EDGE Dining..Nov 15, 2019, ABC Islands

[hcat]

We sailed on the EDGE  ABC Island itin on Nov 15,  2019.

We experienced  the 4 mdr dining plan  and  a few other venues around the ship.

Here's a summary of how it worked out for us.    Overall it was a great success!

 

We chose Select dining and made advance res  well in advance of our sail date for 6 p.m., our preferred time.  It was a bit labor intensive to get everything pre- booked due to the way the Celebrity Cruise Planner is set up,  but once on board things ran quite smoothly.

 

We initially booked 2 nights in each mdr...leaving one night free for an excursion that was supposed to include dinner on Curacao.  That was changed so we scrambled for a replacement and were able to get an extra night in Tuscan..our favorite.  We also skipped the mdr one night when we had a big lunch, and went to the  buffet instead for dinner.

 

Edited December 7, 2019 by hcat

[hcat]

Cosmopolitan

For the first night we ate in Cosmopolitan..probably not the best choice for that night..because it is one of the larger dining rooms so more folks to get settled on night one.  There were 2 lines..one for trad early diners to get their assigned tables and one for the Select diners with 6 pm res. 

 

  We were seated at a table for two in a row next to other couples.  It was okay, with some pleasant cross conversation but not our fav set up. On our return we were seated by a window,,much nicer.. I had a dbl shrimp cocktail. We both had the Prime Rib cooked as requested.  Service was excellent!

 

We returned to Cosmopolitan for night 6 and enjoyed a window table for 2 with sunset views. I had Salmon perfectly cooked, dh had pea soup and a steak. Another excellent meal with very good service,

 

As explained in detail in  other threads,  there are 3 parts to the menu...one that is unique to each restaurant that does not change, Celeb Classics that do not change, and the  menu for all venues that rotates ...same in each mdr.  Lots of choices..mix and match.  Very nice desserts which we often skip or just share to  taste.

 

 

[hcat]

Overview photo and Cosmopolitan

 

 

Edited December 7, 2019 by hcat

[hcat]

To be continued.....

[KAE27]

Great thread!  Thank you for this.

[hcat]

Thank you

There are  already 2 great EDGE dining threads with menus etc..(I will try to post links tom.) 

 

 I am trying to just relate our experience,  We are not fancy eaters but  so far EDGE has been superior.!

[hcat]

Tuscan:

We  ate here in the 2nd,  5th and 7th night.  ( the 5th night was Curacao when our excursion plans were reversed, and Tuscan had space for us on short notice..( very guest friendly venue).

 

On night 2 , our first night there , we were surprised when the hostess Roxanna remembered us from BLU on  Edge last January.  She was great in both positions and took great care of us.  Happy to hear she is going to be on APEX...hopefully when we sail!

 

On night 2,  we had a very private table for 2,  and a great waiter and asst . Dh enjoyed the  Colorado rack of Lamb and I had my fav meal of the entire cruise,...the Australian Sea Bass. I am not a foodie but this is a meal I will not forget! 

 

On night 5 I had chicken..nicely prepared and we both enjoyed the crab cakes.  Biggest treat was a quiet table for 2 on the window...amazing Sunset!  We were back in Tuscan on Night 7, after a great lunch at the West Deck, Auba.  We both went for the Prime Rib ( excellent  again and cooked to our preferences)  We had another quiet table for 2.

 

Tuscan was our favorite..decor is a la Fellini..black and white with yellow.  Great art, Italian music.,.quiet little areas to savor and enjoy. Sunflowers on the tables  Very romantic!

 

We also stopped in to Tuscan a few times for the Elite lite breakfast.  Great coffee, rolls, pastries, cold cuts, smoked salmon and mini bagels...my favorite.,  Some days we ate breakfast elsewhere but dropoed in for coffee, mimosa and pastries...kind of decadent! The Cap Club host was very present there, greeting and chatting!

Edited December 8, 2019 by hcat

[hcat]

[hcat]

Rare photos of yours truly and dh enjoying Tuscan

[hcat]

This sculpture  is outside Tuscan...seems painful!

 

That's all for now!

[hcat]

West Deck Aruba...great spot for lunch..easy walk or short taxi ride

[hcat]

We also had a very nice lunch out on Bonaire at Karels., have been here before and happy to say the food, drinks and service are still excellent!

[hcat]

Our other lunch out was in Curacao  (was initially  to be dinner)

It was part of a very disappointing shore excursion dubbed "Culinary tour."...nothing culinary about it besides the meal!  It was at the beach we had been to before ( very scenic), lunch  at The Greenhouse ( which we enjoyed on St Maarten and other places),  But  it was 89 degrees and had  an outdoor  dining area set up,. The manager  heard me say I would pass out from the heat, so we were invited in to the bar where we had a great Island style lunch, nice drinks and A/C.    One of the NY Yankees  is from Curacao so lots of  baseball buzz....even though dh is a Mets fan!

 

This was a no photo day...

Next up ...back to EDGE dining

[hcat]

Buffet for Dinner

On Day 3, we were scheduled for Normandie for dinner.  But having had a  wonderful and filling lunch at Cafe Bistro, we skipped Normandie and went to the Buffet,  That was a huge mistake,  they had very few choices other than very spicy ethnic type stews/ foods which were not what we were looking for.  Ended up with a few pieces of cheese and fruit and a roll.  We were really surprised because on Sailaway Day, the buffet lunch was amazing...fish, beef ...so many choices. Win some lose some!

 

[hcat]

Normandie

We did make it to Normandie on the last night of the cruise. This is a large venue but so well done .  Beautiful tones and colors with  French decor, Lalique sculpture, crystals, chandeliers classic, opulence in every detail. And of the wonderful re- presented Normadie wall panels.  Not overdone, it was a very  pleasing place to experience our final dinner onboard EDGE.

 

We asked for a quiet  corner table and were placed in a great spot under  beautiful historic Lalique panels. We both ordered Steak Dianne..cooked to perfection. We shared a dessert. It was  a lovely last night dinner!

[hcat]

From Normandie

[hcat]

The panels...

[BocaRoo]

We were also on the November 15^th Edge sailing.  Our dining experience, a different scenario than hcat’s, was an EPIC FAILURE – for the first time in 19 Celebrity sailings.  Here’s our story. 

 

We always book late, traditional seating at a table for 6 or 8 as we enjoy meeting new people, establishing a rapport with our waitstaff and would prefer not to bounce around to different dining venues at different times. Upon boarding, we checked our table assignment and discovered we were assigned a table for 2 in the Normandie MDR for late seating.  We requested a change to a larger table – the hostess said ok, no problem, we can change it.  We arrived for dinner at 8:30 and were seated at a looooong, picnic table for 10 – with 2 other couples, both of whom were not  overly conversational and not even seated so we could all properly converse with each other.

 

We weren’t overly thrilled with the Normandie MDR, so after that first dinner, we went to the Cosmopolitan MDR and spoke with the Hostess, Eva, to see if we could get late seating at a table for 6 or 8.  She said she would check with her supervisor and would get back to us.  By the next afternoon, after not having heard back, we decided, ok, we’re in Concierge Class, let’s see if the Concierge can assist us.  The Concierge’s office was so swamped that the Guest Relations Manager came in to assist.  She spoke with us and promised to have a new dinner assignment in the Cosmopolitan MDR by dinner that evening.  At 8:30, we arrive for dinner and Eva shows us to a lovely, wonderfully located table for 6! Oh, joy!  Long story short (but not over) no one else showed up to dine with us!  We figured, oh, night 2, just a fluke…  I should interject here that we were supposed to be celebrating our 26^th anniversary that evening – our TA had put it into our reservation, but, alas, if a cake was to be had, it must have shown up at the picnic table in Normandie… To shorten the story, I will say that out of the remaining 7 nights, different people were shuttled to our table on 4 nights and on the other 3, we dined alone.  We kept asking Eva what the problem was, and she repeatedly told us that the table showed as “booked full” for late seating.

 

We really learned our lesson with this one.  On Edge Class ships, traditional late dining just doesn’t work if you want to book it for the reasons I stated above.  We just booked the Apex TA for October 2021 and will have to try Select Dining unless we link dining with friends.

Edited December 9, 2019 by BocaRoo

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

I’m confused now. I thought with Select the default was to individual party tables, only shared IF there were enough people who wanted to have a shared table? So why would that be preferred if you WANT to dine with others?

[BocaRoo]

11 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

I’m confused now. I thought with Select the default was to individual party tables, only shared IF there were enough people who wanted to have a shared table? So why would that be preferred if you WANT to dine with others?

There just are not enough late, traditional diners who will want to stay in the same MDR at the same table every night. We will have to try something new on the Edge class - move around, share and adjust our seating times, if necessary.

[hcat]

Wow.. so sorry to read about your experience.  That is  disappointing.

We stopped using traditional  dining with others way back when that happened to us twice....nice tables for 6 or 8 but no one shows...at Specialty venues or who knew where.  Then  BLU came along  and we found our happy place.  Tables for 2 but close enough to chat with neighbors if mutually desired. Other than having to remember our bookings, we loved the 4 mdr concept,  and signed up the same way  ( 6 pm, Select) for APEX  in Nov, deleting Cosmopolitan..

 

We felt Cosmopolitan was the least organized.....and very busy. Could have used 2 hostesses / maitre ds..the one seemed overwhelmed at times,

 

With our 6 pm res  in Select Dining,  we were always given the option to share a table which we declined. ( For breakfast and lunch in Cosmo, we always said  okay!)

So if you book Select for 2,  you might be able to share a table with others for the evening, and you can book the same restaurant for all the nights as well.

 

Being very early risers, we eat lunch around noon or 12:30, so we are ready for dinner around 6.  That seemed to be an advantage for choice seating, quiet ambiance and great service!

 

Hope your  anniv cruise was otherwise enjoyable! Glad you are trying again on APEX.

[hcat]

From our lunch at the Le Grand Bistro, Day 3.  They have Le Petit Chef there at night but by day it is a great  dining venue..and they also have a brunch once or twice.  It was a really nice treat...and as mentiined, we were to full to go to Normandie for dinner!

 

It was uncrowded, quiet and very pleasant with nice bright windows to the sea,  We both had a cheese flavored  onion soup..excellent taste, not over salty,  Dh had the short ribs and and I had  the tarte,  the sommelier assisted with wine selection.   No room for dessert,  so they sent us away with a small box of pastries ! Definitely a hidden gem of EDGE.

Edited December 10, 2019 by hcat

[hcat]

Upcharge for lunch was $20 pp, plus we left a cash grat.

 

Le Grand Bistro

 

Sample Menu

Starters

PÂTÉ DE CAMPAGNE

Homemade Terrine, Pork, Mustard, Chutney, Pickles

MOULES-FRITES

Mussels Steamed with Garlic, White Wine, Thyme, Braised Tomatoes, Fries

ESCARGOT

Fricassee of Escargots , Garlic Herb Butter, Wild Mushrooms

CHÈVRE CRÊPE

Crispy Rolled Crêpe, Roasted Garlic Cream, Arugula, Roasted Tomatoes

Soups & Salads

LOBSTER BISQUE

Tarragon, Puff Pastery

SOUPE A L’OIGNON

Caramelized Onions, French Cheeses, Brioche

LA SALADE “LUTOFF”

Toasted Pine Nuts, Balsamic Vinaigrette

ARUGULA FRISÉE LARDON SALAD

Crispy Pork Belly, Poached Egg, Pickled Shallots and Parmesan

From the Baker’s Oven

CROISSANTS

Plain, Chocolate, Nutella, Almon

BRIOCHE Miniature Braids

SAVORY LOAF FOCACCIA

Roasted Tomato Garlic or Rosemary Parmesan

MADELEINES OF THE DAY
DEMI BAGUETTE
SOURDOUGH LOAF
FOUGASSE OF THE DAY

Entrées

STEAK FRITES

Maitre d’Butter or Bearnaise Sauce

TROUT GRENOBLOISE

Pineapple, Capers, Parsley

ROASTED BABY CHICKEN

Crème fraîche, Potato Purée, Natural Jus

WILD MUSHROOM TART

Wild Mushroom Tarte with Asparagus, Leeks, Roasted Garlic Aioli

GOURMET CHEESE SELECTIONS

Cheese & CHarcuterie

Choose any 2

Choose any 2

BrieCharcuterie

CantalJamon de Bayonne

Port SalutSaucisso

CheesePork Rillette

ASSIETTE DE FROMAGES

Chef's Selection of Cheese with a glass of Port Wine

P L A T S D U J O U R

- M O N DAY -

SEARED SEA BASS

Lemon, Brown Butter, Capers, Roasted Potatoes

- T U E S DAY -

RACK OF LAMB

Turnip Purée, Baby Végétables, Rosemary Jus

- W E D N E S DAY -

SLOW COOKED DUCK BREAST

Seasonal Fruit Chutney, Orange Confit,

Duck Confit Croustillant

 

- T H U RS DAY -

CRÊPES CORDON BLEU

Chicken, Ham, Swiss, Topped with Arugula, Cherry Tomatoes, Black Pepper Dressing

 

- F R I DAY -

CROQUE MONSIEUR & MADAME

Baked Ham Sandwich, Emmental Cheese, Béchamel Cream, Egg

 

- SAT U R DAY -

COQ AU VIN

Slow Cooked Chicken in Red Wine Jus, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Potato Purée

- SU N DAY -

SHORT RIB BOURGUIGNON

Braised Beef Short Ribs, Root Végétables, Roasted Potatoes, Morel Mushrooms

Sandwiches

HAM AND CHEESE BAGUETTE SANDWICH

Bibb Lettuce, French Vinaigrette, Heirloom Tomato, Cornichon

TUNA SALAD BAGUETTE SANDWICH

Arugula, Roasted Garlic Aioli, Radish

BRIE AND TURKEY BAGUETTE SANDWICH

Mâche and Cranberry - Apple Dressing

LE BURGER “RICHARD”

Morbier Cheese, Caramelized Onions, Pepper Bacon, Arugula

Beverages

Café Américian............................................................................................$5

Espresso...........................................................................................................$3

Cappuccino.....................................................................................................$5

Fresh Squeeze Juice - Grapefruit / Orange...............................................$4

Arizona Iced Tea.............................................................................................$4

Premium Water...............................................................................................$5

CARAFE SELECTIONS

Côte Mas Blanc, Róse, and Rouge sud Mediterranee

Carafe........................................................................$9.99

1/2 Carafe....................................................................$5

Bottle (1 litter).......................................................$14.99

 

[hcat]

We also attended a very interesting cake decorating demonstration held in EDEN..good tips and ideas,  

[hcat]

Eden Cafe :

In addition to the Cafe Bistro lunch, we  had one lunch at the EDEN cafe ( no upcharge), There's a board with a  take out menu of salads semi made to order,  soups, sandwiches and a carving station.. Fresh bread, desserts, tea, coffee. There is outdoor seating nearby, a few tables near the EDEN Bar ( if not being used for card playing),  and the tiny tot table and chairs in EDEN .  We enjoyed it but not as much as our first EDGE cruise, language problem with the order taker but we worked it out.

Edited December 13, 2019 by hcat