Luminae Wishes....

[Mynki]

14 minutes ago, chemmo said:

 

Threads should be about spreading ideas...I totally agree with what you say but I do feel if Celebrity were listening to feedback there would be less guests that needed to ask for changes to menu, off menu items, items off MDR menu.....

 

 

Absolutely. How difficult would it be to add a few more entrees after all? Then again how difficult would it be to change the menu annually? 

I appreciate Celebrity have listened to Cruise Critic members historically and made the odd change as a result some years ago. But they don't appear to engage any more. 

The Azamara board has Bonnie who appears to do a great job liaising between pax and HQ but X appear unwilling or unable to do something similar these days. 

[K12Guy]

On 1/4/2019 at 7:29 AM, TeeRick said:

OK here is a solution.  What if I asked my butler to deliver a caesar salad or escargot to me in Luminae?  Or to my suite prior to Luminae and then I would take it with me?  In a way I'm joking but I think it might cause some embarrassment to the Luminae maitre 'd  or at least get discussed with the food and beverage manager if guests started doing this.  Maybe they would find a solution.

It's been my experience that our butler would make it happen, even if he/she had to deliver the items personally. That said, however, I think there would be conversation with the Luminae staff as to why the passenger wasn't accommodated.

[chemmo]

1 minute ago, Mynki said:

Absolutely. How difficult would it be to add a few more entrees after all? Then again how difficult would it be to change the menu annually? 

I appreciate Celebrity have listened to Cruise Critic members historically and made the odd change as a result some years ago. But they don't appear to engage any more. 

The Azamara board has Bonnie who appears to do a great job liaising between pax and HQ but X appear unwilling or unable to do something similar these days. 

 

As a real committed X guest I do hope they are listening even if they choose no longer to respond. If we did not value the total ‘suite experience’ on Celebrity and in particular the dining experience we would not have started the thread....

 

We honestly do feel that many many of us just want to make the ‘good’ ‘fantastic’ and, that it wouldn’t take rocket science to achieve...Just listening to a little customer feedback here and there...

[miched]

If Suite passengers decide to dine in the MDR than Celebrity should offer their place in Luminae to someone in Select Dining.   It would only be fair as they are taking away a table and making a server in the MDR work harder by having to serve another couple.   🤗

 

My thoughts and opinion and I have cruised in a suite a few times but fair is fair.

 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

 

[vtcruising]

Any takers for the buttered radishes? 😉

[C-Dragons]

6 minutes ago, vtcruising said:

Any takers for the buttered radishes? 😉

Not here, thankfully I'm allergic to butter. 😁

[K12Guy]

10 minutes ago, miched said:

If Suite passengers decide to dine in the MDR than Celebrity should offer their place in Luminae to someone in Select Dining.  🤗

🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

 

Interesting idea, indeed. That could lead to (1) new Luminae suite passengers and (2) current Luminae passengers having a better appreciation for the Luminae experience. Last June we did a ten night sail from and return to Dublin. We had 'unlimited included specialty restaurants and ended up in Luminae for most of our meals, instead. Oddly, Murano was a mediocre experience with a snooty sommelier who wouldn't listen to what we were asking for. The service was slow and those all around us seemed to be served ahead of us. I didn't even toot in the dining room. 🙂 Not sure what caused that experience, but we stuck with Luminae and the staff there really appreciated it.

[miched]

3 minutes ago, K12Guy said:

• Interesting idea, indeed. That could lead to (1) new Luminae suite passengers and (2) current Luminae passengers having a better appreciation for the Luminae experience. Last June we did a ten night sail from and return to Dublin. We had 'unlimited included specialty restaurants and ended up in Luminae for most of our meals, instead. Oddly, Murano was a mediocre experience with a snooty sommelier who wouldn't listen to what we were asking for. The service was slow and those all around us seemed to be served ahead of us. I didn't even toot in the dining room. 🙂 Not sure what caused that experience, but we stuck with Luminae and the staff there really appreciated it.

 

 

I dont know if that is from spell check or a fat finger but if it isn’t they may be  silent but are deadly and there isn’t a dog to blame.   😱.     Personally I always like doing it when  leaving a elevator.  🤗

 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[K12Guy]

17 minutes ago, miched said:

 

 

I dont know if that is from spell check or a fat finger but if it isn’t they may be  silent but are deadly and there isn’t a dog to blame.   😱.     Personally I always like doing it when  leaving a elevator.  🤗

 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Somebody actually appreciated my attempt at humor. Thank you so much! I've been getting whacked on some sites because some folks are wayyyyyyyy too stuffy and have their noses high in the air. As far as I know none of them are royalty, either.

[miched]

28 minutes ago, K12Guy said:

Somebody actually appreciated my attempt at humor. Thank you so much! I've been getting whacked on some sites because some folks are wayyyyyyyy too stuffy and have their noses high in the air. As far as I know none of them are royalty, either.

I know what you mean.   I don’t take anything too serious and just like having fun and yanking a few chains.   As you said some are just too uptight and stuffy.  

 

My wife always looks at me and asks when I am going to grow up.   

 

Referring to the toot I usually take printed up papers that I place  on chairs as I am walking by that read “Please do not fart in the cushions”.    My wife always makes sure that she is walking way ahead of me when I do that.   Don’t know why?   🤔

 

hope we meet up someday

 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅.

[freddie]

Sorry to return the thread to the subject of food in Luminae; but the sample menu on the X website and the menus posted on the referenced thread do not show any cheese trolley or cheese course offered.    Is that the case?

[miched]

Looks as if there another member that is interested in the topic of cutting the cheese. 🧀

 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[C-Dragons]

36 minutes ago, freddie said:

Sorry to return the thread to the subject of food in Luminae; but the sample menu on the X website and the menus posted on the referenced thread do not show any cheese trolley or cheese course offered.    Is that the case?

You are correct, there is no cheese trolley or cheese course in Luminae.

[Gonzo70]

A nice cheese course option (similar to what Murano has) would be great; with the $$$$$ suites cost, this seems a reasonable expectation. However #1 on my list of requests would be the previously promised local cuisine. A shame ships travel to so many interesting places and Celebrity almost never serves fresh, local cuisine. I was excited when Celebrity had announced Luminae would offer some local fare and still hope they one day come through and execute this. If done right, would be a huge boon to Luminae and a big draw for many (and be a positive to the chefs as well to do something on their own rather than just robotically follow a corporate menu that quickly becomes tired and almost never changes). 

[chemmo]

5 hours ago, Gonzo70 said:

However #1 on my list of requests would be the previously promised local cuisine. A shame ships travel to so many interesting places and Celebrity almost never serves fresh, local cuisine. I was excited when Celebrity had announced Luminae would offer some local fare and still hope they one day come through and execute this. If done right, would be a huge boon to Luminae and a big draw for many (and be a positive to the chefs as well to do something on their own rather than just robotically follow a corporate menu that quickly becomes tired and almost never changes). 

 

Yes, I agree, even if just once or twice per cruise....

[Doubt It]

Considering the high price of Celebrity suites, the menu in Luminae is far too limited. Now with the Edge class, access to the MDR menu has been eliminated. Seems suite class has been downgraded.

 

Contrasting with Oceania where every guest enjoys table side preparations, olive oil and balsamic, cheese cart in the included in the specialties. The food quality and size of the menu offerings blows Luminae out of the water. 

 

If a guest is a foodie, Celebrity is not the line to book.

[Mynki]

16 hours ago, chemmo said:

 

As a real committed X guest I do hope they are listening even if they choose no longer to respond. If we did not value the total ‘suite experience’ on Celebrity and in particular the dining experience we would not have started the thread....

 

We honestly do feel that many many of us just want to make the ‘good’ ‘fantastic’ and, that it wouldn’t take rocket science to achieve...Just listening to a little customer feedback here and there...

It's my understanding that they have a ream of people monitoring social media sites. This came from an X employee on board. They have no interest in individual posts and issues because they have channels in place for issues to be resolved. What this team is looking for is identifying trends that need feeding back to management. So, it does appear that some are listening. 

We're not as heavily invested in X as some members are but we do consider ourselves loyal to the brand and we'll soon be Elite + etc. But I also feel frustrated that this good brand could so easily become a great brand. You're quite right that improvements are not rocket science but also I think they'd be affordable too. 

I'd love to have access to their data in Miami to see how much spend they allocate per pax in regards to entertainment, food and customer service resource etc. I do get annoyed with some of their cutbacks really cheapening the brand. Paying $1 extra for a beer when you have the premium package and having to sign for that $1 charge etc. Running out of wine listed on the Premium package on the last of our five cruises, yet inferior offerings are still available from the classic package etc. 

We'll be sailing on Silhouette in May, my expectations are set. I'm not expecting to be blown away with the dining and customer service, but the deal was ok and it's an itinerary we really want to do  so it's all good. But come October we'll be trying AZ for the first time. I'm hoping the dining and customer experience there will be what I wish X would achieve. :) 

If anyone from X is listening, please consider updating your menus more frequently and empowering your head chefs to source more local produce and serve their own dishes etc. Please.... :) 

[TeeRick]

15 hours ago, miched said:

If Suite passengers decide to dine in the MDR than Celebrity should offer their place in Luminae to someone in Select Dining.   It would only be fair as they are taking away a table and making a server in the MDR work harder by having to serve another couple.   🤗

 

My thoughts and opinion and I have cruised in a suite a few times but fair is fair.

 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

 

You are assuming that all suite passengers generally only dine in Luminae (or specialty dining) and not in the MDR.  You will find suite passengers taking up MDR space on a nightly basis I'm pretty sure.  Also would you do the same for Blu passengers who choose to dine in the MDR too?  For my situation, for example, I have traveled in a suite but dined nightly in the MDR because I was traveling with 8 other family members not in suites.  On two nights of our cruise I arranged for everybody to dine in Luminae as my guest but was charged $30 pp extra.  In your suggestion above would you have the MDR select-dining passengers chosen for Luminae (how would you choose by the way?) pay an extra $30pp?

[miched]

24 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

You are assuming that all suite passengers generally only dine in Luminae (or specialty dining) and not in the MDR.  You will find suite passengers taking up MDR space on a nightly basis I'm pretty sure.  Also would you do the same for Blu passengers who choose to dine in the MDR too?  For my situation, for example, I have traveled in a suite but dined nightly in the MDR because I was traveling with 8 other family members not in suites.  On two nights of our cruise I arranged for everybody to dine in Luminae as my guest but was charged $30 pp extra.  In your suggestion above would you have the MDR select-dining passengers chosen for Luminae (how would you choose by the way?) pay an extra $30pp?

 

Offer it to  a couple  that isn’t celebrating a birthday, anniversary, honeymoon, wedding  and etc that is in the  Select Dining line  behind the couple from Luminae or Blu.   That way they would have a surprise special occasion to celebrate.  

 

It it would be one way to have it work without a lot of advance planning.  

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

12 hours ago, Gonzo70 said:

A nice cheese course option (similar to what Murano has) would be great; with the $$$$$ suites cost, this seems a reasonable expectation. However #1 on my list of requests would be the previously promised local cuisine. A shame ships travel to so many interesting places and Celebrity almost never serves fresh, local cuisine. I was excited when Celebrity had announced Luminae would offer some local fare and still hope they one day come through and execute this. If done right, would be a huge boon to Luminae and a big draw for many (and be a positive to the chefs as well to do something on their own rather than just robotically follow a corporate menu that quickly becomes tired and almost never changes). 

 

We discovered that local cuisine was being offered in the buffet at some stops on our last cruises in the Med.  If they can do it in the buffet, why can't they do it in Luminae?

[K12Guy]

17 minutes ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

We discovered that local cuisine was being offered in the buffet at some stops on our last cruises in the Med.  If they can do it in the buffet, why can't they do it in Luminae?

It could very well be that local ingredients are being sourced for meals in Luminae, but the kitchen doesn't let the server staff know and it's not shared with the passengers. Unless, of course, the pineapple on a Hawaii cruise seems especially fresh, right?

 

Or, the halibut offered on an Alaska cruise seems especially fresh, never frozen.

 

Sometimes it's a matter of communication. Or lack thereof.

[Mynki]

1 hour ago, miched said:

 

Offer it to  a couple  that isn’t celebrating a birthday, anniversary, honeymoon, wedding  and etc that is in the  Select Dining line  behind the couple from Luminae or Blu.   That way they would have a surprise special occasion to celebrate.  

 

It it would be one way to have it work without a lot of advance planning.  

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

It's my understanding that suite and AC guests dining in the MDR or even specialty restaurants have the gratuities for that night paid to the MDR staff as opposed to their assigned dining room so the MDR staff are recompensed for their additional workload. 

Whilst this is a nice idea it would provide an administrative overhead for no financial gain, therefore I can't see it working. 

I'd happily auction our seats in Luminae for a worthy charity on nights where we chose to dine elsewhere. I'm sure they'd be some interest from those onboard, particularly if it was for a worthy cause. But again I doubt X would organise and allow this. 

Edited January 6, 2019 by Mynki

[Mynki]

19 minutes ago, K12Guy said:

It could very well be that local ingredients are being sourced for meals in Luminae, but the kitchen doesn't let the server staff know and it's not shared with the passengers. Unless, of course, the pineapple on a Hawaii cruise seems especially fresh, right?

 

Or, the halibut offered on an Alaska cruise seems especially fresh, never frozen.

 

Sometimes it's a matter of communication. Or lack thereof.

The next time you sail on X try and attend the 'Heart of the operation' tour. It's free and you'll be able to ask the head chef about this. We were told that they set sail with enough food for two consecutive cruises, only topping up with perishable goods such as certain fruit and vegetables as and when needed. 

 

[bigbenboys]

On 1/4/2019 at 6:29 AM, TeeRick said:

OK here is a solution.  What if I asked my butler to deliver a caesar salad or escargot to me in Luminae?  Or to my suite prior to Luminae and then I would take it with me?  In a way I'm joking but I think it might cause some embarrassment to the Luminae maitre 'd  or at least get discussed with the food and beverage manager if guests started doing this.  Maybe they would find a solution.

I was thinking we can go to Select Dining and have a starter and soup. Then go to Luminae for dinner. Luminae does have a children's menu. My husband order off it last cruise in Luminae. But, that was not on the Edge. 

[K12Guy]

39 minutes ago, Mynki said:

The next time you sail on X try and attend the 'Heart of the operation' tour. It's free and you'll be able to ask the head chef about this. We were told that they set sail with enough food for two consecutive cruises, only topping up with perishable goods such as certain fruit and vegetables as and when needed. 

 

Good suggestion. A few years ago we got to attend the tour and were amazed by the amount of work it takes to feed the passengers (continuously) for every day of every cruise. It was interesting to see the distinction of experience displayed by each employee wearing different bandanas (I think I remember correctly). They indicated first contract (rookie) and then several others showing many months of experience. I think that very tour was the catalyst for our having a much more understanding attitude when something doesn't come out 'perfectly'. The pastries and sculptures of food were awesome, as well as the HUGE cake that had been prepared for a Captain's Club affair of some sort.

 

That said, on a side note, I discovered that the Mer Soleil chardonnay offered in Luminae was a very good 'all round' white wine, if it's still offered. Our last cruise I had to ask for it and the sommelier seemed surprised and then stocked it for the remainder of the cruise.