Beyond LIVE Solo Retreat Review (4/9/23): A One-Woman Suite Show

[Captain-John]

Thanks again for sharing your time onboard with us and hope you continue to have a fantastic time.

[Norwaylady]

Looking good🤩🙌🏻⚓️😎 Enjoy❤️

Miami greeted us by rain today☔️☔️

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

4 hours ago, GenerationX said:

a grey, cool environment where passengers aren’t spending as much time outside

 

Don't count on it being grey and cool. While it might be, the two times I've sailed to Alaska it was sunny and warm most of the time. Like, eating lunch out on the outdoor pool deck while a band played level warm.

 

A few Alaska seasons ago it was so warm the Disney Wonder ran out of swimsuits - and things that could pass as swim suits - t-shirts, and other warm-weather clothing in their on board stores it was so warm.

 

I'm enjoying your review!! 🙂

Edited April 10, 2023 by WrittenOnYourHeart

[Jim_Iain]

5 hours ago, GenerationX said:

Dear readers please forgive me as I flip the script momentarily and ask a question of the audience.

 

In true best life style as I’m eating and drinking my lunch, I’m perusing the Luminae menu in the app to decide what I want to eat and drink for dinner.

 

Has anyone tried the Daniel Boulud signature duck leg confit entree?

 

It sounds intriguing but I’m a bit nervous on it.  A few cruises back I tried the Boulud signature chicken tangine and it was, how can I put this nicely?  Nah, forget it, there’s no way to put it nicely, it was one of the biggest Luminae let downs I’ve ever experienced.

 

I may have just caught the kitchen on a tough night, but I’m so scared to have Chef Boulud break my heart again.

 

If anyone has first hand experience they can share it would be much appreciated!

 

 

 

 

 

I would give it a try and let us know.    Like you,  I once tried the Chicken Tangine and I may not be as polite and say Yuck-  the herbs definitely were not to my taste.

 

Order a second Entree just in case it doesn't work for you.    Let us know.     If you recommend it I'll give it a try also.         I do have to say that the Raspberry Pistachio was my favorite so disappointed with it being replaced with the Chocolate Pill

[asnaleah]

I’m with @abbydancer and @Jim_Iain. The raspberry pistachio dessert was my favorite so I’m boycotting the new menu 😕. Well, at least until December when we’re back onboard.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

6 minutes ago, asnaleah said:

I’m with @abbydancer and @Jim_Iain. The raspberry pistachio dessert was my favorite so I’m boycotting the new menu 😕. Well, at least until December when we’re back onboard.

 

Yes, really sorry to see that one go.

[GenerationX]

Cheers from evening chic night! Don’t you just love an evening dress with pockets?

 

I just arrived at the theatre for tonight’s production show.  Elaine was there to escort me to a great seat in the reserved Retreat area in the balcony and bring me a glass of champagne.

 

More to come later tonight!

 

 

[asnaleah]

You look beautiful Charla!

[mac_tlc]

8 minutes ago, GenerationX said:

Cheers from evening chic night! Don’t you just love an evening dress with pockets?

 

I just arrived at the theatre for tonight’s production show.  Elaine was there to escort me to a great seat in the reserved Retreat area in the balcony and bring me a glass of champagne.

 

More to come later tonight!

 

 

 

From the row behind you in the theatre, Terrri said she loves your dress .😂😂

 

mac_tlc

[cheeseheads4ever]

Fabulous!Yes you look like you should be walking the red carpet!

[Illsticktocrusing]

A little late, but My husband always orders the duck on any cruise ship.  Duck confie is one of his favorites and is pretty sure he had this one this past December and enjoyed it. 

 

oh and we both always order the Chicken Tangine at least once each during the cruise.  
 

 

[Moochi]

8 hours ago, GenerationX said:

Dear readers please forgive me as I flip the script momentarily and ask a question of the audience.

 

In true best life style as I’m eating and drinking my lunch, I’m perusing the Luminae menu in the app to decide what I want to eat and drink for dinner.

 

Has anyone tried the Daniel Boulud signature duck leg confit entree?

 

It sounds intriguing but I’m a bit nervous on it.  A few cruises back I tried the Boulud signature chicken tangine and it was, how can I put this nicely?  Nah, forget it, there’s no way to put it nicely, it was one of the biggest Luminae let downs I’ve ever experienced.

 

I may have just caught the kitchen on a tough night, but I’m so scared to have Chef Boulud break my heart again.

 

If anyone has first hand experience they can share it would be much appreciated!

 

 

 

Post #137 if I pushed the correct buttons 🤣

[NewCruiser77]

I’m loving reading along with your trip 🙂. I haven’t been on Celebrity or done a solo cruise yet but I’m definitely thinking about it after reading this.  I do get more vacation days than my husband after all!  Your dresses are great, I’m also a fan of Amazon for dresses and of course, pockets are always a huge plus.

[Reel Love]

Oh my gosh Charla!  Truly LOVE the pics of the last couple of dresses that you have posted!  You have an absolutely wonderful sense of style!!!  Thank you so much for posting the website a couple of pages back for the "green leaf dress" .... may end up copying you on that dress for my upcoming June cruise on Equinox.   Hope the rest of your cruise continues to be fabulous  😊

[momofmab]

Loving your cruise "fits" as usual!  You have a wonderful sense of style!

[Just Jo]

On 4/9/2023 at 8:32 PM, GenerationX said:

 

Hi @GenerationX.  First time reading one of your reviews and won't be the last - this is terrific.  Question:  what camera (or phone?) did you use for this picture?  It's stunning.  Thanks for sharing your adventure.

 

(And thanks to @mkcurran for sharing this thread.)

[countess5]

Glad you got in on the Premium Wine Tasting! You are going to love it! 

 

These were the wines we tasted, I am not a Port drinker but it was fantastic!

 

 

 

 

 

The Cheese selection Amazing! 

 

 

Please post your experience.

 

Cheers! 

 

 

[mac_tlc]

So this post is really for @countess5 or anyone who read their review of their 47 day adventure. 
 

I found this on a shelf in one of the nightstands!

 

 

 

Could come in handy! 🤔🤔🤔😂😂

 

mac_tlc

Edited April 11, 2023 by mac_tlc

[countess5]

9 minutes ago, mac_tlc said:

So this post is really for @countess5 or anyone who read their review of their 47 day adventure. 
 

I found this on a shelf in one of the nightstands!

 

 

 

Could come in handy! 🤔🤔🤔😂😂

 

mac_tlc

Now that has possibility! 😂 😂 😂

 

Great find!  

 

Cheers! 

 

 

[miched]

Our server in Luminae didn’t recommend that  Duck dish by Daniel Boulud 

Our assistant server did recommend his Pill desert.  I wish we knew about it early in the cruise.   Those nutty things remind me of the nuts on an ice cream drum stick. 
 

The other that is unique to Beyond breakfast in Luminae is the potato waffle.   It became one of our favorites.  It is pictured with a side of bacon   It has 2 potato waffles, cheese, bacon and a egg made the way you want.

Something else that we found on the Beyond during our cruise  was that the Gelato is now free at the ice cream bar in the buffet.   They only have one flavor per day and honestly can’t tell  the difference between that and the ice cream they serve.  
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Edited April 11, 2023 by miched

[mac_tlc]

Another thing I noticed in Luminae last night —— when our waiter was going through the “classics” that are always available but not on the menu, he mentioned the 4oz filet as an option. Never remember the waiter mentioning that as part of the classics. It is still on the kids menu and I know folks order from there but it was interesting that he listed it with the other classic entrees. 
 

My wife had it and it was very good. 
 

While we are discussing the Daniel Boulod options, she also enjoyed the chilled  corn soup. She has previously tried the chocolate pill and was not a fan .
 

mac_tlc

Edited April 11, 2023 by mac_tlc

[cruisinsusin]

16 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

I would give it a try and let us know.    Like you,  I once tried the Chicken Tangine and I may not be as polite and say Yuck-  the herbs definitely were not to my taste.

 

Order a second Entree just in case it doesn't work for you.    Let us know.     If you recommend it I'll give it a try also.         I do have to say that the Raspberry Pistachio was my favorite so disappointed with it being replaced with the Chocolate Pill

Raspberry pistachio vacherin was still on the Boulud favorites last week on Constellation- one fo my favorites so hope this is only a Beyond thing!

[Jim_Iain]

27 minutes ago, cruisinsusin said:

Raspberry pistachio vacherin was still on the Boulud favorites last week on Constellation- one fo my favorites so hope this is only a Beyond thing!

You may be correct.   I just checked the current cruise on Apex and they are still showing the Pistachio Vacherin

 

 

Edited April 11, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[George C]

2 hours ago, miched said:

Our server in Luminae didn’t recommend that  Duck dish by Daniel Boulud 

Our assistant server did recommend his Pill desert.  I wish we knew about it early in the cruise.   Those nutty things remind me of the nuts on an ice cream drum stick. 
 

The other that is unique to Beyond breakfast in Luminae is the potato waffle.   It became one of our favorites.  It is pictured with a side of bacon   It has 2 potato waffles, cheese, bacon and a egg made the way you want.

Something else that we found on the Beyond during our cruise  was that the Gelato is now free at the ice cream bar in the buffet.   They only have one flavor per day and honestly can’t tell  the difference between that and the ice cream they serve.  
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Although I wasn’t that crazy about Beyond breakfast menu I did like potato waffle thing had it a couple of times and was disappointed they didn’t have that on recent Summit cruise.

[GenerationX]

It’s a beautiful morning on the open ocean!

 

I am pleased to report that I followed through with my promise to myself to get up for a pre-breakfast workout and did about 3 miles on the jogging track.  

 

We sailed through some serious weather late last night and into early morning and it made the decks and running track extremely slippery.  

 

As I was stretching out post workout I saw a man slip and go down while playing ping pong on the starboard side of deck 14.

 

There were pool crew members left and right trying to mop but it seemed to be just moving water around more than drying it up.

 

I originally planned to run a couple of the miles but didn’t want to risk a trip to medical 2 days into the cruise, so I just power walked instead.

 

Also about that weather last night, it really got Beyond rocking. I could here the wind blowing from bed and when I got up to investigate I could see the spray from the ocean flying almost as high as my veranda on deck 10.  With the ship moving that much, I finally experienced the infamous sounds of the Beyond.

 

From somewhere inside the wall between my bed and the bathroom and the one between my room and the stateroom just forward of mine, there arose loud groans and bangs each time the ship rolled from port to starboard.  Fortunately I have my noise cancelling airpods with me, so I put them in and played my sleep sounds in the Calm app and it drowned it out pretty well.  Once I convinced myself that Captain Dimitrios is way too good at his job (and has far too much Greek pride) to ever let the ship go full Poseidon Adventure on me, I managed to get back to sleep.

 

I woke a few hours later to sunshine, calm seas, and a once again quiet cabin.  I’m so excited for sun and warmth today. I finally get to wear my new pool cover up that I bought when Jeremy and I were in Tortola on Apex! I love wearing outfits/jewelry/bags on a cruise that I got on a previous cruise. It brings back the memories of a happy time DURING a happy time and it’s like hitting a double endorphins jackpot.

 

This morning I had my first breakfast in Luminae and I’m pretty sure between the almond croissants and the savory potato waffle on the new menu, I put back on every calorie I burned on the track this morning and probably a few more.  As much as I’ll miss my usual Luminae go to huevos rancheros this week, that potato waffle makes up for it pretty well.  Tomorrow if I stick to getting morning exercise, I’ll treat myself to trying the peach cobbler French toast!

 

After breakfast I killed a little time (not lucratively) in the casino till the shops opened then bought myself a little souvenir from what I’m pretty sure has become my new favorite Celebrity ship.  And when I say “from the ship” I mean literally.  This necklace is beautiful anyway, but the extra cool memory and conversation value about it is that it’s also made from the first cut of steel for Beyond’s hull!❤️

 

I’ve just settled in for my cabana reservation and my attendant Rona just brought me a good stiff pina colada to cool me off in the hot sun.  I’ll do a full post on the cabanas later, but one perk of them that I like is that, in addition to the champagne/vodka/wine bottle and beer included with the cabana booking, if you have the beverage package, the attendants will also give you in seat drink service of anything you like from the pool bar complimentary.  

 

Today that dedicated drink service is a big perk given that both the retreat and main pool decks are jammed packed with only so many drink servers to tackle it all (and right now there’s a line 8 people deep to order drinks at the main pool bar).  

 

While I’m relaxing poolside I’ll also fill you in on the rest of chic night.