Luminae Restaurant and other Suite Options

[Definitas]

We have just booked a Sky Suite on Silhouette for one of the UK staycation cruises. We are not going to be allowed off the ship unless on a “curated” Celebrity shore excursion and we hate paying through the nose to be herded so we are going to stay on board and enjoy it.  I'm not sure how close these cruises full of Brits will adhere to the normal Celebrity product but we are hoping it will be close. What is the dining regime in Luminae? Do you have to nominate a time or do you just turn up. If the latter, what is the likelihood of having to wait? This is almost certainly going to be a one off so any other tips on how to maximise the experience would be appreciated 

[GastroGnome]

You just turn up.  There are times that are busier than others and that rather varies cruise by cruise.  For example the 8pmish slot - just after the first theatre show - can be busy. You sort of learn to work it out.  Which I guess isn't very helpful but it really does vary cruise by cruise!  If you have a large group or a very specific time you want to dine you can speak to the host, the concierge or your butler.  But it isn't usually possible to "book" a table. We've only had a problem with waiting at Luminane on one cruise - Oct 2019 canaries if it makes a difference - and they had sorted it out by the third night.

[delondin]

When we were on Constellation with a smaller Luminae we were recommended to book so we did. There were a couple of times we had to wait a bit even then. On Silhouette we just turned up when we liked and no problem. sometimes have to wait while they clean a table but not long. 
 

With  these summer uk cruises I’m expecting to have to book so they can space everyone. Although sailing at reduced capacity I’m not confident that they haven’t sold all the suites. Also the uk crowd tend to eat later so I imagine the later slots will be the busiest. 
 

As a suite guest (pre COVID) you can also dine in Blu (Aqua restaurant) on a space available basis. 

ive never seen queues at the restaurant door or anything like that in Luminae but who knows with these unique cruises. 
 

Just wanted to add that your Butler and Concierge will want to keep you happy so they will be suggesting booking etc if they feel the need. 

Edited July 1, 2021 by delondin

[isdoo]

22 minutes ago, delondin said:

 

As a suite guest (pre COVID) you can also dine in Blu (Aqua restaurant) on a space available basis. 

 

Never had space in my experience. Always very busy. 

[Gracie115]

We've never made reservations for Luminae.  The only time we found to be truly busy was between 6 & 7:30.  But we've never waited more than a few minutes.  It's a wonderful experience.  As much as we liked Blu, Luminae is just several notches better.

 

Enjoy your cruise, we love the Silhouette!!

[swjumbo]

2 hours ago, MacH said:

We have just booked a Sky Suite on Silhouette for one of the UK staycation cruises. We are not going to be allowed off the ship unless on a “curated” Celebrity shore excursion and we hate paying through the nose to be herded so we are going to stay on board and enjoy it.  I'm not sure how close these cruises full of Brits will adhere to the normal Celebrity product but we are hoping it will be close. What is the dining regime in Luminae? Do you have to nominate a time or do you just turn up. If the latter, what is the likelihood of having to wait? This is almost certainly going to be a one off so any other tips on how to maximise the experience would be appreciated 

We’re in exactly the same position and it’s a first suite treat for us.
Just wondering what to spend our cruise credit on but some of it will be on some Scotch whilst in Inverness looking at the scenery from the ship. Not going to let wee nicola change the rules and spoil it for us!

We looked at the ‘Elevate’ package for the mini bar, etc and it was over £1000 each so that option was quickly deleted!

As all the suites have sold out the Retreat and Luminae will be the busiest areas on the ship so maybe it’ll be an idea to spend the credit in Tuscan!

See you on the 14th.

[delondin]

43 minutes ago, swjumbo said:

We’re in exactly the same position and it’s a first suite treat for us.
Just wondering what to spend our cruise credit on but some of it will be on some Scotch whilst in Inverness looking at the scenery from the ship. Not going to let wee nicola change the rules and spoil it for us!

We looked at the ‘Elevate’ package for the mini bar, etc and it was over £1000 each so that option was quickly deleted!

As all the suites have sold out the Retreat and Luminae will be the busiest areas on the ship so maybe it’ll be an idea to spend the credit in Tuscan!

See you on the 14th.

If you booked the suite do you not automatically get the elevate package?

[wrk2cruise]

You get the Indulge package if you book the AI rate but that doesn't include the mini bar.

[TeeRick]

1 hour ago, swjumbo said:

We’re in exactly the same position and it’s a first suite treat for us.
Just wondering what to spend our cruise credit on but some of it will be on some Scotch whilst in Inverness looking at the scenery from the ship. Not going to let wee nicola change the rules and spoil it for us!

We looked at the ‘Elevate’ package for the mini bar, etc and it was over £1000 each so that option was quickly deleted!

As all the suites have sold out the Retreat and Luminae will be the busiest areas on the ship so maybe it’ll be an idea to spend the credit in Tuscan!

See you on the 14th.

How much OBC?  If you are in a suite with everything included and you cannot spend it on excursions, then it is a bit of a conundrum.  You can spend it in shops on board.  Or specialty restaurants - but Luminae is just as good or better IMO.  I think there is a way to use it in the casino if you are a player.

[chemmo]

4 hours ago, MacH said:

We have just booked a Sky Suite on Silhouette for one of the UK staycation cruises. We are not going to be allowed off the ship unless on a “curated” Celebrity shore excursion and we hate paying through the nose to be herded so we are going to stay on board and enjoy it.  I'm not sure how close these cruises full of Brits will adhere to the normal Celebrity product but we are hoping it will be close. What is the dining regime in Luminae? Do you have to nominate a time or do you just turn up. If the latter, what is the likelihood of having to wait? This is almost certainly going to be a one off so any other tips on how to maximise the experience would be appreciated 

 

The Luminae menu is ‘playful’ in its descriptions. It isn’t always easy to know exactly what you are ordering. Strongly suggest you look at some of the CC reviews, especially those with pictures. Also when on board ask your waiter to describe the options to you.

 

There is a great choice of speciality restaurants on board, we particularly love Tuscan for sail aways and Murano’s is always pleasurable. The Lawn Grill and Chops are both nice if the weather is favourable and are usually open for some lunchtimes. Look at packages available pre cruise or chat with any of the speciality M’Ds or the Luminae M’D and see what offers are available.

 

If there are any ship tours you would like to do (bridge, galley, theatre...) let the Retreat concierge know. With present restrictions numbers on these tours could be more limited than usual so express your interests early in the cruise.

 

Chat with your butler soon after boarding and let him know what you would like daily in your room. If you plan to dine in the evening  in your room or on your balcony let your butler know in advance if possible and request it to be served course by course.

 

If you have any concerns or issues talk to the Retreat Concierge. Remember you can contact them and your butler by telephone.

Edited July 1, 2021 by chemmo

[Caribbean Chris]

If you know you’ll have a time and location preference when/where you usually want to have dinner, talk to the Luminae maitre d’ after you board. For example, we prefer a table for two where I can tuck my service dog (a 70 lb Lab) against the wall away from foot traffic. And we like to eat early. (You might prefer something different such as a window location later in the evening, etc.)
 

They have always provided the ideal table in the quiet back corner farthest from the entrance, held for us throughout the cruise. We usually see the same people nearby most nights, which leads me to conclude that many other people request their preferences for the duration. 
 

And of course, you can let them know of changes the next night such as others joining you, going to a specialty restaurant, or expecting a late return to the ship from port. 
 

By the way, you can arrange with the Luminae maitre d’ if you’d like to bring friends who are not suite passengers for dinner - there’s a charge ($25 IIRC) per person added to your account. We did that on our last pre-Covid X cruise and it was fun for all of us. A great way to use OBC.

 

Another thing you can do is ask your butler to arrange for a little cocktail party in your suite. Sky Suites can easily fit 6 with everyone sitting, more standing up. We had a few bottles of champagne we wanted to use, which he had chilled, and my request for shrimp and cheese platters (no charge) with flutes, napkins, and everything else was beautifully arranged. That was the last cruise we had before Covid hit. Nice memories.

[Caribbean Chris]

You can also ask your Luminae waiter to bring the main dining room menu to the table, too. That said, we haven’t been on Silhouette since the “revolution” changes - have they moved Luminae?

 

Great advice from chemmo. We’ve also had excellent assistance from some of the Concierges. 

Edited July 1, 2021 by Caribbean Chris

[Jim_Iain]

Generally on the first night they ask you to turn up at a specified time to avoid first night crazies.    The host will accommodate  or will tell you when they can fit you in.      We usually just show up but if at a busy time then we have the concierge from Retreat call down to let them know we are on the way and if a delay we just wait in Retreat until table is ready.    We are late diners so this is usually not a problem.

[Gracie115]

3 hours ago, Caribbean Chris said:

You can also ask your Luminae waiter to bring the main dining room menu to the table, too. That said, we haven’t been on Silhouette since the “revolution” changes - have they moved Luminae?

 

Great advice from chemmo. We’ve also had excellent assistance from some of the Concierges. 

 

On  Silhouette you can ask your waiter for the MDR menu.  It's my understanding you can't do that on the new Edge class ships.

 

Luminae has not been moved.

[peanut head]

We have always made reservations, either with the on-shore concierge or retreat host (aka butler), for our preferred dining time and requested table location in Luminae and the other specialty restaurants.  We tend to eat at the same time every night and know what we like.  

 

Have a great trip!

[swjumbo]

On 7/1/2021 at 2:02 PM, TeeRick said:

How much OBC?  If you are in a suite with everything included and you cannot spend it on excursions, then it is a bit of a conundrum.  You can spend it in shops on board.  Or specialty restaurants - but Luminae is just as good or better IMO.  I think there is a way to use it in the casino if you are a player.

$600!

I do occasionally have a flutter in Vegas. Will it get me a free cruise?
 

[terrydtx]

On 7/1/2021 at 8:02 AM, TeeRick said:

How much OBC?  If you are in a suite with everything included and you cannot spend it on excursions, then it is a bit of a conundrum.  You can spend it in shops on board.  Or specialty restaurants - but Luminae is just as good or better IMO.  I think there is a way to use it in the casino if you are a player.

We are in a suite for our Equinox cruise and the $600 OBC can be used for shore excursions,  I have already used some of ours to pre-book 2 excursions and two nights at specialty restaurants. 

[glmacruise]

Luminae is pretty awesome for cruise food. They didn’t have sun choke soup on the menu but we had it the day before . The chef put some together for me. Delicious as ever. 

[dkjretired]

On 7/1/2021 at 9:02 AM, TeeRick said:

How much OBC?  If you are in a suite with everything included and you cannot spend it on excursions, then it is a bit of a conundrum.  You can spend it in shops on board.  Or specialty restaurants - but Luminae is just as good or better IMO.  I think there is a way to use it in the casino if you are a player.

OBC from TAs can be returned to you, we have had that happen on our last two cruises and Celebrity put it on our credit card ver quickly.

[TeeRick]

16 hours ago, dkjretired said:

OBC from TAs can be returned to you, we have had that happen on our last two cruises and Celebrity put it on our credit card ver quickly.

Yes agree.  But we never use a TA so I am referring to the Celebrity OBC only here.

[TeeRick]

17 hours ago, terrydtx said:

We are in a suite for our Equinox cruise and the $600 OBC can be used for shore excursions,  I have already used some of ours to pre-book 2 excursions and two nights at specialty restaurants. 

Yes we definitely tend to use our OBC for shorex and also specialty dining.

[Jim_Iain]

18 hours ago, dkjretired said:

OBC from TAs can be returned to you, we have had that happen on our last two cruises and Celebrity put it on our credit card ver quickly.

I recommend that you check your cruise bill or ask at the main desk.    Credits with a R on the code are refundable.    I have had some of my OBC from a TA as a  NR (non-refundable)  rare but  it has happened.   

 

For refund of the OBC it is issued when they zero out the ship.   Using the app on a B2B I could actually see when it was refunded back to my CC.