Any updates on Luminae?

[jenniebnyc]

Hi:

 

Does anyone have updates on Luminae?

 

--Hours of operation for breakfast and lunch. Open and Close times.

 

--Any change to the lunch menu to add more variety?

 

--Is all furniture, crystal and china in place now?

 

--Any locally inspired items on the menu yet?

 

--How is the piped in music? Is it still the music we heard in the video from when it first opened?

 

--How long does it take for a typical dinner?

 

Please no assumptions. I would like to hear info from those who have had hands on experience of recent, if possible.

 

Thanks very much!!

[kk99]

Just off Summit 8-9-2016 sailing. We had 11 people eating in Luminae every night exceopt for when we all went to Qsine with more people one evening.

The same 14 day dinner menu rotation was the same(this was my 3rd cruise eating in Luminae since the roll out in April).

 

We were eating from week one of the rotation. Night three has what we thought was the weakest menu, so we went to Qsine that night.

 

They have the same two rotating lunch menus. On embarkation day, Luminae was open from noon to 1:30 p.m. Lunch was the same time every day.

 

Dinner hours were from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and they asked if you had not made a set dinner time that you do so on the first day for the rest of the week if possible. Dinner took at least two hours every evening for our group. We ate at 6:30 p.m., and had wonderful service from Mustafa, Alpert and Alex.

 

Breakfast on sea days was from 8:00 a.m. until 9:30 a.m., and on port days from 7:30 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. The breakfast menu had a few more tweaks to it. The biscuits and gravy item were definitely different from what I know as biscuits and gravy in the American south. The biscuits were more of a small, hard, savory variety. They still have the wonderful breakfast pastries offered along with all of the breakfast items on the menu.

 

One of the members of our group tore a ligament in their leg and was cabin bound for the last two days of the cruise. The butler ordered and delivered the dinner meal(appetizer, entree, dessert) from Luminae to the passenger. I thought that was a very nice classy touch.

 

I did not see any locally sourced items such as seafood added to the menu in Bermuda such as wahoo or other fresh fish known in those waters.

 

I will say that the service was excellent, and the freshness of the fruits and vegetables were very good. I think they need to add at least one more lunch rotation menu especially if you are on longer than a seven night cruise as it is very repetitive. Lunch was very well attended on embarkation day, and light on other days. Breakfast and dinner were busy. They also served the full breakfast on the disembarkation day.

 

The entree portions on this cruise were large(in my opinion), and if you wanted a plain salad or caesar salad from the main dining room menu, they would make one. As a vegetarian, the menus still do not offer enough variety

on the entrees. The curry was very good as was the cauliflower steak. The pasta dishes are very good but too rich in the butter and cream department and somewhat repetitive. Everyone else really liked the lamb dishes and the beef entrees somewhat better than the seafood offerings.

The desserts were very good, but I was often to full to eat one by myself or at all.

 

All of the new furniture, tables, crystal, and settings are in place. It is a very lovely ambiance. I did not notice the background music, because it was turned down very low so that people could have conversations.

 

The quality of the ingredients is definitely a step up from Blu and in my opinion two steps up from the main dining room. I still would like more protein in the meal and less carbohydrates as a vegetarian, but it was a nice place to gather with friends.

[KW Cruisers]

Hi:

 

Does anyone have updates on Luminae?

 

--Hours of operation for breakfast and lunch. Open and Close times.

 

--Any change to the lunch menu to add more variety?

 

--Is all furniture, crystal and china in place now?

 

--Any locally inspired items on the menu yet?

 

--How is the piped in music? Is it still the music we heard in the video from when it first opened?

 

--How long does it take for a typical dinner?

 

Please no assumptions. I would like to hear info from those who have had hands on experience of recent, if possible.

 

Thanks very much!!

 

Just off the Solstice...

 

First let me say...we LOVED Luminae. We have done many past cruises in Aqua, but find Luminae to be much better than BLU...The morning pastries were "to die for"...(now I'm paying for them with daily spin classes here at home!).

 

- It was always open for breakfast, lunch and dinner (sea and port days) - also open for breakfast on debarkation day (hours were as stated in previous post)

- We found there were three different lunch menus on rotation (I believe--always something different to try) - loved the Chicken & Waffles!

- All furniture and china was in place

- I was able to get Baked Alaska (it was an Alaskan cruise), but I had to ask for it--other than that, I don't think anything was from locally inspired items...(and not that Baked Alaska is by any means locally sourced!)

- Never really noticed the music...I think this may vary by ship to ship and even sailing to sailing...

- Dinner was usually no more than an hour, if that (and that was with espressos and desserts too)

 

*One evening my espresso took too long to arrive (after having finished dessert), so I decided to leave before it came--THAT NEVER HAPPENED AGAIN...they definitely were aware that I liked espresso with each meal and in a timely fashion. I didn't even complain or make a fuss...they are pretty intuitive of your preferences after a day or two.

 

Once again, we really enjoyed Luminae. No waiting at anytime, and we just showed up when we felt like eating...looking forward to the next visit.

 

Luminae and Michael's (if you have a top tier suite) make the "suite life" so worth it now.;)

[jenniebnyc]

Thank you both! Very informative!

 

Sounds like a great experience!

[placesiremember]

How easy (or difficult) is it to get a table for two in Luminae? And are the tables for 2 very close together?

[chemmo]

How easy (or difficult) is it to get a table for two in Luminae? And are the tables for 2 very close together?

 

Lots of tables for two. A very rare wait if you want a table for two by a window.

No problem at all.

[cruiserone]

We had table for two every night on the Summit. We only waited about 10 minutes one night. Ate at 8:00PM every night and it was fairly crowded. Took about 1-1 1/2 hrs. Staff was amazing!

 

Happy Sailing you will love Luminae.

[Project_gal]

How easy (or difficult) is it to get a table for two in Luminae? And are the tables for 2 very close together?

 

May I start by saying Welcome to Cruise Critic [i see this is your first port].

 

Most of the tables in Luminae are tables for two. We have, so far, only been in Luminae on a Millennium class ship [Millennium, Constellation, Infinity and Summit] but have seen photographs of a Solstice class ship [solstice, Equinox, Eclipse, Silhouette and Reflection]. We thought the tables too close together and too close to the window wall on the M-class ship but they look much better spaced on the S-class ships.

 

However, there are some better spaced tables on the M-class ships and you can request those if they are available. Just mention your preference to the hostess.

Edited August 20, 2015 by Project_gal

[placesiremember]

Thanks everyone. A table for 2 is important for us, so very relieved to hear it shouldn't be a problem.

[jcerst]

Where is the location of this new restaurant on Equinox?:confused:

[A Sixth?]

We were treated to Luminee this past June/July on the Reflection.

 

It is as good as we have read here on the cruise critic.

 

An earlier poster mentioned that you will "guided" to make reservations on your first visit but IMHO this is completely unnecessary in Luminee more than any other venue on the ship. Not once did we need to wait for a table for two by the window AND as the ship neared the mid and end of the cruise, Luminee became emptier and emptier as more guests tried the other dining spots onboard.

 

Service is perfect. Six star.

 

The hamburger at lunch is the best I've had on a ship ever, and one of best period. Fresh Angus beef, fresh everything and the caramelized onions come together in a mouth-watering beef masterpiece.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 20, 2015 by A Sixth?

[mason525]

Loved your pix! Do you remember what night they served the lamb chops? Thank you for posting.

[A Sixth?]

Loved your pix! Do you remember what night they served the lamb chops? Thank you for posting.

 

:p No... but I bet if you asked you could get them any night. The attention to service and pleasing the diner is that intense.

 

BTW the lobster bisque is very good too.

 

[kenevenpar]

We were treated to Luminee this past June/July on the Reflection.

 

It is as good as we have read here on the cruise critic.

 

 

 

The hamburger at lunch is the best I've had on a ship ever, and one of best period. Fresh Angus beef, fresh everything and the caramelized onions come together in a mouth-watering beef masterpiece.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was under the impression that all meats and fish were previously frozen. This is good news that at least the burgers are fresh!

 

Looks like some decent wine, at least on the page shown.

 

Thanks for the info.

[A Sixth?]

I was under the impression that all meats and fish were previously frozen. This is good news that at least the burgers are fresh!

 

Looks like some decent wine, at least on the page shown.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

We were told that Luminee is the only dining room/place, other than some of the specialty restaurants, like the Lawn Club, that the meats are fresh not frozen.

 

[Dorene1]

Does someone have copies of the Menu's breakfast, lunch and dinner?

 

Thank you

Dorene

[pantoot]

Thanks for the pics. We will be on the Summit in a month and usually do the ultimate dining package. Thanks in great part to your review I think this time we are going to stick to Luminae.

 

It looks great!

Edited August 21, 2015 by pantoot

[Chunky2219]

We'll be first time in Luminae in April. Tell me, is it assigned tables or just turn up and be seated wherever, different every visit?

 

 

.

[A Sixth?]

We'll be first time in Luminae in April. Tell me, is it assigned tables or just turn up and be seated wherever, different every visit?

 

 

.

 

You can make a reservation if you want, but we just showed up when ever we wanted and voila! A table for two usually with a view and "Birdie-num-nums!"

Edited August 22, 2015 by A Sixth?

[Tudorcruisers]

Where is the location of this new restaurant on Equinox?:confused:

 

It is a new restaurant for suite guests. The location should be in your cabin information. X

[jcerst]

Thanks!

[TommyD3]

Where is the location of this new restaurant on Equinox?:confused:

 

It is on the Starboard side on the bottom deck of the two deck MDR.

 

They carved out part of the MDR for Luminae and now EVERYONE with assigned seating (not in Luminae) must enter thru the one port side door.

 

Makes for very long lines for those with assigned seating !!!

[Project_gal]

We'll be first time in Luminae in April. Tell me, is it assigned tables or just turn up and be seated wherever, different every visit?

 

 

.

 

It is not defined tables and you may just turn up whenever however, they do prefer you to say when you are expecting to arrive each evening and will try to seat you in your preferred area. Even if you specify an expected time, they will not say anything if you arrive at another time. If you use Michael's Club, you can ask the concierge to check if your preferred table is free before you head to Luminae.

[Chunky2219]

Thanks. Sounds like the best of both worlds.

 

 

 

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