misterkevin

I read your meticulously written review with zeal as we embark on the same itinerary in 10 days. Thank you for your keen authorship and more for your gloriously detailed photographic compositions. That you took these with a handheld phone is astonishing— you have the eye of an artist. I greatly appreciate your contribution.👏👏👏

@groryjm Thanks for this detailed review of your experiences in the Retreat. We embark in 3 weeks for our virgin voyage on the Reflection. You join a chorus of reviews about slower service in Luminae due to the extra suites on the ship. I was wondering if you found that Luminae was slower at certain times of the evening? Was service better in the specialty restaurants? We might consider a dining package since we are not in an upper level suite this itinerary. Another nit you pointed out about the Boulud Moroccan chicken tagine was exactly my experience in March on the Summit, and far inferior to the same dish on the Equinox in 2019 when it was juicy and flavorful. That's a tragedy, and I'm sure he'd take his name off the dish if he tasted it nowadays. I found it funny that the bar manager suggested batching cocktails in Michael's. Is it that busy? Do you have to wait long for service there as well? Premade cocktails can work well for a large party, but make no sense in a private club.

You should find C. O. Bigelow products in your bath. They are in larger bottles in the shower to reduce the plastic waste. There's a body wash, shampoo, and conditioner as well as a small hard hand soap. At the vanity you should find hand soap, lotion, and lip balm. They are very good quality, mildly scented with lavender and peppermint.

We had Boulud's Moroccan chicken in Luminae on the Summit in March. It was definitely not prepared sous vide. It was unfortunately dry but not tasteless. This is not a Boulud signature dish, and I'm confident he would take his name off this dish if he tried it when I did. It was much better on the Equinox when we had it in 2019. That being said, the I can confirm that the Daniel Boulud carrot prawn veloute soup and raspberry pistachio vacerin are delicious. The first looks plain but is bursting with flavor, and the dessert is light and beautiful to behold.

Yes.

I was mixing that up with Cellar Masters on the Summit. I apologize for the misinformation. I wonder what the wine list is at Craft Social? I've even been on Equinox since the change. I remember they had some great cocktails and beers there. Does World Class Bar stock any champagne? I remember it being stocked with Diageo liquors.

If you want real champagne at breakfast, your best bet is to buy a bottle individually to keep in your room on ice. If you are okay with a domestic sparkling wine, the premium wine package Taste of the Vineyards starts at $169 for 3 bottles with options for 5 or 7 bottles at a higher price. Domaine Carneros sparkling wine is listed as included in that package, but they may substitute out due to availability. You can order a mimosa with your room service breakfast, but it will most likely be made with Celebrity Vintages sparkling wine which is not distinguishable from Korbel by my palate. Generally you can find Celebrity Vintages or a prosecco at most bars. Some will carry Chandon as well. For the best selection of sparkling wines on the Equinox, go to Cellar Masters wine bar on 4. They should carry Cattier champagne which is covered by a premium package. There are also a couple of upcharge champagnes by the glass at Cellar Masters or if you are dining in Luminae as a Retreat guest. The Sunset bar (as well as the Magic Carpet bar on Edge Class ships) sometimes carries Veuve Clicquot which you can order by the glass. They made champagne cocktails on our last Equinox cruise in 2019. If you enjoy champagne as much as I do, you might be interested in the specialty Veuve Cliquot dinner with champagne pairings across 5 courses. Keep in mind that all of this is subject to change, so it's important to be able to roll with the shortages as they affect the onboard selections.

Celebrity has notoriously complex pre cruise customer service without a travel agent to intervene and save you the frustration. There are also direct ways to get these things addressed by calling 1-877-RETREAT or even using the chat function built into the website. That being said, I hope you have an opportunity to reframe your wonderful upcoming cruise because you do not project a sunny demeanor.

I wonder what triggers the points? I have an upcoming cruise in August booked and filled the itinerary with Celebrity excursions because I had so much nonrefundable OBC, it was a no brainer to me. If it's already booked, would it not count? What about if I cancel it and rebook it? Maybe I'll try that...