Sailing on Edge June 26th

[bnurick]

Good evening all, I’m fairly stuffed and the vino was flowing at Chef’s Table.  Have an excursion in the morning.  Will catch-up with y’all tomorrow afternoon. Cheers late from the Edge!

[gbphipps]

1 hour ago, bnurick said:

Good evening all, I’m fairly stuffed and the vino was flowing at Chef’s Table.  Have an excursion in the morning.  Will catch-up with y’all tomorrow afternoon. Cheers late from the Edge!

Buenos Noches!  Enjoy a well-deserved rest.  Tomorrow please tell us about the Chef’s Table.  We have it booked on our upcoming July 24th cruise on the Edge and are very excited.  Thank you so much for all your info.  Enjoy your cruise!

[fstuff1]

11 hours ago, Sykes said:

We were assigned boarding times, but as far as I can tell they weren't being enforced for suites like they were for other guests. There was no real backup in the suites line anyway.

 

When i sailed s-class, assigned times were never enforced for vip (suites, zeniths, high casino tier cards). 

i guess it also depends on port

[fstuff1]

11 hours ago, Alabaster Cruiser said:

I see "low stakes gaming" in the casino from 2pm till 6pm.  What does that consist of?  Thanks

 

Anyone know if they extended casino tier levels?

it currently expires dec 31, 2021 (6 months), which was set in the early days of Covid last year! 

 

[Gracie115]

11 hours ago, bnurick said:

CEO Richard Fain decided to make drinks at the martini bar tonight. He is living it up! 🍸 

 

 

Very cool......

Thanks so much for all your posts and the time you are taking to share your cruise with us....it is tempting me to book 8/21 sailing.......😊

[fstuff1]

 

7 hours ago, D C said:

Not having ever sailed in a suite, would you mind elaborating on the role the retreat and luminae managers play in the cruise experience? Wondering if the suite experience justifies the upgrade expense. 

 

When i sailed s-class, i never met the  Retreat mgr. (does that position even exist?)

the Retreat Concierge was in charge of the Retreat/vip lounge.. (i never used him/her though.)

 

it's a nice, relaxing, uncrowded lounge with soda/beer fridges that you can open and get yourself.

there's afternoon tea with the usual afternoon tea food (biscuits and jam).

and live soft music every other day.

[cementhands]

On 6/23/2021 at 5:04 PM, bnurick said:

So as soon as I read there was a June 26th sailing with 95% vaccinated passengers and 100% vaccinated crew members I booked 2 adults and 1 child, all of us vaccinated.  So far, we have received two phone calls (last week) asking about our vaccinated status (caller id says Kansas).  Restuarant choices are all listed, Chef’s table on night #1 is booked and excursions are limited but seem to be expanding as we get closer.  The callers did not know the capacity status, but quoted other ships at 60% to 65%.  So if capacity is 2,908 passengers and it’s 65% then 1,809 passengers are booked with 95 passengers eligible to be unvaccinated or declining to say, which to me means mostly children traveling with vaccinated adults.  We did receive an email with pre-testing, port testing and cruise testing requirements to be charged to the stateroom of the unvaccinated or declining to say passengers.  My read is at port vaccinated passengers will immediately board and unvaccinated or declining to say passengers will have to wait for test results and the 5% capacity limit headcount.

 

Happy to post about our cruise experience so there is no misinformation.  We have completed the online checkin on the app, selfie and all.  More to come…

Great information, enjoy reading about your cruise!
Are the activities well attended and is there live music. I’ve read the activities scheduled and seems great but are people actually doing things in groups?

We’re looking forward to cruising again this fall. Thanks again for your wonderful information and pictures too!

[bnurick]

Good morning! Celebrity Today for Tuesday.  Will reply to questions later. Thanks. 

 

[lele100]

15 hours ago, bnurick said:

They profile you through phone calls to manage the process.  When you walk up they say “proof of vaccine” and wait for a reply.  Yes = Scan to profile and board.  No = You go somewhere to get your first of three antigen tests and wait on results.

 

Thank you so much,  exactly what I wanted to hear,  enjoy

[TeeRick]

10 hours ago, D C said:

Not having ever sailed in a suite, would you mind elaborating on the role the retreat and luminae managers play in the cruise experience? Wondering if the suite experience justifies the upgrade expense. 

Dave- we tend to sail suites so my answer is biased.  But yes to us it is worth the expense.  Even the lowest priced Sky Suite gives you the perks (premium drinks, OBC, WiFi, gratuities) and of course larger accommodations and high service.   Butler service (if you want it) and The Retreat including the concierge.  This concierge will do anything that a trip to Guest Services will do- with no lines.  Reservations, shore excursions, etc.  We find Luminae to be an excellent dining choice with great service. On Edge class, the Retreat area is all in one place and very nice.  There are lots of things I am leaving out.  Everybody has their own view if this is worth it to them or not.  But many people here have stated that once they sail a suite they will never go back.  So be careful for what you wish for!😊

[pixiedust777]

10 hours ago, bnurick said:

Good evening all, I’m fairly stuffed and the vino was flowing at Chef’s Table.  Have an excursion in the morning.  Will catch-up with y’all tomorrow afternoon. Cheers late from the Edge!

Thank you for all your information. 
I am soaking it in like a sponge.

 

Have a great day😊

[D C]

1 hour ago, bnurick said:

Good morning! Celebrity Today for Tuesday.  Will reply to questions later. Thanks. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks.

Very surprising and disappointing that ship excursions are the only way to go ashore in Cozumel given the vaccination status of the ship and that Cozumel has been open for tourism for the better part of the last year.

[D C]

15 hours ago, Sykes said:

 

 

We were assigned boarding times, but as far as I can tell they weren't being enforced for suites like they were for other guests. There was no real backup in the suites line anyway.

What did they do with people who were early to their assigned boarding time? Just stand aside?

[OT-Miami]

1 hour ago, bnurick said:

Good morning! Celebrity Today for Tuesday.  Will reply to questions later. Thanks. 

 

 

Thank you so much for taking time out of your vacation to keep us all posted.  We sail this itinerary 09/04 so I really appreciate all the details and the Celebrity Today's.  Enjoy the rest of your trip 🥂

[CruiserRob]

4 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

 

When i sailed s-class, assigned times were never enforced for vip (suites, zeniths, high casino tier cards). 

i guess it also depends on port

Prior to Covid, assigned times were never enforced for anyone.

[yvonneh]

Thank you very much for sharing your time with us! This is a wonderful thread to follow, much appreciated. 😃

[Jeremiah1212]

52 minutes ago, D C said:

What did they do with people who were early to their assigned boarding time? Just stand aside?

They tried. The vast majority of people were patient but there were the few unfortunately behaved people who literally shoo’d the agents away and walked right in. 

 

55 minutes ago, D C said:

Thanks.

Very surprising and disappointing that ship excursions are the only way to go ashore in Cozumel given the vaccination status of the ship and that Cozumel has been open for tourism for the better part of the last year.

I don’t think it has anything to do with Cozumel itself. More likely because AOS will be in Cozumel with us tomorrow and they don’t want passengers mingling together. 

[bnurick]

17 hours ago, lbryant said:

Thank you so much for the information and posting the Celebrity Todays. That is so helpful. Our family will be onboard Edge July 17 (cruise #4). First time on Celebrity though 3rd time booking the Edge (looks like this one will stick).  You uploaded a letter from Day 1 that outlined some new programs including "Upgraded AquaClass with new amenities and food and beverage offerings". We're booked in Aqua - can anyone speak to what has been upgraded or what is new?  Do you know if we need to make reservations for the Thermal Spa or the Gym or can we go whenever we want? Thanks for the help. Enjoy your trip!!

 

I cannot speak to. We have only booked a Celebrity Suite or Signature Suite so far. Family of 4 (3 this cruise) so we like the space.  Cheers. 

 

17 hours ago, Alabaster Cruiser said:

I see "low stakes gaming" in the casino from 2pm till 6pm.  What does that consist of?  Thanks

I’ve played craps every night with a group that shows up. $10 minimum with double odds on the pass line.

 

17 hours ago, LuAnn said:

I am SOoooo happy for you to be on this cruise..and I must admit a little jealous too! I got goosebumps when I saw the TV coverage of the sail away..and almost cried..I really hadn't realized just HOW much I have missed cruising.  Have a terrific time and thank you for taking the time and effort to answer questions.

 

Happy to share. Thank you for following and I must say I shed a tear when we left the Port.  Cheers. 
 

16 hours ago, pixiedust777 said:

Thank you!

We are doing the same itinerary on August 7th☺️( Just booked today)
Let the over planning begin🤣🤣

Dinner reservations at all specialty restaurants has already been accomplished 😉

Yes, OCD planning is highly recommended.  Cheers. 

 

15 hours ago, TommyD3 said:

Wondering about the Concierge lunch on embarkation day. Not listed in the Celebrity Today. Is this something that has been deleted? Wish they pushed the lunch times later since the earliest check in option we were given was 1 PM !!!

No clue. Have been uploading the Celebrity Today’s for full enjoyment and planning. Cheers. 

[bnurick]

13 hours ago, jcpc said:

bnurick,

 

Thanks for all the info you've been posting.  I'm not sailing Edge until September but reading your posts makes me very excited.

 

Would you happen to know who the manager (maitre'd) of Luminae is?  Also, have you met the Retreat Manager and the Retreat Concierges?  If you know their names would you please post them? 

 

Thanks again for all your posts.......and enjoy your cruise.

 

 

Well I have met them all but cannot recall names. We have Mustafa as a server in Luminae. He has two table areas, one round table on the window. So he is our guy now. I’ll pay more attention and see if I can get the info. We don’t dine again there until night #6.

 

13 hours ago, D C said:

Not having ever sailed in a suite, would you mind elaborating on the role the retreat and luminae managers play in the cruise experience? Wondering if the suite experience justifies the upgrade expense. 

 

So I’ve only done suites, mostly because we have little to not status and have kids.   I am a I just want what I want person and they essentially take care of whatever you want. As an example, I want in the morning specific latte’s from the cafe as opposed to room service. Our concierge assigned to us handles and brings to our room. Also serves as an alarm clock for Port days. They fo all over the ship in the morning to get the pastries, etc. Also, if there is ever a problem is just goes away.  Hope this helps. Is it worth it?  That is in the eyes of the beholder. Some yes, some no.  Cheers. 
 

11 hours ago, gbphipps said:

Buenos Noches!  Enjoy a well-deserved rest.  Tomorrow please tell us about the Chef’s Table.  We have it booked on our upcoming July 24th cruise on the Edge and are very excited.  Thank you so much for all your info.  Enjoy your cruise!

So it was disappointing. I’m shocked to say. The food was good not great. The wine felt short. 2018 Caymus was not unique enough for a head sommelier level. He was literally running between the Fain family, Luminae and us. It just fell short. The bonding between the guests was the best part.  So sorry to Debbie Downer this one, but it was no Victoria and Alberts at WDW. 

 

6 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

 

Anyone know if they extended casino tier levels?

it currently expires dec 31, 2021 (6 months), which was set in the early days of Covid last year! 

 

Sorry I don’t. I just play some craps each night and then head to bed.  Nice night cap.  Cheers. 

 

6 hours ago, Gracie115 said:

 

Very cool......

Thanks so much for all your posts and the time you are taking to share your cruise with us....it is tempting me to book 8/21 sailing.......😊

YOLO Gracie, just YOLO.  Pull the trigger. Cheers. 

 

5 hours ago, cementhands said:

Great information, enjoy reading about your cruise!
Are the activities well attended and is there live music. I’ve read the activities scheduled and seems great but are people actually doing things in groups?

We’re looking forward to cruising again this fall. Thanks again for your wonderful information and pictures too!

Yes, the activities are well attended. Everyone is so happy to be on this cruise it’s amazing to be a part of.  Happy to share. Cheers. 

 

3 hours ago, lele100 said:

Thank you so much,  exactly what I wanted to hear,  enjoy

😉 

 

1 hour ago, pixiedust777 said:

Thank you for all your information. 
I am soaking it in like a sponge.

 

Have a great day😊

Thanks and you too!  😊 

 

1 hour ago, D C said:

Thanks.

Very surprising and disappointing that ship excursions are the only way to go ashore in Cozumel given the vaccination status of the ship and that Cozumel has been open for tourism for the better part of the last year.

Not me. I’m on our first excursion and we are in a bubble. They are not risking some random person getting covid outside a bubble and spreading on the ship.  Guessing if you want that experience you need to fly.  One covid outbreak from a non-controlled bubble and your cruise is cancelled. Cheers, just my opinion too, so I recognize others disagree. 

 

1 hour ago, OT-Miami said:

 

Thank you so much for taking time out of your vacation to keep us all posted.  We sail this itinerary 09/04 so I really appreciate all the details and the Celebrity Today's.  Enjoy the rest of your trip 🥂

Thanks OT!  Cheers to y’all!

 

1 hour ago, yvonneh said:

Thank you very much for sharing your time with us! This is a wonderful thread to follow, much appreciated. 😃

 

Happy to share. Cheers to your upcoming adventures!

 

Picture from Costa Maya excursion. Doesn’t feel too controlled.  Cheers everyone!

 

[Gracie115]

3 minutes ago, bnurick said:

 

 

So it was disappointing. I’m shocked to say. The food was good not great. The wine felt short. 2018 Caymus was not unique enough for a head sommelier level. He was literally running between the Fain family, Luminae and us. It just fell short. The bonding between the guests was the best part.  So sorry to Debbie Downer this one, but it was no Victoria and Alberts at WDW. 

YOLO Gracie, just YOLO.  Pull the trigger. Cheers. 

 

Not me. I’m on our first excursion and we are in a bubble. They are not risking some random person getting covid outside a bubble and spreading on the ship.  Guessing if you want that experience you need to fly.  One covid outbreak from a non-controlled bubble and your cruise is cancelled. Cheers, just my opinion too, so I recognize others disagree. 
 

 

Agree completely about the "bubble."  Especially right now it's so important that ships remain as virus free as possible.

 

We were disappointed in our Chef's Table on Reflection a few years ago.  Food was okay, wine was too but we didn't think the experience was worth the $$.  Believe it or not our best Chef's Table experience on the sea was on Royal's Oasis.  Just outstanding.

 

Still thinking about that 8/21 sailing....would be good way to celebrate my birthday.

 

Would love to know staff's names in Luminae too, but just thankful for all that you have shared!!!!

[pixiedust777]

11 minutes ago, bnurick said:

So it was disappointing. I’m shocked to say. The food was good not great. The wine felt short. 2018 Caymus was not unique enough for a head sommelier level. He was literally running between the Fain family, Luminae and us. It just fell short. The bonding between the guests was the best part.  So sorry to Debbie Downer this one, but it was no Victoria and Alberts at WDW. 

Oh…this is disappointing to read.

May take this off my plan.

We are serious foodies and have had hit and misses with Chef tables on cruises and on land.

A 2018 Caymus is not unique at all. 
And for the food to be nothing special is a real let down.

 

V&A at WDW is our favourite special spot to dine as a couple when we are there. 

[bnurick]

1 hour ago, Gracie115 said:

 

Agree completely about the "bubble."  Especially right now it's so important that ships remain as virus free as possible.

 

We were disappointed in our Chef's Table on Reflection a few years ago.  Food was okay, wine was too but we didn't think the experience was worth the $$.  Believe it or not our best Chef's Table experience on the sea was on Royal's Oasis.  Just outstanding.

 

Still thinking about that 8/21 sailing....would be good way to celebrate my birthday.

 

Would love to know staff's names in Luminae too, but just thankful for all that you have shared!!!!

Concur. The bubble was great, down to the assigned seating on the bus to socially distance.  Was a lot of fun. The staff running the excursions were so happy to have customers again. No one was aloud to approach us that wasn’t part of the operation. It felt that they were hyper concerned of having a covid issue and everything shutting down.

 

Chef’s Table was a disappointment. Don’t know what to say other than sugar coating it. Food was an A- Wine was a B and the service was an A-.  Overall score is a B+ when it should be an A flat.

 

1 hour ago, pixiedust777 said:

Oh…this is disappointing to read.

May take this off my plan.

We are serious foodies and have had hit and misses with Chef tables on cruises and on land.

A 2018 Caymus is not unique at all. 
And for the food to be nothing special is a real let down.

 

V&A at WDW is our favourite special spot to dine as a couple when we are there. 

 

Happy to admit we are wine snobs and Caymus is not a Chef’s Table selection. Even if the Sommelier smells the decant and says “it needs 5 more minutes” 🙄.  Oh well, live and learn.  Look forward to seeing Israel at V&A again once they reopen…

[cangelmd]

1 hour ago, pixiedust777 said:

Oh…this is disappointing to read.

May take this off my plan.

We are serious foodies and have had hit and misses with Chef tables on cruises and on land.

A 2018 Caymus is not unique at all. 
And for the food to be nothing special is a real let down.

 

V&A at WDW is our favourite special spot to dine as a couple when we are there. 

We are booked for the Daniel Boulud dinner on Equinox in August. I’ve posted at length about our prior Chefs Table on Equinox before, and agree it was a little disappointing too. Food not as over the top, which is partly because the food overall on Celeb is better, so bar is higher. Wines were better than Premium pkg, but now I think the wine pairings are an added expense now, wine was included back then. Did not like the little Celebrity commercial during dinner.

 We did really enjoy the galley tour as it was hosted by the executive chef and was not just “this is how we do dinner service”, there was a lot of insight into sourcing the food, what different roles of the cooks are, all the different galleys, how they manage allergies, etc. I found it fascinating, a little hard to hear, but very interesting.

Edited June 29, 2021 by cangelmd

[bnurick]

Mexican Salsa and Beach Break excursion. Highly recommend if you like margaritas and some fun.  I would do this one again. Leave ship, 10 minute bus ride socially distanced, guacamole, salsa and margaritas with private restrooms for the event.  Than the beach in shade with lounge chairs and menu to order. Back to ship.  Here are pictures I took.  Cheers from Costa Maya.

 

[cangelmd]

Serious foodie experiences- Eden on Edge and we really enjoyed Chefs Market Discoveries - although the actual dinner was not elaborate, just delicious and fun.