LIVE Suite Review 1/30-2/6: A (Solo) Woman on the Edge

[LATTELOVE]

On 1/30/2022 at 4:09 PM, twangster said:

Onboard with you!   
 

11am check in.  First time on Edge class, first time using Terminal 25.  
 

twagster,

So nice to see you here too.

You did an amazing job reporting 

from Oddesey last week.

Enjoy Edge!!

[GenerationX]

18 hours ago, nanruss said:

I am loving your review, thank you so much for bringing us all along. I have a question about the specialty restaurants. Can you tell me what was the cost for dinner at Eden?

Thank you! I believe the regular cost for Eden for dinner is $55.  I booked it pre-cruise and I think I may have gotten a small discount during a specialty dinning sale.

[GenerationX]

43 minutes ago, quicklabs said:

Glad you are having such a great time!  Love, love, love the photos your are providing.  Pretty, please?  The Eden review?  We are boarding this Sunday (weather permitting--moved the flight to tomorrow morning in an effort to beat the Snowpocalpyse.)

 

Oh yes I’m so sorry! I promise Eden review will be first post after my phone recharge!  I hope your flights go smoothly!

[twangster]

18 hours ago, nanruss said:

I am loving your review, thank you so much for bringing us all along. I have a question about the specialty restaurants. Can you tell me what was the cost for dinner at Eden?

 

Eden was $55 last night.

[GenerationX]

3 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Loving this review.  On the APEX on 2/26 in an S3.  I know it's similar to the EDGE which I sailed last July.  Sailed in the Retreat S2 suite on that one.  

 

But, one thing I wanted to try, but didn't, was Blu.  I understood it was only for Aqua Cabins.  Have also heard that Retreat guests could dine there, also.  Do you know if that's true?  Any plans to dine there?

 

TIA!

Yes, Retreat guests can dine in Blu and in fact my butler told me I didn’t need a reservation or permission just head there anytime for breakfast or dinner. I think with Luminae so busy and aqua class so empty they’re trying to spread people around.

[chamima]

Thanks for taking time out of your vacation to inform and entertain those of us in the frozen North.

Is this your balcony or the cabana?

 

[tugboat]

On 1/30/2022 at 12:59 PM, GenerationX said:

Quick passenger count update:  The current rumor onboard is that our sailing was expected to have about 870 guests, but that almost 200 (!!!!) of those may not actually sail due to positive pre-cruise Covid test results and flight cancellations on the east coast.

 

I’ll see if I can get an opportunity to confirm that info with someone in charge/in the know and will report back.  Given how late hitting those factors are it may be a day or 2 before anyone can give an accurate guest count.

 

Stay warm and safe out there East Coast followers!

I ask the waiter at breakfast for a passenger count this week he said paperwork shows 670 with 1000 crew not a bad way to go.

[KKB]

2 hours ago, chamima said:

Thanks for taking time out of your vacation to inform and entertain those of us in the frozen North.

Is this your balcony or the cabana?

 

That is a cabana

[KKB]

Continuing to LOVE LOVE LOVE your TR!

A couple things:
--Ask for a lounger & you shall receive (worked fine even for us lowly Sunset Veranda folks)

--SPEAKING OF SUNSET VERANDAS--REAL balconies DO exist outside of suites on Eclass! Spent 2 weeks in them last summer! 

--Room service--I have "heard" that suite guests can often get requests for room service. Worth a try!

--Funny I never had an issue with my phone dying...tho admittedly I wasn't downloading photos (I had lowly regular wifi; not worth the effort on that one...)

[miched]

The wine in Luminae is served in Riedel glasses.  Could  you tell the wine tasted better before the seminar?

 

Since they are served in Reidel glasses they don’t want you to leave the area with them.  My wife would always request a to go wine glass if she didn’t finish drinking the wine.   Sometimes those wines aren’t available in other places 

 

Enjoy your glasses but remember they are very fragile.   It is recommended to hand wash and a slight bump against a faucet, the sink and etc results in shattered glass.   

 

There are also different grades of Reidel glasses there are bar grade that is very cheap.  You can  buy for around $5/glass.  They have a rolled top lip and a lot  thicker.   The premium have a cut lip with a “sharp” edge. 

 

To be fair I don’t think the  kind used in Luminae are as fragile or as high quality as those that you get from the seminar but they are still a premium compared to regular bar glasses.    X use to sell those  glasses you get at the seminar on their website. I think if you look  on the Reidel Website they may he have a link for the glasses they make for X. 

 

It is all about marketing and perceived value and a lot of other things.  I can drink a beer  after cutting the grass on a hot summer day and it tastes fantastic and then I have another.   Later on in the evening I can have the same beer out of the same case and refrigerator while watching TV and it won’t taste as good.

 
We all know that beer  tastes the best out of a red plastic cup but Reidel makes beer glasses to make it taste better.  🤷‍♂️🤗
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

Edited February 2, 2022 by miched

[twangster]

The Martini Bat served wine  in a Riedel glass this afternoon.  I took it back to my cabin.  When I told them that was my plan they topped up my glass.  Later they refilled it for round 2.  

 

I have Riedel at home.  As a self confessed wine glass snob I noticed the glass immediately.  
 

[GenerationX]

By popular demand, while I’m sipping my pre-dinner lavender lemon drop martini and listening to the Spectrum band play the Beatles, I’m taking a trip back to night 1 to report on dinner in Eden!

 

I’m really glad I did this as my first dinner onboard. I think the food and atmosphere really matches the overall vibe of Edge as a ship and it was a fabulous intro.

 

Eden’s service is a several course dinner with alternate options for each course.  The portions for the most part are tapas size, which is good because there are so many courses.

 

The food style leans heavily gastronomic/molecular.  If there’s any Tony Bourdain fans following, it reminded me a lot of the episode of No Reservations where he went to the El Bulli in Spain.

 

If you’re a meat and potatoes kind of person (like my husband who’s at home salting our driveway as we speak, ha!), Eden may not be your thing.

 

If you’re up for some food style exploration, it’s a totally unique experience  that I’d have have had to pay 2-3 times as much to have at a fine dining restaurant in STL.

 

I was kind of disappointed at first that Celebrity doesn’t do the full big show with acrobats and dancers anymore during the dinner because I was really looking forward to the experience. But looking back now I think it may have been for the best because I think all that “flare” would’ve distracted me from appreciating the food, which really does deserve the spotlight.

 

I ordered the Raindrops, Namaste, Tidal Pool, Life after Death and, at my sever’s suggestion, had both desserts.

 

My favorite courses were the Namaste and Life after Death.  And of course how could I not love the big ball of white chocolate melted down with, wait for iwarm chocolate.  With a surprise piece of cake waiting inside.  Genius, simply glutinous genius. (Hopefully posting the video works!)  The sommelier was also happy to pour me a wine pairing for each course that was within my premium beverage package.

 

My reservation was at 8pm and while there wasn’t the big show, there was a nice acoustic guitar duo playing upstairs on the cocktail bar level of Eden.  My seat also had views of the wake and the open kitchen so I had plenty to see and hear to keep me entertained.

 

My S-class tradition is to have my first night dinner in Murano and I think my new tradition for E-class will be first night dinner in Eden (spoiler alert: unless this cruise goes WAY south in the next few days, I’m feeling like I’ll be sailing E-class again).

 

Soon to come: reports on cabanas, lunch at Rooftop Grill and dinner at Raw on 5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GenerationX]

9 hours ago, CruiserRob said:

DW would like to know the brand of your dress and where you got it please.

 

Robert

Here’s the link to the dress:

 

Fanient Womens Sleeveless Dress Casual Print Scoop Neck Sundress A Line Midi Dresses

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088M4MHDR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_HZZ24HWXG0R58WTTAE4B?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

I hope your wife enjoys!

 

 

[sjayo]

You made dinner in Eden look so good, I just booked it for Sara and I for exactly one week from today.

Thanks,

Jay and Sara

p.s. If you get a look at the Edge Villa, if you can, please send a report on what you think and the upgrade cost.

[Caren.M]

GenerationX, thank you for the fabulous review!  How is dinner in the non-suite restaurants as a solo traveler?  I wondered about COVID restrictions.  Are they giving you the option of sitting with others or only by yourself?  I'll be solo on Edge to the Mediterranean in October.  Enjoy the rest of your cruise and thanks for sharing it with us!

[Lunesse]

This is super fun to follow along with while home in the rainy world of Oregon. And I love the idea of a solo cruise. Someday, someday. ❤️ 

[countess5]

Wakey Wakey

 

We all have out swimsuits on and ready for a day in the Caribbean!! 

 

We’ll save you a lounger! 😜

 

Cheers! 

[CHEZMARYLOU]

We had the same food when we were in Eden. All of it was delicious. 

[GenerationX]

Good morning from off the coast of Mexico!

 

Nope, no matter how many cruises I do, I will never get tired of waking up to this view.

 

This morning the weather even at sea has turned delightfully warm and humid.  About time!  My deepest sympathies to my fellow Missourians who are getting walloped with a winter ice and snow storm right now.  

 

If it makes you feel any better, my life isn’t perfect either.  I woke up this morning with a lower backache.  I think after 3 sleeps I’ve figured out this mattress on Edge is too firm for me.  When Anastasiia brings my breakfast this morning (I’ll be giving room service a try on the totally not room service friendly tables. I’ll let you know how it goes) I’ll ask if there’s a mattress pad that could be added to soften things up.  I’ll also be sure to mention my aches to the masseuse during my aromatherapy hot stone massage in the spa this morning and see if she can help work the kinks out.  Ok, my bad, I’m probably rubbing salt in the wound instead of making you feel better.

 

We’re expected to port in Costa Maya this morning at 10:30am.  Im not planing to go into port today so, as mentioned above, I’m trying an interesting tip I read in a CC review (can’t remember which) and booked a massage during the time we’re docking.   According to that reviewer, the vibrations in the spa from the stern engines during docking gave a very nice extra vibrating table effect during the massage.  I’ll let you know how it goes!

 

Last night I ended up napping through the 7pm show and woke up just in time to get ready for dinner and have a martini and some live Beatles music from the house band before dinner at Raw on 5.

 

I’d read some reviews that meals at Raw on 5 and Fine Cut could be loud when big shows are going on in the grand plaza, so I tried to booked my reservations for those restaurants during times when the app schedule indicated the plaza would be more chill.  It was nice to be able to hear the softer, easy listening set that the band was doing at 8:30 while I ate my dinner.  

 

Sushi on 5 is one of my favorite things on S and M class so I was anxious to see how Raw on 5 stacked up.  To summarize, just my personal opinion:

 

-Atmosphere in Raw on 5 wins. I loved the lighter color scheme and higher end chairs and tables.  The marble sushi station and ice bar were also gorgeous. Here again it felt more like being in a nice contemporary seafood restaurant & raw bar on land and less like a “themed” cruise ship restaurant.

 

-Sushi Rolls: Raw on 5 also for the win.  Granted I only had one (the Shrimp Dragon Roll) but it was better rolled and had better flavor than I’ve ever gotten from the rolls in Sushi on 5.  The ginger and wasabi that came with it also had brighter color and more vibrant flavor.  In fact, my opinion has always been that Sushi on 5’s strong point was never the sushi, it’s their hot Japanese offerings. Which brings me to point 3…

 

-Hands down Sushi on 5 slays Raw on 5 for hot food.  Last night I had the pork belly and the beef negimaki.  The pork belly was perfectly cooked and tender but the sauce overpowered it.  I’d rather the chef have just brushed the pork lightly with the sauce and carmelized it on little bit it on rather pouring it over at the finish.  The beef negimaki wasn’t great. I think the beef was a little over cooked and there was so little asparagus you could barely taste it.  The sauce was pretty salty too.  Also, I looked through the menu several times trying to find a miso soup listed and never saw it. I’ve never seen a sushi place not have miso soup (and the one in Sushi on 5 is so delicious and also such a great stomach settler for hangovers and seasickness).  If it’s offered, I’d like to maybe go back to Raw on 5 at lunch last sea day and try a few other things to give it more of a chance.  Still, in my dream world, Celebrity would add the miso soup, seafood wontons and most of all the pork ramen (my favorite dish EVER) from Sushi on 5 to the menu at Raw on 5 and I would be a very happy woman.

 

After dinner I wasn’t feeling dancing so I had a couple of mojitos in Eden listening to a ska and reggae band (yah mon!) then headed back to my room get back to my cruise reading book that’s turned into a real page turner in the last chapter.

 

After breakfast and the spa I plan to head up to the Retreat Sundeck to relax and write about my afternoon yesterday. Maybe today it’ll actually be hot enough for me to try the pool!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GenerationX]

36 minutes ago, countess5 said:

Wakey Wakey

 

We all have out swimsuits on and ready for a day in the Caribbean!! 

 

We’ll save you a lounger! 😜

 

Cheers! 

Good morning!  I’ll be up by the pool after I’m done in the spa this morning!

[Buffett1964]

Thank you for the Eden review and preview as we too have reservations ththis Sunday. This review and the people who are participating are keeping it real and it is a pleasure to pre-sail along with you. Thank you!

 

[CruiserRob]

11 hours ago, GenerationX said:

Here’s the link to the dress:

 

Fanient Womens Sleeveless Dress Casual Print Scoop Neck Sundress A Line Midi Dresses

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088M4MHDR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_HZZ24HWXG0R58WTTAE4B?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

I hope your wife enjoys!

 

 

Thank you, I'm sure she will 🙂

[GenerationX]

An extremely relaxed GenX checking in from Eden! 

 

My massage therapist through in a complementary facial during my 75 minute massage this morning so when I emerged relaxed, glowing (literally) and backache free I realized it was time for lunch so I popped up to the Retreat lounge one deck above to have a post spa glass of champagne and scan the lunch menus.

 

It’s a port day so options are limited but I hated to ruin how light and refreshed I feel after my massage by having a heavy lunch. So I’m enjoying a little vegetable soup and tuna salad pita in Eden Cafe.  Both are really good btw, I think this cafe is a hidden, no up charge, light lunch gem. It reminds me of Panera (or as we Missourians still call it, St. Louis Bread Co.) back before they put all the microwaved pasta, heavy sandwiches and pizza on the menu. Plus you can treat yourself to a cookie and milk for dessert!

 

A little about the spa on Edge:  

 

For context, I’m a regular at the spa at the Four Seasons in St. Louis and enjoy the spa experience at Excellence Resorts in Mexico and the Dominican Republic so that’s where my spa experience expectations tend to level set from.

 

In the past I’ve steered clear of the spa on Celebrity because I’d had such disappointing and in my opinion seriously overpriced experiences.  Those experiences were in the days when the spa was run by Canyon Ranch and I’d heard that with E-class celebrity is using a new spa vendor so I decided to give it a try.

 

The spa facilities are clean and nice but not as opulent as the Four Seasons or Excellence. I was really hoping that with E-class maybe Celebrity would take it over the top and add hydrotherapy common area features like those offer and what I think are offered on NCL ships,  but no luck.  It ended up not mattering much though because, unlike other spas I’ve gone to where time in the common thermal/hydrotherapy areas is included standard as part of the massage experience and your appointment card specifically asks you to arrive at least 45-60 minutes early to take advantage of them, I was neither asked nor encouraged to do so on Celebrity.

 

It’s a bit nit picky but I also wasn’t impressed with the locker room facilities.  The robes offered were clean but really thin and already had broken loops, loose threads, etc.  They were also cut pretty narrow so if you’re a figure 8 silhouette like me with a shall we say “ample aft”, you have to walk very carefully in them with a short stride to avoid giving the whole spa a show in the front.

 

I also managed to lock myself out of the old school style lockers with the manual rolling combination locks.  Again I found that lock choice weird for a ship designed to be super modern.  The electronic touch keypad locks (or if they really wanted to be modern, the locks you can open and close from a spa app on your smartphone)  would be more “leaving the future behind” to me.

 

Also I’m not sure what’s right on top of the massage rooms but for part of my treatment there was a ton of noise of scraping like furniture was being moved around.  At home I’m forced to do most of my yoga and meditation with multiple dogs barking and the occasional rooster crowing in the background, so my relaxation isn’t easily ruined by such things.  But I can see how someone who’s easily disturbed by background noise would be really disappointed having to deal with that during a treatment they paid good money for.

 

That being said, the heart of the matter with a spa is the quality of the service and Carmelita from the Philippines did an outstanding job on my hot stone massage and facial. 

 

She was very responsive to my requests for pressure changes and attention to my achy lower back. In fact, she got that backache out like it was nothing! Some attentive massage and setting some hot stones to rest at the key muscle centers while she worked my legs and poof!  I’m ready to do cartwheels in the next production show (ok, no, but you see where I’m going with this).  Anyway, I was very impressed. 

 

So impressed in fact that I asked about pricing for a shorter 50 minute massage on the last sea day so that I could experience her work again (without further blowing my husband and I’s agreed upon onboard spending budget for me on this trip).

 

The spa must be light on bookings because she offered a 100 minute massage at the price of the 75 minute I had today and to throw in a full body scrub on top of it at no extra charge.  Shut up and take my money, Carmelita.  Hey, I’ve patiently forgiven my husband’s blowing of the agreed upon casino budget at the blackjack tables on several cruises.  It’s Charla’s time for splurging (and grace and tolerance)!

 

Apologies, I didn’t get a lot of pics in the spa because I wanted to be respectful of having a camera out where other robed guests were present.

 

Next stop: the Retreat Pool!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Missymo]

I am so excited with your review and pics.  I will be onboard 2/13/22 in a Sky Suite.  This is my 2nd of 3 times on Edge.  Last cruise (Oct) was first time solo, due to loss of DH and first since pandemic. . I loved it so much, make quit a few friends, and  booked 2 more on Edge, (plus 2 on RCCL) for 2022. I don't drink (unfortunately ) but have found some lovely virgin drinks to partake while cruising. Any one have a special non alcohol drink to recommend?  I am also a senior, so my pace will probably not be as active as yours seem to be.  I do plan , to eat in some of the speciality restaurants as they sound yummy. I missed out on that last time and ate my meals in Luminae and Blu.   All and all, should be a wonderful time.. Again enjoying reading your comments everyday.  

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

1 hour ago, Missymo said:

I am so excited with your review and pics.  I will be onboard 2/13/22 in a Sky Suite.  This is my 2nd of 3 times on Edge.  Last cruise (Oct) was first time solo, due to loss of DH and first since pandemic. . I loved it so much, make quit a few friends, and  booked 2 more on Edge, (plus 2 on RCCL) for 2022. I don't drink (unfortunately ) but have found some lovely virgin drinks to partake while cruising. Any one have a special non alcohol drink to recommend?  I am also a senior, so my pace will probably not be as active as yours seem to be.  I do plan , to eat in some of the speciality restaurants as they sound yummy. I missed out on that last time and ate my meals in Luminae and Blu.   All and all, should be a wonderful time.. Again enjoying reading your comments everyday.  

 

Trying not to hijack this thread--could you start a separate thread with recommended non-alcoholic drinks?  I don't drink alcohol either.  Thanks!