Head's up, HAL: Luminae is excellent!

[Wastegirl]

Celebrity puts out a poor product. Maybe it was more about that than having a separate dining area for suites.

 

I wouldn't call it a poor product, just not a product I really enjoyed. Too much alcohol (most likely because of the packages), drinks too strong, no relaxing outward looking downstairs bars (what few windows there were seemed distorted, made me a bit queasy). A lot of wasted space, empty rooms in good positions that just weren't utilised. Lousy daily programs, though they did have a 'happening' quiz crowd. No promenade deck, some very rude staff, etc.

 

I really couldn't put my finger on why it was not my favourite, much preferred the shabby old Celebrity Century we did a few months earlier.

 

But I think what made the real difference is that we were sitting in their Lido (whatever it is called) and this happy voice radiated around our area. I turned around and there was this one waiter, so happy, cheery and interacting with everyone. My DH and I both looked at one another and said - he must have trained on HAL, that is what we are missing.

[sppunk]

Funny ~ we're booking our next cruise on HAL because we're not happy with the direction Celebrity is heading. I've got no problem with suite guests getting more benefits (they pay more money) but when the rest of the general passengers begin to see a drop in service, food quality, entertainment, etc it makes us look elsewhere.

 

Seems like Celebrity is so concerned with suite passengers, that they are forgetting about the other 85% of their passengers. That's OK....there are lots of other cruise line options out there.

 

I love HAL's smaller ships and our past HAL cruises have been great. Looking forward to returning.

 

This is my complaint about suite-specific benefits. I have nothing against suites, etc. We can easily afford them.

 

However I'd rather sail on a ship that appeases to all equally instead of purposely gives the mass worse products. Think of Crystal - the smallest room has the same dining rooms, food, etc as the top penthouse.

 

That said, ymmv. Some might enjoy that special feeling.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

 

Do I care if suite people get extra perks, no I don't but when it impacts on my enjoyment I do. Imagine if they shut down most of the Crows Nest between 5 and 7 each evening and only left most passengers with a little corner to sit in. This is what the Solstice did, they literally kicked us out of the Sky Lounge each evening to have their Elite and Suite Passenger Cocktail hours. It was not a gentle push, it was officious people telling us to move. One lady refused to move (as we were going through a scenic area) and as they almost wrestled her out of her seat she was crying 'they wouldn't do this on Princess' and other people around her were commenting the same.

 

Just so you know this happens on HAL every single sailing, Once a week there is a VIP Party normally held in the Crow's Nest and 4 and 5 star Mariners and most Suite Passengers are invited. Now sometimes not everyone gets invited but most do and YES if you are in the Crows Nest prior to this event you will be kicked out. And also not a gentle push ;)

But I am understanding that these VIP Parties could soon be a thing of the past but never fear I am hearing that they may have a Mariner Cocktail Party for an hour in the afternoon of Embarkation Day but unless you are invited to that everyone too will be kicked out of the Crow's Nest. As for the Lady saying they would not do that on Princess, that is probably because she is Elite on Princess and would be invited, they too have parties like that where they will kick people out;)

 

Now as far as Celebrity I have only done one Celebrity cruise, it was nice, we enjoyed dining in Blu because we had an Aqua category but.....there was just a certain air of attitude I could not place my finger on. Some of it came from the attitude of the servers but over all while the product was not bad and we loved dining in Blu I did not like the Celebrity product. And you are right lots and lots of heavy drinkers and this was far prior to when they offered the 123GO.

[absolutboy20]

We had a very good waiter in our MDR, for a number of nights he was seconded to the Luminae when they were short, leaving us short and our poor assistant waiter trying his best. Short changing us so their suite guests can be kept happy - not a nice feeling.

 

What is the difference between this and a waitress from Tamarind who also works in the Lido Restaurant during the day becoming ill and HAL having to reshuffle their staff? In the end this leads to some area of the ship being short staffed. This is diving into the overall cutbacks of cruise lines in general, not necessarily a reflection of Luminae.

 

if I was a suite guest that would appeal to me more, the ability to eat in any restaurant on the ship without extra cost, it would make more sense as you can then mingle if you want or eat quietly in your choice of venue, or even be joined by non suite friends as they can pay extra, something you can't do with Luminae.

 

One complimentary specialty restaurant is included with a 6 to 7 day cruise, two for any 8+ on Celebrity. This is not offered as a HAL suite perk. Passengers who have access to Luminae can also invite guests provided there is space available for a fee. I would also like to point out that Luminae is open for lunch upon embarkation, which I think many on HAL would appreciate if Pinnacle had a similar offering.

 

 

I've read here before that for breakfast, the food in the Pinnacle is identical to the food in the MDR, so serving suite guests in the Pinnacle is just a way of making extra seats available.

 

I highly doubt that HAL has the Pinnacle restaurant opened for breakfast to ease the congestion in the MDR. My prior experiences on the Oosterdam, on a sea day, visiting the MDR for breakfast was that it was empty with plenty of tables. We actually had the best service in the MDR as we had two waiters for the section serving us only and they actually had time to have a cordial/humorous conversation with us.

 

There isn't anything in the Neptune Lounge you can't get elsewhere.

 

I partially agree with this statement; however it is again what the individual cruiser values. The lounge offers easy access to a concierge for booking excursions, special requests, snacks, and drinks including fully-automatic espresso machine. If one doesn't value these items offered with suite perks, I certainly don't see the need to book a suite. However, others do value this with the ease of access from the stateroom. The equivalent offering on Michael's lounge on Celebrity goes a little bit further in offering complimentary cocktails at their bar.

 

Much like the Neptune suite is not available to non-suite passengers, the simple answer is Luminae is also not available as an a la carte option.

Edited July 6, 2015 by absolutboy20

[Wastegirl]

Just so you know this happens on HAL every single sailing, Once a week there is a VIP Party normally held in the Crow's Nest and 4 and 5 star Mariners and most Suite Passengers are invited. Now sometimes not everyone gets invited but most do and YES if you are in the Crows Nest prior to this event you will be kicked out. And also not a gentle push ;)

 

 

But on the Solstice it was every night for 17 nights, not just once every 7 days, would not have minded that.

[Wastegirl]

What is the difference between this and a waitress from Tamarind who also works in the Lido Restaurant during the day becoming ill and HAL having to reshuffle their staff? In the end this leads to some area of the ship being short staffed. This is diving into the overall cutbacks of cruise lines in general, not necessarily a reflection of Luminae.

 

 

True we all expect in the case of illness, etc that everyone pull together and fill in the gaps. It was the way they handled it, our gap was not filled, service was very slow and we were told that it was because our waiter was needed in Luminae. So Luminae had its full quota of servers and it left us feeling we were not as valued as the suite guests. Could have been handled a lot better. You could have put it down to bad wording by a particular server but we were told a similar explanation several times over a few evenings by different staff.

[Wastegirl]

 

One complimentary specialty restaurant is included with a 6 to 7 day cruise, two for any 8+ on Celebrity. This is not offered as a HAL suite perk. Passengers who have access to Luminae can also invite guests provided there is space available for a fee. I would also like to point out that Luminae is open for lunch upon embarkation, which I think many on HAL would appreciate if Pinnacle had a similar offering.

 

I stand corrected, I thought they could not bring in guests. My personal opinion though is if ever I managed to stay in a suite I would prefer unlimited access to the restaurants rather than my own MDR limited to other suite guests and their guests.

[Caribbean Chris]

I stand corrected, I thought they could not bring in guests. My personal opinion though is if ever I managed to stay in a suite I would prefer unlimited access to the restaurants rather than my own MDR limited to other suite guests and their guests.

 

Celebrity's higher priced suites do include the option of unlimited dining in any of the onboard specialty restaurants, as well as Luminae or any other on board restaurant. The Murano specialty restaurant has outstanding food and service. Some suite passengers report that Luminae is even better.

 

One person posed the question - why would you pay more for Celebrity?

 

We have two comparable 10-day Caribbean cruises in similar entry-level suites booked in 2016, one HAL, one Celebrity. Bottom Line: Celebrity is less expensive after calculating the included amenities like OBC, Beverage package, gratuities, etc. Luminae, the butler, and all the other amenities HAL does not provide for an SY suite will be a nice bonus at a lower price.

 

So why sail HAL for the other cruise? Itinerary on my desired date.

[ABoatNerd]

A fine good morning HAL folks.

 

Interesting industry related thread.

 

We have not had the good fortune to sail on HAL as of yet, so we are learning a lot about the HAL product and philosophy. Thank you.

 

We enjoy a traditional cruise product.

 

We have sailed exclusively with Celebrity since 1992. However, our loyalty has ended in 2013 due to Celebrity's fixation on creating the most overt class system in the industry. Since then we have sailed twice on Celebrity and 2X on the Cunard QM2. It is our opinion that the Cunard class set up is far Less obvious than what we physically saw and felt on the Celebrity Solstice and Infinity.

 

There seems to be legacy thinking about Cunard - that they are the MOST class segmentation line - it is our opinion this impression is stale dated. The reality is that all the cruises lines have established even more overt class based products based on willingness to spend $ - think NCL the "Haven" a ship within a ship.

 

Celebrity is destroying their main dining room experience by carving up the main dining room - not our thing. Celebrity's restrictions on use of public rooms and overtly visible separate lounges and restaurants are FAR more obvious than Cunard. Celebrity is moving towards a very different product offering than in the past - so this will attract and push way customers.

 

We are considering HAL and Crystal as they are less physically class structured. This is a philosophical purchasing decision, because we could easily afford the suite class on Celebrity.

 

At least we are fortunate to be able to afford to cruise and have different cruise lines to consider.

 

Happy and safe cruising to all

 

ABoatNerd

[QueenGlassHalfFull]

On Celebrity now in a Sky Suite (same size as Signature Suite on HAL) with access to Luminae. In my opinion, the meals in Luminae have been better than any of the meals that we have eaten in HAL, RCL or Celebrity specialty restaurants. Even though this suite is smaller than HAL's Neptune Suite (our preferred cabin on HAL) and we don't have access to Michael's Club from a Sky Suite, we won't be going back to HAL even if they change their smoking policy (which is why we started sailing other lines). We do have a butler who checks in with us at least 3-4 times per day. Who needs a concierge? The butler does it all. I will share more when I return from this cruise.

[POA1]

A fine good morning HAL folks.

 

Interesting industry related thread.

 

We have not had the good fortune to sail on HAL as of yet, so we are learning a lot about the HAL product and philosophy. Thank you.

 

We enjoy a traditional cruise product.

 

We have sailed exclusively with Celebrity since 1992. However, our loyalty has ended in 2013 due to Celebrity's fixation on creating the most overt class system in the industry. Since then we have sailed twice on Celebrity and 2X on the Cunard QM2. It is our opinion that the Cunard class set up is far Less obvious than what we physically saw and felt on the Celebrity Solstice and Infinity.

 

There seems to be legacy thinking about Cunard - that they are the MOST class segmentation line - it is our opinion this impression is stale dated. The reality is that all the cruises lines have established even more overt class based products based on willingness to spend $ - think NCL the "Haven" a ship within a ship.

 

Celebrity is destroying their main dining room experience by carving up the main dining room - not our thing. Celebrity's restrictions on use of public rooms and overtly visible separate lounges and restaurants are FAR more obvious than Cunard. Celebrity is moving towards a very different product offering than in the past - so this will attract and push way customers.

 

We are considering HAL and Crystal as they are less physically class structured. This is a philosophical purchasing decision, because we could easily afford the suite class on Celebrity.

 

At least we are fortunate to be able to afford to cruise and have different cruise lines to consider.

 

Happy and safe cruising to all

 

ABoatNerd

Interesting observations. Thanks. I would have thought it would be the opposite. However, Cunard has been working with different service classes for so long that they probably have all the bugs worked out.

[AZNative2000]

I haven't travelled on the Solstice pre Luminae, but the MDR tables seemed very squashed together. During the construction of the Luminae they were offering suite guests dinners in any of the speciality restaurants, personally if I was a suite guest that would appeal to me more, the ability to eat in any restaurant on the ship without extra cost, it would make more sense as you can then mingle if you want or eat quietly in your choice of venue, or even be joined by non suite friends as they can pay extra, something you can't do with Luminae.

 

 

When we were aboard, non-suite guests could join "Suite" friends at Luminae for $50 US.

 

I can't find any info as to whether that has changed.:confused:

[RuthC]

When we were aboard, non-suite guests could join "Suite" friends at Luminae for $50 US.

$50??? :eek:

For a dinner? That's insane.

 

Who would pay that for one dinner on a ship? I don't care how good the meal is, there is no way I would pay $50 for a dinner that didn't have lots & lots of liquor being poured throughout.

[AncientWanderer]

Reading through the posts here, something else comes to mind. I think I'm perfectly comfortable with exclusive suite-only restaurants on the huge mega-ships. There is plenty of room on those to offer a great variety of things. And they need to, in order to fill those ships. But on a mid-sized ship or smaller, maximum use of space is really important. So as I see it, those who want a premium steak should be able to pay a bit more for one at the premium chop house. Those who want healthy spa cuisine should be able to do the same at a spa restaurant. Etc., etc. And those who want extra room to move around.... well, those folks should book a suite.

[bjarrett7]

Celebrity's higher priced suites do include the option of unlimited dining in any of the onboard specialty restaurants, as well as Luminae or any other on board restaurant. The Murano specialty restaurant has outstanding food and service. Some suite passengers report that Luminae is even better.

 

 

 

One person posed the question - why would you pay more for Celebrity?

 

 

 

We have two comparable 10-day Caribbean cruises in similar entry-level suites booked in 2016, one HAL, one Celebrity. Bottom Line: Celebrity is less expensive after calculating the included amenities like OBC, Beverage package, gratuities, etc. Luminae, the butler, and all the other amenities HAL does not provide for an SY suite will be a nice bonus at a lower price.

 

 

 

So why sail HAL for the other cruise? Itinerary on my desired date.

 

 

I have tried to make celebrity come out cheaper and I just can't. For example if I book the least expensive suite on HAL, eat in specialty restaurants every night and buy the drink package it still comes out cheaper on HAL.

[cruz chic]

$50??? :eek:

For a dinner? That's insane.

 

Who would pay that for one dinner on a ship? I don't care how good the meal is, there is no way I would pay $50 for a dinner that didn't have lots & lots of liquor being poured throughout.

Celebritys restaurants are very expensive. I believe they are at least 40 bucks pp so no surprise.

[RuthC]

Celebritys restaurants are very expensive. I believe they are at least 40 bucks pp so no surprise.

The poster is saying that a non-suite passenger would be charged $50 just to eat with a suite passenger on the "exclusive" side of the barrier. Same dining room! The VERY SAME DINING ROOM!!! :eek:

 

There's a sucker born every minute sure is true here.

[Caribbean Chris]

The poster is saying that a non-suite passenger would be charged $50 just to eat with a suite passenger on the "exclusive" side of the barrier. Same dining room! The VERY SAME DINING ROOM!!! :eek:

 

There's a sucker born every minute sure is true here.

 

No, not the same dinng room. You might be picturing something like Canaletto in the Lido, but that would be incorrect. Luminae is actually not across a barrier in the same space. It was constructed on each ship with floor to ceiling walls on one side and one level of the original main dining room and has a separate entrance. New color scheme, carpeting, lighting, furniture, seating with more space between tables, tableware, china and so on. And of course, different menu than the main dining room for breakfast/brunch, lunch, or dinner.

[Caribbean Chris]

I have tried to make celebrity come out cheaper and I just can't. For example if I book the least expensive suite on HAL, eat in specialty restaurants every night and buy the drink package it still comes out cheaper on HAL.

 

Perhaps it depends on when a passenger books and which promos are offered at the time by which line. In my case, of the two I currently have booked in 2016, Celebrity is less than HAL.

[RuthC]

No, not the same dinng room. You might be picturing something like Canaletto in the Lido, but that would be incorrect. Luminae is actually not across a barrier in the same space. It was constructed on each ship with floor to ceiling walls on one side and one level of the original main dining room and has a separate entrance.

No, I'm not picturing Canaletto. I am going by what was posted earlier---that the exclusive dining room for suites is located in what was once part of the same dining room that was available to everyone. The walls, and separate entrance you describe, are barriers to prevent the suite passengers from mixing with non-suite passengers.

And it costs $50 for someone not in a suite to join a suite person for dinner there. That's an outrageous amount of money!

[Aquahound]

No, I'm not picturing Canaletto. I am going by what was posted earlier---that the exclusive dining room for suites is located in what was once part of the same dining room that was available to everyone. The walls, and separate entrance you describe, are barriers to prevent the suite passengers from mixing with non-suite passengers.

And it costs $50 for someone not in a suite to join a suite person for dinner there. That's an outrageous amount of money!

 

I understand what you're trying to say and I would never pay $50 to eat in there but still, your comment of it being "THE VERY SAME DINING ROOM!!!" is still very, very wrong. A portion of the old dining room was walled off and an entirely new dining room was constructed. It is not "the very same dining room" in any sense. Celebrity did the same thing with Blu on their Millennium Class ships.

[zerbot]

And it costs $50 for someone not in a suite to join a suite person for dinner there. That's an outrageous amount of money!

 

Well, presumably the food is better than the MDR. It wouldn't be any different than Pinnacle or Le Cirque (I think that is $69 per person iirc) if suite passengers on HAL got to eat there free as part of their suite fare, except for the fact that non-suite passengers can't eat there unless they are a guest of a suite passenger. I still can't figure out why that is a perk.

[hrhdhd]

Well, presumably the food is better than the MDR. It wouldn't be any different than Pinnacle or Le Cirque (I think that is $69 per person iirc) if suite passengers on HAL got to eat there free as part of their suite fare, except for the fact that non-suite passengers can't eat there unless they are a guest of a suite passenger. I still can't figure out why that is a perk.

 

If you've ever had breakfast in the Pinnacle, you'd figure it out. (And the menus in Luminae are different.)

 

That you don't want to spend your money to have suite perks doesn't make them not perks.

[zerbot]

If you've ever had breakfast in the Pinnacle, you'd figure it out.

 

And yet nobody can seem to come right out and say what it is.

[bjarrett7]

Well, presumably the food is better than the MDR. It wouldn't be any different than Pinnacle or Le Cirque (I think that is $69 per person iirc) if suite passengers on HAL got to eat there free as part of their suite fare, except for the fact that non-suite passengers can't eat there unless they are a guest of a suite passenger. I still can't figure out why that is a perk.

 

 

Actually, Canaletto is $10, Pinnacle is $29 and Le Cirque is $49... All are much better prices than Celebrity!