnzworld

[Christine Frances]

Yes they do provide 3 meals a day and the menus change daily but they are not suite dedicated restaurants as far as I know. On Oceania the Specialty restaurants Polo, Toscana, Jacques and Red Ginger are only open for dinner. The MDR, Grill etc are open for 3 meals. Everyone can eat in all these places so why buy a suite? You get the same food as someone in an inside.

Edited June 25, 2015 by Christine Frances

[Kevnzworld]

Yes they do provide 3 meals a day and the menus change daily but they are not suite dedicated restaurants as far as I know. On Oceania the Specialty restaurants Polo, Toscana, Jacques and Red Ginger are only open for dinner. The MDR, Grill etc are open for 3 meals. Everyone can eat in all these places so why buy a suite? You get the same food as someone in an inside.

 

Yes, but unlike Celebrity they all offer a civilized real restaurant lunch option. Their regular rooms are larger than Celebrity's so one doesn't necessarily need a suite. A Seabourn cabin is 300 sq ft. Their food is already exponentially better so they don't need a less crowded Suite dedicated restaurant with a higher food budget. So I'm comparing standard larger cabin's on other lines to Celebrity suites. Dollar for dollar.

Luminae was designed to offer better food than regular Celebrity fare, and in a better environment. I'm hoping they adjust the hours to accommodate passengers, not forcing passengers to alter their schedules to accommodate Celebrity ( breakfast, lunch ).

Anyway, I'm looking forward to it!

Edited June 25, 2015 by Kevnzworld

[Christine Frances]

Yes, but unlike Celebrity they all offer a civilized real restaurant lunch option. The regular rooms are larger than Celebrity's so one doesn't necessarily need a suite. A Seabourn cabin is 300 sq ft. So I'm comparing standard larger cabin's on other lines to Celebrity suites. Dollar for dollar.

 

Luminae was designed to offer better food than regular Celebrity fare, and in a better environment. I'm hoping they adjust the hours to accommodate passengers, not forcing passengers to alter their schedules to accommodate Celebrity ( breakfast, lunch ).

 

Anyway, I'm looking forward to it!

 

 

But what civilized real restaurant lunch does Oceania offer except the MDR? On Seabourn the only "restaurant" offering three meal is the MDR, the Colonnade is a buffet with breakfast and lunch and then there are the casual Sky and Patio Grills.

 

To me, X is trying to offer something sorta like the Haven on NCL ( I had a tour through one of their 4,000+sqft suites OMG) and the MSC Yacht Club

[Project_gal]

no flames...but no one is looking for a "solution". The fundamental question is what did celebrity say when they announced Luminae, what did "celebrity cruises", Celebrity's official representative here, tell us...and what is Celebrity delivering. Is there a policy? Are the ships making up their own schedules or is this HQ's plan...or what is HQ's plan? Net: What should we expect when we book a suite?

 

On our cruise [admittedly only the second with Luminae on Millennium], it was Miami calling the shots. There was frequent confusion because the crew expected to be doing one thing "in a few days" only to be told, later, it was something else. To me, it seemed, that this was unusual and, I assumed at the time, was because Luminae is so new.

 

We all know that, frequently, information is not shared with everyone shore-side at Celebrity. I know that the Food & Beverage team are monitoring and reviewing Luminae. They are probably trying to work out what works on different types of itinerary before anything "gets set in concrete".

 

They launching Luminae so close to the season change - presumably to bed it in and, then, after a few cruises, they could start to work out when opening hours would work on different itineraries.

 

I doubt very much that the F&B department are feeding details of all tweaks back up [or down] the food-chain [pun intended] while this is going on. In the pre-Internet world, this would never be an issue. Celebrity still has to adjust to the world with instant communication and a customer-base who expect to know absolutely every detail about their up-and-coming cruises, booked or not booked.

[Project_gal]

I agree. If in fact the suites continue to sell, good for Celebrity. I noticed most 2015 European sailings had suites offered at 40% off original fares on the Tuesday specials. There's five up now for August.

 

Being from the UK, my understanding of the American market for European cruises is that the "norm" is for guests to be off the ship for very long hours on port days and cruises are port intensive. Lunch is, therefore, likely to be rarely taken on the ship on port days and with recuperation on sea-day [more suited to brunch].

 

Paying more for a suite is seen as less desirable on such itineraries and I would not be surprised if there were not bargains to be found for suites sold in the US. No doubt, this is why I so often see the complaint from fellow Brits that US prices are so much less that those in the UK.

 

I have seen no difficulty selling suites in the Caribbean where the opening hours for Luminae may well be different.

[Kevnzworld]

But what civilized real restaurant lunch does Oceania offer except the MDR? On Seabourn the only "restaurant" offering three meal is the MDR, the Colonnade is a buffet with breakfast and lunch and then there are the casual Sky and Patio Grills.

 

The Terrace cafe on Oceania. One can get food delivered from the grill to your table, or eat from the buffet. It's never difficult to get a table, and the atmosphere is civilized.

The Colonnade on Seabourn has some buffet items and menu items plus daily specials. Also, with waiter service, not difficult to get a table and also civilized.

And the food is really good at both ( better on Seabourn IMO ).

Both are open until 10 am for breakfast and 2:00 for lunch.

Neither are a hectic madhouse. Waiters bring your drinks and in some cases food. You don't have to fight for a table.

As I've posted too many times, the Oceanview cafe is just too much like a school lunch cafeteria for me...if I'm paying upwards of $1000 a night.

An AQ veranda used to be $250 a night just a few years ago....for that price the Oceanview cafe was fine...

[takemewithyou]

The Terrace cafe on Oceania. One can get food delivered from the grill to your table, or eat from the buffet. It's never difficult to get a table, and the atmosphere is civilized.

The Colonnade on Seabourn has some buffet items and menu items plus daily specials. Also, with waiter service, not difficult to get a table and also civilized.

And the food is really good at both ( better on Seabourn IMO ).

Both are open until 10 am for breakfast and 2:00 for lunch.

Neither are a hectic madhouse. Waiters bring your drinks and in some cases food. You don't have to fight for a table.

As I've posted too many times, the Oceanview cafe is just too much like a school lunch cafeteria for me...if I'm paying upwards of $1000 a night.

An AQ veranda used to be $250 a night just a few years ago....for that price the Oceanview cafe was fine...

 

Gotta disagree with you about the Terrace Cafe on Oceania being "civilized"!!!

Just returned from a 16 day cool weather TA on Marina and the Terrace Cafe was a madhouse. You could NOT get a table easily! You had to fight for a table.....it was a mess.....perhaps because it was a cool weather cruise and everyone was crammed inside. I don't know, but anyway, it was the same food they served in the GDR, minus the grill. So we went to the GDR.

 

Plus, the food quality was not much better than Celebrity and we paid dearly for it..!!

I will take my chances on X and Luminae in the future!

Edited June 25, 2015 by takemewithyou