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. 

On 3/10/2022 at 4:57 PM, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

At one point it was sous vide, which is usually the best way to cook chicken as long as you add some flavoring and sear it, but this was probably sous vide and frozen prior to being brought on board.  No idea if this is still the case.

 

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.

Just now, mitz18 said:

You are "allowed" to bring on board 2 bottles of wine per cabin - correct??

TIA

Yes. 

4 hours ago, jelayne said:

@misterkevin, just a fyi that Cellar Masters was removed from the Equinox a few years ago and replaced with Craft Social more a craft been venue although we were there they did have beverages other than beer.

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. 

1 hour ago, Minniebug said:

I can't wait to experience the cruise. NOT!

 

I like to maintain a positive attitude, but when it's bad before departure it's usually bad all the way through.

 

Currently, I have no idea if any questions I asked were answered correctly. So, I fully expect not to have a smooth trip.

 

So far, so bad.

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...

8 hours ago, zitsky said:

Does Martha Stewart claim that her cookies cure cancer?

Martha has similarly embraced new age product marketing by releasing America's best selling brand of CBD gummies not only for humans, but for pets. They all claim unbelievable benefits. Martha and Gwyneth are cut from the same cloth.

People love to hate on Gwyneth Paltrow, but she's just trying to emulate the Martha Stewart for a younger generation. It's no surprise that her goop isn't that popular among us because we're not her target audience. But Celebrity has its sites on capturing a larger share of younger affluent travelers, and that's why they're partnering, yoni candles or not.

That being said, on the Summit in March I discovered the goop detox smoothie in the Spa Cafe, and it was an excellent hangover cure. I don't read her blog or buy from her website, but the smoothie's a keeper.

These recurring issues of overcrowding and slow service in Luminae, a dark Michaels club (without snacks and a buffet?!), and lack of Retreat sundeck have me a bit concerned for my August itinerary. The upside is that the itinerary is port intensive, but it would seem that Celebrity should increase the suite staff to passenger ratio with so many more suites on the Reflection.

14 hours ago, D C said:

What's the importance of having a suite-only space?

Retreat Sundecks generally have more comfortable padded loungers, dedicated drink service, refreshments, and a light lunch menu from which Retreat passengers can order. The refreshments include iced towels as well as attendants who walk around with flavored ices and sorbets. Some Retreat areas have a separate area where people can sit and eat at a table outdoors. Some have hot tubs, and the Edge class Retreat areas have small pools as well. The downside on most Retreat Sundecks is the lack of shade. However, they're nice because they're quieter than the pool, and the service is much more attentive.

Early March, spa prices on the Summit were significantly higher than in the cruise planner pre-boarding.

So the price didn't go down. Rather, extra perks with the price you paid are now included. Technically, that isn't a price reduction. However, you might be able to have them added if you use the chat feature from the Celebrity.com website. There you can communicate directly in real time with a client service representative who can add them in as goodwill. 

Something like that is available self service afternoon at a buffet both in the Retreat Lounge and Oceanview. It's not the same as table service with tea and finger sandwiches, but the scones and clotted cream were there. 

Hello cruisers! Just checking in here to see if any others might be on this intinerary? 

Murano would be my first choice because the food and service are better than Tuscan from experience. It's more elegant in style, and the food is lighter overall. The Tuscan Grill menu is heavier and has more hits and misses. I will agree that the lobster Alfredo in Tuscan is obscenely delicious, and you can order any pasta dish as a half order even to share. We also liked the fish dishes in Tuscan, where I had my favorite crab cake on the ship. I splurged for the upgraded steak in Tuscan on my last cruise early March in the Summit and was underwhelmed; a filet would have been better. Other solid choices: heirloom beets, cacio e pepe, fig gelato. Unremarkable were the eggplant parmigiana, crispy calamari, veal marsala, and tiramisu. And before all you die-hard Tuscan Grill fans take up arms with me, these are just my and my spouse's opinions. 🙂

p.s. Regardless of the restaurant, a neat collared shirt and long pants are fine in either on any night.

8 hours ago, jwlane said:

We received this nice canvas bag on Aprex last month.

What cabin class on Apex? As I understand it, the Nate Berkus style bags are specific to Edge class vessels.

7 hours ago, Andrewgary said:

Yes, I disappear for trivia or a poker tournament for an hour and I don't see any reason to abandon my lounge because I'm gone for a short while. I don't begrudge anyone who eats in Luminae or uses the Retreat because they're suite members so I don't see why anyone should think I should give up my Lounge hogs? I don't think so. 

First of all, people in Luminae pay for the privilege. It's not comparable. I'm just curious why you think you have the right to a chair in which you're not sitting for 30-60 minutes when it's a public space and singing else might only want the pleasure of staying in it for 30 minutes?  That's why Princess created the Sanctuary where you can reserve a specific chair for a specific time at an additional price. Celebrity doesn't enforce these rules because they don't want to upset guests on their vacation, but evidently you have no regrets about doing it.

11 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

We have sailed several times in a CS including EDGE.  Never received any type of sign.  Is this new?

No, but it's been reported cruisers in upper suites were sent a sign to place on the dash of their arriving car to confirm that they could unload in the "Special Delivery"  or Retreat area. This seems to vary by port. We didn't need it when we arrived, and as Jim_Iain mentioned, some traffic handlers at the port may not even heed the notice.

20 minutes ago, NCHPcruiser said:

We are usually in a CS and have always received a call or text but did not on the cruise we are currently (on Apex in a CS).

Did you get an sign to download for your car when embarking into a CS?

4 minutes ago, t18c97 said:

Just for my information, what is the definition of an "upper level suite"?

Iconic, Reflection, Edge Villa, Penthouse, Royal, or Signature suite.

6 hours ago, Sam.Seattle said:

Maybe the Beyond will feel less crowded with the additional retreat space.  55% larger area. 

With more space, the Beyond Retreat may feel less crowded. It looks as if there will only be 3 more suites on the Beyond including the new Aqua Class Sky Suites which have the option of eating in Blu, despite having an double occupancy capacity of 350 more passengers.

You don't need the placard. Get out at the Priority or Retreat line at the passenger drop off in port, show them your luggage tags, or check in bar code on your app, or just mention you are in an upper level suite, and they will personally escort you from curb to cabin if you're in an upper level suite.